A26892:513
A Christian Directory
A Christian directory, or, A sum of practical theology and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortify every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.A Christian directory, or, A summ of practical theologie and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortifie every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons, 1673
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
§. 5. 2. Another pretence for Schism is the Numbers of the Party: This is another of the Papists motives: As if it were lawful to Divide the Church of Christ, if they can but get the greater party? They say, We are the most, and therefore you should yield to us: (And so do others where by the Sword they force the most to submit to them.) But we answer them, As many as they are, they are too few, to be the Universal Church. The Universal Church containing all true professing Christians, is much more than they. The Papists are not a third part (if a fourth) of the whole Church. Papists are a corrupted Sect of Christians: I will be against Dividing the Body of Christ into any Sects rather than to be one of that Sect or divided party, which is the greatest.
§. 6. 3. Another pretence for Schism, is the soundness or Orthodoxness of a Party: Almost all Sects ⟨p. 49⟩pretend that they are wiser and of sounder judgement than all the Christian World besides: yea, those that most palpably contradict the Scriptures, (as the Papists in their half-communion and unintelligible service) and have no better reason why they will so Believe or Do, but because others have so Believed and Done already.
But 1. The greatest pretenders to Orthodoxness, are not the most Orthodox: 2. And if they were, I can value them for that in which they excel, without abating my due respect to the rest of the Church. 3. For the whole Church is Orthodox in all the Essentials of Christianity; or else they were not Christians: And I must love all that are Christians with that special Love that's due to the members of Christ, though I must superadd such esteem for those that are a little wiser or better than others, as they deserve.
But 1. The greatest pretenders to Orthodoxness, are not the most Orthodox: 2. And if they were, I can value them for that in which they excell, without abating my due respect to the rest of the Church. 3. For the whole Church is Orthodox in all the Essentials of Christianity; or else they were not Christians: And I must love all that are Christians with that special Love that's due to the members of Christ, though I must superadd such esteem for those that are a little wiser or better than others, as they deserve.