A26865:456
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.
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.
3. I doubt also that their converse hath been more at the Universities, and with Scholars, and with the richer and well-bred sort of persons, besides those Sectaries, than with Ploughmen and other of the lower rank; and therefore that they are strangers to the condition of the vulgar, which faithful Country Ministers know, whose work hath been to Catechise them, and personally instruct them.
3. I doubt also that their converse hath been more at the Universities, and with Scholars, and with the richer and well-bred sort of persons, besides those Sectaries, than with Plowmen and other of the lower rank; and therefore that they are strangers to the condition of the vulgar, which faithful Country Ministers know, whose work hath been to Catechise them, and personally instruct them.