A Christian Directory, Part 1: Christian Ethics

by Richard Baxter

Instance V. Many separate the natural power of a sinner from his moral impotency, and his natural freedom of will from his moral servitude, as if they were inconsistent, when they are conjunct. As if the natural faculty might not consist with an evil disposition; or a natural power with an habitual unwillingness to exercise it aright. And as if a sinner were not still a man.

Instance VI. Many separate general and special grace and redemption, as inconsistent, when they are conjunct; when the general is the proper way and means of accomplishing the ends of the special grace, and is still supposed. As if God could not give more to some, if he give any thing to all. Or as if he gave nothing to all, if he give more to any. As if he could not deal equally and without difference with all as a legislator, and righteously with all as a judge, unless he deal equally and without difference with all as a benefactor, in the free distribution of his gifts. As if he were obliged to make every worm and beast a man, and every man a king, and every king an angel, and every clod a star, and every star a sun!

Instance VII. Many separate the glory of God and man's salvation, God and man, in assigning the ultimate end of man! As if a moral intention might not take in both! As if it were not finis amantis; and the end of a lover were not union in mutual love! As if love to God may not be for ever the final act, and God himself the final object: and as if, in this magnetic closure, though both may be called the end, yet there might not in the closing parties be an infinite disproportion, and only one be finis ultimate ultimus.

Instance VIII. Yea, many would separate God from God, while they would separate God from heaven, and say that we must be content to be shut out of heaven for the love of God; when our heaven is the perfect love of God. And so they say in effect, that for the love of God we must be content to be shut out from the love of God.

Instance IX. Thus also the vulgar separate the mercy and the justice of God! As if God knew not better than man to whom his mercy should extend. And as if God be not merciful, if he will be a righteous governor, and unless he will suffer all the world to spit in his face and blaspheme him, and let his enemies go all unpunished.

Instance X. Thus many separate threatenings and promises, fear and love, a perfect law and a pardoning gospel. As if he that is a man, and hath both fear and love in his nature, must not make use of both for God and his salvation; and the lawgiver might not fit his laws to work on both. As if hell may not be feared, and heaven loved at once.

Instance XI. Thus hypocrites separate and conceit their seeming holiness and devotion to God from duties of justice and charity to men. As if they could serve God acceptably, and disobey him wilfully! Or as if they could love him whom they never saw, and not love his image in his works and children, whom they daily see. As if they could hate and persecute Christ in his little ones, or at least neglect him, and yet sincerely love him in himself.

Instance XII. Thus, by many, Scripture and tradition, divine faith and human faith, are commonly opposed. Because the papists have set tradition in a wrong place, many cast it away because it fits not that place: when man's tradition and ministerial revelation, is necessary to make known and bring down God's revelation to us; and a subservient tradition is no disparagement to Scripture, though a supplemental tradition be; and man must be believed as man, though not as God; and he that will not believe man as man, shall scarce know what he hath to believe from God.

Instance XIII. Thus many separate the sufficiency of the law and rule from the usefulness of an officer, minister, and judge. As if the law must be imperfect, or else need no execution, and no judge for execution. Or as if the judge's execution were a supplement or addition to the law. As if the question, Who shall be the judge? did argue the law of insufficiency; and the promulgation and execution were not supposed.

Instance XIV. Thus also many separate the necessity of a public judge, from the lawfulness and necessity of a private judgment, or discerning in all the rational subjects. As if God and man did govern only brutes; or we could obey a law, and not judge it to be a law, and to be obeyed; and not understand the sense of it, and what it doth command us. As if fools and madmen were the only subjects. As if our learning of Christ as his disciples, and meditating day and night in his law, and searching for wisdom in his word, were a disobeying him as our King. As if it were a possible thing for subjects to obey, without a private judgment of discretion. Or as if there were any repugnancy between my judging what is the king's law, and his judging whether I am punishable for disobeying it. Or as if judging ourselves, contradicted our being judged of God.