A27038:192
A sermon of judgement preached at Pauls before the Honourable Lord Major and aldermen…A sermon of iudgement preached at Pauls before the Honourable Lord Maior and aldermen…
A sermon of judgement preached at Pauls before the Honourable Lord Major and aldermen of the city of London, Dec. 17, 1654 and now enlarged / Rich. Baxter.A sermon of iudgement preached at Pauls before the Honourable Lord Maior and aldermen of the city of London, Dec. 17, 1654 and now enlarged / Rich. Baxter.
London: printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons, 1655
Title page typeset from the transcription.
A SERMON Of Judgement, Preached at Pauls before the Honourable Lord… › Part 9
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.
Answ. 1. You were not Able, because you were not Willing. What was there but your own wicked hearts that should make such a life seem grievous to you? Every thing is hard and grievous to him who loathes it, and whose heart is against it. The chief thing that God called you to, was to Love him, and make him your Delight. And are Love and Delight such grievous things? It was not grievous to you to love your meat, or drink, or money: It was no hard matter to you to love a friend that loved you▪ no nor to love your sin, which was your enemy: And what should make it seem hard to Love God, but a wicked heart? Is not he Better, and more Lovely then all these? And had you but Loved him, all the rest of his service would have seemed easy to you. To think of him, to speak of him, to pray to ⟨p. 131⟩him▪ to praise him, yea, to deny all and suffer for him, would have been sweet and pleasant to you, so far as you had Loved him. It was not God therefore, but your own naughty hearts, that made his work seem grievous to you, and the way to heaven seem hard. He told you truly▪ that his yoke was easy, and his burden light, and his Commandments were not grievous▪ Mat. 11.29. 1 Joh. 5.3. They that tried them, found them the very Joy and Delight of their souls, and why could not you do so?
Answ. 1. You were not Able, because you were not Willing. What was there but your own wicked hearts that should make such a life seem grievous to you? Every thing is hard and grievous to him who loaths it, and whose heart is against it. The chief thing that God called you to, was to Love him, and make him your Delight. And are Love and Delight such grievous things? It was not grievous to you to love your meat, or drink, or money: It was no hard matter to you to love a friend that loved you▪ no nor to love your sin, which was your enemy: And what should make it seem hard to Love God, but a wicked heart? Is not he Better, and more Lovely then all these? And had you but Loved him, all the rest of his service would have seemed easie to you. To think of him, to speak of him, to pray to