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

I know the common answer is, [Who is that long of, but of themselves and you?] To which I say, 1. Suppose it be long of themselves, must their souls be therefore cruelly forsaken? I have wondered to hear and read such reasoning so often from some Pastors of the Church, that should be the Fathers of the flock! It is long of themselves, say they! And what then! It is long of our selves that we are all sinners! and must we therefore have no Saviour, no Sanctifier, no Ministry, no remedy! All the sins that you Preach against are long of the sinners themselves! Will you therefore think you are discharged from Preaching?

But you'll say, That it is their wilfulness. Ans. If there were no will, there were no sin. There is too much wilfulness in all the sin that you commit your selves; must you therefore be forsaken! But O how much better would it beseem an humble tender conscienced Ministry to suspect themselves, and say, Is there no cause of this distaste in us! If it were partial heretics only that disliked us for opinion sake, it were no wonder; but when the common people of our Parishes, think our Preaching cold and dry, and our Sermons like a boys Oration, and our lives too little heavenly and holy, what cause have we to fear lest it be too true! or so much at least as will make us guilty of their distaste! Surely it more nearly concerneth you all to see that you be clear your selves, and to judg your selves before God judg you, than to fall so heavily on the people. When you have been as angry as you will, men will be men, and ears will be ears; and as words will not satisfy a hungry stomach, so chiding the poor people, and telling them that the fault is theirs, will not illuminate, quicken, humble and comfort them, nor either do that for them which they want, or make them that are indeed alive to believe that it is done when it is not.

But you'l say, That it is their wilfulness. Ans. If there were no will, there were no sin. There is too much wilfulness in all the sin that you commit your selves; must you therefore be forsaken! But O how much better would it beseem an humble tender conscienced Ministry to suspect themselves, and say, Is there no cause of this distaste in us! If it were partial hereticks only that disliked us for opinion sake, it were no wonder; but when the common people of our Parishes, think our Preaching cold and dry, and our Sermons like a boys Oration, and our lives too little heavenly and holy, what cause have we to fear lest it be too true! or so much at least as will make us guilty of their distaste! Surely it more nearly concerneth you all to see that you be clear your selves, and to judg your selves before God judg you, than to fall so heavily on the people. When you have been as angry as you will, men will be men, and ears will be ears; and as words will not satisfie a hungry stomack, so chiding the poor people, and telling them that the fault is theirs, will not illuminate, quicken, humble and comfort them, nor either do that for them which they want, or make them that are indeed alive to believe that it is done when it is not.