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

And where then will be your wealth, and ease, ⟨p. 234⟩and greatness! And how will these things appear in the review, when you shall stand in that more clear convincing light? Fall not on the corner-stone that you should build upon, lest you be broken; and strive not against it, lest it fall on you, and grind you to powder. Who will set the briars and thorns against him in battle? Will he not go through them, and burn them up together? Remember that our God is a consuming fire. Though (as Paul once) you have verily thought that you ought to do many things which are contrary to the Gospel and work of the Lord Jesus, be warned in time, and do so no more. O that God would make them sensible by repentance who are truly guilty, how many thousand persons damnation is like to be charged upon them, for what they have already done in above seventeen years, hindering so many faithful Ministers of Christ to labour the saving of their Souls.

And where then will be your wealth, and ease, ⟨p. 234⟩and greatness! And how will these things appear in the review, when you shall stand in that more clear convincing light? Fall not on the corner-stone that you should build upon, lest you be broken; and strive not against it, lest it fall on you, and grind you to powder. Who will set the bryars and thorns against him in battel? Will he not go through them, and burn them up together? Remember that our God is a consuming fire. Though (as Paul once) you have verily thought that you ought to do many things which are contrary to the Gospel and work of the Lord Jesus, be warned in time, and do so no more. O that God would make them sensible by repentance who are truly guilty, how many thousand persons damnation is like to be charged upon them, for what they have already done in above seventeen years, hindering so many faithful Ministers of Christ to labour the saving of their Souls.

Right Reverend Lords! though we are your Petitioners for the sake of poor Souls, and of the Church and Gospel, and for the sake of Christian Love and Peace, and for the sake of Christ who valueth these; yet are we not your flatterers. Had we not seen in history and experience, especially in the numerous Roman Clergy, how far interest and self-love can blind men, and bring both Learning, Reason and pretences of Religion into their service, it would be a wonder to us, that humane nature could be guilty of your course, and that in the face of such dreadful judgments as have lately been upon us! That when Gods displeasure had afflicted your selves (or some of you) for many years, you should come out of the fire so unrefined, as to use the Gospel and Ministers of Christ much worse than your Predecessors did before you! and show that you have learnt so little by all Gods judgments on you, and on the land, as to forget what God did, and what your selves did, while you remember only what the Instruments of his wrath did! Nay under pretence of remembering your afflicters, your wrath burneth implacably against the innocent, that never hurt you, nor had the hundredth part so great a hand in your afflictions as you had your selves. Wonderful! that in the very time while the Plague was devouring, and souls crowding out of time into eternity, and each man a terror to another, and about a hundred thousand dead in one City, you should be a terror to your surviving brethren, and study how to stop the mouths of those that would but help to prepare poor souls for so great a change! That