A Christian Directory, Part 4: Christian PoliticsBaxter, Richard
Religion
A Christian Directory, Part 4: Christian Politics
Baxter, Richard
Casuistry; Christian sociology
7. He that will walk uprightly must be the master of his passion; not
stupid, but calm and sober. Though some passion is needful to excite
the understanding to its duty, yet that which is inordinate doth
powerfully deceive the mind. Men are very apt to be confident of what
they passionately apprehend; and passionate judgments are frequently
mistaken, and ever to be suspected; it being exceeding difficult to
entertain any passion which shall not in some measure pervert our
reason; which is one great reason why the most confident are
ordinarily the most erroneous and blind. Be sure therefore whenever
you are injured, or passion any way engaged, to set a double guard
upon your judgments.[8]
8. He that will walk uprightly, must not only difference between
simple good and evil, but between a greater good and a less; for most
sin in the world consisteth in preferring a lesser good before a
greater. He must still keep the balance in his hand, and compare good
with good; otherwise he will make himself a religion of sin, and
prefer sacrifice before mercy; and will hinder the gospel and men's
salvation for a ceremony, and violate the bonds of love and
faithfulness for every opinion which he calleth truth; and will tithe
mint and cummin, while he neglecteth the great things of the law. When
a lesser good is preferred before a greater, it is a sin, and the
common way of sinning. It is not then a duty when it is inconsistent
with a greater good.[9]
9. He must ever have a conjunct respect to the command and the end:
the good of some actions is but little discernible any where, but in
the command; and others are evidently good because of the good they
tend to. We must neither do evil and break a law, that good may come
by it; nor yet pretend obedience to do mischief, as if God had made
his laws for destruction of the church or men's souls, and not for
edification.[10]
10. He must keep in union with the universal church, and prefer its
interest before the interest of any party whatsoever, and do nothing
that tendeth to its hurt.[11]
11. He must love his neighbour as himself, and do as he would be done
by, and love his enemies and forgive wrongs; and bear their defamations
as his own.[12]
12. He must be impartial, and not lose his judgment and charity in the
opinion or interest of a party or sect: nor think all right that is
held or done by those that he best liketh; nor all wrong that is held
or done by those that are his adversaries. But judge of the words and
deeds of those that are against him, as if they had been said or done
by those of his own side: else he will live in slandering, backbiting,
and gross unrighteousness.[13]
13. He must be deliberate in judging of things and persons; not rash
or hasty in believing reports or receiving opinions; not judging of
truths by the first appearance, but search into the naked evidence:
nor judging of persons by prejudice, fame, and common talk.[14]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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