A26865:248
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 5
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.
11. The next day of every month, the Neighbour-ministers met at the Lecture, and afterward at an Ordinary in an honest neighbours private house; where if any of our Parishes obstinately refused repentance for drunkenness or such open heinous sin, he was gently admonished and exhorted before all the Ministers. But our usual work was a Disputation on some useful point in Divinity, to exercise and edify the younger sort, where were usually present about twenty, and among them some of the most learned, sober, Episcopal Divines that were in these parts, who were constant or frequent helpers of us, Mr. Thomas Good, Mr. Mar. Johnson, &c.
11. The next day of every month, the Neighbour-ministers met at the Lecture, and afterward at an Ordinary in an honest neighbours private house; where if any of our Parishes obstinately refused repentance for drunkenness or such open heinous sin, he was gently admonished and exhorted before all the Ministers. But our usual work was a Disputation on some useful point in Divinity, to exercise and edifie the younger sort, where were usually present about twenty, and among them some of the most learned, sober, Episcopal Divines that were in these parts, who were constant or frequent helpers of us, Mr. Thomas Good, Mr. Mar. Johnson, &c.
12. Those open great offenders who before these Ministers also refused to profess Repentance, I did three Lords-days as gently and affectionately as I could, admonish publicly before all the Church, and after that some days publicly prayed for their Repentance; which if they refused not, they there consest their sin, and desired the Churches prayers for their pardon and reformation. But if they still refused, I declared them unfit for the Communion of the Church, according to the Laws of Christ, and required the Church to avoid their Communion; and we used no other Excommunication. But this discipline we used on none but those that consented to it before, and not over any that would rather forsake our Communion than submit to it, lest they should think I did them wrong.
12. Those open great offenders who before these Ministers also refused to profess Repentance, I did three Lords-days as gently and affectionately as I could, admonish publickly before all the Church, and after that some days publickly prayed for their Repentance; which if they refused not, they there consest their sin, and desired the Churches prayers for their pardon and reformation. But if they still refused, I declared them unfit for the Communion of the Church, according to the Laws of Christ, and required the Church to avoid their Communion; and we used no other Excommunication. But this discipline we used on none but those that consented to it before, and not over any that would rather forsake our Communion than submit to it, lest they should think I did them wrong.