A26911:677
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.
And, 3. Will you not then put the People upon a harder and more perilous Task, to judge of all Magistrates fitness for this Trust, than it would be to judge of their Pastor.
4. If it be all, then Heathens and Turks must choose Christians their Pastors. If you say, It is all Christian Magistrates, then the Protestants in France are Rebels and not Christians, for refusing Papists Priests: If it be not Papists, who are they? Must all receive Lutherans, or Socinians, or Anabaptists, or such like Pastors that live under Imposing Princes of those minds?
5. Why do you limit it to [faithful Ministers] who must judge of their Faithfulness and Qualifications? If the Magistrate, Papists, Socinians, Profane Magistrates, or Heretical, will judge as they are. If the People, we are wheeled about to that which is resisted: And then, When is it that they must judge, before they receive him, or after? If before, then must they have trial of him, or take all for (Faithful) that are ordained by a Bishop? or ⟨p. 170⟩that Being Strangers, they know no harm by him? or all the Patrons present? If so, we come to the forementioned Misery. If they must receive them first, and try them after, and depart from them when they show themselves unfaithful; then the People must either depose their Pastors, or separate: And most that separate from the Parish Churches, do it as thinking the Ministers unfaithful: And is this your Cure of Church-divisions? And if never Preaching be a proof of the Unqualified, the Canon forbids us to go from such. And in some Countries there are none within reach to go to from them: And if there be, the Canon suspendeth them if they receive one to their Communion, that goeth from a Non-preaching Minister.
5. Why do you limit it to [faithful Ministers] who must judge of their Faithfulness and Qualifications? If the Magistrate, Papists, Socinians, Prophane Magistrates, or Heretical, will judge as they are. If the People, we are wheeled about to that which is resisted: And then, When is it that they must judge, before they receive him, or after? If before, then must they have trial of him, or take all for (Faithful) that are ordained by a Bishop? or