A26865:761
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.
1. A man in a passion, or by a surprise, or inconsiderately, may lie, or speak an unjust thing: But when a man is called to do it, to study the case, and to do it upon mature deliberation, doth show more of the habitual temper of the will.
1. A man in a passion, or by a surprise, or inconsiderately, may lie, or speak an unjust thing: But when a man is called to do it, to study the case, and to do it upon mature deliberation, doth shew more of the habitual temper of the will.
2. A man that is secretly perjured, or false, destroyeth himself: But he that openly both practiseth it, and professeth and justifieth it, doth his worst to destroy the hearers and beholders.
3. If a Minister preach sound doctrine, and in his life be a drunkard, fornicator, or the like, I will hear him in case I can have no better, because his sin is Personal, and not Ministerial: But if in the open Church, as a Minister, he will declare that to drink away a mans reason is no drunkenness or sin, and to use forbidden congress is no fornication or sin, &c. This is a heresy, and a Ministerial wickedness, that is not so easily to be born.
3. If a Minister preach sound doctrine, and in his life be a drunkard, fornicator, or the like, I will hear him in case I can have no better, because his sin is Personal, and not Ministerial: But if in the open Church, as a Minister, he will declare that to drink away a mans reason is no drunkenness or sin, and to use forbidden congress is no fornication or sin, &c. This is a heresie, and a Ministerial wickedness, that is not so easily to be born.