Part 1 › Chapter 3 › Direction 10 › Directions for faithful serving Christ, and doing Good., A Christian Directory by Richard Baxter (1673) | AskReformation

Skip to content

:1228p. 131

§. 10. Direct. 7. Take special heed that the common Thief, your carnal-self either Personal or in your ¹Relations, do not rob God of his expected due, and devour that which he requireth. It is not for nothing that God calleth for the first fruits: Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase: so shall thy Barns be filled with plenty, and thy Presses shall burst forth with new wine, Prov. 3. 9, 10. So Exod. 23. 16, 19 . & 34. 22, 26. Lev. 2. 12, 14. Nehem. 10. 35. Ezek. 20. 40 . & 44. 30 . & 48. 14. For if carnal self might first be served, its devouring greediness would leave God nothing: Though he that hath Godliness with contentment hath enough, if he have but food and raiment, yet there will be but enough for themselves and children where men have many hundreds or thousands a year, if once it fall into this Gulf. And indeed as he that begins with God, hath the promise of his bountiful supplies, so he whose flesh must first be served, doth catch such an hydropic thirst for more, that all will but serve it: And the Devil contriveth such necessities to these men, and such Uses for all they have, that they have no more to spare, than poorer men: (and they can allow God no more but the leavings of the flesh, and what it can spare, which commonly is next to nothing.) Indeed though Holy uses in particular were satisfied with first fruits and limited parts yet God must have all, and the flesh (inordinately or finally) have none. Every penny which is laid out upon your selves, and children, and friends, must be done as by Gods own appointment, and to serve and please him. Watch narrowly, or else this thievish carnal self will leave God nothing.

§. 10. Direct. 7. Take special heed that the common Thief, your carnal-self either Personal or in your ¹Relations, do not rob God of his expected due, and devour that which he requireth. It is not for nothing that God calleth for the first fruits: Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase: so shall thy Barns be filled with plenty, and thy Presses shall burst forth with new wine, Prov. 3. 9, 10. So Exod. 23. 16, 19 . & 34. 22, 26. Lev. 2. 12, 14. Nehem. 10. 35. Ezek. 20. 40 . & 44. 30 . & 48. 14. For if carnal self might first be served, its devouring greediness would leave God nothing: Though he that hath Godliness with contentment hath enough, if he have but food and rayment, yet there will be but enough for themselves and children where men have many hundreds or thousands a year, if once it fall into this Gulf. And indeed as he that begins with God, hath the promise of his bountiful supplyes, so he whose flesh must first be served, doth catch such an hydropick thirst for more, that all will but serve it: And the Devil contriveth such necessities to these men, and such Uses for all they have, that they have no more to spare, than poorer men: (and they can allow God no more but the leavings of the flesh, and what it can spare, which commonly is next to nothing.) Indeed though Holy uses in particular were satisfied with first fruits and limited parts yet God must have all, and the flesh (inordinately or finally) have none. Every penny which is laid out upon your selves, and children, and friends, must be done as by Gods own appointment, and to serve and please him. Watch narrowly, or else this thievish carnal self will leave God nothing.

1Direct. 7.

:1230p. 131

§. 12. Direct. 9. Prudence is exceeding necessary in doing good, that you may discern good from evil, ¹discerning the season, and measure, and manner, and among divers duties, which must be preferred. Therefore labour much for Wisdom, and if you want it your self, be sure to make use of theirs that have it, and ask their counsel in every great and difficult case. Zeal without Judgement hath not only entangled souls in many heinous sins, but hath ruined Churches and Kingdoms, and under pretence of exceeding others in doing good, it makes men the greatest instruments of evil. There is scarce a sin so great and odious, but ignorant zeal will make men do it as a good work: Christ told his Apostles, that those that killed them, should think they did God service. And Paul bare record to the² the murderous persecuting Jews, that they had a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge, Rom. 10. 2. The Papists murders of Christians under the name of Heretics, hath recorded it to the world, in the blood of many hundred thousands, how ignorant carnal zeal will do good, and what Sacrifice it will offer up to God.

§. 12. Direct. 9. Prudence is exceeding necessary in doing good, that you may discern good from evil, ¹discerning the season, and measure, and manner, and among divers duties, which must be preferred. Therefore labour much for Wisdom, and if you want it your self, be sure to make use of theirs that have it, and ask their counsel in every great and difficult case. Zeal without Iudgement hath not only entangled souls in many heinous sins, but hath ruined Churches and Kingdoms, and under pretence of exceeding others in doing good, it makes men the greatest instruments of evil. There is scarce a sin so great and odious, but ignorant zeal will make men do it as a good work: Christ told his Apostles, that those that killed them, should think they did God service. And Paul bare record to the² the murderous persecuting Jews, that they had a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge, Rom. 10. 2. The Papists murders of Christians under the name of Hereticks, hath recorded it to the world, in the blood of many hundred thousands, how ignorant carnal zeal will do good, and what Sacrifice it will offer up to God.

1Direct. 9.
2[Sell all and give to the poor, and follow m• ▪] But sell not a•l, except thou follow me: that is, Except thou have a vocation, in which thou mayest do as much good with little means, as with great. Lord Bacon Essay 13.[Sell all and give to the poor, and follow m• ▪] But sell not a•l, except thou follow me: that is, Except thou have a vocation, in which thou maist do as much good with little means, as with great. Lord Bacon Essay 13.

