to all the adopted Sons of God to cause them with filial Affection and Dependance to cry Abba Father Know not desire not love not any Creature but purely as subordinate to God! Without him let it be nothing to you but as the Glass without the Face or scattered Letters without the Sense or as the Corps without the Soul Call nothing Prosperity or Pleasure but his Love and nothing Adversity or Misery but his Displeasure and the Cause and the Fruits of it When any thing would seem lovely and desirable which is against him call it Dung And hear that Man as Satan or the Serpent that would entice you from him and count him but Vanity a Worm and Dust that would affright you from your Duty to him Fear him much but love him more Let Love be the Soul and End of every other Duty It is the End and Reason of all the rest but it hath no End or Reason but its Object Think of no other Heaven and End and Happiness of Man but Love the final Act and God the final Object Place not your Religion in any thing but the Love of God with its Means and Fruits Own no Grief Desire or Joy but a mourning a seeking and a rejoycing Love V. Live in the belief and hopes of Heaven and seek it as your Part and End and daily delight your Souls in the sore-thoughts of the endless Sight and Love of God As God is seen on Earth but as in a Glass so is he proportionably enjoyed But when mourning seeking Love hath done and Sin and Enemies are overcome and we behold the Glory of God in Heaven the Delights of Love will then be perfect You may desire more on Earth than you may hope for Look not for a Kingdom of this World nor for Mount Zion in the Wilderness Christ reigneth on Earth as Moses in the Camp to guide us to the 〈◊〉 and of the Promise Our perfect Blessedness will be where the Kingdom is delivered up to the Father and God is All in All. A Doubt or a strange heartless thought of Heaven is Water cast on the sacred Fire to quench your Holiness and your Joy Can you travel one whole day to such an End and never think of the Place that you are going to which must be intended in every righteous Act either notedly or by the ready unobserved Act of a potent Habit. When Earth is at the best it will not be Heaven You live no further by Faith like Christians than you either live for Heaven in seeking it or else upon Heaven in Hope and Joy VI. Labour to make Religion your Pleasure and Delight Look oft to God to Heaven to Christ to the Spirit to the Promises to all your Mercies Call over your Experiences and think what matter of high Delight is still before you and how unseemly it is and how injurious to your Profession for one that saith he hopeth for Heaven to live as sadly as those that have no higher hopes than Earth How should that Man be filled with Joy who must live in the Joys of Heaven for ever Especially rejoyce when the Messengers of Death do tell you that your endless Joy is near If God and Heaven with all our Mercies in the way be not reason enough for a joyful Life there can be none at all Abhor all Suggestions which would make Religion seem a tedious irksome Life And take heed that you represent it not so to others for you will never make them in love with that which you make theâ— not perceive to be delectable and lovely Not as the Hypocrite by forcing and framing his Religion to his carnal Mind and Pleasure but bringing up the Heart to a holy suitableness to the Pleasures of Religion VII Watch as for your Souls against this flattering tempting World especially when it is represented as more sweet and delectable than God and Holiness and Heaven This World with its Pleasures Wealth and Honours is it that is put in the Ballance by Satan against God and Holiness and Heaven And no Man shall have better than he chooseth and preferreth The Bait taketh advantage of the brutish part when Reason is asleep and if by the help of Sense it get the Throne the Beast will ride and rule the Man and Reason become a slave to Sensuality When you hear the Serpent see his Sting and see Death attending the forbidden Fruit When you are rising look down and see how far you have to fall His Reason as well as Faith is weak who for such Fools-gawds as the Pomp and Vanitles of this World can forget God and his Soul and Death and Judgment Heaven and Hell yea and deliberately command them to stand by What Knowledge or Experience can do good on that Man who will venture so much for such a World which all that have tried it call vanity at the last How deplorable then is a Worldâ—ings case Oh fear the World when it smileth or seems sweet and amiable Love it not if you love your God and your Salvation VIII Fly from Temptations and crucify the Flesh and keep a constant Government over your Appetite and Seâ—â—â—es Many who had no designed stated Vice or worldly Interest have shamefully fallen by the sudden surprize of Appetite or Lust When custom hath taught these to be greedy and