A26892:1293
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.
§. 50. Rule 6. Where I am in an equal degree uncertain, of the Duty to be omitted, and of the 1sin […] committed, it is a Greater sin to venture doubtfully upon the committing of a positive sin that is Great (in case it prove a sin), than upon the omitting a duty which (in case it prove a •uty […] ▪ A•d on the contrary it is worse to venture on the omitting of a Great duty, than on the committing of a small positive sin. As suppose my own or my neighbours house be on ••re, and I am in doubt whether I may take another mans water to quench it against his will. O• if my own, or my child's, or neighbours life be in danger by famine, and I doubt whether I may take another mans apples, or pears, or ears of corn, or his bread, against his will to save my own l••e or another's. Really the thing is already made Lawful or Unlawful (which I now determine not) by the Law of God: But in my unavoidable uncertainty (if I be equally doubtful on both s•des) it is a far greater sin (if it prove a sin) to omit the saving of the House or Life, than to tak• an•ther mans water, or fruit, or bread that hath plenty (if this prove the sin): So if King and Nobles were in a ship which would be taken and all destroyed by Pirates, unless I told a lie, and said, They are other persons: If I were equally in doubt which course to take, to lie or not, (though sin have more evil than all our Lives have good) yet a sinful omitting to save all their lives is a greater sin, than a sinful telling of such a lie. Suppose I am in doubt whether I may lawfully save an Ox, or Ass, or a Mans life, by labour on the Sabbath day? Or David had doubted whether he might eat the consecrated show-bread in his necessity? It's clear that the sinful neglect of a mans life is worse than the sinful violation of a Sabbath, or the sinful use of the consecrated bread. If I equally doubt whether I may use a ceremony or disorderly defective form of prayer, and whether I should preach the Gospel to save mens souls, where there are not others enough to do it; it's clear that sinfully to use a ceremony or disorderly form of prayer is (caeteris paribus) a lesser sin, than sinfully to neglect to preach the Gospel and to save mens souls. On the other side, suppose I dwelt in Italy, and could not have leave to preach the Gospel there, unless, I would subscribe to the Trent confession, or the canon third of Concil. Lateran.