the enclosed wishing I knew how to requite your Love and answer that Favour I found with you in your large Letter which is not in vain to us-ward but of much use the Lord requite your Labour of Love I only redouble my Request for an Interest in your Prayers that God would deliver my dear Husband from all his Fears and guide him by his Light our God will hear who keepeth Covenant and Mercy for ever with those that fear him I rest SIR Your Sister and Lover in our Lord Jesus B. L. Sept. 20. 1658. For Mr. Rich. Baxter Minister at Kidderminster Dear Brother AS sure as Love is a Fruit of the Spirit the Character of a Saint yea the more excellent way and as terminated on him whom we love in the Saints is the most high and noble Grace as being the Beginning and End the Spring of all other Holy Affections and Actions and the enjoyning Act that 's next our End so far is that State to you a growing State in which you increase in Holy Love and so sure was that a declining State in which your Charity was streightned and diminished and as sure is that Doctrine of Christ that leadeth to an universal Love of Saints and that against Christ which is against it It is not the least Grief of my own Soul that in the eager Defence of that which still I judge to be the Truth I have done any thing prejudicial to my own or Brethrens Charity Upon perusal I now find that many of my Speeches in my Book of Infant Baptism have been too provoking of which I heartily repent though I dare not of the Doctrine The Frame of our Affections doth much advantage or disadvantage our Judgments and Experience is a help to both This I perceive you have found as well as I All Holy Truths must be entertained with mixt Affections with Sorrow for any thing that we have done against them and with Love and Joy and Gratitude to the bountiful Revealer of them These that you here enumerate as revealed to you are very weighty because of such a practical Nature and publick use and Ergo you must be true to them and use them accordingly they are such as leave no room for Doubting as bearing their Testimony so legible in their Forehead This being concluded that they are certain Truths it may much help you to judge of your following Troubles I shall reduce all that I have to say for Resolution to these Propositions 1. The Word of God and not the Troubles of your own Spirit is the standing Rule by which you must judge of Duty and Sin You cannot know either by your Troubles immediately but as they awaken or help you to understand that Word 2. It is Ergo most certain that none of your Troubles should in the least measure move you from the certain Truths which by the Light of this Word hath been made known to you All the Troubles in the World will not alter Scripture and make Truth to be no Truth You must not once offer to try Scripture Truths by your Feelings but your Feelings by these Truths 3. You must therefore first see whether you obey the Truth revealed to you which plainly requireth you first to manifest Repentance for so much breach of Truth or Unity or Chrity as you have seen your self Guilty of 2. And to be Guilty of the same no more Now whether you live in that Sin or out of it I leave to you to judge And no doubt but it is your Duty to do your utmost to draw all those out of it whom you have encouraged in it and as many more as you can There are but these two Questions then before you What is the Cause of your Trouble and how you should dispose of your self for the future And to the first I answer in this fourth Proposition Though we know in general that Sin is the deserving Cause and God's Wisdom and Love the disposing Cause yet it is not easy to find out the particular Sins nor the particular Design of Love but the former is the more easy by the help of Scripture which sheweth us our Sin more fully than God's future intended Works 5. But as it is certain that no Providence is to be interpreted against a Precept so as far as I can conjecture at this distance your Trouble is most likely to arise from these connexed Causes 1. From some Melancholy that hath got Advantage of your Head by the Thoughtfulness Perplexity and the first actual Disquietments 2. From Satans Temptations working on this Advantage but of the first I am no competent Judge because distant But I strongly suspect it by long Experience in Multitudes of that Distemper who few of them will believe that they have it themselves But of the second I am more confident Satan cannot trouble us when he will but 1. When Sin hath procured him a Permission and 2. When some Melancholy or Disquietments have given him an Advantage I have met with few Persons that ever fell into any Calamity by Sin but Satan did very much trouble them when they attempted the means of their Recovery The Disquietments and Horrors that seize upon most ungodly Persons when they are about coming home by Christ may be from God principally but from Satan as the Instrument of his Wrath and as permitted to try them Whenever any escape any notable Snare of Satan in State or Fact usually Satan roareth and rageth to hinder them if posible till the escape is made and then God meeteth them with further Eight and Love Pharaoh follows them into the Red Sea and God receives them and puts a Song of Praise into their Mouths on the dry Land But this first Question is not such