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28. He hath counted what it may cost him to be saved, and

hath resolved not to stick at suffering, but to bear the

cross, and be conformed to his crucified Lord, and hath

already in heart forsaken all for him

235

29. He is not a Christian only for company or carnal ends, or

upon trust of other men's opinion, and therefore would

be true to Christ, if his rulers, his teachers, his company,

and all that he knoweth, should forsake him

240

30. He can digest the hardest truths of Scripture, and the

hardest passages of God's providence .

242

31. He can exercise all his graces in harmony, without neg-

lecting one to use another, or setting one against

another.

243

32. He is more in getting and using grace, than in inquiring

whether he have it, though he do that also in its place . 244

33. He studieth duty more than events, and is more careful

what he should be towards God, than how he shall bere

be used by him

245

34. He is more regardful of his duty to others, than of theirs

to him, and had much rather suffer wrong than do it 246

35. He keepeth up a constant government of his thoughts,

restraining them from evil, and using them upon God,

and for him

249

36. He keepeth a constant government over his passions, so

far as that they pervert not his judgment, his heart, his

tongue, or actions

250

37. He governeth his tongue; employing it for God, and re-

straining it from evil

252

38. Heart-work and heaven-work are the principal matters

of his religious discourse, and not barren controversies

or impertinencies

254

39. He liveth upon the common great substantials of religion,

and yet will not deny the smallest truth, or commit the

smallest sin, for any price that man can offer him 255

40. He is a high esteemer, and careful redeemer of time, and

abhorreth idleness, and diversions which would rob him

of it. ..

261

41. His heart is set upon doing all the good in the world that

he is able: it is his daily business and delight.

263

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42. He truly loveth his neighbour as himself. ..

265

43. He hath a special love to all godly Christians as such,

and such as will not stick at cost in its due expressions,

nor be turned into bitterness by tolerable differences 266

44. He forgiveth injuries, and loveth his enemies, and doth

them all the good he can, from the sense of the love of

Christ to him. ..

268

45. He doth as he would be done by; and is as precise in

the justice of his dealings with men as in acts of piety

to God.

271

46. He is faithful and laborious in his outward trade or call.

ing, not out of covetousness, but obedience to God 273

47. He is very conscionable in the duties of his several rela-

tions, in his family or other society, as a superior, infe-

rior, or equal .

274

48. He is the best subject, whether his rulers be good or bad,

though infidel and ungodly rulers may mistake and use

him as the worst

276

49. His trust in God doth overcome the fear of man, and settle

him in a constant fortitude for God

283

50. Judgment and zeal are conjoined in him : his judgment

kindleth zeal, and his zeal is still judicious .

286

51. He can bear the infirmities of the weak, and their cen-

sures and abuses of himself; and requiteth them not

with uncharitable censure or reproach

289

52. He is a high esteemer of the unity of Christians, and

abhorreth the principles, spirit, and practices of division 291

53. He seeketh the church's unity and concord not upon

partial, unrighteous, or impossible, but upon the possible

righteous terms here mentioned

302

54. He is of a mellow, peaceable spirit: not masterly, domi-

neering, hurtful, unquiet, or contentious .

310

55. He highliest regardeth the interest of God, and men's

salvation in the world, and regardeth no secular interest

of his own, or any man's, but in subserviency thereto 316

56. He is usually hated for his holiness by the wicked, and

censured for his charity and peaceableness by the factious

and the weak; and is moved by neither from the way

of truth

322

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57. Though he abhor ungodly soul-destroying ministers, yet

he reverenceth the office as necessary to the church and

world ; and highly valueth the holy, faithful labourers 323

58. He hath great experience of the providence, truth, and

justice of God, to fortify him against temptations to

un ef

325

59. Though he greatly desireth lively affections and gifts, yet

he much more valueth the three essential parts of holi-

ness : 1. A high estimation in the understanding of

God, Christ, holiness, and heaven, above all that can be

set in any competition ; 2. A resolved choice and adhe-

sion of the will, to these above and against all com-

petitors; 3. The seeking them first in the endeavours

of the life; and by these he judgeth of the sincerity of

his heart

327

60. He is all his life seriously preparing for his death, as if it

were at hand, and is ready to receive the sentence with

joy; but especially he longeth for the blessed day of

Christ's appearing, as the answer of all his desires and

hopes

329

Six uses of these characters

336

EDITOR'S PREFACE.

A work of Baxter's needs no other introduction to the public, than the name of its author. Few, if any, of our religious writers, have been more generally and deservedly popular. But the very circumstance of Baxter's popularity as an author, and the consequent multiplicity of his writings, has caused some of his works, which were valuable enough to have given celebrity to other names, to remain partially overlooked. This has been the case, to a certain extent, with the Treatise which is here presented to the public. No new edition of it has appeared for many years ; and in consequence of the scarcity of copies, it has not been sufficiently known to be properly appreciated. It is one of a series of works which, as Baxter informs us, he was recommended to undertake by Archbishop Usher, the first of them being the “ Call to the Unconverted," and the others relating to the practical exercise of religion in the heart and life. The ministerial usefulness of Baxter, and his great experience as a shepherd of Christ's flock, qualified him beyond any man of his day to do justice to these subjects. Accordingly he wrote as one that had authority,” or as one standing on an eminence, from whence he could discern all the inequalities, the windings, the deceptions, and false appearances, of the human heart.

This work was dedicated to Baxter's flock at Kidderminster, amongst whom he had preached the word of life with the zeal of an apostle, both publicly and from house to house, during sixteen years. The substance of it had been delivered to them from the pulpit. After eight years of involuntary absence, he thus renews his religious instructions, and presses upon their notice the important truths which he had formerly taught amongst them being present, that now much more " in his absence they might work out their salvation with fear and trembling." He mournfully, but affectionately, recals to their remembrance the years which he had spent in their society ; speaks of the comfort he had enjoyed in ministering to them; and declares his sorrow

at not being permitted to continue his labours amongst them at a time when his greater experience would have rendered him more useful. Then he entreats them to receive the word of exhortation, that they might grow in grace, and be preserved unto the kingdom of their blessed Master.

The directions, though dedicated to Baxter's former flock, are not less applicable to Christians in general. The work is full of deep thought, wisdom, and experience. He unfolds the secret workings of the heart, as one who had long and accurately observed what had passed within himself, and describes all the forms and indications of spiritual disease, as a physician who has often and successfully prescribed for them. He speaks

So attached was he to his flock at Kidderminster, that he made every exertion to continue amongst them. Whilst he refused a bishopric, he entreated to be permitted to retain this cure; and when this was denied him, he offered to be the curate of the vicar, with or without any pecuniary allowance for his services, or to serve there on any terms.