A76157:319
Confirmation and restoration the necessary means of reformation, and reconciliation; for the healing of…Confirmation and restauration the necessary means of reformation, and reconciliation; for the healing of…
Confirmation and restoration the necessary means of reformation, and reconciliation; for the healing of the corruptions and divisions of the churches: submissively, but earnestly tendered to the consideration of the sovereign powers, magistrates, ministers, and people, that they may awake, and be up and doing in the execution of so much, as appeareth to be necessary as they are true to Christ, his Church and Gospel, and to their own and others souls, and to the peace and welfare of the nations; and as they will answer the neglect to Christ, at their peril. / By Richard Baxter, an unworthy minister of Christ, that longeth to see the healing of the churches.Confirmation and restauration the necessary means of reformation, and reconciliation; for the healing of the corruptions and divisions of the churches: submissively, but earnestly tendered to the consideration of the soveraigne powers, magistrates, ministers, and people, that they may awake, and be up and doing in the execution of so much, as appeareth to be necessary as they are true to Christ, his Church and Gospel, and to their own and others souls, and to the peace and wellfare of the nations; and as they will answer the neglect to Christ, at their peril. / By Richard Baxter, an unworthy minister of Christ, that longeth to see the healing of the churches.
London: printed by A.M. for Nevil Simmons book-seller, 1658
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.
7. We shall put them by this means into a way, not only of losing the fruit of Ordinances, but of misapplying all to the increasing of their deceit: When we preach Peace to the true believer, the wicked will misapply it, and say, it belongs to them: When we speak against the unbelievers and ungodly, they'll think that this is not their part, but bless themselves because they are Christians. In our praises they are tempted with the Pharisee to thank God, and perhaps for mercies which they never had, as Justification, Adoption, Sanctification, &c. The Sacraments by misapplication will confirm them in Presumption. And thus as they enter by deceit, among Adult-believers, so will they turn all the Ordinances of God, and the Privileges of the Church to feed that deceit, more effectual then among the expectants ⟨p. 172⟩it would have been.
7. We shall put them by this means into a way, not only of losing the fruit of Ordinances, but of misapplying all to the increasing of their deceit: When we preach Peace to the true believer, the wicked will misapply it, and say, it belongs to them: When we speak against the unbelievers and ungodly, they'l think that this is not their part, but bless themselves because they are Christians. In our praises they are tempted with the Pharisee to thank God, and perhaps for mercies which they never had, as Justification, Adoption, Sanctification, &c. The Sacraments by misapplication will confirm them in Presumption. And thus as they enter by deceit, among Adult-believers, so will they turn all the Ordinances of God, and the Priviledges of the Church to feed that deceit, more effectuall then among the expectants ⟨p. 172⟩it would have been.
8. But the greatest mischief that troubleth me to think of, is this; that by this hastening and admitting all the unprepared into the Number of Adult-Christians, and members of the Church; we do either put a necessity upon our selves to throw away Church-discipline, or else to be most probably the damnation of our peoples Souls, and make them desperate, and almost past all hope, or remedy. I must confess, that what I am saying now, I was not sensible of, till lately that experience made me sensible: While I meddled not with Public reproofs or censures, I disputed of these things, without that experience, which I now find is one of the greatest helps to resolve such doubts; which makes me bold to tell the Church, that the Practice of so much Discipline as we are agreed in, is a likelier way, to bring us all to agreement in the rest, then all our Disputings will do without it: And that I resolve hereafter, to take that man for an incompetent Judge, and unmeet Disputer about Church-discipline, that never exercised it, or lived where it was exercised: And I shall hereafter suspect their judgments, and be almost as loath to follow such, as to follow a swimmer, that never was before in the water,