A26865:466
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 21
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.
7. And is it not as valid arguing, to say, Mr. Hildersham, Dr. Reignolds, Amesius, Bradshaw, Burgess, &c. have written soundly and learnedly; Ergo, the Religion of the Nonconformists is wise and sound; as to say, Mr. Bridge one of the five Dissenters from the Presbyterians hath some harsh expressions, and Mr. T. W. hath some little sententious jingles (such as Conformists most abound with), Ergo, the Nonconformists Religion is foolish.
8. But it may be you will say, that the Nonconformists must be judged of, not by an odd person as your self is, but by the major part? Ans. 1. It never goeth right among Divines, when they judge Causes by persons, contrary to signed avowed professions. Do they print and publish their professed Religion to the World? and will you measure and denominate the Religion of the Nonconformists▪ by two or three mens Writings (against which also you have no more to say)? 2. And why did you not prove that it is the major part (or one of an hundred) that are guilty of the real weaknesses which you mention (for all that you find fault with, are not weaknesses)? Are the two or three that you named, the major part of Eighteen hundred? What of all this have you to charge on those forenamed? or on Mr. John Ball, Mr. John Paget, Mr. Langley, &c. or on Dr. Twice, Dr. Arrowsmith, and the rest of that Assembly? or on Dr. Tuckney, Dr. Langley, Dr. Staunton, Dr. Seaman, Dr. Manton, Dr. Bates, ⟨p. 120⟩Mr. Bull, Mr. Wadsworth, Dr. Annesly, and abundance more about the City, or on the generality of the silenced Ministers in all the Counties of the Land?
8. But it may be you will say, that the Nonconformists must be judged of, not by an odd person as your self is, but by the major part? Ans. 1. It never goeth right among Divines, when they judge Causes by persons, contrary to signed avowed professions. Do they print and publish their professed Religion to the World? and will you measure and denominate the Religion of the Nonconformists▪ by two or three mens Writings (against which also you have no more to say)? 2. And why did you not prove that it is the major part (or one of an hundred) that are guilty of the real weaknesses which you mention (for all that you find fault with, are not weaknesses)? Are the two or three that you named, the major part of Eighteen hundred? What of all this have you to charge on those forenamed? or on Mr. John Ball, Mr. John Paget, Mr. Langley, &c. or on Dr. Twisse, Dr. Arrowsmith, and the rest of that Assembly? or on Dr. Tuckney, Dr. Langley, Dr. Staunton, Dr. Seaman, Dr. Manton, Dr. Bates,