N01201:82
An appeal to the learned. Being a vindication of the right of visible saints…
An appeal to the learned. Being a vindication of the right of visible saints to the Lords Supper, though they be destitute of a saving work of God's spirit on their hearts: against the exceptions of Mr. Increase Mather. / By Solomon Stoddard, Pastor of Northampton. ; [Two lines from Daniel]
Boston: printed by B. Green for Samuel Phillips, 1709
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
In his other Book made upon the like occasion against me, viz. his Epistle to Mr. Quick, Alcuinus is brought in saying, Fiunt scutinia, ut saepius explorentur, an post renunciationem Satanae, Sacra verba datae fidei, radicibus corde defixerint. Scrutinies were made, that they might be often Examined, to see whether the Sacred words of the Faith, which they professed, were throughly fixed in their hearts. A New-England man reading this, would be ready to think, that our practice were but the reviving of the practice of the Primitive Church, but if we search what this Scrutiny was, we may gather it partly from the words of Austin, ipsis diebus, quibus catechezantur, exorcizantur, scrutantur: and the words of Leo both reported by Chamier in the same place, In Baptizandis electis, qui secundum Apostolicam regulam, & exorcismis scrutandi, & jejuniis Sanctificandi, & frequentibus sunt praedicationibus imbuendi. By this it appears that this Scrutiny was made by Exorcisms, not by inquiring into the works of Gods Spirit on their hearts, but by adjuring of them to Speak true; tho' there was another way of Exorcising in use at this time, viz. an adjuring of the ⟨p. 33⟩Devil to forsake them, by this Examination, it may easily be perceived, how we may be led into notable mistakes by the quotations of ancient Authors.
2. He faith this Opinion is contrary to the judgment of the most eminent Reformers in these latter Ages. Some are mentioned by him.
A. 1. That the generality of the Reformed Churches are larger than I desire to be, in their practices, and the practice of the Church of Scotland is every whit as large.