A saint or a brute the certain necessity and excellency of holiness, &c. ...…

Name: A saint or a brute the certain necessity and excellency of holiness, &c. ...…
Author: Richard Baxter

A saint or a brute the certain necessity and excellency of holiness, &c. ... / by Richard Baxter.

Richard Baxter 1615–1691London: printed by R.W. for Francis Tyton, 1662

[17], 23, 384 [i.e. 374] p. · 179k words · Wing B1382 · ESTC R6046

Title page typeset from the transcription.

Part 2 › Chapter 2: What in Reason he must do that would be certainly resolved which is the best part and w…

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.

[ Earlier:446–461 of 1,121

:446p. 125

And is their Number, or Wisdom, or Conversation such as should move you to be of their Opinion? Shall half a dozen desperate apostates of ungodly lives, seem wiser to you then all the world? And yet I am persuaded that if you go to any even of these few apostates, whatever they think, they will confess that a Holy life is best: And yet have you not witness enough against you?

And is their Number, or Wisdom, or Conversation such as should move you to be of their Opinion? Shall half a dozen desperate apostates of ungodly lives, seem wiser to you then all the world? And yet I am perswaded that if you go to any even of these few apostates, whatever they think, they will confess that a Holy life is best: And yet have you not witness enough against you?

:447p. 125

9. Who then shall be the Judge? Shall we appeal to the very Things themselves, and to the daily experience of the world? You see that worldlings labour for the wind. You see that all their care and pains will not avoid the stroke of death, that turneth the proudest flesh into a clod, and maketh dirt of the greatest Prince. You see that wealth and honour do but mock men, and leave them in the grave, to darkness and corruption. And when you are sure that this will be the upshot of all your fleshly pleasure and worldly gains, are you not satisfied past all doubt, that the smallest hopes or possibility of another life should be sought with far more care then this?

9. Who then shall be the Judge? Shall we appeal to the very Things themselves, and to the daily experience of the world? You see that worldlings labour for the wind. You see that all their care and pains will not avoid the stroak of death, that turneth the proudest flesh into a clod, and maketh dirt of the greatest Prince. You see that wealth and honour do but mock men, and leave them in the grave, to darkness and corruption. And when you are sure that this will be the upshot of all your fleshly pleasure and worldly gains, are you not satisfied past all doubt, that the smallest hopes or possibility of another life should be sought with far more care then this?

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A saint or a brute the certain necessity and excellency of holiness, &c. ...…

CHAP. III. Full proof (in twenty Queries) from Reason it self that there is a Life to come, and Holiness is the way to it; and the Better Part: And that the Gospel is the certain Word of God (in fifteen Queries more) with Answers to the Infidels Objections.

CHAP. III. Full proof (in twentie Queries) from Reason it self that there is a Life to come, and Holiness is the way to it; and the Better Part: And that the Gospel is the certain Word of God (in fifteen Queries more) with Answers to the Infidels Objections.

Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36

CHAP. III. Full proof (in twenty Queries) from Reason it self that there is a Life to come, and Holiness is the way to it; and the Better Part: And that the Gospel is the certain Word of God (in fifteen Queries more) with Answers to the Infidels Objections.

CHAP. III. Full proof (in twentie Queries) from Reason it self that there is a Life to come, and Holiness is the way to it; and the Better Part: And that the Gospel is the certain Word of God (in fifteen Queries more) with Answers to the Infidels Objections.