A26951:1947
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.
These be the plain marks of worldly minds, whatever a blinded heart may devise to hide them.
Direct. 3. Take heed of those blinding pretences which worldly minds do commonly use, to flatter, deceive and undo themselves. For instance.
1. The most common pretence is [That Gods creatures are good, and prosperity is his blessing, and that our bodies must be cherished, and that cynical and eremitical extremes and austerities, are far from the genius of true Christianity.
1. The most common pretence is [That Gods creatures are good, and prosperity is his blessing, and that our bodies must be cherished, and that synical and eremetical extreams and austerities, are far from the genius of true Christianity.
There is truth in all this, or else it would not be so fit to be made a cloak for sin by misapplication. The world and all Gods works are good; and to the pure they are pure: to the sanctified they are sanctified; that is, they are devoted to the service of God, and used for him from whom they come: God hath given us nothing which may not be used for his service, and our salvation. No doubt but you may make you friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness, to further your reception into the everlasting habitations: You may lay up a good foundation for the time to come; and you may sow to the Spirit, and reap in the end everlasting life,