A26892:5876
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.
Part 3 › Question 5: Quest. 5. Whether we must hold that a Papist may be saved?
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.
7. And the trick of the Priests who persuade people that theirs is the safest Religion, because we say that a Papist may be saved, and they say that a Protestant cannot, is so palpable a cheat, that it should rather debtor men from their way. For God is Love, and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God: And all men must know us to be Christs Disciples, by loving one another; And he that saith he loveth God, and loveth not his Brother, is a liar: And charity believeth all things, credible: That Religion is likest to be of God which is most charitable, and not that which is most uncharitable, and malicious, and like to Satan.
7. And the trick of the Priests who perswade people that theirs is the safest Religion, because we say that a Papist may be saved, and they say that a Protestant cannot, is so palpable a cheat, that it should rather deterr men from their way. For God is Love, and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God: And all men must know us to be Christs Disciples, by loving one another; And he that saith he loveth God, and loveth not his Brother, is a lyar: And charity believeth all things, credible: That Religion is likest to be of God which is most charitable, and not that which is most uncharitable, and malicious, and like to Satan.
To conclude, no man shall be saved for being no Papist, much less for being a Papist. And all that are truly holy, heavenly, humble, lovers of God, and of those that are his servants, shall be saved. But how many such are among the Papists, God only knoweth who is their Judge.
The Questions whether the Greeks, Abassines, Nestorians, Eutychians, Antinomians, Anabaptists, &c. may be saved, must be all resolved as this of the Papists, allowing for the different degrees of their corruption: And therefore I must desire the Reader to take up with this answer for all, and excuse me from unnecessary repetition.