A Saint or a Brute, Title page 1 – Dedication
A SAINT OR A BRUTE.
The Certain Neceſsity and Excellency of Holineſs, &c. So plainly proved, and urgently applyed, as by the bleſsing of God may convince and ſave the miſerable, impenitent, ungodly Senſualiſts, if they will not let the Devil hinder them from a ſober and ſerious reading and conſidering.
To be Communicated by the Charitable, that deſire the Converſion and Salvation of ſouls, while the Patience of God, and the day of Grace and Hope continue.
By Richard Baxter.
The Firſt Part: Shewing the Neceſsity of Holineſs.
LONDON, Printed by R. W. for Francis Tyton, at the three daggers in Fleet-ſtreet, and Nevil Simmons Bookſeller at Kederminſter, Anno Dom. 1662.
To my dearly beloved Friends, the Inhabitants of Kederminſter in Worceſterſhire; and my late Auditors in the City of London: Confirming Grace, with Patience, Love and Peace be multiplyed.
Dear Friends,
ONce more, through the great mercy of God, I have liberty to ſend you a Preacher for your private families, which may ſpeak to you (truly and plainly, though not elegantly) when I cannot, and when I lie ſilent in the duſt. I take it for no ſmall mercy that I have been ſo much employed about the Great and Neceſſary things, in deſpight of all the malice of Satan, who would have entangled me, and taken up my time, in perſonal vindications and barren controverſies. As I never knew that I had one enemy in the world that ever was acquainted with me; ſo thoſe that know me, diſſwading me from Apologies againſt the accuſations of thoſe that know me not, have ſpared my time for better work. Though there is about fifty writings (in whole or part) againſt me publiſhed, (by Infidels, Seekers, Familiſts, Enthuſiaſts, Quakers, Papiſts, Antinomians, Levellers, Covenant-breakers, State-ſubverters, Church-dividers, beſides impatient diſſenting Brethren, and Dependants that took it for the riſing way), I yet find no cauſe (as to the preſent age, and thoſe that know me) to be at any great care or pains for a defence; while malicious lyes do but make men wonder, that wrinkled Envy ſhould be ſo mad as to come ſo naked on the Stage, and ſhew her ugly deformities to the world, and could not ſtay at leaſt till Wit had helpt her to a Cloak.
I was alſo when I firſt intended Writing under another temptation; being of their mind that thought that nothing ſhould be made publike, but what a man had firſt laid out his choiceſt art upon; I thought to have acquainted the world with nothing but what was the work of Time and Diligence: But my conſcience ſoon told me, that there was too much of Pride and Selfiſhneſs in this; and that Humility and Self-denyal required me to lay by the affectation of that ſtile, and ſpare that induſtrie, which tended but to advance my name with men, when it hindred the main work, and croſt my end: And Providence drawing forth ſome popular unpoliſhed Diſcourſes, and giving them ſucceſs beyond my expectation, did thereby rebuke my ſelfiſh thoughts, and ſatisfie me that the Truths of God do perform their work more by their Divine Authority, and proper Evidence, and material Excellency, than by any ornaments of fleſhly wiſdom: and (as Seneca ſaith) though I will not deſpiſe an elegant Phyſicion, yet will I not think my ſelf much the happyer, for his adding eloquence to his healing art. Being encouraged then by Reaſon and Experience, I venture theſe popular Sermons into the world; and eſpecially for the uſe of you, my late Auditors, that heard them. I bleſs God that, when more worthy Labourers are fain to weep over their obſtinate, unprofitable, unthankful people, and ſome are driven away by their injuries, and put to ſhake off the duſt of their feet againſt them; I am rather forced to weep over my own unthankful heart, that did not ſufficiently value the mercy of a faithful flock, who parted with me rather as the Epheſians with Paul, Acts 20. and who have lived according to this Plain and Neceſſary doctrine which they have received: Among whom Papiſts, that perſwade men that our doctrine tendeth to diviſions, can find no diviſions or ſects: Who have conſtantly diſowned both the Ambitious uſurpations which have ſhaken the Kingdom; and the Factions, Cenſoriouſneſs, and cruel violence in the Church, which Pride hath generated and nouriſhed in this trying Age. Among whom I have enjoyed ſo very large a proportion of mercy, in the liberty of ſo long an exerciſe of my Miniſtry, with ſo unuſual advantage and ſucceſs, that I muſt be diſingenuouſly unthankfull if I ſhould murmure and repine at the preſent reſtraining hand of God: But I muſt ſay with David, 2 Sam. 15. 25. [If I ſhall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again and ſhew me the Ark and habitation (There or elſwhere uſe me in his ſervice): But if he ſay, I have no delight in thee, behold here I am, let him do to me as it ſeemeth good unto him.
And now with this Treatiſe, let me leave you theſe few ſeaſonable requeſts.
