A26892:1085
A Christian Directory
A Christian directory, or, A sum of practical theology and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortify every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.A Christian directory, or, A summ of practical theologie and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortifie every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons, 1673
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
§. 70. Direct. 23, Understand all your danger; and mark the latitude or extent of Gods commands:1 and watch on every side: And you must know in what duties you are in danger of extremes and in what not: In th•se acts of the soul that are purely rational about your ultimate end, you cannot do too much: as in knowing God, and Loving him, and being willing and resolved to please him: But passions may possibly go too far, even about God; especially fear and grief; for they may be such as nature cannot bear without distraction, death or hinderance of duty: But few are guilty of this: But towards the creature passions may easily exceed: And in external actions towards God or man there may be excess. But especially in point of Judgement, its easy to slide from extreme into extreme. 2. And you must know in every duty you do, and every sin which you avoid, and every truth you receive, what is the contrary or extreme to that particular truth, or sin, or duty: and keep it in your eye. If you do not thus watch, you will r••l like a drunken man from side to side, and never walk uprightly with God. You will turn from Prodigality to Covetousness▪ from cruel persecution ⟨p. 121⟩to Libertinism, or from Libertinism to persecuting cruelty; from hypocritical formality to hypocritical pretended spirituality; or from enthusiasms, and faction to dead formality: But of this I have spoke at large Chap. 5. Part. 2. Dir. to Students.
§. 70. Direct. 23, Understand all your danger; and mark the latitude or extent of Gods commands:1 and watch on every side: And you must know in what duties you are in danger of extreames and in what not: In th•se acts of the soul that are purely rational about your ultimate end, you cannot do too much: as in knowing God, and Loving him, and being willing and resolved to please him: But passions may possibly go too farr, even about God; especially fear and grief; for they may be such as nature cannot bear without distraction, death or hinderance of duty: But few are guilty of this: But towards the creature passions may easily exceed: And in external actions towards God or man there may be excess. But especially in point of Iudgement, its easie to slide from extream into extream. 2. And you must know in every duty you do, and every sin which you avoid, and every truth you receive, what is the contrary or extream to that particular truth, or sin, or duty: and keep it in your eye. If you do not thus watch, you will rl like a drunken man from side to side, and never walk uprightly with God. You will turn from Prodigality to Covetousness from cruel persecution