A26906:593
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, no man can in reason and justice take that for my Profession, which I never made by word nor deed, according to the common sense of words and actions: But according to this common sense I never did by word or deed profess that I consent to all which is uttered by the Pastor in the public prayers.
First, no man can in reason and justice take that for my Profession, which I never made by word nor deed, according to the common sense of words and actions: But according to this common sense I never did by word or deed profess that I consent to all which is uttered by the Pastor in the publike prayers.
Secondly, When the profession which we make by our Church-communion is publicly declared ⟨p. 197⟩to be another thing, totally distinct from this, no man may justly interpret it to be this which is quite different: But it is another thing which we profess by our Church-communion; That is, I profess my self only to be a Christian, in my Baptism when I enter into the Church, and in my daily communion with it: And I profess to be a member of a Christian Society, and to hold Communion with them in Faith and Love and in worshipping God according to his word: And I pro•ess subjection to the particular Pastors of that Church, as Christian Pastors, who are to teach the people that word of God, and guide them in worship and discipline according to that word. This is every mans profession in his Church-communion and no more; unless he make some some further particular expression of more, as every sect useth to do, in professing the opinions of their party. Why then should any liar charge me to make a profession which I never made, when my profession in my Christian communion is described by Christ himself who instituted it? And why should I turn liar against my self, and say that my presence is a profession of that consent which I never made the least profession of?
Secondly, When the profession which we make by our Church-commun•on is publikely declared