Baxter - BX1765 B39 1691

Chap. I. The true State and j ufl Re– folut,ions oftheControverfies ahoztt a Foreign ]urifdiElion, in Sixty Evi– dent or Proved Propojitions. § r. HOW great advantage Satan maketh of . the ded~ivablenefs of ignorant men, and of the decei~fulnefs of the Crafty, ·and of tbe apti– tude of ambiguous, or falfe, or artificialJy.contri~ ved Names and Words to deceive, rhe fad Expe– rience of the deceived WorJd; and corrupted and divided Churches openly dedart; ; :.znd yet, .alas, how few obferve it and efcape rbe fnare? § 2. Ifall Men were judicious and fiabliilied Chrifiians~ \vhen ferious Faith and Godlinefs is made afcorn, by the f-alfe names of Hereticks, Schifrnaticks, Puritans, Fanaticks, Sectaries, or any fenflefs jears, it would no more turn them from the holy \)erforman~e of their Baptifrnal Vow, and Obedience toChrifi, than the raving ofaDrunkard or a Bedlam, or the crying of a Child. But ignorant unreiolved Perfons; that never yet know what the bearing of the Crofs .was, nor have learned-felf-denial, are ftopt in their conviet:ions, good purpofes, and hopeful difpofiti– ons, when they hear ferious Piety made a com– mon (corn, and that by thofe that were themfelves Baptized, and profefs Chrifiianity. Some ofthem think, fure all this reproach is not laid on them for nothing, andothers that think it but the fiinkB b • ing •

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=