A26906:34
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.
12. Lastly, if your friends tell you not of your faults and errors in Love, those whom you account your enemies will do it in wrath. And though all sober Christians should learn by the keenest rebukes of their Adversaries, yet passion and prejudice maketh it so difficult, that it usually hardeneth men more in their sin: And this is another thing, which causeth me the more to abhor division, and to long for the reconciling of the minds of all dissenting Christians; Because while they take each other for adversaries, nothing that is written or said by any is like to do the Adversaries any good. Nay I must confess when I see an adversary tell men of their sin, especially with furious spleen and wrath, mixing together words and swords, I am greatly afraid, lest by that temptation, Satan will draw the reproved to impenitency, and greatly harden them in their sin, and make them glory in that as a virtue, which such a person doth so reprove.
12. Lastly, if your friends tell you not of your faults and errours in Love, those whom you account your enemies will do it in wrath. And though all sober Christians should learn by the keenest rebukes of their Adversaries, yet passion and prejudice maketh it so difficult, that it usually hardeneth men more in their sin: And this is another thing, which causeth me the more to abhor division, and to long for the reconciling of the minds of all dissenting Christians; Because while they take each other for adversaries, nothing that is written or said by any is like to do the Adversaries any good. Nay I must confess when I see an adversary tell men of their sin, especially with furious spleen and wrath, mixing together words and swords, I am greatly afraid, lest by that temptation, Satan will draw the reproved to impenitency, and greatly harden them in their sin, and make them glory in that as a virtue, which such a person doth so reprove.
But if you will neither hear of your sin nor duty by adversaries nor friends, by fair speeches nor by foul, you fasten the guilt upon your selves. Remember I pray you, that I am not kindling fires, nor drawing ⟨image 17⟩Swords against you, nor stirring up any to do you hurt, but only persuading all dissenters to love one another, and to forbear but all that is contrary to love. And if such an exhortation and advice seem injurious or intolerable to you, the Lord have mercy on your Souls.