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Richard Baxter
A Christian Directory
Part 4
Chapter 19
Section 4
p. 124

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,I. CHRISTIAN ETHICS (or private Duties.)II. CHRISTIAN OECONOMICKS (or Family Duties.)III. CHRISTIAN ECCLESIASTICS (or Church Duties.)IV. CHRISTIAN POLITICS (or Duties to our Rulers and Neighbours.)By RICHARD BAXTER.Mal. 2. 7▪ 8.The Priests lips should keep Knowledge, and they should seek the Law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts. But ye are departed out of the way: Ye have Caused many to stumble at the Law; ye have corrupted the Covenant of Levi—Matth. 13. 52.Every SCRIBE which is instructed unto the Kingdom of Heaven, is like unto a man that is an Householder, which bringeth forth out of his Treasure things New and Old.Heb. 5. 13, 14.For every one that useth Milk is unskilful in the Word of Righteousness: for he is a Babe: But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age: Those who by reason of USE, have their senses exercised to discern both Good and Evil.2 Tim. 2. 14, 15, 16.Of these things put them in remembrance; charging them before God, that they STRIVE not about WORDS, to no profit, but to the subverting of the Hearers: Study to show thy self approved UNTO GOD, a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING the word of Truth. But shun profane and vain Babblings; for they will increase unto more Ungodliness, and their Word will eat as doth a Canker.2 Pet. 3. 16.In which (Pauls Epistles) are some things hard to be understood: which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures to their own destruction.LONDON, Printed, by Robert White, for Nevill Simmons, at the Sign of the Princes Arms in St. Pauls Church-yard. 1673.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,I. CHRISTIAN ETHICKS (or private Duties.)II. CHRISTIAN OECONOMICKS (or Family Duties.)III. CHRISTIAN ECCLESIASTICKS (or Church Duties.)IV. CHRISTIAN POLITICKS (or Duties to our Rulers and Neighbours.)By RICHARD BAXTER.Mal. 2. 7▪ 8.The Priests lips should keep Knowledge, and they should seek the Law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts. But ye are departed out of the way: Ye have Caused many to stumble at the Law; ye have corrupted the Covenant of Levi—Matth. 13. 52.Every SCRIBE which is instructed unto the Kingdom of Heaven, is like unto a man that is an Housholder, which bringeth forth out of his Treasure things New and Old.Heb. 5. 13, 14.For every one that useth Milk is unskilful in the Word of Righteousness: for he is a Babe: But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age: Those who by reason of USE, have their senses exercised to discern both Good and Evil.2 Tim. 2. 14, 15, 16.Of these things put them in remembrance; charging them before God, that they STRIVE not aboutTitle page of A Christian Directory, London, 1673

A26892:8919

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.

Richard Baxter 1615–1691London: printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons, 1673

[35], 929, [5], 214 p., [1] leaf of plates : port. · 1.2M words · Wing B1219 · ESTC R21847

Title page typeset from the transcription.

Part 4 › Chapter 19 › Section 4: Tit. 4. Cases of Conscience about Lending and Borrowing.

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.

[ Earlier:8916–8931 of 9,947

:8916p. 124

Object. But I am in great necessity.

:8917p. 124

Answ. Begging in necessity is lawful: but stealing or cheating is not, though you call it borrowing.

:8918p. 124

Object. But it is a shame to beg.

:8919p. 124

Answ. The sin of thievish borrowing is worse than shame.

:8920p. 124

Object. But none will give me, if I beg.

:8921p. 124

Answ. If they will give but to save your life at the present, you must take it, though they give you not what you would have: The poorest beggars life is better than the thieves.

[ Earlier passages Later passages ]

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Cited: :8919
On this page: :8916–8931
Section: :8913–8989
Whole work: 9,947 passages

Cite

Richard Baxter, A Christian Directory (London, 1673), pt. 4, ch. 19, sect. 4, p. 124. EEBO-TCP A26892.

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The book

Title as printed: 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.
Author: Richard Baxter 1615–1691
Place: London
Printer: Robert White
Bookseller: Nevill Simmons
Year: 1673
Size: [35], 929, [5], 214 p., [1] leaf of plates : port.
Words: 1,175,050
Catalogue: Wing B1219 · ESTC R21847
Text: EEBO-TCP A26892

Passages: 9,947
Sections: 502

The author

Richard Baxter 1615–1691

The Reformers and Puritans in their own words, with every quotation checked against the page.

Texts transcribed from the original printings by the Text Creation Partnership (EEBO-TCP and Evans-TCP) and dedicated to the public domain (CC0).

