A26865:538
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 26
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.
II. Almost all mankind on earth agree, that all humane Power is limited, and that Propriety is in order of nature antecedent to regiment, which is to order the use of propriety: Men are born with a propriety in their lives, members and health: And Nature giveth them a propriety in their Children, and Contract in their Wives, and natural Industry in the fruit of their labours: And what am I that I should deny all this, and seem wiser (in Atheism and Inhumanity) than almost all the world?
III. It is a known thing, that Tyranny is the great hinderer of the Preaching of the Gospel, and so of the Conversion and saving of the World. Why is not the saving truth of God preached among Heathens and Mahometans (who are five sixth parts of mankind) and among Papists (who are the fourth part of the other sixth), but because Tyrants will not suffer it? And no friend of God, Christ or man then should set up or plead for such an evil.
IV. To stop the mouth of Malice it self, I here truly adjoin the profession of my judgment about all this Controversy and Accusation: I do Assent and Consent to all that is said for the Power of Kings, and the obedience and patience of Subjects, in all the Word of God, in all the Confessions which ever I yet saw of any Christian Church, Reformed Greek or Papist (except what exalteth the Pope, his Councils and Agents) or which is the ordinary Consent of Politicians, Lawyers or Divines, or which is established by the Constitution of this Kingdom. I stand to the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy. I hold it unlawful for any of his Subjects to take arms against the King, that is, against his Person, Authority, Dignity, Rights or Laws, or against any of his Courts, Officers or Soldiers Lawfully Commissioned by him; yea or if they be unlawfully Commissioned, except when Gods Law of Nature, or the Kings own Law, or contrary Commission bind me to it. And I will never endeavour to alter the Constituted Monarchical Government of this Kingdom; Nor will I endeavour to reform the Church or its Government, by Rebellion, Sedition, or any other unlawful means: And I believe that no other Oath, League or Covenant doth disoblige me from any of this aforesaid, nor warranteth me to disobey any lawful Command of the King, or any of my Governors, nor to do any unlawful thing: And I renounce all Doctrines and Practices contrary to this profession; Especially of those Popes and Councils of Bishops, who have decreed the Excommunicating and Deposing of Kings, or other Temporal Lords, and the Absolving their Subjects from their Oaths and Fidelity, and the rest of the Papal Usurpations and Church-Tyranny, against the Rights of Princes and Christian people, though judged Heretics by Pope, Prelates or Priests.