A26906:683
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.
When it is our work to avoid persons that they may be ashamed, or that we may show our detestation of their wickedness, then going from them is our duty, and we must do it; (To the excommunicate in-public, and to the notoriously wicked and impenitent after admonition, in our private way of life.) But with most men, our duty is to labour their conversion, and in hope to seek the saving of their souls, till they prove as dogs and swine to their exhorters. It is a common question whether we should go as far ⟨p. 224⟩as we may from wicked-men, or come as […] them as we may. And it is very great ignorance to say either the one of the other, without distinguishing of wicked men! Seeing our duty lieth the clean contrary way, towards one sort of them and towards another.
WHen it is our work to avoid persons that they may be ashamed, or that we may shew our detestation of their wickedness, then going from them is our duty, and we must do it; (To the excommunicate in-publick, and to the notoriously wicked and impenitent after admonition, in our private way of life.) But with most men, our duty is to labour their conversion, and in hope to seek the saving of their souls, till they prove as dogs and swine to their exhorters. It is a common question whether we should go as far ⟨p. 224⟩as we may from wicked-men, or come as 〈…〉 them as we may. And it is very great ignorance to say either the one of the other, without distinguishing of wicked men! Seeing our duty lyeth the clean contrary way, towards one sort of them and towards another.
And there is much difference also to be made of the matter in which our joining with them, or going from them doth consist. For there are some things which though they are no sin, yet are so like sin, that our doing them is most like to be a snare, and to hinder mens repentance, and not to further it: And in this we must not come too near them. But there are other things in which our going too far from them is like to hinder their repentance.