A27048:145
A treatise of death, the last enemy to be destroyed showing wherein its enmity…A treatise of death, the last enemy to be destroyed shewing wherein its enmity…
A treatise of death, the last enemy to be destroyed showing wherein its enmity consisteth and how it is destroyed : part of it was preached at the funerals [sic] of Elizabeth, the late wife of Mr. Joseph Baker ... / by Rich. Baxter ; with some few passages of the life of the said Mrs. Baker observed.A treatise of death, the last enemy to be destroyed shewing wherein its enmity consisteth and how it is destroyed : part of it was preached at the funerals [sic] of Elizabeth, the late wife of Mr. Joseph Baker ... / by Rich. Baxter ; with some few passages of the life of the said Mrs. Baker observed.
London: printed by R.W. for Nev. Simmons, 1660
Sermon › Section 9 › Application 7 › Direction 9: DIRECTION IX.
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.
DIRECTION IX.
IT will somewhat abate the fears of Death, to consider the Restlessness and troubles of this life, and the manifold evils that end at death. And because this Consideration is little available with men in prosperity, it pleaseth God to exercise us with adversity, that when we find there is no hope of Rest on earth, we may look after it where it is, and venture on death by the impulse of necessity. Here we are continually burdened with our selves, annoyed by our corruptions, and pained by the diseases of our souls, or endangered most when pained least. And would we be thus still? We live in the continual smart of the fruit of our own folly, and ⟨p. 139⟩the hurts that we catch by our careless or inconsiderate walking, like children that often fall and cry; and would we still live such a life as this? The weakness of our faith, the darkness of our minds, the distance and strangeness of our souls to God, are a continual languishing and trouble to our hearts. How grievous is it to us that we can love him no more, nor be more assured of his love to us? that we find continually so much of the creature, and so little of God upon our hearts? that carnal affections are so easily kindled in us, and the Love of God will scarce be kept in any life, by the richest mercies, the most powerful means, and by our greatest diligence? O what a death is it to our hearts, that so many odious temptations should have such free access, such ready entertainment, such small resistance, and so great ⟨p. 140⟩success? that such horrid thoughts of unbelief should look into our minds, and stay so long, and be so familiar with us? that the blessed mysteries of the Gospel, and the state of separated souls, and the happiness of the life to come, are known so slightly, and believed so weakly and imperfectly, and meet with so many carnal questionings and doubts? that when we should be solacing our souls in the fore-thoughts of heaven, we look toward it with such strangeness and amazement, as if we staggered at the promise of God through unbelief; and there is so much Atheism in our Affections, God being almost as no God to them sometime, and Heaven almost as no Heaven to them, that it shows there is too much in our understandings.