A26892:1994
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 › Signs of Pride in common converse.
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.
§. 71. Sign 20. Pride maketh men censorious and uncharitable: They extenuate other mens virtues1 and good works; and suspect ungroundedly their sincerity: A little thing serves to make them think or call a man an hypocrite! Very few are honest, or sincere, or godly, or humble, or faithful, or able, or worthy in their eyes, even among them that are so indeed, or that they have cause to think so: A slight conjecture or report seemeth enough to allow them to condemn or defame another. They quickly see the Mote in a Brothers eye. Their pride and fancy can create a thousand Heretics, or Schismatics, or hypocrites, or ungodly ones, that never were such but in the Court of their presumption. Especially if they take men for their adversaries, they can cast them into the most odious shape, and make them any thing that the Devil will desire them. But the humble are charitable to others, as conscious of much infirmity in themselves, which makes them need the tenderness of others. They judge the best till they know the worst, and censure not men until they have both evidence to prove it, and a call to meddle with them, having learned, Matth. 7. 1, 2, 3, 4. Judge not that ye be not judged.
§. 71. Sign 20. Pride maketh men censorious and uncharitable: They extenuate other mens vertues1 and good works; and suspect ungroundedly their sincerity: A little thing serves to make them think or call a man an hypocrite! Very few are honest, or sincere, or godly, or humble, or faithful, or able, or worthy in their eyes, even among them that are so indeed, or that they have cause to think so: A slight conjecture or report seemeth enough to allow them to condemn or defame another. They quickly see the Mote in a Brothers eye. Their pride and fancy can create a thousand Hereticks, or Schismaticks, or hypocrites, or ungodly ones, that never were such but in the Court of their presumption. Especially if they take men for their adversaries, they can cast them into the most odious shape, and make them any thing that the Devil will desire them. But the humble are charitable to others, as conscious of much infirmity in themselves, which makes them need the tenderness of others. They judge the best till they know the worst, and censure not men until they have both evidence to prove it, and a call to meddle with them, having learned,