8. Though none should have so great fitness for the holy education of children and government of families as ministers, yet so great is the work of overseeing the flock, requiring more time and parts than all that we have, and so great are the matters of our studies and labours, requiring our total and most serious thoughts, that I earnestly advise all that can possibly, to live single and without a family, lest they mar their work by a divided mind: For nunquam bene fit, quod fit præoccupato animo, saith Hierom truly.
The whole man and whole time is all too little in so great a work.
[471] He that would have more books may see Voetius Bibliothec. and many other catalogues.
Transcriber's Note:
The text of Part III of A Christian Directory (or, a sum of Practical Theology and Cases of Conscience) has been transcribed from pages 547 to 736 of Volume I of Baxter's Practical Works, as lithographed from the 1846 edition. Part III addresses church duties. A table of contents has been inserted to assist the reader.
The anchors for footnotes 119, 366 and 391 are missing. The first of these has been inserted after consulting another edition of the text. The reference in footnote 417 to the Book of Acts appears to be incorrect.
Inconsistencies in hyphenation, and apparent typographical errors, have been corrected.