A26906:313
The cure of church-divisions, or, Directions for weak Christians to keep them from being…
The cure of church-divisions, or, Directions for weak Christians to keep them from being dividers or troublers of the church with some directions to the pastors how to deal with such Christians / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Nevil Symmons, 1670
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.
First, It is here supposed that the person is not a professed Apostate: For there needeth no casting out of such. He that turneth Turk or Heathen, or openly renounceth Christianity, or ceaseth the Profession of it, doth go out of the Church himself, and needeth not to be cast out. Unless it be any Tyrant who will come to the Communion in scorn, while he professeth but to show his lawless will. He that seeketh the Communion of the Church in sobriety, thereby professeth himself a Christian. and for such as being Baptized continue this profession, Christs way of rejecting them is plainly described in the Gospel. Mat. 18. 15, 16. If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother: But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more; that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established: And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it to the Church: But if he neglect to hear the Church, let him be to thee as a Heathen man, or a Publican.
First, It is here supposed that the person is not a professed Apostate: For there needeth no casting out of such. He that turneth Turk or Heathen, or openly renounceth Christianity, or ceaseth the Profession of it, doth go out of the Church himself, and needeth not to be cast out. Unless it be any Tyrant who will come to the Communion in scorn, while he professeth but to shew his lawless will. He that seeketh the Communion of the Church in sobriety, thereby professeth himself a Christian. and for such as being Baptized continue this profession, Christs way of rejecting them is plainly described in the Gospel. Mat. 18. 15, 16. If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother: But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more; that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established: And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it to the Church: But if he neglect to hear the Church, let him be to thee as a Heathen man, or a Publican.