A26892:8077
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.
Answ. 1. It is an abuse of your Superiors, to censure them to be so proud and brutish, as not to1 consider that they are the subjects of God, and have souls to save or lose as well as others: Will you judge so hardly of them before trial, as if they were far worse and foolisher than the poor, and take this abuse of them to be an excuse for your other sin? No doubt there are good Rulers in the world, that will say to Christs Ministers, as the Prince Elector Palatine did to Pitis•us, charging him to tell2 him plainly of his faults, when he chose him to be the Pastor •nlicus. 2. How know you before hand what success your words will have? Hath the Word of God well managed no power? yea, to make even bad men good? Can you love your Rulers, and yet give up their souls in despair, and all for fear of suffering by them? 3. What if you do suffer in the doing of your duty? Have you not learned to serve God upon such terms as those? Or do you think it will prove it to be no duty, because it will bring suffering on you? These reasons favour not of faith.
Answ. 1. It is an abuse of your Superiours, to censure them to be so proud and bruitish, as not to1 consider that they are the subjects of God, and have souls to save or lose as well as others: Will you judge so hardly of them before tryal, as if they were far worse and foolisher than the poor, and take this abuse of them to be an excuse for your other sin? No doubt there are good Rulers in the world, that will say to Christs Ministers, as the Prince Elector Palatine did to Pitis•us, charging him to tell2 him plainly of his faults, when he chose him to be the Pastor •nlicus. 2. How know you before hand what success your words will have? Hath the Word of God well managed no power? yea, to make even bad men good? Can you love your Rulers, and yet give up their souls in despair, and all for fear of suffering by them? 3. What if you do suffer in the doing of your duty? Have you not learned to serve God upon such terms as those? Or do you think it will prove it to be no duty, because it will bring suffering on you? These reasons favour not of faith.