A Christian Directory, Part 1: Christian Ethics

by Richard Baxter

If they will make it the question, whether the sense may not be deceived; I answer, we doubt not by distance of the objects, or distempers, or disproportions of itself or the media, it may: but if the sense itself, and all the means and objects, have their natural soundness, aptitude, and disposition, it is a contradiction to say it is deceived; for that is to say, it is not the sense which we suppose it is. If God deceive it thus, he maketh it another thing. It is no more the same, nor will admit the same definition. But, however, it is most evident, that the senses being the first entrance or inlet of knowledge, the first certainty must be there, which is presupposed to the certain judgment of the intellect; but if these err, all following certainty which supposeth the certainty of the senses is destroyed; and this error in the first reception (like an error in the first concoction) is not rectified by the second. And if God should thus leave all men under a fallibility of sense, he should leave no certainty in the world; and I desire those that know the definition of a lie, to consider whether this be not to feign God to lie in the very frame of nature, and by constant lies to rule the world, when yet it is impossible for God to lie. And if this blasphemy were granted them, yet it would be man's duty still to judge by such senses as he hath about the objects of sense; for if God have made them fallible, we cannot make them better; nor can we create a reason in ourselves which shall not presuppose the judgment of sense, or which shall supply its ordinary, natural defects. So that the Roman faith of transubstantiation, denying the reality of bread and wine, doth not only unman the world, but bring man lower than a beast, and make sense to be no sense, and the world to be governed by natural deceit or lies, and banish all certainty of faith and reason from the earth. And after all, (with such wonderful enmity to charity as maketh man liker the devil, than else could easily be believed,) they sentence all to hell that believe not this; and decree to burn them first on earth, and to depose temporal lords from their dominions, that favour them, or that will not exterminate them from their lands, and so absolve their subjects from their allegiance, and give their dominions to others. All this you may read in the third canon of the Lateran general council under Innocent III.

Direct. XI. Look not upon any object of sense with sense alone, nor stop in it, but let reason begin where sense doth end, and always see by faith or reason the part which is invisible, as well as the sensible part by sense. By that which is seen, collect and rise up to that which is unseen. If God had given us an eye, or ear, or taste, or feeling, and not a mind, then we should have exercised no other faculty but what we had. But sure he that hath given us the higher faculty, requireth that we use it as well as the lower. And remember that they are not mere co-ordinate faculties, but the sensitive faculty is subordinate to the intellectual: and accordingly that which the sensible creature objectively revealeth through the sense unto the intellect, is something to which things sensible are subordinate. Therefore if you stop in sensible things, and see not the principle which animateth them, the power which ordereth and ruleth them, and the end which they are made for, and must be used for, you play the beasts; you see nothing but a dead carcass without the soul, and nothing but a useless, senseless thing. You know nothing indeed to any purpose; no, not the creature itself; while you know not the use and meaning of the creature, but separate it from its life, and guide, and end.

Direct. XII. First therefore see that you ever look upon all things sensible as the products of the will of the invisible God, depending on him more than the sunshine doth upon the sun; and never see or taste a creature separatedly from God. Will you know what a plant is, and not know that it is the earth that beareth and nourisheth it? Will you know what a fish is, and yet be ignorant that he liveth in the water? Will you know what a branch or fruit is, and yet not know that it groweth on the tree? The nature of things cannot be known without the knowledge of their causes and respective parts. It is as no knowledge to know incoherent scraps and parcels. To know a hand as no part of the body, or an eye or nose without knowing a head, or a body without knowing its life or soul, is not to know it, for you make it another thing. It is the difference between a wise man and a fool, that sapiens respicit ad plura, insipiens ad pauciora: a wise man looketh comprehensively to things as they are conjunct, and takes all together, and leaveth out nothing that is useful to his end; but a fool seeth one thing, and overseeth another which is necessary to the true knowledge or use of that which he seeth. See God as the cause and life of every thing you see. As a carcass is but a ghastly sight without the soul, and quickly corrupteth and stinketh when it is separated; so the creature without God is an unlovely sight, and quickly corrupteth and becomes a snare or annoyance to you. God is the beauty of all that is beautiful, and the strength of all that is strong, and the glory of the sun and all that is glorious, and the wisdom of all that is wise, and the goodness of all that is good, as being the only original, total cause of all. You play the brutes, when you see the creature, and overlook its Maker, from whom it is, whatsoever it is. Will you see the dial, and overlook the sun? Remember it is the use of every creature to show you God, and therefore it is the use of every sense to promote the knowledge of him.

Direct. XIII. See God as the Conducter, Orderer, and Disposer of all the creatures, according to their natures, as moved necessarily or freely; and behold not any of the motions or events of the world, without observing the interest, and overruling hand of God. Sense reacheth but to the effects and events; but reason and faith can see the First Cause and Disposer of all. Again, I tell you, that if you look but on the particles of things by sense, and see not God that setteth all together, and doth his work by those that never dream of it, you see but the several wheels and parcels of a clock or watch, and know not him that made and keepeth it, that setteth on the poise, and winds it up, to fit his ends. Joseph could say, God sent me hither, when his brethren sold him into Egypt; and David felt his Father's rod in Shimei's curse.

