A26911:222
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 20
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.
VII. Nay, if he be excommunicated first, and by friends, fees, or saying I repent, get the Chancellor's Absolution, he must be received to Communion, though the Minister see not the least sign of his repentance, but the contrary.
VIII. If Ignorance be so common in the Parish, that we have reason to judge that of twenty or thirty thousand Parishioners (more or fewer) one half of them understand not the very Essentials of Christianity, and of the Sacrament; yet the Minister must refuse none. I that have but three servants, can seldom have all three such as with my plain teaching will be brought while they are with me, to understand all the Essentials, and be capable of the Sacrament. And though in general experience telleth us of the great numbers of such, yet the Minister cannot know them. He that knoweth not their faces, much less ever catechized half. And commonly children and ignorant people will ⟨p. 63⟩say the words of the Creed and Lord's Prayer, when they are grossly ignorant of the sense. 2. And if the Minister know such an one to be so grossly ignorant, the Law giveth him not power to deny him the Sacrament.
VIII. If Ignorance be so common in the Parish, that we have reason to judge that of twenty or thirty thousand Parishioners (more or fewer) one half of them understand not the very Essentials of Christianity, and of the Sacrament; yet the Minister must refuse none. I that have but three servants, can seldom have all three such as with my plain teaching will be brought while they are with me, to understand all the Essentials, and be capable of the Sacrament. And though in general experience telleth us of the great numbers of such, yet the Minister cannot know them. He that knoweth not their faces, much less ever catechized half. And commonly children and ignorant people will ⟨p. 63⟩say the words of the Creed and Lord's Prayer, when they are grosly ignorant of the sense. 2. And if the Minister know such an one to be so grosly ignorant, the Law giveth him not power to deny him the Sacrament.