A26964:52
The nonconformists advocate
The nonconformists advocate, or, A farther account of their judgment in certain things in which they are misunderstood written principally in vindication of A letter from a minister to a person of quality, showing some reasons for his nonconformity, modesty answering the exceptions of two violent opposers of the said reasons.The nonconformists advocate, or, A farther account of their judgment in certain things in which they are misunderstood written principally in vindication of A letter from a minister to a person of quality, shewing some reasons for his nonconformity, modesty answering the exceptions of two violent opposers of the said reasons.
London: printed for Thomas Simmons, 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.
Now what I have here spoken is not an idle Supposition, and • mere Imagination, but I have reason to believe it a real truth, i• ⟨p. 27⟩matter of fact; for I know the Person very well, who has again and again been desired by Parents to baptize their Children, and being unwilling and averse to intermeddle in that affair, hath sincerely counselled the said Parents to have a recourse to their own Parish-Minister to do it for them, whose proper office it was: but they have replied, He will not baptize our Children without Godfathers and Godmothers, and we know not where to get them.
Now what I have here spoken is not an idle Supposition, and • meer Imagination, but I have reason to believe it a real truth, i• ⟨p. 27⟩matter of fact; for I know the Person very well, who has again and again been desired by Parents to baptize their Children, and being unwilling and averse to intermeddle in that affair, hath sincerely counselled the said Parents to have a recourse to their own Parish-Minister to do it for them, whose proper office it was: but they have replied, He will not baptize our Children without Godfathers and Godmothers, and we know not where to get them.
My last scruple was against the Order and Office for the Burial of the Dead; wherein we have as much said, as can well be signified and expressed by word or tongue, concerning the most certain salvation and happiness of every one buried by the Minister, though of the worst of men, though of the most flagitious and facinorous persons, so living, and so dying. What think you of S. Coleman the Traitor? I am assured from an Eye and Ear-witness, that he was buried in S. Giles's Church-yard by one of the Readers, and by the Common-Prayer Book; and so perhaps were the rest, not of the Loyal, but Liolan and lying Saints after him: At every such Interment, the Minister saith, Forasmuch as it hath pleased God of his great mercy, to take unto himself the Soul of our dear Brother here departed,&c. What can more plainly signify the safety and bliss of such a Soul? what can more fully declare the love and favour of God towards it, and place it in Heaven? You say,