violent like a hungry Dog or a lusting Bâ—ar it is not a sluggish Wish or Purpose that will mortify or rule them How dangerous a case is that Man in who hath so greedy a Beast continually to restrain that if he do but neglect his Watch one Hour is ready to run him headlong into Hell Who can be safe that standeth long on so terrible a precipice The Tears and Sorrows of many Years may perhaps not repair the loss which one Hour or Act may bring The â—ase of David and many others are dreadful Warnings Know what it is that you are most in Danger of whether Lust and Idleness or Excess in Meats or Drinks or Play and there set your strongest Watch for your Preservation Make it your daily Business to mortify that â—ust and scorn that your brutish Sense or Appetite should conquer Reason Yet trust not purposes alone but away from the Temptation Touch not yea look not on the tempting Bait keep far enough off if you â—esire to be safe What Miseries come from small beginnings Temptation leads to Sin and small Sins to greater and those to Hell And Sin and Hell are not to be played with Open your Sin or Temptation to some Friend that shame may save you from Danger IX Keep up a constant skilful Government over your Passions and your Tongues To this end keep a tender Conscience which will smart when in any of these you sin Let Holy Passions be well ordered and selfish carnal Passions be restrained Let your Tongues know their Duties to God and Man and labour to be skilful and
Death they shall be gloriâ—â—ed with him in Heaven for ever And the Unbelievers Impenitent and Ungodly shall go to everâ—â—sting Punishment And having commanded his Apostles to Preach the Gospel to all the World and promised his Spirit he ascended into Heaven Where he is the Glorified Head over all Things to the Church and our prevailing Intercessor with the Father who will there receive the departed Souls of thâ— Justified and at the end of this VVorld will come again and raise all the Dead and will Judge all according to their VVorks and justly execute his Judgment III. I believe that God the Holy Spirit was given 〈◊〉 the Father and the Son to the Prophets Apostles 〈◊〉 Evangelists to be their Infallible Guide in Preachâ—â—â— and Recording the Doctrine of Salvation and the Witness of its certain Truth by his manifold Divine Operations and to quicken illuminate and sanctifie all true Believers that they may overcome the Flesh thâ— VVorld and the Devil And all that are thus sanctified are one holy Catholick Church of Christ and mâ—â—â— live in holy Câ—mmunion and have the pardon 〈◊〉 their Sins and shall have everlasting Life Believing in God the Father Son and Holy Spirit do presently absolutely and resolved 〈◊〉 give up my self to him my Creator and reconciled God and Father my Saviour and Sanctifier And repenting of my Sins I renounce the Devil the World and the sinful desireâ— of the Flesh And denying my self and taking up mâ— Cross I consent to follow Christ the Captain 〈◊〉 my Salvation in hope of his promised Grace and Glory A Short CATECHISM for those that havâ—â— Learned the first Quest 1. WHat do you believe concerning GOD 1 Assent Answ There is one onely God aâ— Infinite Spirit of Life Understanding and Will mâ—â—â— perfectly Powerful Wise and Good The Father the Word and the Spirit The Creator Governour and end of all things Our Absolute Owner our most Just Ruler and our most Gracious and most Amiâ—ble Father Quest 2. What believe you of the Creation and the nature of Man and the Law which was given to him Answ God created all the World And made MAN in his own Image an imbodied Spirit of Life Understanding and Will with holy Liveliness Wisdom and Love to know and love and serve has Maker here and for ever and gave him the inferiour Creatures for his use But forbad him to eat of the Tree of Knowledge upon pain of Death Qu. What believe you of Man's fall into sin and misery Ans Man being tempted by Satan did by wilful sinning fall from his Holiness his Innocency and his Happiness under the Justice of God the condemnation of his Law and the slavery of the Flesh the World and the Devil whence sinful guilty and miserable Natures are propagated to all Mankind And no meer Creature is able to deliver us Quest 4. What believe you of Man's Redemption by Jesus Christ Answ God so loved the World that he gave his only Son to be their Saviour Who being GOD and One with the Father took our Nature and became MAN being conceived by the Holy Ghost Born of the Virgin Mary and called JESUS CHRIST who was perfectly holy without sin fulfilling all Righteousness and overcame the Devil and the World and gave himself a Sacrifice for our Sins by suffering a Cursed Death on the Cross to ransom us and reconcile us unto God and was buried and went among the Dead the third day he rose again having conquered Death and having sealed the New Covenant with his Blood he commanded his