A26906:522
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.
DIRECT. XXXII.
Lay not a greater stress upon your different words or manner of prayer, than God hath laid: And take heed either of scorning, reproaching or slighting, the words and manner of other mens worship, when it is such as God accepteth from the sincere.
IT is an easy thing to turn the native heat of Religion, into a feverish out-side zeal about words, or circumstances or ceremonies, whether it ⟨p. 175⟩be for them or against them. O what a wonder is it, that by so palpable a trick as th•s, the Devil should deceive so many, and make such a stir and disturbance in the Church. I know that one party will cry up Order, & the other will cry up Spirituality, and both will say that God maketh not light of the smallest matters in religion, nor no more must we: And in this general position there is some truth. But if nothing could be said for both their errors, they would then be no deceits, nor be capable of doing any mischief. Some things that you contend about, God hath left wholly undetermined and indifferent; And some things in which your brother erreth, his error is so small a fault, as not at all to hinder his acceptance with God, nor with any man that judgeth as God doth. Had you ever understood, Rom. 14 & 15. you would have understood all this.
IT is an easie thing to turn the native heat of Religion, into a feaverish out-side zeal about words, or circumstances or ceremonies, whether it