Baxter - BV669 B3 1681

cI53) d Excommunication or'Abfolution; whereas the prefent Pallor may ,goc on far more cleare and fatisfa 1orygrounds. 4. Moreover the Conviction of a firmer before Excommunicatitnor Abfolution, requircth a great deal of time, and a great many words, and thofe chofen with the greateft skill, and fee home with the greatell Life, and Light, and Love, that can be manifefted by the fpcaker; Many a time l have tried it, and could never fatisfiemy Conferencewith- out more frequent, long and carnal exhortation, and prayer with ir, than ever I knew Chancelor orBithop ufe to fourty delinquents let toge- (her.The prefent Pallor hath opportunity to do this: But the Chancelor or Diocefane bath not. I never heardofany filchmeans ufcd in their Courts that was of loch a nature as true Pafloral exhoitatiens are, to melt a finnersheart into repentance. But of thisbefore. 2. Another cafe of perticularjudgment is, what (inner in his ficknnefs before death, is fit for Abfolution. Here they cannot make theBifhop Judge, who is many a mileoff ; nor can they tell how to deny it to be without the office of the Parifh Pafior , and therefore they allow him to be the Abfolver ; and yet, left he be the Judge, they bindhim to Ab- folve all that require it,and do but fay they repent : which mull needs be a pernicious deceivingcount to impenitent foul*, when it is known that nothing is moreordinary withmany in ficknefsand in health, than to fayl pepent offome onegrofsdifgraceful fin ,and live in others worfe without a- ny profilLonofrepentance ,and die foatlaft. And mull Iabfolvehim front that fin which he repentethofwithout the reti > or from all becaufe here- penteth ofone? yea,comrnonly men have a Confefliion which is like a Pro- feflion of their fin, and a Repentance which declareth it Pelf to be Im- penitence it Pelf: fomellourly fome fiupidly faying[1 comfefs I ama fwea- rer and a drunkard, a whoremonger, but you Precifians areas bad and worfe, for you are but hypocrites: I repent of my fins daily, and aske God mercy, though I commit them daily, and 'doubt not offòrgive- nefs, for all arc finuers] and Wylie of thefe fay alto on his tick bed, he re- penteth, without any lignsof ferious contritionor changeof heart, we mull Abklve him : But yet though we are not free in this, it is no Dio- ccfancs proper work, and therefore requireth not theiroffice. 3. Another Judgment of individuals neceffary is who is to be baptized, at leajf of per/ons at age, inInfrdellCountries, er flub as ours, where many thoufind Anapab:iisChildren are unbaptized till they come to age? The queliion is not wharThall be the Law and Rule (whether Scripture or Canon) but whothall judge whether the perfon be capable according to the rule. Dot.bticls every one hach rot faith: The proftllien that entitlethro baptifine mutt be, 1. Of thewhole effence of our part of the Covcrant, faith, concert and future obedience. 2. With tolerable wndnjlarár.:g ofwhat they fay. 3. \h ith teeming ferioufnefs. 4. V ith %curing Volcntarine(sand fixed reto!ution. Now how can a Diocefan judgeofthis, that is not within many miles of the place, reir never f W X tl.e

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