A76157:9
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.
Christian Reader;
Having in divers writings, moved for the Restitution of a solemn Transition, of all that pass from an Infant-state of Church-membership, into the number of the Adult, and are admitted ⟨image 3⟩to their Privileges, and the Associated Ministers of this County, having made it an Article of their Agreement, at last came forth an excellent Exercitation on Confirmation, written by Mr. Jonathan Hanmer, very learnedly and piously, endeavouring the Restoration of this Practice. Being very glad of so good a work, upon an invitation, I prefixed an Epistle before it; which hath occasioned this following ⟨image 3⟩Disputation. For when the Book was read, the design was Generally approved, (as far as I can learn) and very acceptable to good men of all parties. But many of them called to me, to try whether some more Scripture proofs might not be brought for it, that the Preceptive, as well as the Mediate Necessity might appear. At the desire of some Reverend Godly Brethren, I hastily ⟨image 4⟩drew up this which is here offered you; 1. Partly to satisfy them in the point of Scripture Evidence; 2. But principally to satisfy my own earnest desires, after the Reformation, and Healing of the Churches, to which I do very confidently apprehend, this excellent work to have a singular tendency. Here is a Medicine so effectual to Heal our Breaches, and set our disordered Societies ⟨image 4⟩in joint, (being owned in whole by the Episcopal, Presbyterian, Congregational, and Erastian, and in half, by the Anabaptists) that nothing but our own self-conceitedness; perverseness, laziness, or wilful enmity to the Peace of the Churches, is able to deprive us of a blessed success. But alas, our minds are the Subjects of the disease; and are so alienated, exulcerated, and so selfishly ⟨image 5⟩