A26892:7422
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.
2. All the Scripture is profitable to our knowledge, love and practice; and none of it to be neglected, but all to be loved, reverenced and studied, in due time and order, by them that have time and capacity to do it.
3. All the Holy Scriptures, either as to matter or words, are not so necessary, as that no man can be saved, who doth not either believe or understand them: But some parts of it are more necessary than others.
4. It is not of necessity to salvation to believe every Book or Verse in Scripture, to be Canonical, or written by the Spirit of God. For as the Papists Canon is larger than that which the Protestants own; so if our Canon should prove defective of any one Book, it would not follow that we could not be saved for want of a sufficient faith. The Churches immediately after the Apostles time, had not each one all their Writings, but they were brought together in time, and received by degrees, as they had proof of their being written by authorized inspired persons. The second of Peter, James, Jude, Hebrews and Revelations were received in many Churches since the rest. And if some Book be lost, (as Enoch's Prophecy, or Pauls Epistle to the Laodiceans, or any other of his Epistles not named in the rest) or if any hereafter should be lost or doubted of, as the Canticles, or the second or third Epistles of John, the Epistle of Jude, &c. it would not follow, that all true faith and hope of salvation were lost with it.
4. It is not of necessity to salvation to believe every Book or Verse in Scripture, to be Canonical, or written by the Spirit of God. For as the Papists Canon is larger than that which the Protestants own; so if our Canon should prove defective of any one Book, it would not follow that we could not be saved for want of a sufficient faith. The Churches immediately after the Apostles time, had not each one all their Writings, but they were brought together in time, and received by degrees, as they had proof of their being written by authorized inspired persons. The second of Peter, Iames, Iude, Hebrews and Revelations were received in many Churches since the rest. And if some Book be lost, (as Henocks Prophecy, or Pauls Epistle to the Laodiceans, or any other of his Epistles not named in the rest) or if any hereafter should be lost or doubted of, as the Canticles, or the second or third Epistles of Iohn, the Epistle of Iude, &c. it would not follow, that all true faith and hope of salvation were lost with it.