A26892:576
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.
Direct. 16. Make careful choice of the Books which you read. Let the Holy Scriptures ever have1 the preeminence, and next them, the solid, lively, heavenly Treatises which best expound and apply the Scriptures: and next those, the credible Histories, especially of the Church, and Tractates upon inferior Sciences and Arts: But take heed of the poison of the Writings of false Teachers, which would corrupt your understandings: and of vain Romances, Play-books, and false Stories, which may bewitch your fantasies, and corrupt your hearts.
Direct. 16. MAke careful choice of the Books which you read. Let the Holy Scriptures ever have1 the preheminence, and next them, the solid, lively, heavenly Treatises which best expound and apply the Scriptures: and next those, the credible Histories, especially of the Church, and Tractates upon inferiour Sciences and Arts: But take heed of the poyson of the Writings of false Teachers, which would corrupt your understandings: and of vain Romances, Play-books, and false Stories, which may bewitch your fantasies, and corrupt your hearts.
- 1Direct. 10.
§. 1. As there is a more excellent appearance of the Spirit of God in the Holy Scriptures, than in any other Book whatever, so it hath more power and fitness to convey the Spirit, and make us spiritual, by imprinting it self upon our hearts. As there is more of God in it, so it will acquaint us more with God, and bring us nearer him, and make the Reader more reverent, serious and Divine. Let Scripture be first and most in your hearts and hands, and other Books be used as subservient to it. The endeavours of the Devil and Papists to keep it from you, doth show that it is most necessary and desirable to you. And when they tell you, that all Heretics plead the Scriptures, they do but tell you, that it is the common Rule or Law of Christians, which therefore all are fain to pretend: As all Lawyers and wranglers plead the Laws of the Land, be their cause never so bad, and yet the Laws must not be therefore concealed or cast aside: And they do but tell you, that in their concealment or dishonouring the Scriptures, they are worse than any of those Heretics. When they tell you that the Scriptures are misunderstood and abused, and perverted to maintain mens errors, they might also desire that the Sun might be obscured, because the purblind do mistake, and Murderers and Robbers do wickedly by its light: And that the earth might be subverted because it bears all evil doers; and High-ways stopped up because men travel in them to do evil: And food prohibited, because it nourisheth mens diseases. And when they have told you truly of a Law or Rule (whether made by Pope or Council) which bad men cannot misunderstand or break, or abuse and misapply, than hearken to them and prefer that Law, as that which preventeth the need of any judgement.