A26892:1287
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. The heart is so deceitful that you have great cause to watch, lest humane frailty be pretended1 for that error which a corrupted biassed partial mind, or wilful laziness is the cause of. Diligent study, and enquiry, and prayer, with a sincere desire to know the truth, may succeed at least to so much satisfaction, as may keep your minds in quietness and peace, and give you comfort in your way, and preserve you from all such sin as is inconsistent with this your safety and acceptance with God. But yet it is true that humane frailty will occasion in the best uncertainties in some particular cases; and though God make it not our duty of two sins to choose the less, (but to refuse both), yet he maketh it our duty more diligently to avoid the greater than the less. And oft times the case is so sudden that no enquiry can be made: And therefore I confess a Christian should know which sins are greatest and to be most avoided. At present I shall lay down these following Rules, premising this, that where accidents and circumstances which make sins Great or Small. are to be compared, they are oft times so numerous and various, that no Rules can be laid down before hand that will serve all turns, no more than in Law and Physic any Law-books or Physic-books will serve all cases without a present experienced judicious Counsellor: Present PRUDENCE and SINCERITY must do most.
Answ. The heart is so deceitful that you have great cause to watch, lest humane frailty be pretended1 for that error which a corrupted byassed partial mind, or willful lazyness is the cause of. Diligent study, and enquiry, and prayer, with a sincere desire to know the truth, may succeed at least to so much satisfaction, as may keep your minds in quietness and peace, and give you comfort in your way, and preserve you from all such sin as is inconsistent with this your safety and acceptance with God. But yet it is true that humane frailty will occasion in the best uncertainties in some particular cases; and though God make it not our duty of two sins to choose the less, (but to refuse both), yet he maketh it our duty more diligently to avoid the greater than the less. And oft times the case is so sudden that no enquiry can be made: And therefore I confess a Christian should know which sins are greatest and to be most avoided. At present I shall lay down these following Rules, premising this, that where accidents and circumstances which make sins Great or Small. are to be compared, they are oft times so numerous and various, that no Rules can be laid down before hand that will serve all turns, no more than in Law and Physick any Law-books or Physick-books will serve all cases without a present experienced judicious Counsellor: Present PRUDENCE and SINCERITY must do most.