A26892:7188
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. 116. Is it unlawful to use the Badge or Symbol of any Error or Sect in the Worship of God?
Answ. 1. IT is unlawful to use it formally as such.
2. But not materially, when 1. There are just and weighty reasons for it: 2. And I1 may disown the error.
- 1Every Sect of erring Christians accordingly useth to err in worship, and have some badge and symbol of their Sect and error.
For 1. All Sects and Erroneous persons may turn holy words and duties into symbols of their errors. 2. All Christians in the world being imperfect do sometime err in matter or manner in their worship. And he that will materially avoid all the badges or symbols of their errors, shall have no communion with any Church or Christian. 3. As we must do our best so to avoid all their errors, that we choose them not, and make them not formally our own practice; (as tautologies, vain repetitions, disorders, unfit phrases, &c. We must our selves when we are the speakers do as much better as we can:) So we must not therefore separate from them that do use them, nor deny them our Communion when they use them: Else we must separate from all others, and all others from us. 4. But when we are present with them, our minds must disown all the faults of the holiest prayer in the world which we join in: We may be bound to stay with them, and join in all that's good and warrantable, and yet as we go along, to disown in our minds all that we know to be amiss.