The nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of their judgment in certain things…

2. They are supposed related duly to their tried Pastors, in the bond of fidelity, which they may not unnecessarily violate.

2. They are supposed related duely to their tryed Pastors, in the bond of fidelity, which they may not unnecessarily violate.

3. Otherwise one Roman Emperor might have undone all the Churches and Souls in the Empire in a great degree; by imposing on them insufficient, heretical, or malignant Pastors: Where it must be noted, 1. That God doth ordinarily work on souls according to the quality of the means: To say that He can do otherwise, is impertinent, while we see that he doth not, nor hath promised it. We see that Heathens and Infidels are not converted without Preachers; We see that Heretical Preachers make Heretics, and Schismatical ones make Schismatics, and ignorant ones leave the people ignorant: In several Countries the people are Greeks, Papists, Lutherans, &c. as they are taught. We see that one clear, convincing, experienced, serious Preacher, turneth more souls among us from ignorance, error, fleshly lust, and worldly wicked hearts and lives, than abundance of raw young Readers or Preachers, that ignorantly say over a dry prepared speech in a School-boys mode and tone. It is not every Preacher of whom it can be said as Dr. Ames doth of old Mr. Midsley, a Nonconformist of Lancashire, That he was the means of converting many thousand souls, (from Popery, Ignorance, and a wicked life: Nor whose labours ⟨p. 57⟩are blest, as Mr. Dods, Mr. John Rogers, Mr. Thomas Hookers (Nonconformists) or Mr. William Fenners (a Conformist) and such others were. Even as we see by experience that a few skilful, prudent, experienced Physicians cure more than abundance of young beginners, who too oft kill more than they cure. We see that the Abyssinian, Armenian, Greek, and most Popish Countries are lamentably ignorant (and usually proportionably vicious) for want of a learned, pious, skilful, and laborious Ministry, History tells us, that the Kingdom of Nubia forsook Christianity for want of competent Teachers: The industry of the Jesuits and Friars in China, Japan, Congo, and other Countries, telleth us how much they laid on the diligent use of means. Jos. Acosta tells us how much the West-Indies suffer in Religion by the ignorance and wickedness of the Priests. How barbarous and sad a state the Empire of Muscovy is in for want of able, faithful Pastors, while the Emperors put down Preaching, and confine them to Liturgies and Homilies, as is affirmed commonly without contradiction. How miserable a state the Roman Church;