as you need much to stick at You may easily see for what Sin its like you should have this Affliction or if you could not after a faithful Search get rid of all and sweep as clean as possibly you can and then you will remove that Sin with the rest The resolving of the next Question is your principal Business which is to know now where your Duty lyeth for the time to come For when once you are setled in the way of Duty Peace will return and the dark Face of your now disconsolate Soul be cleared up unless any deep Melancholy or unusual Providence should continue your Trouble and indeed it is not very easy to see the way of your Duty to the end but part of it is very easy 1. That you should obey the Light that God hath manifested to you and help to communicate Catholick Principles and Affections to all your People to the utmost of your Power this is certain and do all that you are able to cure uncharitable dividing Principles or Dispositions 2. That you may not live in a Practice contrary to your Doctrine is as plain and Ergo may not be guilty of continuing a divided Church though you may prudently observe the
to Troas Acts 20. he and all his Company are admitted among the Disciples in breaking Bread and that not as Members of any particular Church but as Christians Some Christians are lawfully excused and necessarily deprived of stated Church-Membership in a particular Church as Princes Ambassadors that may spend their Lives in motion and action in several places c. And shall all these Christians be deprived of actual Communion Sacraments c. in the Places where they come because they are uncapable of any fixed station Yea when perhaps it may be the Work or Cause of God that is the Cause of their unsettledness 10. Dare you undertake to exempt all but those that you judge Baptized from the frequent Precepts of knowing those that are over them in the Lord and submitting themselves and esteeming them highly in love for their work sake and being at peace among themselves 1 Thess. 5. 12 13. and from giving double honour to the Elders 1 Tim. 5. 17. and obeying those that rule over them c. Hebr. 13. 7 17. All Christians that have opportunity are bound to submit to and obey their Guides and Pastors and that cannot be statedly but in a particular Church And then if you look to the beneficial part it 's plain that when Christ ascended up on high and gave gifts to men it was for the perfecting of the Saints and the work of the Ministry and edifying of the Body of Christ even that Pastors and Teachers were given till we all come in the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect Man Ephes. 4. 9 11 12 13. And will you exclude twenty if not five hundred parts of the Church from this all this benefit of Pastors and Teachers when Christ provided them for all Consider what you do 11. The Unity of the Catholick Body and their commanded correspondency requireth a Fellowship with all the Parts according to opportunity From Christ the whole Body fitly joyned together or jointed which is by Officers Order and Love and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part when you exclude a hundred or many hundred parts from their Communion maketh increase of the Body to the edifying of it self in love not only secret unknown love but love appearing in Communion Ephes. 4. 16. 12. Excommunication out of particular Church-Communion in instituted Ordinances is a grievous Censure and never inflicted on the holy Servants of Christ that never wilfully resist or reject his Truth or Precepts No nor on Offenders but for impenitency or grievous Crimes Durst you Excommunicate me out of your Church if I were in it and professing my owning of Baptism and my hearty longing to know and obey the will of Christ. There is many an honest humble Christian in this Town that I conjecture you may know and deal for that if you should cast out on such an account I am confident infinite Love would be offended with you and say you have toucht the Apple of mine Eye Inasmuch as you cast out these my Members you did that which was too like casting out me And sure you must cast them out upon your grounds if they were in your Church because you judge them uncapable of a station and communion with you and judge your selves bound to separate from such 13. You seem to exalt an outward Act even when the heart disclaims it before a heart that is right with God without the Act. For if you had one twice or thrice Baptized in your Church that afterward disclaimed it and owned none but his Infant Baptism what would you do with this Man If you would retain him you would lay more stress on a disclaimed outward Action than on the Life of Grace If you would reject him then it seems you judge not the Baptism and Entrance which you suppose right to be enough in Fact and Existence but you think a belief of its Necessity necessary and so you put it among the Credenda and not the Agenda only when it was never in the Churches Creed For if it be a necessary Article of Faith they must perish that reject it 14. Paul and other Penmen of the Scripture telling us of many greater Errours than the thing you oppose doth not require an avoiding of the Communion of the Erroneous yea commandeth us to receive them that are weak in the faith but not to doubtful Disputations Rom. 14. 