A97353:826
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.
21. And so far are we from thinking that no Ministers that conform not are defective, weak or imprudent in expressions, or injudicious in some Controversies of Religion, that we are past all doubt, that the far greatest part of the Clergy in the world are so; and alas, much worse than so! And that it is the great numbers of ignorant, weak, injudicious, or proud, self-seeking, Carnal, Covetous Pastors, that is the great plague and calamity of the Christian Church through all the earth: ⟨p. 194⟩The great cause of the ignorance and ungodliness and unprofitableness of the people, and the dominion of sensuality, and the increase of Atheism, Infidelity and Heresy, and of the great divisions and confusions among Christians in East and West, is a Clergy that is either so ignorant as to be unable, or so ungodly as to be unwilling, or slothful about their masters work; or so proud and worldly and malignant, as to set up their own Domination, wealth and will, as the Rule of order and unity, and to account their fleshly interest to be the interest of Christ, and to hate and persecute all those as schismatics and disobedient, that will not serve such sinful ends.
21. And so far are we from thinking that no Ministers that conform not are defective, weak or imprudent in expressions, or injudicious in some Controversies of Religion, that we are past all doubt, that the far greatest part of the Clergy in the world are so; and alas, much worse than so! And that it is the great numbers of ignorant, weak, injudicious, or proud, self-seeking, Carnal, Covetous Pastors, that is the great plague and calamity of the Christian Church through all the earth: ⟨p. 194⟩The great cause of the ignorance and ungodliness and unprofitableness of the people, and the dominion of sensuality, and the increase of Atheism, Infidelity and Heresie, and of the great divisions and confusions among Christians in East and West, is a Clergy that is either so ignorant as to be unable, or so ungodly as to be unwilling, or sloathful about their masters work; or so proud and worldly and malignant, as to set up their own Domination, wealth and will, as the Rule of order and unity, and to account their sleshly interest to be the interest of Christ, and to hate and persecute all those as schismaticks and disobedient, that will not serve such sinful ends.