A26911:326
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 27
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.
4. Are you ignorant what striving there hath been in Parliament to have got the word [Lawfully or Legally] commissioned in, and it could never be obtained? (save that not long ago it was carried once in a Grand Committee of the House of Lords only, very many years since this Act was made.) Some say They had reason not to express it, though they meant it, lest it should be abused. I answer, Then they had reason to desire not to be so understood. And then we cannot, nor ought, not so to understand them against their wills; and the non apparere, and non esse of their sense is all one to us.
4. Are you ignorant what striving there hath been in Parliament to have got the word [Lawfully or Legally] commissioned in, and it could never be obtained? (save that not long ago it was carryed once in a Grand Committee of the House of Lords only, very many years since this Act was made.) Some say They had reason not to express it, though they meant it, lest it should be abused. I answer, Then they had reason to desire not to be so understood. And then we cannot, nor ought, not so to understand them against their wills; and the non apparere, and non esse of their sense is all one to us.
5. They knew that it was this that would herein have satisfied dissenters, and tended to the Concord which they professed to desire; and yet they would not yield to any such limitation or exposition.
6. There were such Reasons brought against your sense as these in the House. 1. No resisting Arms are lawful. 2. If Subjects be made Judges whether the King's Commissions be lawful or not, it it is no restraint of Rebellion at all. For it's as easy to say, They are unlawful, as to say, We may resist them though lawful, and far more easy. Who will not pretend it?
6. There were such Reasons brought against your sense as these in the House. 1. No resisting Arms are lawful. 2. If Subjects be made Judges whether the King's Commissions be lawful or not, it it is no restraint of Rebellion at all. For it's as easie to say, They are unlawful, as to say, We may resist them though lawful, and far more easie. Who will not pretend it?