A27054:304
The true and only way of concord of all the Christian churches the desirableness…
The true and only way of concord of all the Christian churches the desirableness of it, and the detection of false dividing terms / opened by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for John Hancock, 1680
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. I. Antecedently it is proved from 1. The universal necessity of the thing, 2. And from the office of Christ to do things of such universal necessity, and his faithfulness therein.
§. 4. 1. There are few Christians so ignorant or inconsiderate, but will confess that the Union of Christians is necessary, not only to the edification and well being, but to the very being of the Church, ⟨p. 99⟩(both universal and particular.) For what is a Church, but many Christians united and associated for Church-ends? Pull all the Bricks or Timber of the house asunder, and it is no house: Pull all the Planks and parts of a Ship asunder, and it is no Ship: Pull all the leaves and sentences of a Book asunder, and it is no Book: Pull all the parts of a mans body asunder, and there remaineth no body of a man, considered formally, but only materially, and in their aptitude to re-union at the resurrection. An Army disbanded and dissipated, is no Army. And certainly it is no Church, that hath not Church-unity of parts.
§. 4. 1. There are few Christians so ignorant or inconsiderate, but will confess that the Vnion of Christians is necessary, not only to the edification and well being, but to the very being of the Church, ⟨p. 99⟩(both universal and particular.) For what is a Church, but many Christians united and associated for Church-ends? Pull all the Bricks or Timber of the house asunder, and it is no house: Pull all the Planks and parts of a Ship asunder, and it is no Ship: Pull all the leaves and sentences of a Book asunder, and it is no Book: Pull all the parts of a mans body asunder, and there remaineth no body of a man, considered formally, but only materially, and in their aptitude to re-union at the resurrection. An Army disbanded and dissipated, is no Army. And certainly it is no Church, that hath not Church-unity of parts.