A26901:96
The church told of Mr. Ed. Bagshaw's scandals and warned of the dangerous snares…
The church told of Mr. Ed. Bagshaw's scandals and warned of the dangerous snares of Satan now laid for them in his love-killing principles with a farther proof that it is our common duty to keep up the interest of the Christian religion and Protestant cause in the parish churches, and not to imprison them by a confinement to tolerated meetings alone / by Richard Baxter ...
London : s.n., 1672
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.
15. Whether he do not injuriously, to labour by his insi•tions, to bring many honest well-meaning Christians, […] into the same guilt with himself, or into the shame•• reputation of it? Insomuch that already the common […] dishonoureth many of the Semi-separatists, saying, that they […] rejoice at his Writings, and so hate my Treatise ⟨p. 25⟩against Church-dividing Principles, as that for the sake of it, they will read no other of my Books: (And if that hurt them no more than me, the matter is but small.)
15. Whether he do not injuriously, to labour by his insi•tions, to bring many honest well-meaning Christians, 〈…〉 into the same guilt with himself, or into the shame•• reputation of it? Insomuch that •lready the common 〈…〉 dishonoureth many of the Semi-separatists, saying, that they 〈…〉 rejoyce at his Writings, and so hate my Treatise ⟨p. 25⟩against Church-dividing Principles, as that for the sake of it, they will read no other of my Books: (And if that hurt them no more than me, the matter is but small.)
Sect. 2. And when you have well considered of these things, I shall next desire you to consider, Whether this man hath not brought you as great a Care or Caution against unlawful Separations and Divisions, as most men ever did in the world? For 1. Here you see how much you must bear with, unless you will separate from your own leaders: Deal but impartially: Is there one Parish Minister, yea, or one Parish Church Member of many, that was ever convict of so much sin, as Mr. Bagshaw hath published, and silently, but impertinently lieth down under? Is there many of them that ever defended half so much sin so obstinately, without confession, and yet so impotently without sense? Separate from no Ministers or people that are not proved as guilty as this man, and I will never more write against your Separation. 2. And now the world and posterity shall see in this mans writings, how the cause of unlawful Separation was defended in this age. I openly profess, that this is a great reason that drew me to Defend my Cure of Church Divisions, by three following Defences; that Posterity may see what interest and passion will not now suffer some to see. I look to the times to come. And if there be any wiser men among them, that can say more for the Separating-cause, they are best set to it; For if they leave it on such hands as Mr. Bagshaws, it is easy to foresee that it will be shamed for ever.