A26919:819
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.
These vices or infirmities carry many into solitude; and if they live where Popish vanity may seduce them, they will perhaps imagine, that they are serving God, and entering into perfection, when they are but sinfully obeying their corruptions: and that they are advanced above others in degrees of grace, while they are pleasing a diseased fancy, and entering into a dangerous course of sin. No doubt but the duties of a public life are more in number, and greater in weight, and of more excellent consequence and tendency (even to the most public good, and greatest honour of God) than the duties of privacy or retirement. Vir bonus est commune bonum: A good man is a common good. And (saith Seneca) Nulla essent communia nisi pars illorum pertineret ad singulos] If every one have not some share or interest in them, how are they common? Let me add these few Considerations, to show you the evil of voluntary unnecessary Solitude.
These vices or infirmities carry many into solitude; and if they live where Popish vanity may seduce them, they will perhaps imagine, that they are serving God, and entring into perfection, when they are but sinfully obeying their corruptions: and that they are advanced above others in degrees of grace, while they are pleasing a diseased fancy, and entring into a dangerous course of sin. No doubt but the duties of a publick life are more in number, and greater in weight, and of more excellent consequence and tendency (even to the most publick good, and greatest honour of God) than the duties of privacy or retirement. Vir bonus est commune bonum: A good man is a common good. And (saith Seneca) Nulla essent communia nisi pars illorum pertineret ad singulos] If every one have not some share or interest in them, how are they common? Let me add these few Considerations, to shew you the evil of voluntary unnecessary Solitude.
1. You less contribute to the honour of your Redeemer, and less promote his Kingdom in the world, and less subserve his death and office, while you do good but to few, and live but almost to your selves.