A26865:70
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
AN APOLOGY FOR THE SILENCED MINISTERS, Especially for their not cea… › Part 2
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.
II. AND here we shall not form Syllogisms in such an Apology, as if we were speaking to captious men; but nakedly open our reasons as to those that are as much concerned in the matter as we; and should be as willing to know the truth.
II. AND here we shall not form Syllogisms in such an Apology, as if we were speaking to captious men; but nakedly open our reasons as to those that are as much concern'd in the matter as we; and should be as willing to know the truth.
1. We take it to be Sacrilege, and that of the highest nature, except Apostasy it self, to alienate our selves from the work to which we are consecrated and devoted. By how much the nearer any consecrated person or thing is to God, and by how much the more useful to his ends (his glory in the good of souls) by so much the greater sacrilege it is to alienate that which is so consecrated. (With you we know that we need not dispute either the name of a Sacrament of Orders (for we stick not upon names) nor the obligation.) You know the usual Exposition of the Answer in the Church-Catechism, to the Question, [How many Sacraments, &c]▪ A. Two only, as generally necessary to Salvation. We differ not from you in our sense of this. Your Canons enquire after all such as alienate themselves from the Ministry to which they were ordained, and turn to any other calling. We dislike not that Canon. But we wish our observance of it might be thought but a pardonable fault.
1. We take it to be Sacriledg, and that of the highest nature, except Apostacy it self, to alienate our selves from the work to which we are consecrated and devoted. By how much the nearer any consecrated person or thing is to God, and by how much the more useful to his ends (his glory in the good of souls) by so much the greater sacriledg it is to alienate that which is so consecrated. (With you we know that we need not dispute either the name of a Sacrament of Orders (for we stick not upon names) nor the obligation.) You know the usual Exposition of the Answer in the Church-Catechism, to the Question, [How many Sacraments, &c] A. Two only, as generally necessary to Salvation. We differ not from you in our sense of this. Your Canons enquire after all such as alienate themselves from the Ministry to which they were ordained, and turn to any other calling. We dislike not that Canon. But we wish our observance of it might be thought but a pardonable fault.