A26912:45
A defence of the principles of love, which are necessary to the unity and…
A defence of the principles of love, which are necessary to the unity and concord of Christians and are delivered in a book called The cure of church-divisions ... / by Richard Baxter ...
London: printed for Nevil Simmons, 1671
Preface: THE PREFACE TO THOSE READERS Who are of the Excepters mind, and are offended at my Book…
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.
4. And I entreat you to mark but what your own objection intimateth: You could endure it if I had only pleaded for Peace and Concord among the Non-conformists: But doth not this intimate, that Peace and Concord in it self is desirable, among all those that should agree and be united? Why, I am as well able to prove that all true Christians should have Peace and Love and Concord for the strength of the Universal Church, as any of you all are able to prove, that any one Party should have Concord in it self. The Episcopal part would have all possible Concord among those that are Episcopal; and the Presbyterians among Presbyterians, and the Independents among Independents, and the Anabaptists among Anabaptists; no party is for Divisions among themselves, till the particular temptation doth prevail. And yet I am not pardonable for motioning, that all sober Christians, as Christians, may have all possible Love, Peace and Concord among themselves.
4. And I intreat you to mark but what your own objection intimateth: You could endure it if I had only pleaded for Peace and Concord among the Non-conformists: But doth not this intimate, that Peace and Concord in it self is desirable, among all those that should agree and be united? Why, I am as well able to prove that all true Christians should have Peace and Love and Concord for the strength of the Universal Church, as any of you all are able to prove, that any one Party should have Concord in it self. The Episcopal part would have all possible Concord among those that are Episcopal; and the Presbyterians among Presbyterians, and the Independents among Independents, and the Anabaptists among Anabaptists; no party is for Divisions among themselves, till the particular temptation doth prevail. And yet I am not pardonable for motioning, that all sober Christians, as Christians, may have all possible Love, Peace and Concord among themselves.
Brethren, I am sure that Christs body is but one: I do not despise all those words of Christ and the Spirit which I cited in my book: I know that the diversity of knowledge and gifts among true Christians, should not make diversities of Churches, ⟨p. 17⟩