A26897:390
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.
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] Joh. 21. 15, 16, 17, 18. 1 Cor. 9. 16. But there is no absolute necessity of our Liberties, Maintenance, Ease or Lives. And those that are indeed the Servants of God, and fear his Judgment, and look for their Reward and Felicity from him, must (with Dan. ch. 6. and the Apostles Act. 4. 18, 19. & 5. 29.) hear God and obey him before men: Luk. 12. 4. and fear hell fire more than death, as Christ commandeth; and love mens Salvation and Christ's Kingdom better than our lives: Luk▪ 14. 26. 33. 1 Joh. 3. 16.
13. But if they should forbid us the necessary Preaching of God's Word, or necessary assembling for God's publick 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 conseorated Goods or Lands; which are not so nearly related to a holy use. And seeing we took not up our calling upon meer tryal 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]