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A26912 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 ... Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691. 1671 (1671) Wing B1239; ESTC R263 150,048 304

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slowly they come on in knowledge 3. If God have made it one half the work of the Pastors of the Churches to labour all their daies to heal the Ignorance of good people then such Ignorant ones there are But the antecedent is plain in Scripture and believed by most Ministers as their daily Sermons tell you 4. Do not the multitudes of Sects and Errors and Contentions that have torn the Church from the Apostles daies till now prove it Were all those in the Catalogues of Epiphanius Augustine Philastrius c. Certainly graceless Or were none of them Ignorant and Injudicious And though Church-tyranny be a grand Divider that this was not the only Cause two instances prove to the great disgrace of this assertion of his First the instance of the said sects of Christians for the first 300 or 400 years when there were no such Impositions Secondly our late twenty years or neer contentions and divisions and numerous parties when there were little or no impositions Was it impositions or tyranny that bred sects in the Armies and in England and Ireland in the daies of liberty 5. And is it not sufficient proof to England that there are weak ignorant injudicious Christians when the ruines of twenty years experience overwhelmeth us and when so many years unreconcilable differences prove i And when we have so many sects and differences to this day What all these differences these wars these disputings these censurings divisions and confusions and yet no Ignorant Injudioious Christians O what will pass for proof with them that will not take such experience for proof 6. And what say you by all the Greek the Abassine Armenian Nestorian Iacobite c. Christians that are alas in National general Ignorance Which will you affirm Brother That all these Nations are damnable Infidels or no Christians Or that there are no Ignorant Christians among them 7. And what say you by all the Contentions of Lutherans and Calvinists Arminians and Antiarminians the troubles of Germany by Muntzer and his Anabaptists and those at Munster and those in Holland and many other Countreys 8. And what say you by all the books now extant Dr. Crispes Mr. Saltmarshes Cop's Mr. Cradocks Mr. Dels Mr. Dens Mr. Randalls Iacob Behmens and all the Germane Prophets Andr. Osiander Swenkfieldius c. Is there no Christianity or no ignorance and injudiciousness apparent in them Besides all the writings of Episenpal Presbyterian Independents Separatists Anabaptists c. against one another 9. Do you not think your self that multitudes of Conformists yea Ministers are Ignorant and Injudicious Sure you do And can you judge them all to be no Christians 10. Do you not think that I am Ignorant and Injudicious If not you must not only think that I am no Christian but also extreamly maliciously wicked But if you do so think of me can you think so of all the non-Conformable Ministers of my judgement I am sure if you believe your self and as you write Ignorance is the easiest charge we can expect from you 11. And will you put sorth such a book as your own to the World and when you have done deny the Ignorance and Injudiciousness of all Christians This is all one as to swear that there is never a swearer among Christians 12. I appeal to the common Charges of Ministers in their Sermons and books who charge weak Christians with dulness ignorance and injudiciousness 13. I appeal to the experience of all Masters of Families whether they meet with no such Christians there Yea how hard it is to meet with better 14. I appeal to the experience of every self-knowing Christian whether he find not abundance of dulness ignorance and injudiciousness in himself 15. I appeal to the prayers of almost all Christians whether they charge not themselves with this to God 16. I appeal to almost all the disagreeing disputers of this and every age whether they charge not one another with it 17. I appeal to most Parishes in England whether many of the people charge not their Ministers themselves with it 18 I appeal to Universities Tutors and Schools whether they know none such 19. I appeal to any judicious man whether he find not the judicious even among good Christians yea and Ministers to be alas too rare 20. And I appeal to all men that are awake whether there be no Christian children in the World And whether all such children are cured of Ignorance and Injudiciousness and know all things by the anointing of the Spirit And if all this be no proof it is time to give over teaching and disputing And now that if perhaps you may repent and others be preserved I shall tell you what nature this sinful doctrine and practice is of 1. It is a cherishing of Pride which is the first-born of the Devil Yea of spiritual Pride even a Pride of mens Knowledge and Iudiciousness which is worse than Pride of wealth or ornaments 2. Hereby it resisteth a great work of the Gospel and Spirit of Christ which consisteth in the humbling of souls and making them become as little children conscious of Ignorance and teachable 3. It defendeth that sin which all experienced judicious men complain of as that common calamity of mankind which is the grand cause of contentions and errors in the World Which is mens thinking that they know what they do not and over-valuing their own understandings thinking that they are wise when it is otherwise 4. It contradicteth the Holy Ghost and reproveth his language and reproofs as I have before shewed To which I adde 2 Tim. 3. 6 7. They lead captive silly women laden with sins led away with divers lusts ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth 1 Cor. 15. Where Paul is put to prove the Resurrection ver 34. Some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your shame ver 36. Thou fool that which thou s●west c. Hos. 9. 7. The Prophet is a fool the spiritual man is mad c. 1 Cor. 3. 18. Let him become a fool that he may be wise If you say that some of these were not true Saints I answer 1. Paul calleth the Church of Corinth in general Saints 2. Our question is of more than true Saints even such as may by others who are no heart-searchers be called Christians whether we may call any dull ignorant or injudicious Christians 5. You teach Parents and Masters to neglect and betray the souls of their children and servants that are Christians And children and servants to reject the teaching of Parents and Masters For if they are not dull nor ignorant what need they to be taught or to learn And at what age do they come to know all things and to be past the title of Ignorant Is it at 4 or 5 or 7 years old Doubtless they may have the spirit then If not where is it that you will set the bounds At what age were you past