Three Treatises to Awaken Secure Sinners, Dedication 1
THREE TREATISES Tending to awaken Secure Sinners. viz.
1. The terror of the day of Judgment, 2 COR. 5. 10.
2. The danger of ſlighting Chriſt and his Goſpel, MATT. 22. 5.
3. True Chriſtianity, or Chriſts abſolute Dominion, 1 COR. 6. 19, 20. And Mans neceſſary Self-Reſignation and Subjection unto Chriſt, PSA. 2. 10, 11, 12.
By Richard Baxter.
To be ſold by John Rothwell at the Fountain in Goldſmiths-row in Cheapſide, 1656.
TRUE Chriſtianity; OR, Chriſts abſolute Dominion, and Mans neceſſary Self-reſignation and ſubjection.
In two Aſsize Sermons preached at WORCESTER.
By RICH. BAXTER.
LONDON, Printed for Nevil Simmons bookſeller in Kidderminſter. 1656.
A Sermon OF The abſolute Dominion of God-Redeemer, and the neceſsity of being devoted and living to him.
Preached before the Honorable Judge of Aſsize at Worceſter, Aug. 2. 1654.
By Rich. Baxter.
Rom. 14. 9.
For to this end Chriſt both dyed and roſe, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and Living.
London, Printed for Nevil Simmons Bookſeller in Kidderminſter, 1656.
To the Right Honourable Serjeant Glyn, Now Judge of Aſsiſe in this Circuit.
My Lord,
COuld my excuſe have ſatisfyed you, this Sermon had been confined to the Auditory it was prepared for: I cannot expect that is ſhould find that Candor and favour with every Reader, as it did with the Hearers. When it muſt ſpeak to All, the guilty will hear, and then it will gall. Innocency is patient in hearing a reproof, and charitable in the interpretation; but Guilt will ſmart and quarrel, and uſually make a fault in him that findeth one in them. Yet I confeſt this is but a poor juſtification of his ſilence, that hath a Call to ſpeak. Both my Calling and this Sermon would condemn me, if on ſuch grounds I ſhould draw back: But my Backwardneſs was cauſed by the reaſon which I then tendred your Lord-ſhip as my excuſe, viz. Becauſe here is nothing but what is common, and that it is in as common and homely a dreſs. And I hope we need not fear that our labours are dead, unleſs the Preſs ſhall give them life. We bring not Sermons to Church, as we do a Corps for a burial: If there be life in them, and life in the Hearers, the connaturality will cauſe ſuch an amicable cloſure, that through the Reception, Retention, and operation of the ſoul, they will be the immortal ſeed of a life everlaſting. But yet ſeeing the preſs hath a louder voice then mine, and the matter in hand is of ſuch exceeding neceſsity, I ſhall not refuſe upon ſuch an invitation, to be a rememberancer to the the world, of a Doctrine and duty of ſuch high concernment: thongh they have heard it never ſo oft before. Seeing therefore I muſt preſent that now to your eyes, which I lately preſented to your ears, I ſhall take the boldneſs to add one word of Application in this Epiſtle, which I thought not ſeaſonable to mention in the firſt delivery; and that ſhall be to your Lordſhip and all others in your preſent caſe, that are elected members of this expected Parliament. Be ſure to remember the intereſt of your ſoveraign, the great Lord Protector of Heaven and Earth: And as ever you will make him a comfortable accompt of your Power, Abilities, and Opportunities of ſerving him, ſee that you prefer his intereſt before your own, or any mans on earth. If you go not thither as ſent by Him, with a firm reſolution to ſerve him firſt, you were better ſit at home: forget not that he hath laid claim to you, and to all that you have, and all that you can have, and all that you can do I am bold with all poſsible earneſtneſs, to entreat you, yea as Chriſts Miniſter to require you, in his Name, to ſtudy and remember his buſineſs and intereſt; and ſee that it have the chief place in all your conſultations: Watch againſt the incroachments of your own carnal intereſts, conſult not with fleſh and blood, nor give it the hearing when it ſhall offer you its advice. How ſubtilly will it inſinuate, how importunately will it urge you, how certainly will it marr all, if you do not conſtantly and reſolvedly watch! O how hard, but now happy is it to conquer this carnal ſelf: Remember ſtill that you are not your own, that you have an unſeen Maſter that muſt be pleaſed, whoever be diſpleaſed; and an unſeen Kingdom to be obtained, and an inviſible ſoul that muſt be ſaved, though all the world be loſt. Fix your eye ſtill on him that made and redeemed you, and upon the ultimate end of your Chriſtian race; and do nothing wilfully, unworthy ſuch a Maſter, and ſuch an end. Often renew your ſelf-reſignation, and devote your ſelf to him; ſit cloſe at his work, and be ſure that it be His, both in the Matter, and in your Intent. If Conſcience ſhould at any time ask, (Whoſe work are you now doing?) or a man ſhould pluck you by the ſleeve, and ſay, (Sir, Whoſe Cauſe are you now pleading?) See that you have the anſwer of a Chriſtian at hand; delay not Gods work till you have done your own, or any ones elſe: You'l beſt ſecure the Common-wealth and your own intereſt, by looking firſt to His. By neglecting this, and being carnally wiſe, we have wheel'd about ſo long in the Wilderneſs, and loſt thoſe advantages againſt the Powers of Darkneſs, which we