A26892:1958
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 4 › Part 5 › The Signs of Pride in and about Religious duties.
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.
The Signs of Pride in and about Religious duties.
§. 43. Sign 1. A Proud person is most solicitous in and about that part of duty which is visible to 1man, and tendeth to advance him in mens esteem: And therefore he is more regardful of the outside 2than of the inside; of the words than of the heart. He taketh much pains if he be a preacher, to cast his sermon into such a form as tendeth to set forth his parts, according to the quality of them that he would please: If he live where wit is valued above grace, or pedantic jingling above a solid, clear, judicious, masculine discourse, he bends himself to the humour of his auditors, and acts his part as a stage-player for applause: If he live where serious earnest exhortations are in more request, he studieth to put an affected fervency into his stile, which may make the hearers believe that he believes himself, and to seem to be what indeed he is not, and to feel what he feeleth not: But all this while about his Heart he is little solicitous; and takes small pains to affect it with the reverence of God, and with a due estimation of his truth, and a due compassion of mens souls, and indeed to believe and feel what he would seem to believe and feel. So also in prayer and discourse, his chief study is to speak so as may best procure applause: And it is seldom that he is so cunning as to hide this his design from the observation of judicious men that know him: They may usually perceive that he is the Image of a Preacher or Christian, by affectation forcing himself to that which he is not truly serious in: He is sounding brass; a tinkling Cymbal; a bladder full of wind; a skin full of words; wise and devout in public on the stage, but at home, and with his companions in his ordinary converse, he is but common if not unclean: He is the admiration of fools, and the compassion of the wise: An Oracle at the first congress to those that know him not, and the pity of those that have seen him at home, and without his mask: He is like proud Gentlewomen that bestow a great part of the morning, in mundifying and adorning themselves when they are to be seen, and go abroad, but at home are very homely. And usually the Proud being Hypocrites are secret haters of the most serious, and judicious Christians; because these are more quick-sighted than others, to see through the cloak of their Hypocrisy: