Baxter - BX5207 B3 A2 1696

39ó J he L IFE o f th . e. , L I s. § 296. And 4. as to the Charitable Applications excepted .againft in_ Bapdfm, Confirmation, the Lord's Supper, Abfolution of the Sick and Burial, they fay they are but Poch as according to the Judgment of Charity we may ufe : And if there be any fault, it is not in the Common Prayer Book, which ufeth but inch words as are fit to be oled by the Members of i he Church : but it is in the Canons and Difcipline of the 'Church , which fùffereth unfit . Perfòns to be Church- Members. § 297. And s. as for the Ceremonies, they fay, nThat Kneeling.is freed from all fufpicion ofIdolatry, by the annexingof the Rubrick out of King Edward the Sixth's Common Prayer Book : which thocgh the Convocation refukd, yet the Parliament annexed ; and they are the Impofers, and it is their fence that we mutt ffand to. And as it is lawful to Kneel in accepting a fealed Pardon from theKing, by his Meffenger, fo is it in accepting a Pealed Pardon from God, with the Inee- Ititure ofour Priviledges. § 298. And 2. they fay that the Surplice is as lawful as a Gown, it being not impofèd primarily becaufe fignificant, but becaufe decent, and fecondarily as figni- ficant ( fay fofne )t Or as others fay, It is the better and fitter to be impofed, be- caufe it is fignificant} and that God hath no where forbidden fuel' Ceremo- nies.. 4 299. And 3. for the Crofs in BaptiSn, they fay that it is no part of theSacra ment of Baptifm, but an appendant Ceremony : that it isthe better for beingfigni- ficant : that it is but a tranfent Image, and not afixed, much lets a graven Image; and is not adored : that it is but a profejngfgn, as words are, or as flanding up, or bolding up the hand ; and not any Seal of God's part of the Covenant ; and though it be called in the Canons a Dedicating. Sign, it is but as it tgnifieth the A- rion of the Perfon or theChurch, and not as it fignifieth the A&ion of God recei- Vg the dedicated Perfon: And home fay, That it cannotbe de denied but that according to the old and common ufe ofThe word [Sacrament] as a Military En- gagement, it is a Sacrament ; yet it is not pretended to be a. Divine, bur a Humane Sacrament, and fuch are lawful : it being in our definition of a Church Sacrament that it is [Ordained b Cbrift himfelf] : And though Man may not invent New Sa- craments, as God'sPealing or invelling Signs, and fo pretend that to be Divine which is not ; yet man may invent New Human Sacraments, which go no further than the tgnifying oftheir ownMinds and A&ions.And they fay,Thar if fuch my. ftical Signs as there had been unlawful, it is a thing incredible that the - Univerlal Church fhould rifefuch, as far as can be found, from the Apoffles days ; even the Milk and Honey and Chrylm and White Garment at Baptifm, and the Station on the .Lord's Days, and theoft ufe of the Crofs ; and that Chris Ihould have nó one Wimefs that.would ever ferupleor contradi&them, either among the Orthodox, or the' Hereticks, as far as anyRecords ofAntiquity do makeknown. §;oo. 7. The feventh Controverfeisabouttheir ownpra&ice in Adminiflrati- ons and Church Difcipline. And r. that they muff Minilterially deny the Sacra- ment of Baptifm to all Children, whofe Parents will nothave them ufe the Crofs, they fay that it is the Church that refufeth them by Law, and not they, who are by the Law difabled from receivingthem. .2. The fame they fay of their refilling to, give the Lord's Supper to any that will not kneel in the Reception of it. They fay that it is better to Adminiffer the Sacramentstofome, than to none at all ! which they mutt do if they refute not them that kneel not. 3. And for the giving of theSa- craments ofBaptifm and the Lord's Supperto the unworthy (for allare forced to ufe them) they fay, that the Infants of all in the Church have right to Baptifm, at leaft for their Anceltor's fake, and for the Godfathersand Godmothers, or theChurches fake : And for the Lord's Supper, they have power to put away all that are proved impenitent in notoriousScandal. 3or. Having told you what the Conformists fay for themfelves (asfaithfully as will Sand with brevity) before I proceed, I think it belt to fet down here the words, 1. Of the Covenant; 2, Of the Subfcription and Declaration; 3. Of the Oathof Canonical' Obedience, before yotir Eyes ; that while the Subje& of the Controverfe is before you, the. Controverte it feif may be the better underltood. And I fùppofe the Reader to have all the Books before him towhich we are requi- ted. co.Affen:.. The

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