A26911:668
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
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.
If Bishops deny all the Lord's Chaplains to have the governing power of the Keys, and their Family-Chapels to be true Political Churches of the same Species and Definition with a Diocesan Church, or a Parochial; do you confute them if you can, I cannot. But if I prove that every Parochial, or other proper Political Church infimae Speciei, should by Divine Order have a Pastor that hath the governing power of the Keys, and the Bishops deny them any such, and will have but one such in a Diocese; do you defend them if you can, I cannot: Nor are these Cases the same.
If Bishops deny all the Lord's Chaplains to have the governing power of the Keys, and their Family-Chappels to be true Political Churches of the same Species and Definition with a Diocesan Church, or a Parochial; do you confute them if you can, I cannot. But if I prove that every Parochial, or other proper Political Church infimae Speciei, should by Divine Order have a Pastor that hath the governing power of the Keys, and the Bishops deny them any such, and will have but one such in a Diocess; do you defend them if you can, I cannot: Nor are these Cases the same.
§ 11. My next Error, He cannot tell whether I hold or no: But it seems I do; against compelling Men to take whom the Magistrate please for their Pastors: For I make Covenanting Essential, as between a Husband and Wife; likening the Church Universal to a Kingdom, and particular Churches to Cities and Corporations.] And here he talks of the Corporation Oath, and exclaimeth [Is ⟨p. 168⟩this the way of curing Church Divisions? And is this the true and only way of Concord?
Ans. Had you published and proved to us a better way, I hope we should have been thankful; and so will I, if you will truly show me the Errors of the way that I commended. 1. He that hath read my Books which plead for no Oaths, nor for any Covenanting, but expressed consent to the Relations and Offices, will perhaps think that here you were tempted to Injustice at the least.