An humble apology for non-conformists with modest and serious reflections on the Friendly debate…

Answ. I deny the Consequence, as the Author of the Debate would, and well might. If a man should argue thus: Mr. White set out a Book of a hundred (which he called) Scandalous Ministers that were ejected by the Parliament: If we grant some of those hundred were scandalous, therefore all that were ejected in those days, were scandalous. Or thus: They say one Wallis of Gloucester published a Book of scandalous words and deeds of perhaps twenty or thirty now Conformable-Ministers; therefore if some of them were guilty, all that conform are faulty in like manner.

Answ. I deny the Consequence, as the Author of the Debate would, and well might. If a man should argue thus: Mr. VVhite set out a Book of a hundred (which he called) Scandalous Ministers that were ejected by the Parliament: If we grant some of those hundred were scandalous, therefore all that were ejected in those dayes, were scandalous. Or thus: They say one Wallis of Gloucester published a Book of scandalous words and deeds of perhaps twenty or thirty now Conformable-Ministers; therefore if some of them were guilty, all that conform are faulty in like manner.

Quest. Is it an argument or evidence of eminent Godliness, and of extraordinary Charity, to charge thousands with Errors or miscarriages of half a dozen or half a score?

Answ. No. God, who is Love it self, would have spared Sodom for the sake of ten righteous persons. And surely our enemies when they are serious and sober, and their passions not predominant, both of old and of late, might find (if they would look about) more than ten righteous persons, godly, meek, modest, charitable and peaceable among the Nonconformists. In the beginning of the Reformation, there were a sort of Anabaptists rose up in Germany, and did horrid things at Munster and elsewhere; was the fault therefore in the Reformation? Although the Papists use to charge it upon the Protestant Religion,