A26906:749
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.
Thirdly, And remember that I am not here speaking of any mens former faults, by way of uncharitable bitterness, insulting or reproach; but verily brethren, if we are not impartially willing to know the truth of eve•y side, and of our own selves as well as others, we choose deceit, and resist the light, and provoke God to forsake our understandings. Do we not yet know where Judgment hath begun, after such plagues and flames, and Church convulsions? And do we not yet know where Repentance must begin? Enquire for good news whence you will, I vvill enquire whether we are awakened to a true Repentance; and by that I will fetch my prognostics of our future state? Not whether you cry out against other mens sins, but against your own, and that particularly with all their aggravations; and whether Professors of Religiousness do as heartily ⟨p. 251⟩lament their own notorious public scandals, as they expect that drunkards and fornicators, and the friends of looseness, should lament theirs! Till we see this, what promise have we of the pardon of our dreadful temporal penalties? (to say nothing of the greater.)
Thirdly, And remember that I am not here speaking of any mens former faults, by way of uncharitable bitterness, insulting or reproach; but verily brethren, if we are not impartially willing to know the truth of eve•y side, and of our own selves as well as othe•s, we choose deceit, and resist the light, and provoke God to forsake our understandings. Do we not yet know where Iudgment hath begun, after such plagues and flames, and Church convulsions? And do we not yet know where Repentance must begin? Enquire for good news whence you will, I vvill enquire whether we are awakened to a true Repentance; and by that I will fetch my prognosticks of our f•ture state? Not whether you cry out against other mens sins, but against your own, and that particularly with all their aggravations; and whether Professo•rs of Religiousness do as heartily ⟨p. 251⟩lament their own notorious publick scandals, as they expect that drunkards and fornicators, and the friends of loosness, should lament theirs! Till we see this, what promise have we of the pardon of our dreadful temporal penalties? (to say nothing of the greater.)