A Christian directory, or, A summ of practical theologie and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortifie every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.

CHAP. II. Memorandum's to Civil Rulers for the interest of Christ, the Church, and mens Salvation.

§. 1. Memor. 1. REmember that your power is from God, and therefore for God, and not against* 1.1 God, Rom. 13. 2, 3, 4. You are his Ministers, and can have no power except it be* 1.2 given you from above, Joh. 19. 11. Remember therefore that as Constables are your officers and subjects, so you are the officers and subjects of God, and the Re∣deemer; and are infinitely more below him, than the lowest subject is below you: And that you owe him more obedience, than can be due to you: And therefore should study his Laws (in Na∣ture and Scripture), and make them your daily meditation and delight. Iosh. 1. 3, 4, 5. Psal. 1. 2, 3. Deut. 17. 18, 19, 20. And remember how strict a judgement you must undergo when you must give account of your Stewardship; and the greater have been your dignities and mercies, if they are abused by ungodliness, the greater will be your punishment, Luk. 16. 2. & 12. 48.

§. 2. Memorand. 2. Remember therefore and watch most carefully, that you never own or espouse any* 1.3 Interest which is adverse to the Will or Interest of Christ: and that you never fall out with his interest* 1.4 or his ordinances; and that no temptation ever perswade you that the Interest of Christ and the Go∣spel and the Church, is an enemy to you, or against your real interest: and that you keep not up suspi∣cions against them: But see that you devote your selves and your power wholly to his Will and Service, and make all your interest stand in a pure subservience to him, as it stands in a real depen∣dance on him.

§. 3. Memorand. 3. Remember that under God, your End is the publick good: Therefore desire* 1.5 nothing to your selves, nor do nothing to others, which is really against your End.

§. 4. Memorand. 4. Remember therefore that all your Laws are to be but subservient to the Laws* 1.6 of God, to promote the obedience of them with your Subjects, and never to be either contrary to them, nor co-ordinate, or independant on them: But as the By Laws of Corporations are in respect to the Laws and will of the soveraign power; which have all their Life and power therefrom.

§. 5. Memorand. 5. Let none perswade you that you are such terrestrial animals that have nothing* 1.7 to do with the Heavenly concernments of your subjects: For if once men think that the end of your office is only the bodily prosperity of the people, and the End of the Ministry is the good of their souls, it will tempt them to prefer a Minister before you as they prefer their souls before their bodies: And they that are taught to contemn these earthly things, will be ready to think they must contemn your office; seeing no means as such can be better than the end. There is no such thing as a temporal Happiness to any people, but what tendeth to the happiness of their souls; and must be thereby measured, and thence be estimated. Though Ministers are more immediately employed about the soul, yet your office is ultimately for the happiness of souls as well as theirs; though bodily things (rewards or punishments) are the means by which you may promote it, which Ministers as such may not meddle with. Therefore you are custodes utrius{que} tabulae, and must bend the force of all your Government, to the saving of the peoples souls. And as to the objection from Heathen* 1.8 Governours, distinguish between the Office, and an Aptitude to exercise it; The Office consisteth, 1. In an Obligation to do the duty, 2. And in Authority to do it: Both these a Heathen Ruler hath (else the omission were a duty and not a sin). But it is the Aptitude to do the duty of his place which

a Heathen wanteth: and he wanteth it culpably: and therefore the omission is his sin: Even as it is the sin of an insufficient Minister that he doth not Preach; For the Question is of the like na∣ture, and will have the like solution: Whether an ignorant Minister be bound to Preach, who is unable or Heretical? It is Aptitude that he wanteth, and neither Authority nor Obligation if he be really a Minister: But he is obliged in this Order, first to get Abilities and then to Preach: so is it in the present case.

§. 6. Memorand. 6. Encourage and strengthen a Learned, Holy, self denying, serious, laborious* 1.9 Ministry: as knowing that the same Lord hath commissioned them in the institution of their office, who instituted yours: and that it is such men that are suited to the work for which their office was appointed: And that souls are precious: and those that are the Guides and Physicions of souls, can never be too well furnished, nor too diligent. And the Church hath no where prosper∣ed on earth, but in the prosperity of the abilities, holiness and diligence of their Pastors: God hath alwayes built by such, and the Devil hath pulled down by pulling down such.

