A26865:746
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. Well! if the Scripture simplicity be too narrow for you, my next question is, What harm will it do you to unite on such terms as all the Churches did unite in, in the days of Tertullian and Cyprian, yea for 300. years after the birth of Christ? Look whatever was then the terms of the Churches union and communion, ⟨p. 215⟩and we shall not be unthankful to you, if you will make that, and only that to be so now. I do not say, that you should make all that necessary which was then used on terms of liberty and indifferency; they had then their necessaries for union, and their unnecessaries, which were used at liberty as every Church saw good. Impose no more than they imposed; no more of Liturgy, no more of Ceremony, no more Subscriptions, Promises, or Oaths, and it will heal us all. Impose Liturgy no further than they then did (which at the most was but every Bishop on a particular Church that was united for personal (not representative) communion, and was no bigger than one of our Parishes for number of souls). If these terms will not serve you neither, you shall not with us have the reputation of the best friends of Antiquity, Unity, Love or Peace.
2. Well! if the Scripture simplicity be too narrow for you, my next question is, What harm will it do you to unite on such terms as all the Churches did unite in, in the days of Tertullian and Cyprian, yea for 300. years after the birth of Christ? Look whatever was then the terms of the Churches union and communion, ⟨p. 215⟩and we shall not be unthankful to you, if you will make that, and only that to be so now. I do not say, that you should make all that necessary which was then used on terms of liberty and indifferency; they had then their necessaries for u•ion, and their unnecessaries, which were used at liberty as every Church saw good. Impose no more than they imposed; no more of Liturgy, no more of Ceremony, no more Subscriptions, Promises, or Oaths, and it will heal us all. Impose Liturgy no further than they then did (which at the most was but every Bishop on a particular Church that was united for personal (not representative) communion, and was no bigger than one of our Parishes for number of souls). If these terms will not serve you neither, you shall not with us have the reputation of the best friends of Antiquity, Unity, Love or Peace.