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Richard Baxter
A Christian Directory
Part 3
Question 130
p. 886

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,I. CHRISTIAN ETHICS (or private Duties.)II. CHRISTIAN OECONOMICKS (or Family Duties.)III. CHRISTIAN ECCLESIASTICS (or Church Duties.)IV. CHRISTIAN POLITICS (or Duties to our Rulers and Neighbours.)By RICHARD BAXTER.Mal. 2. 7▪ 8.The Priests lips should keep Knowledge, and they should seek the Law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts. But ye are departed out of the way: Ye have Caused many to stumble at the Law; ye have corrupted the Covenant of Levi—Matth. 13. 52.Every SCRIBE which is instructed unto the Kingdom of Heaven, is like unto a man that is an Householder, which bringeth forth out of his Treasure things New and Old.Heb. 5. 13, 14.For every one that useth Milk is unskilful in the Word of Righteousness: for he is a Babe: But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age: Those who by reason of USE, have their senses exercised to discern both Good and Evil.2 Tim. 2. 14, 15, 16.Of these things put them in remembrance; charging them before God, that they STRIVE not about WORDS, to no profit, but to the subverting of the Hearers: Study to show thy self approved UNTO GOD, a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING the word of Truth. But shun profane and vain Babblings; for they will increase unto more Ungodliness, and their Word will eat as doth a Canker.2 Pet. 3. 16.In which (Pauls Epistles) are some things hard to be understood: which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures to their own destruction.LONDON, Printed, by Robert White, for Nevill Simmons, at the Sign of the Princes Arms in St. Pauls Church-yard. 1673.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,I. CHRISTIAN ETHICKS (or private Duties.)II. CHRISTIAN OECONOMICKS (or Family Duties.)III. CHRISTIAN ECCLESIASTICKS (or Church Duties.)IV. CHRISTIAN POLITICKS (or Duties to our Rulers and Neighbours.)By RICHARD BAXTER.Mal. 2. 7▪ 8.The Priests lips should keep Knowledge, and they should seek the Law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts. But ye are departed out of the way: Ye have Caused many to stumble at the Law; ye have corrupted the Covenant of Levi—Matth. 13. 52.Every SCRIBE which is instructed unto the Kingdom of Heaven, is like unto a man that is an Housholder, which bringeth forth out of his Treasure things New and Old.Heb. 5. 13, 14.For every one that useth Milk is unskilful in the Word of Righteousness: for he is a Babe: But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age: Those who by reason of USE, have their senses exercised to discern both Good and Evil.2 Tim. 2. 14, 15, 16.Of these things put them in remembrance; charging them before God, that they STRIVE not aboutTitle page of A Christian Directory, London, 1673

A26892:7311

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.

Richard Baxter 1615–1691London: printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons, 1673

[35], 929, [5], 214 p., [1] leaf of plates : port. · 1.2M words · Wing B1219 · ESTC R21847

Title page typeset from the transcription.

Part 3 › Question 130: Quest. 130. How far is the holy Scriptures a Law and perfect Rule to us?

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.

[ Earlier:7308–7323 of 9,947

:7308p. 886

17. And the only Law which is faultless, and hath no thing in it that will do the subject any harm.

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18. And the only Law which is from Absolute Power, the Rule of all other Laws, and from which¹ there is finally no appeal.

1Psal. 12. 6 . & 19. 7, 8, 9, 10. Psal. 119.

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Thus far the holy Scripture with the Law of nature is our perfect Rule. But not in any of the following respects.

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1. It is no particular revelation or perfect Rule of natural Sciences, as Physics, Metaphysics, &c.

1. It is no particular revelation or perfect Rule of natural Sciences, as Physicks, Metaphysicks, &c.

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Cited: :7311
On this page: :7308–7323
Section: :7291–7317
Whole work: 9,947 passages

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Richard Baxter, A Christian Directory (London, 1673), pt. 3, q. 130, p. 886. EEBO-TCP A26892.

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The book

Title as printed: 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.
Author: Richard Baxter 1615–1691
Place: London
Printer: Robert White
Bookseller: Nevill Simmons
Year: 1673
Size: [35], 929, [5], 214 p., [1] leaf of plates : port.
Words: 1,175,050
Catalogue: Wing B1219 · ESTC R21847
Text: EEBO-TCP A26892

Passages: 9,947
Sections: 502

The author

Richard Baxter 1615–1691

The Reformers and Puritans in their own words, with every quotation checked against the page.

Texts transcribed from the original printings by the Text Creation Partnership (EEBO-TCP and Evans-TCP) and dedicated to the public domain (CC0).

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WORDS,

to no profit, but to the subverting of the Hearers: Study to shew thy self approved

UNTO GOD,

a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed,

RIGHTLY DIVIDING

the word of Truth. But shun profane and vain Bablings; for they will increase unto more Ungodliness, and their Word will eat as doth a Canker.

