A26892:8569
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 14: Directions against soul-murder, and partaking of other mens sins.
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.
§. 1. 1. Men are guilty of soul-murder by all these ways: 1. By preaching false soul-murdering doctrine: such as denieth any necessary point of faith, or holy living: such as is opposite to a holy life, or to any particular necessary duty: such as maketh sin to be no sin; which call good evil, and evil good; with putteth darkness for light, and light for darkness.
§. 1. 1. Men are guilty of soul-murder by all these wayes: 1. By preaching false soul-murdering doctrine: such as denyeth any necessary point of faith, or holy living: such as is opposite to a holy life, or to any particular necessary duty: such as maketh sin to be no sin; which call good evil, and evil good; wich putteth darkness for light, and light for darkness.
§. 2. 2. By false application of true doctrine, indirectly reflecting upon and disgracing that holiness of life, which in terms they preach for: By prevarication undermining that cause which their office is appointed to promote. As they do, who purposely so describe any vice, that the hearers may be drawn to think that strict and Godly practices, are either that sin it self, or but a Cloak to hide it.
§. 3. 3. By bringing the persons of the most religious into hatred, by such false applications, reflections, or secret insinuations, or open calumnies: Making men believe that they are all but Hypocrites, or Schismatics, or seditious, or fanatical self-conceited persons! Which is usually done either by impudent slanders raised against some particular men, and so reflected on the rest; or by the advantage of factions, controversies or Civil Wars; or by the falls of any professors, or the crimes of Hypocrites: whereupon they would make the World believe, that they are all alike; As if all Christs family were to be judged of by Peters fall, or Judas falsehood. And the odious representation of Godly men doth greatly prevail to keep others from Godliness, and is one of the Devils most successful means, for the damnation of multitudes of souls.