Apostles and other Ministers to Preach the Gospel to all the World and promised the Holy Ghost And then Ascended into Heaven where he is God and Man the Glorified Head over all things to his Church and our prevailing Intercessor with God the Father Quest 5. What is the New Testament or Covenant 〈◊〉 Law of Grace Answ God through Jesus Christ doth freely give to all Mankind himself to be their Reconciled God and Father his Son to be their Saviour and his Holy Spirit to be their Sanctifier if they will believe and accept the Gift and will give up themselves to him accordingly Repenting of their sins and consenting to forsake thâ— Devil the World and the Flesh and sincerely though not perfectly to obey Christ and his Spirit to the end according to the Law of Nature and his Gospel Institutions that they may be glorified in Heaven for ever Quest 6. What believe you of the Holy Ghost Answ God the Holy Spirit was given by the Father and the Son to the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists to be their Infallible Guide in Preaching and Recording the Doctrine of Salvation and the Witness of its certain Truth by his manifold Divine Operations And he is given to quicken illuminate and sanctifie all true Believers and to save them from the Devil the World and the Flesh Quest 7. What believe you of the Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints and the Forgiveness of Sins Answ All that truely consent to the Baptismal Covenant are one sanctified Church or Body of Christ and have Communion in the same Spirit of Faith and Love and have the forgiveness of all their sins and all that by Baptism visibly Covenant and that continue to profess Christianity and Holiness are the universal visible Church on Earth and must keep holy Communion with Love and Peace in the particular Churches in the Doctrine VVorship and Order Instituted by Christ Quest 8. What believe you of the Resurrection and Everlasting Life Answ At Death the Souls of the Justified go to Happiness with Christ and the Souls of the Wicked â—o Misery And at the end of this World Christ will â—ome in Glory and will raise the Bodies of all Men â—rom Death and will Judge all according to their Works And the Righteous shall go into Everlasting Life where being made perfect themselves they shall 〈◊〉 God and perfectly Love and Praise him with Christâ— and all the glorified Church and the rest into Everâ—asting punishment Quest 9. You have told me what you Il. Consent Believe Tell me now what is the full Resolution and Desire of your Will concerning all this which you Believe Answ Believing in God the Father Son and Holy â—pirit I do presently absolutely and resolvedly give up my self to Him my Creator and reconciled God and Father my Saviour and my Sanctifier And Repenting of my Sins I renounce the Devil the World and the sinful desires of the Flesh And denying my self and taking up my Cross I consent to follow Christ the Captain of my Salvation In hope of the Grace and Glory promised Which I daily desire and â—eg as he hath taught me saying Our Father which 〈◊〉 in Heaven c. Quest 10. What is that Practice which by this Covenant 〈◊〉 are obliged to Answ According to the Law of Nature and Christs â—nstitutions I must desiring Perfection sincerely Obey him in a Life of Faith and Hope and
THE Grand Question RESOLVED What we must do to be SAVED INSTRUCTIONS FOR A Holy Life BY The Late Reverend Divine Mr. RICHARD BAXTER Recommended to the Bookseller a few days before his Death to be immediately Printed for the good of Souls Acts 16. 30. Sirs What must I do to be Saved LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheap-side 1692. The Great Case Resolved How to be certainly SAVED Instructions for a Holy Life I. The Necessity Reason and Means of Holiness II. The Parts and Practice of a Holy Life For Personal Direction and for Family Instruction With two short Catechisms and Prayers Reader IGnorant Persons cannot remember long and many words nor understand a brief stile and few words This maketh it impossible to write a Catechism that shall not be unsuitable either to the Understanding or the Memory of such I must therefore desire the Teacher to make up this unavoidable Defect by opening the 〈◊〉 especially of the Catechisms to the Children and Servants when they have learned and say the words Read the Instructions often to them and press all as you go on their Affections For the bare words without a present Guide may â—â—e be all lost I. The Necessity Reason and Means of Holiness 1. To keep up the Resolutions of the Converted And 2. To instruct those in Families that need them THough the saving of Souls be a matter of unexpressible Importance yet the Lord have mercy upon them What abundance are there that think it not worthy of their serious Enquiry nor the reading of a good Book one hour in a Week For the sake of these careless slothful Sinners I have