2 Pet. 3. 16.In which (Pauls Epistles) are some things hard to be understood: which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures to their own destruction.

LONDON, Printed, by Robert White, for Nevill Simmons, at the Sign of the Princes Arms in St. Pauls Church-yard. 1673.

:7312p. 886

2. It is no Rule for the Arts, for Medicine, Music, Arithmetic, Geometry, Astronomy; Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic, nor for the Mechanics, as Navigation, Architecture; and all the Trades and occupations of men: no not Husbandry by which we have our food.

2. It is no Rule for the Arts, for Medicine, Musick, Arithmetick, Geometry, Astronomy; Grammar, R•e•orick, Logick, nor for the Mechanicks, as Navigation, Architecture; and all the Trades and occupations of men: no not Husbandry by which we have our food.

:7313p. 886

3. It is no particular Rule for all the mutable subordinate duties of any societies: It will not serve instead of all the Statutes of this and all other Lands, nor tell us, when the Terms shall begin and end; nor what work every Parent and Master shall set his Children and Servants in his family, &c.

3. It is no particular Rule for all the mu•able subordinate duties of any societies: It will not serve instead of all the Statutes of this and all other Lands, nor tell us, when the Terms shall begin and end; nor what work every Parent and Master shall set his Children and Servants in his family, &c.

:7314p. 886–887

4. It is no full Rule in particular for all those Political, principles▪ which are the ground of humane Laws: As whether each Republic be Monarchical, Aristocratical or Democratical? What person ⟨p. 887⟩or of what Family shall Reign? Who shall be his Officers and Judges, and how diversified? so of his Treasury, Munition, Coin, &c.

4. It is no full Rule in particular for all those Political, principles▪ which are the ground of humane Laws: As whether each Republick be Monarchical, Aristocratical or Democratical? What person ⟨p. 887⟩or of what Family shall Reign? Who shall be his Officers and Judges, and how diversified? so of his Treasury, Munition, Coin, &c.

:7315p. 887

5. It is no Rule of Propriety in particular, by which every man may know which is his own Land, or house, or goods or Cattle.

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6. It is no particular Rule for our natural actions, what meat we shall eat, what Clothes we shall wear; So of our rest, labour, &c.

6. It is no particular Rule for our natural actions, what meat we shall eat, what Cloaths we shall wear; So of our rest, labour, &c.

:7317p. 887

7. It is no particular Law or Rule for any of all those Actions and Circumstances about Religion or Gods own Ordinances, which he hath only commanded in general, and left in specie or particular to be determined by man according to his General Laws: But of these next.

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Quest. 131. What Additions or humane Inventions in or about Religion, not commanded in Scripture, are lawful or unlawful?

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Answ. 1. These following are unlawful. 1. To feign any new Article of faith or doctrine, any¹ precept, promise, threatening, prophecy or revelation, and falsely to father it upon God, and say, that it is of him, or his special Word.

Answ. 1. THese following are unlawful. 1. To feign any new Article of faith or doctrine, any¹ precept, promise, threatning, prophesie or revelation, and falsly to father it upon God, and say, that it is of him, or his special Word.

1Deut. 12. 32. Rev. 2•. 18. Col. 2. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. 16, 17. Mat. 15. 3, 8, 9. Gal. 1. 8, 9. Jer. 5. 12. Jer. 14. 14. & 23▪ 25, 26, 32. Ezek. 13▪ 9, 19. & 22. 28. Ze•h. 13. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

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2. To say that either that is written in the Bible which is not, or that any thing is the sense of a Text which is not; and so that any thing is a sin or a duty by Scripture which is not. Or to father Apocryphal Books or Texts or words upon the spirit of Christ.

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3. To make any Law for the Church universal, or as obligatory to all Christians; which is to usurp the sovereignty of Christ: For which treasonable Usurpation it is that Protestants call the Pope Antichrist.

3. To make any Law for the Church universal, or as obligatory to all Christians; which is to usurp the soveraignty of Christ: For which treasonable Usurpation it is that Protestants call the Pope Antichrist.

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4. To add new parts to the Christian Religion.

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5. To make any Law, which it did properly belong to the Universal Sovereign to have made, if it should have been made at all: Or which implieth an accusation of ignorance, oversight, error or omission in Christ and the holy Scriptures.

5. To make any Law, which it did properly belong to the Universal Soveraign to have made, if it should have been made at all: Or which implyeth an accusation of ignorance, oversight, errour or omission in Christ and the holy Scriptures.

Puritans

England

Pastor at Kidderminster and prolific nonconformist author.

Transcription key

•: an illegible letter
〈…〉: illegible words
〈non-Latin alphabet〉: Greek or Hebrew the transcribers did not key
▪: illegible punctuation
⟨p. 12⟩: a page break in the printed book