A26892:1270
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.
Part 1 › Chapter 3 › Direction 10 › Directions for faithful serving Christ, and doing Good.
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.
Answ. You must avoid the sin, by changing your judgement, and not by obeying it: For that is but to avoid one sin by committing another. An erring judgement is neither obeyed nor disobeyed without sin: It can make you sin, though it cannot make you duty: It doth ensnare, though not oblige. If you follow it you break the Law of God in doing that which he forbids you: If you forsake it and go against it, you reject the authority of God in doing that which you think he forbids you. So that there is no attaining to innocence any other way, but by coming first to Know your duty, and then to do it. If you command your servant to weed your corn, and he mistake you and verily think, that you bid him pull up the corn, and not the weeds; what now should he do? Shall he follow his judgement, or go against it? Neither, but change it, and then follow it; and to that end enquire further of your mind till he be better informed: and no way else will serve the turn.
§. 37. Quest. 6. Seeing no man that erreth doth know or think that he erreth (for that's a contradiction)1 how can I lay by that opinion, or strive against it, which I take to be the truth?
- 1Quest.
Answ. It is your sin, that you take a falsehood to be a truth: God hath appointed means for the1 cure of blindness and error as well as other sins; or else the world were in a miserable case. Come into the light, with due self-suspicion, and impartiality, and diligently use all Gods means, and avoid the causes of deceit and error, and the Light of Truth will at once show you the Truth, and show you that before you erred. In the mean time sin will be sin though you take it to be duty, or no sin.