The Nonconformists Plea for Peace Part 2, Table of contents – Prefatory notes
The Contents of this Extorted and Diſtorted Treatiſe.
CHAP. I.
THe judgement of the Author and the Nonconformiſts▪ of his … as far he knowe…h it, Of the Fundamental … of Government; ſpecially againſt Bened Spinoſa's falle foundations, whoſe ſhameful words are recited, and other Bruitiſts confuted who ſubvert all religion, morality, government and humanity: And a touch of Popiſh principles. p. 1
Chap. II. More of Gods Government, his Laws and their perfection, and mens additions. p. 22
Chap. III. Of the Power of Soveraigns and the Obedience of Subjects p. 35
Chap. IV. Arcdundant added profeſſion of the Author, with his Renunciation of a multitude of diſloyal Principles: written to ſilence malicious accuſers, but unmeet to be expected from all others. p. 50
Chap. V. The Conformity of our Principles of Loyalty, 1. To the Conſtitution of the Kingdom, deſcribed by King Charles I. in many of his Declarations: 2. To the Articles of Religion, Canons and Homilies, about the Power of Magiſtrates, the obedience of Subjects, and the ſin of Rebellion: 3. To the judgement of the moſt eſteemed Prelates: Biſhop Jer. Taylors words in his Ductor Dubitantium, of Civil and Church power, recited at large. p. 81
Chap. VI. A Scheme of Political Principles compared, or the Political Alphabet, 1. Of the ſincere Chriſtian Loyalliſt, 2. Of the treacherous flattering ſelfiſh Royalliſt: 3. Of the underſtanding real Papiſt; 4. Of the unruly ſeditious Rebel; and, 5. The ſumm of Spinoſa's Poſthumous works, with a Confutation of the Principles of Hobbes de Cive, and the doctrine of ſome Lawyers and Politick writers about Power and Tyranny compared with ours. p. 107
Chap. VII. Of the true Nature of Church-Government, Communion and worſhip. p. 133
Chap. VIII. Of the true and only way of Church Concord and peace in generals, and of the Cauſes of Schiſm, and of Toleration, &c. p. 149
Chap. IX. The true and eaſie terms of Concord particularly and briefly ſtated (of which I have written much more ſince in a Treatiſe only on that Subject.) p. 184.
Chap. X. Of the quality and faults of thoſe called Our followers and Puritans, and whether we are guilty of any of their miſtakes; In anſwer to the Politician, the Debater and many others, who from the unmeet words of ſome odd perſons, would render us and them contemptibly or intolerably erroneous in doctrine. Our judgement of the Intereſt of Reaſon in Religion, was before publiſhed by it ſelf: And our judgement of Schiſm, in our former Plea for Peace. p. 187
Chap. XI. Our judgement of the difference of Grace and Morality, againſt ſome that accuſe us as deſtroying morality; Hobbs, that ſaith it is a ſeditious principle to hold that faith muſt be inſpired or infuſed. p. 3
Chap. XII. Our judgement of the Lawfulneſs of Things Indifferent commanded by authority. p. 21
Chap. XIII. The Authors account of his judgement of Scandal, and things evil by accident, if commanded: in anſwer to Biſhop Morly and the young Eccleſ. Politician; (written 1668. ſomewhat tedious through much diſtinction, which accuſation made neceſſary). p. 45
Chap. XIV. What the Nonconformity of my ſelf and the Miniſters of my familiarity is not; in many particulars in which we are miſtaken (written long before the firſt part of our Plea, in which I ſhew what it is.) p. 83
The Judgement of the Non-Conformiſts about the difference between Grace and Morality was Printed, 1676. and caſt by, and hath many Errata, viz.
PAge 3. line 17. for Moralities: r.Immoralities: p. 13. l. 26. r. Treaſury: p. 84. l 5. after why put?: p. 96. l. 4, r. were: p. 112. l. 15. blot out at Sion Colledge: p. 113. l. 5. for ſhall r. may: and l. 20. for ſuſpenſions r. ſuſpicions: p. 116. l. 9. for Lordſhips r. preferments: p. 112. l. 17. r. conſent to.
