A26892:8416
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. 3. Persecution is a resisting or fighting against the Holy Ghost: Act. 7. 51. saith Stephen to the Jews, [Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears; ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye!] If you silence the Ministers who are the means by which the spirit worketh, in the illuminating and sanctifying of souls (Act. 26. 17, 18.); or if you afflict men for those Holy duties, which the spirit of God hath taught them to perform, or would force men from that which the spirit of Christ is sent to draw them to; this is to raise War against that spirit, into whose name you were your selves baptized.
§. 10. 3. Persecution is a resisting or fighting against the Holy Ghost: Act. 7. 51. saith Stephen to the Jews, [Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears; ye do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye!] If you silence the Ministers who are the means by which the spirit worketh, in the illuminating and sanctifying of souls (Act. 26. 17, 18.); or if you afflict men for those Holy duties, which the spirit of God hath taught them to perform, or would force men from that which the spirit of Christ is sent to draw them to; this is to raise War against that spirit, into whose name you were your selves baptized.
§. 11. 4. Persecution endeavoureth the damnation of mens souls, either by depriving them of the Preaching of the Gospel which should save them, or by forcing them upon that sin for which God will condemn them. Yea the banishing or silencing of one faithful Preacher, may conduce to the damnation of many hundreds? If it be said that others who are set up in their stead may save mens souls as well as they. I answer, 1. God seldom, if ever, did qualify supernumeraries for the work of the Ministry! Many a Nation hath had too few, but I never read of any Nation that had too many who were well qualified for that great and difficult work, no not from the days of Christ till now! so that if they are all fit men, there are none of them to be spared; but all are too few if they conjoin their greatest skill and diligence. Christ biddeth us pray the Lord of the harvest, to send forth more labourers into his Harvest; but never biddeth us pray to send out fewer, or to call any in that were but tolerably fitted for the work. 2. Many persecutors banish all Preachers of the Gospel, and set up no other to do the service which they were called to. And it is rarely seen that any who can find in their hearts, to cast out any faithful Ministers of Christ, have hearts to set up better, or any that are competent in their stead: But it is ordinarily seen, that when the judgement is so far depraved, as to approve of the casting out of worthy men, it is also so far depraved as to think an ignorant, unskilful, heartless, or scandalous sort of Ministers, to be as fit to save men souls as they: And how many poor Congregations in the Eastern and the Western Churches (nay how many thousand) have ignorant, ungodly, sensual Pastors, who are such unsavoury Salt, as to be unfit for the Land or for the Dunghill? Whilst men are extinguishing the clearest lights, or thrusting them into obscurity: