A26892:7098
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 112: Quest. 112. Whether Religious Worship may be given to a Creature? and what?
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.
4. Whatsoever outward expressions of honour, Idolaters have used, and do use to signify their inward Idolatry, or taking a Creature or a fiction to be God, and so make it a tessara or symbol or Professing sign of that their Idolatry, if those actions are so used or esteemed among us, or within the notice of our actions; It is unlawful for us to use the like to any Creature. Because the use of their expression, maketh it to be a Profession of Idolatry by us, and so to be interpretative Idolatry and scandal: For to use Professing symbols is to profess.
4. Whatsoever outward expressions of honour, Idolaters have used, and do use to signifie their inward Idolatry, or taking a Creature or a fiction to be God, and so make it a tessara or symbol or Professing sign of that their Idolatry, if those actions are so used or esteemed among us, or within the notice of our actions; It is unlawful for us to use the like to any Creature. Because the use of their expression, maketh it to be a Profession of Idolatry by us, and so to be interpretative Idolatry and scandal: For to use Professing symbols is to profess.
Except when there is some notorious reason to use the same words or actions to another lawful signification, which is of greater weight than the scandal; And we make it as public, to obviate the scandal, that we do it not to the Idolaters intents.
Except when there is some notorious reason to use the same words or actions to another lawful signification, which is of greater weight than the scandal; And we make it as publick, to obviate the scandal, that we do it not to the Idolaters intents.
For example, [If the Mahometans make it a symbol of their Religion, to say [God is but one] upon a false supposition that the Christians make more Gods than one; yet it is lawful for us to use that symbolical word to a better end. But if they add to their symbol [And Mahomet is his Prophet], we may not use that, because it's 1. Symbolical of a false Religion; 2. And a falsehood of it self.