10. and dare you reject a strong Believer upon a doubtful Disputation 15. Search observe and judge whether the abundant earnest Precepts for Special Love and Company and Endearedness of Saints as Saints I could soon fill a Sheet with pertinent Citations will possibly consist with your rejecting them from special Communion and Separating from them Is this the appearance of your honouring them that fear the Lord Psal. 15. and your Loving the Brethren and that with a pure heart fervently Can all Men know you by this to be Christ's Disciples Communion is but the expression of this special Love and holy Improvement of each other for God and our mutual Benefit As he contradicts himself that saith He loveth God and hateth his Brother so doth he that saith he loveth his Brother and yet separateth from him or rejecteth him and most such on Earth for an unavoidable infirmity If you that are strong or think so are bound to bear the Infirmities of the weak then not to Excommunicate them Rom. 15. 1. Though this Body hath some Parts which we think less honourable yet must there be no Schism in it but the Members must have the same care one of another as Suffering being honoured and rejoycing together 1 Cor. 12. 24 25 26. nor must one part say to another I have no need of thee nor cut it off from the Communion of the Body The general command of Love Company Familiarity Edifying and Admonishing one another comprehends the Means in which this Communion must be held or will not be fulfilled in rejecting such Persons 16. When you are in doubt between two Difficulties the clearest and greatest Truth should prevail against the less But much more when on one side there is great weight and no difficulty and on the other much difficulty and far less weight the uncertain smaller Point should give place to the greater and more certain But it is of clearest certainty and greatest weight that we dearly love the Saints as Saints and use them as Saints and have Communion with them as Saints But you are not so sure that you must not reject almost all the Saints on Earth for want of your season of Baptism nor hath God laid weight by Promise upon such a Duty or by a Threatning driven you to it but contrarily condemned it as a sin 17. Doth not your Cause plainly bear an Image contrary to that of God Love is likest him that is Love Charity covereth infirmities and thinketh no evil and
vain If they do then they prove the Duty if not the Necessity of Infant Baptism 3. Ceremonies have not so much laid on them under the Gospel as under the Law Mercy before Sacrifice is the Gospel Canon Ad 2 m 2. That Command Matth. 28. commandeth the baptizing of Disciples I doubt not but it commandeth thereby the baptizing of Infants who are Disciples and made Disciples while proselyted Parents enter them into the Covenant of God according to his express unrepealed Law and Promise 2. But suppose it did not command Infant-Baptism nay suppose it had consequentially forbidden it it proves no more than that it is a sin not a nullity 3. But suppose it had made it a Nullity how are you guilty of other mens omission of Baptism by holding Communion with them when you may at your Enterance declare your dissent from them in that point Your Argument would lead you to avoid Communion with all Churches in the World even the re-baptized that held not all that you take to be the Institutions of Christ because you are bound to hold them But when you have leave to do your own Duty if you will shun all that you think do not theirs you will abhor Catholicism Ad 3 m 1. As to Iohn 3. 5. doubtless that Text speaks of more than the visible Church even the Mystical and the Triumphant And therefore if you will from thence exclude Infants from Baptism and the visible Church you must needs shut them all out of Heaven but Christo dissentiente you shall have none of Christ's consent 2. It is both Water as the sign and the holy Covenant and Cleansing of the Soul as the thing signified that are convincingly meant in the Text. But how one only as a sign and the other as the thing signified and therefore not as equally necessary in point of means though equally commanded Alas how easily understand we such Speeches among Men. If a General say to the Rebels I will spare none of you that will not come and list himself under me every Body will understand that becoming a Soldier and the Military Engagement or Sacrament as the Oath was anciently called is the thing here signified to be absolutely necessary and the Listing or Colours but as a sign for Order and in Cases of Necessity dispensable and regarded but in order unto the thing signified Your Arguments from personal Inconveniencies are none Ad 1 m 1. Do not you startle to hear the Catholick Church called the World and a retirement into its Communion called a Returning to the World I have read Come out from among them that is the World but not Come out of the Catholick Church 2. And do you not startle to hear them call their way Strictness and the other Loosness If they mean a sinful strictness so every Vice or many may have a strictness Malice hath a strictness and Covetousness and Oppression hath a strictness and Superstition hath a strictness But if they mean it of a holy strictness are not they the strictest that are likest to Christ and most conformable to his Will and most accurate in their