A26892:8085
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.
§. 72. I. For the first, there are two sorts of Atheistical Politicians guilty of them. The first sort are some Atheistical flatterers, that to engage Monarchs against all that is good, would make them believe that all that is good is against them and their interest. By which means, while their design is to steal the help of Princes to cast out all that is good from the world, they are most pernicious underminers of Monarchy it self. For what readier way to set all the world against it, than to make them believe that it standeth at enmity to all that is good. These secret enemies would set up a L• vi•than to be the butt of common enmity and opposition.
The other sort are the professed enemies of Monarchy, who in their zeal for Popular Government, ⟨p. 27⟩do bring in all that is excellent, as if it were adverse to Monarchy. 1. They would (both) set it at enmity with Politicians. 2. With Lawyers. 3. With History. 4. With Learning. 5. With Divines. 6. With all Christian Religion. 7. And with Humanity it self.
§. 73. Obj. 1. The Painters of the Leviathan scorn all Politics, as ignorant of the power of Monarchs,1 except the Atheistical inventions of their own brains. And the adversaries of Monarchy say, The reading of Politics will satisfy men against Monarchy: For in them you ordinarily find that the Majestas Realis is in the people, and the Majestas personalis in the Prince: that the Prince receiveth all his power from the people, to whom it is first given, and to whom it may be forfeited and es•heat: with much more of the like, as is to be seen in Politicians of all Religions.