A Christian Directory, Part 2: Christian EconomicsBaxter, Richard
Religion
A Christian Directory, Part 2: Christian Economics
Baxter, Richard
Casuistry; Christian sociology
_Direct._ IX. Choose not your own calling or trade of life,
without the choice or consent of your parents. You may tell them what
you are most inclined to, but it belongeth more to them than to you to
make the choice; and it is your part to bring your wills to theirs.
Unless your parents choose a calling for you that is unlawful; and
then you may (with humble submissiveness) refuse it. But if it be only
inconvenient, you have liberty afterward to change it for a better, if
you can, when you are from under their disposal and government.
_Direct._ X. Marry not without your parents' consent. Nay, if it
may be, let their choice determine first of the person, and not your
own: unexperienced youth doth choose by fancy and passion, when your
experienced parents will choose by judgment. But if they would force
you to join yourselves to such as are ungodly, and like to make your
lives either sinful or miserable, you may humbly refuse them. But you
must remain unmarried, while by the use of right means you can live in
chastity, till your parents are in a better mind. But if indeed you
have a flat necessity of marrying, and your parents will consent to
none but one of a false religion, or one that is utterly unfit for
you, in such a case they forfeit their authority in that point, which
is given them for their edification, and not for your destruction; and
then you should advise with other friends that are more wise and
faithful: but if you suffer your fond affections to contradict your
parents' wills, and pretend a necessity, (that you cannot change your
affections,) as if your folly were uncurable; this is but to enter
sinfully into that state of life, which should have been sanctified to
God, that he might have blessed it to you.
_Direct._ XI. If your parents be in want, it is your duty to
relieve them according to your ability; yea, and wholly to maintain
them, if there be need. For it is not possible by all that you can do,
that ever you can be on even terms with them; or ever requite them for
what you have received of them. It is base inhumanity, when parents
come to poverty, for children to put them off with some short
allowance, and to make them live almost like their servants, when you
have riches and plenty for yourselves. Your parents should still be
maintained by you as your superiors, and not as inferiors. See that
they fare as well as yourselves; yea, though you got not your riches
by their means, yet even for your being you are their debtors for more
than that.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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