The cure of church-divisions, or, Directions for weak Christians to keep them from being…

On the other side there is one or two of late among us, who think that the Church is but Christs School, where he teacheth the way to true Regeneration; and not a Society of professed Regenerate ones or Saints: And that all who own Christ as the Teacher of the Church, and submit to the Government of the Pastors, and are willing to learn how to be regenerate, should be baptized, though they profess not any special saving faith or repentance. And their reasons are, because first, else all that doubt of their sincerity must lie, or be kept out. Secondly, because that in the Church of the Jews, the multitude were such as were openly ungodly. And some of the Papists talk also at this rate, though indeed they are themselves yet utterly unresolved in this point.

On the other side there is one or two of late among us, who think that the Church is but Christs School, where he teacheth the way to true Regeneration; and not a Society of professed Regenerate ones or Saints: And that all who own Christ as the Teacher of the Church, and submit to the Government of the Pastors, and are willing to learn how to be regenerate, should be baptized, though they profess not any special saving faith or repentance. And their reasons are, because first, else all that doubt of their sincerity must lie, or be kept out. Secondly, because that in the Church of the Jews, the multitude were such as were openly ungodly. And some of the Papists talk also at this rate, though indeed they are themselves yet •tterly unresolved in this point.

What Church soever is constituted according to either of these two opinions, will not be constituted according to the mind of Christ: But yet with this difference: The first Opinion introduceth Church-tyranny, and injustice, and is founded in the want of Christian charity, and▪ knowledge, ⟨p. 47⟩and tendeth to endless separations and confusions. But the second opinion inferreth all these greater mischiefs.