A26865:409
An apology for the nonconformists ministry containing I. the reasons of their preaching, II.…
An apology for the nonconformists ministry containing I. the reasons of their preaching, II. an answer to the accusations urged as reasons for the silencing of about 2000 by Bishop Morley ..., III. reasons proving it the duty and interest of the bishops and conformists to endeavour earnestly their restoration : with a postscript upon oral debates with Mr. H. Dodwell, against his reasons for their silence ... : written in 1668 and 1669, for the most of it, and now published as an addition to the defence against Dr. Stillingfleet, and as an account to the silencers of the reasons of our practice / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for T. Parkhurst and D. Newman, 1681
AN APOLOGY FOR THE SILENCED MINISTERS, Especially for their not cea… › Part › Objection 13
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
9. If a Bishop should silence him under pretence of Government and Order, whom God obligeth to preach, as much as I have before proved that we are obliged, it were ipso facto null as to our Consciences, as being against the Laws of God.
10. He that is silenced in every Bishops Diocese, is not yet ⟨p. 105⟩thereby degraded, but is still a Minister, to the world at least for their conversion; For those without (the Infidels and Heathens) are of no Bishops Diocese; And it's a question, whether those among us that openly renounce the Prelacy, and declare themselves to be none of their Church, are yet indeed members of their Church whether they will or not? We believe not, that a Law of the Land doth make any man a Church-member without his own consent. If you think otherwise, why distinguish you the Sons of the Church from others? If all the people of London be not the Sons, or members of your Church, the rest are not under your Pastoral Spiritual Government: And as for your Secular Power, enough is said of that before. And I think no man will say that the extent of your Diocese to many hundred Parishes, is a Divine Institution, obliging all mens consciences to obey you, that shall come within that circuit of ground: you will ascribe this extent of your power to the King and Laws; of which more in due place.
10. He that is silenced in every Bishops Diocess, is not yet ⟨p. 105⟩thereby degraded, but is still a Minister, to the world at least for their conversion; For those without (the Infidels and Heathens) are of no Bishops Diocess; And it's a question, whether those among us that openly renounce the Prelacy, and declare themselves to be none of their Church, are yet indeed members of their Church whether they will or not? We believe not, that a Law of the Land doth make any man a Church-member without his own consent. If you think otherwise, why distinguish you the Sons of the Church from others? If all the people of London be not the Sons, or members of your Church, the rest are not under your Pastoral Spiritual Government: And as for your Secular Power, enough is said of that before. And I think no man will say that the extent of your Diocess to many hundred Parishes, is a Divine Institution, obliging all mens consciences to obey you, that shall come within that circuit of ground: you will ascribe this extent of your power to the King and Laws; of which more in due place.