A26897:335
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.
6. He that thus consenteth to his Relation to the Pastor and that Church, is a Member, though he consent not to the Membership or Presence of many particular Members thereof: Because they are but Integral and not Essential parts of the Church.
7. But if a usual mixture (in the Assemblies) of Heretics or Strangers which are not Members of that Church, or any other confounding cause do give the Pastors sufficient reason to call all or part of the people to an express signification ⟨p. 64⟩of their consent to their Relation, to put it out of doubt; they that causelessly refuse such signification, do seem to deny their consent, and allow the Pastor and Church to judge of them accordingly.
7. But if a usual mixture (in the Assemblies) of Hereticks or Strangers which are not Members of that Church, or any other confounding cause do give the Pastors sufficient reason to call all or part of the people to an express signification ⟨p. 64⟩of their consent to their Relation, to put it out of doubt; they that causelesly refuse such signification, do seem to deny their consent, and allow the Pastor and Church to judge of them accordingly.
8. The office of the Bishops or Pastors is subordinate to the Teaching, and Interceding and Ruling office of Christ; And their work is to Teach the people the Word of God; to be their Mouth and Guide in public Worship, in Prayer, and in Thanksgiving and Praise to God, and to administer his holy Sacraments, and to exercise that Power of the Keys which Christ hath committed to their trust, in the Prudent and cautelous use of Church-Discipline: And all this according to the Laws of Christ, recorded in the holy Scriptures. These therefore must be the Works and Ends, for which these Churches must (professedly) assemble: Especially on the Lord's Days, which are separated to these holy Uses.