A26892:6774
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.
1. For Matter, an Abler Minister may tell a young man what subjects are fittest for him in preaching and prayer; and what is the sense of the Scriptures which he is to open; and what is the true solution of several doubts and cases. A Minister that is young, raw or ignorant, (yea, the best) may be a Learner while he is a Teacher: But he that is a Learner maketh use so far of the gifts of others. And indeed all Teachers in the world make use of the gifts of others: For all teach what they learn from others.
2. For Method; it is lawful to learn that as well as matter from another. Christ taught his Disciples a Method of prayer: And other men may open that method to us. All Tutors teach their Pupils Method as well as matter: For Method is needful to the due understanding and using of the Matter. A Method of Divinity, a Method of Preaching, and a Method of Praying may be taught a Preacher by word, and may be written or printed for his use.
3. For Words, 1. There is no more prohibition in Gods Word, against learning or using another mans Words, than his Method or Matter. Therefore it is not unlawful. 2. A Tutor or Senior Minister may teach the Scripture words to a Pupil or Junior Minister; yea, and may set them together and compose him a Sermon or Prayer out of Scripture in its words. (For he that may use an ill-composed Scripture form of his own gathering, may use a well-composed form of another's.) 3. All the Books in our Libraries are forms of words; and it is lawful sure to use some of all those words which we read; or else our Books would be a snare and limitation to our Language. 4. All Preachers ordinarily use Citations, Testimonies, &c. in other mens words. 5. All Ministers use Psalms in the Metre of other mens composing (and usually imposing too). And there is no more prohibition against using other mens words in a Prayer, than in a Psalm. 6