A26919:310
The divine life in three treatises
The divine life in three treatises ... by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Francis Tyton, 1664
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.
4. Yea hence we must learn to be the more Thankful for all our mercies, because they proceed from the Absolute Lord, that was not obliged to us. He might have made us Idiots, or mad men; he might have made us beasts or toads, without any injury to us; And the Mercies which are consequently from his Promise, are Antecedently from his Propriety and Dominion: For he might have put us into other capacities, and have chosen not to have made those promises. And his promises bind us not to be less thankful but more. As his mercies are not the less mercies but the greater for being promised; because we have now the comfort and use of them in the promise, before we have them.
4. Yea hence we must learn to be the more Thankful for all our mercies, because they proceed from the Absolute Lord, that was not obliged to us. He might have made us Ideots, or mad men; he might have made us beasts or toads, without any injury to us; And the Mercies which are consequently from his Promise, are Antecedently from his Propriety and Dominion: For he might have put us into other capacities, and have chosen not to have made those promises. And his promises bind us not to be less thankful but more. As his mercies are not the less mercies but the greater for being promised; because we have now the comfort and use of them in the promise, before we have them.
5. Hence also we must learn, that there can be no simple absolute Propriety in any Creature. No creature gave all the Being and well being to another that it hath, and this originally as of its Own. We being not our Own but God's, cannot have any thing that is Absolutely our Own. Humane Propriety is but derived▪ limited, and respective. Our Goods, and Lands, and Lives are Ours; that is, they are Ours to Use for God, as the Instruments of a workman to do his work; but not ours to use as we think meet. They are so ours as that men may not ⟨p. 113⟩take them from us, but God may take them from us at his pleasure. And therefore think not you may misspend a penny if you were never so rich, because it is your own; but know that you must misspend nothing, because it is not your own, but Gods.