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…

Sect. 24. p. 126. But (saith he,) How shall a man escape being thought Heretical by the people. Answ. 1. See his own answer here, Chap. 1. 2. How shall one get all the world to be wise and good? If I knew, I cannot procure it. But put the case within your sight? How will you escape being judged no rightful Possessor of your Deanery, or Prebend, or the King's Chaplains place, or the Parish Church of St. Andrews? I know not how: And yet if an Usurper accuse you here, and say e. g. that the Church of St. Andrews is his and not yours, must not the people judge which of you they will take for the Usurper, and which they will join with and obey? In the times of Usurpation, many of the people judged the Bishops to be none of their Pastors, nor the ejected Ministers; must not the rest therefore judge that they were? Where Usurpers deny the King's Right, ought not the people to judge him to have right, because they may err? and what Prince or Prelate may not the people judge Usurpers? What Landlord may not the Tenants deny? What Master the Servants? What Husband the Wife? But must they not therefore be discerning Judges, who is their Landlord, Master, Husband, What Schoolmaster may not unlearned men miscensure? What Physician may they not vilify? And yet they shall judge and choose for themselves, and speed accordingly, who can help it? deny men a judgment of discretion to guide their own choice and actions, and you contradict mankind, and deny men to be men. What in the world is more abused than Reason and Freewill? and yet men must act by Reason and Freewill. It's unworthy a Divine to cry out against a thing for such unavoidable Inconveniences, as humane darkness and badness do necessitate, and to swallow Camels on the other side and take no notice of the mischiefs thereof▪ nor once to tell us how to escape both.

Sect. 24. p. 126. But (saith he,) How shall a man escape being thought Heretical by the people. Answ. 1. See his own answer here, Chap. 1. 2. How shall one get all the world to be wise and good? If I knew, I cannot procure it. But put the case within your sight? How will you escape being judged no rightful Possessor of your Deanry, or Prebend, or the King's Chaplains place, or the Parish Church of St. Andrews? I know not how: And yet if an Usurper accuse you here, and say e. g. that the Church of St. Andrews is his and not yours, must not the people judge which of you they will take for the Usurper, and which they will joyn with and obey? In the times of Usurpation, many of the people judged the Bishops to be none of their Pastors, nor the ejected Ministers; must not the rest therefore judge that they were? Where Usurpers deny the King's Right, ought not the people to judge him to have right, because they may err? and what Prince or Prelate may not the people judge Usurpers? What Landlord may not the Tenants deny? What Master the Servants? What Husband the Wife? But must they not therefore be discerning Judges, who is their Landlord, Master, Husband, What Schoolmaster may not unlearned men miscensure? What Physician may they not vilisie? And yet they shall judge and choose for themselves, and speed accordingly, who can help it? deny men a judgment of discretion to guide their own choice and actions, and you contradict mankind, and deny men to be men. What in the world is more abused than Reason and Freewill? and yet men must act by Reason and Freewil. It's unworthy a Divine to cry out against a thing for such unavoidable Inconveniences, as humane darkness and badness do necessitate, and to swallow Camels on the other side and take no notice of the mischiess thereof nor once to tell us how to escape both.