A26906:404

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

Name: The cure of church-divisions, or, Directions for weak Christians to keep them from being…
Author: Richard Baxter

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.

Richard Baxter 1615–1691London: printed for Nevil Symmons, 1670

[48], 430, [15] p. · 130k words · Wing B1234 · ESTC R1684

Title page: Internet Archive scan of the Early English Books microfilm (opens the Internet Archive in a new tab)

DIRECTIONS FOR Weak Christians, How they may escape the troubling,… › Direction 20: DIRECT. XX.DIRECTIONS FOR VVeak Christians, How they may escape the troubling,… › Direction 20: DIRECT. XX.

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.

[ Earlier:401–416 of 1,298

:401p. 123

Fourthly, when your zeal tendeth to hurt and cruelty, and would have God rather to glorify his Justice by some present notable judgement; than his Mercy by patience and forgiving: And when your secret desire of fire from heaven, or some destruction of the adversaries is greater than your desire and prayer for their conversion. The sure mark of true zeal is, that it is zealous Love: It maketh you love your neighbours and enemies more fervently than others do: But false zeal: maketh you more inclined to their suffering; and to reproach and hurt them.

Fourthly, when your zeal tendeth to hurt and crueley, and would have God rather to glorifie his Iustice by some present notable judgement; than his Mercy by patience and forgiving: And when your secret desire of fire from heaven, or some destruction of the adversaries is greater than your desire and prayer for their conversion. The sure mark of true zeal is, that it is zealous Love: It maketh you love your neighbours and enemies more fervently than others do: But false zeal: maketh you more inclined to their suffering; and to reproach and hurt them.

:402p. 123

Fifthly, It is an ill sign when your zeal is beyond the proportion of your understanding: And your prudence and experience is as much less than other mens, as your zeal is greater. True zeal hath some equality of Light and Heat.

Fifthly, It is an ill signe when your zeal is beyond the proportion of your understanding: And your prudence and experience is as much less than other mens, as your zeal is greater. True zeal hath some equality of Light and Heat.

:403p. 123

Sixthly, It is an ill sign when it is a zeal which is easily kept alive, and hardly restrained: For that showeth the flesh and the Devil are too much its friends. The true zeal of the spirit doth need the fuel of all holy means, and the bellows of meditation, and prayer to kindle it: and all is too little to keep it up in the constancy that we desire. But carnal zeal will burn of it self without such endeavours.

[ Earlier passages Later passages ]

The book

Title as printed

Author

Richard Baxter 1615–1691

Place

London

Bookseller

Nevil Symmons

Year

1670

Size

[48], 430, [15] p.

Words

130,067

Catalogue

Wing B1234 · ESTC R1684

Text

EEBO-TCP A26906

Passages

1,298

Sections

105

Title page

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

DIRECT. XXI.

Lend not a patient ear to back-biters; much less must you hastily believe them when they speak ill of others: But show your detestation of that sin, though they should be most religious people that use it, and do it upon a religious pretence.

Lend not a patient ear to back-biters; much less must you hastily believe them when they speak ill of others: But shew your detestation of that sin, though they should be most religious people that use it, and do it upon a religious pretence.

DIRECT. XXII.

Make not your selves judges of other mens actions, much less of their state, before you have a call, and before you have sufficient acquaintance or proof, of the person and of the case.

Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36

DIRECT. XXI.

Lend not a patient ear to back-biters; much less must you hastily believe them when they speak ill of others: But show your detestation of that sin, though they should be most religious people that use it, and do it upon a religious pretence.

Lend not a patient ear to back-biters; much less must you hastily believe them when they speak ill of others: But shew your detestation of that sin, though they should be most religious people that use it, and do it upon a religious pretence.

DIRECT. XXII.

Make not your selves judges of other mens actions, much less of their state, before you have a call, and before you have sufficient acquaintance or proof, of the person and of the case.