A26912:69
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
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.
Also I foresaw that while we worried, and weakened one another, as all Sects would grow under the discontents of one party, so the Papists were like to be the principal gainers; And they would be ready to offer their service to strengthen one of the parties against the other; and would be glad to take up the reproaches against the most religious people, that were by angry adversaries brought unto their hands; And that when we had made our selves a Common scorn by our manifold divisions, and by our biting and devouring one another, they would plead this as our shame, to draw people to themselves, as the only stable and consistent Church; ⟨p. 33⟩and would make us giddy that we might rest on them as our Supporters; and when they saw us weak enough, would be ready to devour us all.
Also I foresaw that while we worried, and weakned one another, as all Sects would grow under the discontents of one party, so the Papists were like to be the principal gainers; And they would be ready to offer their service to strengthen one of the parties against the other; and would be glad to take up the reproaches against the most religious people, that were by angry adversaries brought unto their hands; And that when we had made our selves a Common scorn by our manifold divisions, and by our biting and devouring one another, they would plead this as our shame, to draw people to themselves, as the only stable and consistent Church; ⟨p. 33⟩and would make us giddy that we might rest on them as our Supporters; and when they saw us weak enough, would be ready to devour us all.
And I easily foresaw how calamitous a thing it would be to the Kingdom, to have most Towns and Parishes set all together by the ears, and for the neighbours to be as Gu•lphes and Ghibellines, every man employed in censuring and reproaching others, instead of living together in neighbourly and Christian Love.