True Christianity, Title page 1 – Dedication
TRUE CHRISTIANITY: OR, Christs absolute Dominion, and Mans necessary Selfe-resignation and subjection.
In two Assize Sermons preached at WORCESTER.
By Richard Baxter.
LONDON; Printed for Nevill Simmons Booksellor in Kidderminster; And are to be sold at London by William Roybould, at the Ʋnicorne in Pauls Church-yard, 1655.
A SERMON Of the absolute Dominion of God-Redeemer, and the necessity of being devoted and living to him.
Preached before the Honourable 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 Nevill Simmons Bookseller in Kidderminster, And are to be sold at London by Will. Roybould at the Ʋnicorne in Pauls Church-yard 1655.
To the Right Honourable Serjeant Glyn, Now Judge of Assize in this Circuit.
My Lord,
COuld my excuse have satisfied you, this Sermon had beene confined to the Auditory it was prepared for: I cannot expect that it should finde that Candor and favour with every Reader, as it did with the Hearers. When it must speake 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 quarrell, and usually make a fault in him that findeth one in them. Yet I confesse this is but a poore 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 backe: 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 homly a dress. And I hope we need not feare that our labours are dead, unlesse the Presse shall give them life. Wee bring not Sermons to Church, as we do a Corps for a buriall: If there be life in them, and life in the Hearers, the connaturality will caus such an amicable closure, that through the Reception, Retention, and operation of the soule, they will be the immortall 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 shal not refuse upon such an invitation, to bee a remembrancer to the world, of a Doctrine and duty of such high concernment, though they have heard it never so oft before. Seeing therefore I must present that now to your eyes, which I lately presented to your eares, I shall take the boldnesse to add one word of Application in this Epistle, which I thought not seasonable to mention in the first delivery; and that shall bee to your Lordship and all others in your present case, that are elected members of this expected Parliament. Bee sure to remember the interest of your soveraigne, 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 owne, or any mans on earth. If you goe not thither as sent by Him, with a firme 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 doe I am bold with all possible earnestnesse, to entreat you, yea as Christs Minister to require you, in his Name, to study and remember his businesse and interest, and see that it have the chiefe place in all your consultations: Watch against the incroachments of your owne carnall 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 marre all, if you doe not constantly and resolvedly watch? O how hard, but how happy is it to conquer this carnall selfe: Remember still that you are not your own, that you have an unseene Master that must bee pleased, whoever be displeased; & an unseen Kingdom to be obtained, and an invisible soule that must bee 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 doe nothing wilfully, unworthy such a Master, and such an end. Often renew your selfe-resignation, and devote your selfe to him; sit close at his worke, and be sure that it bee His, both in the Matter, and in your Intent. If Conscience should at any time aske, (Whose worke 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 worke 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 Darkenesse, 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 zeale 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 solemne Ʋowes, Protestations, and Covenants; and what advantages carnal selfe hath since got, & 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 near 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 Tempter, to destroy your work and you together. Take warning by the sad experiences of what is past; bestir you speedily and vigorously for Christ, as knowing your opposition and the shortnesse of your time: Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when hee commeth shall find so doing. If you aske me wherein this interest of Christ doth consist? I shall tell you but in a few unquestionable particulars. 1. In the main, that truth, godlinesse, and honesty, bee countenanced & 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 & 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 meanes of most evident necessity. 1. That there be one scripture-Creed, or confession of Faith, agreed on by a general assembly of able Ministers, duely and freely chosen hereunto, which shall containe nothing but matter of evident Necessitie & Verity. This wil 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 intollerably Heterodox, which it seems is intended in the 37. Article of the late formed Government, where all that will have liberty, must professe (faith in God by Jesus Christ) which in a Christian sence, 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 sence 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 & Delegates on all just occasions, in assemblies smaller or greater, (even National when it is necessary) Seeing without such associations & communion in assemblies, the unity & concord of the Churches is not like to be maintained. I exclude not the Magistrates interest, or oversight, to see that they doe not transgresse 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 bee preferred before him, till you know them to be of more authority over you, and better friends to you then Christ is: Should there be any among you, that cherish a secret Root of Infidelity, after such pretences to the purest Christianity, & are zealous of Christ lest he should over-top them, and do set up an interest inconsistent with his soveraignty, and thereupon grow jealous of the liberties and power of his Ministers, and of the unity and strength of his Church; and thinke 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 thē to powder. They may seem to prevail against him a while when their supposed successe is but a prosperous selfe-destroying; but marke the end, when his wrath is kindled, yea but a little; and when these his enemies that would not hee should raign over him, are brought forth and destroyed before him, then they will bee convinced of the folly of their Rebellion; in the mean time let wisdome 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 remaine
Your Lordships Servant in the Work of Christ, Rich. Baxter. August. 5. 1654.