A27053:531
A treatise of self-denial. By Richard Baxter, pastor of the church at KidderminsterA treatise of self-denial. By Richard Baxter, pastor of the church at Kederminster
London: printed by Robert White for Nevil Simmons, 1675
Treatise › Chapter 29: Children and Relations how to be denied.
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.
2. See therefore that you value and love those most that have most of God in them, and the best of his endowments. Love a crooked, deformed child, that is Godly, better than the most comely, or beautiful, or witty, that is ungodly. When Parents have a humorous, unreasonable love to one child above the rest without desert, or to a worse before a better, this is but a carnal selfish Love.
3. Love none excessively, but with a moderate love: such as shall allow God and holiness the preeminence; so that when you have the most love for your Relations, you may have more for God, at least in the Estimation, Resolution, Adhesion of your souls to him, if not in the passionate part of Love.
3. Love none excessively, but with a moderate love: such as shall allow God and holiness the preheminence; so that when you have the most love for your Relations, you may have more for God, at least in the Estimation, Resolution, Adhesion of your souls to him, if not in the passionate part of Love.
4. See that you subject them to the Government of Christ: Labour to win all other relations to him: and devote your children to him betimes that they may be his as soon as yours. Whiles they have no wills of their own to use, they are to choose with your wills: that is, you are to make choice for them. And therefore if you unfeignedly Dedicate them to God, you have small reason to doubt of his acceptance. This all parents do virtually, that are Godly: For he that is himself devoted to God by sanctification, doth with himself devote all that he hath, and virtually all that ever he shall have. And if he understand himself, he will do it actually. And hence it is that the Seed of Believers (yea of one Believer) are said to be Holy: Not only or chiefly, because they are yours, born of your bodies; nor merely from a promise of God, that hath no presupposed reason from the subject: But because they are the children of one that hath devoted himself, and all that he hath, to God; and if he understand