A47522:12
The glory of a true church, and its discipline displayed wherein a true gospel-church…The glory of a true church, and its discipline display'd wherein a true gospel-church…
The glory of a true church, and its discipline displayed wherein a true gospel-church is described : together with the power of the keys, and who are to be let in, and who to be shut out / by Benjamin Keach.The glory of a true church, and its discipline display'd wherein a true gospel-church is described : together with the power of the keys, and who are to be let in, and who to be shut out / by Benjamin Keach.
London : s.n., 1697
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.
But tho a Church be rightly built in both these respects, i.e. of fit Matter and right Form, yet without a regular and orderly Discipline, it will ⟨p. iv⟩soon lose its Beauty, and be polluted.
Many Reverend Divines of th• Congregational way, have written most excellently (it is true) upon th•• Subject, I mean on Church-Discipline; but the Books are so voluminous that the Poorer Sort can't purchas• them, and many others have not Tim• or Learning enough to improve them to their Profit; and our Brethren th• Baptists have not written (as I ca• gather) on this Subject by it self• Therefore I have been earnestly desired by our Members, and also by on• of our Pastors, to write a small and plain Tract concerning the Rules […] the Discipline of a Gospel-Church that all Men may not only know our Faith, but see our Order in this cas• also. True, this (tho plain) is bi• short, but may be it may provoke some other Person to do it more fully. Certainly, ignorance of the rules of Discipline causes no small trouble and disorders in our Churches; and if this may be a Prevention, or prove profit able to any, let God have the Glory, and I have my End: Who am, Yours
Many Reverend Divines of th• Congregational way, have written most excellently (it is true) upon th•• Subject, I mean on Church-Discipline; but the Books are so voluminou• that the Poorer Sort can't purchas them, and many others have not Tim or Learning enough to improve them to their Profit; and our Brethren th Baptists have not written (as I ca gather) on this Subject by it self Therefore I have been earnestly desired by our Members, and also by on of our Pastors, to write a small and plain Tract concerning the Rules the Discipline of a Gospel-Church that all Men may not only know our Faith, but see our Order in this cas also. True, this (tho plain) is bi short, but may be it may provoke som other Person to do it more fully. Certainly, ignorance of the rules of Discipline causes no small trouble and disorders in our Churches; and if this may be a Prevention, or prove profit able to any, let God have the Glory, and I have my End: Who am, Yours