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

When I hear a cold and sleepy Preacher, or hear Gods work done so ignorantly and slovenly, as I would not have my boy to say his lesson, I yet confess, [It is long of my self if this Sermon raise not my heart to Heaven. For his very Text, or one of the Scripture-sentences which he cited, should have been enough to do it; because it mentioneth God and Eternity, the least thought of which should raise my soul.] But alas my heart is cold, and dull, and drowsy. This is my disease, or else what need I come to Church for cure? I knew I was faulty; but I hear you, in hope that my faults should be cured. And if you do that which is unsuitable to your hearers faults and maladies, you are faulty Physicians, for no better curing faulty Patients. To tell a man in a fever, or a dropsy, if bread and drink will not cure you, it is long of your own disease, is the answer of such Physicians as are like them in whose hands many thousand souls in the world lye gasping at this day.

When I hear a cold and sleepy Preacher, or hear Gods work done so ignorantly and slovenly, as I would not have my boy to say his lesson, I yet confess, [It is long of my self if this Sermon raise not my heart to Heaven. For his very Text, or one of the Scripture-sentences which he cited, should have been enough to do it; because it mentioneth God and Eternity, the least thought of which should raise my soul.] But alas my heart is cold, and dull, and drowsie. This is my disease, or else what need I come to Church for cure? I knew I was faulty; but I hear you, in hope that my faults should be cured. And if you do that which is unsuitable to your hearers faults and maladies, you are faulty Physicians, for no better curing faulty Patients. To tell a man in a fever, or a dropsie, if bread and drink will not cure you, it is long of your own disease, is the answer of such Physicians as are like them in whose hands many thousand souls in the world lye gasping at this day.

If you shall say, That God doth not tie his grace to the ability of the Pastor: I answer, such words are fitter to make ones head and heart to ache, than to put the answerer to any difficulty. Use such arguments about ploughing and sowing, about eating and drinking; and when you are to choose a Tutor or Schoolmaster for your Children; or when you are sick and seek to a Physician: say, God doth not tie his help and blessing to a wise Tutor any more than to an ignorant one; nor to an able Physician any more than to a foolish Empiric. Or if you will fly to the distinction of spiritual gifts and common, remember that God is no more tied to means for the one than for the other; and quoad media habitus infusi se habent ad modum acquisitorum. At least, set not your greatest Scholars nor sharpest wits to convince a Sectary, or a Papist;