A26865:629
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.
2. His second Reason is, Our mighty show of zeal in all Religious performances. Ans. And how knoweth he that it is but a show? Are they like to be better that show no zeal? Can a man believe the great things of Heaven and Hell, and preach them without great seriousness and zeal, and not play the hypocrite? Who is it that said, Isa. 58. 1. Cry aloud, lift up thy voice like a trumpet? &c. But Christs kinsmen themselves went about to lay hold on him, thinking that his zeal was a transportation or distraction, Mat. 3. 21. [Vid. Dr. Hammond in loc.] no wonder if mens tongues condemn us for zeal, though our consciences condemn us for remissness and coldness in matters of everlasting consequence.
2. His second Reason is, Our mighty shew of zeal in all Religious performances. Ans. And how knoweth he that it is but a shew? Are they like to be better that shew no zeal? Can a man believe the great things of Heaven and Hell, and preach them without great seriousness and zeal, and not play the hypocrite? Who is it that said, Isa. 58. 1. Cry aloud, lift up thy voice like a trumpet? &c. But Christs kinsmen themselves went about to lay hold on him, thinking that his zeal was a transportation or distraction, Mat. 3. 21. [Vid. Dr. Hammond in loc.] no wonder if mens tongues condemn us for zeal, though our consciences condemn us for remisness and coldness in matters of everlasting consequence.
3. His third Reason is p. 21. A very great specious seeming sanctity in carriage and common deportment; the sheeps clothing worn by the wolves, &c. Ans. 1. Will not even strangers from such words suspect that our adversaries own not, or have not at least so much as such a seeming sanctity of carriage? How else could this be noted as a difference? 2. And how knoweth he that knoweth not hearts, that this is but seeming? 3. And how do these charges of a loose doctrine and great seeming sanctity, well agree? 4. Would he have us not so much as seem holy (and so not seem Christians) ⟨p. 170⟩