A26911:695
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.
To his 3d Quest. he answereth, [We question not your presentation.] Ans. And yet it is the Magistrate that must impose Ministers, and in times of Usurpation he feigneth them to be unquestioned. The sum hitherto is, We must take any Man for our Pastor, that is Ordained and presented. But what if I knew that multitudes do not so, doth it make them of that Church because they should consent and do not? Of 1800, or 2000 only 600 would come to the Sacrament, (though they usually heard) unless all the rest would receive it kneeling and administered by the Liturgy, though they were left free to use that Gesture themselves; and withal they were told that we had not a Bishops license.
To his 3d Quest. he answereth, [We question not your presentation.] Ans. And yet it is the Magistrate that must impose Ministers, and in times of Usurpation he feigneth them to be unquestioned. The sum hitherto is, We must take any Man for our Pastor, that is Ordained and presented. But what if I knew that multitudes do not so, doth it make them of that Church because they should consent and do not? Of 1800, or 2000 only 600 would come to the Sacrament, (though they usually heard) unless all the rest would receive it kneeling and administred by the Liturgy, though they were left free to use that Gesture themselves; and withal they were told that we had not a Bishops license.
The 4th Quest. is, [If we take you alone for our Pastor?] And it's answered, [We know of no other in view but you.] Ans. All these are Fictions. 1. I never desired nor consented to be their Pastor, but to be one of three. 2. I agreed with them in the Town-Hall publicly in writing, to undertake only a Lecture which I had before the War, in conjunction with another that should have the Presentation or Sequestration. And yet honest Mr. Durel tells the World that it was a rich Benefice given me for my Service under Cromwell, (who would never endure me to speak to him.) 3. There were three Competitors: One an old Vicar, that (somehow) preached once a Quarter, that had the Presentation and was Sequestered. (1. I will not tell you here for what.) 2. His Curate sequestered and removed. 3. An old Chapel Curate, grossly ignorant and vicious, that lived by unlawful Marrying.