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Richard Baxter
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Taken from Richard Baxter’s Catholic Theology, Plain, Pure, Peaceable...
(London: White, 1675), “Of Divisions & Conentions among Christians”
This public domain transcription includes minor, updating edits.
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I. Causes of Christian Divisions & Contentions
I. Persons
1. Devils
2. Men
1. Contentious Church officers
2. Unwise and wicked rulers instigated by them
3. The deceived people that follow them
II. Qualities (Sins)
I. Contributing
1. Selfishness in carnal hypocrites who prefer worldly interest
2. Slothfulness in students in seeking truth
3. Hastiness in judging before coming to digested conceptions and proof
II. Immediate. The Lack of:
1. Humility and self-acquaintance: Pride
2. Knowledge: Ignorance and Error
3. Love to others: Envy, Malice and Bitterness
III. Instruments or Engines for Creating Divisions & Contentions
1. In General: Corrupt departing from Christian simplicity (2 Cor. 1:12; 11:3)
2. Particularly
1. From simplicity of doctrine, by dogmatists’ words and notions
2. From simplicity of practice, by superstitious additions
3. From simplicity of discipline by Church tyranny
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II. What Divisions & Contentions Are
I. Discord, in judgment of things necessary
II. Alienation, in will and affection
1. Negative, by denying due communion
2. Positive
1. By contention
2. Malice
3. Hurtfulness to each other
III. Division, in necessary practice
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III. Effects of Divisions & Contentions
I. On the Church
1. Doctrine, preaching and writing: turning it into vain and hurtful wrangling
2. Worship, prayer, sacraments: corrupting them by faction, partiality and wrath
3. Discipline: corrupting it into secular or factious tyranny, or a dead image
II. On Persons
I. Particular
1. Themselves
2. Their followers
1. The guilt and deceit of false, religious zeal
2. The death of true holiness and heavenly conversation
3. The death of love and a life of wrath and injuries
3. Rulers
1. Corrupting them by factious clamors against their subjects
2. Tempting them unto persecuting laws and executions
3. Engaging them in bloody wars abroad
4. The Innocent. Injuries to:
1. Private persons
1. By censures, slanders, backbitings, making them hated
2. Denying them due love, communion and help
3. Persecution, silencing and other mischiefs
2. Rulers
1. Weakening and grieving them by the subjects’ discords
2. Dishonoring them by defaming excommunications
3. Urging them to be the Church officers’ executioners
5. Enemies and Strangers: scandalizing and hardening them in unbelief and sin
II. Societies
I. Churches
1. Corrupting them in doctrine, worship and order
2. Weakening them by discord and division
3. Shaming them before the world
4. Making them less fit for God’s love and communion
II. Nations: Weakening and dishonoring them, drawing them into the guilt of feuds, wars and persecutions
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IV. The Remedies
I. Persons
1. Christ the Prince of Peace and the Church’s Head and Center
2. Wise rulers, who understand the interest of:
1. Christ
2. Their people
3. Themselves
3. Able, wise, holy and peaceable pastors
4. The mature, experienced, mellow, peaceable sort of the people
II. Qualities (Virtues)
1. Diligent study under wise teachers
2. Sincere holiness; a dying life:
1. Humility
2. Knowledge
3. Love to others as ourselves
3. Deliberative judging [of issues and persons] upon trial
III. Means
1. Returning to Christian simplicity
1. In doctrine: the ancient Apostles’ Creed, etc.
2. In worship
3. In discipline
2. Civil rulers forcing Church officers to keep the peace and forbear strife
3. Subjects’ obedience in all lawful things required by authority
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V. What Health is
1. Rulers, pastors and people are of one mind
2. One heart in love
3. One mouth and practice in things necessary, in communion and mutual help, and mutual, loving forbearance in infirmities and things unnecessary, edified in love
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VI. The Effects hereof
I. Glory to God
1. In the hallowing of his name and honor of religion
2. In the increase of his Kingdom and conversion of the world
3. In the doing of his will on earth as it is done in Heaven
II. Peace on Earth
1. Increase of holiness, heavenliness and love
2. Mutual delight herein: the joy of health and concord
3. The Church’s strength and glory
III. God being Well-Pleased in Men: His Church will be fit for his love, delight and communion, and will be more akin to Heaven, and will enjoy its foretastes
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