A26965:850
The nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of their judgment in certain things…
The nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of their judgment in certain things in which they are misunderstood written to reconcile and pacify such as by mistaking them hinder love and concord / by Richard Baxter.The nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of their judgment in certain things in which they are misunderstood written to reconcile and pacifie such as by mistaking them hinder love and concord / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Benj. Alsop, 1679
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.
§ 6. It is certain that to be a Christian maketh no man a member of any mans particular flock or charge. And it is certain that none can be such without consent. And it is certain that the Pastor is not to take every Atheist, Jew, Infidel, Papist, Heretic, &c. in his Parish for a member of the Universal, or of that particular Church. Therefore he must know whom to take for such. And it is certain that the consent must be mutual, so far is the Pastor from being a slave, and bound to every mans desires, that he is entrusted with the Church Keys himself.
§ 6. It is certain that to be a Christian maketh no man a member of any mans particular flock or charge. And it is certain that none can be such without consent. And it is certain that the Pastor is not to take every Atheist, Jew, Infidel, Papist, Heretick, &c. in his Parish for a member of the Universal, or of that particular Church. Therefore he must know whom to take for such. And it is certain that the consent must be mutual, so far is the Pastor from being a slave, and bound to every mans desires, that he is entrusted with the Church Keys himself.
§ 7. A worthy person on this subject maketh these six things sufficient to such Church relation: 1. That they be baptized Christians; 2. Neighbours bound to mutual love; 3. And apt to Neighbourly duty; 4. That providence make us such Neighbours; 5. Scripture Churches took their name from cohabitation: 6. The command of authority, that so it shall be. Fresh suit. pag. 260.
Ans. By making these six the sufficient proof of Parish Churches, our friend unhappily would consequently unchurch them all: For if this were all, certainly they were none at all. For all these (which he maketh more than they are) are but the dispositio materiae, antecedent to any reception of the form, 1. For all that he inferreth or can infer from them all is obligation to consent and to other duties after consent. But obligation maketh not the relation of a member: All that are obliged to be Christians are not Christians: All that are obliged to be Pastors are not Pastors: Nor all that are obliged to consent first and to do the duty of Pastors