A26892:7602
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. 158. Should not Christians take up with Scripture wisdom only, without studying Philosophy and other Heathens humane Learning?
Answ. I Have already proved the usefulness of common knowledge called Humane Learning, by twenty Reasons in my book called The Unreasonableness of Infidelity, pag. 163. part. 2. sect. 23.1 to which I refer the Reader: And only say now, 1. Grace presupposeth Nature; We are men in order of nature at least before we are Saints, and Reason is before supernatural Revelation. 2. Common knowledge therefore is subservient unto faith: We must know the Creator and his works; And the Redeemer restoreth us to the due knowledge of the Creator: Humane Learning in the sense in question is also Divine: God is the Author of the light of nature, as well as of grace. We have more than Heathens, but must not therefore have less, and cast away the good that is common to them and us: Else we must not have souls, bodies, reason, health, time, meat, drink, clothes, &c. because Heathens have them. Gods works are honourable, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. And physical Philosophy is nothing but the knowledge of Gods works. 3. And the knowledge of Languages is necessary both for humane converse, and for the understanding of the Scriptures themselves. The Scriptures contain not a Greek and Hebrew Grammar to understand the language in which they are written, but suppose us otherwise taught those tongues that we may interpret them. 4. The use of the Gospel is not to teach us all things needful to be known, but to teach us, on supposition of our common knowledge, how to advance higher to supernatural saving knowledge, •aith, Love and practice. Scripture telleth us not how to build a house, to plough, sow, weave, or make our works of art. Every one that learneth his Country tongue of his Parents hath humane Learning of the same sort with the learning of Greek and Hebrew: He that learneth not to read, cannot read the Bible. And he that understandeth it not in the Original tongues must trust other mens words that have Humane Learning, or else remain a stranger to it.