A69533:1242
Five disputations of church-government and worship
Five disputations of church-government and worship by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons, 1659
Qu. Whether a stinted Liturgy, or form of Worship, be a desirable m… › Proposition 3
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. It is not the fulfilling of the humours of every unreasonable expectant, or every proud Magisterial usurper that is the Peace of the Church, that now we speak of: If a few proud men will hold no Peace with us, unless we will serve God in their unnecessary forms, as if none had wit enough but they, to know in what words the Churches should serve God: and all must speak but ⟨p. 368⟩what they teach them, it is not the humouring of these Proud usurpers that is the Peace thus to be bought.
3. It is not the fullfilling of the humours of every unreasonable expectant, or every proud Magisterial usurper that is the Peace of the Church, that now we speak of: If a few proud men will hold no Peace with us, unless we will serve God in their unnecessary forms, as if none had wit enough but they, to know in what words the Churches should serve God: and all must speak but ⟨p. 368⟩what they teach them, it is not the humoring of these Proud usurpers that is the Peace thus to be bought.
4. We must look to the future as well as the present Peace of the Churches: And therefore if any will hold no Peace with us now, unless we will own some formal Engine that is like to make hereafter more division then unity in the Churches, (by laying the Unity or Peace of the Church on things that will not bear it, and making things necessary, that are not necessary, nor to be made so) in such cases, it is not our duty to betray the general or future Peace of the Church for our private or present Peace.
4. We must look to the future as well as the present Peace of the Churches: And therefore if any will hold no Peace with us now, unless we will own some formal Engine that is like to make hereafter more division then unity in the Churches, (by laying the Unity or Peace of the Church on things that will not bear it, and making thigs necessary, that are not necessary, nor to be made so) in such cases, it is not our duty to betray the geneneral or future Peace of the Church for our private or present Peace.