A26897:244
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.
Surely admission hath never been deemed in the Churches so momentous as with us: And yet we commit it to the dissident and multiformons fancies of Members, without a Rule—The Apostles were never acquainted with those Questions, [How, when, where, and whereby, and by whom Conversion was wrought?] The Church is a tender Mother, Cant. 7. and speedily embraceth her Infant by admission into her Arms, and layeth it to her Breasts of consolations. Experience telleth us that a Man will not easily make Protestations before God, and subject himself to Discipline, unless it be resolved with him. If it be resolved, he shall be saved—Happy is he that is resolved to slay from the wrath to come, to the Ark, to Z•ar, to the Cities of Refuge: And open we the Gate readily (without many expostulations) to rescue him from the avenger of Blood: Yea the way is to be made easy to encourage him to come. We must not have such a Rule of admission, as may in an ordinary way disinherit Saints of their Right and Privileges in the Kingdom of God.] So far Mr. Noyes.
Surely admission hath never been deemed in the Churches so momentous as with us: And yet we commit it to the dissident and multiformons fancies of Members, without a Rule—The Apostles were never acquainted with those Questions, [How, when, where, and whereby, and by whom Conversion was wrought?] The Church is a tender Mother, Cant. 7. and speedily embraceth her Infant by admission into her Arms, and layeth it to her Breasts of consolations. Experience telleth us that a Man will not easily make Protestations before God, and subject himself to Discipline, unless it be resolved with him. If it be resolved, he shall be saved—Happy is he that is resolved to slee from the wrath to come, to the Ark, to Z•ar, to the Cities of Refuge: And open we the Gate readily (without many expostulations) to rescue him from the avenger of Blood: Yea the way is to be made easie to encourage him to come. We must not have such a Rule of admission, as may in an ordinary way disinherit Saints of their Right and Priviledges in the Kingdom of God.] So far Mr. Noyes.