A26921:644
Richard Baxter's dying thoughts upon Phil. I, 23 written for his own life and…
Richard Baxter's dying thoughts upon Phil. I, 23 written for his own life and the latter times of his corporal pains and weakness.
London: printed by Tho. Snowden for B. Simmons, 1683
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.
And it is notorious that such serious Christians are all Holy, Sober, and Just, and so greatly differing from the corrupted World, as fully proveth that God owneth that Gospel which he maketh so effectual to so great a change.
Here consider, 1. What that change is; 2. How hard and great a work it is: 3. That it is certainly a work of God. 4. That the Gospel is the means by which God doth it.
1. The nature of this Holy work on all serious sincere Christians, is, It sets all their Hopes and Hearts on the promised Glory of the Life to come, and turns the very nature of their Wills, into the predominant Love of God and Man, and of Heaven and Holiness: It mortifieth all fleshly Lusts, and Subjects Sense to Reason, and Faith, the Body to the Soul, and all to God: It sets a Mans Heart on the sincere study of doing all the good he can in the World, to Friends, Neighbours and Enemies; especially and most public good; to live soberly, righteously and godly is his delight: Sin is his chief hatred; and nothing more grievous to him than that he cannot reach to greater Perfection, in Faith, Hope, Obedience, Patience, and in heavenly Love and Joy: It causeth a Man to contemn Wealth, Honour, and fleshly Pleasure, and Life, in comparison of God's Love and Life everlasting; this change God's Spirit worketh on all true Believers.
1. The nature of this Holy work on all serious sincere Christians, is, It sets all their Hopes and Hearts on the promised Glory of the Life to come, and turns the very nature of their Wills, into the predominant Love of God and Man, and of Heaven and Holiness: It mortifieth all fleshly Lusts, and Subjects Sense to Reason, and Faith, the Body to the Soul, and all to God: It sets a Mans Heart on the sincere study of doing all the good he can in the World, to Friends, Neighbours and Enemies; especially and most publick good; to live soberly, righteously and godly is his delight: Sin is his chief hatred; and nothing more grievous to him than that he cannot reach to greater Perfection, in Faith, Hope, Obedience, Patience, and in heavenly Love and Joy: It causeth a Man to contemn Wealth, Honour, and fleshly Pleasure, and Life, in comparison of God's Love and Life everlasting; this change God's Spirit worketh on all true Believers.