A26897:360
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.
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.
2. Yet as there are Christians of divers degrees of knowledge, and soundness in the same Church, so there are Churches also as different: And though we must own them all as Christian Churches, which are such indeed, yet must we not judge them equally sound or pure; but must disown the gross corruptions of Doctrine, Worship or Discipline which are proved to be in any of them; and must specially honour those that are more faithful, pure and entire.
3. No one particular single Church must claim or usurp a Right of Dominion or Government over other Churches, as given them by God; seeing that all such true Churches are as Cities or Corporations in one Kingdom; which are all governed by one King, but are none of them rightful Rulers of the rest. Nor must any Men of their own heads set up such Forms of Government as of Humane right, in Conformity to the Secular Governments of the World, (and this as Spiritual in the Exercise of the Keys which Christ committed to his Ministers) tho' one eminent Minister may instruct and admonish many others, and have some care of many Churches) contrary to, or inconsistent with, the Orders settled by Christ or his Apostles, who were commissioned by him for the