A69533:1243
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.
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 thi•gs 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.
5. The desirableness of this Peace of the Church which we must seek, must be much judged of by its tendency to the promoting of holiness, the saving of mens souls, the furthering of the Gospel, and prosperity of the Church in spiritual respects: For a Peace that undermineth and betrayeth these, is not desirable. The means is to be valued by its tendency to the attainment of the End.
5. The desireableness of this Peace of the Church which we must seek, must be much judged of by its tendency to the promo•ing of holiness, the saving of mens souls, the furthering of the Gospel, and prosperity of the Church in spiritual respects: For a Peace that undermineth and betrayeth these, is not desireable. The means is to be valued by its tendency to the attainment of the End.