A26975:414
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.
It is not an Honourable Office, or a Reverend Garb, and Name and Title, that will hide the shame of Ignorance, Ungodliness, Sensuality or Malignity. Their White Clothing and Sacred Titles, which render their filthiness more visible and ⟨p. 56⟩odious. Bad Men will prove a greater injury to Sacred Offices, than open Enemies. And it is not the Holiness of the Office, or the Goodness of Laws and Order, that will serve to Reform or make Happy a Church or Nation, in the hands of wicked Men.
It is not an Honourable Office, or a Reverend Garb, and Name and Title, that will hide the shame of Ignorance, Ungodliness, Sensuality or Malignity. Their White Cloathing and Sacred Titles, which render their filthiness more visible and ⟨p. 56⟩odious. Bad Men will prove a greater injury to Sacred Offices, than open Enemies. And it is not the Holiness of the Office, or the Goodness of Laws and Order, that will serve to Reform or make Happy a Church or Nation, in the hands of wicked Men.
§ 9. Therefore when Bishops shall be such, who Ordain and Govern the Inferior Clergy, that Church or Nation is near lost and ruined. If bad Princes choose bad Prelates; and they Ordain bad Ministers, and savouring nothing but Wealth and Reputation, shall prove the Jealous Adversaries of Piety, and Persecutors of the most serious Christians, and Encouragers of the malignant, vicious and profane, that Church and Nation is next to dead, though it have a Name to live, and be called, Honourable and Rich; how comely soever its Order and Ornaments may be, and though its Doctrine and profest Opinions be Orthodox.
§ 9. Therefore when Bishops shall be such, who Ordain and Govern the Inferior Clergy, that Church or Nation is near lost and ruined. If bad Princes chuse bad Prelates; and they Ordain bad Ministers, and savouring nothing but Wealth and Reputation, shall prove the Jealous Adversaries of Piety, and Persecutors of the most serious Christians, and Encouragers of the malignant, vicious and profane, that Church and Nation is next to dead, though it have a Name to live, and be called, Honourable and Rich; how comely soever its Order and Ornaments may be, and though its Doctrine and profest Opinions be Orthodox.