A26911:632
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
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.
Whether the common sort of ungodly Christians, are to be cast out of the Church by Penal Excommunications, and used as Excommunicate ones? You say, [I conceive not.]
WHether the common sort of ungodly Christians, are to be cast out of the Church by Penal Excommunications, and used as Excommunicate ones? You say, [I conceive not.]
Ans. Would any one that pretended to confute our Errors, no better open the case in question.
1. In your sense they are Christians that never professed consent to the Baptismal Covenant, but only took the Water in order to Conversion hereafter. These are no visible Christians: And I suppose by parity of Reason, the Council of Nice, which decreed the Rebaptizing of the Paulmists, would have been for Rebaptizing these.
2. Is the Ordinariness the satisfying Character, who is not to be Excommunicated? In one Country those are ordinary, that are extraordinary in others: In some places Arians are ordinary; in some Socinians; in some Papists; in some open Scorners of the Scripture, Christianity, and Religion: In some ignorant Persons that know not the Essentials of Christianity, nor will learn, or let the Minister instruct them any where but in the Pulpit; in many Parishes here, not one of many (their Neighbours say) go to Church about once or twice a Year.