A26865:31
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
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.
4. That we never yet had opportunity to give you or the world our Reasons against the New Conformity, it being only the Old before the New was made, which we were then allowed to debate. So that as the Presbyterians on one side, may say that their cause was never yet publicly pleaded (by us); so may those on the other side, who could have yielded to the old Conformity, but cannot to the new.
4. That we never yet had opportunity to give you or the world our Reasons against the New Conformity, it being only the Old before the New was made, which we were then allowed to debate. So that as the Presbyterians on one side, may say that their cause was never yet publickly pleaded (by us); so may those on the other side, who could have yielded to the old Conformity, but cannot to the new.
Since that time instead of Abatements and Approaches for Accommodation and concord, Conformity is made very much more difficult to us than it was before; which we speak not to accuse you, much less the makers of the Law; but to lament the unhappiness of this distracted and distressed Land, and partly to excuse our selves. Several men have several interests and apprehensions of things; and the judgments which God will have executed upon a sinful people must come to pass, though he will not be the author of any of the sin of them that execute them.
The Conformity of the Laity is made an hundred-fold more difficult by the Corporation▪ Oath and Declaration, and by the Vestry Act, &c. (yet have we lately read the writings with pity and admiration, who blush not to tell the world that the Laity or People are not put upon the renouncing of the Covenant. But thus it will be where Love and Unity are oppugned and destroyed by those that praise them.