A26892:8307
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.
§. 22. Consid. 16. And your sin is aggravated, in that you hinder the good of those that you are1 offended with, and also provoke them to add sin to sin, and to be as furious and uncharitable as your selves. If your neighbour be not faulty, why are you so displeased with him? If he be, Why will you make him worse? Will you bring him to amendment by hatred or cruelty? Do you think one vice will cure another? Or is any man like to hearken to the counsel of an enemy? Or to love the words of one that hateth him? Is malice and fierceness an attractive thing? Or rather is it not the way to drive men further, from their duty, and into sin, by driving them from you who pretend to reform them by such unlikely contrary means as these? And as you do your worst to harden them in their faults, and to make them hate what ever you would persuade them to: so at present you seek to kindle in their breasts, the same fire of malice or passion which is kindled in your selves. As Love is the most effectual way to cause Love; so passion is the most effectual cause of passion; and malice is the most effectual cause of malice; and hurting another is the powerfullest means, to provoke him to hurt you again if he be able: (And weak things are oft times able to do hurt, when injuries boil up their passions to the height, or make them desperate.) If your sinful provocations fill him also with rage, and make him curse, or swear, or rail, or plot revenge, or do you a mischief, you are guilty of this sin, and have a hand in the damnation of his soul, as much as in you lieth.
§. 22. Consid. 16. And your sin is aggravated, in that you hinder the good of those that you are1 offended with, and also provoke them to add sin to sin, and to be as furious and uncharitable as your selves. If your neighbour be not faulty, why are you so displeased with him? If he be, Why will you make him worse? Will you bring him to amendment by hatred or cruelty? Do you think one vice will cure another? Or is any man like to hearken to the counsel of an enemy? Or to love the words of one that hateth him? Is malice and fierceness an attractive thing? Or rather is it not the way to drive men further, from their duty, and into sin, by driving them from you who pretend to reform them by such unlikely contrary means as these? And as you do your worst to harden them in their faults, and to make them hate what ever you would perswade them to: so at present you seek to kindle in their breasts, the same fire of malice or passion which is kindled in your selves. As Love is the most effectual way to cause Love; so passion is the most effectual cause of passion; and malice is the most effectual cause of malice; and hurting another is the powerfullest means, to provoke him to hurt you again if he be able: (And weak things are oft times able to do hurt, when injuries boyle up their passions to the height, or make them desperate.) If your sinful provocations fill him also with rage, and make him curse, or swear, or rail, or plot revenge, or do you a mischief, you are guilty of this sin, and have a hand in the damnation of his soul, as much as in you lyeth.