here spoken much in a little room that they may not refuse to read and consider so short a Lesson unless they think their Souls worth nothing Sinner as thou wilt shortly answer it before God deny not to God to thy self and me the sober pondering and faithful practising these few Directions I. Begin at home and know thy self Consider what it is to be a MAN Thou art made a nobler Creature than the Brutes They serve thee and are governed by thee and Death ends all their Pains and Pleasures But thou hast Reason to rule thy self and them to know thy God and â—oresee thy End and know thy way and do thy Duty Thy Reason and Free-will and Executive Power are part of the Image of God upon thy Nature so is thy Dominion over the Brutes as under him thou art their Owner their Ruler and their End But thy Holy Wisdom and Goodness and Ability is the chief part of his Image on which thy Happiness depends Thou hast a Soul that cannot be satisfied in Knowing till thy Knowledge reach to God himself Nor can it be disposed by any other Nor can it or the Societies of the World be well governed according to its Nature without regard to his Soveraign Authority and without the hopes and fears of Joy and Misery hereafter Nor can it be happy in any thing but seeing and loving and delighting in this God as he is revealed in the other World And is this Nature given thee in vain If the Nature of all things be fitted to its Vse and End then it must be so with thine II. By knowing thy self then thou must needs know that there is a GOD and that he is thy Maker and infinite in all Perfections and that he is thy Owner thy Ruler and thy Felicity or End He is mad that seeth not that such Creatures have a Cause or Maker and that all the Power and Wisdom and Goodness of the World is caused by a Power and Wisdom and Goodness which is greater than that of all the World And who can be our Owner but He that made us And who can be our highest Governour but our Owner whose infinite Power Wisdom and Goodness maketh him only fit thereto And if he be our Governour he must needs have Laws with Rewards for the Good and Punishments for the Bad and must Judge and Execute accordingly And if he be our Chiefest Benefactor and all that we have is from him and all our Hope and Happiness is in him nothing can be more clear than that the very Nature of Man doth prove that in Hope of future Happiness he should absolutely resign himself to the Will and Disposal of this God and that he should absolutely obey him and that he should love and serve him with all his Power It being impossible to Love Obey and Please that God too much who is thus our Cause our End our All. III. By knowing thus thy self and God it is easie to know what Primitive Holiness and Godliness is Even this hearty entire and absolute resignation of the Soul to God as the infinite Power Wisdom and Goodness as our Creator our Owner Governour and Felicity or End fully submiting to his Disposals obeying his Laws in hope of his promised Rewards and fear of his threatned Punishments and loving and delighting in himself and all his Appearances in the World and desiring and seeking the endless sight and enjoyment of him in heavenly Glory and expressing these Affections in daily Prayer Thanksgiving and Praise This is the Vse of all thy Faculties the End and Business of thy Life the Health and Happiness of thy Soul This is that Holiness or Godliness which God doth so much call for IV. And by this it is easie to know what a state of Sin and Ungodliness is Even the want of all this Holiness and the setting of carnal Self instead of GOD. When Men are proudly Great and Wise and Good in their own Eyes and would dispose of themselves and all their Concernments and would rule themselves and please themselves according to the fleshly appetite and Fancy and therefore love most the Pleasures and Profits and Honours of the World as the Provision to satisfie the desires of the Flesh and God shall be no â—urther Loved Obeyed or Pleased than the Love of Fleshly Pleasure will give leave nor shall have any thing but what the Flesh can spare This is a Wicked a Carnal an ungodly State though it break forth in various ways of Sinning V. By this Experience it self may tell you that most Men yea all till Grace renew them are in this ungodly miserable State Though only the Scripture tells us how this came to pass Though all are not Fornicators nor Drunkards noâ— Extortioners nor Persecuâ—ors nor live not in the same way of Sinning yet Selfishness and Pride and Sensuality and the love of Worldly Things Ignorance and Ungodliness are plainly become the common Corruption of the Nature of Man so that their Hearts are turned to the World from God and filled with impiety filthiness and injustice and their Reason is but a Servant to their Senses and their Mind and Love and Life is Carnal and this carnal Mind is Enmity to the Holiness of God and