A26906:319
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.
Note also, that no private person may expect, that any offender be cast out, either because his sin is known to him, or because he is commonly famed to be guilty, till the thing be proved by sufficient witness.
Yea that the admonition given him must be proved, as well as the fault which he committed.
Yea if all the town do know him to be guilty, and witness prove that he hath been privately admonished, ⟨p. 87⟩he may not be rejected till he be heard speak for himself, and till he refuse also the public admonition.
Yea if all the town do know him to be guilty, and witness prove that he hath been privately admonished, ⟨p. 87⟩he may not be rejected till he be heard speak for himself, and till he refuse also the publike admonition.
This is Christs order, whose wisdom, and mercy and authority are such, as may well cause us to take his way as best. And yet the ignorance or rashness of many professors is such, that they would have all this order of Christ overturned: And some of them must have such a drunkard and such a swearer kept away and rejected, before ever they admonished them or exhorted them to Repentance, or prove that any one else hath done it; much more before they have told the Church, or proved that he hath neglected the Churches admonition. And some go so much further, that they must have all the Churches taken for no Churches, till they have gathered them a new: and must have all the Parish at once rejected (till they have gathered out some few again) without any such order of proceeding with them, as Christ appointeth: It may be a thousand shall be cast out at once, when never a one of them was thus admonished.