A26892:394
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.
§. 57. Direct. 28. But it's easy to see, how these men deceive and condemn themselves. This is1 as if you should plead that a Beast is wiser than a man, because some men are drunk, and some are passionate, and some are mad. Drunkenness and passions which are the disturbances of Reason, are no disgrace to Reason, but to themselves: Nor were they a disgrace themselves, if Reason which they hinder were not honourable. So no mans sins are a disgrace to Holiness, which condemneth them: nor were they bad themselves, if holiness were not good, which they oppose. It is no disgrace to the day-light or Sun that there is night and darkness: Nor were darkness bad, if light were not good. Will you refuse health, because some men are sick? Nay, will you rather choose to be dead, because the living have infirmities? The Devils reasoning is foolisher than this! Holiness is of absolute necessity to salvation: If many that do more than you, are as bad as you imagine, what a case then are you in, that have not near so much as they? If they that make it their greatest care to please God and be saved, are as very Hypocrites as the Devil would persuade you, what a hopeless case then are you in, that come far short of them? If so, you must do more than they, and not less, if you will be saved▪ Or else out of your own mouths will you be condemned.
§. 57. Direct. 28. But it's easie to see, how these men deceive and condemn themselves. This is1 as if you should plead that a Beast is wiser than a man, because some men are drunk, and some are passionate, and some are mad. Drunkenness and passions which are the disturbances of Reason, are no disgrace to Reason, but to themselves: Nor were they a disgrace themselves, if Reason which they hinder were not honourable. So no mans sins are a disgrace to Holiness, which condemneth them: nor were they bad themselves, if holiness were not good, which they oppose. It is no disgrace to the day-light or Sun that there is night and darkness: Nor were darkness bad, if light were not good. Will you refuse health, because some men are sick? Nay, will you rather choose to be dead, because the living have infirmities? The Devils reasoning is foolisher than this! Holiness is of absolute necessity to salvation: If many that do more than you, are as bad as you imagine, what a case then are you in, that have not near so much as they? If they that make it their greatest care to please God and be saved, are as very Hypocrites as the Devil would perswade you, what a hopeless case then are you in, that come far short of them? If so, you must do more than they, and not less, if you will be saved Or else out of your own mouths will you be condemned.