The catechizing of families a teacher of householders how to teach their householdsThe catechizing of families a teacher of housholders how to teach their housholds
The catechizing of families a teacher of householders how to teach their households : useful also to school-masters and tutors of youth : for those that are past the common small catechisms [sic], and would grow to a more rooted faith, and to the fuller understanding of all that is commonly needful to a safe, holy comfortable and profitable life / written by Richard Baxter ...The catechizing of families a teacher of housholders how to teach their housholds : useful also to school-masters and tutors of youth : for those that are past the common small chatechisms [sic], and would grow to a more rooted faith, and to the fuller understanding of all that is commonly needful to a safe, holy comfortable and profitable life / written by Richard Baxter ...
Richard Baxter 1615–1691London: printed for T. Parkhurst, 1683
[16], 439 p. · 118k words · Wing B1205 · ESTC R22783
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
A. Our Redemption and Reconciliation by Christ, and to the Regenerate, our Regeneration by the Holy Ghost, and so our Adoption; by all which, of Enemies and the Heirs of Hell, we are made the Sons of God, and Heirs of Heaven. It is by Christ and his Spirit that we are the Children of God.
A. 1. To signify that all Christians must pray as Members of One Body, and look for all their good, comfort and blessedness in Union with the whole, and not as in a separate State: Nor must we come to God with selfish narrow Minds, as thinking only of our own case and good, nor put up any Prayer or Praise to God, but as Members of the Universal Church, in one Chore, all seen and heard at once by God, though they see not, and hear not one another: And therefore that we must abhor the pregnant comprehensive Sin of selfishness; by which wicked Men care only for ⟨p. 181⟩
themselves, and are affected with little but their Personal concerns, as if they were all the World to themselves, insensible of the Worlds or the Churches State, and how it goeth with all others. 2. And therefore that all Christians must love their Brethren and Neighbours as themselves, and must abhor the Sin of Schism, much more of Malignant Enmity, Envy, and Persecution, and must be so far from disowning the Prayers of other Christians on pretence of their various Circumstances and Imperfections, and from separating in Heart from them on any account for which God will not reject them; as that they must never put up a Prayer or Praise, but as in concord with all the Christians on Earth, desiring a part in the Prayers of all, and offering up hearty Prayers for all: The imperfections of all Mens Prayers we must disown, and most our own; but not for that disown their Prayers, nor our own. They that hate, or persecute, or separate from Gods Children, for not praying in their Mode, or by their Book, or in the Words that they write down for them, or for not worshipping God with their Forms, Ceremonies or Rites, or that silence Christ's Ministers, and scatter the Flocks, and confound Kingdoms, that they may be Lords of Gods Heritage, and have all Men sing in their Commanded Tune, or Worship God in their unnecessary Commanded Mode, do condemn themselves, when they say Our Father: And to repeat the Lords Prayer many times in their Liturgy, while they are tormenting his Children in their Prisons and Inquisitions, is to worship God by repeating their own Condemnation.
A. 1. To signifie that all Christians must pray as Members of One Body, and look for all their good, comfort and blessedness in Union with the whole, and not as in a separate State: Nor must we come to God with selfish narrow Minds, as thinking only of our own case and good, nor put up any Prayer or Praise to God, but as Members of the Universal Church, in one Chore, all seen and heard at once by God, though they see not, and hear not one another: And therefore that we must abhor the pregnant comprehensive Sin of selfishness; by which wicked Men care only for ⟨p. 181⟩themselves, and are affected with little but their Personal concerns, as if they were all the World to themselves, insensible of the Worlds or the Churches State, and how it goeth with all others. 2. And therefore that all Christians must love their Brethren and Neighbours as themselves, and must abhor the Sin of Schism, much more of Malignant Enmity, Envy, and Persecution, and must be so far from disowning the Prayers of other Christians on pretense of their various Circumstances and Imperfections, and from separating in Heart from them on any account for which God will not reject them; as that they must never put up a Prayer or Praise, but as in concord with all the Christians on Earth, desiring a part in the Prayers of all, and offering up hearty Prayers for all: The imperfections of all Mens Prayers we must disown, and most our own; but not for that disown their Prayers, nor our own. They that hate, or persecute, or separate from Gods Children, for not praying in their Mode, or by their Book, or in the Words that they write down for them, or for not worshipping God with their Forms, Ceremonies or Rites, or that silence Christ's Ministers, and scatter the Flocks, and confound Kingdoms, that they may be Lords of Gods Heritage, and have all Men sing in their Commandded Tune, or Worship God in their unnecessary Commanded Mode, do condemn themselves, when they say Our Father: And to repeat the Lords Prayer many times in their Liturgy, while they are tormenting his Children in their Prisons and Inquisitions, is to worship God by repeating their own Condemnation.
A. The Lord's Prayer is the Summary and Rule of ⟨p. 182⟩Mans Love and just Desires: It directeth him what to Will, Ask and Seek. And therefore must needs contain that duty of Love which is the Heart of the New Creature, and the fulfilling of the Law: The Will is the Man: And Love is the Will. What a Man Wills and Loves, that he is in God's account, or that he shall attain. And therefore the Love of God as God, and of the Church as the Church, and of Saints as Saints, of Friends as Friends, and of Neighbours as Neighbours, and of Men (though Enemies and Sinners) as Men, must needs be the very Spring of acceptable Prayer, as well as the Love of our selves as our selves. And to pray without this Love, is to offer God a Carrion for Sacrifice, or a lifeless sort of Service. And Love to all makes all Mens Mercies and Comforts to be ours, to our great Joy, and that we may be thankful for all.
A. The proper Notices or Appearances of God t• Man; and God himself as so notified and appearing t• us. So that here we must see that we separate not any o•⟨p. 183⟩these three: 1. The Objective signs, whether words or works, by which God is known to us. 2. The inward Conceptions of God received by these signs.
A. To use it Holily: That is, in that manner as is proper to God as he is God, infinitely above all the Creatures: That is Sanctified, which is appropriated to God by separation from all common use.
A. First that we know God, what he is: 2. That our Souls be accordingly affected towards him. 3. That our lives and actions be accordingly managed. 4. And that the signs which notify God to us be accordingly reverenced, and used to these Holy Ends.
A. First that we know God, what he is: 2. That our Souls be accordingly affected towards him. 3. That our lives and actions be accordingly managed. 4. And that the signs which notifie God to us be accordingly reverenced, and used to these Holy Ends.
Richard Baxter 1615–1691
PuritansEngland
Pastor at Kidderminster and prolific nonconformist author.
