Wisdom from an old, dead guy

Did you know that Google has some old books available to read for free online? You can even download them as a .pdf file! Amazing, this thing the internet…

One of the items on my reading list for the year is to read at least one work from a Puritan author. Thanks to Google, I’ve been reading a book by Richard Baxter , A Call to the Unconverted to Turn and Live. This book is short (120 pages – I thought it might be a good start for reading old, dead guys), but so far it is incredible. Here’s a quote I’d like to share describing what a “wicked man” – one who is not saved and therefore has not experienced the regenerating work of God’s Holy Spirit – is:

“He is one who placeth his chief content on earth, and loveth the creature more than God, and his fleshly prosperity above the heavenly felicity : he savoureth the things of the flesh, but neither discerneth nor savoureth the things of the Spirit: though he will say that heaven is better than earth, yet doth he not really so esteem it to himself. If he might be sure of earth, he would let go heavens and had rather stay here than be removed thither. A life of perfect holiness, in the sight of God, and in his love and praises for ever in heaven, doth not find such liking with his heart, as a life of health, and wealth, and honour here upon earth. And though he falsely profess that he loveth God above all, yet indeed he never felt the power of Divine love within him, but his mind is more set on the world, or fleshy pleasures, than on God. In a word, whoever loveth earth above heaven, and fleshly prosperity more than God, is a wicked, unconverted man.”

How sobering! I must wonder how much of my heart is similar to the description above. How much of my church? Evangelicalism in America today?

Let us all examine our hearts, repent of sin where needed, and turn to God and live. Praise be to our loving, gracious, and merciful God…