A Christian Directory, Part 1: Christian EthicsBaxter, Richard
Religion
A Christian Directory, Part 1: Christian Ethics
Baxter, Richard
Casuistry; Christian sociology
of the "Catholic Church," and my "Key for Catholics," and my "Safe
Religion," and my "Disputations against Johnson," and my
"Winding-sheet for Popery."
[Sidenote: By scrupulosity.]
3. Another temptation to confound you in your religion, is, by filling
your heads with practical scrupulosity; so that you cannot go on for
doubting every step whether you go right; and when you should
cheerfully serve your Master, you will do nothing but disquiet your
minds with scruples, whether this or that be right or wrong. Your
remedy here, is not by casting away all care of pleasing God, or fear
of sinning, or by debauching conscience; but by a cheerful and quiet
obedience to God, so far as you know his will, and an upright
willingness and endeavour to understand it better; and a thankful
receiving the gospel pardon for your failings and infirmities. Be
faithful in your obedience; but live still upon Christ, and think not
of reaching to any such obedience, as shall set you above the need of
his merits, and a daily pardon of your sins. Do the best you can to
know the will of God and do it: but when you know the essentials of
religion, and obey sincerely, let no remaining wants deprive you of
the comfort of that so great a mercy, as proves your right to life
eternal. In your seeking further for more knowledge and obedience, let
your care be such as tendeth to your profiting, and furthering you to
your end, and as doth not hinder your joy and thanks for what you have
received: but that which destroyeth your joy and thankfulness, and
doth but perplex you, and not further you in your way, is but hurtful
scrupulosity, and to be laid by. When you are right in the main, thank
God for that, and be further solicitous so far as to help you on, but
not to hinder you. If you send your servant on your message, you had
rather he went on his way as well as he can, than stand scrupling
every step whether he should set the right or left foot forward; and
whether he should step so far, or so far at a time, &c. Hindering
scruples please not God.
[Sidenote: By setting you on overdoing by your own inventions.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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