A26906:244
The cure of church-divisions, or, Directions for weak Christians to keep them from being…
The cure of church-divisions, or, Directions for weak Christians to keep them from being dividers or troublers of the church with some directions to the pastors how to deal with such Christians / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Nevil Symmons, 1670
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.
The members of the Church mystical or Regenerate, have the pardon of all sin, and acceptance with God, and communion with him and with his Church in the spirit, and are the adopted children of God, and heirs of everlasting life, and shall live in heaven with Christ for ever.
The mere Visible Members of the Church, that are not regenerate by the spirit as well as sacramentally by water, have only an outward Communion with the Saints, and have only the Bread and Wine in the Sacrament, and only a name to live when they are dead. And are these such great matters that we should envy them to poor sinners that must have no more? Have we the Kernel, and do we envy them the Shell? Have we the Spirit, and do we envy them the flesh, or outward signs alone?
The meer Visible Members of the Church, that are not regenerate by the spirit as well as sacramentally by water, have only an outward Communion with the Saints, and have only the Bread and Wine in the Sacrament, and only a name to live when they are dead. And are these such great matters that we should envy them to poor sinners that must have no more? Have we the Kernel, and do we envy them the Shell? Have we the Spirit, and do we envy them the flesh, or outward signes alone?
Yea consider farther, that it is more for the sake of the truly faithful, than for their own, that all Hypocrites have their station and privileges in the Church: God maketh use of their Gifts and Profession for his elect; to many great services of the Church: And is it not then a foolish ingratitude in us, to murmur at their presence?
Yea consider farther, that it is more for the sake of the truly faithful, than for their own, that all Hypocrites have their station and priviledges in the Church: God maketh use of their Gifts and Profession for his elect; to many great services of the Church: And is it not then a foolish ingratitude in us, to murmur at their presence?