A26920:52
The duty of heavenly meditation reviewed
The duty of heavenly meditation reviewed by Richard Baxter at the invitation of Mr. Giles Firmin's exceptions in his book entitled, The real Christian.The duty of heavenly meditation reviewed by Richard Baxter at the invitation of Mr. Giles Firmin's exceptions in his book entituled, The real Christian.
London: printed for Nevil Simmons, 1671
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.
2. How happy a heart have you, that will so easily be got up to a suitableness to God and Heaven! Is it not you now that forget the case of weak Christians? Verily such hearts as mine will need more ado. It is not [performing Meditation how it will, in shortness] that will serve the turn, to bring my heart to such a suitableness. And I doubt all the weak ones whose case you seem to plead, are not much better.
2. How happy a heart have you, that will so easily be got up to a suitableness to God and Heaven! Is it not you now that forget the case of weak Christians? Verily such hearts as mine will need more adoe. It is not [performing Meditation how it will, in shortness] that will serve the turn, to bring my heart to such a suitableness. And I doubt all the weak ones whose case you seem to plead, are not much better.
3. This savoureth much like the saying of a late Learned Physician of ours, that said, What need all this ado in Preaching and talking of Religion, when all is dispatched in three words, Think well, and Speak well, and Do well. O but a great many words are necessary to bring us up to these three things: And so are a great many thoughts to bring our hearts to a suitableness to God, to Christ, to Heaven. Tell me if you can, why the same arguing is not as strong against long Conference, or long Preaching? All that Sermons and Conference are to do is, to bring up our hearts to a suitableness to the Object: And if this will be done by one sentence, what needs there a quarter of an hours Preaching or Catechising or Discourse: (And so away with this Preaching office;) But it is a false supposition that one sentence will do this, so well as more.
3. This savoureth much like the saying of a late Learned Physicion of ours, that said, What need all this adoe in Preaching and talking of Religion, when all is dispatched in three words, Think well, and Speak well, and Do well. O but a great many words are necessary to bring us up to these three things: And so are a great many thoughts to bring our hearts to a suitableness to God, to Christ, to Heaven. Tell me if you can, why the same arguing is not as strong against long Conference, or long Preaching? All that Sermons and Conference are to do is, to bring up our hearts to a suitableness to the Object: And if this will be done by one sentence, what needs there a quarter of an houres Preaching or Catechising or Discourse: (And so away with this Preaching office;) But it is a false supposition that one sentence will do this, so well as more.