A26906:275
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.
I have cited so many Texts against division ⟨p. 65⟩and for the Unity of the Church and concord of Christians, as one would think by the very hearing of them, without expositions or argumentation, should utterly mortify all inclination to divisions and hard censures, in all true believers: yea so many Texts as I am persuaded many that most need them, will think it tedious to read them over. And yet I have cause to fear lest many such will feel as little of the sense and authority of them, as if there were no such words in the Scripture, and none of this had been set before them.
I have cited so many Texts against division ⟨p. 65⟩and for the Unity of the Church and concord of Christians, as one would think by the very hearing of them, without expositions or argumentation, should utterly mortifie all inclination to divisions and hard censures, in all true believers: yea so many Texts as I am perswaded many that most need them, will think it tedious to read them over. And yet I have cause to fear lest many such will feel as little of the sense and authority of them, as if there were no such words in the Scripture, and none of this had been set before them.
Out of all these you may gather, these reasons of the necessity of Unity, and of the evil of schism or division.
First, It is One God, One Head, One Saviour, and One Holy Spirit, into whose name we are all baptized. Secondly, It is One Covenant which all in Baptism make with this One God. Thirdly, It is One Spirit by which we are all regenerated, and One new Nature which is in all the truly sanctified. Fourthly, It is One Gospel or holy word of God, which is to us all, the seed of our new birth, the rule of our faith and lives; and the foundation of our hope, and must be our daily meditation and delight, and the food on which the children of Gods family must all live. Fifthly, It is One Body of Christ, whereof we are all members. As Christ is not divided, so his Body, that is his Church, both as Mystical, and as Visible, is but One; however the Members and their Gifts and degrees of grace are many. Sixthly, It is One way of Faith and Holiness which all must walk in. Seventhly, And it is One end and happiness