A26892:1278
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. 1. It is no duty to you, when you cannot do it without wilful sin, be it never so little.1 Deliberately to choose a sin, that I may perform some service to God, or do some Good to others, is to run before we are called, and to make work for our selves which God never made for us; and to offer sin for a sacrifice to God; and to do evil that good may come of it; and abuse God and reject his government, under pretence of serving him: The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind. Prov. 21. 27. & 15. 8. He that turneth away his ear from hearing the Law, even his prayer shall be abomination. Prov. 28. 9. Be more ready to hear, than to offer the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. Eccles. 5. 1. 2. If you will do Good by sinning, you must do Good in opposition to God: and how easily can he disappoint you, and turn it into Evil? It is not Good indeed, which must be accomplished by sin. The final Good is never promoted by it: And all other Good is to be estimated by its tendency to the End: You think that G••d which is not so, because you judge by the present feeling of your flesh, and do not foresee how it stands related to the everlasting Good.
Answ. 1. It is no duty to you, when you cannot do it without willful sin, be it never so little.1 Deliberately to choose a sin, that I may perform some service to God, or do some Good to others, is to run before we are called, and to make work for our selves which God never made for us; and to offer sin for a sacrifice to God; and to do evil that good may come of it; and abuse God and reject his government, under pretence of serving him: The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind. Prov. 21. 27