A26951:777
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
Part 3 › Chapter 4: Directions how to exercise Faith upon Gods Commandments, for Duty.
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.
He is not your God only, but the God of all the world. And the welfare of many, especially of Kingdoms and Societies, is more to be regarded than the welfare (much more than the humouring or pleasing) of any one. You may think that if you had leave to be fornicators, and adulterers, to be riotous, and examples of evil, to be covetous, and to deceive, and steal, and lye, that it would do you no harm: But suppose it were so, yet a little wit may serve to show you, how pernicious it would be to others, and to societies. And Faith can tell a true Believer, what is like to be the end: And that sin is a reproach to any people, Prov. 14.34.
He is not your God only, but the God of all the world. And the welfare of many, especially of Kingdoms and Societies, is more to be regarded than the welfare (much more than the humouring or pleasing) of any one. You may think that if you had leave to be fornicators, and adulterers, to be riotous, and examples of evil, to be covetous, and to deceive, and steal, and lye, that it would do you no harm: But suppose it were so, yet a little wit may serve to shew you, how pernicious it would be to others, and to societies. And Faith can tell a true Believer, what is like to be the end: And that sin is a reproach to any people, Prov. 14.34.
You may think perhaps that if you were excused from many duties of Charity and Justice, in Ministry, Magistracy, or a more private state, it would be no harm to your selves. But suppose it were so, must not others be regarded? If God should regard but one, why should it fall to your lot rather than ⟨p. 235⟩to another's? And why should any others be bound to use Justice or Charity to you any more than you to them? There is no member of the body politic or ecclesiastic, which will not receive more good to it self, by the Laws of Communion, if truly practised, than it can do to others. For you are but one who are bound to be charitable and do good to others, and that but according to your own ability: But it may be hundreds or thousands who may be all bound to do good to you. You have the vital influences, and assistances of all the parts: you have the prayers of all the Christians in the world.