A26951:404
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.
And if we think this an easy work, because it is also reasonable, do but observe how hardly it goeth on, till the POWER of God by grace accomplish it! what a deal of pains may the best and wisest Parents take with a graceless child, and all in vain! what labours the worthiest Ministers lose on graceless people! and how blind, and dead, and senseless a thing, the graceless heart is, to any thing that is holy, even when reason it self cannot gainsay it! And God is pleased oft-times to weary out Parents, and Masters, and Ministers, with such unteachable and stony hearts, to make them know what naturally they are themselves, to bring them to the more lively acknowledgement of the POWER which is necessary to renew and save a soul. But having spoken at large of this in the forementioned Treatise, I shall take up with these brief intimations.
And if we think this an easie work, because it is also reasonable, do but observe how hardly it goeth on, till the POWER of God by grace accomplish it! what a deal of pains may the best and wisest Parents take with a graceless child, and all in vain! what labours the worthiest Ministers lose on graceless people! and how blind, and dead, and senseless a thing, the graceless heart is, to any thing that is holy, even when reason it self cannot gainsay it! And God is pleased oft-times to weary out Parents, and Masters, and Ministers, with such unteachable and stony hearts, to make them know what naturally they are themselves, to bring them to the more lively acknowledgement of the POWER which is necessary to renew and save a soul. But having spoken at large of this in the formentioned Treatise, I shall take up with these brief intimations.
19. And the preservation of that Grace in the soul which is once given us, is also an effect of the POWER of God. Our strength is in the Lord, and in the power of his might, Eph. 6.10. It is our Lord himself, who is the Lord of life, and whose Priesthood was made after the power of an endless life, Heb. 7.16. who giveth us the Spirit of Power and of Love, and of a sound mind,