Richard Baxter his account to his dearly beloved, the inhabitants of Kidderminster, of the…

for do not the Protestant Churches in France enjoin Standing, the Churches of Holland, Scotland, and the Church of Germany that follow Calvin enjoin sitting, and the Churches that follow Luther there and elsewhere enjoin Kneeling as we do, and all of them upon the same penalty of not receiving it otherwise? And is it not as lawful for our Church, as for all other Protestant, and all other Christian Churches, to require of her children the like conformity to her laws under the like penalty for the same end, & to prevent the same danger? yes (replied Mr. Baxter when this question was asked him) just as lawful, that is, not lawful at all, such an injunction upon such a penalty being sinful, wheresoever and by whomsoever it is enjoined. A happy England, that hath such an Aristarchus as is worthy to censure all the Churches of the world, whose Catholic practise (if it cross Mr. Baxters opinion) must presently without more ado be condemned as sinful, and all the world must be Liars rather then Mr. Baxter must not be justified in his sayings. You have before seen the ingenuity and veracity, you now see the humility, and the modesty of the Man; and indeed in proportion, of the whole party, for crimine ab uno,—Disce omnes. But doth Mr. Baxter and the rest of his persuasion think indeed, that it is so great and grievous a punishment to be kept from the Sacrament when men will not receive it in that way and upon those terms that the Church offers? if they do, why then do they deny it to so many that hunger and thirst after it, whensoever either by reason of Age, or Lameness, or sickness, or some other bodily infirmity they cannot come to Church for it? especially when the Catholic Church in the Twelfth Canon of the first General Council commands it be given even to those that are Excommunicate, if they desire it when they are in Extremis, or going out of the world. Secondly, why have they suffered so many whole Parishes in England under their charge to have been without a Communion so many years together, as I am credibly informed they have? Thirdly, why do they reject those from the Sacrament, that will not come before hand to them to be examined by them, there being neither precept nor practise in the Gospel, nor Canon in the Church, either to warrant them to require it, or to oblige the People to submit to it upon any such penalty? I am sure St.

for do not the Protestant Churches in France enjoyn Standing, the Churches of Holland, Scotland, and the Church of Germany that follow Calvin enjoyne sitting, and the Churches that follow Luther there and elsewhere enjoyn Kneeling as we do, and all of them upon the same penalty of not receiving it otherwise? And is it not as lawful for our Church, as for all other Protestant, and all other Christian Churches, to require of her children the like conformity to her laws under the like penalty for the same end, & to prevent the same danger? yes (replyed Mr. Baxter when this question was asked him) just as lawful, that is, not lawful at all, such an injunction upon such a penalty being sinful, wheresoever and by whomsoever it is enjoyned. A happy England, that hath such an Aristarchus as is worthy to censure all the Churches of the world, whose Catholick practise (if it cross Mr. Baxters opinion) must presently without more adoe be condemn'd as sinful, and all the world must be Lyars rather then Mr. Baxter must not be justified in his sayings. You have before seen the ingenuity and veracity, you now see the humility, and the modesty of the Man; and indeed in proportion, of the whole party, for crimine ab uno,—Disce omnes. But doth Mr. Baxter and the rest of his perswasion think indeed, that it is so great and grievous a punishment to be kept from the Sacrament when men will not receive it in that way and upon those terms that the Church offers? if they doe, why then do they deny it to so many that hunger and thirst after it, whensoever either by reason of Age, or Lameness, or sicknesse, or some other bodily infirmity they cannot come to Church for it? especially when the Catholick Church in the Twelfth Canon of the first General Council commands it be given even to those that are Excommunicate, if they desire it when they are in Extremis, or going out of the world. Secondly, why have they suffered so many whole Parishes in England under their charge to have been without a Communion so many years together, as I am credibly informed they have? Thirdly, why do they reject those from the Sacrament, that will not come before hand to them to be examined by them, there being neither precept nor practise in the Gospel, nor Canon in the Church, either to warrant them to require it, or to oblige the People to submit to it upon any such penalty? I am sure St.