Part 3, A Christian Directory by Richard Baxter (1673) | AskReformation

Skip to content

:7901img 518

Think not by the title of this Part, that I am doing the same work which I lately revoked in my Political Aphorisms: Though I concluded that Book to be quasi non scriptum, I told you I recanted not the Doctrine of it, which is for the Empire of God, and the Interest of Government, Order and honesty in the World: This is no place to give you the Reasons of my revocation, besides that it offended my Superiors, and exercised the tongues of some in places, where other matters would be more profitable: Pass by all that concerneth our particular State and Times, and you may know by that what principles of Policy I judge Divine. And experience teacheth me, that it is best for men of my Profession to meddle with no more; but leave it to the Contzeus, the Arnisaeus's and other Jesuits, to promote their cause by Voluminous politics: The Popes false-named Church, is a Kingdom, and his Ministers may write of Politics more congruously, and (it seems) with less offence than we. Saith the Geographia Nubiensis aptly [There is a certain King dwelling at Rome called the Pope] &c. when he goeth to describe him. Nothing well suites with our function but the pure Doctrine of Salvation. Let States-men and Lawyers mind the rest.

THink not by the title of this Part, that I am doing the same work which I lately revoked in my Political Aphorisms: Though I concluded that Book to be quasi non scriptum, I told you I recanted not the Doctrine of it, which is for the Empire of God, and the Interest of Government, Order and honesty in the World: This is no place to give you the Reasons of my revocation, besides that it offended my Superiours, and exercised the tongues of some in places, where other matters would be more profitable: Pass by all that concerneth our particular State and Times, and you may know by that what principles of Policy I judge Divine. And experience teacheth me, that it is best for men of my Profession to meddle with no more; but leave it to the Contzeus, the Arnisaeus's and other Jesuits, to promote their cause by Voluminous politicks: The Popes false-named Church, is a Kingdom, and his Ministers may write of Politicks more congruously, and (it seems) with less offence than we. Saith the Geographia Nubiensis aptly [There is a certain King dwelling at Rome called the Pope] &c. when he goeth to describe him. Nothing well suites with our function but the pure Doctrine of Salvation. Let States-men and Lawyers mind the rest.

:7902img 518

Two things I must apologize for in this Part: 1. That it's maimed by defect of those Directions to Princes, Nobles, Parliament-men, and other Magistrates, on whose duty the happiness of Kingdoms, Churches, and the World dependeth. To which I answer, that those must teach them whom they will hear: while my Reason and experience forbid me as an unacceptable person to speak to them without a special invitation, I can bear the Censures of Strangers who knew not them or me: I am not so proud as to expect that men so much above me should stoop to read any Directions of mine; much less to think me fit to teach them. Every one may reprove a poor servant or a beggar: (It's part of their privilege). But Great men must not be so much as admonished, by any but themselves, and such as they will hear. At least nothing is a duty, which a man hath reason to think, is like to do much more harm than good. And my own judgement is much against pragmatical presumptuous Preachers, who are over-forward to meddle with their Governors or their affairs, and think that God sendeth them to reprove persons and things that are strange to them and above them, and vent their distastes upon uncertain reports, or without a Call.

Two things I must apologize for in this Part: 1. That it's maimed by defect of those Directions to Princes, Nobles, Parliament-men, and other Magistrates, on whose duty the happiness of Kingdoms, Churches, and the World dependeth. To which I answer, that those must teach them whom they will hear: while my Reason and experience forbid me as an unacceptable person to speak to them without a special invitation, I can bear the Censures of Strangers who knew not them or me: I am not so proud as to expect that men so much above me should stoop to read any Directions of mine; much less to think me fit to teach them. Every one may reprove a poor servant or a beggar: (It's part of their priviledge). But Great men must not be so much as admonished, by any but themselves, and such as they will hear. At least nothing is a duty, which a man hath reason to think, is like to do much more harm than good. And my own judgement is much against pragmatical presumptuous Preachers, who are over-forward to meddle with their Governours or their affairs, and think that God sendeth them to reprove persons and things that are strange to them and above them, and vent their distastes upon uncertain reports, or without a Call.

:7903img 519

2. And I expect to be both blamed and mis-understood, for what I hear say in the Confutation of Mr. Richard Hooker his Political Principles, and my Citation of B. Bilson and such others: But they must observe, 1. That it is not all in Mr. Hookers first and eighth Book which I gainsay; but the principle of the Peoples being the fountain of Authority, or that Kings receive their Office it self from them; with the consequents hereof. How far the people have in any Countries the power of Electing the Persons, Families, or Forms of Government, or how far nature giveth them propriety, and the consequents of this, I meddle not with at all. 2. Nor do I choose Mr. Hooker out of any envy to his name and honour, but I confess I do it, to let men know truly whose Principles these are. And if any (causelessly) question whether the eighth (imperfect) Book be in those passages his own, let them remember that the sum of all that I confute, is in his first Book, which is old, and highly honoured, by—you know whom. And I will do him the honour, and my self the dishonour to confess, that I think the far greater number of Casuists and Authors of Politics, Papists and Protestants are on his side, and fewest on mine! But truth is truth.

2. And I expect to be both blamed and mis-understood, for what I hear say in the Confutation of Mr. Richard Hooker his Political Principles, and my Citation of B. Bilson and such others: But they must observe, 1. That it is not all in Mr. Hookers first and eighth Book which I gainsay; but the principle of the Peoples being the fountain of Authority, or that Kings receive their Office it self from them; with the consequents hereof. How far the people have in any Countrys the power of Electing the Persons, Families, or Forms of Government, or how far nature giveth them propriety, and the consequents of this, I meddle not with at all. 2. Nor do I choose Mr. Hooker out of any envy to his name and honour, but I confess I do it, to let men know truly whose Principles these are. And if any (causelesly) question whether the eighth (imperfect) Book be in those passages his own, let them remember that the sum of all that I confute, is in his first Book, which is old, and highly honoured, by—you know whom. And I will do him the honour, and my self the dishonour to confess, that I think the far greater number of Casuists and Authors of Politicks, Papists and Protestants are on his side, and fewest on mine! But truth is truth.