§. 7. Memorand. 7. Remember that the people that are seriously Religious, that Love and Worship* 1.10 and Obey the Lord, with all their heart, are the best of your subjects, and the honour of your Do∣minions:* 1.11 see therefore that serious Godliness be every where encouraged, and that the prophane and ignorant rabble be never encouraged in their enmity and opposition to it: And that true Fa∣naticism, Hypocrisie and Schism be so prudently discountenanced and supprest, that none may have encouragement to set themselves against Godliness, under the slander or pretension of such names. If Christianity be better than Heathenism, those Christians then are they that must be * 1.12 countenanced, who go further in Holiness and Charity and Justice than Heathens do, rather than those that go no further (besides Opinions and Formalities) than a Cato a Plato or Socrates have done. If all Religion were a deceit, it were fit to be banished, and Atheism professed, and men confess themselves to be but bruits: But if there be a God, there must be a Religion: And if we must be Religious, we must sure be so in seriousness, and not hypocrisie and jeast. It being no such small contemptible matter, to be turned into dissembling complement.

§. 8. Memorand. 8. Endeavour the Unity and Concord of all the Churches and Christians that are* 1.13 under your Government, and that upon the terms which all Christs Churches have sometime been united in: that is; In the Holy Scriptures implicitly as the General Rule: In the ancient Creeds explicitly as the sum of our Credenda; and in the Lords Prayer as the summary of our Expetenda, and in the Decalogue as the summary of our Agenda; supposing that we live in peaceable Obedience to our Gover∣nours, whose Laws must rule us not only in things Civil, but in the Ordering of those circumstances of Wor∣ship and discipline, which God hath left to their determination.

§. 9. Memorand. 9. Let all things in Gods Worship be done to Edification, decently and in Or∣der,* 1.14 and the body honour God as well as the soul: But yet see that the Ornaments or garments of Religion, be never used against the substance; but that Holiness, Unity, Charity and Peace, have al∣way the precedency.

§. 10. Memorand. 10. Let the fear of sinning against God, be cherished in all, and let there be* 1.15 a tenderness for such as are over scrupulous and fearful in some smaller things; and let not things* 1.16 be ordered so as shall most tend to the advantage of debauched Consciences, that dare say or do any thing for their carnal ends. For they are truest to their Governours that are truest to their God: And when it is the wrath of God and Hell that a man is afraid of, it is pity he should be too eagerly spurred on: The unconscionable sort will be true to their Governours, no longer than it serves their interest: Therefore Conscientiousness should be encouraged.

§. 11. Memorand. 11. If the Clergy or most Religious people offend, let their punishment be such* 1.17 as falleth only on themselves, and reacheth not Christ, nor the Gospel, nor the Church. Punish* 1.18 not Christ for his servants failings, nor the Gospel for them that sin against it; nor the souls of the people for their Pastors faults: But see that the interest of Christ and mens souls be still secured.

§. 12. Memorand. 12. If the dissentions of Lawyers or States-men make factions in the Com∣mon-wealth,* 1.19 let not the fault be laid on Religion, though some Divines fall into either faction: When the difference is not in Divinity, but in Law Cases, blame not Religion for that which it hath no hand in: And watch against Satan, who alway laboureth to make Civil factions or diffe∣rences tend, to the dishonour of Religion, and the detriment of the Church and Gospel.

§. 13. Memorand. 13. Take those that are Covetous, ambitious or selfish, and seek for prefer∣ment,* 1.20 to be the unfittest to be consulted with in the matters of Religion, and the unfittest to be trusted with the charge of souls: And let the humble, mortified, self-denying men, be taken as fitter Pastors for the Churches.

