A26897:352
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.
19. He that is denied Communion with the Church, unless he will speak or subscribe some falsehood, or take any false Oath, or make any unlawful promise, or commit any other sin, is sinfully cast out or repulsed by the Imposer, and is not guilty of Schism or sinful Separation, by denying to commit such imposed sin.
19. He that is denied Communion with the Church, unless he will speak or subscribe some falshood, or take any false Oath, or make any unlawful promise, or commit any other sin, is sinfully cast out or repulsed by the Imposer, and is not guilty of Schism or sinful Separation, by denying to commit such imposed sin.
And he that only removeth from the place of meeting, with the Pastor and Church when they remove, and doth not withdraw from the Church it self; or that adhereth to his lawful Pastor and part of the Church, when the rest of the Church adhere to an Usurper, is not to be judged guilty of Schism; for such avoiding of Schism.
20. The principal care for the avoiding of Schism, and for maintaining Unity and Love, is incumbent on the Pastors of the Church; whose first work must be to preserve this Love and Unity in their particular Churches, to prevent withdrawing into separating Churches. To which end, their first care must be to give no just cause, by corrupting of Doctrine, Worship or Discipline, to any to withdraw; and not to impose any unnecessary thing as necessary to Communion; but to unite in things necessary, and to give liberty in things unnecessary▪ (A means approved in all Ages by Peacemakers:) And to guide the Church by the paternal Government of Reason and Love, and not by Tyranny to make themselves hateful: And to be much in preaching Love and Concord, that the people may know the sin and danger of Factions and Divisions; and to avoid all Factiousness and Contentiousness themselves. And their next care must be to labour after a laudable (if they cannot reach an eminent) degree, of ability in teaching, and exemplariness in a holy and charitable Life, that they may win the esteem and love of the Flock, and may give them no occasion to think that the necessity of their Souls, requireth them to seek for better helps.