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

5. In a word, I know not only my self, but so many of the Nonconformable Ministers of England, that I utterly despair that even silencing or imprisonment should change their judgments.

2. The next question then is, Whether it will make them hypocrites, and force them to go against their judgments? And this I am as confident it will never do with the most: 1. Because I know so many of them to be truer to God and to their Consciences. 2. Because experience also long evinced this. 3. And so hath the experience of former ages, in such as they: some have still shrunk in a time of suffering: But enow have suffered to fill up such Volumes as Mr. Fox's, and the Century-Writers, and many others. 4. And here also I ask, Would you do so your selves? Would you do that which you think to be Lying, Perjury, renouncing Reformation, &c. against your consciences, rather than suffer? or would you not? If yea, you tell the world what your Religion is? If not, judge by your own course, both now and formerly, whether they or you be liker to choose sin before suffering. I know not you so well as them; and therefore know not what you would do, so well as I, and you, and all the world may know what they will do. 5. And if they were such Villains, as to sell their Souls for the safety of their flesh, why should not the same principle now prevail with them, to stretch their conscience by some distinction, and take Livings and Honour among you with Conformity, instead of a hunted and afflicted state of life? If Satan shall say, Skin for skin, and all that he hath will a man give for his life: Let me touch his body, and I will make him curse thee to thy face; whereas now he serveth not God for nought. Yet God would support and vindicate the integrity of Job; and though he may fall into some impatience, he would not yet forsake his Master, nor leave his integrity to the death.

2. The next question then is, Whether it will make them hypocrites, and force them to go against their judgments? And this I am as confident it will never do with the most: 1. Because I know so many of them to be truer to God and to their Consciences. 2. Because experience also long evinced this. 3. And so hath the experience of former ages, in such as they: some have still shrunk in a time of suffering: But enow have suffered to fill up such Volumes as Mr. Fox's, and the Century-Writers, and many others. 4. And here also I ask, Would you do so your selves? Would you do that which you think to be Lying, Perjury, renouncing Reformation, &c. against your consciences, rather than suffer? or would you not? If yea, you tell the world what your Religion is? If not, judge by your own course, both now and formerly, whether they or you be liker to chuse sin before suffering. I know not you so well as them; and therefore know not what you would do, so well as I, and you, and all the world may know what they will do. 5. And if they were such Villains, as to sell their Souls for the safety of their flesh, why should not the same principle now prevail with them, to stretch their conscience by some distinction, and take Livings and Honour among you with Conformity, instead of a hunted and afflicted state of life? If Satan shall say, Skin for skin, and all that he hath will a man give for his life: Let me touch his body, and I will make him curse thee to thy face; whereas now he serveth not God for nought. Yet God would support and vindicate the integrity of Job; and though he may fall into some impatiency, he would not yet forsake his Master, nor leave his integrity to the death.