A26897:359
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.
1. They must publicly profess the same Christian Religion, in all the Essential parts; which is no more, but [That we continue our consent to our Baptismal Covenant, with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, renouncing the Devil, the World and the Flesh: Particularly professing to believe all the Articles of the Ancient Creed, and to Desire all that is contained in the Lords Prayer, and sincerely to endeavour to live towards God and Men according to the Ten Commandments: Believing also the Sacred Canonical Scriptures to be true, and taking them for the entire Rule of our Divine Belief, and Worship, and Obedience.] And we renounce, so far as we can know them, all Heresies, Errors and Practices contrary hereto.]
1. They must publickly profess the same Christian Religion, in all the Essential parts; which is no more, but [That we continue our consent to our Baptismal Covenant, with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, renouncing the Devil, the World and the Flesh: Particularly professing to believe all the Articles of the Ancient Creed, and to Desire all that is contained in the Lords Prayer, and sincerely to endeavour to live towards God and Men according to the Ten Commandments: Believing also the Sacred Canonical Scriptures to be true, and taking them for the intire Rule of our Divine Belief, and Worship, and Obedience.] And we renounce, so far as we can know them, all Heresies, Errors and Practices contrary hereto.]
This is all the Profession that is to be required of any person in order to the Catholic Communion of Christians as such; or of the Members of a particular Church, (besides their consent to their particular Church relation;) or of Neighbour Churches for their Communion with each other. Except when any scandal obligeth us to clear our selves (whether it be suspected Heresy or wickedness of Life) by a just Purgation or Repentance. And the requiring of larger unnecessary Professions, hath been the grand Engine of Church Divisions through many Generations.
This is all the Profession that is to be required of any person in order to the Catholick Communion of Christians as such; or of the Members of a particular Church, (besides their consent to their particular Church relation;) or of Neighbour Churches for their Communion with each other. Except when any scandal obligeth us to clear our selves (whether it be suspected Heresie or wickedness of Life) by a just Purgation or Repentance. And the requiring of larger unnecessary Professions, hath been the grand Engine of Church Divisions through many Generations.