A26924:774
The English nonconformity as under King Charles II and King James II truly stated…
The English nonconformity as under King Charles II and King James II truly stated and argued by Richard Baxter ; who earnestly beseecheth rulers and clergy not to divide and destroy the land and cast their own souls on the dreadful guilt and punishment of national perjury ...
London: printed for Tho. Parkhurst, 1689
Chapter 48: Point V. The discountenancing the fear of sin, and the practice of serious godliness.
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.
Chap. XLVIII. Point V. The discountenancing the fear of sin, and the practice of serious godliness.
M. V. I will add next this aggravation which comprehendeth many parts of Conformity. No true Christian doubteth, but seriousness and diligence in serving God, and making our Calling and Election sure, and Obedience to Gods Law, and fear of sinning, are of absolute necessity to Salvation. And how greatly the Laity is discouraged and frightened from all this by the course of Conformity is notorious.
M. V. I will add next this aggravation which comprehendeth many parts of Conformity. No true Christian doubteth, but seriousness and diligence in serving God, and making our Calling and Election sure, and Obedience to Gods Law, and fear of sinning, are of absolute necessity to Salvation. And how greatly the Laity is discouraged and frightned from all this by the course of Conformity is notorious.
L. Who doth discourage them? Do not all our Ministers Preach for Obedience and Godliness? Doth not our Liturgy pray that the rest of our lives hereafter may be pure and holy, that we may attain Eternal Life?
M. Yes, and more than so, you read the Scripture which is all for holiness: The deeper is the guilt of Hypocrisy and Malignity in them that seek to root it out: Out of their own mouths will they be judged, and beaten with many stripes. Judge by these instances. 1. How Children are Baptized with God-fathers, and how Confirmed after, and Admitted to Communion, and forced to it, I showed before. 2. So many humane Institutions are imposed on Men as necessary to Communion, that he must be a Man of more Learning and Understanding than I have, or with all the study of my Life could obtain, who can discern them all to be Lawful: And he that calls any of them sinful is Excommunicate ipso jure. 3. It is certain that a great part of the Laity understand not the Creed, and those few that set themselves to seek for saving knowledge, attain so little in their secular course of Life, as that we must be glad if they understand all the Catechism, the Creed, Lords Prayer and Ten Commandments, and take such for extraordinarily wife: And yet if one of these think a Form, a Ceremony, a Lay Chancellors Discipline, &c. to be repugnant to the Word of God, and say it, he is Excommunicate.