A26939:200
How to do good to many, or, The public good is the Christians life…How to do good to many, or, The publick good is the Christians life…
How to do good to many, or, The public good is the Christians life directions and motives to it, intended for an auditory of London citizens, and published for them, for want of leave to preach them / by Richard Baxter.How to do good to many, or, The publick good is the Christians life directions and motives to it, intended for an auditory of London citizens, and published for them, for want of leave to preach them / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Rob. Gibs, 1682
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.
II. Is it not possible, at least to help the poor ignorant Armenians, Greeks, Muscovites, and other Christians, who have no Printing among them, nor much Preaching or knowledge; and for want of Printing have very few Bibles, even for their Churches or Ministers? Could nothing be done to get some Bibles, Catechisms, and practical books printed in their own tongues and given among them? I know there is difficulty in the way: But money and willingness and diligence might do something.
II. Is it not possible, at least to help the poor ignorant Armenians, Greeks, Moscovites, and other Christians, who have no Printing among them, nor much Preaching or knowledge; and for want of Printing have very few Bibles, even for their Churches or Ministers? Could nothing be done to get some Bibles, Catechisms, and practical books printed in their own tongues and given among them? I know there is difficulty in the way: But mony and willingness and diligence might do something.
III. Might not something be done in other Plantations as well as in New-England, towards the Conversion of the Natives there? Might not some skilful zealous Preachers be sent thither, who would both promote serious piety among those of the English that have too little of it, and might invite the Americans to learn the Gospel, and teach our Planters how to behave themselves Christianly towards them, to win them to Christ?
IV. Is it not possible to do more than hath been done, to Convert the Blacks that are our own slaves or servants to the Christian faith? Hath not Mr. Goodwin justly reprehended and lamented the neglect, yea and resistance of this work in Barbados? and the like elsewhere? 1. Might not better Teachers be sent thither for that use? 2. Is it not an odious crime of Christians to hinder the Conversion of these Infidels, lest they lose their service by it, and to prefer their gain before mens Souls? Is not this to sell Souls for a little money, as Judas did his Lord? And whereas the Law manumits them from servitude when they turn Christians, that it may invite them to Conversion, and this occasioneth wicked Christians to hinder them from