A76157:425
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.
10. It is essential to a Profession to be in some measure explicit: for Profiteri is but palàm vel publicè fateri; It is no Profession if it be not, or pretend not to be, an Expression of the mind: And therefore to be Implicit and not Express, is so far to be against the very Nature of the Profession; in that measure as your Profession is Implicit (as it's called) and not Express, in that measure it is no Profession at all.
10. It is essential to a Profession to be in some measure explicit: for Profiteri is but palàm vel publicè fateri; It is no Profession if it be not, or pretend not to be, an Expression of the mind: And therefore to be Implicite and not Express, is so far to be against the very Nature of the Profession; in that measure as your Profession is Implicite (as it's called) and not Express, in that measure it is no Profession at all.
Object. 7. But when you have the most express Covenant or Profession, you are not sure that it is true, and that the man is a believer at the heart.
Answ. 1. I am sure that it's Truly a Profession, that is, a Pretended sign of the mind, though I am not sure that it's True Profession, that is, a True infallible sign of the mind: I can know the metaphysical, though not the Moral Truth of it. And then I can be sure that I do my duty, and take up according to the Directions of Christ. It is his work to judge the heart immediately, as being his prerogative to know it: but it's my work to judge of the Credibility of the Profession. 2. And what if I have no infallible Certainty? Must I therefore throw up all, and make the Pastoral Church-government ⟨p. 248⟩to be void, and cast open the Vineyard of Christ to the wilderness, and not so much as require a Credibility, because we cannot have an Infallibility? This may not be.