A26965:603
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. The doubt is, whether they that take any of them to be Usurpers of an Ecclesiastical power, which indeed they have not (and can prove it to be so) should swear or Covenant obedience to them as such. e. g. It is commonly confessed by the Conformists that the true power of the Keys, of excommunication and Absolution is appropriated by Christ to the Clergy: And yet our Chancellors being lay men, do decretively exercise that power. The question is, may we swear or Covenant to obey them?
4. The doubt is, whether they that take any of them to be Usurpers of an Ecclesiastical power, which indeed they have not (and can prove it to be so) should swear or Covenant obedience to them as such. e. g. It is commonly confessed by the Conformists that the true power of the Keys, of excommunication and Absolution is appropriated by Christ to the Clergy: And yet our Chancellours being lay men, do decretively excercise that power. The question is, may we swear or Covenant to obey them?
5. And seeing Christ never gave one Presbyter ⟨p. 200⟩the Government of others, as Archdeacons, Surrogates, Officials, &c. whether all the rest may swear obedience to them, or Approve of and consent to the use of such Oaths? And divers Councils have condemned it as a dangerous practice for Bishops to tie subject Presbyters to them by Oaths.
5. And seeing Christ never gave one Presbyter ⟨p. 200⟩the Government of others, as Archdeacons, Surrogates, Officials, &c. whether all the rest may swear obedience to them, or Approve of and consent to the use of such Oaths? And divers Councils have condemned it as a dangerous practice for Bishops to tle subject Presbyters to them by Oaths.