Transcriber's Note:

The text of Part IV of A Christian Directory has been transcribed from pages 737 to 948 of Volume I of Richard Baxter's Practical Works, as lithographed from the 1846 edition.

The greater part comprises 34 chapters that mostly address duties to rulers and to neighbours. These are followed by a "Moral Prognostication" on the future of the churches, and by a "Reformed Liturgy" that Baxter proposed. A table of contents has been inserted to assist the reader.

In the Liturgy all sub-headings, commentary and instructions to the Minister have been italicised and indented. The Liturgy includes a large number of sidenotes citing relevant biblical passages. In the interests of legibility these have been consolidated into footnotes at the end of each paragraph.

Inconsistencies in hyphenation, and apparent typographical errors, have been corrected. The anchors for footnotes 5 and 8, in chapter I, have been inserted after consulting another edition of the text.

PART IV.
CHRISTIAN POLITICS.

Table of Contents

Page
To the reader[737]
I.General rules for an upright conversation.[737]
II.Memorandums to civil rulers for the interest of Christ, the church, and men's salvation.[741]
III.Directions for subjects concerning their duty to their rulers.[744]
IV.Directions to lawyers about their duty to God.[769]
V.The duty of physicians.[771]
VI.Directions to schoolmasters about their duty for their children's souls.[773]
VII.Directions for soldiers, about their duty in point of conscience.[774]
VIII.Advice against murder.[778]
IX.Directions for the forgiving of enemies, and those that injure us; against wrath, and malice, and revenge, and persecution.[782]
X.Cases resolved about forgiving injuries and debts, and about self-defence, and seeking right by law or otherwise.[785]
XI.Special directions to escape the guilt of persecuting. Determining also the case about liberty in matters of religion.[790]
XII.Directions against scandal as given.[800]
XIII.Directions against scandal taken, or an aptness to receive hurt, by the words or deeds of others.[807]
XIVDirections against soul murder, and partaking of other men's sins.[810]
XV.General directions for the furthering of the salvation of others.[813]
XVI.Special directions for christian conference, exhortation, and reproof.[814]
XVII.Directions for keeping peace with all men.[819]
XVIII.Directions against all theft and fraud, or injurious getting and keeping that which is another's, or desiring it.[823]
XIX.General directions and particular cases of conscience, about contracts in general, and about buying and selling, borrowing and lending, usury, &c. in particular.[827]
XX.Directions against oppression.[846]
XXI.Cases about, and directions against, prodigality and sinful wastefulness.[851]
XXII.Cases and directions against injurious law-suits, witnessing, and judgment.[855]
XXIII.Cases of conscience, and directions against backbiting, slandering, and evil speaking.[858]
XXIV.Cases and directions against censoriousness and unwarrantable judging.[861]
XXV.Cases and directions about trusts and secrets.[861]
XXVI.Directions against selfishness as it is contrary to the love of our neighbour.[868]
XXVII.Cases and directions for loving our neighbour as ourselves.[870]
XXVIII.Special cases and directions for love to godly persons as such.[873]
XXIX.Cases and directions for loving and doing good to enemies.[883]
XXX.Cases and directions about works of charity.[885]
XXXI.Cases and directions about confessing sins and injuries to others.[895]
XXXII.Cases and directions about satisfaction and restitution.[896]
XXXIII.Cases and directions about our obtaining pardon from God.[899]
XXXIV.Cases and directions about self-judging.[901]

A moral prognostication.		[905]
To the reader.[905]
Of what must be expected in the churches of christendom, till the golden age returns, or till the time of true reformation and unity.[906]
Of the changes that will be in christendom in the golden age, and time of true reformation and unity.[914]
Consectary.[920]

The reformed liturgy.		[922]
The ordinary public worship on the Lord's day.[922]
The order of celebrating the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ.[930]
The celebration of the sacrament of baptism.[934]
Of catechising, and the approbation of those that are to be admitted to the Lord's supper.[936]
Of the celebration of matrimony.[937]
The visitation of the sick, and their communion.[938]
The order of solemnizing the burial of the dead.[938]
Of extraordinary days of humiliation and thanksgiving, and anniversary festivals.[939]
Of prayer and thanksgiving for particular members of the church.[939]
Of pastoral discipline, public confession, absolution, and exclusion from the holy communion of the church.[941]
Appendix: prayers to be used at discretion.[945]