A26906:435
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 truth is, offending and giving scandal, is commonly taken in the Gospel, for any action (which is not our necessary duty) by which either Heathens and Infidels and enemies to Christ, are like to be drawn to harder thoughts of the Christian faith; or any wicked man is like to be kept from a godly life; or else by which the young ungrounded and unsettled sort of Christians, may be tempted to turn back and forsake the faith which they have professed, or fall into any dangerous sin. And therefore seeing the separatists profess to be settled in the faith already, and many in the Parish Churches are weak, and many averse to some duties of Religion, and more in danger of being turned away, we are bound to be much more afraid of giving scandal to the Parishes, than to the separatists.
The truth is, offending and giving scandal, is commonly taken in the Gospel, for any action (which is not our necessary duty) by which either Heathens and In•idels and enemies to Christ, are like to be drawn to harder thoughts of the Christian faith; or any wicked man is like to be kept from a godly life; or else by which the young ungrounded and unsetled sort of Christians, may be tempted to turn back and forsake the faith which they have professed, or fall into any dangerous sin. And therefore seeing the separatists profess to be setled in the faith already, and many in the Parish Churches are weak, and many averse to some duties of Religion, and more in danger of being turned away, we are bound to be much more afraid of giving scandal to the Parishes, than to the separatists.
Obj. But Christ cared not for offending such perverse ⟨p. 139⟩ones as Herod or the Pharisees?
Answ. Christ feared not to displease the greatest, when it would be done by doing good: No more must you or they be pleased by our neglect of any duty. But Christ was against laying any trap before either Herod or the Pharisees, to make them sin.