1. Be faithful to your faithful Paſtors: Think not that you can live in order and ſafety without their Miniſtry. When you can, attend their publike Miniſtry! Refuſe not their more private help: Read well my two ſheets for the Miniſtry: Where the lawful Paſtor is, there the Church is: Be not either impiouſly indifferent in your worſhipping of God, or peeviſhly quarrelſom with what is commanded or practiſed by others, nor diſobedient to Authority in lawful things.
2. Maintain ſtill your antient Love and Unity and Peace among yourſelves, and improve your company and converſe to the advantage of your ſouls. Be daily interlocutory preachers to one another: Speak as the Oracles of God; and Preach by a holy, patient, harmleſs, charitable and heavenly life. This kind of Preaching none can ſilence but your own corruptions.
3. Improve the profitable books which are among you. 1. Read them frequently, and reverently, and ſeriouſly to your families; when you have called them together, and prayed for Gods bleſſing. 2. Carry them abroad with you, and when you fall into company where you cannot better ſpend your time, read to them ſome ſeaſonable paſſages of ſuch writings. 3. Give or Lend them to thoſe that need, and want either Purſes or Hearts to provide them; and get them to promiſe you to read them, and enquire after the ſucceſs. By ſuch improvement Books may become ſuch Seconds or Subſti…utes to publike preaching, as that they may not be the leaſt ſupport of Religion and means to mens edification and ſalvation.
4. Make ſpecial and diligent proviſion to ſatisfie your ſelves and others againſt Popery, which is like to be none of the leaſt of your temptations. To this end, I pray you read well the ſingle ſheet againſt Popery which I publiſhed, and give of them abroad to others where there is need: Read alſo my other books againſt it: (My Safe Religion, and Key for Catholicks, and Diſpute with Mr. Johnſon) and Dr. Challoners Credo Sanctam Eccleſiam Catholicam: And when their ſophiſtry puzzleth you, 1. Call your able Paſtors to debate it. 2. And remember that they have the Scripture, and the far greater part of the univerſal Church, and the ſenſes of all the world to confute, before they can make good the cauſe their of ambitious Clergy. If you are but ſure you know Bread and Wine when you ſee, and feel, and ſmell, and taſte them, then you are at the end of controverſie with the Papiſts. Above all, ſee that you maintain the Love of God, and a heavenly mind, and mortified affections, and grow not opinionative, ſuperficial or looſe in your Religion: For he that is heartily of no Religion, is prepared to be of any Religion: And it is becauſe men are falſe to the acknowledged Truth, that they are given up to make a Religion of deceit and falſhood: Your fidelity to your King and Countrey, obligeth you to do your part to preſerve the ſubjects from a diſeaſe ſo injurious to them. Saith Dr. Sherman in his late [Account of Faith] againſt the Papiſt, Preſ. p. 4, 5. [If Kings would think upon it, there mi… be no Popes; ſince if Popes could well help it, there ſhould be no Kings.]
5. Take heed of all temptations to turbulency, reſiſting of Authority, or other unlawfull means in the obeying of your paſsions or diſcontents. As God choſe moſt eminently to Glorifie his Power under the Law of Works, and the ſpirit of bondage to fear did much prevail; but under the Goſpel he hath choſen moſt eminently to magnifie his Goodneſs, Love and Mercy; ſo accordingly is the impreſs made upon his ſervants hearts: They are animated by Love, for the propagating of Love; and therefore muſt work with Inſtruments of Love. And if we had well learnt the Doctrine and Example of our Lord, and made it our work to Love all, and to do good to all, and hurt to none, and with meekneſs and patience to let any hurt us, rather then do any thing for our own defence, which is againſt the Law of Love, we ſhould ſee that Chriſtianity would better thrive, when it would be better underſtood by the practice of the profeſſors. Often have I noted that a whole flock of ſheep will run away from the ſmalleſt dog, and yet there is few of them killed by dogs, becauſe they are under their Maſters care; when a Woolf or Fox is purſued by all, and few of them ſuffered to live. And oft have I obſerved, that when men that ſhift for themſelves can ſcarce paſs the ſtreets, yet children play in the way of Carts and Coaches without hurt, while every one takes it for his care to preſerve them, that cannot take care of and preſerve themſelves. And though the Deer that is within the Park is killed when the Owner pleaſe, yet he is preſerved there from others, when the wild and ſtragling Deer that are abroad, are a prey to any man that can catch or kill them. He that ſaveth his life ſhall loſe it, and he that loſeth it for Chriſt ſhall ſave it.
The Lord ſtabliſh, ſtrengthen, direct, and preſerve you to his Kingdom, and keep you from the paſsions of corrupted nature, and from the ſnares and rage of a deceitful and malicious world; I beſeech you continue yet your prayers for him that deſireth no greater advancement in the world, than to be
The ſervant of Chriſt, and Helper of your Joy, Rich. Baxter. June 7. 1662.