Directions for Young Christians
by Richard Baxter (1615-1691)
Direction XVI -
On What You Let Into Your Mind
[Here, we continue our reprint of Chapter 2 from Richard Baxter‘s classic tome A Christian
Directory. This chapter consists of twenty directions to (as Mr. Baxter says) “young
Christians or beginners in religion, for their establishment and safe proceeding.” Though
these studies were written specifically for “young“ Christians, I think that you will find (as
I have), there is much in here worthy of meditation also for those who have been walking
with God for many years.]
Make careful choice of the books which you read. [Editor's note: This study may easily
be applied nowadays, not only to books which are read, but also television shows that are
watched, and movies that are seen.] Let the holy Scriptures ever have pre-eminence;
and next them, the solid, lively, heavenly treatises, which best expound and apply
the Scriptures; and next those, the credible histories, especially of the church, and
tractates upon inferior sciences and arts: but take heed of the poison of the writings
of false teachers, which would corrupt your understandings; and of vain romances,
play-books, and false stories, which may bewitch your fantasies, and corrupt your
hearts.
As there is a more excellent appearance of the Spirit of God in the holy Scriptures
than in any other book whatever, so it hath more power and fitness to convey the
Spirit, and make us spiritual, by imprinting itself upon our hearts. As there is more
of God in it, so it will acquaint us more with God, and bring us nearer Him, and
make the reader more reverent, serious, and divine. Let Scripture be first and most
in your hearts and hands, and other books be used as subservient to it. The
endeavours of the devil to keep it from you, doth show that it is most necessary and
desirable to you. And when they tell you that all heretics plead the Scriptures, they
do but tell you that it is the common rule or law of Christians, which therefore all
are fain to pretend, as all lawyers and wranglers plead the law of the land, be their
cause never so bad, and yet the laws must not be therefore concealed or cast aside:
and they do but tell you that in their concealment or dishonouring the Scriptures,
they are worse than any of those heretics. When they tell you that the Scriptures are
misunderstood, and abused, and perverted to maintain men's errors, they might
also desire that the sun might be obscured because the purblind do mistake, and
murderers and robbers do wickedly by its light; and that the earth might be
subverted because it bears all evildoers; and highways stopped up because men
travel in them to do evil; and food prohibited because it nourisheth men's diseases.
And when they have told you truly of a law or rule which bad men cannot
misunderstand, or break, or abuse and misapply, then hearken to them, and prefer
that law as that which preventeth the need of any judgment.
The writings of divines are nothing else but a preaching of the gospel to the eye, as
the voice preacheth it to the ear. Vocal preaching hath the pre-eminence in moving
the affections, and being diversified according to the state of the congregations
which attend it: this way the milk cometh warmest from the breast. But books have
the advantage in many other respects: you may read an able preacher when you
have but a mean one to hear. Every congregation cannot hear the most judicious or
powerful preachers; but every single person may read the books of the most
powerful and judicious. Preachers may be silenced or banished, when books may
be at hand. Books may be kept at a smaller charge than preachers. We may choose
books which treat of that very subject which we desire to hear of, but we cannot
choose what subject the preacher shall treat of. Books we may have at hand
everyday and hour; when we can have sermons but seldom, and at set times. If
sermons be forgotten, they are gone, but a book we may read over and over till we
remember it; and if we forget it, may again peruse it at our pleasure, or at our
leisure. So, good books are a very great mercy to the world. The Holy Ghost chose
the way of writing to preserve His doctrine and laws to the church, as knowing
how easy and sure a way it is of keeping it safe to all generations, in comparison of
mere verbal tradition, which might have made as many controversies about the
very terms, as there be memories or persons to be the preservers and reporters.
Books are (if well chosen) domestic, present, constant, judicious, pertinent, yea, and
powerful sermons, and always of very great use to your salvation, but especially
when vocal preaching faileth, and preachers are ignorant, ungodly, or dull, or when
they are persecuted, and forbidden to preach.
You have need of a judicious teacher at hand to direct you what books to use or to
refuse. For among good books there are some very good that are sound and lively;
and some are good, but mean, and weak, and somewhat dull; and some are very
good in part, but have mixtures of error, or else of incautious, injudicious
expressions, fitter to puzzle than edify the weak. I am loth to name any of these
latter sorts (of which abundance have come forth of late), but to the young beginner
in religion, I may be bold to recommend (next to a sound catechism): Mr.
Rutherford's Letters, Mr. Robert Bolton's Works, Mr. Perkins's, Mr. Whateley's, Mr.
Ball, of Faith, Dr. Preston's, Dr. Sibbes, Mr. Hildersham's, Mr. Pink's Sermons, Mr.
Joseph Rogers's, Mr. Rich. Rogers, Mr. Richard Allen's. Mr. Gurnall's, Mr.
Swinnock's, Mr. Joseph Simonds's, [etc].[9] I pass by many other excellent ones, that
I may not name too many.
