A26911:433
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 30
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. The words make not the Bishop the public or common Expositor of the Law, or Book, as Judge; but only as a Teacher, who bindeth but so far as he tells the truth: The Bishop must teach his ignorant or divided Clergy, how to understand what they understand not: And this is not about their Subscriptions, but matters of Use and Practice (as where the Table shall stand, and such like.) That it maketh not the Bishop the obliging Judge of the Law, appeareth,
4. The words make not the Bishop the publick or common Expositor of the Law, or Book, as Judge; but only as a Teacher, who bindeth but so far as he tells the truth: The Bishop must teach his ignorant or divided Clergy, how to understand what they understand not: And this is not about their Subscriptions, but matters of Use and Practice (as where the Table shall stand, and such like.) That it maketh not the Bishop the obliging Judge of the Law, appeareth,
1. Because here is no such word.
2. The foresaid limitation speaketh the contrary.
3. Else there might be as many Religions, Doctrines, or Practices as Bishops, or many at least: I will give you all the little Money in my Purse, if you will get me under the hand of Bishop Morley, Bishop Gunning, Bishop Sparrow, and Arch-Bishop Stern, their approbation of your Expositions of the parts of Conformity, written in your Book. And I suppose you know how zealously many write (as well as Doctor Saywel) against tolerating diversity of Forms and Rites, and Orders of Worship. And this would be to set up as many Sects, or Ways, as differing Bishops pleased. This Case was notably tried between Arch-Bishop Laud, and the Church that followed him, and Williams, Bishop of Lincoln, about the Table, or Altar.