A26892:8697
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 17: Directions for keeping Peace with all men.
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.
§. 3. Direct. 2. If you would be Peaceable, be not covetous lovers of the World, but be contented with 1your daily bread. Hungry Dogs have seldom so great plenty of meat, as to content them all, and keep them from falling out about it. If you overlove the World, you will never want occasions of discord: Either your neighbour s•ll•th too dear, or buyeth too cheap of you, or over-reacheth you, or gets before you, or some way or other doth you wrong: as long as he hath any thing which you desire, or doth not satisfy all your expectations. Ambitious and Covetous men must have so much room, that the World is not wide enough for many of them: And yet (alas) too many of them there are: And therefore they are still together by the ears, like Boys in the Winter nights, when the B•d clothes are too narrow to cover them: One pulleth, and another pulleth, and all complain: You must be sure that you trespass not in the smallest measure, not encroach on the least of his commodity, that you demand not your own, nor deny him any thing which he desireth, nor get any thing which he would have himself, no nor ever give over feeding his greedy expectations, and enduring his injustice and abuse, if you will live peaceably with a worldly-minded man.
§. 3. Direct. 2. If you would be Peaceable, be not covetous lovers of the World, but be contented with 1your daily bread. Hungry Dogs have seldome so great plenty of meat, as to content them all, and keep them from falling out about it. If you overlove the World, you will never want occasions of discord: Either your neighbour s•ll•th too dear, or buyeth too cheap of you, or over-reacheth you, or gets before you, or some way or other doth you wrong: as long as he hath any thing which you desire, or doth not satisfie all your expectations. Ambitious and Covetous men must have so much room, that the World is not wide enough for many of them: And yet (alas) too many of them there are: And therefore they are still together by the ears, like Boyes in the Winter nights, when the B•d cloaths are too narrow to cover them: One pulleth, and another pulleth, and all complain: You must be sure that you trespass not in the smallest measure, not incroach on the least of his commodity, that you demand not your own, nor deny him any thing which he desireth, nor get any thing which he would have himself, no nor ever give over feeding his greedy expectations, and enduring his injustice and abuse, if you will live peaceably with a worldly-minded man.