A26897:389
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.
Question 5: Q. 5. What is the Magistrates Power and Duty about Religion, and the Churches and Minis…
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.
12. Yet may not the Magistrate invade the Pastoral Office it self; nor Ordain or Degrade Minister•, (in that Spiritual Sense as it is committed to Church-Guides;) nor Administer the Sacraments, nor exercise the proper power of the Church Keys, which Christ committed to Church Officers, by such Excommunications or Absolutions as are proper to that power; nor may they hinder the •astors from the due performance of their Office, in matter or manner: Nor ⟨p. 75⟩forbid the necessary Preaching of the Gospel, or public worshipping of God, by all or any of his Ministers: But are bound to promote it with studious diligence, as Patrons of the Church.
12. Yet may not the Magistrate invade the Pastoral Office it self; nor Ordain or D•grade Minister•, (in that Spiritual Sense as it is committed to Church-Guides;) nor Administer the Sacraments, nor exercise the proper power of the Church Keys, which Christ committed to Church Officers, by such Excommunications or Absolutions as are proper to that power; nor may they hinder the •astors from the due performance of their Office, in matter or manner: Nor ⟨p. 75⟩forbid the necessary Preaching of the Gospel, or publick worshipping of God, by all or any of his Ministers: But are bound to promote it with studious diligence, as Patrons of the Church.
13. But if they should forbid us the necessary Preaching of God's Word, or necessary assembling for God's public Worship, (as we must not account, those seasons and circumstances necessary which are unnecessary, so that which is necessary indeed, we must not desert, till we are disabled to perform it; seeing it is greater Sacrilege, if we alienate a person consecrated to God in so sacred an Office, than if we should alienate consecrated Goods or Lands; which are not so nearly related to a holy use. And seeing we took not up our calling upon mere trial for a time And seeing it is more Cruelty in us, to see Thousands perish in ignorance and ungodliness, while we deny them our necessary help, than to shut up the Bowels of our Compassion to them, who are in corporal distress: And seeing Christ's threefold charge to Peter, doth teach us, also, as we love him to feed his Lambs. And all that are truly called to the Ministry, may say of their duty as Paul of his Apostolical Works, [Necessity is laid upon me, yea, woe is unto me, if I Preach not the Gospel]