A26965:288
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.
3. For who knoweth where to bound his obedience to such silencers as aforesaid, If a thousand or two thousand faithful Ministers, must cease Preaching when so forbidden, why not 3000, why not 4000? If half a Kingdom; can you satisfy the consciences of the other half that they must not do so too, and so all Christian ⟨p. 90⟩Kingdoms conform to Muscovy when the Prince commandeth it. And if 1000 or 2000 or 3000 Parishes must choose the apparent hazard of their souls and refuse such helps as experience certifieth us they greatly need, in obedience to man, why must not the rest of the Parishes do so also? May I give away the needful helps to my salvation, because others have them, as if their salvation might satisfy me instead of my own?
3. For who knoweth where to bound his obedience to such silencers as aforesaid, If a thousand or two thousand faithful Ministers, must cease Preaching when so forbidden, why not 3000, why not 4000? If half a Kingdom; can you satisfie the consciences of the other half that they must not do so too, and so all Christian ⟨p. 90⟩Kingdoms conform to Moscovie when the Prince commandeth it. And if 1000 or 2000 or 3000 Parishes must choose the apparent hazard of their souls and refuse such helps as experience certifieth us they greatly need, in obedience to man, why must not the rest of the Parishes do so also? May I give away the needfull helps to my salvation, because others have them, as if their salvation might satisfie me instead of my own?
4. We acknowledge it a very great Mercy of God, to have a Christian Prince, and that every Kingdom should be Christian, and that Princes must do what they can to accomplish it; And that they are the Governors of Pastors as well as of Physicians, (as is aforesaid) and that it is most desirable that the Church and Kingdom should be commensurate, and none in their Kingdoms reject the Gospel. and that Pastor or people who will do any thing contrary to this, or will not further it with all their power are great transgressors. But yet the old saying is true (owned even by the Papists, vid. Pet. De Marc, De Eccl. Const.) that Ecclesia est in impe rio: And none but professed consenters are Christians: And the Temple is a prison and not a Church as men are there forcibly driven against their wills, so far is it from saving the souls of any.