A26886:1092
Certain disputations of right to sacraments, and the true nature of visible Christianity defending…
Certain disputations of right to sacraments, and the true nature of visible Christianity defending them against several sorts of opponents, especially against the second assault of that pious, reverend and dear brother Mr. Thomas Blake / by Richard Baxter ...
London: printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons, 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.
What the better are we to know that we may not baptize the children of the Notoriously ungodly, till we know who these are; Let us therefore answer this Question, Whom must we take for Notoriously ungodly?
As in all that is gone before, I doubt not but I shall be thought too rigid; so in this which followeth I as little question, but I shall be censured as too loose in my Doctrine, and charitable beyond the warrant of reason. But Truth is Truth, which I will search after as well as I can.
And first on the Negative, I lay down these Propositions.
Proposition. 1. In General, We are not Certain of every mans ungodliness, whom we probably, strongly, and groundedly suspect to be ungodly. We may have more reason of fear than of hope concerning them, and yet not be able to conclude that they are certainly ungodly. Secondly, In General, It is not easy judging of the certainty of mens ungodliness at a distance, nor by some actual gross sins, till we have spoke to them, and admonished them, and discern what degree of obstinacy, and impenitency, and wilfulness they are guilty of, or till we understand this certainly by those that have admonished them, and heard their Answers. Thirdly, It is hard judging of the certainty of a mans ungodliness by one, or two, or a few Actions, without knowing the course and scope of a mans life. Fourthly, I think it is few among a thousand of the common people that we can say are certainly ungodly, though we have reason to think that the most by far are so. More particularly Fifthly, A man must be guilty of more sin than Noah was, than Peter was in denying and forswearing Christ, that is notoriously ungodly: Yea than Lot was, who was drunk two nights together, and committed Incest with his own Daughters twice, & that after the miraculous destruction of Sodom, of his own Wife & his own miraculous deliverance.