Obedience And is not Love the new and great Commandment Are not your People loose that are so far from holy Love and Catholick Communion God is Love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God They are strict then in opposing God and the Unity or sweet Communion of the Members of the Lord. Is it an honour to be strict Sinners and Destroyers of the Church and Holy Love Let some take heed least they be too strict to come into Heaven among so many Millions of Souls that never owned any but Infant Baptism which is I think since Christ many hundred to one that is there that never were against Infant Baptism whether do you think Christ or the Phaâ—isees were the stricter when they condemned him for eating with Publicans and Sinners and his Disciples for breaking the ears of Corn and him for Sabbath-breaking c. Sure he more accurately observed his Father's will even the blessed Rule of Love and Mercy though they were more superstitious and strict was it the weak or the strong Christians Rom. 14. 15. that were the stricter about meats and drinks and days The weak superstitiously but the strong did more strictly adhere to the Law of Christ. Do you think that Man that shall say Christ died but for half the Saints themselves to be ever the better for that strict Opinion If you are for such forbidden strictness of Practice why do you not answer it in your Opinions about Grace c. 2. You have cause to be much humbled before the Lord for bringing your People into this Snare and Misconceit and ergo should not be guilty of continuing them in it nor make the fruit of your Sin an Argument to go on Impenitently 3. So great a Truth and Duty as Christian Catholick Love and Communion is not to be bawked for fear of danger Tell you of it plainly and trust God with the Issue It 's doubt those that will turn Quakers that is Infidels or near rather than be reduced to Catholick Love and Communion are never like to come to good if you keep them where they are It 's a fearful thing that any Man should think the better of his Spiritual state because he flieth furthest from the Catholick Love and Communion of Saints that is from the Church from Christ from God from Heaven Ad 2 m Your Communion with differing Saints is not a sinning against your Opinion about Baptism nor a leaving your station You may own your way and yet own Catholick Communion Dear Brother I think the Lord of Love and Peace is laying hands on you and will have you away out of your dangerous Schisms into the Paths of Love and Peace It is Uncharitableness and Separation that hath made the Rebaptized so odious throughout the World Love breedeth Love as Heat breedeth Heat The Christian Charity that appeareth in your Lives I sensibly feel draws out my own Heart in love to you All God's Saints will love you if you will but turn into the way of Love I hear that the Rebaptized in Ireland that grew to the reputation of Turbulent in their height begin now to be thought more peaceable and tolerable than some others there that being lately in the Saddle possessed their Prosperity and unquietness O! if days of Persecution come it will cut your hearts to think how you have refused Communion with your Brethren in days of Peace If we all lay our Heads and Hearts and Hands together for God's Church and Cause it will be too little My motion to you is That you will joyn with us for a Brotherly Agreement between the Men of your mind and ours The Articles shall be but these three 1. That all that can being satisfied in Conscience with their being Rebaptized shall continue loving Communion in the Church 2. That those that cannot be brought
far meaner thoughts of my own Understanding though I must needs know that it is better furnished than it was them 11. Accordingly I had then a far higher opinion of Learned Persons and Books than I have now for what I wanted my self I thought every Reverend Divine had attained and was familiar acquainted with And what Books I understood not by reason of the strangeness of the Terms or Matter I the moreâ— admired and thought that others understood their worth But now Experience hâ—th constrained me against my will to know that Reverend Learned Men are imperfect and know but little as well as I especially 〈◊〉 that think themselves the wiseâ—â—â— And the better I am acquainted with them the more I perceive that we are all yet in the dark And the 〈◊〉 I am acquainted with holy Men that are all for Heaven and pretend not much to Subtilties the more I value and honour them And when I have studied hard to understand some absâ—ruse admired Book as De Scientia Dei De 〈…〉 Praedeterminatione de Libertâ— to Creature a c. I have but attained the Knowledge of Humane Imperfection and to see that the Author 〈◊〉 but a Man as well as 〈◊〉 12. And at first I tookâ— more upon my Author's Crâ—dit 〈◊〉 now I can doâ— And when an Author was highly commendâ—d to me by 〈◊〉 or pleased me in some part I was ready to entertain the whole whereas now I take and leave in the same Author and dissent in some things fromâ— him that I like best as well as from others 13. At first I was greatly inclined to go with the highest in controversies on one side or other as with Dr. Twisse and Mr. Rutherford and Spanhemiâ—â— de Providentia gratia c. But now I can so easily see what to say against both extreams that I am