A26911:378
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 28
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. You say, The Government is the Laws, Rules, and Canons, by which they Govern: And if these need not be altered, why did you before disown the exercise of them, as a great Sin? And yet this ⟨p. 105⟩implieth [The Law and Canon, which Excommunicate Non-conformists, and which deny the Lord's Supper to those that kneel not, and which silence Non-subscribers to the 36th Canon, and which deny Baptism to those that scruple the English use of the Cross and God-fathers, and which ruin all that preach when Silenced, need no alteration, as simply unlawful.]
2. You say, The Government is the Laws, Rules, and Canons, by which they Govern: And if these need not be altered, why did you before disown the exercise of them, as a great Sin? And yet this ⟨p. 105⟩implieth [The Law and Canon, which Excommunicate Non-conformists, and which deny the Lord's Supper to those that kneel not, and which silence Non-subscribers to the 36th Canon, and which deny Baptism to those that scruple the English use of the Cross and God-fathers, and which ruine all that preach when Silenced, need no alteration, as simply unlawful.]
But we must prove them unlawful: Come to me then in private, and let us debate the Case, and I will prove to you as much as I affirm. In the mean time, if it will go for any Proof with you, I crave your answer to these Arguments which some use, that doubt of the lawfulness which they dare not deny.
I. A Church-governing Office for the exercise of that power of the Church Keys by Lay-men, which Christ hath appropriated to the Clergy is sinful: But such is the Office of our Lay-Chancellors: Ergo, &c.