A Christian Directory, Part 2: Christian Economics — John Shaqi
A Christian Directory, Part 2: Christian EconomicsBaxter, Richard
Religion
A Christian Directory, Part 2: Christian Economics
Baxter, Richard
Casuistry; Christian sociology
This worship is of two sorts, whereof the first is by an excellency
called worship, viz. When the honouring of God is so directly the end
and whole business of the work, that our own advantage falls in but
impliedly, and in evident subordination: such are the blessed works of
praise and thanksgiving, which we here begin and shall in heaven
perpetuate. Yet see a more admirable mystery of true religion; we
indeed receive more largely from God, and enjoy more fully our own
felicity in him, in these acts of worship, that give all to God, than
in the other, wherein we more directly seek for somewhat from him. And
those are the second sort of worship actions, viz. When the substance
or matter of the work is a seeking or receiving somewhat from God, or
delivering something religiously in his name, and so is more directly
for ourselves; though yet it is God that should be our ultimate end in
this too. You may perceive I make this of three sorts. Whereof the
first consisteth in our religious addresses to God for something that
we want; and is called prayer. The second consisteth in our religious
addresses to God to receive somewhat from him; viz. 1. Instructions,
precepts, promises, threatenings, from his mouth, messengers, &c. 2.
The sacramental signs of his grace in baptism and the Lord's supper.
The third is, when the officers of Christ do in his name solemnly
deliver either his laws or sacraments. His laws either in general by
ordinary preaching, or by a more particular application in acts of
discipline.
2. The word solemn signifies sometimes any thing usual, and so some
derive it, _Solenne est quod fieri solet_. Sometimes that which
is done but on one set day in the year; and so some make
_solenne_ to be _quasi solum semel in anno_. But vulgarly it
is taken, and so we take it here, for both _celebre et usitatum_,
that is, a thing that is not accidentally and seldom, but statedly and
ordinarily to be done, and that with such gravity and honourable
seriousness as beseems a business of such weight.
3. By family we mean, not a tribe or stock of kindred, dwelling in
many houses, as the word is taken oft in Scripture, but I mean a
household.
_Domus et familia_, a household and family, are indeed in economics
somewhat different notions, but one thing. _Domus_ is to _familia_ as
_civitas_ to _respublica_, the former is made the subject of the
latter, the latter the _finis internus_ of the former. And so _Domus
est societas naturæ consentanea, e personis domesticis, vitæ in dies
omnes commode sustentandæ causa, collecta. Familia est ordo domus per
regimen patris-familias in personas sibi subjectas_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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