A26865:256
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.
5. Common charity and many Scripture-precepts oblige all good Christians to help to edify and save their neighbours by all just and lawful means.
5. Common charity and many Scripture-precepts oblige all good Christians to help to edifie and save their neighbours by all just and lawful means.
6. We found by great experience, that it greatly increased knowledge and obedience, and piety in the people.
6. We found by great experience, that it greatly increased knowledg and obedience, and piety in the people.
7. And so far was it from causing sects or heresies, or contempt of Ministers, or private mens Preaching, that it was the chief of ⟨p. 76⟩all means that ever I found successful against these exorbitancies; so that when those Pastors that cried down such meetings as Conventicles, and restrained the people from meeting to repeat or pray, did thereby occasion them to go further in their undertakings than they ought. I still found that to let them do what belonged to them as private men, was the means to keep them from that which belonged only to the Ministers; and needful meetings in their houses in due subordination to the Pastors and Church-assemblies, was the best way to keep them from schismatical meetings, which were in opposition to the Pastors and Church-assemblies. Yea, that to drive them hard on to their proper duty in their families, and for their ignorant neighbours, was the best way to convince them, that they had neither ability nor leisure for more, which belonged not to them. In a word, it was a principal cause that we had no sects nor divisions among us.