Two Sheets for Poor Families, Title page 1 – Title page 2
TWO SHEETS FOR Poor Families.
THE FIRST: Instructions to the Ungodly FOR THEIR CONVERSION.
By Richard Baxter.
LONDON, Printed by Robert White, for Francis Tyton, at the three Daggers in Fleet-street: and for Nevill Simmons, Book-seller in Kederminster. 1665.
Two Sheets for Poor Families.
I. Instructions to the Ungodly, For their CONVERSION.
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 Mar. 8. 36. Matth. 6. 33. Job 21. 14. & 22. 17. Psalm 1. 2, 3. Psalm 14. & 12the reading of a good Book, one hour in a week? For the sake of these careless slothfull 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 then the Urutes. They serve thee, and are Psal. 8. 4, 5, 6. Gen. 1. 26, 27. Gen. 9. 6. Col. 3. 10.governed by thee; and Death ends all their pains and pleasures: But thou hast Reason to Rule thy self and them; to know thy …od, and foresee 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 Domin…on over the Brutes, as (under him) thou art their Owner, their Ruler, and their End. But thy Holy Wisdome, 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 off by any other: Nor can it (or the societies of the world) be well governed John 17. 3. 1 Joh. 4. 6, 7. Jer. 9. 24.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 Lovi…g and Delighting in this Luke 12. 4, 5. Psalm 16. 5. to 11. Isaiah 45. 18.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 Ʋse and End, then it must needs be so with thine.
II. By Knowing thy self then, thou must needs know that there …s a GOD: and that he is thy Maker, and infinite in all perfections: and that he is thy Owner, Gen. 1. 1. Revel. 1. 8. Psalm 14. 1. Rom. 1. 19, 20. Psalm 46. 10. Psalm 9. 10. Psalm 100. & 23. Psalm. 19. 1, 2, 3. Psalm 47. 7. Ezek. 18. 4. Gen. 18. 25. Mal. 1. 6.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 Wisdome, and Goodness of the world, is caused by a Power, and Wisdome, 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, W…sdome and Goodness, maketh him only fit thereto? And if he be our Governour, he must needs have Laws; with Rewards for the good, and Punishment 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 Matth. 22. 37. Jerem. 5. 22. 2 Cor. 5. 8, 9.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 powers. 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 Titus … 14. 2 Cor. 8. 5. & 6. 16, 17, 18. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Psalm 100. Psalm 37. 4. Psalm 40. 8. Col. 3. 1, 2. Mat. 6. …0, 21. 2 Cor. 4. 1…, 18.God, as the Infinite Power, Wisdome and Goodness: as our Creator, our Owner, Governour, and felicity or End: fully submitting to his Disposals; Obeying his Laws, in Hope of his promised Rewards, and Fear of his threatened 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 Use 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 up of Carnal-SELF instead Psalm 14. & 1. Heb. 12. 14. Rom. 8. 19. 13. John 3. 3, 5, 6. 1 Joh. 2. 15, 16. Ro. 13. 13, 14. Rom. 6. 16. Luke 18. 23. & 14▪ 26. 33▪of GOD. When men are proudly Great, and Wise, and Good in their own eyes; and would Dispose of themselves and all their concornments; 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 further 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 wayes 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 tell us how this came to pass.) Though all Rom. 3. Psalm 14. Ephes. 2. 2, 3. Rom. 5. 12, 17, 19. John 3. 6.are not Fornicators, nor Drunkards, nor Extortioners, nor Persecutors, nor live not in the same way of sinning; yet Selfishness and Pride, 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 Rom. 8. 5, 6, 7.of God, and cannot be subject to his Law: This corruption is hereditary, and is become as it were a Nature to us; being the mortal malady of all our Natures: And it is easie to know, that such an unholy wicked Nature, must needs be loathsome unto God, and unfit for the happy enjoyment of his love, either here, or in the life to come! For, what communion Psalm 4. 3. 2 Cor. 6. 17.hath Light with Darkness?