To a very judicious, able reader, who is fit to censure all he reads, there is no great
danger in the reading the books of any seducers: it doth but show him how little
and thin a cloak is used to cover a bad cause. But, alas! young soldiers, not used to
such wars, are startled at a very sophism, or at a terrible threatening of damnation
to dissenters (which every censorious sect can use), or at every confident,
triumphant boast, or at every thing that hath a fair pretence of truth or godliness.
Injudicious persons can answer almost no deceiver which they hear, and when they
cannot answer them, they think they must yield, as if the fault were not in them, but
in the case; and as if Christ had no wiser followers, or better defenders of His truth
than they. Meddle not therefore with poison, till you better know how to use it, and
may do it with less danger, as long as you have no need.
As for play-books, and romances, and idle tales, I have already showed in my
"Book of Self-Denial" how pernicious they are, especially to youth, and to frothy,
empty, idle wits, that know not what a man is, nor what he hath to do in the world.
They are powerful baits of the devil to keep more necessary things out of their
minds and better books out of their hands, and to poison the mind so much the
more dangerously, as they are read with more delight and pleasure; and to fill the
minds of sensual people with such idle fumes, and intoxicating fancies, as may
divert them from the serious thoughts of their salvation; and (which is no small
loss) to rob them of abundance of that precious time, which was given them for
more important business and which they will wish and wish again at last that they
had spent more wisely. I know the fantastics will say that these things are innocent,
and may teach men much good (like him that must go to a whore-house to learn to
hate uncleanness, and him that would go out with robbers to learn to hate
thievery); but I shall now only ask them as in the presence of God: 1. Whether they
could spend that time no better? 2. Whether better books and practices would not
edify them more? 3. Whether the greatest lovers of romances and plays be the
greatest lovers of the book of God, and of a holy life? 4. Whether they feel in
themselves that the love of these vanities doth increase their love to the word of
God, and kill their sin, and prepare them for the life to come? or clean contrary?
And I would desire men not to prate against their own experience and reason, nor
to dispute themselves into damnable impenitency, nor to befool their souls by a few
silly words which any but a sensualist may perceive to be mere deceit and
falsehood. If this will not serve, they shall be shortly convinced and answered in
another manner.
------------------
This article is taken from:
Baxter,
Richard.
The
Practical
Works
of
The
Rev.
Richard
Baxter
,
Vol.
2.
“A
Christian
Directory”,
Chapter
II.
London:
James
Duncan,
1830.
(Originally
published
in
1673).
A PDF file of this book can be downloaded, free of charge, at:
http://www.ClassicChristianLibrary.com/comp_set_section.html
© 1994-2018, Scott Sperling
Directions for Young Christians
by Richard Baxter (1615-1691)
Direction XVI -
On What You Let Into Your Mind
[Here, we continue our reprint of Chapter 2 from Richard
Baxter‘s classic tome A Christian Directory. This chapter
consists of twenty directions to (as Mr. Baxter says) “young
Christians or beginners in religion, for their establishment
and safe proceeding.” Though these studies were written
specifically for “young“ Christians, I think that you will
find (as I have), there is much in here worthy of meditation
also for those who have been walking with God for many
years.]
Make careful choice of the books which you read.
[Editor's note: This study may easily be applied nowadays,
not only to books which are read, but also television shows
that are watched, and movies that are seen.] Let the holy
Scriptures ever have pre-eminence; and next them, the
solid, lively, heavenly treatises, which best expound
and apply the Scriptures; and next those, the credible
histories, especially of the church, and tractates upon
inferior sciences and arts: but take heed of the poison
of the writings of false teachers, which would corrupt
your understandings; and of vain romances, play-
books, and false stories, which may bewitch your
fantasies, and corrupt your hearts.
As there is a more excellent appearance of the Spirit of
God in the holy Scriptures than in any other book
whatever, so it hath more power and fitness to convey
the Spirit, and make us spiritual, by imprinting itself
upon our hearts. As there is more of God in it, so it will
acquaint us more with God, and bring us nearer Him,
and make the reader more reverent, serious, and
divine. Let Scripture be first and most in your hearts
and hands, and other books be used as subservient to
it. The endeavours of the devil to keep it from you,
doth show that it is most necessary and desirable to
you. And when they tell you that all heretics plead the
Scriptures, they do but tell you that it is the common
rule or law of Christians, which therefore all are fain to
pretend, as all lawyers and wranglers plead the law of
the land, be their cause never so bad, and yet the laws
must not be therefore concealed or cast aside: and they
do but tell you that in their concealment or
dishonouring the Scriptures, they are worse than any
of those heretics. When they tell you that the
Scriptures are misunderstood, and abused, and
perverted to maintain men's errors, they might also
desire that the sun might be obscured because the
purblind do mistake, and murderers and robbers do
wickedly by its light; and that the earth might be
subverted because it bears all evildoers; and highways
stopped up because men travel in them to do evil; and
food prohibited because it nourisheth men's diseases.
And when they have told you truly of a law or rule
which bad men cannot misunderstand, or break, or
abuse and misapply, then hearken to them, and prefer
that law as that which preventeth the need of any
judgment.
