A27016:1024
A saint or a brute the certain necessity and excellency of holiness, &c. ...…
A saint or a brute the certain necessity and excellency of holiness, &c. ... / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by R.W. for Francis Tyton, 1662
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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 now as we have seen it plainly proved, that the life of Holiness is the most Pleasant life, so from hence we may see two sorts reproved, that (in different measures) are found to be transgressors.
ANd now as we have seen it plainly proved, that the life of Holiness is the most Pleasant life, so from hence we may see two sorts reproved, that (in different measures) are found to be trangressors.
The first is, Those blind ungodly wretches, that can find no pleasure in a holy life, when they can find pleasure in their worldly drudgery, and in their sensual uncleanness, and their childish vanities. They have the God of infinite Goodness to delight in; but to their impious hearts he seemeth not delightful. They have his Power, and wisdom, and holiness, and truth to love, and admire, and trust upon, and his excellent works to behold him in, and his holy laws, and gracious promises to meditate on; but they have small delight in any such employment. They have leave as well as any others to open their hearts to God in secret, and in prayer and praise to recreate their souls, and to hold communion with the Saints of God, and to be exercised both in public and private in his worship, and to order their families in his fear, and to manage their affairs according to his word: but they find no pleasure in such a life as this, but are as backward to it as if it were a toilsome and unprofitable business, and are weary of that little outside worship which they do perform. They have Heaven set before them to seek after, and to make their portion and delight, but they have small delight to think or speak of it. Their hearts are unsuitable to these high holy and spiritual things. They are matters that they are strange to, and have no firm and confident belief of, but an uncertain wavering weak opinion: and therefore they are too far off, to be their delight [They say to God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy way; What is the Almighty that we should serve him? and what profit should we have if we pray unto him?