A27054:658
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.
Ordination to the Ministry is but like Coronation to a King, or public marriage to Consenters, or like listing and the sacramentum militare to a Soldier, or like public authorizing to a Physician, a ⟨p. 214⟩School master, &c. and not all so much as baptizing to make a Christian: But an hereditary or Elected King, is a King before his Coronation; and marriage privately contracted and publicly professed, is valid before God before the solemnization by a Minister, and in case of necessity without it: And a Soldier may be truly such by contract without Colours or Oaths: And a man may be a Lawful Physician or School-master in case of necessity without a License or public authorizing. Yea one may be a Christian before God, yea and before men, that openly professeth and Voweth the Baptismal Covenant, though in case of necessity (when either a Minister or Water cannot he had) the washing be wanting. And we are not to feign God to make a difference here without proof, or to lay more stress or an outward act of man and point of order than he doth.
Ordination to the Ministry is but like Coronation to a King, or publick marriage to Consenters, or like listing and the sacramentum militare to a Souldier, or like publick authorizing to a Physicion, a ⟨p. 214⟩School master, &c. and not all so much as baptizing to make a Christian: But an hereditary or Elected King, is a King before his Coronation; and marriage privately contracted and publickly professed, is valid before God before the solemnization by a Minister, and in case of necessity without it: And a Souldier may be truly such by contract without Colours or Oaths: And a man may be a Lawful Physicion or School-master in case of necessity without a License or publick authorizing. Yea one may be a Christian before God, yea and before men, that openly professeth and Voweth the Baptismal Covenant, though in case of necessity (when either a Minister or Water cannot he had) the washing be wanting. And we are not to feign God to make a difference here without proof, or to lay more stress or an outward act of man and point of order than he doth.