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WORDS,

to no profit, but to the subverting of the Hearers: Study to shew thy self approved

UNTO GOD,

a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed,

RIGHTLY DIVIDING

the word of Truth. But shun profane and vain Bablings; for they will increase unto more Ungodliness, and their Word will eat as doth a Canker.

2 Pet. 3. 16.In which (Pauls Epistles) are some things hard to be understood: which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures to their own destruction.

LONDON, Printed, by Robert White, for Nevill Simmons, at the Sign of the Princes Arms in St. Pauls Church-yard. 1673.

Answ. If they will give but to save your life at the present, you must take it, though they give you not what you would have: The poorest beggars life is better than the thiefs.

:8922p. 124

Object. But I hope God may enable me to pay hereafter.

:8923p. 124

Answ. If you have no rational way to manifest the soundness of that hope to another, it is but to pretend faith and hope for thievery and deceit.

:8924p. 124

Object. God hath promised, that those that fear him shall want no good thing? and therefore I hope I may be able to repay it.

:8925p. 124

Answ. If you want not, Why do you borrow? If you have enough to keep you alive by begging, God maketh good all his promises to you: Yea, or if you dye by famine. For he only promiseth you that which is best; which for ought you know may be beggary or death. God breaketh not promise with his servants who dye in common famine, no more than with them that dye in Plagues or Wars. Make not God the Patron of sin. Yea, and your faith a pretence for your distrust. If you trust God, use no sinful means: If you trust him not, this pleading of his promise is hypocrisy.

Answ. If you want not, Why do you borrow? If you have enough to keep you alive by begging, God maketh good all his promises to you: Yea, or if you dye by famine. For he only promiseth you that which is best; which for ought you know may be beggery or death. God breaketh not promise with his servants who dye in common famine, no more than with them that dye in Plagues or Wars. Make not God the Patron of sin. Yea, and your faith a pretence for your distrust. If you trust God, use no sinful means: If you trust him not, this pleading of his promise is hypocrisie.

:8926p. 124

§. 2. Quest. 2. May a Tradesman drive a Trade with borrowed money, when his success and so his¹ repayment is utterly an uncertain thing?

1Quest. 2.

:8927p. 124

Answ. There are some Trades where the gain is so exceeding probable, next to certain, as may warrant the borrowing of money to manage them, when there is no rational probability of failing in the payment. And there are some Tradesmen, who have estates of their own, sufficient to repay all the money which they borrow. But otherwise when the money is rationally hazardous, the borrower is bound in conscience to acquaint the lender fully with the hazard, that he may not have it against his will. Otherwise he liveth in constant deceit or thievery! And if he do happen to repay it, it excuseth not his sin.

:8928p. 124

§. 3. Quest. 3. If a borrower be utterly unable to pay, and so break while he hath something, may be¹ not retain somewhat for his food or raiment.

§. 3. Quest. 3. If a borrower be utterly unable to pay, and so break while he hath something, may be¹ not retain somewhat for his food or rayment.

1Quest. 3.

:8929p. 124

Answ. No: unless it be in order to set up again in hope to repay his debts: For all that he hath being other mens, he may not take so much as bread to his mouth, out of that which is theirs, without their consent.

:8930p. 124

§. 4. Quest. 4 But if a man have bound himself to his Wives friends upon marriage to settle so much¹ upon her or her children, and this obligation was antecedent to his debts, may he not secure that to his Wife and Children, without any injury to his Creditors?

1Quest. 4.

:8931p. 124

Answ. The Law of the Land must much decide this controversy: If the propriety be actually before transferred to Wife or Children, it is theirs, and cannot be taken from them: But if it were done after by a deed of gift to defraud the Creditors, than that deed of gift is invalid, till debts be paid. If it be but an Obligation and no collation of propriety, the Law must determine who is to be first paid: and whether the Wife be supposed to run the hazard of gaining or losing with the Husband: And though the Laws of several Countries herein differ, and some give the Wife more propriety than others do, yet must they in each place be conscientiously observed, as being the Rule of such propriety. But we must see that there be no fraudulent intent in the transaction.

Answ. The Law of the Land must much decide this controversie: If the propriety be actually before transferred to Wife or Children, it is theirs, and cannot be taken from them: But if it were done after by a deed of gift to defraud the Creditors, than that deed of gift is invalid, till debts be paid. If it be but an Obligation and no collation of propriety, the Law must determine who is to be first paid: and whether the Wife be supposed to run the hazard of gaining or losing with the Husband: And though the Laws of several Countreys herein differ, and some give the Wife more propriety than others do, yet must they in each place be conscientiously observed, as being the Rule of such propriety. But we must see that there be no fraudulent intent in the transaction.

PuritansEngland

Pastor at Kidderminster and prolific nonconformist author.

Transcription key

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