A27016:584
A saint or a brute the certain necessity and excellency of holiness, &c. ...…
A saint or a brute the certain necessity and excellency of holiness, &c. ... / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by R.W. for Francis Tyton, 1662
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
1. Godliness doth Unite or Centre all Societies in the Only Head and Centre of Unity; that is, the Blessed God himself. A Common-wealth will never have Peace in a state of Rebellion against their Sovereign, (unless he be one that they can overcome:) Nor Soldiers in a state of Mutiny against their General: nor Scholars in shutting out their Master. God is the only Sovereign of the whole world. The godly all unite in him. Ungodliness is Rebellion against him. The Rebels are always in his Power. There is no Peace nor safety therefore, nor any Unity, but an Agreement in Rebellion for a while, to any that are not by Holiness united in him, and Loyal subjects to him, Isa. 48. 22. There is no Peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.]
1. Godliness doth Unite or Center all Societies in the Only Head and Center of Unity; that is, the Blessed God himself. A Common-wealth will never have Peace in a state of Rebellion against their Soveraign, (unless he be one that they can overcome:) Nor Souldiers in a state of Mutiny against their General: nor Schollars in shutting out their Master. God is the only Soveraign of the whole world. The godly all unite in him. Ungodliness is Rebellion against him. The Rebels are alwayes in his Power. There is no Peace nor safety therefore, nor any Unity, but an Agreement in Rebellion for a while, to any that are not by Holiness united in him, and Loyal subjects to him, Isa. 48. 22. There is no Peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.]
Object. But do we not see that the main Divisions of the world are about Religion? Answ. 1. Its true; but not by the truly Religious. The great quarrel of the world is against Religion in the life and practice of it. 2. It is unholy men that cannot abide to be accounted unholy, that are the chief dividers. 3. Among the truly Godly, there is no division in the main, but only differences about the smaller Branches of Religion, which are Numerous, and less discernible, and less necessary then the common Truths. They are all Agreed of Truth enough to bring them to Heaven; and therefore enough to unite them in dear Affection upon earth. Nay there is not one of them that hath not a special love to all that he discerneth to be the servants of the Lord. If any be without this, he is ungodly. And we are not to answer for the miscarriages of every Infidel or ungodly man, that will put on the Name of Christianity and Godliness. If there should be fallings out among the godly, they cannot rest till they are healed and set in joint again. But you must not then be so unjust as to conclude, that we can have no Unity, till we are in all things of a mind. May not men of various complexions be of one Society? Are not the multitudes of Veins and Arteries in your Bodies, united in the trunks and roots? It not the Tree one, that hath many branches?