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A69536
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The judgment of non-conformists about the difference between grace and morality
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Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.
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1676
(1676)
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Wing B1292_VARIANT; ESTC R16284
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66,799
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124
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Ecclesiastical Affairs much more are we far from condemning all the ancient and present Churches of Christ that have used such or yet use them throughout the Christian world And yet farther are we from separating from them on that account for using Liturgies and from encouraging such a Separation Yea we commonly use a stinted Liturgie our selves at least the Psalms read and sung and we hold it lawful to use such as are invented by men that are no Prophets seeing we are commanded to use Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs which confineth us not only to Scripture words and all men have not the skill to make Hymns ex tempore much less would all the Assembly ex tempore break forth into the same words Therefore those that are used by all must be invented by some And Ministers with us do ordinarily impose their own invented words on all the Congregation who must follow them as our Metres and Tunes of Psalms are imposed XVII We think it not unlawful to use as much of the English Liturgy as we consented to use when by his Majesties Commission some of us treated about the reformation or alteration of it viz. in such Assemblies where the Peoples incapacity maketh not such use of it more hurtful than helpful to their edification and the comly concordant worshipping of God Much less do we think it unlawful for our selves or the People in this case to join in the reverent and serious use of it with others We find that even the old Non-conformists such as Cartwright Hildersham Knewstube Dr. Jo. Reignolds Bradshaw Paget Ball c. petitioned for a Reformation but not an Abolition of it and wrote and preached against separating from it or for it from the Churches that used it and many of them not only used much or most of it themselves but also perswaded to the use of it and answered largely the Separatists Arguments against such use And we join with Mr. Ball and other of them in thanking God that England hath a more reformed Liturgy than most of the Churches in the World and we would not seem to use it when we do not but do it as aforesaid in the serious devotion and fervour of our Souls Nor would we peevishly make any thing in it worse than it is but would put the best construction on each part of it that true Reason will justifie or allow XVIII We are far from judging the Parish Ministers to be no true Ministers of Christ or the Parish Churches no true Churches or judging it unlawful to hold Communion with them But if there be any called Ministers or Priests of these following sorts we take them for no true Ministers of Christ ziz 1. If by insufficiency they are uncapable of Teaching the necessary parts of Christianity and Guiding the Church accordingly in the Publick Worship of God 2. If they are Hereticks denying any of these essential parts 3. If they are malignant Opposers of the practice of them And in a word If they are such through incapacity as are like to do more harm than good XIX In several Customs freely not by constraint used in many ancient Churches and in several practices of several Churches of these Times we find that which we would not by Oaths or Subscriptions or Covenants approve but with they were reformed and that they had never been used when yet we do not for such things dishonour and reproach such Churches nor inveigh against them in our preaching to diminish their due esteem much less disclaim them as no Churches of Christ but love and honour them and live peaceably under many faults which we cannot reform in the places where we live So be it no sin be put upon our selves we can hold Communion with those that have divers sins or faults in their Ministrations not as with their sin but with their Church in worship notwithstanding the sin so it corrupt not God's worship so far as that he himself rejecteth it For no Man is sinless in his best performance XX. Though the Pastors hold any tolerable errors personally and though such are usually uttered in their Ministration and though they be inserted in their Liturgies so that we may expect to hear them yea uttered as in that Churches name we hold not all this sufficient cause to warrant our separation from that Church For all Churches consist of Men and all Men are faulty and imperfect and such as the Men are such we may expect their works should be notwithstanding the Divine assistance And to separare from all faulty Churches and Worship is to separate from all the World and allow all the World to separate from us XXI If 〈◊〉 true Church deny us Communion unless we will commit some sin or omit some necessary duty though we cannot be locally present in such cases nor approve what they so do yet we shall not therefore renounce them as no Churches but lamenting their sin and their denying us their Communion on just Terms we shall continue the Union and Communion of Faith and Love and be present in spirit though corporally absent desiring a part in their Prayers and owning all that God disowneth not XXII We hold that no Christians must be disjoyned or separated in any of the seven Points of Union required by the Holy Ghost Eph. 4. 3 4 5 6. 1. One Body the Catholick Church headed by Christ 2. One Spirit the Holy Ghost 3. One Hope of our Calling Remission Adoption and the Heavenly Glory 4. One Lord Jesus Christ 5. One Faith the Essentials of Christianity believed 6. One Baptisme or Baptismal Covenant with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost 7. One God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in us all of whom and to whom and through whom are all things XXIII Though we are not satisfied of the lawfulness of using the transient Image of the Cross as a Dedicating Sign and Symbol of Christianity so much Sacramental much less to refuse from Baptism and Christendom all Christians Infants unless they will have them so crossed no more than if a Crucifix were so imposed and used yet do we not condemn all use of either Cross or Crucifix Nor do we presume censoriously to reproach and dishonour the ancient Christians who living among Pagans that derided Christ Crucified did shew them by oft using this sign that they were not ashamed of the Cross And though we find that they used more Rites and significant devised Signs and Ceremonies than we think they should have done yet we judge it our Duty to love and honour their Memorial Nor do we take all Rites to be sinful that are significant XXIV We hold not all the use of Images even the Images of holy Persons to be unlawful Historical and memorative use we commonly allow as the English Geneva Bible sheweth by many Pictures We condemn not them that have Scripture Persons and History Painted on their Walls or on the very Bricks that