A26911:437
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. 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.
6. Is it not called An Act for Uniformity, and imposeth all the heavy Penalties on purpose to procure Uniformity? Would they have Silenced and Ruined two thousand Ministers for Non-conformity, if Uniformity had not been thought of more worth than their Ministerial Labours? And can you think that after all this, they meant to leave it to the particular Bishops, whether there should be any Uniformity or not? You think one Bishop will say, [You are Parish Bishops, and may publicly admonish and reprove the Scandalous, and Excommunicate them Excommunication minore: You may give them the Sacrament, that conscientiously