A76157:538
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.
Postscript.
READER,
AS great and needful a duty as this is, that I have here proposed, and as clear as it is, and commonly agreed on by all the Parties before mentioned, I am yet far from expecting, that all men should acknowledge it and obey it; or that no person of contrary apprehensions or intentions, should rise up against it as an enemy, with all the strength that the measure of his wit and passions can prepare. We cannot speak for God himself, for Christ, for Scripture, for mens own Salvation, but we meet with contradiction and resistance, even from them that we would save. And were it not for this, what blessed work would the Gospel make? and why might we not hope, that all our people should be saved? No wonder then, if when ever we attempt Reformation or Reconciliation, we meet with Learned,1 Reverend Brethren that come against us, armed with plausible cavils, and contempts, and cast away the medicine as dangerous, or ⟨image 175⟩ungrateful, and strenuously vindicate the Disease that should be healed: And were it not that the Church hath many, very many such, what should have kept us unhealed so long? And who could have continued our deformities and divisions, and frustrated such means as have been used for our cure? Satan is not so poor a Politician, as to be without his Agents in our Ecclesiastic Armies, and Councils, and Pulpits to speak for his cause and do his work, and resist and frustrate that which would displease him; and all this under pretence of enmity to Satan, and friendship to Christ, and a better doing of his work. As the names of the chiefest of Christ Servants, were not cast out as Holy, but as evil,