A26924:885
The English nonconformity as under King Charles II and King James II truly stated…
The English nonconformity as under King Charles II and King James II truly stated and argued by Richard Baxter ; who earnestly beseecheth rulers and clergy not to divide and destroy the land and cast their own souls on the dreadful guilt and punishment of national perjury ...
London: printed for Tho. Parkhurst, 1689
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.
M. And I think that Priest fitter for tears than for disputes, that so little knoweth England, or the work of the Office they undertake: If I know the Church that hath such a Pastor, I shall ⟨p. 218⟩be past doubt that they have need of help. I would as soon believe him if he undertook to build a Castle alone, and said he had no need of help; or that forty thousand of the poor of London have no need of relief, and that it is rebellion to relieve them; as that the forementioned two hundred thousand have no need of teaching or Ministerial help for their souls.
L. Obj. IX. There are some that have written that it is Pride and Covetousness that makes you Non-Conformists to seem godly, and to get livings for your Sons.
M. Satan is so impudent a disputant, that I am aweary of answering him, tho' in self-defence: If it be pride to be scorned and tossed about as Rogues, why will these humble Lord Bishops and Masters so be-rogue us to make us proud? Men use to take down that which feeds their enemies pride; I pray get them to restore us from poverty, and prisons, and scorns, and slanders, to take down our pride. And for covetousness get them one year to take our turns, to have all their Goods and Books taken away, on the penalty of 40 l. for every Sermon, and that to be levied on their hearers which they cannot pay, and in this case to lie in Gaol, and tell us when they have tried it whether it gratified their covetousness. As to mens Charity to our selves or Sons; 1. I have said heretofore that the 2000 that were ejected were fit for Bedlam, if they would go out and suffer, that so forty Mens Sons that conform against their Fathers wills, might get benefices. 2. They will take it for a disgrace to their Church, if we should not grant that the Lords, Knights, Rich Men and Patrons, are far more of their Church, than of Dissenters; and therefore liker to prefer Conformists Sons, than others: And a Living for the Father, another for the Son, is more than a possibility for one. But brazen-faced impudence cannot be confuted.