A Christian Directory, Part 4: Christian PoliticsBaxter, Richard
Religion
A Christian Directory, Part 4: Christian Politics
Baxter, Richard
Casuistry; Christian sociology
_Direct._ XXXI. Human infirmities must be supposed in the best
and strongest christians. All have their errors and their faults;
divines themselves as well as others. Therefore either some errors and
faults must be accounted tolerable, or else no two persons must
tolerate one another in the world, but kill on till the strongest only
shall survive. "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which
are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness,
considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's
burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ," Gal. vi. 1, 2. And if the
strong must be borne with themselves, "then they that are strong ought
to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please themselves; but
every one to please his neighbour for his good to edification; for
even Christ pleased not himself," &c. Rom. xv. 1-3. "And him that is
weak in the faith we must receive; but not to doubtful disputations,"
Rom. xiv. 1.
_Direct._ XXXII. The pastors must not be impatient under the
abuses which they receive from weak or distempered brethren. We must
excel others in patience, and meekness, and forbearance, as much as we
do in knowledge, and in other graces. If the nurse or mother will take
every word or action of the child, as if it were the injury of an
enemy, there will be no preservation of the family in peace! If
children cry, or fight, or chide, or make any foul or troublesome
work, the mother will not therefore turn them out of doors, or use
them like strangers, but remember that it is her place and duty to
bear with that weakness which she cannot cure. The proud impatience of
the pastors hath frequently brought them into the guilt of
persecution, to the alienating of the people's hearts, and the
distraction and division of the churches: when poor, distempered
persons are offended with them, and it may be revile them, and call
them seducers, or antichristian, or superstitious, or what their pride
and passion shall suggest: or if some weak ones raise up some
erroneous opinions, alas! many pastors have no more wit, or grace, or
pity, than presently to be rough with them, and revile them again, and
seek to right themselves by ways of force, and club down every error
and contention; when they should overcome them by evidence of truth,
and by meekness, patience, and love. (Though there be place also for
severity, with turbulent, implacable, impenitent heretics.)
_Direct._ XXXIII. Time of learning and overcoming their mistakes,
must be allowed to those that are misinformed. We must not turn those
of the lower forms out of Christ's school, because they learn not as
much as those of the higher forms in a few weeks or years. The Holy
Ghost teacheth those who for the time might have been teachers of others,
and yet had need to be taught the first principles, Heb. v. 11, 12. He
doth not turn them out of the church for their non-proficiency. And
where there is ignorance there will be error.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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