Unum necessarium: or, Christ's justification of Mary's choice and of his servants wrongfully accused: containing a resolution of many weighty cases of conscience. Viz. Indifferent things, obedience to the higher powers, &c. With some reflections on Popery, and a brief account of the many cruelties committed by the Papists. By Richard Baxter.

Obj. 2. But by this you would inferr, that Evils may also be tolerated in the Church, if so far in the Family.

Ans. Consenting to any Sin, is sin, and so is doing that by promoting or tolerating, which signifieth Consent; but not to hinder that which we cannot hinder by lawful means, and without doing greater hurt than good, is no Consenting, or sinful Toleration. Papists that are for burning and banish∣ing Dissenters, yet confess this, that they must tolerate them, when else they should more hurt the Church by what is done against them.

It is no Sin to bear with the greatest Sin in the World which we cannot reme∣dy, much less with humane common frail∣ties, in which all mortal men must bear with one another, or else forsake all Love and Peace.

And this Objection mindeth me humbly but earnestly (though almost hopelesly) to desire all Governours to take notice, that the Pastoral Govern∣ment of Christs Church (being exerci∣sed under him, who calleth it his Spouse and Body) is very like the Go∣vernment of a Husband over his Wife, which must be done by no means incon∣sistent with Love and Conjugal offices and Communion to the last. And there∣fore if men must bear with so many and great offences and inconveniences, yea and sufferings in and from a Wife for their houshold peace and quietness, let them consider whether for Church-Peace much evil is not to be endured when it cannot be lawfully hindered.

And if humane frailty and darkness be such, as that few persons living have the same apprehensions of many or most things, and Husband and Wife about their ordinary affairs, will daily manifest such difference of opinions and humours, as must be born (or they must bear much worse,) let Pa∣stors consider, while we agree in all things necessary to Salvation and the common peace, how much diversity of

sence, and consequently of practice, must be endured in the numerous difficulties of Religion, by them that know the way of Peace: And whether they that will not bear a little, are not prepa∣ring to bear much. And perhaps if the Roman Clergy had not been so much against Priests Marriage, the ex∣perience of their Families, and what differing apprehensions and actions must there be born by Conjugal Love, might have better taught them how far to bear with differing opinions and pra∣ctices in Religion, instead of their un∣christian, inhumane Laws and Practi∣ces, of burning, exterminating, and ruining all such as their Judgments shall Stigmatize as Hereticks.