A26892:6905
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.
Quest. 90. What if the Pastor and Church cannot agree about singing Psalms, or what Version or Translation to use, or time or place of meeting, &c?
Answ. 1. IT is the office of the Pastor to be the Guide and Ruler in such things, (when the Magistrate interposeth not) And the people should obey him. 2. But if the Pastor injure the Church by his mis-guidance and male-administration, he ought to amend and give them satisfaction:1 And if he do not, they have their remedy before-mentioned. 3. And if the people be obstinate in disobedience upon causeless quarrels, the Pastor must first labour to convince them by reason and Love, and his authority; And if no means will bring them to submission, he must consider whether it be better as to the public good of the Church of Christ that he comply with them, and suffer them, or that he depart and go to a more tractable people: And accordingly he is to do. For they cannot continue ⟨p. 860⟩together in Communion if one yield not to the other: Usually or ofttimes it will be better to leave such an obdurate self-willed people, lest they be hardened by yielding to them in their sin, and others encouraged in the like by their example: And their own experience may at last convince them, and make them yield to better things, as Geneva did when they revoked Calvin. But sometimes the public good requireth that the Pastor give place to the peoples folly, and stay among them, and rather yield to that which is not best (so it be otherwise lawful) (as a worse translation, a worse version, Liturgy, order, time, place, &c.) than quite forsake them. And he that is in the right, may in that case yield to him that is in the wrong, in point of practice.
Answ. 1. IT is the office of the Pastor to be the Guide and Ruler in such things, (when the Magistrate interposeth not) And the people should obey him. 2. But if the Pastor injure the Church by his mis-guidance and male-administration, he ought to amend and give them satisfaction: