A26965:248
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.
Even old Clemens Romanus, ad Corinth. tells them that they ought not to cast out these Ministers that live unblameably, having been Constituted by the Apostles or deinceps ab aliis viris celebribus, Cum Consensu Universae Ecclesiae.
But I find the Roman and Tyrannical spirit much insisting upon this, that the Christian Religion was but in the shell or Embryo in the Apostles days; and under Christian Emperors is grown up to the maturity of Papacy, riches, pomp, and grandeur, and that great power which the Christian Emperors gave the Patriarchs and prelates of their times. But this Hypothesis must be better proved before we can receive it: We confess that for extent and number the Church was there in its minority: But if it was so as to infallibility of doctrine & perfection of Laws, and exemplary lives, then the Pope is better than Christ and his Apostles and their contemptible Decretals and firebrand Councils are better than the sacred scriptures, and their degenerate Clergy and people better than the ancient holy peaceable Christians, & their blood shedders better than the Martyrs, and the Cross makers better than the Cross-bearers; which ⟨p. 74⟩are things that the worldly sort may believe more easily than mortified and heavenly Christians.
But I find the Roman and Tyrannical spirit much insisting uppon this, that the Christian Religion was but in the shell or Embryo in the Apostles dayes; and under Christian Emperours is grown up to the maturity of Papacie, riches, pomp, and grandeur, and that great power which the Christian Emperours gave the Patriarchs and prelates of their times. But this Hypothesis must be better proved before we can receive it: We confess that for extent and number the Church was there in its minority: But if it was so as to infallibility of doctrine & perfection of Laws, and exemplary lives, then the Pope is better than Christ and his Apostles and their contemptible Decretals and firebrand Councills are better than the sacred scriptures, and their degenerate Clergie and people better than the ancient holy peaceable Christians, & their bloodshedders better than the Martyrs, and the Crossmakers better than the Cross-bearers; which