A26892:8884
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.
§. 7. Object. But it is taken for granted in the Market, that every man will get as much as he can have, and that Caveat emptor is the only security; and therefore every man trusteth to his own wit, and not to the sellers honesty, and so resolveth to run the hazard.
Answ. It is not so among Christians, nor Infidels who profess either truth or common honesty. If you come among a company of Cut-purses, where the match is made, Look thou to thy purse and I will look to mine, and he that can get most let him take it? then indeed you have no reason to trust another: But there are no Tradesmen or Buyers who will profess that they look not to be trusted, or will say, I will lye and deceive you if I can. Among Thieves and Pirates such total distrust may be allowed: But among sober persons in Civil Societies and Converse, we must in reason and charity expect some truth and honesty, and not presume them to be all liars and deceivers, that we may seem to have allowance to be such ourselves. Indeed we trust them, not absolutely as Saints, but with a mixture of distrust, as fallible and faulty men: And so as to trust our own circumspection above their words when we know not the persons to be very just. But we have no cause to make a Market a place of mere deceit, where every one saith, Trust not me, and I will not trust thee; but let us all take one another for cheaters and liars, and get what we can? Such censures favour not of Charity, or of Just intentions.
Answ. It is not so among Christians, nor Infidels who profess either truth or common honesty. If you come among a company of Cut-purses, where the match is made, Look thou to thy purse and I will look to mine, and he that can get most let him take it? then indeed you have no reason to trust another: But there are no Tradesmen or Buyers who will profess that they look not to be trusted, or will say, I will lye and deceive you if I can. Among Thieves and Pirats such total distrust may be allowed: But among sober persons in Civil Societies and Converse, we must in reason and charity expect some truth and honesty, and not presume them to be all lyars and deceivers, that we may seem to have allowance to be such ourselves. Indeed we trust them, not absolutely as Saints, but with a mixture of distrust, as fallible and faulty men: And so as to trust our own circumspection above their words when we know not the persons to be very just. But we have no cause to make a Market a place of meer deceit, where every one saith, Trust not me, and I will not trust thee; but let us all take one another for cheaters and lyars, and get what we can? Such censures favour not of Charity, or of Just intentions.