Baxter - BX5207 B3 A2 1696

Part DI, Reverend Mr. R ichard Baxter. never can) that. Tome Miraculous fort of Operation, not common to. the Gofpel or the Covenant it Pelf; is effentiai to a Sacrament for new A&s or Qualities on Infants or others,' would ask when you thus crofs the Child,Do you lookthat GodMould do any more for hisSoul thereon, than if you did it not, or no? If you do- (as they did that ufed the Crofs ofold, and the Papists now) then you exile& God's invar,. Graceupon the ufe oftheCrofs. If you look not that the Child's foul be ever the . better for it,it's pity Baptifm lhould be denyed them that darenot ufe it ; or fo many Minifters be talented about it. But had it hotTome great andnotable facramental efes (as the fore- named) though nos aril, I dur[t not prefüme on fish an inveutitions rscramental fign. I have oft faid ; I doubt whether the King world not think hí, Prerogative invaded, if any lhouldprofame to in'itute a new Badg,befideshis Garter and Star, of the Order of the Knights ofthe Garter ; much morea Symbol or Padg for all his Sub¡e&s; and denythem the Knighthood or ,`bus Subditi who refufe'it. But too long of tins. 4. Prop. About compelling the Unfit to receive the Lord's Supper. Stri&. The Church loth not compel any to receive the Sacrament that is unfit : butpun- nifheth themthat areunfit, and negletl the snaking oj- themfelves fit for it, by breaking off their Sins by Repentance. }Info,. Alas ! poor Souls, that mutt havefach a Cure ! It feems by this that this Church fuppofeth. t. That all Men can Cure all their Unfitnefs : z. And that a Prifon is the way to make them willing. We Nonconformifts contrarily think, That, t. AWillingperfonmay be Uncured of fame unfatneflés. 2. And that a Prifon is no fit core for fish ; nor for fame others. We think that a Melancholly or Timerous Perfon is unfit, who wouldbe like to he difrratled by the fear of un- worthyReceiving : We are fare that all that we can fay will not Cure filch fears in very many , If Conformifts can do it, and will not, they are to blame : We know that the Perfon himfel , though willing, cannot do it. We will not believe that Christ would have them laid in Goal to care then. But if the Bithops will take that coürfe, it muff he fuffered : We judge all our prefent Infidels, Sadducees, and Socinians unfit, if not the Papits : And they offer their Prote- ítations that they cannot change their Judgments : We think a Goal unapt to change them; but rather with meeknefs to initrn&Oppofers, if God perhaps will givethem Repentance to the acknowlegment of the Truth, a Tim. z. zg. Yea, though after the Chancellour's admonition (or better means) they be erroneous kill. Verily if your way were throtghly pra&ifed, and fish Chun- t -Laws executed, and all dwelt in Goals, that are unfit for the Sacrament (after your teaching, and admonition, and Excommunication) the Landlords would find a great dimi- nution of their Tenants, and the Goalers would have more Tenants than many Lords, and it were necelfary to have a Goal in every Parifh. This is your way of comforting the rimerous ; but who Gould there maintain them all, I know not. But if Goalers be the molt effe&ual Converters of Souls, I think more Clergy-Men than Non-conformiks need their help, that obtain it not: And they may polfibly put in for the Tythes and Church -Revenues. "St!itl. Is any Minileer required to give the Sacrament of Chrift's Body and " Blood to any unbaptized Perfon? Is not this a groundlefs, and flanderous in- " finuation? Nay, is any Minu ter forced or required to give the Sacrament to " any notorionfly wicked, or prophane Perfon? See the Rtsbu irk before theCom- ° munion. That which follows Teems to aim at an introduring of Auricular " Gonfefflon, or the Petting up an Independent, Ecclefiakicall Jurisdi&ion in e- " very Miuifter over hisown Parilh. Anf. t. Your Charge is caufelefs : I find in the Canons and Rubrick, that e- very Parifhioner mull receive, Andthofe unbapaized (as many born of Ana- baptifìs are) I find not defcribed or named, as excepted in the Canon or Ru- brick, not that any at age ate forced to be Baptized, and yet are forced by Penalty to Communicate : So that I confefs I am fo ignorant as not to know whether 1 Gould be punifhed by the Bilhop, if I refuted an un-baptized Parifhi- Qq qq z once:

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