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

But every man that hath the eyes of a Christian in his head, and seeth what the people of England, Wales, and Ireland are, for members and for quality, and seeth and heareth also what Ministers for number and quality do instruct them, doth know as certainly that many hundred thousand souls do woefully need more Ministerial helps, as he knoweth that five hundred Scholars do need more than one School-master, or five hundred sick men need more than one Physician. But O what a plague is it to the Church and World, to have Ministers who when they read of the necessity of knowledge, holiness, and salvation, do neither believe Christ nor themselves! Argue not the people into such hard thoughts of you, as if this were your case, by persuading them that it is no matter whether their souls have any more Ministerial helps than now is given them.

But every man that hath the eyes of a Christian in his head, and seeth what the people of England, VVales, and Ireland are, for members and for quality, and seeth and heareth also what Ministers for number and quality do instruct them, doth know as certainly that many hundred thousand souls do wofully need more Ministerial helps, as he knoweth that five hundred Scholars do need more than one School-master, or five hundred sick men need more than one Physician. But O what a plague is it to the Church and World, to have Ministers who when they read of the necessity of knowledg, holiness, and salvation, do neither believe Christ nor themselves! Argue not the people into such hard thoughts of you, as if this were your case, by perswading them that it is no matter whether their souls have any more Ministerial helps than now is given them.

Either you believe that where the Gospel is hid, it is hid to them that are lost, and that the cure of gross ignorance, hardheartedness, unbelief, and sensuality, are of necessity to salvation, ⟨p. 191⟩or not. If not, deal openly, and silence both your selves and us. If yea, then either you know how these maladies abound in the people, and how much labour the cure doth usually cost, or not. If not, then take not on you to be Pastors or English men, or competent Judges of any of the peoples cases and concernments, but confess that these are matters that you are strangers to. But if you do know this, then I need to say no more to you, but to desire you to suppose that soul-necessities are not the less because men complain not of them; but greatest where there is the greatest insensibility and contentedness with them. The Turks and Heathens cry not out for the help of Christian Pastors. The worldling, drunkard, and fornicator, is most miserable, that would have no reproof or help. Suppose therefore that their necessities are instead of cries, and that you hear them calling to you for help: O pity the many hundred thousand souls that are drowned in ignorance, unbelief, insensibility, worldliness, and sensuality, that are utter strangers to that life of faith, and love, and holiness, without which none can please or see God; and must quickly be converted and made new creatures, or they are lost for ever. Or suppose that their necessities being their complaints, you heard them expostulating with you for their souls: O take not from us that means which God by Nature and by his Institution hath made so needful to our salvation! Alas, our ignorance, and deadness, and worldly-mindedness, and fleshly affections, are too hardly cured by all the best means and diligence that can be used: what shall we do then, if you deprive us of that which we have enjoyed! Alas! say not that the reading of the Scriptures, and a few lifeless notes of a Sermon will serve turn: We confess that it should do so, if our disease were so light as to need no more; the thing it self is good, and every word of God is precious; but it is the nature of our disease to be read asleep, and hardened in our sins by the customary hearing of a few good words in a sleepy saying tone: