A Christian Directory, Part 3: Christian EcclesiasticsBaxter, Richard
Religion
A Christian Directory, Part 3: Christian Ecclesiastics
Baxter, Richard
Casuistry; Christian sociology
As for such disputers as my antagonist Mr. Johnson, who insisteth on
that of Tit. iii. 10, "A man that is an heretic--is condemned of
himself;" when he hath proved that the word heretic hath but one
signification, I will say as he doth. Till then, if he will try who
shall be damned by bare equivocal words, without the definition, let
him take his course, for I will be none of his imitators.
[237] Vid. Hun. Eccl. Rom. non est christiana: et Perkins. A papist
cannot go beyond a reprobate.
Quest. VI. _Whether those that are in the church of Rome, are bound to
separate from it? And whether it be lawful to go to their mass or
other worship?_
These two also for brevity I join together.
I. To the first, we must distinguish of separation: 1. It is one thing
to judge that evil which is evil, and separate from it in judgment. 2.
It is another thing to express this by forbearing to subscribe, swear,
or otherwise approve that evil. 3. And another thing to forbear
communion with them in the mass and image worship, and gross or known
sins. 4. And another thing to forbear all communion with them, even as
to baptism and other lawful things. 5. And another thing to use some
open detestations or protestations against them.
2. And we must distinguish much of persons, whether they be ministers
or people, free or bound, as wives, children, &c. And now I answer,
1. There is no question but it is a duty to judge all that evil which
is evil among the papists or any other.
2. It is the duty of all to forbear subscribing, swearing to, or
otherwise approving evil.
3. It is the duty of all mass priests to renounce that part of their
calling, and not to administer their mass, or any other unlawful
thing.
4. It is the duty of all private christians to forbear communion in
the mass, because it is a kind of idolatry, while they worship apiece
of bread as God; as also image worship, and all other parts of their
religion, in which they are put upon sin themselves, or that which is
notorious scandal and symbolizing with them in their bread worship, or
rather corruptions of the substance of God's ordinances.
5. It is their duty who have fit opportunity, (when it is like to do
more good than harm,) to protest against the papal corruptions where
they are, and to declare their detestation of them.
6. It is the duty of those that have children to be baptized or
catechised, to make use of more lawful and sound ministers, when they
may be had, rather than of a papist priest.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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