A26911:680
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.
6. Did any one Church on Earth receive a Pastor by the Magistrates imposition for the first 300 Years? Or had not the Churches then rightly called Pastors?
7. Did not the Orthodox Churches commonly refuse Bishops, which Valens, and such Erroneous Emperors set over them?
8. Were not Parish Ministers chosen by the Bishops and People, and not by Magistrates for 1400 Years in all known Churches in the World? It was but the Patriarchs at first that were imposed on the People by the Emperors; and afterwards when the Henrys contended with the Pope, it was not for choice of Priests, but for the Investiture of Bishops and Abbots only; and in this they left the choice to the People and Clergy, and pleaded but for Investiture per baculum & annulum; so that for ought I know, Magistrates never imposed Priests on Parish Churches till the Reformation: And since then, besides ⟨p. 171⟩Helvetia and Belgia, it is but few that do it. And even in England, it is not done by Magistracy, but by Patrons presenting, and Diocesan Prelates Instituting. So that if this be Christ's Way of making Pastors to particular Churches, there were no true Pastors or Churches for 300 Years, and perhaps none, or next none for 1400 Years in Parishes: And if this Doctrine be true, the Catholic Christians in many Princes Reigns that rejected imposed Bishops (if that were as bad as rejecting Parish Priests) were Rebels and Traitors against Christ, and no Christians. And whether he so Stigmatize not the Universal Church for want of such Reception of Priests, in almost all Ages, I wish him to consider. And whether that be like to be a better way of Concord, which he and few such in the end of the World devise, to the condemning of the Churches of all the former Ages, that never had any such Concord?