The second part of The nonconformists plea for peace being an account of their…

33. Nor can we think that it is any real disgrace to Christianity, Religiousness or the Scriptures, that men are so faulty and of so many minds, any more than it is a disgrace to Health that men are sick, or to food that some are weak, or to wisdom that most have little of it; or to a Schoolmaster, that his Scholars have defects, and various degrees of knowledge and apprehension. And if we would concur with them that hence argue against the common use of Scripture and Religion, because men abuse them, or imperfectly receive them, we must much more condemn humane Reason it self, and wish that all the world were beasts; because there is nothing so troubleth the peace of Church and State, nothing so much causeth rebellions, treasons, contentions, injustice, and all the villainy of the world, as imperfect and abused Reason. ⟨p. 199⟩But we know that nothing in all the world is so contrary to Rebellion, Pride, Contention, and all sin, as Christ and Religion and the holy Scriptures: and that if men be bad, it is not because they have too much Religion or holiness, but because they have name, or else too little; And that it is more and not less that must cure them, if ever they be cured.

33. Nor can we think that it is any real disgrace to Christianity, Religiousness or the Scriptures, that men are so faulty and of so many minds, any more than it is a disgrace to Health that men are sick, or to food that some are weak, or to wisdom that most have little of it; or to a Schoolmaster, that his Scholars have defects, and various degrees of knowledge and apprehension. And if we would concur with them that hence argue against the common use of Scripture and Religion, because men abuse them, or imperfectly receive them, we must much more condemn humane Reason it self, and wish that all the world were beasts; because there is nothing so troubleth the peace of Church and State, nothing so much causeth rebellions, treasons, contentions, injustice, and all the villany of the world, as imperfect and abused Reason. ⟨p. 199⟩But we know that nothing in all the world is so contrary to Rebellion, Pride, Contention, and all sin, as Christ and Religion and the holy Scriptures: and that if men be bad, it is not because they have too much Religion or holiness, but because they have name, or else too little; And that it is more and not less that must cure them, if ever they be cured.