A26911:152
The defence of the nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of the matter…
The defence of the nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of the matter of their nonconformity against Mr. J. Cheney's answer called The conforming nonconformist, and The nonconforming conformist : to which is added the second part in answer to Mr. Cheney's Five undertakings / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Benjamin Alsop, 1680
A DEFENCE OF THE NON-CONFORMIST'S Plea for Peace, AGAINST Mr. J. CH… › Chapter 18
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.
2. And if Christ would have had any more Sacraments of the Covenant of Grace, he would have somewhere expressed his Commands and Directions to his Ministers to make them: But he that hath given them full Commands and Directions ⟨p. 40⟩for Preaching, Prayer, Baptizing, and his Supper; and for their other duties for the Flocks, hath not said a word to them of this; either biding them make new Sacraments, or telling them how many, or directing them what, or how to do it; nor how to use them when made; nor promising to bless them.
3. To make more, seemeth to accuse Christ's Law or Institution of Imperfection: Subordinate actions do not so: But to make Ordinances ejusdem generis, with those which he made, not as a mere man, nor as a mere Minister, but as Mediator, or King of the Church, doth seem to say, That Christ left half his work undone. Did he institute Baptism and his Supper, as a mere Man, or a mere Minister? then à quatenus ad omne any Man, or any Minister may do the like, and make more Sacraments: But if as King of the Church, and as Saviour, then none but our King of the Chuch and Saviour may do the like.
3. To make more, seemeth to accuse Christ's Law or Institution of Imperfection: Subordinate actions do not so: But to make Ordinances ejusdem generis, with those which he made, not as a meer man, nor as a meer Minister, but as Mediator, or King of the Church, doth seem to say, That Christ left half his work undone. Did he institute Baptism and his Supper, as a meer Man, or a meer Minister? then à quatenus ad omne any Man, or any Minister may do the like, and make more Sacraments: But if as King of the Church, and as Saviour, then none but our King of the Chuch and Saviour may do the like.
Christ hath instituted one day of each week to commemorate his Resurrection, as God the Creator instituted a weekly Sabbath (as I have proved in a peculiar Treatise.) Men may set apart one day in a year for special Thanksgivings, or Commemorations, and one day in a week, e. g. in a time of Plague and danger, to fast and pray, &c. But if any should make another weekly day of holy observance, to commemorate the same work of Christ's Resurrection, or our Redemption, which Christ did separate that day to commemorate, I think he would be both an unjust accuser of Christ's Law, as insufficient, and an unjust usurper of his Prerogative.