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 4: Direct. 4. Begin not too early with Controversies in Religion: and when you come to the…Part 1 › Chapter 2 › Direction 4: Direct. 4. BEgin not too early with Controversies in Religion: and when you come to the…

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:447–462 of 9,947

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§. 1. I. Plunge not your selves too soon into Controversies: For, 1. It will be exceedingly to your loss, by diverting your souls from greater and more necessary things: You may get more increase of holiness, and spend your time more pleasingly to God, by drinking in deeper the substantials of Religion, and improving them on your hearts and lives.

§. 1. I. Plunge not your selves too soon into Controversies: For, 1. It will be exceedingly to your loss, by diverting your souls from greater and more necessary things: You may get more encrease of holiness, and spend your time more pleasingly to God, by drinking in deeper the substantials of Religion, and improving them on your hearts and lives.

:448p. 40

2. It will corrupt your minds, and instead of humility, charity, holiness, and heavenly mindedness, it will feed your Pride, and kindle faction and a dividing zeal, and quench your charity, and possess you with a wrangling contentious Spirit, and you will make a Religion of these sins and lamentable distempers.

:449p. 40

3. And it is the way to deceive and corrupt your judgements, and make you erroneous or heretical, to your own perdition, and the disturbance of the Church: For it's two to one, but either you presently err, or else get such an itch after Notions and Opinions that will lead you to error at the last. Because you are not yet ripe and able to judge of those things, till your minds are prepared by those truths that are first in order to be received. When you undertake a work that you cannot do, no wonder if it be ill done, and must be all undone again, or worse.

:450p. 40

[ Earlier passages Later passages ]

A Christian Directory

Direct. 5. BE very thankful for the great mercy of your Conversion: but yet overvalue not your¹ first degrees of knowledge or holiness: but remember that you are yet but in your infancy, and must expect your growth and ripeness as the consequent of Time and Diligence.

Transcription key

Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36

Direct. 5. BE very thankful for the great mercy of your Conversion: but yet overvalue not your1 first degrees of knowledge or holiness: but remember that you are yet but in your infancy, and must expect your growth and ripeness as the consequent of Time and Diligence.

Transcription key

Direct. 5. BE very thankful for the great mercy of your Conversion: but yet overvalue not your¹ first degrees of knowledge or holiness: but remember that you are yet but in your infancy, and must expect your growth and ripeness as the consequent of Time and Diligence.