A27014:22
Sacrilegious desertion of the holy ministry rebuked, and tolerated preaching of the gospel vindicated,…Sacrilegious desertion of the holy ministery rebuked, and tolerated preaching of the gospel vindicated,…
Sacrilegious desertion of the holy ministry rebuked, and tolerated preaching of the gospel vindicated, against the reasonings of a confident questionist, in a book called Toleration not abused; with counsel to the nonconformists, and petition to the pious conformists / by one that is consecrated to the sacred ministry, and is resolved not to be a deserter of it ...Sacrilegious desertion of the holy ministery rebuked, and tolerated preaching of the gospel vindicated, against the reasonings of a confident questionist, in a book called Toleration not abused; with counsil to the nonconformists, and petition to the pious conformists / by one that is consecrated to the sacred ministry, and is resolved not to be a deserter of it ...
London : s.n., 1672
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.
Sect. 5. 1. They take a Ministry to be ordinarily necessary to the propagating of the Gospel & the saving of Souls, Rom. 10. 14, 15. Act. 20. 17, 18, &c. 2. They suppose that this Ministry doth not save men, as Wizards think that Charms do heal men, by their Presence, Titles, Names, or Habits; By standing in the Reading-place, or Pulpit, or being called the Parson of the Parish, or saying his set words over them when they are dead: But by such public and personal, frequent, plain, serious Instructions, as are suited to their ignorance security, presumption, hardheartedness, and love to sin; and such as in other cases would be thought fit to change mens minds and lives. 3. They suppose that when a well, commended Speech hath been said to ignorant impenitent people, one day in a week, without any personal familiar conference to set it home, and make it more intelligible, the most make but little more of it, than if it had been said to them in an unknown Tongue, or at least remain still ignorant and impenitent. Yea, if Forms of Catechisms ⟨p. 10⟩themselves be taught them, it is ordinary with them year after year to say the Forms, and never understand the matter signified. 4. They suppose that a greater number of the conformable Priests, than they are willing to mention, do Preach so ignorantly and dully in the Pulpits, and do so little of this personal or private work besides, as that there is great need of a far greater number of assistants, than all the present Nonconformists be. 5. They find that some places, of many years past, have had no Ministers at all. 6. They are not able to confute the people in too many places, who tell them that their public Priests are so defective in their necessary qualifications for their Office, as that they hold it unlawful to own such for true Ministers, and to encourage them by their presence, or commit the care of their Souls to such. 7. They think that some other places have godly, able Conformable Ministers, whom the Christian people love and honour. 8. They think that Parish bounds of Churches, are of humane prudential Constitution, and not of Divine Institution, or unchangeable. 9. They think that a Parish, quatenus a Parish, is not a Church; nor a Parishioner, as such a Church-member; for Infidels, Papists, Heretics, Schismatics and Dissenters may be Parishioners. 10.