A55307:95
The Samaritan showing that many and unnecessary impositions are not the oil that must…The Samaritan shewing that many and unnecessary impositions are not the oyl that must…
The Samaritan showing that many and unnecessary impositions are not the oil that must heal the church together with the way or means to do it / by a country gentleman who goes to common-prayer and not to meetings.The Samaritan shewing that many and unnecessary impositions are not the oyl that must heal the church together with the way or means to do it / by a country gentleman who goes to common-prayer and not to meetings.
London: printed for Tho. Simmons, 1682
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.
But in particular, for satisfaction to this grand Query or Objection, as being the chief business of my undertaking, I humbly propose these several things which follow.
1. That nothing be Made or Imposed as Conditions ⟨p. 55⟩of Communion, but a few plain, obvious and necessary things. In these Concord among Christians may be expected, and will be found, but in many Doubtful and Unnecessary things it is impossible. Grammarians, Historians, Natural Philosophers, and Mathematicians, agree in some things. There are certain Axioms, common Notions, and Propositions, in which they do mutually consent, whatever their Differences be in thousands of other things. In some few, great, plain, and useful things, Christians do and will agree, though in many things of less certainty, use and importance, they may and will differ to the worlds end. Existimat ejus Majestas nullam ad incundam concordiam breviorem fore viam, quam si diligenter separentur necessaria a non necessariis; & ut de necessariis conveniat, omnis opera insumatur, in non necessariis Christianae libertati locus detur. Epist. Causaboni ad Card. Perronium. p. 31.
Let the things Imposed as Terms and Conditions of Communion, be the Great, Essential, and Constituent Parts of Christianity: Let them be such as are of the Essence of Religion; such as without Assent and Consent unto, no man is, or can be a Christian. That Religion (I mean the Christian Religion) hath its Essential and Constituent Parts, cannot reasonably be denied; for if it have no Essential Parts, 'tis not Quid Compositum, 'tis no compound thing, which no man in his wits, I think, will affirm; and if it be a compound thing, it must have its Essential Parts, ⟨p. 56⟩