Memorables of the life of faith taken out of Mr. B's sermon preached before…
Memorables of the life of faith taken out of Mr. B's sermon preached before the King at Whitehall : published thus for the poor that want money and memory / by one desirous to promote the common salvation.
Richard Baxter 1615–1691London: printed for Tho. Parkhurst, 1690
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.
A. All that have it, tho' in the lowest degree, will have these four signs of it within them. 1. A Practical Estimation of things unseen, above all earthly things. 2. An Habitual Inclination of heart to embrace unseen things freely, delightfully, and resolutely; above and against earthly things. 3. A Bent of Life for God, and for unseen Blessedness, as in Resolution, so in Practice. 4. A Disposition to let go all sensible possessions, when they be inconsistent with spiritual Hopes and Happiness; Luk. 14. 33. So likewise, whosoever he be of you, that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. These you will have, if Faith be the Eye you do see by for the conduct of your Life.
Q. 7. If Faith be the Eye by which I do see, whereby should I quicken my self to live by it? Or if it be not, wherewithal should I stir up my self to seek Faith and the Life of Faith?
A. Put to thy Heart these questions, frequently and seriously. Q. 1. What should I be, if I saw the Lord continually before me? And that as verily as I ever see a man? If I saw him as Moses saw him,
. And in the midst of the seven Candlesticks, one like unto the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. Or as St. Paul saw him,
. Q. 2. What should I be if I had seen the things that God hath done already in time past? If I had seen the World drowned and the Ark saved; Sodom and Gomorrah burned, and the righteous Lot saved; Pharaoh and his Host swallowed up of the red Sea, and the Israelites saved? And the like memorables of the H. Scripture. Q. 3. What should I be, if I saw the glory of Heaven above? If I were rapt up but into the third Heaven, and had seen what St. Paul saw. If I had seen what St. Stephen saw before his Death. If I had seen Lazarus in Abraham's Bosom? Q. 4. What should I be, if I saw the face of Death, and were under the power of a mortal sickness, and were given over by all Physicians and Friends? Or had a Messenger from God to tell me, I must die to morrow? Q. 5. What should I be if I saw the great and dreadful day of Judgment as Christ doth describe it?
And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven, with his mighty Angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. Q. 6. What should I be if I heard Satan accusing me for all my sins unto God, and calling for justice against me? Q. 7. What should I be, if I had seen and did now see the Damned in their miseries? If I heard them cry out of the folly and self-destruction of their careless lives; And wishing one were sent from the dead unto me to warn me that I come not unto their place of torment? Q. 8. What should I be, if in my Temptations unto sin, I saw the Devil the Tempter, and heard him hissing me on to sin, to Swear, Curse, Rail, Lie, Scorn a holy Life? O should I then ever choose to be ungodly, or be patient of so being? Nay,
A. Put to thy Heart these questions, frequently and seriously. Q. 1. What should I be, if I saw the Lord continually before me? And that as verily as I ever see a man? If I saw him as Moses saw him, Exod. 34. Or as John saw him, Rev. 1. 13. And in the midst of the seven Candlesticks, one like unto the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. Or as St. Paul saw him, Acts 9. Q. 2. What should I be if I had seen the things that God hath done already in time past? If I had seen the World drowned and the Ark saved; Sodom and Gomorrah burned, and the righteous Lot saved; Pharaoh and his Host swallowed up of the red Sea, and the Israelites saved? And the like memorables of the H. Scripture. Q. 3. What should I be, if I saw the glory of Heaven above? If I were rapt up but into the third Heaven, and had seen what St. Paul saw. If I had seen what St. Stephen saw before his Death. If I had seen Lazarus in Abraham's Bosom? Q. 4. What should I be, if I saw the face of Death, and were under the power of a mortal sickness, and were given over by all Physicians and Friends? Or had a Messenger from God to tell me, I must die to morrow? Q. 5. What should I be if I saw the great and dreadful day of Judgment as Christ doth describe it? Mat. 25. If I saw that fulfilled which St. Paul speaks, 2 Thes. 1. 7, 8, 9 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven, with his mighty Angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. Q. 6. What should I be if I heard Satan accusing me for all my sins unto God, and calling for justice against me? Q. 7. What should I be, if I had seen and did now see the Damned in their miseries? If I heard them cry out of the folly and self-destruction of their careless lives; And wishing one were sent from the dead unto me to warn me that I come not unto their place of torment? Q. 8. What should I be, if in my Temptations unto sin, I saw the Devil the Tempter, and heard him hissing me on to sin, to Swear, Curse, Rail, Lie, Scorn a holy Life? O should I then ever chuse to be ungodly, or be patient of so being? Nay,
Q. 1. Should I not say in my heart, that the most gainful sin is worse than madness? Q. 2. Should I not plead for the most serious Godliness? Q. 3. Should I ever be offended with a Minister again, for plainest Reproof, and closest Exhortation? Or for too much and plain Preaching? Q. 4. Should I not hear at another rate than ever yet I heard a Sermon? Q. 5. Should I not give over my greedy pursuit of worldly Wealth and Credit? Q. 6. Should I ever be drawn away by Temptations again as I have been? Q. 7. Should I ever stick at sufferings when God calls for them from me? Q. 8. Should I not highly value Christ, his Spirit, his Grace, his Promises, his Word, his Ordinances? Q. 9. Should I ever be quiet under uncertainty of my Reconciliation unto God? Q. 10. Should I not then be all for Peace, Quietness and Love, with all that love the Lord Jesus Christ, and are seeking invisible things?
