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
But God's pleasure and
glory is the end of his government, and is, as it were, the public or
universal good. 2. In that nature teacheth us, that supreme honour is
due to all that are supreme governors; therefore they are to have the
most honourable titles, of majesty, highness, excellency, &c. and
actions answerable to those titles: Mal. i. 6, "If I be a father,
where is mine honour? if I be a master, where is my fear?" Fear is oft
put for all God's worship. If then there be no family whereof God is
not the Father or Founder, and the Master, or Owner and Governor, then
there is none but should honour and fear him, or worship him, and that
not only as single men, but as families; because he is not only the
Father and Master, the Lord and Ruler of them as men, but also as
families. Honour is as due to the rector, as protection to the
subjects, and in our case much more. God is not a mere titular but
real Governor. All powers on earth are derived from him, and are
indeed his power. All lawful governors are his officers, and hold
their places under him, and act by him. As God therefore is the proper
Sovereign of every commonwealth, and the Head of the church, so is he
the Head of every family. Therefore as every commonwealth should
perform such worship or honour to their earthly sovereign, as is due
to man; so each society should, according to their capacities, perform
divine worship and honour to God. And if any object, That by this rule
commonwealths, as such, must meet together to worship God, which is
impossible; I answer, They must worship him according to their natural
capacities; and so must families according to theirs. The same general
precept obligeth to a diverse manner of duty according to the divers
capacities of the subject. Commonwealths must, in their representatives
at least, engage themselves to God as commonwealths, and worship him
in the most convenient way that they are capable of. Families may meet
together for prayer, though a nation cannot. As an association of
churches, called a provincial or national church, is obliged to
worship God, as well as particular congregations, yet not in one
place; because it is impossible: nature limiteth and maketh the
difference.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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