§. 14. Memorand. 14. Side not with any faction of contentious Pastors, to the oppression of the* 1.21 rest, when the difference is in tolerable things: But rather drive them on to unity upon condescend∣ing* 1.22 and forbearing terms: For there will else be no end; but the faction which you side with, will break into more factions, and the Church will receive damage by the loss of the oppressed party; and by the Division much more. What lamentable work the contentions of the Bishops have made in the Churches in all Ages since the primitive times, all History doth too openly declare! And how much a holy prudent peaceable Magistrate can do to keep peace among them, more than will be done if their own impetuosity be left unrestrained, it is easie to observe: Especially if he keep the Sword in his own hand, and trust it not in the hands of Church-men, especially of one faction to the oppression of the rest.

§. 15. Memorand. 15. Believe not the accusations that are brought against the Faithful Ministers* 1.23 of Christ, till they are proved, and judge not them or any of his servants upon the reports of Adver∣saries, till they have spoken for themselves: For the common corruption of depraved nature doth engage all the ungodly in such an enmity against holiness, that there is little Truth or Righteousness to be expected from wicked and malitious lips, for any holy cause or person. And if such per∣sons find but entertainment and encouragement, their malice will abound, and their calumnies will* 1.24 be impudent: which is the sense of, Prov. 29. 12. If a Ruler hearken to lyes, all his servants are wicked. The example of Saul and Doeg is but such, as would be ordinary, if Rulers would but hearken to such calumniators.

§. 16. Memorand. 16. When the case is doubtful about using punishments and severities against the* 1.25 scrupulous in the matters of Religion, remember your General Directions, and see what influence they must have into such particulars; as that the very work and end of your office is, that under your Government the people may live quietly and peaceably in all Godliness and Honesty, 1 Tim. 2. 2.* 1.26 and that Rulers are not a terrour to good works but to evil, and for the praise of them that do good; and ministers of God to us for good; and revengers to execute wrath upon them that do evil, Rom. 13. 3, 4. and remember the danger of persecution, as described, Matth. 18. 6, 10, 14. and 1 Thes. 2. 15, 16. and 2 Chron. 36. 14, 15, 16, 17. and that he that doubteth of things indifferent is damned if he do them, because he doth them not of faith, Rom. 14. 23. And remember whom and what it is that God himself forgiveth and forbeareth: And alwayes difference the Infirmities of serious con∣scionable Christians, from the wickedness of unconscionable and ungodly men. Yet not extenuating the wickedness of any, because of his hypocritical profession of Religion.

§. 17. Memorand. 17. Remember that you must be examples of Holiness to the People: and shun* 1.27 all those sins which you would have them shun, and be eminent in all those virtues which you would commend unto them. This is not only necessary to the happiness of those under you, but also for* 1.28 the saving of your selves. As Paul saith to Timothy, Take heed unto thy self, and unto the doctrine, * 1.29 continue in them: for in doing this, thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee, 1 Tim. 4. 16.

so may I say to Rulers, Take heed to your selves and unto Government, and continue herein; for in do∣ing* 1.30 this, you will save your selves and those you govern. They that are good are likest to do good: but the wicked will do wickedly, Dan. 12. 10.

The chief means for Rulers to become thus Holy and exemplary is, 1. To hearken to the doctrine and counsel of the Word of the Lord, and to meditate in it day and night, Iosh. 1. 3, 4. Deut. 17. 18, 19, 20. And to have faithful, holy and self-denying Teachers, 2 Chron. 20. 20. 2. To beware of the company and counsels of the wicked. Prov. 25. 4, 5. Take away the wicked from before the King, and his Throne shall be established in Righteousness. 3. To watch most carefully against the special temptations of their great places, especially against sensuality and Pride, and preferring their own Honour, and Interest and Will, before the Honour and Interest and Will of Jesus Christ. Eccles. 10. 16, 17. Woe to thee O Land, when thy King is a Child, and thy Princes eat in the morning: Blessed art thou O Land, when thy King is the Son of Nobles, and thy Princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness. It is an abomination to Kings to commit wickedness: for the Throne is established by Righteousness, Prov. 16. 12. 4. To remember alwayes the End of Holiness. How sure a way it is to Glory hereafter, and to leave a sweet and glorious name and memorial upon earth; when wickedness is the certain way to shame on earth, and misery for ever.

