A26897:172
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.
The truth *is, the people have not the least degree of Governing Power: (but each man of Self-government, and Parents, and Masters of Family-government) It is Christ that appointeth Ministers as his Ambassadors, Stewards and Officers, and commandeth them to speak in his Name and stead, and the people to hear and obey him in them. So that the gainsaying of this Truth, would be of unspeakable injury to the Church: (Besides what is forementioned) 1▪ It would rob Christ of his Government, which is exercised by his Stewards and Ministers. 2. It will engage the godly people in Rebellion. 3. Yea, and in Usurpation of his Government. 4. And it will deprive the Church of the very life of all that Edification and Consolation which they should have by the Ministry. This is our Joy in Baptism, that as we deliver up our selves or Children to Christ, so Christ there by his Authorized▪ Minister actually receiveth us or them. This is our Joy in the Lord's Supper, that Christ by his Authorized Minister, saith to us, [Take ye, Eat ye, This is my Body, &c.] and actually delivereth himself to us. This is our Joy in Ministerial Preaching of the Gospel, that by a special Officer Christ proclaimeth to us the offer of free Pardon and Eternal Life. This is our Comfort in Ministerial Absolution (which should be as Solemn as Excommunication) that Christ by his Messenger doth pronounce us pardoned by name, and receive us into Mercy and Church Communion, supposing that our Repentance ⟨p. 30⟩be true as we profess it. And so this is the terror of Excommunication, that Christ by his Officer doth pronounce men bound, and bind them over to answer it at his Bar, and cast them by his Sentence out of his House. If you make all these to be but humane Administrations, they are made vain.
The truth *is, the people have not the least degree of Governing Power: (but each man of Self-government, and Parents, and Masters of Family-government) It is Christ that appointeth Ministers as his Ambassadors, Stewards and Officers, and commandeth them to speak in his Name and stead, and the people to hear and obey him in them. So that the gainsaying of this Truth, would be of unspeakable injury to the Church: (Besides what is forementioned) 1 It would rob Christ of his Government, which is exercised by his Stewards and Ministers. 2. It will engage the godly people in Rebellion. 3. Yea, and in Usurpation of his Government. 4. And it will deprive the Church of the very life of all that Edification and Consolation which they should have by the Ministry. This is our Joy in Baptism, that as we deliver up our selves or Children to Christ, so Christ there by his Authorized Minister actually receiveth us or them. This is our Joy in the Lord's Supper, that Christ by his Authorized Minister, saith to us, [Take ye, Eat ye, This is my Body, &c.] and actually delivereth himself to us. This is our Joy in Ministerial Preaching of the Gospel, that by a special Officer Christ proclaimeth to us the offer of free Pardon and Eternal Life. This is our Comfort in Ministerial Absolution (which should be as Solemn as Excommunication) that Christ by his Messenger doth pronounce us pardoned by name, and receive us into Mercy and Church Communion, supposing that our Repentance