VI. Hence then it is easie to see what Grace is needfull to a mans salvation. So odious a creature, Psalm 32. 1. 2. 1 Cor. 6. 11. Titus 2. 14. Titus 3. 5, 6, 7, Heb. 14. 14. Mat. 5. 8.such an unthankfull Rebell, that is turned away from God, and set against him, and defiled with all this filth of sin, must needs be both Renewed and Reconciled, Sanctified and Pardoned, if ever he will be saved. To Love God and be Beloved by him, and to be Delighted herein, in the sight of his Glory, is the Heaven and Happiness of souls; And all this is contrary to an Unholy State: Till men have New and Holy Hearts, they can neither See God, nor Love him, nor Delight in him, nor take him for their chief content: For the Flesh and World have their Delight and Love. And till sin be pardoned, and Rom. 5. 1, 2, 3.God reconciled to the soul, what Joy or Peace can it expect from him, whose Nature and Justice engageth him to loath and punish it?
VII. And Experience will tell you, how insufficient you are, for either of these two works your selves: To Renew your souls, or to Reconcile them unto God. Will a Nature that is carnal, resist and overcome the Flesh? and abhorr Psalm 49. 7, 8, 15. 1 Cor. 2. 11. Luke 11. 21. Heb. 14. 12. 2 Pet. 1. 3.the sin which it most dearly lov…th? Will a worldly mind overcome the World? When Custome hath rooted your natural corruptions, are they easily rooted up? Oh how great and hard a work is it, to cause a blind unbelieving sinner, to set his heart on another world, and lay up all his Hopes in Heaven? and to cast off all the things he feeth, for that God and Glory which he never saw? And for a hardened, worldly, fleshly heart, to become wise and tender, and holy, and heavenly, and abhorr the sin which it most fondly loveth? And what can we do to satisfie Justice, and Reconcile such a Rebel-soul to God?
VIII. Nature and Experience having thus acquainted you with your sin and misery, and what you want, will further tell you that God doth not yet deal Act. 14. 17. & 17, 24, 27, 28. Rom. 1. 19. 20. Romans 2. 4. Job 33. 14. to 25. Matth. 12. 42, 43.with you according to your deserts! He giveth you life, and time, and mercies, when your sin had forfeited all these. He obligeth you to Repent and Turn unto him: And therefore experience telling you, that there is some Hope, and that God hath found out some way of shewing mercy to the children of Wrath; Reason will command you to enquire of all that are fit to teach you, what way of Remedy God hath made known. And, as you may soon discover, that the Religion of Heathens, and Mahometans, is so far from shewing the true Remedy, that they are part of the disease it self; so you may learn, that a wonderfull person, the Lord Jesus Christ, hath undertaken the Office of being the Redeemer and Saviour of the world, and that he who Isaiah 9. 6, 7. & 53. Jobn 3. 16. 19. & 1. 1, 3, 4. & …. 2.is the Eternal Word and Wisdome of the Father, hath wonderfully appeared in the nature of man, which he took from the Virgin Mary, being conceived by the Holy Ghost; that we might have a Teacher sent from Heaven, infallibly and easily to acquaint the world with the will of God, and the unseen things of life Acts 2. 22. Heb. 2. 3, 4. John 1. 18. Mat. 4. 1 Pet. 2. 22, 23, 24, 25. Mat. 26, & 27. Acts 1. Heb. 4. Eph. 1. 22, …3. Rom. 5. 1, 3, 9. Mat. 28. 19, 20. Heb. 8. 9. 13. & 8. 6, 7. Heb. 7. 25. 1 Joh. 5. 10. 12. John 5. 22. & 3. 18, 19. Mat. 25.eternal! How God bare witness of his truth, by abundant, open uncontrolled miracles: How he conquered Satan, and the world; and gave us an example of perfect Righteousness, and underwent the scorn and cruelty of sinners, and suffered the death of the Cross, as a Sacrifice for our sins, to Reconcile us unto God: How he Rose again the third day, and conquered Death, and lived fourty dayes longer on earth, instructing his Apostles, and giving them Commission to Preach the Gospel to all the world, and then ascended bodily into Heaven, while they gazed after him; How he is now in Heaven both God and Man in one person, the Teacher, and King, and High-Priest of his Church! Of Him must we learn the way of life: By Him must we be Ruled as the Physitianour of souls: All power is given Him in Heaven and Earth: By his Sacrifice, and Merit, and Intercession must we be pardoned and accepted with the Father; and only by him must we come to God! He hath procured and established a Covenant of Grace, which Baptism is the seal of: even [That God will in him be our God, and Reconciled Father, and Christ will be our Saviour, and the Holy Ghost will be our Sanctifier, if we will