A26886:87
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.
Yet some Contradiction there may be, which may not nullify a Profession: As when the terms of Contradiction seem not to be understood by him that useth them, or not to be meant in the contradicting sense; or when he seem's not to discern the ⟨p. 11⟩contradiction, but thinks both may consist, and seems to hold the truth practically, and so contradicts it speculatively or ignorantly: or when the contradiction is more weak, and not seemingly prevalent, as [I believe, Lord help my unbelief.]
Yet some Contradiction there may be, which may not nullifie a Profession: As when the terms of Contradiction seem not to be understood by him that useth them, or not to be meant in the contradicting sense; or when he seem's not to discern the ⟨p. 11⟩contradiction, but thinks both may consist, and seems to hold the truth practically, and so contradicts it speculatively or ignorantly: or when the contradiction is more weak, and not seemingly prevalent, as [I believe, Lord help my unbelief.]
5. When a man hath utterly forfeited the credit of his word; the Profession of that man must not be merely verbal, but practical. This is all clear in the Laws of Nature. When a man may be justly said to have forfeited the credit of his bare word, is a matter of consideration. The common reason and practice of men, is against trusting a perjured mans bare word, till he give sufficient evidence of his repentance for that perjury: And the like may be said of one that hath often violated Promise, and given no Evidence of any effectual change upon his heart, but that still he hath the same disposition. The Novatians thought that those who lapsed heinously after the Baptismal Profession, were not again to be absolved, and admitted into the communion of the Church, but they did not exclude them from Gods pardon, as is commonly believed to them. Clemens Alexandrinus, and others of those ancient Churches, do seem to exclude all from pardon of sin, after twice or thrice offending: but I suppose, they meant it only of heinous sin, and of pardon in foro Ecclesiae, and not of pardon in foro Dei (a distinction that was not then detested.)