A26906:830
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.
Fifthly, Superstition is the great dividing engine, which satan useth to cut the Churches of Christ into Sects and pieces; and consequently to stir up party against party, to the hating and persecuting of one another: For while some take that for Religion which is none; others will see their error and avoid it: And thus the division will lay the foundation of disputes and quarrels, of enmity and opposition. For who can think that all the Churches should ever be so blind and slavish, as to take up that as a part of Religion, and a divine institution, which was forged by the private spirit of some erroneous person of an overheated brain.
Fifthly, Superstition is the great dividing engine, which satan useth to cut the Churches of Christ into Sects and pieces; and consequently to stir up party against party, to the hating and persecuting of one another: For while some take that for Religion which is none; others will see their errour and avoid it: And thus the division will lay the foundation of disputes and quarrels, of enmity and opposition. For who can think that all the Churches should ever be so blind and slavish, as to take up that as a part of Religion, and a divine institution, which was forged by the private spirit of some erroneous person of an overheated brain.
Sixthly, Lastly, Superstition much displeaseth God; and maketh us sinners, even in that, in which we think especially to honour him. Math. 15. 9. In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men: Though God in mercy can distinguish between his own and ours, and doth not count the whole worship to be in vain, where any degree of superstition is mixed (For then most zealous persons were undone;) yet the superstitious part of worship is always in vain; and all the rest is made as vain, where that is the predominant and denominating part. Thus overdoing is undoing, and thus the superstitious are (materially) righteous overmuch. And not only much cost and pains is lost, but the soul corrupted, the Church divided, Religion debased and endangered and God displeased, by ignorant zeal.