unfeignedly consent; that is, if penitently and believingly we give up our selves to God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in these Relations.] This Covenant in the tenor of it, is a Deed of Guift, of Christ, and Pardon, and Salvation to all the world, if by true Faith and Repentance they will turn to God! And this shall be the Law according to which he will judge all that hear it at the last: For he is made the Judge of all, and will raise all the dead, and will Justifie his Saints, and judge them unto endless Joy and Glory, and condemn the unbelievers, impenitent and ungodly unto endless misery: The soul alone is judged at Death: and body and soul at the Resurrection. This Gospel the Apostles Luke 16. Acts 2. John 17. 23.Preached to the World; and that it might be effectual to mens salvation, the Holy Ghost was first given to inspire the Preachers of it, and enable them to speak in various languages, and infallibly agree in Mat. 28. 19, 20. Acts 14. 23. Acts 20. Act. 26. 17, 18. Titus 3. 5, 6. John 3. 5, 6. Romans 8. 9.one, and to work many great and open miracles to prove their word to those they preached to: and by this means they planted the Church; which ordinary Ministers must increase, and teach, and oversee, to the end of the world, till all the Elect be gathered in. And the same Holy Spirit hath undertaken it, as his work, to accompany this Gospel, and by it to convert mens souls, illuminating and sanctifying them; and by a secret Regeneration to renew their natures, and bring them to that Knowledge, and Obedience and Love of God, which is the Primitive Holiness for which we were created, and from which we fell. And thus by a Saviour and a Sanctifier must all be Reconciled and Renewed, that will be Glorified with God in Heaven. All this you may learn from the Sacred Scriptures; which were written by the inspiration 2 Tim. 3. 16. Heb. 2. 3, 4.of the Holy Spirit, and sealed by multitudes of open Miracles, and contain the very Image and Superscription of God, and have been received and preserved by the Church, as the certain Oracles of God, and blessed by him through all Generations, to the sanctifying of many souls.
IX. When you understand all this, it is time for you to look home, and understand now what state your souls are in. That you were Made capable 2 Cor. 13. 5. Psalm 4. 4. 2 Peter 1. 10.of Holyness and Happiness, you know: that you and all men are fallen from God and Holyness, and Happiness, unto Self, and Sin, and Misery, you know: that you are so far Redeemed by Christ you know, as to have a pardoning and saving Covenant tendered you, and Christ and Mercy offered to your choice. But whether you are truly penitent believers, and Renewed by the Holy Ghost, and so united unto Christ, this is the question yet unresolved: this is the work that is yet to do; without which there is no salvation: And if thou die before it is done, woe to thee that ever thou wast a man! Except a man be Regenerate by the Spirit, and Converted, and made a New Creature, and of John 3. 5. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Romans 8. 7, 9. Phil. 3. 18, 20.Carnal be made Spiritual, and of Earthly be made Heavenly, and of selfish and sinfull be made Holy and Obedient to God, he can never be saved, no more than the Devil himself can be saved. And if this be so (as nothing is more sure) I require thee now who readest these words, as thou regardest thy salvation, as thou wouldst escape Hell fire, and stand with comfort before Christ and his Angels at the last, that thou soberly consider whether Reason command thee not▪ to try thy state, whether thou art thus Renewed by the Sp… rit of Christ or not? and to call for help to Acts 16. 14. Acts 2. 37. Acts 16. 30. Acts 11. 23. 2 Cor. 6. 1, 2. Rev. 2. 7.those that can advise thee, and follow on the search, till thou know thy case? And if thy soul be a stranger to this Sanctifying work, whether Reason command thee not, without any delay, to make out to Christ, and beg his Spirit, and cast away thy sins, and give up thy self entirely to thy God, thy Saviour and Sanctifier, and enter into his Covenant, with a full Resolution never to forsake him? To deny thy self, and the desires of the flesh, and this deceitfull transitory world, and lay out all thy Hopes on Heaven! and speedily, what ever it cost thee, to make sure of the Felicity which hath no end. And darest thou refuse this when God and Conscience do command it? And further I advise you,
