A26911:123
The defence of the nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of the matter…
The defence of the nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of the matter of their nonconformity against Mr. J. Cheney's answer called The conforming nonconformist, and The nonconforming conformist : to which is added the second part in answer to Mr. Cheney's Five undertakings / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Benjamin Alsop, 1680
A DEFENCE OF THE NON-CONFORMIST'S Plea for Peace, AGAINST Mr. J. CH… › Chapter 16
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.
If such be allowed in this Case, why not in all other like it? And so the meaning of Law, Canons, and Rubric be, [You shall do thus except when you have Moral Reason against it, such as is Mercy, which must be preferred.] Do you know how many have been Fined and sent to Goal for Preaching, though they pleaded for it Mercy to Mens Souls? Do you believe that it was the meaning of the Parliament and Bishops, [You shall keep no Conventicles, nor omit the Liturgy or Ceremonies, or Subscription, &c. unless when Mercy is to be preferred?] They that have Auditors that cannot bear the Liturgy, when they omit it in mercy to the Flock. I pray you get us an authentic signification of this Sense.
If such be allowed in this Case, why not in all other like it? And so the meaning of Law, Canons, and Rubrick be, [You shall do thus except when you have Moral Reason against it, such as is Mercy, which must be preferred.] Do you know how many have been Fined and sent to Goal for Preaching, though they pleaded for it Mercy to Mens Souls? Do you believe that it was the meaning of the Parliament and Bishops, [You shall keep no Conventicles, nor omit the Liturgy or Ceremonies, or Subscription, &c. unless when Mercy is to be preferred?] They that have Auditors that cannot bear the Liturgy, when they omit it in mercy to the Flock. I pray you get us an authentick signification of this Sense.
The words cited by you in the Preface to the Articles of 1604 are impertinent to our business: It followeth not that you have leave to break the Laws when you think mercy requireth it, because they are not equivalent to the Eternal Word of God, nor bind conscience as of necessity in the nature of them, considered in themselves] and not in the Authority of the Commander. Again I ask, Shall any man escape punishment by such a plea of mercy? Are not two thousand Ministers silenced, and more, that pleaded Mercy to themselves and others, for the reason of their Non-conformity? Did your Learned, Pious, Moderate Bishop, excuse you for that plea? Doth not the express words of the Law, and Canon, and Rubric, and the sentence and execution of all Judges to this day, confute your exposition and exception?