Direct. XIV. See God the End of every creature; how all things are ordered for his service; and be sure you stop not in any creature, without referring it to a higher end: else, as I have oft told you, you will be but like a child or illiterate person, who openeth a book, and admireth the workmanship of the printer, and the order and well-forming of the letters, but never mindeth or understandeth the subject, sense, or end. Or like one that looketh on a comely picture, and never mindeth either him that made it, or him that is represented by it. Or like one that gazeth on the sign at an inn-door, and praiseth the workmanship, but knoweth not that it is set there to direct him to entertainment and necessaries within. And this folly and sin is the greater, because it is the very end of God in all his works of creation and providence, to reveal himself by them to the intellectual world; and must God show his power, and wisdom, and goodness so wonderfully in the frame of the creation, and in his daily general and particular providence? and shall man, that daily seeth all this, overlook the intended use and end? and so make all his glorious work as nothing, or as lost to him? Sense knoweth no end but to its own delight, and the natural felicity of the sensitive creature, such as things sensible afford; but reason must take up the work where sense doth end its stage, and carry all home to him that is the End of all. "For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things, to whom be glory for ever. Amen," Rom. xi. 36.

Direct. XV. Besides the general use and ultimate end of every creature, labour for a clear acquaintance with the particular use and nearer end of every thing which you have to do with, by which it is serviceable to your ultimate end, and suppose still you saw that special use as subserving your highest end, as the title written upon each creature. As, suppose upon your Bible it were written, The word of the living God, to acquaint me with himself and his will, that I may please, and glorify, and enjoy him for ever. And upon your godly friend suppose you saw this title written, A servant of God, that beareth his image, and appointed to accompany and assist me in his service unto life everlasting. Upon your meat suppose you saw this title written, The provisions of my Father, sent me as from my Saviour's hands, not to gratify my sensuality, and serve my inordinate desires, but to refresh and strengthen my body for his service in my passage to everlasting life. So upon your clothes, your servants, your goods, your cattle, your houses, and every thing you have, inscribe thus their proper use and end.

Direct. XVI. Know both the final and the mediate danger, of every thing that you have to do with; and suppose you still see them written upon every thing you see. The final danger is hell; the mediate danger in general is sin; but you must find what sin it is that this creature will be made a temptation to by the devil and the flesh. As, suppose you saw written upon money and riches, The bait of covetousness and all evil, to pierce me through with many sorrows, and then to damn me. And suppose you saw written upon great buildings, and estates, and honours, and attendance, The great price which the devil would give for souls; and the baits to tempt men to the inordinate love of fleshly pleasures, and to draw their hearts from God and heaven to their damnation. Suppose you still saw written upon beauty, and tempting actions and attire, The bait of lust, by which the devil corrupteth the minds of men to their damnation. Suppose you saw written on the play-house door, The stage of the mountebank of hell, who here cheateth men of their precious time, and enticeth them to vanity, luxury, and damnation, under pretence of instructing them by a nearer and more pleasant way than preachers do. The like I say of gaming, recreations, company: see the particular snare in all.

Direct. XVII. To this end be well acquainted with your own particular inclinations and distempers, that you may know what creature is like to prove most dangerous to you, that there you may keep the strictest watch. If you be subject to pride, keep most from the baits of pride, and watch most cautelously against them. If you be subject to covetousness, watch most against the baits of covetousness. If you are inclined to lust, away from the sight of alluring objects. The knowledge of your temper and disease must direct you both in your diet and your physic.

Direct. XVIII. Live as in a constant course of obedience; and suppose you saw the law of God also written upon every thing you see. As when you look on any tempting beauty, suppose you saw this written on the forehead, Thou shalt not lust—Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge—They shall not enter into the kingdom of God.[378] See upon the forbidden dish or cup the prohibition of God, Thou shalt not eat or drink this. See upon money and riches this written, Thou shalt not covet. See upon the face of all the world, "Love not the world, nor the things that are in the world: if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him," 1 John ii. 15. Thus see the will of God on all things.

Direct. XIX. Make not the objects of sense over-tempting and dangerous to yourselves; but take special care, as much as in you lieth, to order all so, that you may have as much of the benefit, and as little of the snare of the creature as is possible. Would you not be gluttonous pleasers of your appetite? choose not then too full a table, nor over-pleasant, tempting drinks or dishes, and yet choose those that are most useful to your health. Would you not over-love the world, nor your present house, or lands, or station? Be not too instrumental yourselves in gilding or dulcifying your bait! if you put in the sugar, the devil and the flesh will put in the poison. Will you make all as pleasant and lovely as you can, when you believe that the over-loving them is the greatest danger to your salvation? Will you be the greatest tempters to yourselves, and then desire God not to lead you into temptation?