A26865:515
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 24
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.
And till the Papists will see the equity of these terms, it is our great advantage that the certain truth of all our Religion is so fully acknowledged.
But, 2. as long as we let others alone with their additions, why may they not live in peace with us, and let us alone without them? All men are united in the Essentials of Humanity, though they are not all of one complexion, stature or degree of strength. And if any be so peevish that he will associate with none that are not of his own complexion, the separation is the effect of his folly, which may possibly be cured; and till it be cured, both the fault and the suffering is his own. If a Law were made that none shall live in the Kings Dominions but men of a Sanguine complexion, and of a strait and comely person, and of such a proportion of tallness and of strength, and of flaxen hair, this Law would necessitate a separation and diminution of the Kings subjects from generation to generation. But if the Law be that all English men that will live after the rules of Reason, Honesty, and Society, shall have the privileges of subjects, if an hundred thousand had got a conceit that they may not lawfully be of the same Kingdom with any but men of their own complexion and stature as aforesaid, this is a curable folly; and the Law-makers may say, we have done our parts for universal society, and it is not we that make it impossible, or hinder it, and men in time may come to reason. We refuse not them, but they refuse us. If you make things necessary, and of common agreement to be your terms of Union, Greeks, Abassines, Armenians Romans, may take their own way, and every one without injury enjoy his own (be it wisdom or folly) upon these terms. But if you unite upon any other terms, you make Laws for schism, even for the exclusion of all that are not of your mind. For Hales his Doctrine is true in the judgment of all men save the guilty, that the Imposer of unnecessary doubtful things is the Schismatic, or cause of all the schism. So that there is no true union to be expected with Rome or any others, but on the terms of primitive simplicity, or which all true Christians are agreed in. And they are no good terms which induce the authors through the force of interest, to say that none in the world are good Christians, that are not of their cut and strain, and wear not their livery, and lace not their coats in the Imposers mode.