A26892:1799
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.
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.
§. 15. Direct. 10. Be impartial, and set your selves before your consciences in the Case of others: 1Think with your selves: How should I Judge of this in such and such a man that I use to blame? What should I say of him if my adversary did as I do? And is it not as bad in me as in him? Is not the sin most dangerous to me that is nearest me? And should I be more vigilant over any mans faults than my own? My damnation will not be caused by his sin; but by my own it may. Instead of seeing the gnat in his eye, I have more cause to cast out a gnat from my own than a camel from his.
- 1Direct. 10.
§. 16. Direct. 11. Study first to be whatever (judiciously) you desire to seem. Desire a thousand1 times more to be Godly, than to seem so; and to be liberal than to be thought so; and to be blameless2 from every secret or presumptuous sin, than to be esteemed such. And when you feel a desire ⟨p. 213⟩to be accounted good▪ let it make you think how much more necessary and desirable it is to be good indeed: To be godly is to be an heir of Heaven: Your salvation followeth it. But to be esteemed Godly is of little profit to you.
- 1Direct. 11.
- 2Cato, homo virtu•• simillimus—qui nunquam rectè fecit, ut facere videretur, sed quia aliter face•e non poterat; cuique id solum visum est rationem habere, quod haberet justitiam. Veleus Patrl. l. 2.