A27053:721
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 49: Reputation of Godliness and Honesty how far—
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. When you have searched and cleared your own Consciences, then consider further, that though you are not such as you are censured to be, yet sinners you are, and you know your sins in other kinds are so many and so great that you should bear the more patiently to be hardly thought of, when you know your selves to be ⟨p. 314⟩so bad. If indeed you are godly, you have seen a sink of uncleanness in your selves, and have condemned your selves oft, and loathed your selves for your abominations, and bewailed them before the Lord. And is it suitable for such a spirit to be eager after the Reputation of sincerity, and to be much troubled that you are taken by others to be naught?
2. When you have search'd and cleared your own Consciences, then consider further, that though you are not such as you are censured to be, yet sinners you are, and you know your sins in other kinds are so many and so great that you should bear the more patiently to be hardly thought of, when you know your selves to be ⟨p. 314⟩so bad. If indeed you are godly, you have seen a sink of uncleanness in your selves, and have condemned your selves oft, and loathed your selves for your abominations, and bewailed them before the Lord. And is it suitable for such a spirit to be eager after the Reputation of sincerity, and to be much troubled that you are taken by others to be naught?
3. And consider also that your Case may be as Davids was, and God may possibly make this reproach a chastisement for some former sin, and a means to humble you for it more throughly, and to reclaim you from it. Perhaps he bids (by permissive providence) some Shimei curse you. It may be the voice of a slanderer must do that which the voice of a Preacher could not do. And then it is your work to look behind you and within you, more than without you, and to hearken more to the voice of God and Conscience, than of the slanderer: and to take it as the rod of God, and a call to a more serious Repentance.