§. 18. Memorand. 18. Rulers should not be contented to do good at home, and to be the Joy and* 1.31 blessing of their own subjects, but also set their hearts to the promoting of faith, and holiness, and Concord throughout the Churches of the World; And to improve their interests in Princes and States by amicable correspondencies and treaties to these ends; that they may be blessings to the utmost extent of their capacities. As Constantine interceded with the Persian King to forbear the* 1.32 persecuting of Christians in his Dominion, &c—But I shall presume to speak no farther to my Su∣periours: In the Golden Age these Memorandum's will be practised.

I will only annex Erasmus his Image of a Good Prince, and of a Bad, recited by Alstedius Encyclop. l. 23. Polit. c. 3. pag. 173, 174.

The Image of a good Prince out of Erasmus. If you will draw the picture of a good Prince, delineate some Coelestial wight, liker to God than to a man▪ absolute in all perfections of virtue; Given for the good of all: yea sent from Heaven for the relief of mortal mens affairs: which being (ocula••issimum) most discerning, look∣eth to all! to whom nothing is more regarded, nothing more sweet than the Common-wealth: who hath more than a fatherly affection unto all: To whom every ones life is dearer than his own: who night and day is doing and endeavouring nothing else, but that it may be very well with all: who hath Rewards in readiness for all that are good: and pardon for the bad, if so be they will betake them to a better course: That so freely desireth to deserve well of his Subjects, that if it be needful he will not stick to preserve their safety by his own peril; that taketh his Countrys Commodity to be his own gain: that alwayes watcheth that others may sleep quietly: that leav∣eth himself no quiet vacancy, that his Countrey may live in quiet vacancy or peace: that afflicteth himself with successive cares, that his Subjects may enjoy tranquellity: To conclude, on whose Vir∣tue it is that the Publick happiness doth depend.

The Image of a bad Prince. Ibid. If you would set forth a bad Prince to the eye, you must paint some savage horrid beast, made up of such monstrosities as a Dragon, a Wolf, a Lyon, a Viper, a Bear, &c. every way armed, with six hundred eyes: every way toothed; every way terrible with hooked talons, of an in∣satiable paunch; fed with mens bowels; drunk with mans blood; that watcheth to prey upon the lives and fortunes of all the people: troublesome to all, but specially to the good: a fatal evil to the World; which all curse and hate who wish well to the Common-wealth: which can nei∣ther be endured because of his cruelty, nor yet taken away without the great calamity of the World, because wickedness is armed with Guards and Riches.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Memor. 1.
• * 1.2

  Finis ad quem Rex principa∣liter intendere debet in s••ip∣so & in sub∣ditis, est ae••er∣na beatitudo, quae in visione Dei consistit. Et quia ista visio est per∣fectissimum bonum maxime movere debet Regem & quemcun{que} Dominum, ut hunc finem subditi consequantur. Lib. de Regim. Principum Thomae ad∣script. Grot. de Imper. sum. Pot. p. 9. Even Aristotle could say Polit. 7. c. 1, 2. & Eudem. fine. that each mans active and contempla∣tive life, is the end of Government and not only the publick peace: and that that is the best life which conduceth most to our consideration of God, and that is the worst, which calleth us off from considering and worshiping him. Vide Grot. de Imper. sum. Pot. p. 10.