X. Understand how it is that Satan hindereth souls from being sanctified: that you may know how to res…st his wiles. Some he deceiveth by malitious suggestions, that holiness is nothing but fansié or hypocrisie! (And if God, and Death, Act. 24. 14. & 28, 22. & 24. 5, 6.and Heaven, and Hell were fancies▪ this might be believed.) Some he debaucheth by the power of fl…sh…y appetite and lust, so that their sins will not let their Reason speak Some he keepeth in utter ignorance, by the evil education of ignorant Parents, and the negligence of ungodly soul-murdering Mal. 2. 7. 9. Hos. 4. 9. Prov. 13. 20. Eph. 4. 18, 19. Mal. 1. 13.Teachers: Some he deceiveth by worldly Hopes, and keepeth their minds so taken up with worldly things, that the matters of Eternity, can have but some loose uneffectual thoughts, as bad as none: Some are entangled in evil company, who make a scorn of a holy life, or feed them with continual diversions and vain delights: And some are so hardened in their sin, that they are even past feeling, and neither fear Gods wrath, nor care for their salvation, but hear these things as men asleep: and nothing will awake them: Some are discouraged with a conceit that Godliness is a life so grievous, sad, and melancholly, that rather then endure it, they will venture their souls, come on it what will (As if it were a grievous life, to Love God, and Hope for endless Joyes, and a pleasant life to Love the world and sin, and live within a step of Hell!) Some that are convinced, do put off their conversion Mat. 25. 3. 8. & 24. 43. 44.with Delayes; and think its time enough hereafter; and are purposing and promising, till it be too late, and life, and time, and hope be ended. John 8. 39. 8. 42. 44. Rom. 3. 1, 2. Gal. 4. 29. Mat. 13. 19, 20, 21, 2…. Mat. 15. 2, 3, 6. Gal. 1. 14.And some that see there is a necessity of Holiness, are cheated by some dead opinions, or names, or Shewes and Images of Holiness: Either because they hold a strict opinion: or because they joyn with a Religious Party; or because they are of that which they think is the true Church; or because they are baptized with water, and observe the outward parts of worship; and perhaps because they offer God, a great deal of lip-service, and lifeless ceremony, which never savoured of a holy soul. Thus deadness, sensuality; worldliness and Hypocrisie, do hinder millions from sanctification and salvation.
XI. If ever thou wouldst be saved, oppress not Reason, by sensuality or diversions: but sometimes Psalm 4. 4. Hag. 1. 5. Deut. 32. 7. 29.retire for sober Consideration. Distracted and sleepy Reason is unuseful: God and Conscience have a great deal to say to thee; which in a crowd of company and business thou art not fit to hear. It is a dolefull case that a man who hath a God, a Christ, a Soul, a Heaven, a Hell to think of, Job 34. 27. Isaiah 1. 3. Jer. 23. 20. Psalm 119. 59.will allow them none, but running thoughts, and not once in a week bestow one hour in man-like serious Consideration of them! Sure thou hast no greater things to mind. Resolve then sometimes to spend half an hour in the deepest thoughts of thy Everlasting state.
XII. Look upon this world and all its Pleasures, as a Man of Reason who forseeth the End, 2 Cor. 4. 18. Deut. 32. 29. 1 John 2. 17. 1 Cor. 7. 31. Luk 12. 19, 20. John 14. 1, 2. 1 Thess. 5. 13.and not as a beast, that liveth but by sense on present objects. Do I need to tell thee Man, that thou must dye? Cannot carkasses, and bones, and dust instruct thee, to see the End of Earthly glory, and all the pleasures of the flesh? Is it a Controversie whether thy flesh must shortly perish! and wilt thou yet provide for it before thy soul? What a sad farewell must thou shortly take, of all that worldlings sell their souls for! And O how quickly will this be! Alas man, the day is even at hand. A few dayes more, and thou art gone! And darest thou live unready, and part with Heaven for such a world as this?
XIII. And then think soberly of the life to come: what it is for a soul to appear before the Living God, and be judged to Endless Joy or Luke 12. 4. Rom. 10. 14. Eccles. 12. 7. 2 Pet. 3. 11. 2 Cor. 4. 18. Phil. 3. 18, 20.Misery! If the Devil tempt thee to doubt of such a life, remember that Nature, and Scripture, and the worlds Consent, and his own temptations are witnesses against him. O man, canst thou pass one day, in company or alone, in business or in idleness, without some sober thoughts of Everlastingness. Nothing more sheweth that the hearts of men are asleep or dead, than that the thoughts of Endless joy or pain, so near at hand, constrain them not be Holy, and overcome not all the temptations of the flesh, as toyes and inconsiderable things.
