A76157:613
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.
2. On the other side, if we go so rigidly and unrighteously to work, as some men are bent to do, we may accomplish those ends, that we are endeavouring to overthrow, and frustrate our own, which we think to attain. If we will reject the Scripture-ancient-Character or Evidence of Title to Church-privileges, even a credible profession of Christianity, we shall confound our selves, and trouble the Church, and be at a loss for a certain Evidence, and never know what ground to rest upon. And we shall injure the souls of multitudes of true Believers, and keep out those, that Christ will entertain. For there are no other terms, besides ⟨image 200⟩taking mens profession by a humane Faith, on which we can admit persons, without excluding multitudes, that should not be excluded. I doubt many Ministers, that have had a more ingenuous education themselves, are not sufficiently sensible of the great disadvantage, that Country People are under, by their want of such Education. Many that are bred where holy discourse is strange, and never were used to any thing of that nature, no nor to common Urbanity of speech, or behaviour, may be brought to hearty sorrow for sin, and desires after Christ and Grace, long before they can express their knowledge, or desires, in any such manner, as some men do expect. Many gracious souls (as far as I can discern) I have met with, that never were noted for any thing extraordinary in Religion, though they lived among such. I had rather let in many, that are unregenerate, into the Church, then keep out one that's a true Believer, if there be no other remedy. The Lord Jesus that died for them, and sent the Ministry for them, and will at last admit them into ⟨image 201⟩Heaven, will give us little thanks, for excluding his weakest Members from the Church, and from the use of the Sacrament and Communion of Saints, who have most need of them, of any that have right to them. For my part, I desire not, nor dare be guilty of that way of Government in the Church, as shall grieve those that Christ would not have grieved, and exclude the weak, and turn or keep out the Infants in Grace, from the Family of the Lord. A compassionate Minister is likest to Christ, that will not break the bruised reed. How dealt he with the woman taken in adultery?
2. On the other side, if we go so rigidly and unrighteously to work, as some men are bent to do, we may accomplish those ends, that we are endeavouring to overthrow, and frustrate our own, which we think to attain. If we will reject the Scripture-ancient-Character or Evidence of Title to Church-priviledges, even a credible profession of Christianity, we shall confound our selves, and trouble the Church, and be at a losse for a certain Evidence, and never know what ground to rest upon. And we shall injure the souls of multitudes of true Believers, and keep out those, that Christ will entertain. For there are no other terms, besides