A26865:198
An apology for the nonconformists ministry containing I. the reasons of their preaching, II.…
An apology for the nonconformists ministry containing I. the reasons of their preaching, II. an answer to the accusations urged as reasons for the silencing of about 2000 by Bishop Morley ..., III. reasons proving it the duty and interest of the bishops and conformists to endeavour earnestly their restoration : with a postscript upon oral debates with Mr. H. Dodwell, against his reasons for their silence ... : written in 1668 and 1669, for the most of it, and now published as an addition to the defence against Dr. Stillingfleet, and as an account to the silencers of the reasons of our practice / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for T. Parkhurst and D. Newman, 1681
AN APOLOGY FOR THE SILENCED MINISTERS, Especially for their not cea… › Part › Objection 3
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.
3. Obj. We confess the peoples necessity, and that there is a difference of Teaching: But your Teaching will not supply this necessity; yea, it doth more harm than good.
1. Some of you preach sedition and faction. 2. And others of you disaffect the people towards the Parish Ministers. It is you that have put all the scruples into their heads, and then you pretend that their weakness and partiality doth necessitate your Preaching. How came it into their heads to think ill of Bishops, and to scruple Ceremonies, and Corporation-Oaths, but by you? 3. And when you have done, you rather cherish all this, than plainly seek to cure them of it. Go preach for Conformity, and you may have liberty.
Ans. Whether all this be true or not (being matter of fact) and because it hath been published of my self by name, and because they judg of the rest of the Puritans and Presbyterians (as they will needs call them) by me, I take it to be my duty as for my self and others, to answer this more Historically than otherwise I should think convenient.
1. Is it justice to charge men with seditious Preaching that never were accused or convict of any such Doctrine before any competent Judg? If any man preach sedition, heresy or schism, convict him, and let him suffer for it. The Law is open, and the Judges are not partial for Nonconformists. And you may have more witnesses against us by how much the more publicly we are allowed to Preach.