A26892:572
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.
§. 3. And yet it is not every one that pretendeth Piety and Zeal, that is to be heard or taken for a Teacher: But 1. Such as preach ordinarily the substantial Truths which all Christians are agreed in: 2. Such as make it the drift of their preaching, to raise your souls to the Love of God, and to ⟨p. 59⟩a holy heavenly life, and are zealous against confessed sins. 3. Such as contradict not the Essential Truths by errors of their own; nor the doctrine of Godliness by wicked malicious applications. 4. Such as drive not on any ambitious tyrannical designs of their own, but deny themselves, and aim at your salvation. 5. Such as are not too hot in proselyting you to any singular opinion of their own: it being the prediction of Paul to the Ephesians, Acts 20. 30. Of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 6. Such as are judicious with holy zeal, and zealous with judgement. 7. Such as are of experience in the things of God, and not young beginners or Novices in Religion. 8. Such as bear reverence to the judgements of the generality of wise and godly men, and are tender of the Unity of the Church, and not such as would draw you into a Sect or party, to the contempt of other Christians; no not to a party that hath the favour of Rulers and the people to promote them. 9. Such as are gentle, peaceable, and charitable, and not such as burn with hellish malice against their Brethren, nor with an ungodly, or cruel, consuming zeal. 10. Such as not live not sensually and wickedly, contrary to the doctrine which they preach, but show by their lives, that they believe what they say, and feel the power of the truths which they preach.
§. 3. And yet it is not every one that pretendeth Piety and Zeal, that is to be heard or taken for a Teacher: But 1. Such as preach ordinarily the substantial Truths which all Christians are agreed in: 2. Such as make it the drift of their preaching, to raise your souls to the Love of God, and to ⟨p. 59⟩a holy heavenly life, and are zealous against confessed sins. 3. Such as contradict not the Essential Truths by errors of their own; nor the doctrine of Godliness by wicked malicious applications. 4. Such as drive not on any ambitious tyrannical designs of their own, but deny themselves, and aim at your salvation. 5. Such as are not too hot in proselyting you to any singular opinion of their own: it being the prediction of Paul to the Ephesians,