A Christian Directory, Part 1: Christian EthicsBaxter, Richard
Religion
A Christian Directory, Part 1: Christian Ethics
Baxter, Richard
Casuistry; Christian sociology
Grant me but this one thing, that thou wilt but soberly exercise thy
reason about these great, important questions; Where must I abide for
ever? What must I do to be saved? What was I created and redeemed for?
and I shall hope that thy own understanding, as erroneous as it is, will
work out something that will promote thy good. Do but withdraw thyself
one hour in a day from company and other business, and consider but as
soberly and seriously of thy end and life, as thou knowest the nature
and weight of the matter doth require, and I am persuaded thy own reason
and conscience will call thee to repentance, and set thee, at least, in
a far better way than thou wast in before. When thou walkest alone, or
when thou wakest in the night, remember soberly that God is present,
that time is hasting to an end, that judgment is at hand, where thou
must give account of all thy hours, of thy lusts, and passions, and
desires; of all thy thoughts, and words, and deeds; and that thy endless
joy or misery dependeth wholly and certainly on this little time. Think
but soberly on such things as these, but one hour in a day or two, and
try whether it will not once recover thee to wit and godliness; and
folly and sin will vanish away before the force of considering reason,
as the darkness vanisheth before the light. I entreat thee now as in the
presence of God, and as thou wilt answer the denial of so reasonable a
request at the day of judgment, that thou wilt but resolve to try this
course of a sober, serious consideration, about thy sin, thy duty, thy
danger, thy hope, thy account, and thy everlasting state: try it
sometimes, especially on the Lord's days; and do but mark the result of
all; and whither it is that such sober consideration doth point or lead
thee? whether it be not towards a diligent, holy, heavenly life? If thou
deny me thus much, God and thy conscience shall bear witness, that thou
thoughtest thy salvation of little worth, and therefore mayst justly be
denied it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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