A27035:149
A second true defence of the mere nonconformists against the untrue accusations, reasonings, and…A second true defence of the meer nonconformists against the untrue accusations, reasonings, and…
A second true defence of the mere nonconformists against the untrue accusations, reasonings, and history of Dr. Edward Stillingfleet ... clearly proving that it is (not sin but) duty 1. not wilfully to commit the many sins of conformity, 2. not sacrilegiously to forsake the preaching of the Gospel, 3. not to cease public worshipping of God, 4. to use needful pastoral helps for salvation ... / written by Richard Baxter ... ; with some notes on Mr. Joseph Glanviles Zealous and impartial Protestant, and Dr. L. Moulins character.A second true defence of the meer nonconformists against the untrue accusations, reasonings, and history of Dr. Edward Stillingfleet ... clearly proving that it is (not sin but) duty 1. not wilfully to commit the many sins of conformity, 2. not sacrilegiously to forsake the preaching of the Gospel, 3. not to cease publick worshipping of God, 4. to use needful pastoral helps for salvation ... / written by Richard Baxter ... ; with some notes on Mr. Joseph Glanviles Zealous and impartial Protestant, and Dr. L. Moulins character.
London: printed for Nevil Simons, 1681
AN ANSWER TO Dean STILINGFLEETS, &c. › Chapter 2: Some Animadversions on his Preface.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
19. It is a work of reverence to speak to the King; yet as it is lawful to write a Petition to him, so to speak to him without Book. Judges have serious work to do, for estate and life, and yet they are trusted to speak without prescribed words; and so are Advocates, Lawyers, Ambassadors, Physicians, Philosophers, and all men in their Professions, except Ministers and Christians, as such.
20. We know not why men may not be entrusted to speak to God in the name of imperfect man without imposed books and words, as well as to speak to man from the most perfect God and in his name; in preaching. Mans actions will be like man. Nothing that is not divine and spiritual should be spoken as from God and in his name. And as after our frustrated Treaty for Concord 1661. one of them (nameless) wrote a Book against free praying without an imposed form in the Pulpit, and yet they never durst forbid it to this day; so I know who showed his desire of a new Book of Homilies (of his own making its like) to have been imposed instead of preaching, and of the old ones, on those that had not special license to preach. But interest ruleth the world: They durst not so far disgrace their Clergy, as to make them mere Readers, nor lose the advantage of talking out of the Pulpit for their Cause, where none must contradict them.
20. We know not why men may not be intrusted to speak to God in the name of imperfect man without imposed books and words, as well as to speak to man from the most perfect God and in his name; in preaching. Mans actions will be like man. Nothing that is not divine and spiritual should be spoken as from God and in his name. And as after our frustrated Treaty for Concord 1661. one of them (nameless) wrote a Book against free praying without an imposed form in the Pulpit, and yet they never durst forbid it to this day; so I know who shewed his desire of a new Book of Homilies (of his own making its like) to have been imposed instead of preaching, and of the old ones, on those that had not special license to preach. But interest ruleth the world: They durst not so far disgrace their Clergy, as to make them meer Readers, nor lose the advantage of talking out of the Pulpit for their Cause, where none must contradict them.