A26951:1254
The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb.…
The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb. 11, 1, formerly preached before His Majesty, and published by his command, with another added for the fuller application : the second is instructions for confirming believers in the Christian faith : the third is directions how to live by faith, or how to exercise it upon all occasions / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons, 1670
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.
Direct. 3. Judge of the severity of Gods threatenings, partly by the greatness of himself whom we offend, and partly by the necessity of them for the Government of the world.
Direct. 3. Judge of the severity of Gods threatnings, partly by the greatness of himself whom we offend, and partly by the necessity of them for the Government of the world.
1. Remember that sinning wilfully against the infinite Majesty of Heaven, and refusing his healing mercy to the last, deserveth worse than any thing against a man can do, 1 Sam. 2.25.
2. And remember that even the threatening of Hell doth not serve turn with most of the world, to keep them from sinning and despising God: and therefore you cannot say that they are too great. For that plaster draweth not too strongly, which will not draw out the thorn. If Hell be not terrible enough to persuade you from sin, it is not too terrible to be threatened and executed: He that should say, Why will God make so terrible a Law? and withal should say, As terrible as it is I will venture on it, rather than leave my pleasures, and rather than live a holy life; doth contradict himself, and telleth us, that the Law is not terrible enough to attain its chief and primary end, with such as he, that will not be moved by it, from the most sordid, base or brutish pleasure.
2. And remember that even the threatning of Hell doth not serve turn with most of the world, to keep them from sinning and despising God: and therefore you cannot say that they are too great. For that plaister draweth not too strongly, which will not draw out the thorn. If Hell be not terrible enough to perswade you from sin, it is not too terrible to be threatned and executed: He that should say, Why will God make so terrible a Law? and withall should say, As terrible as it is I will venture on it, rather than leave my pleasures, and rather than live a holy life; doth contradict himself, and telleth us, that the Law is not terrible enough to attain its chief and primary end, with such as he, that will not be moved by it, from the most sordid, base or bruitish pleasure.