A26892:8205
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 5: The Duty of Physicians.Part 4 › Chapter 5: The Duty of Physicions.
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.
§. 2. Direct. 2. Be ready to help the poor as well as the rich: Differencing them no further than the1 public good requireth you to do. Let not the health or lives of men be neglected, because they have no money to give you: Many poor people perish for want of means, because they are discouraged from going to Physicians, through the emptiness of their purses: In such a case you must not only help them gratis, but also appoint the cheapest Medicines for them.
§. 2. Direct. 2. Be ready to help the poor as well as the rich: Differencing them no further than the1 publick good requireth you to do. Let not the health or lives of men be neglected, because they have no money to give you: Many poor people perish for want of means, because they are discouraged from going to Physicions, through the emptiness of their purses: In such a case you must not only help them gratis, but also appoint the cheapest Medicines for them.
- 1Direct. 2.
§. 3. Direct. 3. Adventure not unnecessarily on things beyond your skill, but in difficult cases persuade 1your patients to use the help of abler Physicians, if there be any to be had, though it be against your own commodity. So far should you be from envying the greater esteem and practice of abler men, and from all unworthy aspersions or detraction, that you should do your best to persuade all your patients to seek their counsels, when ever the danger of their lives or health requireth it. For their Lives are of greater value than your gain. So abstruse and conjectural is the business of your profession, that it requireth very high accomplishments to be a Physician indeed! If there concur not, 1. A natural strength of Reason and sagacity, 2. And a great deal of study, reading, and acquaintance with the way of excellent men, 3. And considerable experience of your own, to ripen all this; you have cause to be very fearful and cautelous in your practice, lest you sacrifice mens lives to your ignorance and temerity. And one man that hath all these accomplishments, in a high degree, may do