A97353:699
The second part of The nonconformists plea for peace being an account of their…
The second part of The nonconformists plea for peace being an account of their principles about civil and ecclesiastical authority and obedience ... : mostly written many years past, and now published to save our lives and the kingdoms peace, from the false and bloody plotters ... / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for John Hancock, 1680
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.
32. Though the Keys be put into the Pastors hands yet so is not the Legislation to make new terms of Christian Unity; but to make such particular determinations of the circumstances of order and decency as are agree able to Christs general Laws; And when they have as Ministers not Lords, received men on Christs own terms, they are not to excommunicate and turn them out again, for want of more, but for violating these; nor arbitrarily to rule the Churches, but to teach them all things that Christ commanded, Matth. 28. 20. And to cast out only the impenitent violators of his Covenant.
33. If therefore the Pastors shall contrary to the decree of the Holy Ghost by the Apostles, Act. 15. impose unnecessary things on the Church, not only under the obligation of duty, but as a necessary condition of Church communion; they will tyrannize over Gods heritage, and usurp a power never given them, and contradict one end of Christs own Sacraments, and the ancient Creed.
34. The long and sad, experience of all the Christian Churches, which have been divided by necessary humane impositions, and the voice of all wise peace-makers in all times (who have still called for [Unity in things necessary, Liberty in things unnecessary, and Charity in both] do leave those that yet will not be persuaded to these terms, as unexcuseable persons, as almost any in all the world; worse than Physicians that would use all those things as the only remedies, which have killed all that ever used them for 1500 years.
34. The long and sad, experience of all the Christian Churches, which have been divided by necessary humane impositions, and the voice of all wise peace-makers in all times (who have still called for [Vnity in things necessary, Liberty in things unnecessary, and Charity in both] do leave those that yet will not be perswaded to these terms, as unexcuseable persons, as almost any in all the world; worse than Physicians that would use all those things as the only remedies, which have killed all that ever used them for 1500 years.