A26912:304
A defence of the principles of love, which are necessary to the unity and…
A defence of the principles of love, which are necessary to the unity and concord of Christians and are delivered in a book called The cure of church-divisions ... / by Richard Baxter ...
London: printed for Nevil Simmons, 1671
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.
3. You say [We are commanded strictly to separate from every one that is called a brother, if he be covetous, or a railer, &c. Answ. The Church, and not a private man, must exclude such a one from Church-Communion. And you your self must exclude him from your private familiarity; But you are not commanded to separate from the Church, if they exclude him not. I am not bound to separate from the Church where you are, for this Book which you have written, though I could prove it railing. How few separated Churches know you on earth, that have no Covetous person or railer? Or at least, where the people hold it their duty to separate from their own Church, if any Covetous person or railer be there?
3. You say [We are commanded strictly to separate from every one that is called a brother, if he be covetous, or a railer, &c. Answ. The Church, and not a private man, must exclude such a one from Church-Communion. And you your self must exclude him from your private familiarity; But you are not commanded to separate from the Church, if they exclude him not. I am not bound to separate from the Church where you are, for this Book which you have written, though I could prove it railing. How few separated Churches know you on earth, that have no Covetous person or railer? Or at least, where the people hold it their dutie to separate from their own Church, if any Covetous person or railer be there?
4. You add [that if notwithstanding all admonition any Church will still retain them, we are not to own such a Church as a Spouse of Christ, and therefore must come out of it, &c. 1Answ. 1. I have in that Book proved the contrary by abundant Scripture instances; And in the next exception you your self confess the primitive corruptions, and lay the stress of your Separation only on Imposed Conditions of Communion. 2. You give us no proof of this naked assertion. If a ⟨p. 28⟩Scolding woman or a Covetous Professor be retained in a Church otherwise pure, you are not therefore bound to separate, much less to take it for no Church: For that is a true Church which hath the true essentials of a Church: But so may one that retaineth a Covetous man or a Scold. Ergo—By your rule, you must Separate not only from Parish Churches, but from most of the Separated Churches that ever I was acquainted with.