  Quam multa injuste fieri possunt, quae nemo possit reprehendere. Cicero de fin. Read Plutarks Precepts of Policy, and that Old men should be Rulers.
• * 1.3

  Memor. 2.
• * 1.4

  Read often Psalm 2. & Psalm 101.
• * 1.5

  Memor. 3.
• * 1.6

  Memor. 4.
• * 1.7

  Memor. 5.
• * 1.8

  Read Bilson of subject. p. 129. to the end of the second part: specially p. 140, 141, 142. the Laws of Charles the Great. And Grotius de Imperio sum. Pot. circa sacrá cap. 1. & per totu••.
• * 1.9

  Memor. 6.
• * 1.10

  Memor. 7.
• * 1.11

  I〈…〉〈…〉 saith of the An••o〈…〉〈…〉, that they would not be sa••••ted by filthy persons: And ••amprid. of Al••xand. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that N••s••••h▪ n••stos & borae ••amae homines ad salutationem non admi••t: Juss••••que ut nemo ingrediatur, nisi qui se innocentem novit: Per praeconem edixit, ut nemo salutaret principem qui se furem esse nosset, ne aliquando detectus cap••••ali supplie•••• sub••eretur. Read Sebastian. Foxius de Regno Regis••; institutione.
• * 1.12

  Even Croesus, Dionysius and I••lia•• were liberal to Philosophers and ambitious of their converse. Vera civitatis foelicitas est, ut Dei sit amans & amata Deo: illum sibi re∣gem, se illius populum agnoscat. August. de civi••. Dei. l. 5. c. 14.
• * 1.13

  Memor. 8.
• * 1.14

  Memor. 9.
• * 1.15

  Memor. 10.
• * 1.16

  August. Ep. ••o. isa••. Omnes Reges qui populo Dei non pro∣hibuerunt nec everterunt quae contra Dei praecepta fuerunt instituta, culpantur. Qui prohibuerunt & everterunt, super aliorum merita, laudantur.
• * 1.17

  Memor. 11.
• * 1.18

  When Hunne∣richus the Arrian Vandal King was re∣solved to ba∣nish imprison and otherwise persecute the Orthodox Bishops and Pastors, he first tryeth them by threatnings and divers cruelties, and after appointeth a publick Disputation; where his Bishops and Officers having no better pretence, cruelly beat the people and Pastors, and then falsly tell the King that by tumult and clamour they avoided disputing: And at last he calleth together all the Pastors that were met for the disputa∣tion, and to ensnare them, putteth an Oath upon them, [that after the Kings death they would take his Son for their King, and that they would send no Letters beyond Sea] This Oath divided the Orthodox among themselves. For one part of the Bishops and Pastors said, [If we refuse a Lawful Oath, our people will say that we forsake them, and the dissolution o•• the Churches will be imputed to ••s: [The other part perceiving the snare, were fain to pretend Christs command, [Swear not at all.] The King having separated them, and the Officers took all their names, sendeth them all to prison: To those that took the Oath they said, [Because that contrary to the command of the Gospel, you would swear, you shall see your Cities and Churches no more, but be sent into the Countrey to till the ground: but so that you presume not to sing Psalms, or Pray, or carty a Book, or Baptize, or Ordain or absolve.] To those that refused the Oath, they said [Because you desired not the Reign of the Kings Son, and therefore refused the Oath, you shall be banished to the Isle of Corsica, to cut Wood for the Ships. Victor. Utic. p. (mihi) 456, 457. Generalis Jesuitarum ex nimio absoluti imperii amore, del••turas in sci••nia sua admittit, iis{que} credit, non audito eo qui accusatur: quod injustitiae genus ab ethnicis ipsis improbatur. Imperando non bonis Regibus se facit similem, qui senatum magni fecerunt; sed Tyrannos mavult imitari, e. g. Tarquinium superbum, qui ante omnia co∣natus est debilitare senatus numerum & authoritatem, ut omnia suo libitu facere posset; similiter Generalis cum Assisten••ibus suis odit sy∣nodos generales, omnia{que} experitur, ne tales instituantur conventus, quibus rerum ges••arum reddere rationem necesse habeat.—Ge∣neralis Jesuit. in eligendis officialibus non curat quod sit cujus{que} talentum aut dotes eminentiores, sed quam benè secum aut cum Pro∣vinciali suo CONFORMETUR: quae causa est ••u•• homines viles & abjecti animi officiis praeponantur, qui à superioribus duci se sinant ut nervis alienis mobile lig••um. Mariana de Refor. Iesuit. c. 13, 15, 16, 18. in Arcan. I••s••it. p. 131, 132. recit. in Apolo••. Giraldi.

