A26965:223
The nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of their judgment in certain things…
The nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of their judgment in certain things in which they are misunderstood written to reconcile and pacify such as by mistaking them hinder love and concord / by Richard Baxter.The nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of their judgment in certain things in which they are misunderstood written to reconcile and pacifie such as by mistaking them hinder love and concord / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Benj. Alsop, 1679
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.
4. And it is not denied that this was the case of all the ordinary Pastors for the first three hundred years, under the unbelieving Emperors. And as is aforesaid, even these were Governors of the Christian Pastors and Churches (who are commanded Rom. 13. to obey them.) and they wanted not Governing power, though in part they wanted aptitude to use it well; so that Christians were to obey even Heathen Governors in lawful things.
4. And it is not denied that this was the case of all the ordinary Pastors for the first three hundred years, under the unbelieving Emperors. And as is aforesaid, even these were Governours of the Christian Pastors and Churches (who are commanded Rom. 13. to obey them.) and they wanted not Governing power, though in part they wanted aptitude to use it well; so that Christians were to obey even Heathen Governours in lawful things.
5. And it is undeniable that this was the judgment and case of the Fathers and People of the Church under the Christian Emper ours that ⟨p. 60⟩were Arians, or favoured the Arians: And as is aforesaid, the Arians would have subscribed to all the Nicene Creed, (that Christ is Light of Light, God of God, very God of very God, begotten, not made, till they came to that one word [Greek or Hebrew]. Yea, Eusebius subscribed to that also, and to the whole, who yet (notwithstanding Socrates's charitable excuse) is by his own Epistle from that Council to his People, plainly proved to be an Arian, as Petavius hath fully manifested: And yet how the Churches of the East did commonly cleave to their Pastors when Constantius and Valens ejected them; and how they resolutely refused the imposed Bishops, some as Arians, and some but as suspected, saying, We have lawful Bishops already, and how stiffly they refused to forbear their forbidden Meetings, and Public Worship with their former Pastors, Church history puts us out of doubt.