A26906:577
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.
This is all that these rash preachers must trouble the Church, and seduce men into a hating factious zeal with. But what mean these men by false worship? Do they mean worship contrary to Gods word? That is, which is sinful? And do they mean All such sinful worship or some only? If they mean all such sinful worship, than these words of theirs are Idolatry; For they are part of their preaching, which is part of Gods worship, in their own sense: And it is false doctrine, and tendeth to mens perdition. And so they and all false Teachers should be idolaters. By this they would turn all sins in worship into one: It is all Idolatry. Is not every confused prayer sinful, which hath unmeet expressions and disordered, and hath wandering ⟨p. 191⟩thoughts and dull affections? Is there any of these Love-killers that dare say they pray without sin? And must we not separate from them then as Idolaters? Yea and every man from himself; that is, He must give over praying because its all Idolatry?
But perhaps they will say; This sin is but in the manner and not in the matter.
Answ. Very good; It seems then that sin in the manner of worship is not Idolatry. And how prove you that the faults of the Liturgy are not as far from the Matter of the worship, as your own are? Will you find some words which you can call false in the matter? Suppose it were so? When an Antinomian, an Anabaptist, a Separatist, or any one that erreth doth drop some of his errors in his prayers, (as I think none will deny that they use to do) must we needs believe that his prayer is Idolatry therefore, as being false worship? And is it unlawful to join with such? Then we shall have more separation than you yet plead for, or practise your selves. No two men in the world must join together if all sinful worship, or worship false sometime in the very matter doth necessitate a separation: At least where no one knoweth before hand what another will say with his tongue, when I know that every man hath some false opinion in his mind.