N21487:51
A call to the unconverted, to turn and live
A call to the unconverted, to turn and live; and accept of mercy, while mercy may be had; as they ever would find mercy, in the day of extremity from the living God. / By his unworthy servant, Richard Baxter.
Philadelphia: printed for Matthew Carey, 1795Philadelphia: printed for Mathew Carey, 1795
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.
First, He is one that placeth his chief content on earth, and loveth the creature more than God, and •his fleshy prosperity above the heavenly felicity; ⟨p. 22⟩he favoureth the things of the flesh, but neither discerneth nor favoureth the things of the spirit; though he will say, that heaven is better than earth, yet doth he not really so esteem it to himself. It he might be sure of earth, he would let go heaven, and had rather stay here than be removed thither.— A life of perfect holiness in the sight of God, and in his love and praises forever in heaven, doth not find such liking with his heart as a life of health, and wealth, and honour here upon earth: And though he falsely professes that he loveth God above all, yet, indeed, he never felt the power of divine love within him, but his mind is more set on the world, or fleshy pleasures, than on God. In a word whoever loveth earth above heaven, and fleshy prosperity more than God, is a wicked unconverted man.
On the other side, a converted man is illuminated to discern the loveliness of God, and so fa• believeth the glory that is to be had with God, tha• his heart is taken up to it, and set more upon i• than on any thing in this world. He had rather s•• the face of God, and live in his everlasting love and praises, than have all the wealth or pleasure o• the world. He seeth that all things else are vanity and nothing but God can fill the soul; and, there fore, let the world go which way it will, he laye• up his treasures and hopes in heaven, and for th•• he is resolved to let go all. As the fire doth mou•• upwards, and the needle that is touched with th• lodestone still turneth to the north, so the converted soul is inclined unto God. Nothing else can satisfy him; nor can he find any content and rest but in hi love. In a word, all that ere converted do esteem and love God better than all the world, and th heavenly felicity is dearer to them than their flesh prosperity. The proof of what I have said you m find in these places of scripture,