XIV. Mark well what mind most men are of, Numb. 23. 10. Mat. 25. 8. & 7. 21, 22. Pro. 1, 23, 24.when they come to die! Unless it be some desperate forsaken wretch, do they not all speak well of a Holy life! and wish that their lives had been spent in the most fervent Love of God, and strictest obedience to his Laws! Do they then, speak well of lust and pleasures, and magnifie the wealth and honours of the world! Had they not then rather die as the most mortified Saints, than as careless, fleshly, worldly sinners! And dost thou see and know this, and yet wilt thou not be instructed, and be wise in time?
XV. Think well, what manner of men those were, whose Names are now honoured for their Holiness! What manner of life did Saint Peter, Mat. 23. 29, 30, 31, 33. Heb. 11. 38. John 8. 39.and St. Paul, St. Cyprian, St. Augustine, and all other Saints and Martyrs live? Was it a life of fleshly sports and pleasures! Did they deride or persecute a holy life? Were they not more strictly holy than any that thou knowest. And is he not self condemned, that honoureth the Names of Saints, and will not imitate them?
XVI. Think what the difference is between a Christian, and an Heathen. You are loath to be Heathens Matth. 10. 15. Romans 2. Act. 10. 34, 35.or Infidels; But do you think a Christian excelleth them but in Opinion! He that is not Holier than they, is worse, and shall suffer more than they.
XVII. Think what the difference is between a Godly Christian and an Ungodly. Do not all the opposers of Holiness among us, yet speak for the Rom. 2. 28, 29, 24. 12. Matth. 25. 28. Luke 19. 22. Acts 24. 15. Gal. 4. 29.same God, and Christ, and Scripture, and profess the same Creed, and Religion with those whom they oppose? And is not this Christ the Author of our Holiness, and this Scripture the Commander of it? Search and see! whether the difference be not this, that the Godly are serious in their profession; and the ungodly are Hypocrites, who hate and oppose the practise of the very things which themselves profess; whose Religion serveth but to condemn them, while their lives are contrary to their tongues.
XVIII. Understand what the Devils policy Ephes. 4. 14. Acts 20. 30. 1 Cor. 11. 19. 2 Tim. 4. 3. & 2. 14. 16. 1 Tim. 1. 5, 6. Titus 3. 9. Eph. 4. 3. &c. 1 Cor. 12. Mat. 12. 25. Rom. 2. 12. 27. 28, 29.is, by raising so many Sects, and Factions, and Controversies, about Religion in the world. Even to make some think, that they are Religious, because they can prate for their opinions! or because they think their party is the best: Because their faction is the Greatest, or the Least, the uppermost, or the suffering side. And to turn holy edifying conference into vain wrangling: And to make men Atheists, suspecting all Religion, and true to none, because of mens diversity of minds: But remember that Christian Religion is but One; and a thing easily known by its ancient Rule; and the Universal Church containing all Christians, is but one. And if carnal interest or opinions so distract men, that one party saith, We are all the Church, and another saith, It is we; (as if the Kitchin were all the House, or one Town or Village all the Kingdome) wilt thou be mad with seeing this distraction? Hearken sinner! All these Sects in the day of Judgement shall concurr as witnesses against thee, if thou be unholy▪ because however else they differed, all of them that are Chr…stians, professed the necessity of Holiness, and subscribed to that Scripture, which requireth it. Gal. 1. 7, 8. Mat. 28. 20. James 3. 17.Though thou canst not easily resolve every Controversie, thou maist easily know the true Religion; It is that which Christ and his Apostles taught, which all Christians have professed; which Scripture requireth; which is first pure and then peaceable; most spiritual, heavenly, charitable, and just.
XIX. Away from that company which is sensual, Ephes. 5. 11. Prov. 23. 20. 2 Cor. 6. 17, 18. Psalm 15. 4. Deut. 13. 3.and an enemy to Reason, Sobriety, and Holiness; and consequently to God, themselves and thee. Can they be wise for thee, that are foolish for themselves? or friends to thee that are undoing themselves, or have any pitty on thy soul, when they make a jeast of their own damnation? Will they help thee to Heaven, who are running so furiously to Hell? Choose better familiars, if thou wouldst be better.
