A26917:532
Directions for weak distempered Christians, to grow up to a confirmed state of grace…
Directions for weak distempered Christians, to grow up to a confirmed state of grace with motives opening the lamentable effects of their weaknesses and distempers / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Nevil Simmons, 1669
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
O happy Church, and State, and Family, which are composed of such confirmed Christians! where the predominate temperature is such as I have here described! Yea happy is the place where Magistrates and Ministers are such; who are the vital parts of State and Church, and the instruments appointed to communicate these perfections to the rest. But how much more happy is the New Jerusalem, the City of the Living God, where the perfected spirits of the just in Perfect Life, and Light and Love, are perfectly beholding, and admiring, and praising, and pleasing the Eternal God, their Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier for ever! where the least and meanest is greater and more perfect than the confirmed Christian here described! And where Hypocrisy is utterly excluded, and Imperfection ceaseth, with scandal, censures, uncharitableness, division, and all its other sad effects: And where the souls that thirsted after Righteousness shall be fully satisfied; and Love God more than they can now desire! and never grieve themselves or others with their wants or weaknesses, or misdoings any more. And, O blessed day, when our most Blessed Head shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels, and shall come to be glorified in his Saints, and admired in all them that now believe; whose weakness here occasioned his dishonour, and their own contempt! when the seed of Grace is grown up into Glory, and all the world whether they will or not, shall discern ⟨p. 181⟩between the Righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not; between the clean and the unclean, and between him that sweareth, and him that feareth an oath: And though now our Life is hid with Christ in God, and it yet appeareth not (to the sight of our selves or others) what we shall be; yet then when Christ who is our Life shall appear, we also shall appear with him in Glory, Heb. 12.22, 23. Rev. 22.3, 4, 5, 14, 15. & 21.3, 4, 8. 2 Thes. 1.9, 10. Mat. 5.4, 6.