much more inclinable to reconciling Principles And whereas then I thought that Conciliators were but ignorant men that were willing to please all and would pretend to reconcile the World by Principles which they did not understand themselves I have since perceived that if the amiableness of Peace and Concord had no hand in the business yet greater Light and stronger Judgment usually is with the Reconcilers than with either of the contending Parties as with Davenant Hall Usher Lud. Crocius Bergius Strangius Camero c. But on both accounts their Writings are most acceptable though I know that Moderation may be a pretext of Errors 14. At first the Stile of Authors took as much with me as the Argument and made the Arguments seem more forcible But now I judge not of Truth at all by any such Ornaments or Accidents but by its naked Evidence 15. I now see more Good and more Evil in all Men than heretofore I did I see that Good men are not so good as I once thought they were but have more Imperfections And that nearer approach and fuller trial doth make the best appear more weak and faulty than their Admirers at a distance think And I find that few are so bad as either their malicious Enemies or censorious separating Professors do imagine In some indeed I find that Humane Nature is corrupted into a greater likeness to Devils than I once thought any on Earth had been But even in the wicked usually there is more for grace to make advantage of and more to testifie for God and Holiness than I once believed there had been 16. I less admire Giftes of Utterance and bare Profession of Religion than I once did and have much more Charity for many who by the want of Giâ—ts do make an obscurer Profession than they I once thought that almost all that could pray movingly and fluently and talk well of Religion had been Saints But Experience hath opened to me what odious Crimes may consist with high Profession and I have met with divers obscure Persons not noted for any extraordinary Profession or forwardness in Religion but only to live a quiet blameless Life whom I have after found to have long lived as far as I could discern a truly godly and sanctified Life only their Prayers and Duties were by accident kept secret from other mens observation yet he that upon this preâ—ence would confound the Godly and the Ungodly may as well go about to lay Heaven and Hell together 17. I am not so narrow in my special Love as heretofore Being less censâ—rious and talking more than I did for Saints it must needs follow that I love more â—s Saints than I did before I think it not lawful to put that Man off with bare Church Communion and such common Love which I must allow the Wicked who professeth himself a true Christian by such a Profession as I cannot disprove 18. I am not too narrow in my Principles of Church Communion as once I was I more plainly perceive the difference between the Church as Congregate or visible and as Regenerate or Mystical and between Sincerity and Profession and that a Credible Profession is proof sufficient of a Man's Title to Church Admission and that the Profession is Credible in foro Ecclesiae which is not disproved I am noâ— for narrowing the Church more than Christ himself alloweth us nor for robbing him of any of his Flock I am more sensible how much it is the Will of Christ thâ—â—t every Man be the chooser or refuser of his own felicity and that it liâ—th most on his own hands whether he will have Communion with the Church or not and that if he be an hypocrite it is himself that will bear the loss 19. Yet am I more apprehensive than ever of the great use and need of Ecclesiastical Discipline and what a sin it is in the Pastors of the Church to make no distinction but by bare Names and Sacraments and to force all the unmeet against their own wills to Church Communion and Sacraments though the ignorant and erroneous may sometime be forced to hear instruction And what a great dishonour to Christ it is when the Church shall be as vicious as Pagan and Mahometan Assemblies and shall differ from them only in Ceremony and Name 20. I am much more sensible of the Evil of Schism and of the Separatingâ— Humour and of gathering Parties and making several Sects in the Church than I was heretofore For the Effects have shewed us more of the mischiefs 21. I am much more sensible how prone many young Professors are to Spiritual Pride and Self-conceitedness and Unruliness and Division and so to prove the Grief of their Teachers and Firebrands in the Church and how much of a Minister's work lieth in preventing this and humbling and confirming such young unexperienced Professors and keeping them in order in their progress in Religion 22. Yet am I more sensible of the Sin and Mischief of using Men cruelly in Matters of Religion and of pretending Mens good and the Order of the Church for Acts of Inhumanity or Uncharitableness Such know not
