A Christian Directory

Name: A Christian Directory
Author: Richard Baxter

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.

Richard Baxter 1615–1691London: printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons, 1673

[35], 929, [5], 214 p., [1] leaf of plates : port. · 1.2M words · Wing B1219 · ESTC R21847

Title page typeset from the transcription.

Part 1 › Chapter 2 › Direction 2: Direct. 2. Take heed of being Religious only in Opinion, without Zeal and holy practice…Part 1 › Chapter 2 › Direction 2: Direct. 2. TAke heed of being Religious only in Opinion, without Zeal and holy practice…

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.

[ Earlier:435–449 of 9,947

:435p. 38

Direct. 2. Take heed of being Religious only in Opinion, without Zeal and holy practice; or only in¹ Zealous affection without a sound well grounded judgement: But see that Judgement, Zeal and practice •e conjunct.

Direct. 2. TAke heed of being Religious only in Opinion, without Zeal and holy practice; or only in¹ Zealous affection without a sound well grounded judgement: But see that Iudgement, Zeal and practice •e conjunct.

1Direct. 2.

:436p. 38

§. 1. Of the first part of this advice (against a bare Opinionative Religion) I have spoken already, in my Directions for a Sound Conversion. To change your Opinions is an easier matter than to change the Heart and Life. A holding of the truth, will save no man, without a Love and practice of the truth. This is the meaning of James 2. where he speaketh so much of the unprofitableness of a dead uneffectual belief, that worketh not by love, and commandeth not the soul to practice and obedience. To believe that there is a God, while you neglect him and disobey him, is unlike to please him: To believe that there is a Heaven while you neglect it, and prefer the world before it, will never bring you thither. To believe your duty, and not to perform it, and to believe that sin is evil, and yet to live in it, is to sin with aggravation, and have no excuse, and not the way to be accepted or justified with God. To be of the same Belief with holy men, without the same hearts and conversations, will never bring you to the same felicity. He that knoweth his Masters will and doth it not, shall be so far from being accepted for it, that he shall be beaten with many stripes. To believe that Holiness and Obedience is the best way, will never save the disobedient and unholy.

[ Earlier passages Later passages ]

A Christian Directory

Direct. 2. Take heed of being Religious only in Opinion, without Zeal and holy practice; or only in¹ Zealous affection without a sound well grounded judgement: But see that Judgement, Zeal and practice •e conjunct.

Direct. 2. TAke heed of being Religious only in Opinion, without Zeal and holy practice; or only in¹ Zealous affection without a sound well grounded judgement: But see that Iudgement, Zeal and practice •e conjunct.

Direct. 4. Begin not too early with Controversies in Religion: and when you come to them, let them¹ have but their due proportion of your time and zeal: But live daily upon these certain, great substantials, which all Christians are agreed in.

Direct. 4. BEgin not too early with Controversies in Religion: and when you come to them, let them¹ have but their due proportion of your time and zeal: But live daily upon these certain, great substantials, which all Christians are agreed in.

Transcription key

Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36

Direct. 2. Take heed of being Religious only in Opinion, without Zeal and holy practice; or only in1 Zealous affection without a sound well grounded judgement: But see that Judgement, Zeal and practice •e conjunct.

Direct. 2. TAke heed of being Religious only in Opinion, without Zeal and holy practice; or only in1 Zealous affection without a sound well grounded judgement: But see that Iudgement, Zeal and practice •e conjunct.

Direct. 4. Begin not too early with Controversies in Religion: and when you come to them, let them1 have but their due proportion of your time and zeal: But live daily upon these certain, great substantials, which all Christians are agreed in.

Direct. 4. BEgin not too early with Controversies in Religion: and when you come to them, let them1 have but their due proportion of your time and zeal: But live daily upon these certain, great substantials, which all Christians are agreed in.

Transcription key

Direct. 2. Take heed of being Religious only in Opinion, without Zeal and holy practice; or only in¹ Zealous affection without a sound well grounded judgement: But see that Judgement, Zeal and practice •e conjunct.

Direct. 2. TAke heed of being Religious only in Opinion, without Zeal and holy practice; or only in¹ Zealous affection without a sound well grounded judgement: But see that Iudgement, Zeal and practice •e conjunct.

Direct. 4. Begin not too early with Controversies in Religion: and when you come to them, let them¹ have but their due proportion of your time and zeal: But live daily upon these certain, great substantials, which all Christians are agreed in.

Direct. 4. BEgin not too early with Controversies in Religion: and when you come to them, let them¹ have but their due proportion of your time and zeal: But live daily upon these certain, great substantials, which all Christians are agreed in.