A26892:8026
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.
Part 4 › Chapter 3: Directions for Subjects concerning their duty to their Rulers.
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.
§. 31. Direct. 9. Learn how to suffer; and know what use God can make of your sufferings, and think 1not better of prosperity and worse of suffering than you have cause. It is a carnal unbelieving heart, that maketh so great a matter of poverty, imprisonment, banishment or death, as if they were undone2 if they suffer for Christ, or be sent to Heaven before the time: As if Kingdoms must be disturbed to save you from suffering: This better beseems an infidel and a worldling, that takes his earthly prosperity for his portion, and thinks he hath no other to win or lose. Do you not know what the Church hath gained by suffering? How pure it hath been when the fire of persecution hath refined it? and how prosperity hath been the very that that hath polluted it, and shattered it all to pieces; by letting in all the ungodly world into the visible Communion of the Saints, and by setting the Bishops on contending for superiority, and overtopping Emperors and Kings? Many thousands that would be excellent persons in adversity, cannot bear a high or prosperous state, but their brains are turned, and pride and contention maketh them the scorn of the adversaries that observe them.
§. 31. Direct. 9. Learn how to suffer; and know what use God can make of your sufferings, and think 1not better of prosperity and worse of suffering than you have cause. It is a carnal unbelieving heart, that maketh so great a matter of poverty, imprisonment, banishment or death, as if they were undone2 if they suffer for Christ, or be sent to Heaven before the time: As if Kingdoms must be disturbed to save you from suffering: This better beseems an infidel and a worldling, that takes his earthly prosperity for his portion, and thinks he hath no other to win or lose. Do you not know what the Church hath gained by suffering? How pure it hath been when the fire of persecution hath refined it? and how prosperity hath been the very that that hath polluted it, and shattered it all to pieces; by letting in all the ungodly world into the visible Communion of the Saints, and by setting the Bishops on contending for superiority, and overtopping Emperours and Kings? Many thousands that would be excellent persons in adversity, cannot bear a high or prosperous state, but their brains are turned, and pride and contention maketh them the scorn of the adversaries that observe them.