The writings of divines are nothing else but a
preaching of the gospel to the eye, as the voice
preacheth it to the ear. Vocal preaching hath the pre-
eminence in moving the affections, and being
diversified according to the state of the congregations
which attend it: this way the milk cometh warmest
from the breast. But books have the advantage in many
other respects: you may read an able preacher when
you have but a mean one to hear. Every congregation
cannot hear the most judicious or powerful preachers;
but every single person may read the books of the
most powerful and judicious. Preachers may be
silenced or banished, when books may be at hand.
Books may be kept at a smaller charge than preachers.
We may choose books which treat of that very subject
which we desire to hear of, but we cannot choose what
subject the preacher shall treat of. Books we may have
at hand everyday and hour; when we can have
sermons but seldom, and at set times. If sermons be
forgotten, they are gone, but a book we may read over
and over till we remember it; and if we forget it, may
again peruse it at our pleasure, or at our leisure. So,
good books are a very great mercy to the world. The
Holy Ghost chose the way of writing to preserve His
doctrine and laws to the church, as knowing how easy
and sure a way it is of keeping it safe to all
generations, in comparison of mere verbal tradition,
which might have made as many controversies about
the very terms, as there be memories or persons to be
the preservers and reporters.
Books are (if well chosen) domestic, present, constant,
judicious, pertinent, yea, and powerful sermons, and
always of very great use to your salvation, but
especially when vocal preaching faileth, and preachers
are ignorant, ungodly, or dull, or when they are
persecuted, and forbidden to preach.
You have need of a judicious teacher at hand to direct
you what books to use or to refuse. For among good
books there are some very good that are sound and
lively; and some are good, but mean, and weak, and
somewhat dull; and some are very good in part, but
have mixtures of error, or else of incautious,
injudicious expressions, fitter to puzzle than edify the
weak. I am loth to name any of these latter sorts (of
which abundance have come forth of late), but to the
young beginner in religion, I may be bold to
recommend (next to a sound catechism): Mr.
Rutherford's Letters, Mr. Robert Bolton's Works, Mr.
Perkins's, Mr. Whateley's, Mr. Ball, of Faith, Dr.
Preston's, Dr. Sibbes, Mr. Hildersham's, Mr. Pink's
Sermons, Mr. Joseph Rogers's, Mr. Rich. Rogers, Mr.
Richard Allen's. Mr. Gurnall's, Mr. Swinnock's, Mr.
Joseph Simonds's, [etc].[9] I pass by many other
excellent ones, that I may not name too many.
To a very judicious, able reader, who is fit to censure
all he reads, there is no great danger in the reading the
books of any seducers: it doth but show him how little
and thin a cloak is used to cover a bad cause. But, alas!
young soldiers, not used to such wars, are startled at a
very sophism, or at a terrible threatening of damnation
to dissenters (which every censorious sect can use), or
at every confident, triumphant boast, or at every thing
that hath a fair pretence of truth or godliness.
Injudicious persons can answer almost no deceiver
which they hear, and when they cannot answer them,
they think they must yield, as if the fault were not in
them, but in the case; and as if Christ had no wiser
followers, or better defenders of His truth than they.
Meddle not therefore with poison, till you better know
how to use it, and may do it with less danger, as long
as you have no need.
As for play-books, and romances, and idle tales, I have
already showed in my "Book of Self-Denial" how
pernicious they are, especially to youth, and to frothy,
empty, idle wits, that know not what a man is, nor
what he hath to do in the world. They are powerful
baits of the devil to keep more necessary things out of
their minds and better books out of their hands, and to
poison the mind so much the more dangerously, as
they are read with more delight and pleasure; and to
fill the minds of sensual people with such idle fumes,
and intoxicating fancies, as may divert them from the
serious thoughts of their salvation; and (which is no
small loss) to rob them of abundance of that precious
time, which was given them for more important
business and which they will wish and wish again at
last that they had spent more wisely. I know the
fantastics will say that these things are innocent, and
may teach men much good (like him that must go to a
whore-house to learn to hate uncleanness, and him
that would go out with robbers to learn to hate
thievery); but I shall now only ask them as in the
presence of God: 1. Whether they could spend that
time no better? 2. Whether better books and practices
would not edify them more? 3. Whether the greatest
lovers of romances and plays be the greatest lovers of
the book of God, and of a holy life? 4. Whether they
feel in themselves that the love of these vanities doth
increase their love to the word of God, and kill their
sin, and prepare them for the life to come? or clean
contrary? And I would desire men not to prate against
their own experience and reason, nor to dispute
themselves into damnable impenitency, nor to befool
their souls by a few silly words which any but a
sensualist may perceive to be mere deceit and
falsehood. If this will not serve, they shall be shortly
convinced and answered in another manner.
------------------
This article is taken from:
Baxter,
Richard.
The
Practical
Works
of
The
Rev.
Richard
Baxter
,
Vol.
2.
“A
Christian
Directory”,
Chapter
II.
London:
James
Duncan,
1830.
(Originally
published
in 1673).
A
PDF
file
of
this
book
can
be
downloaded,
free
of
charge, at:
h
t
t
p
:
/
/
w
w
w
.
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y
.
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/
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ction.html
