A26892:8235
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.
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.
§. 6. Direct▪ 6. Resolve upon an absolute obedience to your Commanders, in all things consistent with 1your obedience to God and the Sovereign power. Disobedience is no where more intolerable than in an Army: Where it is often unfit for a Soldier to know the reason of his commands; and where self-conceitedness and wilfulness is inconsistent with their common safety, and the lives of many may pay for the disobedience of a few. If you cannot obey, undertake not to be Soldiers.
§. 6. Direct▪ 6. Resolve upon an absolute obedience to your Commanders, in all things consistent with 1your obedience to God and the Soveraign power. Disobedience is no where more intolerable than in an Army: Where it is often unfit for a Souldier to know the reason of his commands; and where self-conceitedness and wilfulness is inconsistent with their common safety, and the lives of many may pay for the disobedience of a few. If you cannot obey, undertake not to be Souldiers.
- 1Direct. 6.
§. 7. Direct. 7. Especially detest all murmurings, mutinies, sidings and rebellions. For these are to1 an Army like violent Fevers to the body, or like a Fire in a City; and would make an Army the greatest plague to their King and Country. How many Emperors, Kings and Commanders, have lost their dignities and lives, by the fury of mutinous enraged Soldiers: And how many Kingdoms and other Common-wealths have been thus overthrown and betrayed into the enemies hands? And how many thousands and millions of Soldiers have thereby lost their lives? In your discontents and murmuring passions, you may quickly set the house on fire over your heads, and when you feel your misery repent too late. Passion may begin that which fruitless penitence must end. The leaders of mutinies may easily have many fair pretences to inflame an Army into discontents: They may aggravate many seeming injuries: they may represent their Commanders as odious and unworthy, by putting an ill appearance on their actions: But in the end it will appear, that it was their own advancement which they secretly aimed at, and the destruction of the present Government, or the Soldiers ruin which is like to be the effect. A mutinous Army is likest Hell of any thing I know among Gods creatures; and next Hell, there is scarce a worse place for their Commanders to be in.