A26975:403
Of national churches their description, institution, use, preservation, danger, maladies and cure, partly applied…
Of national churches their description, institution, use, preservation, danger, maladies and cure, partly applied to England / written by Richard Baxter for promoting peace ... and for the fuller explication of the Treaty for Concord in 1660 and 1661, and of the Kings gracious declaration about ecclesiastical affairs ... and for further explication of his treatise of episcopacy ...
London: printed by T. Snowden for Thomas Parkhurst, 1691
Chapter 13: What are the dangerous Diseases of a National Church.
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.
§ 2. In general, All sin is to the Soul what Sickness is to the Body, and hath some tendency to destruction. And the increase and abounding of Sin, is a dangerous Prognostic: sins of Sensuality, Gluttony, Drunkenness, and Fornication, when they grow common and impudent, seldom go unpunished. O how dangerous then is the case of England, in which the Sin of Adultery and Fornication, is commonly said to be so increased, that multitudes are guilty now, for One that was ever suspected of it before the Reign of K. Charles the Second. And brutish Wretches scarce take it for a shame.
§ 2. In general, All sin is to the Soul what Sickness is to the Body, and hath some tendency to destruction. And the increase and abounding of Sin, is a dangerous Prognostick: sins of Sensuality, Gluttony, Drunkenness, and Fornication, when they grow common and impudent, seldom go unpunished. O how dangerous then is the case of England, in which the Sin of Adultery and Fornication, is commonly said to be so increased, that multitudes are guilty now, for One that was ever suspected of it before the Reign of K. Charles the Second. And brutish Wretches scarce take it for a shame.
Sins of Injustice and Unmercifulness, especially Rich Mens oppression of the Poor, Landlords grinding their Poor Tenants, and Judges, Justices and Lawyers unrighteousness in Suits and Judgments, are Sins threatened by the Prophets as the fore-runners of Destruction.
Sins of Injustice and Unmercifulness, especially Rich Mens oppression of the Poor, Landlords grinding their Poor Tenants, and Judges, Justices and Lawyers unrighteousness in Suits and Judgments, are Sins threatned by the Prophets as the fore-runners of Destruction.
§ 3. But especially when Rulers are the Leaders in Sin, and the Patrons of the Wicked. The Sins of Men in public Place are public Sins, and sooner bring public Judgments, than the Sins of private Men. The public Authors of the late Calamitous Wars of Ireland, Scotland and England, had a deep part in the Punishment as they had in the Guilt. O what a Torrent of Guilt in the Reign of Charles the Second did from King and Court over-flow this Land, by the shameless filth of all uncleanness! When Men shall affectedly keep Whores as the way to please the Court by Conformity to the King, as if it were an Honour or no great Dishonour; what can be expected from such horrid wickedness, but Public, Divine, Revenging Justice?