An apology for the nonconformists ministry containing I. the reasons of their preaching, II.…

Accus. 31. Of some printed Accusations of us as Covetous, and other such like.

But it hath pleased some late Writers (of great account with some) to lay such matters to our charge as the cause of our nonconformity, as one would have thought should never have entered into the thoughts of a sober man that ever saw or heard of the English affairs, and present state.

But it hath pleased some late Writers (of great account with some) to lay such matters to our charge as the cause of our nonconformity, as one would have thought should never have entred into the thoughts of a sober man that ever saw or heard of the English affairs, and present state.

1. The year 1674. was published a Book under the name of Dr. Asheton Chaplain to the Duke of Ormond, who in his introduction supposeth the Nonconforming people to be such as merely believing the Ministers, and the Ministers to be such lest they scandalize the people that think the things unlawful. And so he applieth himself to confute them on that supposition (a thing easily done, if this were all). And he citeth the words of one of us about scandal, against our selves. To which we say, 1. Seeing even Pagans, Papists, Socinians and Quakers, Anabaptists and Separatists, and some Arminians and Prelatists too, are Nonconformists in the largest sense (as refusing Conformity) and seeing it is not imaginable that all the persons of any one profession should be just of the same degree of understanding, and in every thing of the same opinion; it is not impossible but that some one called a Nonconformist, may be as brainless and dishonest, as he describeth them. But we must say, that we remember not that ever we met with one of them that was such, and that had no stronger reasons against Conformity, or that took the things avoided to be indifferent. 2. And whether we our selves are such, let our Writings and Reasons therein given against Conformity be the evidence. Could he hope to