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

2. It is not impossible that some will judge him too impudent and unworthy in branding Persons with such ungrateful Characters, as do so evidently expose the Memory of the Dead and Living, or their Posterity, and intimate to disgrace. But (1.) Matters of Fact notoriously known are speaking things themselves: and their Approbation or Dislike from others should be as Public as the Things themselves. Matters of Public Evidence and Influence are as the Test of Public Sentiments, and of the prevailing temper of those Communities wherein such things were done. And can Civilities of Conversation, or Interest, or Personal Respects and Tenderness, be an Equivalent with God, to what is expected by him from Bodies Politic, or from his faithful Servants in them. (2.) The Author blames himself as freely, and as publicly confesseth, and blames his own Miscarriages, as he doth any other. (3.) He spares no Man nor Party, which he saw culpable, and verily thought reprovable on just grounds. Nor is he sparing of fit Commendations, nor of moderating his Reprehensions, where he saw the Case would bear it. (4.) He was far from Partiality, and addictedness to any Party. Good and Evil, Truth and Falsehood, Faithfulness and Perfidiousness, Wisdom and Folly, Considerateness and Temerity, &c. they were respectively commended or dispraised wherever they were found. (5.) Though Oliver Cromwell, once Protector, Dr. Owen, and others, seem to be sharply censured by him, in the thoughts of those that valued them; yet let the assigned Reasons be considered by the Reader, and let him fairly try his own strength in either disproving the Matters of Fact, and so impeach the Truth of the History: or in justifying what was done, and so implead the Criminal Charge; or in allaying the Censure by weighing well how much of their reported or arraigned Miscarriages may and ought to be ascribed to mere Infirmity or Mistake; or by preponderating their censured Crimes, with other worthy Deeds and Characters, justly challenging Commendations.

2. It is not impossible that some will judge him too impudent and unworthy in branding Persons with such ungrateful Characters, as do so evidently expose the Memory of the Dead and Living, or their Posterity, and intimate to disgrace. But (1.) Matters of Fact notoriously known are speaking things themselves: and their Approbation or Dislike from others should be as Publick as the Things themselves. Matters of Publick Evidence and Influence are as the Test of Publick Sentiments, and of the prevailing temper of those Communities wherein such things were done. And can Civilities of Conversation, or Interest, or Personal Respects and Tenderness, be an Equivalent with God, to what is expected by him from Bodies Politick, or from his faithful Servants in them. (2.) The Author blames himself as freely, and as publickly confesseth, and blames his own Miscarriages, as he doth any other. (3.) He spares no Man nor Party, which he saw culpable, and verily thought reproveable on just grounds. Nor is he sparing of fit Commendations, nor of moderating his Reprehensions, where he saw the Case would bear it. (4.) He was far from Partiality, and addictedness to any Party. Good and Evil, Truth and Falshood, Faithfulness and Persidiousness, Wisdom and Folly, Considerateness and Temerity, &c. they were respectively commended or dispraised wherever they were found. (5.) Though Oliver Cromwell, once Protector, Dr. Owen, and others, seem to be sharply censur'd by him, in the thoughts of those that valued them; yet let the assigned Reasons be considered by the Reader, and let him fairly try his own strength in either disproving the Matters of Fact, and so impeach the Truth of the History: or in justifying what was done, and so implead the Criminal Charge; or in allaying the Censure by weighing well how much of their reported or arraigned Miscarriages may and ought to be ascribed to meer Infirmity or Mistake; or by preponderating their censured Crimes, with other worthy Deeds and Characters, justly challenging Commendations.