A26865:455
An apology for the nonconformists ministry containing I. the reasons of their preaching, II.…
An apology for the nonconformists ministry containing I. the reasons of their preaching, II. an answer to the accusations urged as reasons for the silencing of about 2000 by Bishop Morley ..., III. reasons proving it the duty and interest of the bishops and conformists to endeavour earnestly their restoration : with a postscript upon oral debates with Mr. H. Dodwell, against his reasons for their silence ... : written in 1668 and 1669, for the most of it, and now published as an addition to the defence against Dr. Stillingfleet, and as an account to the silencers of the reasons of our practice / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for T. Parkhurst and D. Newman, 1681
AN APOLOGY FOR THE SILENCED MINISTERS, Especially for their not cea… › Part › Objection 21
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.
1. As to the men, I judg them to be of more than ordinary parts, as to Ratiocination and expression; and had they with humility, patience and impartiality taken but a dozen or twenty years more time to have furnished their minds according to their capacity, before they had permitted themselves with so great confidence to say what they have said, I believe they would have been as excellent persons as most ages have produced. But they have put off the habit of little children too soon.
1. As to the men, I judg them to be of more than ordinary parts, as to Ratiocination and expression; and had they with humility, patience and impartiality taken but a dozen or twenty years more time to have furnished their minds according to their capacity, before they had permitted themselves with so great considence to say what they have said, I believe they would have been as excellent persons as most ages have produced. But they have put off the habit of little children too soon.
2. I imagine by their writings, that they have been unhappy in their converse and acquaintance; and that they have had more to do with Sectaries, and weak women and boys, and the weaker sort of serious Christians among those called Puritans, than with the sober understanding sort; and so judg of the party by such as they have been acquainted with. For most of the weak expressions and passages which they fill their Books with, I have heard from some Sectaries, or true Fanatics, and from some weak women and ignorant persons, but never from the grave and sober sort of Nonconformists. Nor have I used to converse with many of the Laity, that talk at so low a rate, as they feigned them to talk.
2. I imagin by their writings, that they have been unhappy in their converse and acquaintance; and that they have had more to do with Sectaries, and weak women and boys, and the weaker sort of serious Christians among those called Puritans, than with the sober understanding sort; and so judg of the party by such as they have been acquainted with. For most of the weak expressions and passages which they fill their Books with, I have heard from some Sectaries, or true Fanaticks, and from some weak women and ignorant persons, but never from the grave and sober sort of Nonconformists. Nor have I used to converse with many of the Laity, that talk at so low a rate, as they feigned them to talk.