The true Catholick, and Catholick church described. And the vanity of the Papists, and all other schismaticks, that confine the Catholick church to their sect, discovered and shamed. / By Richard Baxter, a member of that one Universal Church, which containeth all the true Christians in the world. With an apologetical postscript against the factious principles and writings of Mr T. Malpas, Mr T Pierce, Philo-Tilenus, and such others.

20. Lastly, The greatest hin∣derance of our Unity is, the un∣godliness of the most that profess themselves Christians, whereby they become uncapable matter for our truest neerest Ʋnion, and yet think that we must be united to them all: when they will not joyn with us in the vitalls of Christia∣nity, but stick in the bark, and take up with the name, yet do they think that we must joyn with them, and be of their Commu∣nion and opinions in all externall things, and if we differ from them, they think we are Schisma∣ticks. Men lay the Churches U∣nity too much in meer speculati∣ons, which they call the Articles of faith, and too little in Practicals, and holiness of life, whereas there is no Article of faith, but is for practice; and as truly as the un∣derstanding

and will are both es∣sentiall to the soul, so truly the sanctity of understanding and will are both essentiall to a Christian: And as the Holiness of the Heart, is as essentiall as faith to a Reall Christian, or member of the Church regenerate; so the Pro∣fession of Holiness is as essentiall as the Profession of faith, to make a man a member of the Church, visible or Congregate. And there∣fore as we can have no inward Union and Communion, with a∣ny but the truly sanctified, so can we have no visible Church-Union or Communion, but with those that Profess to be truly sanctified. Its a shameful thing to hear every drunkard and scorner at godli∣ness, to rail at the many divisions in the Church, and to call for U∣nity and Concord, when its he, and such as he that hinder it, that will not be united to Christ him∣self,

nor joyn with us in the onely Center of Union, nor in the grea∣test and most necessary things, without which all Christian Union is impossible. But because I take this to be a necessary point, I shall handle it, God willing, more fully by it self.