Reliquiæ Baxterianæ, or, Mr. Richard Baxters narrative of the most memorable passages of his…

But especially I told him, that the Number of the Ignorant and Scandalous was so great, which the Diocesan Party would restore and set up, and the Number of the godly learned able Ministers so great which they would cast out and silence, that we looked on it as the ruin of the Church: that we had not any Animosity against them; that we desired no Man should be hindered in his Ministry for any thing he had done in the Wars against the Parliament: But we desired that the People might have faithful Pastors, and not drunken ignorant Readers, as he knew in this Country they had had: And that every ceremonial. Difference might not again be thought a sufficient Reason to cast out hundreds of the ablest Men, and put in such insufficient Persons in their steads: Persecution and the Ruin of the Ministry and Churches were expected by most, if Prelacy got up again; and if such leading Men as Dr. Hammond would but beforehand come to Terms of some Moderation, and promise to endeavour faithfully to bring things to that pass as now should be thought indifferent, it would greatly facilitate Mens Conjunction against the turbulent Sectaries and Soldiers. I told him he had long lived here among us, and saw the worst of us; he saw that our private Meetings were only in due Subordination to the Public, and that they were only spent in such Actions as every Christian might do (to repeat a Sermon, and Pray, and propose his Doubts to his Pastor, and sing Psalms) and not to any Faction or Sedition; and that we had not a Sectary in the Town, but were all of a Mind, and walked in Humility, and Blamelessness, and Charity toward all; all which he did freely acknowledge; and I asked him then, whether he thought we were fit to be endured or to be supperest? And whether it were not hard that Men who had prevailed in Arms (as the Parliaments past had done) should beg but for Liberty to live quietly by them, or those that were now kept under, and not obtain it. But we cared little for this as it is our own Interest, so that the Souls of Men, (even ⟨p. 208⟩Thousands in all Countries) might not be injured and undone by an ignorant vicious persecuting Ministry.

But especially I told him, that the Number of the Ignorant and Scandalous was so great, which the Diocesane Party would restore and set up, and the Number of the godly learned able Ministers so great which they would cast out and silence, that we look'd on it as the ruine of the Church: that we had not any Animosity against them; that we desired no Man should be hindred in his Ministry for any thing he had done in the Wars against the Parliament: But we desired that the People might have faithful Pastors, and not drunken ignorant Readers, as he knew in this Country they had had: And that every ceremonial. Difference might not again be thought a sufficient Reason to cast out hundreds of the ablest Men, and put in such insufficient Persons in their steads: Persecution and the Ruine of the Ministry and Churches were expected by most, if Prelacie got up again; and if such leading Men as Dr. Hammond would but beforehand come to Terms of some Moderation, and promise to endeavour faithfully to bring things to that pass as now should be thought indifferent, it would greatly facilitate Mens Conjunction against the turbulent Sectaries and Souldiers. I told him he had long lived here among us, and saw the worst of us; he saw that our private Meetings were only in due Subordination to the Publick, and that they were only spent in such Actions as every Christian might do (to repeat a Sermon, and Pray, and propose his Doubts to his Pastor, and sing Psalms) and not to any Faction or Sedition; and that we had not a Sectary in the Town, but were all of a Mind, and walked in Humility, and Blamelesness, and Charity toward all; all which he did freely acknowledge; and I asked him then, whether he thought we were fit to be endured or to be supprest? And whether it were not hard that Men who had prevailed in Arms (as the Parliaments past had done) should beg but for Liberty to live quietly by them, or those that were now kept under, and not obtain it. But we cared little for this as it is our own Interest, so that the Souls of Men, (even