A26965:718
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.
XII. We commonly hold that men unjustly excommunicated, are not thereby disobliged from public worshipping of God, and living under Pastoral oversight and Church discipline, nor are bound to endanger their own salvation by neglecting such duties, and losing such helps and privileges; and therefore must be of such Churches as they can, if they cannot be of such as they ⟨p. 235⟩would, or as are allowed by the Magistrate.
XII. We commonly hold that men unjastly excommunicated, are not thereby disobliged from publick worshiping of God, and living under Pastoral oversight and Church discipline, nor are bound to endanger their own salvation by neglecting such duties, and losing such helps and priviledges; and therefore must be of such Churches as they can, if they cannot be of such as they ⟨p. 235⟩would, or as are allowed by the Magistrate.
XIII. It is not in the power of our selves to escape such excommunications: For we are not able to change our own understandings, so far as to hold every thing before named, to be lawful: Some of us are able to say that we have with a willingness to see the truth, studied the case of the old Conformity above forty years, and the case of the New-conformity now above seventeen years, and read almost all that hath been written for them, which we thought might add to our information, and prayed earnestly that God would not suffer us to err; and the longer we study it, the more we are confirmed: In this case we suffer public and private obloquy and reproach, and not only these seventeen years the loss of all Ministerial Maintenance, but the danger of 40 l. a Sermon, and imprisonment in common Gaols, and the ruin of our estates and health: And in reason its as easy to think that they that hold their opinion on such terms, are like to be as impartial in their studies, as they whose way leadeth to preferment, wealth and honour; of which we were capable of a part: We say therefore again, that to Consm, or prevent the Canons Excommunication ipso facto, is not in our power. And they that say, God will not condemn men for that which they were not able to avoid or help, should not do otherwise themselves.