A26885:250
Catholic unity, or, The only way to bring us all to be of one…Catholick vnity, or, The only way to bring us all to be of one…
Catholic unity, or, The only way to bring us all to be of one religion by Rich. Baxter.Catholick vnity, or, The only way to bring us all to be of one religion by Rich. Baxter.
London: printed by R. W. for Thomas Underhill and Francis Tyton, 1660
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
6. Moreover, there is in some respects, less hope of your salvation, that have long lived unconverted in the outward Communion of the Church, then of other men. As a sick man is in a more desperate case that hath long used the best and only means, and all in vain, then he that never used any. I confess you have the advantage of being still under the means; and that is your hope (as long as it lasteth): but then you have the dreadful symptom of frustrating these means; and that is your terror, above those that yet remain without.
6. Moreover, there is in some respects, less hope of your salvation, that have long lived unconverted in the outward Communion of the Church, then of other men. As a sick man is in a more desperate case that hath long used the best and only means, and all in vain, then he that never used any. I confess you have the advantage of being still under the means; and that is your hope (as long as it lasteth): but then you have the dreadful symptom of frustrating these means; and that is your terrour, above those that yet remain without.
7. Moreover, if you agree with us but in Profession and outward Communion, you will be thereby more capable of doing us the greater mischief. I know God doth benefit his Church by many of the unsanctified, as I said before. But many others of them are the greatest ⟨p. 224⟩plagues to it. One enemy in our own Armies, or in our Councils, may do more against us, then ten thousand open enemies abroad. False-hearted Bishops, Pastors, yea and Magistrates, that have the Name and not the Nature of Christians, are they that have betrayed the Church, and broken it in pieces, and made the cause of Christ a stepping-stone to their worldly ends. It was a Doeg that betrayed David and Abimelech: It was a Judas that betrayed Christ himself. You are now our daily hearers, and live some of you civilly among us, and take your selves confidently for Christians and Saints as well as others, and secretly scorn those that would rob you of that honour, as appropriating it unto themselves, and say as Zedekiah to Micaiah when he struck him,