Doddridge Practical Writers 2

§13 I now call your attention, in the Second place, to the Nonconformists of the last age; that is, those who wrote before 1700.

§14(John) Owen and (Thomas) Goodwin. Both highly evangelical but both very obscure, especially the latter. Owen's style resembles St Paul's. There is great zeal and much knowledge of human life discovered in all his works, especially in his book on Apostasy. Dr Wright seems to have taken many things from hence in his Deceitfulness of Sin. That on the Hebrews is his great work. The Means of understanding the Mind of God in the Scriptures is one of his best. Those on Communion with God and on the Person of Christ most celebrated. His Exposition of the 130th Psalm is most excellent. His discourses of Indwelling Sin, Spiritual Mindedness and Mortification of Sin in Believers show great improvement in practical religion. Goodwin's pieces published in his lifetime are the most valuable. In them there are many accurate and valuable remarks on Scripture. His Child of Light walking in Darkness is very useful for afflicted consciences - many uncommon thoughts.

§15(Richard) Baxter He is inaccurate because he had no regular education and always wrote in haste, as in the views of eternity; but generally judicious, nervous, spiritual and evangelical, though often charged with the contrary. He discovers a manly eloquence and the most evident proofs of an amazing genius; with respect to which he may not improperly be called "The English Demosthenes". His works are very proper for conviction. See his Saint's Rest, all his treatises on conversion, especially his Call to the Unconverted, Divine Life, Counsel to young Men. Few were ever instrumental of awakening more souls.

§16(Thomas) Manton Plain, easy and unaffected. His thoughts are generally well digested but there is seldom anything extraordinary. He has many judicious remarks on scripture. His chief work is on the 119th Psalm. Many of his posthumous sermons are of little value.

§17(William) Bates Charming and elegant yet his style not formed. His sentences are too short; his words, however, are very polite. Admirable similes, only too many of them - proper to be quoted by those whose genius does not lead in this way. Read his Harmony of the Divine Attributes, Spiritual Perfections and Four Last Things. He was well acquainted with poetry and the belles lettres, n admirer as well as imitator of (Abraham) Cowley.
§18(John) Howe He seems to have understood the gospel as well as any uninspired writer and to have imbibed as much of its spirit. The truest sublime is to be found in his writings and some of the strongest pathos, yet he is often obscure and generally harsh. He has unhappily imitated the worst part of (Robert) Boyle's style. He has a vast variety of uncommon thoughts and, on the whole, is one of the most valuable writers in our language, and I believe, in the world. His best pieces are, The Blessedness of the Righteous, Enmity and Reconciliation, Redeemer's Tears and The Redeemer's Dominion; with some Funeral Sermons.

§19(john) Flavel. Not deep nor remarkably judicious but plain, popular, tender. Proper to address afflicted cases and melt the soul into love. His Token for Mourners is inimitable; his Fountain of Life very useful and most of the subjects proper to be preached over on Sacrament-days. Allusions to Pagan stories both in him and Bates are entertaining and useful.

§20(Stephen) Charnock Celebrated by some as a polite writer but chiefly by those who are not true judges of politeness. He has some fine words but no cadence; which is also the fault of Bates. His divisions are too numerous; his thoughts are often obscure and in disorder; no clear and distinct ideas in many of the differences he makes. Yet he has some very valuable things. On the Attributes he is deep and sublime. His book on Regeneration is much applauded, though much inferior to Baxter, Alleine, and Wright.
§21(Nathaniel) Taylor The Dissenting (Robert) South. There is vast wit and great strength of expression in all he wrote, yet apt to aggravate matters a little too much. His language is remarkably proper and beautiful. His best pieces are his discourses on Faith, Deism and the Covenant. He wrote but little more than these. All deserve reading.