The defence of the nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of the matter…

§ 14. You plead the Law of Nature, even Mercy to the Magistrate's Soul, to keep him from Silencing and Persecuting; and to the Peoples Souls, that they may have good Ministers.] Ans. What then? If the Cross be lawful to be used as prescribed, then no doubt I should use it. If it be not, must I sin when the Magistrate bids me to save him from Persecuting me? The Martyrs might so have saved Bonner and Gardiner, by a Lye: But this is no saving them: For if they First draw me to Sin, endanger my Soul, and would Silence me, or destroy my Body if I did not; this doth increase their Guilt, and not diminish it. 2. And you may exercise Mercy to the People, as Ministers did the first 300 Years, in a Suffering way, and by good Example, better than by Sin, and consent to corrupt the Ministry and Church.

§ 15. You call the Crossing, and such things [Trifles and Baubles, on which weak and childish Minds dote, yet wise Parents may please their ⟨p. 55⟩Children with Baubles.] Ans. The Bishops will be more offended at this, than the Non-conformists: They that cannot allow us the pity due to weak Children, will not take it well to be told that we are Fathers, and they the Children whom we must please with Baubles.

§ 15. You call the Crossing, and such things [Trifles and Bawbles, on which weak and childish Minds dote, yet wise Parents may please their ⟨p. 55⟩Children with Bawbles.] Ans. The Bishops will be more offended at this, than the Non-conformists: They that cannot allow us the pity due to weak Children, will not take it well to be told that we are Fathers, and they the Children whom we must please with Bawbles.