A27054:610
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.
§. 2. The great cause of all this hath been the introduction of ignorant or bad men into the sacred Pastoral Office. And the remedy doth not yet seem very hopeful to us: And operari sequitur esse: As the man is so will he do. A good tree will bring forth good fruit, and è contra. An ignorant man will err: An erring man will do evil and not repent: none will do more mischief against the Churches peace, than an erring Ruler, that Can do it, and thinketh that he Ought to do it: worldly men will prefer their worldly interest, before the interest of Christianity and mens souls: The carnal mind is not subject to the Law of God, nor (while such) can be: But the Proud while they will not obey God, will rage against the best that obey not them. Read Church-History, and you'll see it proved.
§. 3. Such as the choosers are, such ordinarily the chosen are like to be: God and the ancient Churches set three locks to this door, for the safety of the Church; that so great a matter should not be disposed of without a manifold consent:
1. The person to be Ordained and the Ordainers were made the Judges who should be a Minister of Christ in the Church-Universal, as being qualified by God thereto.