XX. Judge not of a Holy life by hearsay: for it cannot so be known. Try it awhile, and then judge John 5. 40. Luke 14. 29, 30. John 6. 35. 37. 45.as thou findest it. Speak not against the things thou knowest not. Hadst thou but lived in the Love of God, and the lively belief of endless Glory, and the delights of Holiness, and the fears of Hell, but for one monethmonth or day, and with such a heart, hadst cast away thy sin, and called upon God; and Matth. 11. 19. Isaiah 55. 6, 7. Luke 14. 33.ordered thy family in a holy manner, especially on the Lords day; I dare boldly say, experience would constrain thee, to justifie a holy life. But yet I must tell thee, it is not true Holiness, if thou do but Try it with Exceptions and Reserves: If therefore God hath convinced thee that this is his will and way, I adjure thee as in his dreadfull Rev. 22. 17. John 1. 12. Rev. 2. & 3. 1 Joh. 5. 10. 12. Psalm 34. 7. Psalm 73. 26. Mat. 25. Luke 20. 36. Heb. 2. 3. 2 Thes. 2. 12.presence, that thou Delay no longer, but Resolve, and Absolutely give up thy self to God, as thy Heavenly Father, thy Saviour and thy Sanctifier, and make an everlasting Covenant with him; and then He and all his Mercies will be thine: His grace will help thee; and his mercy pardon thee: his Ministers will instruct thee, and his people pray for thee, and assist thee: His Angels will guard thee; and his Spirit comfort thee, and when flesh must fail, and thou must leave this world, thy Saviour will then Receive thy soul, and bring it into the participation of his Glory: and he will raise thy body, and justifie thee before the world, and make thee equal to the Angels; and thou shalt Luke 19. 27. Prov. 29. 1. & …. 25.Live in the sight and Love of God, and in the Everlasting Pleasures of his Glory. This is the end of Faith and Holiness. But if thou harden thy heart, and refusest mercy, everlasting woe will be thy portion, and then there will be no remedy.
And now, Reader, I beg of thee, and I beg of God on my bended knees, that these few words may sink into thy heart, and that thou wouldst read them over and over again, and bethink thee as a man that must shortly die, whether any deserve thy Love and obedience more than God? and thy thankful remembrance more than Christ, and thy care and diligence more than thy salvation? Is there any felicity more desirable than Heaven? or any misery more terrible than Hell? or any thing so regardable as that which is Everlasting? Will a few dayes fleshly pleasures pay for the loss of heaven and thy immortal soul? or will thy sin and thy prosperity be sweet at death, and in the day of Judgement? As thou art a man, and as ever thou believest that there is a God, and a world to come, and as thou carest for thy soul whether it be saved or damned, I beseech thee, I charge thee, think of these things; think of them once a day at least! think of them with thy most sober serious thoughts! Heaven is not a Maygame! and Hell is not a flea-biting! Make not a jeast of Salvation or Damnation! I know thou livest in a distracted world, where thou maist hear some laughing at such things as these, and scorning at a holy life, and fastening odious reproaches on the godly, and merrily drinking, and playing and prating away their time, and then saying, that they will trust God with their souls, and hope to be saved without so much ado! But if all these men do not change their minds, and be not shortly down in the mouth, and would not be glad to eat their words, and wish that they had lived a holy life, thought it had cost them scorn and suffering in the world, let me bear the shame of a deceiver for ever: But if God and thy Conscience bear witness against thy sin, and tell thee that a Holy life is best, regard not the gainsayings of a Bedlam world, which is drunk with the delusions of the flesh: But Give up thy soul and life to God by Iesus Christ in a faithful Covenant! Delay no longer man, but Resolve; Resove immediately; Resolve unchangeably; and GOD will be thine, and thou shalt be his for ever. Amen, Lord: Have mercy on this sinner, and so let it be Resolved by Thee and him.
May 6. 1665.
FINIS.
The Second SHEET FOR Poor Families.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR A HOLY LIFE.
By Richard Baxter.
LONDON, Printed by Robert White, for Francis Tyton, at the three Daggers in Fleet-street: and for Nevill Simmons, Book-seller in Kederminster. 1665.