A26865:889
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… › Postscript › Section
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.
2. And for keeping peace (which you demand how it should be done) I answer you: 1. Satan keepeth possession of his Kingdom in some peace. Peaceable unholiness is the surest way to hell. 2. We are commanded, but if it be possible, and as much as in us lieth, to ⟨p. 247⟩live peaceably with all men. But peace is first in the power of Rulers; and if they will have no peace, it is not in our power to procure it against their wills, but only to do our part towards it. If a Bishop should forbid all men to feed their children and servants with any wholesome food, and then say, What peace or order can you have without such obedience? This is but to put a scorn on the Churches when they have persecuted them, and to take away their peace, and then ask them why they will not have it.
2. And for keeping peace (which you demand how it should be done) I answer you: 1. Satan keepeth possession of his Kingdom in some peace. Peaceable unholiness is the surest way to hell. 2. We are commanded, but if it be possible, and as much as in us lieth, to ⟨p. 247⟩live peaceably with all men. But peace is first in the power of Rulers; and if they will have no peace, it is not in our power to procure it against their wills, but only to do our part towards it. If a Bishop should forbid all men to feed their children and servants with any wholsome food, and then say, What peace or order can you have without such obedience? This is but to put a scorn on the Churches when they have persecuted them, and to take away their peace, and then ask them why they will not have it.
IV. To the fourth Reason, That the Bishop is judg who shall preach. I answer: 1. Were the Bishops Calling justified, yet he hath not power to judg in partem utram libet, whether there shall be preaching or none. The Churches in London are burnt down; the Parishes are many so large, that one of ten or twenty cannot hear in public. If it be in the Bishops power to judg that nine parts of London shall have no preaching, why may he not so judg of the other tenth part? And if he may judg that there shall be no preaching, then why not that there shall be no praying and worshipping God? And if so in London, why not in other places? and so whether there shall be any Gospel, Religion, or Salvation? In cases of Faith, a Council hath power only to judg truly that there is a Christ, a Resurrection, a life to come, and not to judg that there is no Christ, no Resurrection, &c. And holy practice is as necessary to our salvation, as right believing. And therefore the Bishops may judg that we shall preach, and pray, and worship God, but not that we shall not.