A26982:538
Richard Baxter's penitent confession and his necessary vindication in answer to a book called…
Richard Baxter's penitent confession and his necessary vindication in answer to a book called The second part of the mischiefs of separation, written by an unnamed author with a preface to Mr. Cantianus D. Minimis, in answer to his letter which extorted this publication.
London: printed for Tho. Parkhurst, 1691
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.
§ 101. Accus. LXXXIV. His great Accusation, Page 126. is that [If I had any fear of God, or reverence of Man, I would not reproach the Government and defame their Laws, as if they were a strange Parliament that made so many Laws, that a Man fearing God cannot obey.]
Ans. 1. And must we go on such suppositions that our Law-makers must not be said to make sinful Laws? Where and in what Ages doth this Principle hold? Not in Jeroboam's days, nor in Ahab's, nor in any Age after Christ, till Constantine, and Athanasius had exceptions then. Not in the days of Constantius or of Valens, no nor of Theodosius the Second, Zeno, Basiliscus, Anastasius, Philippicus, or of few Christian Emperors. Nor now in Rome, Spain, France, Poland, Portugal, Germany, &c. The Lutherans under Calvinists believe it not, nor the Calvinists under Lutherans; nor the Prelatists under Presbyterians: Nor those English Bishops and Clergy that now here refuse the Oath to King William imposed by the Parliament.
If this Man think that we have not fully shamed that worse than brutish conceit that we must not plead Conscience against Mens Laws (though as good men as any Rulers we know) he should have said more to confute us, than that [we fear not God] because we fear him more than man.