observing or laying to Heart the strict Commands of the Lord herein as if there had been no such Passages in our Bibles But blessed be the Lord that beginneth mightily to awaken the Hearts of his Servants and cause them to observe the Truths which they overlook'd and at last to lay to heart the Duty so much neglected We now hear from many Countries of this Nation the Voice of the Spirit of Peace our Brethren begin to get together and consult of the means of reparing our Breaches and in many Places are associated and though the Work be but beginning and mightily resisted by the Enemies of Holyness and Peace yet are we in great Hopes that these Beginnings do promise more and that God hath not awakened us to this Work in vain And now by the Tidings of your Concord we have received an increase of these our Hopes and Consolations Go on dear Brethren as One in the Centre of Unity and prevail in the Strength of the great Reconciler This is the way that will prevail at last and however it be thought of by others will certainly be comfortable to ourselves in the review when dividing ways will be all disgraced and look with another Face than now they do He that is for Vanity and Love is likest to have his Approbation who is one and who is Love Our Hearts are with you and our Prayers shall be for you that you may abundantly reap the Fruits of Concord in the Conviction of Gain-sayers and the farther Confirmation and Edification of your own Your Motion for a Correspondency we gladly entertain and shall rejoice in the Assistance of your Advice and Prayers and willingly to that end communicate our Affairs We are now upon a joint Agreement to bring all the ancient Persons in our Parishes who will not do it in the Congregation to our Houses on certain Days every Week by turns to be catechised or instructed as shall be most to their Edification A Work that requireth so much unwearied Diligence Self-denial and holy Skill and wherein we are like to meet with so much Resistance and yet doth appear to us of great necessity and use that we earnestly crave your Prayers for such Qualifications and Successes The State of your Affairs we partly understand by the Information of Coll. Bridges We heartily pray the Lord of the Harvest to send forth more Labourers among you and could we contribute any thing to so good a Work we should willingly do it But able Ministers fit for the Work with you are too few and many of them so weak of Body that they are unfit for Travel and most of them so engaged to their Godly People and the People so impatient of a Motion for their remove that the Work will be very hard but we hope to be faithful in our Endeavours whatever be the Success Brethren we crave your Prayers to God that we may be faithful and Successful in his Work as also that Brotherly Correspondency which you motion might abide and we remain Your Brethren in the Faith of Christ Rich. Baxter Teacher of the Church at Kiderminster Jarvis Bryan Teacher of the Church at Old Swinford Henry Oasland Teacher of the Church at Bewdeley Andr. Tristram Teacher of the Church at Clent Tho. Baldwin Minister at Wolverly In the Name of the associated Ministers meeting at Kiderminster August 12. 1655. To the Reverend our much honoured Brother Dr. Winter Pastor of the Church at Dublin to be communicated by him to the associated Churches in Ireland These They wrote us also a Second Letter which I here subjoin Reverend and much valued Brethren YOUR Affectionate Letter in Answer to ours by that Honourable Person we have received and do desire that these Lines may testify our Thankfulness to you for your loving and free Acceptation of our Desires of a Brotherly Correspondency Those Pantings of yours for the Peace and Union of the Saints we doubt not will be to your Comfort at the great Day of your Account God is not unjust to forget your Work and Labour of Love Go on therefore dear Brethren in his Strength whose work it is and of whose Power and Presence you have had so great Experience We trust as our Hearts are with you so our Prayers shall not be wanting for you at the Throne of Grace We thank you for your Ioy at our Association and Success and that we still breath after that happy Work Surely if after our long Experiences of those woful Desolations that Divisions and Dissentions have involved the Saints in our Hearts should not be enlarged after Union and Peace that must repair our Breaches we should have Cause to suspect our Union with and Love to our Head We are not ignorant how much the Self-love and Pride of some and the misguided Zeal of others of approved Sincerity have advanced the Design of the grand Enemy by over eager and unbrotherly Bitterness even in matters circumstantial Neither are we altogether ignorant how subtilly that old Serpent and Deceiver hath laboured by a pretext of Love to swallow up Truth it being for a while the only Cry Love Love yet not the least hint of Truth which had most need of their Charity being miserably torn and mangled To which our Charity leads us to attribute the Praise of many of our Brethren as being unwilling to buy Love with the Loss of Truth It is the Apostles Advice that the Truth should be spoken in Love and that we should contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints But Thanks be to the Lord God of Truth that hath preserved his Darling from the Devourer making the way of Love exceeding aimable because of Truth so that we trust it will not lie untrodden by the Lord's People through circumstantial Differences whilst all hold the Form of wholesom Words considering one another and walking together in what they are agreed and waiting upon the Lord for the revealing of that wherein they differ perfection being reserved for another World That there are any