A26906:939
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. I.
Let it be our first care to know and do our own duty, for the strengthening and uniting of the people: And when we see their weakness and divisions, let us first examine and judge our selves, and lament and reform our own neglects.
That the state of the flocks doth usually follow the state of the Pastors, is known by the experience of all the Churches, in all ages and places of the world. Where there is a holy, faithful, able, diligent, concordant Ministry, there is usually a reformed and agreeing people. And where there is an ignorant, lazy, formal, ungodly and contentious Ministry, there is either a people divided, or else agreeing in ignorance, formality and ungodliness. At least if such a Ministry have been long among them.
THat the state of the flocks doth usually follow the state of the Pastors, is known by the experience of all the Churches, in all ages and places of the world. Where there is a holy, faithful, able, diligent, concordant Ministry, there is usually a reformed and agreeing people. And where there is an ignorant, lazy, formal, ungodly and contentious Ministery, there is either a people divided, or else agreeing in ignorance, formality and ungodliness. At least if such a Ministry have been long among them.