A Defense of the Principles of Love, Title page – Quotation
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. I. Inviting all sound and sober Christians, (by what name soever called) to receive each other to Communion in the same Churches. II. And where that (which is first desirable) cannot be attained, to bear with each other in their distinct Assemblies, and to manage them all in Christian Love. Written to detect and eradicate all Love-killing, dividing, and Church-destroying Principles, Passions and Practices, and to preserve the weak in this hour of manifold temptation.
By Richard Baxter one of the Mourners for a self-dividing and self-afflicting Land.
Psal. 120. 6, 7.
My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth Peace. I am for Peace: but when I speak, they are for war.
Didicerat enim (Rex Edilberth) & à Doctoribus auctoribus que suae salutis, servitium Christi Voluntarium, non Coactitium, debere esse.
Beda Hist. Eccles. lib 1. cap. 26
London, Printed for Nevil Simmons, at the Sign of the three Crowns near Holborn Conduit. 1671.
CAlvinus in Matth. 13. 35, 36, 37, &c.
Hoc porro multis valde absurdum esse videtur, in Ecclesiae sinu foveri vel impios homines, vel profanos vel sceleratos: Adde quod pleri que zeli praetextu plus aequo morosi, nisi omnia ad eorum votum composita sint quia nusquam apparet absoluta puritas, tumultuose ab Ecclesia discedunt, vel importuno rigore eam evertunt & perdunt. Quare hic meo judicio simplex est parabolae scopus: Quamdiu in hoc mundo peregrinatur Ecclesia, bonis & sinceris in ea permixtos fore malos & hypocritas, ut se patientia arment filii Dei, & inter offendicula quibus turbari possent, retineant infractam fidei Constantiam—Est quidem haec valde molesta conditio, quod reprobis o…eratur Ecclesia usque ad finem mundi: hoc tamen tempus nobis ad patientiam ideo Christus praescribit, ne vanâ spe nos lactemus.—Graviter quidem Pastores incumbere decet ad purgandam Ecclesiam; Et hac in parte ab omnibus piis adjuvandi sunt, quatenus fert cujus que vocatio. Verum ubi omnes in commune mutuas operas contulerint, non tamen eo us que proficient, ut penitus ab omni sorde purgent ecclesiam.—Deinde etiam eorum Zelum froenare & moderari, qui fas esse non putant societatem nisi cum puris Angelis colere. Qui ad extirpandum quicquid displicet ꝑraepostere festinant, antevertunt quantum in se est, Christi judicium, & ereptum Angelis officium temere sibi usurpant.—
Et in Mat. 6. [Quod Iohannes privatam orandi …r…nam t…adidit suis discipulis, id f…cisse existimo prout temporis ratio fereba…. Res tune valde apud Iudaeos corruptas fuisse notum est: Tota certe Religio sic collapsa erat, ut mi…um non sit precandi morem à pa…cis rit… cultum fuisse. Ru…sus quum instar…t promiss… redemptio, sidelium mentes precand… ad ejus spem & d…siderium ex…itari oportuit. Iohannes ex variis Scripturae locis certam aliquam precationem conficere potuit quae tempori congrueret, ac propius accederet ad spirituale Christi regnum—
Et in Rom. 14. 3. Prudenter & apposite utrius que vitiis occurrit. H…c enim vitio laborant qui sunt firmiores, ut eos qui inanibus scrupulis detinentur, …in…uam superstitiosulos despiciant, at que irrideant: Contra hi vix sibi cavere à temerariis judiciis queunt, ut no… damnent quod non assequuntur: Quicquid fieri contra suum sensum cernunt, illud malum esse putant: Illos ergo à contemptu dehortatur, hos à nimia morositate.]
Calvin on Matth. 13.
This seemeth very absurd to many, that ungodly, or prophane, or wicked men, are cherished in the bosome of the Church: And very many being over morose under pretence of zeal, unless all things be composed to their desires, because absolute purity is no where to be found, do tumultuously depart from the Church, or by unseasonable rigidness do overthrow and destroy it. Therefore in my judgement, this is the simple scope of the Parable: that as long as the Church sojourneth in this world, bad men and hypocrites will be mixt with the good and sincere in it; that Gods Children may arm themselves with patience, and among the offences that might trouble them, may retain unbroken faith and constancy:—Indeed this is a very troublesome condition, that the Church is burthened with Reprobates to the worlds end: But this is the space that Christ prescribeth us for patience, lest we flatter our selves with empty hopes—The Pastors indeed must diligently labour to purge the Church: And in this all godly men should help them, as far as their Calling doth allow. But when all men have done their best, they shall not so far have success, as to purge the Church from all defilements.—And Christ would bridle and moderate their Zeal, who think it unlawful to have Communion (or fellowship) with any but pure Angels—They that preposterously make haste to root out all that displeaseth them, do as much as in them is prevent Christs judgement, and snatch and usurp the Angels work.
Calv. on Mat. 6. That Iohn delivered a private form of Prayer to his Disciples, I suppose he did it in suitableness to the time. That matters were then very corrupt with the Jews, is known. All Religion was so collapsed, that it is no wonder that the manner of praying was rightly observed but by few. And when the promised Redemption was at hand, it was meet that the minds of the faithful should by prayer be stirred up to desire and hope for it. Iohn might from several places of Scripture make up one certain prayer, which should be agreeable to the time, and might come nearer to the Spiritual Kingdom of Christ.
Here I desire the Reader again to note, that though Prayer was then so corrupted by the Pharisees, yet Christ usually joyned in their Synagogues, Luke 14. 17. and never medled with our Controversie, about the Lawfulness of set Forms.
Calv. on Rom. 14. 3. Paul doth prudently and fitly meet with the faults of both sides: For this is the fault of the strong, that they despise and deride them as superstitious folk who are detained with vain scruples: On the contrary these can hardly forbear censorious condemning that which they understand not: And they think that to be evil, which is against their own sense. Therefore Paul disswadeth the one sort from contempt, and the other from overmuch moroseness.