A26865:705
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.
9. But especially forget not, that the number of Nonconformists in England is so great, that it will weary the hangman to dispatch them; or Executioners enow will scarce be found: For what if you hang a Thousand or Eighteen hundred Ministers, you cheat your selves (as you have wilfully long done) if you think that you are ever the nearer your ends: For the people are more averse to your Conformity, than most of the Ministers are; and they are hardlier kept to the rules of Patience and Charity to those that destroy them; and they will choose Teachers and Pastors out of the best qualified of the people that survive, and will not lay down the worshipping of God according to their consciences, though they were used for it as Daniel was, for praying thrice a day openly in his house, contrary to the Law. And these new Pastors perhaps will have less moderation than the old: And thus you will be troubled with a succession of dissenters.
9. But especially forget not, that the number of Nonconformists in England is so great, that it will weary the hangman to dispatch them; or Executioners enow will scarce be found: For what if you hang a Thousand or Eighteen hundred Ministers, you cheat your selves (as you have wilfully long done) if you think that you are ever the nearer your ends: For the people are more averse to your Conformity, than most of the Ministers are; and they are hardlier kept to the rules of Patience and Charity to those that destroy them; and they will chuse Teachers and Pastors out of the best qualified of the people that survive, and will not lay down the worshipping of God according to their consciences, though they were used for it as Daniel was, for praying thrice a day openly in his house, contrary to the Law. And these new Pastors perhaps will have less moderation than the old: And thus you will be troubled with a succession of dissenters.
10. And suppose (as it is not improbable) that one half of the people, and some of the Pastors, should be constrained to Conformity, your Ichabod hath told you in his Groans what they will do. Their judgments would not be changed, but they would only stretch their Consciences to take your Oaths and Subscriptions with their own interpretation, contrary to the plainest sense (as ⟨p. 204⟩