A27038:195
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. He gave that Appetite to be exercised moderately under the rule of reason, for the preservation and propagation of mankind. ⟨p. 133⟩But did he not also give you Reason to govern that Appetite? and the Revelation of his will to guide that Reason? He gave you your flesh, to be a servant, and not a master Your beast hath fleshly Appetite without reason; and therefore God hath put him under you who have Reason that you should Rule him. Will you let your beast do what he list▪ and madly run upon whom he list, and say, you do but let him live according to his nature, which •od hath given him? Why God that gave him such a nature did intend him to be Ruled by a higher nature, even by the Reason which he gave to you: And so he did also by your flesh, and sensual Appetite.
The nineteenth Excuse. But I lived among so many baits, which enticed this flesh, that I could not resist them. My meat was a snare ⟨p. 134⟩to me, my drink a snare, my clothes, my house, my land a snare, every beauty that I saw was a snare: and the better all these were the stronger was my snare. If God would not have had my heart ensnared and drawn from him, he should not have put so many baits in my way. Yea and they were so Near to me, and Daily with me, that though I was resolved to forbear them before, yet when they were brought to my hand, I could not forbear.
The ninteenth Excuse. But I lived among so many baits, which enticed this flesh, that I could not resist them. My meat was a snare ⟨p. 134⟩to me, my drink a snare, my cloaths, my house, my land a snare, every beauty that I saw was a snare: and the better all these were the stronger was my snare. If God would not have had my heart ensnared and drawn from him, he should not have put so many baits in my way. Yea and they were so Neer to me, and Daily with me, that though I was resolved to forbeare them before, yet when they were brought to my hand, I could not forbeare.