A26911:294
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 25
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.
CHAP. XXV.
§ 1. The next is, Whether we may assent to the Preface for justifying all that was in the Book before.
§ 1. THe next is, Whether we may assent to the Preface for justifying all that was in the Book before.
You say that It was not the intent of the Book to bind any Man to approve the Errors of Translators and Printers, nor to use the Forms in the Liturgy so as to contradict one another.
Ans. 1. Printers Errors indeed are not the Convocations, nor the Books as made by them: Did I instance in any of them. But if Translators Errors also be excepted, our difficulty of understanding the Imposition still increaseth. Then it seems as to the Psalms, Epistles and Gospels, we ⟨p. 84⟩Assent and Consent only to the Original Text, and so much as we judge well Translated. I thought it the Book by ill Translation had grossly contradicted, or depraved the Scripture, it had been one of the worst sort of Errors. I told you where it directly contradicteth the Text. What Heresy may not be brought in by a false Translation? We thank God for the worst, as a great Mercy to the Church; and by them that will not receive a better in the Psalms, we are thus commanded to justify even that which was worst, lest they should be thought to have needed any amendment. And you make your self their Expositor without their Authority, and tell us that the intent of the Book is not to bind us to approve the Errors of Translators: And I believe you as the Book is distinguished from the Authors, and so hath no intent at all. But if the Translation hath done, as Heylin saith the King's Printer did, that put [Thou shalt commit Adultery,] for [Thou shalt not,] and I were commanded to approve of all things contained in the Book; whatever you shall say or do, I would have done as John Fox the Martyrologist did, saith Heylin, who brought a Greek Testament (supposing the Hebrew. old Testament) and said to them, [I am ready to subscribe this: If that will not serve your turn, take my Prebendship of Salisbury, which is all the Preferment that ever I had of you, and much good may it do you.]