A27035:487
A second true defence of the mere nonconformists against the untrue accusations, reasonings, and…A second true defence of the meer nonconformists against the untrue accusations, reasonings, and…
A second true defence of the mere nonconformists against the untrue accusations, reasonings, and history of Dr. Edward Stillingfleet ... clearly proving that it is (not sin but) duty 1. not wilfully to commit the many sins of conformity, 2. not sacrilegiously to forsake the preaching of the Gospel, 3. not to cease public worshipping of God, 4. to use needful pastoral helps for salvation ... / written by Richard Baxter ... ; with some notes on Mr. Joseph Glanviles Zealous and impartial Protestant, and Dr. L. Moulins character.A second true defence of the meer nonconformists against the untrue accusations, reasonings, and history of Dr. Edward Stillingfleet ... clearly proving that it is (not sin but) duty 1. not wilfully to commit the many sins of conformity, 2. not sacrilegiously to forsake the preaching of the Gospel, 3. not to cease publick worshipping of God, 4. to use needful pastoral helps for salvation ... / written by Richard Baxter ... ; with some notes on Mr. Joseph Glanviles Zealous and impartial Protestant, and Dr. L. Moulins character.
London: printed for Nevil Simons, 1681
AN ANSWER TO Dean STILINGFLEETS, &c. › Chapter 7: The Reply to his Third Part: The beginning.
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. 23. But when it comes to the question whether me may so much as call a sinner to repentance by name before the Church, who rejecteth all more private admonition, he puts the question, whether the obligation to admonish publicly an offender, or to deny him the Sacrament if he will come to it, be so great as to bear him out in the violation of a Law, made by public authority, &c. Ans. The first question is whether Christ have not made his Church so different a thing from the World, that they should be openly differenced, by a Communion of Saints? 2. And whether he hath not instituted an office to judge of this and by Government execute it? And 3. Whether any man have authority to suspend this Law or Office? And then 4. I shall grant that not only Discipline, but Preaching and Prayer and Sacraments may be forborn hic & nunc in the present exercise, when else the exercise would do more hurt than good. 5. But are these Laws good that forbid it? and should we Covenant never to endeavour an Alteration?
Sect. 23. But when it comes to the question whether me may so much as call a sinner to repentance by name before the Church, who rejecteth all more private admonition, he puts the question, whether the obligation to admonish publickly an offender, or to deny him the Sacrament if he will come to it, be so great as to bear him out in the violation of a Law, made by publick authority, &c. Ans. The first question is whether Christ have not made his Church so different a thing from the World, that they should be openly differenced, by a Communion of Saints? 2. And whether he hath not instituted an office to judge of this and by Government execute it? And 3. Whether any man have authority to suspend this Law or Office? And then 4. I shall grant that not only Discipline, but Preaching and Prayer and Sacraments may be forborn hic & nunc in the present exercise, when else the exercise would do more hurt than good. 5. But are these Laws good that forbid it? and should we Covenant never to endeavour an Alteration?
Sect. 24. He next tells us of the great difficulty of exercising true Discipline, (which is most true) and seems thence to defend the forbearance of it with us. Answ. I have in my Treatise of Episcopacy and oft proved that it is of great importance to Christ's ends, and that he would have it continued to the last, and that the Communion of Saints is a practical Article of Faith; and that making small difference between the Church and the World, tends to Church destruction, and to the reproach of Christianity, and the utter undoing of millions of Souls.