A26865:753
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.
To conclude this reason, Take away but your Imposition of the few things controverted, and leave the particular Churches free in things confessed indifferent by your selves, and we are then all one, and the quarrel at an end. And a little love to Christ, to the Gospel, and the Souls of men, would tell a disinterested person, whether the fruits of that Concord, or the fruits of our present Uniformity in those Subscriptions, Oaths and Ceremonies, would be the better; and which is the more lovely and beautiful state of the Church.
To conclude this reason, Take away but your Imposition of the few things controverted, and leave the particular Churches free in things confessed indifferent by your selves, and we are then all one, and the quarrel at an end. And a little love to Christ, to the Gospel, and the Souls of men, would tell a disinteressed person, whether the fruits of that Concord, or the fruits of our present Uniformity in those Subscriptions, Oaths and Ceremonies, would be the better; and which is the more lovely and beautiful state of the Church.
9. The different estimation which the two Parties have of the things imposed, doth make your violence notoriously unequal in the sight of any equal Judges. You call the Impositions (antecedently) Things indifferent. The Nonconformists do not so, but take them for such heinous sins, that they dare scarce denominate them to you▪ lest while they do but tell you their own reasons for avoiding them, they be thought to make you, or the imposers odious, by their censures. So that they are fain to suppose their judgments to be scruples, and themselves to be the weak Christians, and bring all under that name of Tenderness of Conscience, lest if they should tell you that they are strongly persuaded, that if they should Conform (not meddling with any others), it would be in them no less than owning the Perjury of many thousands, and a public Ministerial renunciation of a needful Reformation, and a promising to God, or declaring before all the people that we will not obey him, nor repent and amend what is amiss in our places; and an owning of all the Usurpations and abuses committed by many others, and a public lying on deliberation, declaring, that we assent and consent to more than we do indeed, or can do and a