A26892:8256
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.
§. 10 9. Another cause of Murder is Malice and Revenge! When mens own wrongs or sufferings are so great a matter to them, and they have so little learnt to bear them, that they hate that man that is the cause of them, and boil with a revengeful desire of his ruin. And this sin hath in it so so much of the Devil, that those that are once addicted to it, are almost wholly at his command! He maketh witches of some, and Murderers of others, and wretches of all! who set themselves in the place of God, and will do Justice as they call it, for themselves, as if God were not just enough to do it! And so sweet is Revenge to their furious nature, (as the damning of men is to the Devil) that Revenged they will be though they lose their souls by it: And the impotency and baseness of their spirits is such, that they say, Flesh and blood is unable to bear it.
§. 10 9. Another cause of Murder is Malice and Revenge! When mens own wrongs or sufferings are so great a matter to them, and they have so little learnt to bear them, that they hate that man that is the cause of them, and boile with a revengeful desire of his ruine. And this sin hath in it so so much of the Devil, that those that are once addicted to it, are almost wholly at his command! He maketh witches of some, and Murderers of others, and wretches of all! who set themselves in the place of God, and will do Justice as they call it, for themselves, as if God were not just enough to do it! And so sweet is Revenge to their furious nature, (as the damning of men is to the Devil) that Revenged they will be though they lose their souls by it: And the impotency and baseness of their spirits is such, that they say, Flesh and blood is unable to bear it.
§. 11. 10. Another cause of murder is a wicked impatience with near relations, and a hatred of those that should be most dearly loved. Thus many men and women have murdered their Wives and Husbands, when either Adulterous Lust hath given up their hearts to another, or a cross, impatient, discontented mind hath made them seem intolerable burdens to each other: And then the Devil that destroyed their love, and brought them thus far, will be their teacher in the rest, and show them how to ease themselves; till he hath led them to the Gallows and to Hell. How necessary is it to keep in the way of duty, and abhor and suppress the beginnings of sin?