A26892:8093
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.
§. 76. Obj. 4. Some of them revile at Aristotle and all Universities, and say that while multitudes1 must be tasters and pretenders to the learning which they never throughly can attain, they read many dangerous2 books, and receive false notions, and these half-witted men are the disturbers of all societies: Do you not see, say they, that the two strongest Kingdoms in the world are kept up by keeping the subjects ignorant: The Greek and Latin Empires were ruined by the contention of men that did pretend to learning: The Turk keepeth all in quiet by suppressing it: And the Pope confineth it almost all to his Instruments in Government, and keepeth the common people in ignorance: which keepeth them from matter of quarrel and disobedience.
§. 76. Obj. 4. Some of them revile at Aristotle and all Universities, and say that while multitudes1 must be tasters and pretenders to the learning which they never throughly can attain, they read many dangerous2 books, and receive false notions, and these half-witted men are the disturbers of all societies: Do you not see, say they, that the two strongest Kingdoms in the world are kept up by keeping the subjects ignorant: The Greek and Latine Empires were ruined by the contention of men that did pretend to learning: The Turk keepeth all in quiet by suppressing it: And the Pope confineth it almost all to his Instruments in Government, and keepeth the common people in ignorance: which keepeth them from matter of quarrel and disobedience.
- 1Object. 4.
- 2La•gius saith that in his own hearing Jodocus praeses Senate. Mechlin. Magnâ contention tuebatur, neminem posse vel unius legis intelligentiam consequi, qui quicquam •sciret in bonis literis, & addebat, vix esse tres in orbe qui leges Caesareas intelligerent.