know not whether we ſhall ever recover again. It is the great aſtoniſhment of ſober men, and not the leaſt reproach that ever was caſt on our holy Profeſsion, to think with what a zeal for the work of Chriſt, men ſeemed to be animated in the beginning of our diſagreements; and how deeply they did engage themſelves to him in ſolemn Vows, Proteſtations, and Covenants; & what advantages carnal ſelf hath ſince got, and turned the ſtream another way! ſo that the ſame men have ſince been the inſtruments of our calamity, in breaking in pieces, and diſhonouring the Churches of Chriſt; yea and gone ſo neer to the taking down (as much as in them lay) the whole Miniſtry that ſtand approved in the Land: O do not by trifling, give advantage to the Temper to deſtroy your work and you together. Take warning by the ſad experiences of what is paſt; beſtir you ſpeedily and vigoruoſly for Chriſt, as knowing your oppoſition and the ſhortneſs of your time: Bleſſed is that ſervant whom his Lord when he commeth ſhall find ſo doing. If you ask me wherein his intereſt of Chriſt doth conſiſt? I ſhall tell you but in a few unqueſtionable particulars. 1. In the main, that truth, godlineſs, and honeſty, be countenanced and encouraged, and their contraries by all fit means ſuppreſſed. 2. In order to this, that unworthy men be removed from Magiſtracy and Miniſtry, and the places ſupplyed with the fitteſt that can be had. 3. That a competent maintenance may be procured where it is wanting, eſpecially for Cities and great Towns, where more Teachers are ſo neceſſary in ſome proportion to the number of ſouls, and on which the Country doth ſo much depend. Shall an age of ſuch high pretences to Reformation, and zeal for the Churches, alienate ſo much, and then leave them deſtitute and ſay, It cannot be had? 4. That right means be uſed with ſpeed and diligence, for the healing of our diviſions, and the uniting of all the true Churches of Chriſt (at leaſt in theſe Nations; and O that your endeavours might be extended much further) to which end I ſhall mention but theſe two means of moſt evident neceſsity. 1. That there be one ſcripture-Creed, or confeſsion of Faith, agreed on by a general aſſembly of able Miniſters duly and freely choſen hereunto, which ſhall contain nothing but matter of evident Neceſsity and Verity. This will ſerve 1. For a Teſt to the Churches, to diſcern the ſound Profeſſors from the unſound (as to their doctrine) and to know them with whom they may cloſe as Brethren, and whom they muſt reject. 2. For a Teſt to the Magiſtrate, of the Orthodox to be encouraged, and of the intoller ably Heterodox, which it ſeems is intended in the 37. Article of the late formed Government, where all that will have liberty, muſt profeſs (faith in God by Jeſus Chriſt) which in a Chriſtian ſenſe muſt comprehend every true fundamental, or Article of our faith: And, no doubt, it is not the bare ſpeaking of thoſe words, in an unchriſtian ſenſe that is intended. (As if a Ranter ſhould ſay, that himſelf is God, and his mate is Jeſus Chriſt.)
2. That there be a publique eſtabliſhment of the neceſſary liberty of the Churches, to meet by their Officers and Delegates on all juſt occaſions, in aſſemblies ſmaller or greater, (even National when it is neceſſary) Seeing without ſuch aſſociations and communion in aſſemblies, the unity and concord of the Churches is not like to be maintained. I exclude not the Magiſtrates intereſt or overſight, to ſee that they do not tranſgreſs their bounds. As you love Chriſt, and his Church and Goſpel, and mens ſouls, neglect not theſe unqueſtionable points of his intereſt, and make them your firſt and chiefeſt buſineſs, and let none be preferred before him, till you know them to be of more authority over you, and better friends to you then Chriſt is. Should there by any among you that cheriſh a ſecret Root of Infidelity, after ſuch pretences to the pureſt Chriſtianity, and are zealous of Chriſt leſt he ſhould over-top them, and do ſet up an intereſt inconſiſtent with his ſoveraignty, & thereupon grow jealous of the liberties & power of his Miniſters, and of the unity and ſtrength of his Church; and think it their beſt policy to keep under his Miniſters, by hindering them from the exerciſe of their office, and to foment diviſions, and hinder our union, that they may have parties ready to ſerve their ends: I would not be in the Caſe of ſuch men, when God ariſeth to judge them, for all the Crowns and Kingdoms on earth! If they ſtumble on this ſtone, it will break them in pieces: but if it fall upon them, it will grind them to powder. They may ſeem to prevail againſt him a while when their ſuppoſed ſucceſs is but a proſperous ſelf-deſtroying: but mark the end, when his wrath is kindled, yea, but a little: and when theſe his enemies that would not he ſhould raign over them, are brought forth and deſtroyed before him, then they will be convineed of the folly of their Rebellon: in the mean time let wiſdom be juſtified of her Children.
My Lord, I had not troubled, you with ſo many words, had I not judged it probable that many more whom they concern may peruſe them. I remain,
Auguſt 5. 1654. Your Lordſhips Servant in the Work of Chriſt, Rich. Baxter.