Omiſſions are p. 79. at the end, And if any (not accuſing others) ſhould think, truly or miſtakingly, that all theſe or any one of them are impoſed on him by man, his obedience thereto cannot be expected, till his judgement be changed: and if he …rreth not, he ſinneth not: p. 100. l. 12. add, we apply this bu… to the general queſtion, and not to any par…icular caſe or perſons: p. 115. marg. add, at Qu. 4, 5, 6. None of theſe Queſtions are put to our Superiours, who have received many Miniſters into the Church upon their Conformity, who ſome preacht, ſome wrote, ſome fought againſt the Kings cauſe; But they are only to thoſe that would have the Act of Oblivion forgotten, and ſt…ll talk of th… war in a malicious plot, to ſilence and ruine multitudes that had no hand in it.
Note that nothing in this book is written to diſhonour our Rulers, nor the Conforming Clergy, nor to deprave the Liturgie: But as I greatly rejoice that England hath yet ſo many Learned and able and laborious publick Preachers, (eſpecially London) and write this much to abate their unjuſt cenſures of us that we may come to our neceſſary Concord; ſo having read all the Old Liturgi…s in the Biblioth. Patrum, I do with old John Ball that excellent Non-Conformiſt (in his Treat▪ of Liturgies againſt Separation) thank God that England hath a better Liturgy than any of them all, and one of the beſt in all the World (that is ſo particular and long.)
Glory to God in the Higheſt, on earth Peace, to men Good-will. Amen.
THe ſence of the Houſe of Commons in Queen Elizabeths days, (who ſure were no Presbyterians) is thus related by D. Heylin, Hiſt. of Presbyt. pag. 288. [A ſmart Petition is preſented to the Lords in the name of the Commons, for rectifying of many things which they conceived to be amiſs in the ſtate of the Church: The whole Petition did conſiſt of 16. particulars; of which the firſt ſix did relate to a Preaching Miniſtry, the want of which was much complained of in a ſupplication—In the other ten it was deſired— That no Oath or ſubſcription might be tendered to any at their entrance into the Miniſtry, but ſuch as was preſcribed by the ſtatutes of the Realm, and the Oath againſt Corrupt entering: 2. That they may not be troubled for Omiſſion of ſome Rites or Offices preſcribed in the book of Common prayer: 3. That ſuch as had been ſuſpended or deprived for no other offence, but only for not ſubſcribing, might be reſtored. 4. That they may not be called and urged to anſwer before the Officials and Commiſſaries, but before the Biſhops themſelves. 5. That they might not be called into the High Commiſſion, or M…ot out) of the Dioceſs where they lived, except for ſome notable offence. 6. That it might be permitted to them, in every Arch-Deaconry to have ſome common exerciſes, and conferences among themſelves, to be limited and preſcribed by the Ordinaries. 7. That the high cenſure of excommunication may not be denounced or executed for ſmall matters. 8. Nor by Chancellours Commiſſioners (Commiſſaries) or Officials, but by the Biſhops themſelves with the aſſiſtance of grave perſons. 9. That non-reſidency may be quite removed out of the Church. 10. That at leaſt, according to the Queens Injunctions Art. 44. No-nonreſident having already a Licence or Faculty may enjoy it, unleſs he depute an able Curate that may weekly preach and Cutechize, as was required by her Majeſty in the ſaid injunctions] Againſt (ſaith Heylin) the violence of this Torrent the Arch-Biſhop interpoſed both his power and Reaſon—But finding that the Lord Grey and other of that houſe (of Lords) had been made of the party, he drew the reſt of the Biſhops to joyn with him in an humble Petition to her ſacred Majeſty, and the Queen put an end to that diſpute, not only for the preſent but all Parliaments following.
Here you ſee, 1. What was the ſence of the Lords and Commons: 2. What was the heinous evil deſired that ſeemed intolerable to the Biſhops: 3 By whom and how it was defeated] The Lord have mercy on his Church; and the ſouls that men have little mercy for, and ſave them eſpecially from themſelves, and next from their Reverend Overſeers. Dr. Stoughton citeth Luther ſaying, Nunquam periclitatur religio niſi inter reverendiſſimos.
As this was coming out of the Preſs, a Sermon of Dr. Stillingfleet's oft calls me to account, about Separation. When I ſee a ſatisfactory anſwer to what I have lately ſaid hereof in my Book of Concord and the firſt part of the Plea for peace, if I have life and liberty I ſhall return my thanks to the Conſuter: But I am not now at leiſure to open other mens confounding or miſtaking touches, who have not leiſure to ſay that which requireth an anſwer, for them that impartially have read the books, which he excepteth againſt.