A26919:583
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.
All that I have last said, is to show you the Reasonableness of Living unto God, as being indeed the proper and just employment of the superior faculties of the soul, and their Government of the lower faculties. For if any other called Moralists do seem to subject the Sensual life to the Rational, either they do but seem to do so; the sensual interest being indeed predominant, and their rational operations subjected thereto: or at the best, it is but some poor and erroneous employment of the Rational faculties which they exercise, or some weak approaches towards that high and holy life, which is indeed the life which the Rational nature was created for, and which is the right improvement of it.
All that I have last said, is to shew you the Reasonableness of Living unto God, as being indeed the proper and just employment of the superiour faculties of the soul, and their Government of the lower faculties. For if any other called Moralists do seem to subject the Sensual life to the Rational, either they do but seem to do so; the sensual interest being indeed predominant, and their rational operations subjected thereto: or at the best, it is but some poor and erroneous employment of the Rational faculties which they exercise, or some weak approaches towards that high and holy life, which is indeed the life which the Rational nature was created for, and which is the right improvement of it.
4. Moreover, nothing is more beseeming the nature of man, than to aspire after the highest and noblest improvement of it self; and to live the most excellent life that it is capable of. For every nature tendeth to its own perfection. But it is most evident that to Walk with God in Holiness, is a thing that humane nature is capable of; and that is the highest life that we are capable of on earth: And therefore it is the life most suitable to our natures.
5. And what can be more Rational and beseeming a Created Nature, than to live to those ends, which our Creator intended in the fabrication of our Natures? It is His Ends that are principally to be served. But the very composure of our faculties