:1233p. 131–132

§. 15. Direct. 12. Prefer a durable good that will extend to posterity, before a short and transitory good. As to build an Alms-house is a greater work than to give an Alms, and to erect a School, than to teach a Scholar; so to promote the settlement of the Gospel and a faithful Ministry, is the greatest of all, as tending to the good of many, even to their everlasting good: This is the preeminence of ⟨p. 130⟩[…] ⟨p. 131⟩[…] ⟨p. 132⟩Good Books before a transient speech, that they may be a more durable help and benefit. Look before you with a judicious foresight: and as you must not do that present Good to a particular person, which bringeth greater hurt to many, so you must not do that present good to one or many which is like to produce a greater and more lasting hurt. Such blind reformers have used the Church, as ignorant Physicians use their patients, who give them a little present ease, and cast them into greater misery, and seem to cure them with a dose of opium or the Jesuits powder, when they are bringing them into a worse disease than that which they pretend to cure: O when shall the poor Church have wiser and foreseeing helpers?

§. 15. Direct. 12. Prefer a durable good that will extend to posterity, before a short and transitory good. As to build an Alms-house is a greater work than to give an Alms, and to erect a School, than to teach a Scholar; so to promote the settlement of the Gospel and a faithful Ministry, is the greatest of all, as tending to the good of many, even to their everlasting good: This is the preheminence of ⟨p. 130⟩〈…〉 ⟨p. 131⟩〈…〉 ⟨p. 132⟩Good Books before a transient speech, that they may be a more durable help and benefit. Look before you with a judicious foresight: and as you must not do that present Good to a particular person, which bringeth greater hurt to many, so you must not do that present good to one or many which is like to produce a greater and more lasting hurt. Such blind reformers have used the Church, as ignorant Physitions use their patients, who give them a little present ease, and cast them into greater misery, and seem to cure them with a dose of opium or the Jesuits powder, when they are bringing them into a worse disease than that which they pretend to cure: O when shall the poor Church have wiser and foreseeing helpers?

:1234p. 132

§. 16. Direct. 13. Let all that you do for the Churches good be sure to tend to HOLINESS and PEACE; ¹and do nothing under the name of a good work which hath an enmity to either of these. For these are to the Church as Life and Health are to the body; and the increase of its welfare is nothing else but the increase of these. What ever they pretend, believe none that say, they seek the good and welfare of the Church, if they seek not the promoting of Holiness and Peace: If they hinder the powerful preaching of the Gospel, and the means that tendeth to the saving of souls, and the serious spiritual worshipping of God, and the unity and peace of all the faithful, and if they either divide the faithful into sects and parties, or worry all that differ from them, and humour them not in their conceits, take all these for such benefactors to the Church, as the wolf is to the flock, and as the plague is to the City, or the fever to the body, or the fire in the thatch is to the house. The wisdom from above is first PURE, then PEACEABLE, gentle, &c. But if ye have bitter envying, and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth: this wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish: For where envying and strife is, there is confusion, and every evil work. •am. 3. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.

§. 16. Direct. 13. Let all that you do for the Churches good be sure to tend to HOLINES and PEACE; ¹and do nothing under the name of a good work which hath an enmity to either of these. For these are to the Church as Life and Health are to the body; and the increase of its wellfare is nothing else but the increase of these. What ever they pretend, believe none that say, they seek the good and wellfare of the Church, if they seek not the promoting of Holiness and Peace: If they hinder the powerful preaching of the Gospel, and the means that tendeth to the saving of souls, and the serious spiritual worshiping of God, and the unity and peace of all the faithful, and if they either divide the faithful into sects and parties, or worry all that differ from them, and humor them not in their conceits, take all these for such benefactors to the Church, as the wolf is to the flock, and as the plague is to the City, or the feavor to the body, or the fire in the thatch is to the house. The wisdom from above is first PURE, then PEACEABLE, gentle, &c. But if ye have bitter envying, and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth: this wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish: For where envying and strife is, there is confusion, and every evil work. •am. 3. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.

1Direct. 13.

:1236p. 132

§. 18. Direct. 15. Keep in the way of your Place and calling, and take not other mens works upon ¹you, without a call, under any pretence of doing good. Magistrates must do good in the place and work of Magistrates: and Ministers in the place and work of Ministers: and private men in their private place and work: and not one man step into another's place, and take his work out of his hand, and say, I can do it better: For if you should do it better, the disorder will do more harm than you did good by bettering his work. One Judge must not step into another's Court and Seat, and say, I will pass more righteous judgement. You must not go into another mans School, and say, I can teach your Scholars better: nor into another's charge or Pulpit, and say, I can preach better; The servant may not rule the Master, because he can do it best: no more than you may take another mans Wife, or House, or Lands, or Goods, because you can use them better than he. Do the Good that you are called to.

§. 18. Direct. 15. Keep in the way of your Place and calling, and take not other mens works upon ¹you, without a call, under any pretense of doing good. Magistrates must do good in the place and work of Magistrates: and Ministers in the place and work of Ministers: and private men in their private place and work: and not one man step into anothers place, and take his work out of his hand, and say, I can do it better: For if you should do it better, the disorder will do more harm than you did good by bettering his work. One Iudge must not step into anothers Court and Seat, and say, I will pass more righteous judgement. You must not go into another mans School, and say, I can teach your Scholars better: nor into anothers charge or Pulpit, and say, I can preach better; The servant may not rule the Master, because he can do it best: no more than you may take another mans Wife, or House, or Lands, or Goods, because you can use them better than he. Do the Good that you are called to.

1Direct. 15.