A27016:741
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.
This, O ye worldlings, is the Riches of the Saints! This is the Wealth that we will boldly boast of. Boast you of your houses and lands and money, and we will boast of our God. Have you Houses, and Towns and Countries at command? Be it so: but the Saints have the God of the world, to be their God. Have you Kingdoms and Dominions? We have the God of all the earth; the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Set all your Riches in the balance against him, and try what they will prove. Set all the world, and the Kingdoms, and Glory, and Wealth of it in the balance, and try whether they are any more to God, then one dust or feather to all the world; yea they are nothing, and less then nothing; vanity and lighter then vanity it self. Isa. 40. 16, 17. This one Jewel containeth all our Treasure. He is ours that hath all things: What then can we need? Psal. 23. 1. He is ours that knoweth all things: Who then can overreach us, or undo us by deceit? He is ours that can do all things: What then should we fear? and what power shall prevail against us? He is ours that is Goodness and Love it self. How then can we be miserable? or what imperfection can there be in our Felicity?] They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother (nor himself) that he should live for ever and not see corruption.] Psalm 49. 6, 7, 9. [But God will redeem us from the power of the grave; for he shall receive us] Ver. 15. Let the workers of iniquity boast themselves a while! (Psalm 94. 4.) Let the wicked […] desire, and bless the cove•••• ⟨p. 221⟩whom the Lord abhorreth.] Psalm 10. 3. It is the Lord that is King for ever and ever; that heareth the desires of the humble; that prepareth our hearts, and prepareth his ear to hear. Ver. 16, 17. Our souls shall make their boast in God, Psalm. 34. 2. [O taste and see that the Lord is good! blessed is the man that trusteth in him.] But you cannot say truly [Blessed is the man that hath Lands and Lordships: Blessed is the man that hath Crowns and Kingdoms:] Yea, truly may you say, [Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and withdraweth his heart from the Lord.]