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

What then may not the mind of man be persuaded to, if a Doctor living in England, in London, can say and believe this, and say it with such an appealing mention of the day of Judgment! O who should not fear what his soul may be seduced to think and say? 1. Let it be noted that he speaketh not of any odd or singular persons, nor with distinction, but of the [so many Nonconformists]. 2. He speaketh of all their hearts and secret intents, even that which moveth them to refuse Subscription. 3. That the thing of which he accuseth them is as odious a crime as most can be charged on man: To disobey the Magistrate, to forsake their flocks, to give over much of their office to which they are devoted, to keep up factions and divisions among the people, and to propagate it to posterity, and protest before God and man that they would conform, but that they are persuaded it is sin (and heinous sin), and all this in hypocrisy, when Pride and Covetousness are the cause, what an odious people are these Nonconformists, if this be true? 4. And Hatred and Prosecution are the proper effects which his accusation tends to. Who can repent of hating and destroying so odious a sort of hypocrites as he describeth? 5. And ⟨p. 159⟩what is the credit for which their pride doth seduce them? 1. Consider what is the thing that they look for credit in. 2. From whom it is. 1. It must be somewhat that hath at least an appearance of good, that they can look for credit by: Pride liveth not upon Evil, as known to be evil. We suppose he meaneth, that it is the reputation of being better Preachers, holier and honester persons than others, and of more faithful Consciences, who fear lying, perjury, covenanting to sin, and practising more than the Conformists do. 2. And either they expect this reputation with high or low, with many or few. 1. The world knoweth that the Law-makers, and Rulers, and Nobles are for the most part against us; yea that the Oxford-Act of Confinement, and others, cast upon us the suspicion of as odious crimes as most are in the world: And the Conformists, who are desirous to make us contemptible, use to persuade the people, that there are few Wise or Learned men among us, but that such are almost all for them; and that it is but a few inconsiderable Mechanic Sectaries who are for us. And if all this be so, what is here left for Pride to work upon?

What then may not the mind of man be perswaded to, if a Doctor living in England, in London, can say and believe this, and say it with such an appealing mention of the day of Judgment! O who should not fear what his soul may be seduced to think and say? 1. Let it be noted that he speaketh not of any odd or singular persons, nor with distinction, but of the [so many Nonconformists]. 2. He speaketh of all their hearts and secret intents, even that which moveth them to refuse Subscription. 3. That the thing of which he accuseth them is as odious a crime as most can be charged on man: To disobey the Magistrate, to forsake their flocks, to give over much of their office to which they are devoted, to keep up factions and divisions among the people, and to propagate it to posterity, and protest before God and man that they would conform, but that they are perswaded it is sin (and heinous sin), and all this in hypocrisie, when Pride and Covetousness are the cause, what an odious people are these Nonconformists, if this be true? 4. And Hatred and Prosecution are the proper effects which his accusation tends to. Who can repent of hating and destroying so odious a sort of hypocrites as he describeth? 5. And