A76157:551
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.
Answ. 1. Either it dependeth on their ⟨image 178⟩own wi•• when they come to age, or not. If it do ••t, then they cannot cast it away. They may refuse to use their Right, but they cannot cast it away, or nullify it: For they cannot make themselves not to be the Children of Christian Parents. The foundation stands whether they will or no: and therefore so must the Relation. But if the Relation or Right do now depend upon their own wills, then our cause is granted; for from their wills then must the Condition, or Evidence be fetched. 2. Yea such persons, ordinarily as we have now in question, are actual Apostates, and are so to be taken by the Church; and therefore not to be taken as Church-members, having Right to Sacraments. He that being engaged to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in his Infancy, doth make no Profession of actual Faith at full age, is ordinarily to be taken for an Apostate: But such are the persons in question. I say Ordinarily, because I except them that have been cast upon natural impossibilities or impotency, or wanted a call and opportunity: that is, all persons that prove Idiots, or deaf and dumb, or otherwise destitute of natural capacity; such come not to the use of Reason and free-will, and therefore are no• bound to Actual belief. ⟨image 178⟩Such also as have their tongues cut out, are separated from Humane society, or otherwise disabled from Profession. But for the common case of mankind. 1. It is plain that they have their tongues given them by nature of express their minds; and 2. That Christ commandeth Confession with the tongue, and professing him before men. 3. That much of his Worship lieth in holy Profession, and all of it containeth answerable Profession. 4. That we have constant calls from God, even to profess our Christianity: the godly and the wicked that live among us call us to it: we have daily invitations to profess out Christianity one way or other. And among all these occasions of Profession, he that Professeth not, is to be taken for an Infidel and Apostate. For the business is so exceeding great and weighty, and the Object so glorious, and the duty so incumbent, and the very Life of Christianity so inconsistent with a non-profession, that we have just reason to conclude, that he that Professeth not himself a Christian, ordinarily is to be taken for none by the Church.