A26911:436
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.
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.
4. Else Bishops would have the Legislative Power: For the sense of the Law is the Law: ⟨p. 116⟩And if the Parliament form but the Letter or Body of it, and the Bishop may give it what Sense or Soul he pleaseth; it is he that will be the chief Law-maker.
5. Else Bishops might corrupt and change our Religion and Church, under pretence of Exposition. Bishop Godfrey Goodman of Gloucester, who was a Papist, might have set up Popery in his Diocese, by putting a Popish sense upon Subscription, Words, and Practices: And the Bishops by agreement might set up Popery in the Land, by the same means. Or a Bishop might set up Non-conformists, by gratifying them by his Expositions. The thing meant in those words is no such dangerous power, but only an Instructing and a Pacifying, informing of the Clergy, when they ignorantly differ about some dark Word, or Circumstance, or Practice; the Bishop must teach them the true sense of the Book, but do nothing against any thing therein.
5. Else Bishops might corrupt and change our Religion and Church, under pretence of Exposition. Bishop Godfrey Goodman of Glocester, who was a Papist, might have set up Popery in his Diocess, by putting a Popish sense upon Subscription, Words, and Practices: And the Bishops by agreement might set up Popery in the Land, by the same means. Or a Bishop might set up Non-conformists, by gratifying them by his Expositions. The thing meant in those words is no such dangerous power, but only an Instructing and a Pacifying, informing of the Clergy, when they ignorantly differ about some dark Word, or Circumstance, or Practice; the Bishop must teach them the true sense of the Book, but do nothing against any thing therein.