Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A69542
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Two sheets for poor families ... by Richard Baxter.
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Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.
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1665
(1665)
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Wing B1441; Wing B1403; ESTC R6530
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11,669
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17
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matter on the by Especially foâ— publick good and mens salvation And what you cannot do your selves perswade others to Give them good Books and draw them to the means which are most like to profit them XIII Vnderstand the right terms of Church-Communion especially the Unity of the Universal Church 1 Cor. 12. Eph. 4.3.16 Col. 1.4 Heb. 10.25 Acts 2.41 8.37.12 13. and the Universal Communion which you must hold with all the parts and the difference between the Church as Visible and Invisible For want of these how woful are our divisions Read oft 1 Cor. 12. Eph. 4.1 to 17. Iohn 17.21 22 23. Acts 4 32. 2.42 1 Cor. 1.10 11 13. 3.3 Rom. 16.17 Phil. 2. â— 2 3 4. 1 Thes 5.12 13. Acts 20 30. 1 Cor. 11.19 Titus 3 10. Iames 3. Study these well You must have Vnion and Communion in Faith and Love with all the Christians in the world And refuse not local communion when you have a just call so far as they put you not on sinning Let your usual meeting be with the purest Church if you lawfully may 1 Cor. 1.2 11.18 21. 3.3 4. 1.12 13. and still respect the publick good But sometimes occasionally communicate even with defective faulty Churches so be it they are true Christians and put you not on sin that so you may shew that you own them as Christians though you disown their corruptions Think not your presence maketh all the faults of Ministry Worship or people to be yours for then I would joyn with no Church in the world Know that as the mystical Church consisteth of Heart-Covenanters so doth the Church as Visible consist of Verbal-Covenanters which make a credible profession of Consent And that Nature and Scripture teacheth us to take every mans word as credible till perfidiousness forfeit his Credit which forfeiture must be proved before any sober Profession can be taken for an insufficient title Grudge not then at the Communion of any Professed Christian in the Church Visible Though we must do our part to cast out the obstinately impenitent by Discipline Mat. 13.41 which if we cannot do the fault is not ours The presence of hypocrites is no hurt but oft a mercy to the sincere How small else would the Church seem in the world Iohn 16.2 1 Cor. 1.10 Rom. 16.17 Iames 3.14 15 16 17 18. Outward priviledges belong to outward Covenanters and inward mercies to the sincere Division is wounding and tends to death Abhor it as you love the Churches welfare or your own The wisdom from above is first pure and then peaceable Never seperate what God conjoineth It is the Earthly sensual devilish wisdom which causeth bitter envying and strife and confusion and every evil work Blessed are the Peace-makers 1 Tim. 3.6 Col. 2.18 1 Cor. 8.1 1 Cor. 4.6 1 Tim. 6.4 1 Pet. 5.5 Iames 3.1.17 XIV Take heed of Pride and Self-conceitedness in Religion If once you overvalue your own understandings your crude conceptions and gross mistakes will delight you as some supernal light and instead of having compassion on the weak you will be unruly and despisers of your Guides and censorious contemners of all that differ from you and persecutors of them if you have power and will think all intollerable that take you not as Oracles and your words as Law Forget not that the Church hath alwayes suffered by censorious unruly professors on the one hand and O what divisions and scandals have they caused as well as by the prophane and persecutors on the other Take heed of both And when contentions are afoot be quiet and silent and not too forward and keep up a zeal for Love and Peace Eph. 5. 6. Col. 3. 4. Rom. 13.1.7 1 Pet. 2.13.15 XV. Be faithfull and conscionable in all your Relations Honour and obey your Parents and other superiors Despise not and resist not Government If you suffer unjustly by them be humbled for those sins which cause God to turn your Protectors into Afflicters and instead of murmuring and rebelling against them reform your selves and then commit your selves to God Princes and Pastors I will not speak to Subjects and servants and children must obey their superiors as the Officers of God XVI Keep up the Government of God in your families Command 4. Iâ—s 24.15 Deut. 6.6 7 8. Daniel 6. Holy Familâ—es must be chief preservers of the interest of Religion in the world Let not the world turn Gods service into a customary lifeless form Read the Scripture and edifying Books to them Talk with them serioâ—sly about the state of their souls and everlasting life Pray with them fervently Watch over them diligently Be angry against sin and meek in your own cause Be examples of Wisdome Holiness and Patience And see that the Lords Day be spent in holy preparation for Eternity XVII Let your Calling be managed in Holiness and Laboriousness Hâ—b 13.5 Command 4. 2 Thess 3.10.12 1 Thess 4.7 1 Tim. 5.13 Proverbs 31. 1 Cor. 7.29 Live not in idleness Be not slothful in your work whether you be bound or free In the swear of your browes you must eat your bread and labour the six dayes that you may have to give to him that needeth slothfulness is sensuality as well as filthier sins The body that is able must have fit employment as well as the soul or else body and soul will fare the worse But let all be but as the labour of a Traveller and aim at God and Heaven in all XVIII Deprive not your selves of the benefit of an able faithful Pastor Mâ—l 2.7 Eccles 4.10 11. Prov. 12.1 15.5.10.31 Hâ—b 3.13 to whom you may open your case in secret or at least of a holy faithful friend And be not displeased at their free reproofs Wo to him that is alone How blind and partial are we in our own cause And how hard is it to know our selves without an able faithful helper You forfeit this great mercy when yoâ— love a flatterer and angrâ—ly defend your sin XIX Prepare for sickness sufferings and death Overvalâ—e not prosperity Luke 12.40 2 Pet. 1.10 nor the favour of man If sâ—lfish men pâ—ove false and cruâ—l to you even those of whom you have deserved best marvel not at it but pray for your enemies persecutors and slanderers Phil. 1.21 23. Ierem. 9 4 5. Mat. 7.4 5. 2 Cor. 5.1 2 4 8. that God would turn their hearts and pardon them What a mercy is it to be driven from the world to God When the Love of the world is the greatest danger of the soul Be ready to die and you are ready for any thing Ask your hearts seriously what is it that I shall need at a dying hour and let it speedily be got ready and not be to seek in the time of your extremity XX. Understand the true method of Peace of Conscience Exod. 34.6 Heb. 7.25 Iohn 4.41 Iohn 3.16 1 Tim. 4.10