A26880:774
Catholic communion defended against both extremes, and unnecessary division confuted in five parts ...…Catholick communion defended against both extreams, and unnecessary division confuted in five parts ...…
Catholic communion defended against both extremes, and unnecessary division confuted in five parts ... / by Richard Baxter ...Catholick communion defended against both extreams, and unnecessary division confuted in five parts ... / by Richard Baxter ...
London: printed for Tho. Parkhurst, 1684
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. Seeing it is plain, That he meaneth not only mental Communion in Essentials (of which it's true) but local Communion in outward Acts, I take him to be one of the grossest Schismatics that ever I had to do with; and one of the greatest Enemies to Christian Catholic Love. If any could prove it unlawful to have Ministerial Communion in England, where he cannot have it, without declaring Assent and Consent to all thingt in their three Books, that would not prove the Church of England no part of the Catholic Church. If a Lay-man could prove it unlawful to trust other men with his Child in Baptismal Covenanting, as far as the Church here doth, or sinful to join in avoiding the Communion of all such godly men as the Canons or a Lay-Civilian may Excommunicate; This will not prove the Church of England no part of the Catholic Church.
Answ. Seeing it is plain, That he meaneth not only mental Communion in Essentials (of which it's true) but local Communion in outward Acts, I take him to be one of the grossest Schismaticks that ever I had to do with; and one of the greatest Enemies to Christian Catholick Love. If any could prove it unlawful to have Ministerial Communion in England, where he cannot have it, without declaring Assent and Consent to all thingt in their three Books, that would not prove the Church of England no part of the Catholick Church. If a Lay-man could prove it unlawful to trust other men with his Child in Baptismal Covenanting, as far as the Church here doth, or sinful to joyn in avoiding the Communion of all such g•dly men as the Canons or a Lay-Civilian may Excommunicate; This will not prove the Church of England no part of the Catholick Church.
If any Church will deny men Communion, unless they subscribe to some one small Untruth (as the Liturgies false Rule to find out Easter-day, or a mis-translation; or the denial, that Christ died for all, &c.) this doth not unchurch them all. But men have made so many snares by their numerous invented sinful forms of Communion, that by such schismatical Censures as this, one scarce knows what Church on Earth is •ot unchurched.