A76157:334
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.
Object. But how do the Churches of France, Holland, Geneva and Scotland, that have exercised Discipline upon all?
Answ. 1. Must I be sent to another Nation to know that which I have made trial of, and attained the certain knowledge of, at home? I was never in France, nor at Geneva, and therefore I know not what number of obstinate, impenitent, scandalous persons are there, nor how many that know who Jesus Christ is, nor what a Christian, or a Church is: but I have been in England, and I partly know what store of these are there, and what usage they will bear, and what not. 2. Either other Churches have such ⟨p. 184⟩materials as our Parishes, or not. If not, their cause is none of ours: If they have, then either they exercise Christs Discipline on them faithfully, and impartially or not: If not, then they are not to be imitated by us in their negligence, unfaithfulness, or partiality. If they do, and yet do not undo the people, they have not such a people as ours, or else they have other means to further their ends. 3.1 The truth is, as in France they are but a people gathered from among the Papists, whose Church doth drink up most of the scum; so the other Churches: 1. Are too lamentably careless, partial, or defective, in executing their own Discipline: And if I should come to think it lawful,2 to forbear the Execution of it upon nineteen, I should soon think it lawful to forbear the twentieth: And then what should I think of Scripture, and the Canons of the universal Church. 2. By this ⟨p. 185⟩neglect it is, that Reformed Churches have contracted the greatest dishonour that is upon them, while they are sound in Doctrine, and have Learned Pastors, able to confound the Romish adversaries; but alas, too many unmeet Church-members. 3. They have (and Scotland had till lately) the Magistrates Sword to drive men on, and force them to submit to Discipline, which is not our case, nor was the case of the Primitive Church. It is not there the Churches censure that doth the work, but the Magistrates Sword, no more then it was with our Bishops in England. 4. And yet what work a little exercise of Discipline made, may appear in the case of Calvin, at Geneva, when for suspending the Sacrament, when the people were in enmity, he was banished Geneva, and their dogs called by the name of Calvin; and when the suspending of one Bertelerius could put them all into such a flame.