An apology for the nonconformists ministry containing I. the reasons of their preaching, II.…

18. Methinks (as I said before) even selfishness should make you have some regard to your surviving names! Think not that your party shall be the Masters of fame: Think but on all history, whether those that suffered in their times, as the Martyrs, and such Bishops as Athanasius, Nazianzen, Chrysostom, &c. have not left a sweeter name to the Church, than those by whom they suffered! Whether the name of the Nonconformists, John Rogers, and his followers, and Bradford, Sanders, Glover, Hooper, Latimer, Ridley, Cranmer, &c. be not sweeter now than Gardiner's and Boners? And think on the nature of your cause and ours: When you have done your worst against Christs faithful Ministers, and sought to justify it by calling them Schismatics, posterity will enquire into the Merits of the Cause, and the Evidence of their words and yours: and their Writings at least will some of them survive when you have done your worst. And do you think that they who read such Works, as Amesius, Hildershams, Hierons, Baynes, Balls, &c. of old, and as Gatakers, Vines, Anthony Burgesses, Allen's, &c. of late, will believe that they were Schismatics, or unworthy to preach repentance and faith in Christ? I have written so much against Schism my self, as that I defy malignity it self, to make posterity believe me a Schismatic. When they peruse the Declarations, Subscriptions, Oaths, and actions which we refuse, and weigh our reasons, they will judge otherwise than interest, and partiality, and malice will do at the present. The next Sulpitius will describe us liker Martin than you, and the Fanatics like the Priscillianists, and too many of your selves like Ithacius and Idacius, and their Synods of Bishops; which you may easily foresee when your Hooker himself in his Preface doth it by some Conformists already.

18. Methinks (as I said before) even selfishness should make you have some regard to your surviving names! Think not that your party shall be the Masters of fame: Think but on all history, whether those that suffered in their times, as the Martyrs, and such Bishops as Athanasius, Nazianzen, Chrysostom, &c. have not left a sweeter name to the Church, than those by whom they suffered! Whether the name of the Nonconformists, John Rogers, and his followers, and Bradford, Sanders, Glover, Hooper, Latimer, Ridley, Cranmer, &c. be not sweeter now than Gardiners and Bonners? And think on the nature of your cause and ours: When you have done your worst against Christs faithful Ministers, and sought to justifie it by calling them Schismaticks, posterity will enquire into the Merits of the Cause, and the Evidence of their words and yours: and their Writings at least will some of them survive when you have done your worst. And do you think that they who read such Works, as Amesius, Hildershams, Hierons, Baynes, Balls, &c. of old, and as Gatakers, Vines, Anthony Burgesses, Allens, &c. of late, will believe that they were Schismaticks, or unworthy to preach repentance and faith in Christ? I have written so much against Schism my self, as that I defie malignity it self, to make posterity believe me a Schismatick. When they peruse the Declarations, Subscriptions, Oaths, and actions which we refuse, and weigh our reasons, they will judge otherwise than interest, and partiality, and malice will do at the present. The next Sulpitius will describe us liker Martin than you, and the Fanaticks like the Priscillianists, and too many of your selves like Ithacius and Idacius, and their Synods of Bishops; which you may easily foresee when your Hooker himself in his Preface doth it by some Conformists already.