A26897:160
Church concord
Church concord containing I. a dissuasive from unnecessary division and separation, and the real concord of the moderate independents with the Presbyterians, instanced in ten seeming differences, II. by Richard Baxter.Church concord containing I. a disswasive from unnecessary division and separation, and the real concord of the moderate independents with the Presbyterians, instanced in ten seeming differences, II. by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Tho. Parkhurst, 1691
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. But if Paul had left the Work to them he wrote to, there would have been no proof that the Censure had been committed to the people: Here are two works to be done: The Sentence, and the Execution, (that is, avoiding Communion, &c.) and accordingly two parts of the Church to do it, the Pastors to Censure, and the people to Execute it, by actual avoiding or putting away. Now if Paul write to an Organized, Governed Society to [deliver to Satan and put away] no Man can hence prove that he committeth the same parts of the work equally to all the parts of the Society: No more than he can prove, if the Prince write to this Borough [to cast out a turbulent Member] that he intendeth to equal the people with the Magistrates in the work, or to commit the same part of the work to one as to another: But rather it plainly importeth (and no more) that every Man in his place obey the command.
2. But if Paul had left the Work to them he wrote to, there would have been no proof that the Censure had been committed to the people: Here are two works to be done: The Sentence, and the Execution, (that is, avoiding Communion, &c.) and accordingly two parts of the Church to do it, the Pastors to Censure, and the people to Execute it, by actual avoiding or putting away. Now if Paul write to an Organized, Governed Society to [deliver to Satan and put away] no Man can hence prove that he committeth the same parts of the work equally to all the parts of the Society: No more than he can prove, if the Prince write to this Burrough [to cast out a turbulent Member] that he intendeth to equal the people with the Magistrates in the work, or to commit the same part of the work to one as to another: But rather it plainly importeth (and no more) that every Man in his place obey the command.
Obj. Matth. 18. Tell the Church] authorizeth the people. Ans. 1. It is incumbent on the affirmers to prove that it is the whole Body of the people that is there meant. And some think this Argument disproveth it, [That Church which must be heard, must be told (If he hear not the Church.) But the whole Congregation is not the Church that is to be Heard; therefore it is not the Church that is to be told.] The Major seems plain, because else the Equivocation in the word [Church] would make the matter not intelligible. The Minor they prove, because the whole Congregation cannot speak