A26965:721
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.
XV. To this day it is so with many of the Nonconformists: Those that live where they find small need of their Preaching, or else have no call or opportunity, and cannot remove their dwellings, do hold no Assemblies, but as other men content themselves to be Auditors. Those that live where are godly and peaceable Ministers in Public, who yet need help, do lead the people constantly to the Parish-Churches, and teach them themselves at other hours, and help them from house to house: This is ordinary in the Countries, and even in London, with many Ministers that hold no Assemblies; yea many that were ejected out of City Parish-Churches.
XV. To this day it is so with many of the Nonconformists: Those that live where they find small need of their Preaching, or else have no call or opportunity, and cannot remove their dwellings, do hold no Assemblies, but as other men content themselves to be Auditors. Those that live where are godly and peaceable Ministers in Publick, who yet need help, do lead the people constantly to the Parish-Churches, and teach them themselves at other hours, and help them from house to house: This is ordinary in the Countries, and even in London, with many Ministers that hold no Assemblies; yea many that were ejected out of City Parish-Churches.
XVI. Those called Independents do keep up such Churches as they had gathered before; when none of our present oaths, declarations, subscriptions or practices were imposed on them; which is not therefore to be taken as new.
XVII. As to the rest, it was the great and terrible Plague in 1665. which made this change in their Assembling and Ministration. When the public Ministers forsook the City, and the rich left the poor to misery and death, and people looked every day for their last; when they that heard a Sermon one day, were buried the next; when death had awakened the people to Repentance, and a regard of their everlasting state, divers Nonconformable Ministers resolved to stay with them; They begged money out of the Countries for the poor, and relieved them: They got into the empty Pulpits, and preached to them: And when Preachers and Hearers looked every day for their last, it is easy to conceive that there was serious Preaching, and serious Hearing: By this