A26897:340
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.
11. If any Member of the Church do live in any Heresy or other great Sin, contrary to his Covenant with God, those who are acquainted with it, must admonish him and seek to bring him to Repentance, in the order appointed by Christ; And if he repent not, they must tell the Church; And if being duly admonished by the Pastors, he yet repent not, the Pastors as the Church Guides, must pronounce him unfit for the Communion of the Church, and require him to forbear it, and the people to avoid him; which the people must obey. Yet so, as that if the people have sufficient cause to doubt whether a censure be not contrary to the Word of God, they may enquire into the cause; And if they find it contrary indeed, they must not execute that Sentence, by any of those private Acts of alienation, which are in their own Power: And they may seek due reparation of the public breach.
11. If any Member of the Church do live in any Heresie or other great Sin, contrary to his Covenant with God, those who are acquainted with it, must admonish him and seek to bring him to Repentance, in the order appointed by Christ; And if he repent not, they must tell the Church; And if being duely admonished by the Pastors, he yet repent not, the Pastors as the Church Guides, must pronounce him unfit for the Communion of the Church, and require him to forbear it, and the people to avoid him; which the people must obey. Yet so, as that if the people have sufficient cause to doubt whether a censure be not contrary to the Word of God, they may enquire into the cause; And if they find it contrary indeed, they must not execute that Sentence, by any of those private Acts of alienation, which are in their own Power: And they may seek due reparation of the publick breach.
12. If one Pastor of a Church where there are many do perniciously and notably corrupt the Faith or the Worship, or the Discipline of the Church, the other Pastors must admonish him, and both they and the people disown him, if after a first and second Admonition, he repent not. And the same must the people do by all the Pastors, if all be guilty in the same kind; and must trust their Souls with more faithful Pastors. But this must not be done mistakingly, headily or rashly, nor as an Act of Government over the Pastors or the Church; but as an Act of Obedience to God, for the preservation of their Souls, and of the interest of Christ: Nor must it be done without such consultation with, and assistance of the Neighbour Churches, or the Magistrates, as their case shall make necessary or profitable to their right Ends. Nor by a violation of any lawful Orders of the Magistrates.