A26865:594
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 › Accusation 31
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.
How contemptible doth the Novel Ecclesiastical Politician, and the Debate-maker, among many others render us? And why should not our pride rather incline us to desire the esteem and favour of the Highest, Richest, and most Honourable, than of mean contemned people, and of the greater number than of a few? Honour is in the Honourer, and Laudari a laudatissimis is the ambition of the proud (of which we were as capable as they, but for these and such other differences of mind and life); and unless we must hear with Balaam, [God hath kept thee from honour]. But if the people that so honour us, as to feed our Pride (against such depressions as the frowns of some Superiors, the voluminous, Pulpit and private reproaches and derisions of many that should be better employed, and the debasedness of poverty and long prosecutions) be indeed considerable for number and quality, it seems they see somewhat in those that others abhor and scorn, to make them believe that indeed they are another sort of men, than such would make the world believe they are. And it is to be noted, that the people in question are no strangers to us, either as to our minds, or parts, or practices, being those with whom we converse, and have long conversed; whenas the reproachers, even our Clergy-neighbours, such as this Doctor, are strangers to us, and we to them for ought we know; and though they live near us, converse so little with us, ⟨p. 160⟩that they know us but little (if any whit) more, than men of other Kingdoms (as is fully proved even by their description of our judgments; for we must not think that they knowingly speak falsely).
How contemptible doth the Novel Ecclesiastical Politician, and the Debate-maker, among many others render us? And why should not our pride rather incline us to desire the esteem and favour of the Highest, Richest, and most Honourable, than of mean contemned people, and of the greater number than of a few? Honour is in the Honourer, and Laudari a laudatissimis is the ambition of the proud (of which we were as capable as they, but for these and such other differences of mind and life); and unless we must hear with Balaam, [God hath kept thee from honour]. But if the people that so honour us, as to feed our Pride (against such depressions as the frowns of some Superiors, the voluminous, Pulpit and private reproaches and derisions of many that should be better imployed, and the debasedness of poverty and long prosecutions) be indeed considerable for number and quality, it seems they see somewhat in those that others abhor and scorn, to make them believe that indeed they are another sort of men, than such would make the world believe they are. And it is to be noted, that the people in question are no strangers to us, either as to our minds, or parts, or practices, being those with whom we converse, and have long conversed; whenas the reproachers, even our Clergy-neighbours, such as this Doctor, are strangers to us, and we to them for ought we know; and though they live near us, converse so little with us,