A26892:1294
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.
Sub Innocent 3. One of which requireth men to swear for Transubstantiation, and to interpret the Scriptures only according to the unanimous consent of the Fathers (who never unanimously consented in any exposition of the greatest part of the Scriptures at all): The other d••r••th the Popes deposing Temporal Lords, and disobliging their subjects from their allegiance: On one side I doubt whether by subscribing I become not guilty of justifying Idolatry, Perjury and Rebellion, and making my self guilty of the perjury of many thousand others: On the other side I doubt whether I may disobey my Superiors who command me this subscription, and may forbear preaching the Gospel▪ when yet I apprehend that there are others to preach it, and that my worth is not so considerable as that there should be any great loss in putting me out and putting in another, and God needeth not me to do him service, but hath instruments at command, and that I know not how soon he may restore my liberty, or that I may serve him in another Country, or else in sufferings at home, in such a case the sinful justifying of Perjury or Rebellion in whole Countries is a far greater sin, than the sinful omission of my preaching: for he that justifieth Perjury destroyeth the bonds of all societies, and turneth loose the subjects against their Sovereigns. Or if I being a Minister were forbidden to preach the Gospel where there is necessity, unless I will commit some sin; if I doubt on one side whether I should disobey my Superiors, and on the other whether I should forbear my calling, and neglect the souls of •inners; it is a lesser sin (caeteris paribus) to disobey a man sinfully, than to disobey God and to be cruel to the souls of men to their perdition sinfully. Or if I have made a vow and sworn that I will cast away a penny or a shilling, and I am in doubt on one side whether I be not bound to keep it as a Vow, and on the other whether it be not a sin to keep it, because to cast away any of my talents is a sin, in this case, the sinful casting away of a penny or a shilling, is not so great a sin, as sinful Perjury. If Daniel and the three witnesses had been in equal doubt whether they should obey the King, or Pray to God (as Daniel 6.) and ⟨p. 139⟩renounce the bowing to his Idol (