A26892:5684
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.
When the Emperor Constantius would by violence force the Orthodox to hold Communion with ⟨p. 753⟩the Arians, he did but make the breach the wider. Read Lucifer Calaritanus de non conveniendo cum Haereticis, (in Biblioth. Patr. Tom. 9. p. 1045, &c.) The Emperor saith, that the Orthodox were enemies to peace, and unity, and brotherly Love, and that he was resolved to have unity and peace in his Dominions: Therefore he imprisoned the Orthodox and banished them: Propterea odis nos, quia concilium vestrum malignantium execremur: propterea in exilio sumus: propterea in carcere necamur; propterea nobis solis prohibetur conspectus; id•irco reclusi in tenebras custodimur ingenti custodia: hujus rei causa nullus ad nos visendos admittitur hominum; quia videlicet noluerimus vobiscum impiis sacrilegis ullam scelerum vestrorum habere societatem—Ibid. pag. 1050. which stirred up this Bishop in particular to go too far from free communion even with the penitent Arians, and heap up more Scriptures against that communion which the Emperor commanded, than any had done before. Nobis dicebas, Pacem volo fieri; & in corde tuo manens adversarius religionis nostrae, cogitabat per te facere nos idololatras, &c. p. 1051. Consilia vestra contra suam prolata Ecclesiam reprobat Deus: Nec enim potest odire populum suum, haereditatem suam, & amare vos filios pestilentiae, vos persecutors servorum suorum: Dixisti, Facite pacem cum Episcopis sectae meae Arrianis, & estote in unum; & dicit Dei Spiritus, Vias impiorum noli exequi, neque aemuleris viam iniquorum, &c.—Dulce quibusdam videtur, quo tibi Regi in amicitias jungantur suscipiendo haeresin tuam: sed amarius felle sensuri cum tecum torqueri in perpetuum caeperint in perpetua gehenna sentire, qui tecum esse deligerunt, tunc dicturi, Vae nobis, qui Constantium Imperatorem Deo praeposuerimus. Abundance more he writeth to prove that the Emperor being a Heretic, they must have no communion with him or his Bishops. And when the Emperor complained hereupon, that they wronged and dishonoured him whom they should honour, the said Lucifer wrote his next book, de non parcendo in Deum delinquentibus; which beginneth, [Superatum te, Imperator, a Dei servis ex omni cum conspexisses parte, dixisti possum te ac p•ti a nobis contra monita sacrarum Scripturarum contumeliam: dicis nos insolentes extitisse circa te quem honorary decuerit.
When the Emperour Constantius would by violence force the Orthodox to hold Communion with