A27016:291
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.
Quest. 2. Is it not the first and great Commandment. [Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and soul, and might?] And do not heathens confess this by the light of nature: And hath not thy tongue confessed it many a time? And doth not thy conscience yet bear witness that it is thy duty? And is it possible thou shouldst thus Love him, with all thy heart, and soul, and might, and yet not seek and serve him with all thy heart, and soul, and might? Or can the most sanctified person do any more, if he were perfect?
Quest. 2. Is it not the first and great Commandment. [Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and soul, and might?] And do not heathens confess this by the light of nature: And hath not thy tongue confest it many a time? And doth not thy conscience yet bear witness that it is thy duty? And is it possible thou shouldst thus Love him, with all thy heart, and soul, and might, and yet not seek and serve him with all thy heart, and soul, and might? Or can the most sanctified person do any more, if he were perfect?
Quest. 3. Dost thou not confess that we are all sinners? And that the best is still too bad? And that he that loveth and serveth God most, doth yet come exceeding short of his duty? And yet wouldst thou have such men come shorter? and darest thou persuade them to do less? Must not the best confess their daily failings, and beg pardon of them from the Lord, and be beholden to the blood of Christ, and lament their imperfections? And yet wouldst thou have them be such odious hypocrites, as to think they serve God too much already, while they confess that they come so short? Shall they confess their failings, and reproach those that endeavour to avoid the like? Shall the same tongue say, [Lord be merciful to me a sinner] and [Lord, I am good enough already: What need there so much ado to please and serve thee any better?] What would you think of such a man?
Quest. 3. Dost thou not confess that we are all sinners? And that the best is still too bad? And that he that loveth and serveth God most, doth yet come exceeding short of his duty? And yet wouldst thou have such men come shorter? and darest thou perswade them to do less? Must not the best confess their daily failings, and beg pardon of them from the Lord, and be beholden to the blood of Christ, and lament their imperfections? And yet wouldst thou have them be such odious hypocrites, as to think they serve God too much already, while they confess that they come so short? Shall they confess their failings, and reproach those that endeavour to avoid the like? Shall the same tongue say, [Lord be merciful to me a sinner] and [Lord, I am good enough already: What need there so much ado to please and serve thee any better?] What would you think of such a man?