Part 1 › Chapter 4 › Part 1: Directions against UNBELIEF., A Christian Directory by Richard Baxter (1673) | AskReformation

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§. 17. Direct. 14. Judge whether God being the Wise and Merciful Governor of the world would ¹²suffer the honestest and obedientest subjects that he hath upon earth, to be deceived in a matter of such importance, by pretence of Doctrines and Miracles proceeding from himself, and which none but God (or by his special grant) is able to do, without disowning them, or giving any sufficient means to the world to discover the deceit. For certainly he needeth not deceit to govern us. If you say that he permits Mohammedanism, I answer, 1. The main positive doctrine of the Mohammedans, for the worshipping of one only God against Idolatry, is true: And the by-fancies of their pretended Prophet are not commended to the world upon the pretence of attesting Miracles at all; but upon the affirmation of³ revelations without any credible seal or Divine attestation; and obtruded on the world by the power of the sword. 2. And God hath given the world sufficient preservatives against them, in the nullity of the proof of them, and the evident foppery of the writings and the things themselves. So that honesty and diligence will easily escape them.

§. 17. Direct. 14. Iudge whether God being the Wise and Merciful Governor of the world would ¹²suffer the honestest and obedientest subjects that he hath upon earth, to be deceived in a matter of such importance, by pretence of Doctrines and Miracles proceeding from himself, and which none but God (or by his special grant) is able to do, without disowning them, or giving any sufficient means to the world to discover the deceit. For certainly he needeth not deceit to govern us. If you say that he permits Mahometanism, I answer, 1. The main positive doctrine of the Mahometanes, for the worshiping of one only God against Idolatry, is true: And the by-fancies of their pretended Prophet are not commended to the world upon the pretense of attesting Miracles at all; but upon the affirmation of³ revelations without any credible seal or Divine attestation; and obtruded on the world by the power of the sword. 2. And God hath given the world sufficient preservatives against them, in the nullity of the proof of them, and the evident foppery of the writings and the things themselves. So that honesty and diligence will easily escape them.

1Direct. 14.
2Neq▪ enim potest Deus qui summa Veritas & Bonitas est, hu manum genus, prolem suam decipere.
3Ma sil. […]. de ••l. C••is. c. 1.Ma sil. 〈…〉. de ••l. C••is. c. 1.

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§. 20. Direct. 17. Mark the great difference between the Christian part of the world, (those that receive ¹Christianity seriously and in sincerity) and all the rest: Those that are farthest from Christianity, are² furthest from piety, honesty, civility or any laudable parts or conversations: Most of them are beastly and ungodly: And the rest are but a little better: And ignorance and brutishness cannot be the perfection of a man. Nay among professed Christians, the multitudes that have but the Name, and hate the Nature and Practice of it, are like Swine or Wolves and some of the worst, near kin to Devils: When all that receive Christianity practically into their hearts and lives, are heavenly and holy, and (in the same measure that they receive it) their sins are all mortified, and they are devoted to God, and possessed with Justice, Charity and Patience to men, and are carried up above this world, and contemn that which the rest do make their felicity and delight. So that if that •e Good which doth Good, ⟨p. 200⟩then is the Goodness of the Christian faith, apparent to all, that have any acquaintance, reason and in partiality to judge.

§. 20. Direct. 17. Mark the great difference between the Christian part of the world, (those that receive ¹Christianity seriously and in sincerity) and all the rest: Those that are farthest from Christianity, are² furthest from piety, honesty, civility or any laudable parts or conversations: Most of them are beastly and ungodly: And the rest are but a little better: And ignorance and bruitishness cannot be the perfection of a man. Nay among professed Christians, the multitudes that have but the Name, and hate the Nature and Practice of it, are like Swine or Wolves and some of the worst, near kin to Devils: When all that receive Christianity practically into their hearts and lives, are heavenly and holy, and (in the same measure that they receive it) their sins are all mortified, and they are devoted to God, and possessed with Justice, Charity and Patience to men, and are carried up above this world, and contemn that which the rest do make their felicity and delight. So that if that •e Good which doth Good, ⟨p. 200⟩then is the Goodness of the Christian faith, apparent to all, that have any acquaintance, reason and in partiality to judge.

1Direct. 17.
2Zeaopho• reporteth Cyrus as sa•ing If all my familiars wrre endued with piety to God, they would […] evil to one an• the and to m•. l. 8.Zeaopho• reporteth Cyrus as sa•ing If all my familiars wrre •ndued with piety to God, they would 〈…〉 evil to one an• the and to m•. l. 8.

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§. 24 Direct. 21. Understand the proper use of holy Scripture, and so how far it is Divine; that so you ¹be not tempted to unbelief, by expecting in it that which never was intended, and then finding your causeless expectations frustrate. It is not so Divine as to the terms, and style, and order, and such modal and circumstantial matters, as if all the exactness might be expected in it, that God could put into a Book: Nor is it intended as a system of Physics, or Logic, or any subservient sciences or arts: But it is an Infallible Revelation of the will of God, for the Government of the Church, and the conducting men to life eternal: And it is ordered and worded so as to partake of such humane infirmity, as yet shall no way impeach the Truth or efficacy of it; but rather make it more suitable to the generality of men, whose infirmity required such a style and manner of handling. So that as a child of God hath a Body from Parents, which yet is of God, but s• of God, as to partake of the infirmities of the parents; or rather as Adam had a body from God, but yet from Earth; and accordingly frail; but a soul more immediately from God, which was more pure and divine; so² Scripture hath its style, and language, and method so from God as to have nothing in it unsuitable to its ends; but not so from God as if he himself had showed in it his own most perfect wisdom to the utmost, and as if there were nothing in it of humane imperfection: But the Truth and Goodness which is the soul of Scripture, is more immediately from God. The style and method of the penmen may be various; but the same soul animateth all the parts. It is no dishonour to the Holy Scriptures, if Cicero be preferred for purity of style, and phrase, and oratory, as for other common uses: But certainly it is to be preferred as to its proper use: that being the best style for an Act of Parliament, which is next to the worst in an Oration. The means are for the end.

§. 24 Direct. 21. Understand the proper use of holy Scripture, and so how far it is Divine; that so you ¹be not tempted to unbelief, by expecting in it that which never was intended, and then finding your causeless expectations frustrate. It is not so Divine as to the terms, and style, and order, and such modal and circumstantial matters, as if all the exactness might be expected in it, that God could put into a Book: Nor is it intended as a system of Physicks, or Logick, or any subservient sciences or arts: But it is an Infallible Revelation of the will of God, for the Government of the Church, and the conducting men to life eternal: And it is ordered and worded so as to partake of such humane infirmity, as yet shall no way impeach the Truth or efficacy of it; but rather make it more suitable to the generality of men, whose infirmity required such a style and manner of handling. So that as a child of God hath a Body from Parents, which yet is of God, but s• of God, as to partake of the infirmities of the parents; or rather as Adam had a body from God, but yet from Earth; and accordingly frail; but a soul more immediately from God, which was more pure and divine; so² Scripture hath its style, and language, and method so from God as to have nothing in it unsuitable to its ends; but not so from God as if he himself had shewed in it his own most perfect wisdom to the utmost, and as if there were nothing in it of humane imperfection: But the Truth and Goodness which is the soul of Scripture, is more immediately from God. The style and method of the penmen may be various; but the same soul animateth all the parts. It is no dishonour to the Holy Scriptures, if Cicero be preferred for purity of style, and phrase, and oratory, as for other common uses: But certainly it is to be preferred as to its proper use: that being the best style for an Act of Parliament, which is next to the worst in an Oration. The means are for the end.

1Direct. 21.
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