A26897:233
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.
7. If the Necessities of a Mans Family (Ministers or people) require him to remove his Habitation, I doubt not but he may remove, though the Church dissent: unless in some Cases where by accident his removal may more dishonour God, or hinder public Good, than his Estate or the preservation of his Family can countervail: The Church hath not power to tie Men to Ruin their Families, nor to continue with them during Life, nor during their pleasure: Nor is it implied in the consent of Membership, which is to be no more, but that [I will hold Communion with this Church as a Member, while I here Cohabit, or I have no call from God to remove.] It is so in Civil Corporations▪ Cohabitation is an antecedent part of our Aptitude for Church Communion; and many just Causes may deprive us of that Aptitude, and make the persons to be materia indisposita & incapax, and so destroy his Relation of it self.
7. If the Necessities of a Mans Family (Ministers or people) require him to remove his Habitation, I doubt not but he may remove, though the Church dissent: unless in some Cases where by accident his removal may more dishonour God, or hinder publick Good, than his Estate or the preservation of his Family can countervail: The Church hath not power to tye Men to Ruine their Families, nor to continue with them during Life, nor during their pleasure: Nor is it implied in the consent of Membership, which is to be no more, but that [I will hold Communion with this Church as a Member, while I here Cohabit, or I have no call from God to remove.] It is so in Civil Corporations▪ Cohabitation is an antecedent part of our Aptitude for Church Communion; and many just Causes may deprive us of that Aptitude, and make the persons to be materia indisposita & incapax, and so destroy his Relation of it self.
8. If persons that have a weak Pastor, or a corrupt Society, can to the great advantage of their Souls remove, they may do it whether the Church will consent or not, in case their removal do not accidentally do more hurt against the honour of God, and the public Good, than their profit can countervail: And still supposing, that the Churches consent be first orderly sought.