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
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.
The Agenda in the time of baptism that make us Christians, are 1. The actual Dedition, resignation or dedication of our selves, to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost in these Relations. 2. A Promise or Vow to endeavour faithfully to live according to our undertaken relations (though not in perfection); that is, as Creatures to their Creator, and their Reconciled God and Father; as Christians to their Redeemer, their Teacher, their Ruler, and their Saviour, And as willing Receivers of the Sanctifying and Comforting operations of the Holy Spirit.
II. The Objects tell you what the Acts must be on our part, 1. With the Understanding, to know and believe; 2, With the Will to love, choose, desire and resolve; and 3. Practically to deliver up our selves for the present, and to promise for the time to come. These are the Essentials of the Christian Religion.
8. The Creed is a larger explication of the Credenda, and the Lords Prayer of the Diligenda, or things to be willed, desired and hoped for; and the Decalogue of the Natural part of the Agenda.
9. Suffer not your own Ignorance, or the Papists Cheats to confound the Question, about Fundamentals, as to the Matter, and as to the expressing words. It is one thing to ask, What is the Matter
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.
Essential to Christianity? And another, What Words, Symbols or Sentences are Essential to it? To the first, I have now answered you. To the second I say, 1. Taking the Christian Religion as it is an Extrinsic Doctrine in signis, so the Essence of it is, Words and Signs expressive or significant of the Material Essence. That they be such in specie is all that is essential. And if they say, But which be those words? I answer, 2. That no particular Words in the world are essential to the Christian Religion. For, 1. No one Language is essential to it. It is not necessary to salvation, that you be baptized, or learn the Creed or Scriptures, in Hebrew, or Greek, or Latin, or English, so you learn it in any Language understood. 2. It is not necessary to salvation that you use the same words in the same Language, as long as it hath more words than one to express the same thing by. 3. It is not necessary to salvation, that we use the same, (or any one single) form, method or order of words, as they are in the Creeds without alteration. And therefore while the Ancients did tenaciously cleave to the same Symbol or Creed, yet they used various words to express it by. (As may be seen in Iren••s, Tertullian, Origen and Ruffin elsewhere cited by me; so that its plain, that by the same Symbol they
meant the same Matter, though expressed in some variety of words) Though they avoided such variety as might introduce variety of sense and matter.
9. Suffer not your own Ignorance, or the Papists Cheats to confound the Question, about Fundamentals, as to the Matter, and as to the expressing words. It is one thing to ask, What is the Matter 1Essential to Christianity? And another, What Words, Symbols or Sentences are Essential to it? To the first, I have now answered you. To the second I say, 1. Taking the Christian Religion as it is an Extrinsick Doctrine in signis, so the Essence of it is, Words and Signs expressive or significant of the Material Essence. That they be such in specie is all that is essential. And if they say, But which be those words? I answer, 2. That no particular Words in the world are essential to the Christian Religion. For, 1. No one Language is essential to it. It is not necessary to salvation, that you be baptized, or learn the Creed or Scriptures, in Hebrew, or Greek, or Latin, or English, so you learn it in any Language understood. 2. It is not necessary to salvation that you use the same words in the same Language, as long as it hath more words than one to express the same thing by. 3. It is not necessary to salvation, that we use the same, (or any one single) form, method or order of words, as they are in the Creeds without alteration. And therefore while the Antients did tenaciously cleave to the same Symbol or Creed, yet they used various words to express it by. (As may be seen in Iren••s, Tertullian, Origen and Ruffin elsewhere cited by me; so that its plain, that by the same Symbol they2 meant the same Matter, though exprest in some variety of words) Though they avoided such variety as might introduce variety of sense and matter.
10. Words being needful, 1. To make a Learner understand, 2. To tell another what he understandeth, it followeth that the great variety of mens capacities maketh a great variation in the necessity of Words or Forms. An Englishman must have them in English, and a Frenchman in French. An understanding man may receive all the Essentials in a few words: But an Ignorant man must have many words to make him understand the matter. To him that Understandeth them, the words of the Baptismal 1Covenant express all the Essentials of Christianity: But to him that understands them not, the Creed is necessary for the explication: And to him that understandeth not that, a Catechism or larger Exposition is necessary. This is the plain explication of this question, which many Papists seem loth to understand.
Answ. 1. The Use of the Creed is, to be a plain explication of the Faith professed in the Baptismal Covenant: 1. For the fuller instruction of the duller sort, and those that had not preparatory knowledge, and could not sufficiently understand the meaning of the three Articles of the Covenant, what it is to believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost without more words. 2. And for the satisfaction of the Church that indeed men understood what they did in baptism, and professed to believe.
Answ. 1. THe Use of the Creed is, to be a plain explication of the Faith professed in the Baptismal Covenant: 1. For the fuller instruction of the duller sort, and those that had not preparatory knowledge, and could not sufficiently understand the meaning of the three Articles of the Covenant, what it is to believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost without more words. 2. And for the satisfaction of the Church that indeed men understood what they did in baptism, and professed to believe.
3. That is oft by the Ancients called the Apostles, which containeth the matter derived by the Apostles, though not in a form of words compiled by them.
3. That is oft by the Antients called the Apostles, which containeth the matter derived by the Apostles, though not in a form of words compiled by them.
4. It is certain that all the words now in our Creed, were not put in by the Apostles, 1. Because1 some of them were not in, till long after their days. 2. Because the ancient formulae agree not in words among themselves.
4. It is certain that all the words now in our Creed, were not put in by the Apostles, 1. Because1 some of them were not in, till long after their dayes. 2. Because the antient formulae agree not in words among themselves.
1Vid. […]. & Vossi•m de Symbolis.Vid. 〈…〉. & Vossi•m de Symbolis.
5. It is not to be doubted of, but the Apostles did appoint and use a Creed commonly in their1 days. And that it is the same with that which is now called the Apostles and the Nicene in the main; but not just the same composure of words, nor had they any such precise composure as can be proved: But this much is easily provable,
5. It is not to be doubted of, but the Apostles did appoint and use a Creed commonly in their1 dayes. And that it is the same with that which is now called the Apostles and the Nicene in the main; but not just the same composure of words, nor had they any such precise composure as can be proved: But this much is easily provable,
2. That in the Jewish Church, where men were educated in the knowledge of the Scriptures, and ⟨p. 897⟩expectation of the Messiah, it was supposed that the people had so much preparatory knowledge, as made them the more capable of Baptism as soon as they did but seriously profess, to Believe, and Consent to the terms of the Covenant: And therefore they were presently baptized, Acts 2. 38, 39, 40.
2. That in the Jewish Church, where men were educated in the knowledge of the Scriptures, and ⟨p. 897⟩expectation of the M•ssiah, it was supposed that the people had so much preparatory knowledge, as made them the more capable of Baptism as soon as they did but seriously profess, to Believe, and Consent to the terms of the Covenant: And therefore they were presently baptized, Acts 2. 38, 39, 40.
3. That this could not be rationally supposed among the Gentiles, and common Ignorant people of the world. And Ignorantis non est Consensus. He doth not Covenant who understandeth not the Covenant, as to what is promised him, and what he promiseth.
4. That the Apostles baptized, and caused others to baptize many thousands, and settle many Churches, before any part of the New Testament was written, even many and many years.
