A26901:121
The church told of Mr. Ed. Bagshaw's scandals and warned of the dangerous snares…
The church told of Mr. Ed. Bagshaw's scandals and warned of the dangerous snares of Satan now laid for them in his love-killing principles with a farther proof that it is our common duty to keep up the interest of the Christian religion and Protestant cause in the parish churches, and not to imprison them by a confinement to tolerated meetings alone / by Richard Baxter ...
London : s.n., 1672
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.
22. And he will put hard to bring Church discipline it self into disgrace and scorn, by you that most desire and plead for it. For men will say, These are they that cry out for Discipline, and separate from our Church because it wanteth or corrupteth it. When in their own Churches and Leaders, such crimes (as Bagshaws Books contain) are tolerable, as consistent with religious zeal, and perhaps is all ascribed unto godliness? what more effectual way could be devised, to make Church-discipline contemptible to the world?
22. And he will put hard to bring Church diseipline it self into disgrace and scorn, by you that most desire and plead for it. For men will say, These are they that cry out for Discipline, and separate from our Church because it wanteth or corrupteth it. When in their own Churches and Leaders, such crimes (as Bagshaws Books contain) are tolerable, as consistent with religious zeal, and perhaps is all ascribed unto godliness? what more effectual way could be devised, to make Church-discipline contemptible to the world?
23. And all this will tend to disable the Ministers of Christ, both conformable and non-conformable, from doing any good, and winning any souls to true repentance. When the Conformable Preachers should do good, the people will be taught by you to shun them, or despise them as Idolaters: When the Non-conformists should do any good, they will be taught by your practice and other ⟨p. 31⟩mens calumny, to turn away from them, as such as afore described. And then how much hath Satan gained? I know another sort of men are at least as deeply guilty of all these consequents, as you: But that is no excuse of yours. And though it must be that offence come, yet woe to them by whom it cometh.
23. And all this will tend to disable the Ministers of Christ, both conformable and non-conformable, from doing any good, and winning any souls to true repentance. When the Conformable Preachers should do good, the people will be taught by you to shun them, or despise them as Idolaters: When the Non-conformists should do any good, they will be taught by your practice and other