  Nulla est latronum societatas in qua Justitia non plus loci habeat, quam in societate nostra, &c.—Ubi non modo scientia & ignorantia in aequo sunt, sed etiam scientia impedimento est, quo minus quis consequatur praemia humano a•• diuino jure debita. Marian. Aphor. 84. c. 12. &c. 14, 89. Aph. 87, &c. The rest is worth the reading as a warning from a Jesuite to the Governours of State and Church. Aph. 80. c. 11. Superiores societatis nostrae sunt homines indigni, qui officiis praesint, cum Generalis metuat ac sublatos velit, quorum eminentes sunt virtutes. Boni quam mali, ei suspectiores sunt. This and abundance more saith Mariana a Jesuite of 96 years of age, learned in Hebrew, Chaldee, Syriack, Greek and Latine, of his own Society.
• * 1.19

  Memor. 12.
• * 1.20

  Memor. 13.
• * 1.21

  Memor. 14.
• * 1.22

  Lamprid. Numbers it with Alexand. Mam. Sever'es good works [Judaeis pri∣vilegia reser∣vavit: Chri∣stianos esse passus est.] Nam illo tempore cru∣delius Arrianorum Episcopi, Presbyteri, Clerici, quam Rex & Vandali saeviebant. Id. p. 468
• * 1.23

  Memor. 15.
• * 1.24

  Justitiae mu∣nus primum est, ut ne cui quis noceat nisi lacessitus injuria. Cicero. Prov. 17. 7. Prov. 28. 16. Psal. 119. 23. Prov. 25. 2. Leg. Epist. M. Ciceronis ad fratrem.
• * 1.25

  Memor. 16.
• * 1.26

  Quis mihi imponat ne∣cessitatem vel credendi quod nolim, vel quod velim non credendi▪ Lactant. li. 5. cap. 13.
• * 1.27

  Memor. 17.
• * 1.28

  Laert. in Solon. reciteth one of his sayin••s [Populi re∣ctor prius se quam populum recte instituere debet: si principes & majores secundum leges vi••erint, unaquaeque civitas optimè rege poterit, pag. 31.
• * 1.29

  Or spend thy time in them. Dr. Ham.
• * 1.30

  Luk. 18 22, 24. Deut. 17. 20. Prov. 29. 14. Prov. 22. 29. Prov. 16. 13. Prov. 31. 3, 4. 2 Chron. 32. 25. & 26. 16. Ezek. 28. 2, 5, 17. Luk. 12. 19, 20. Luk. 16. 19, 20, 25. It is a sad ob∣servation of Acosta l▪ 5. c. 9. p. 474. Ac r••••psa c••r∣toque usu observatum est, eas Indorum nationes plures ac graviores superstitionis diabolicae species tenuisse, in quibus Regum ac Reip. maximè potentia & peritia excelluit. Con••ra qui tenuiorem ••ortunam minusque Reip. accommodatam fortiti sunt, in his mu••••o Idololatria par••ior est; usque adeo ut nonnullas Indorum gentes omni Idolorum religione vacare, quidam pro certo confirment. Ex bonae fidei scripto∣ribus super alia•• innumeras, haec praecipua capitur utilitas; quod non alia res aequè vel bonorum Regum animos ad res cum laude ge••endas accendit, vel T••rannorum cupid••tates cohibet, ac refraenat▪ dum utrique cernunt horum literis suam vitam omnem, mox in totius orbis, imo saecul••••um omniam thea••rum producenda••. Et quic u d in abdito nunc vel parrant, vel ad••cito fuco prae exunt, vel metu dissimulari cogunt, verius quam ignorari, pau••o post clarissimam in lucem sub oculis omnium traducendum: quum jam metu pariter ac spe libera posteritas, nec ullo corrupta studio, magno consensu rectè fact••s applaudet, parique libertate his diversa explodet, exibilabitque. Erasm. Pr••fat. in Sueto••.
• * 1.31

  Memor. 18.
• * 1.32

  E••s••b. in vitâ Coast.