A26865:772
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.
14. By the course fore-described, you will have a Church so corrupted, as will be a continual temptation to the most religious sort to distaste it, if not to separate from it. When men that fear sin are the suffering side; and fearlessness of sin, and a conscience that can do any thing, is full security from all those penalties, it is easy to foresee what sort of people you will make your friends, (who will do you more harm than good) and what sort will be more and more alienated from you. And then the zealous sort of Ministers and people will from age to age be the sharp reprehenders of your vices. And then that will increase your enmity against them! And what will this come to at last?
14. By the course fore-described, you will have a Church so corrupted, as will be a continual temptation to the most religious sort to distaste it, if not to separate from it. When men that fear sin are the suffering side; and fearlesness of sin, and a conscience that can do any thing, is full security from all those penalties, it is easie to foresee what sort of people you will make your friends, (who will do you more harm than good) and what sort will be more and more alienated from you. And then the zealous sort of Ministers and people will from age to age be the sharp reprehenders of your vices. And then that will encrease your enmity against them! And what will this come to at last?
I will give you but two instances now to calm you. Gildas our ancient Britain, hath so characterized the British Clergy, even in those elder and less tempted times, that he doubteth not to call them Wolves and not Pastors; and plainly to profess, that he that took them for Ministers or Pastors, was not eximius. Christianus, one of the more excellent sort of Christians. What could a Separatist have said more of you? And yet you can praise Gildas (for it is not in your power to eclipse his glory) and not endure the same words from any one that is near you. The other is that oft mentioned instance of St. Martin, who would not come to their Synods, nor communicate at all with Ithacius, Idacius, and the rest of the Prelates of the Synods and Country about him, though of the very same belief, because by their cruel ungodly prosecution of the Priscillian Heretics, they had taught the world the way of violence in matters of Religion, and had made the strictest Religious people every where brought under the malignant suspicion