Beginnings and that by you we hear of more we earnestly desire our Hearts may be duly and thankfully affected therewith praying the God of truth and Peace to uphold his Truth and to shower down plentifully the Spirit of Love and Peace that at the Lord is One so his People may be One. Your present Work we are in some measure sensible of its Necessity and Weightiness Wherefore our Prayers shall be for you that the Lord whose Servants ye are and whose work it is would be with you to counsel encourage strengthen and prosper you in it as we crave your daily Prayers for these Infant Churches that our God may vouchsafe his Spirit and Presence to us whose lot is cast in this Wilderness having many Enemies to conflict withal from within as well as without your Advice and brotherly Assistance we request as we shall have Occasion and Opportunity to communicate our Affairs to you Lastly the deep
from their Churches Answ. No but consent to improve the common Truths and perform our Duties even to such as differ from us in this Object 3. There is not one of an hundred of them that will consent to these Terms Answ. If they will not who can help it when we have tried them we have done our Duty and left them without Excuse Object 4. Shall we confess a Schismatical Church for a true Church Answ. Every Schism nulleth not the Church or Ministry that is guilty of it else most of the Churches in the World were nulled If they reject the Essentials of a Church they are none Object 5. Baptism is Essential to a Church The Apostle Heb. 6. 1. putteth it among the Principles Answ. 1. It is only the thing signified by Baptism that is Essential 2. The Apostle calls it a Principle because it is one of the first things taught but not because it is Essential to a Church 3. The Anabaptists have Baptism in their Churches though not of Infants Object 6. To make a League with Schsmaticks is to be guilty of their Schism Answ. True If by that League you own approve or consent to their Schism But not by agreeing with them to perform Common Duties Object 7. They are undermining the Church and Ministry and shall we seek peace with such Answ. 1. Those that we speak of are not such 2. If they were yet it is our Duty to hinder them by agreeing to moderate Ways and Common Duties Object 8. They are guilty of their Infants Damnation as much as in them lyeth by not believing their part in the Covenant nor dedicating them to God Answ. They virtually consent for their Infants in that they would actually do it if they knew the Promise Object 9. They are under God's visible Displeasure Ergo c. Answ. So far as God disowneth them we must do so but no further Object 10. We shall be reproached as complying with them Answ. Slanderous Tongues cannot excuse us from plain Duties Object 11. Those whom we should Excommunicate we may not have Communion with But the Anabaptists should be Excommunicated Ergo c. Answ. I deny the Minor taken of such Anabaptists as we have now in question Object 12. It is a scandalous Sin unrepented of Answ. 1. So is many a greater Errour which Men must not be Excommunicated for 2. It is virtually repented of seeing if they knew the Evil of it they would repent Object 13. You would have a looser Discipline than the Prelates or Papists for they would not Communicate with Anabaptists Answ. 1. I only avoid dividing rigour and cruelty 2. They have Multitudes in their Communion that know not what Baptism is nor to what use nor who Christ is whether God or Man nor many other Fundamentals Ergo Their Discipline is far looser than I desire but too partial also The Anabaptists object We are bound to propagate the Truth and if you will have Communion with us you must be baptized Answ. 1. You are bound to propagate first the greatest Truths that Salvation lyeth on and to do nothing that may hinder this by promoting your own Opinions 2. If you reject Communion with all but Anabaptists you reject all the Church through most Ages of the World And no Church no Christ and no Christ no Christians nor any Salvation 3. Blame us not if we be not easily brought to your Opinion if we had but these Reasons 1. You confess no thanks to you that Infants were once Church-Members by God's appointment and have never yet proved that he cast them out again And we must have good proof of that before we can be satisfied with your way 2. We cannot be hasty to believe an Evil and we know that it is a sad Penal Evil for Infants to be put out of the Church And Ergo we will have proof of it before we believe it 3. It must be no easie matter with us to believe that the Head and Shepherd of the Church hath de facto had a Church of a false Constitution as to the very Materials and Enterance from the beginning to this day except a few within this twenty years that troubled it in a Corner of the World and that now in the end of the World we must expect a right Constitution as if Christ had slept or regarded not his Church or been the Head of a Body which he disowned We cannot hastily believe such things I say again No Church no Christ for No Body no Head And if no Christ then there is no Christ now Take heed therefore how you unâ—Church or difown the whole Church of Christ in the very frame for so many Ages An Offer of Christian fraternal Communion to the Brethren that are against or doubtful about Baptizing Infants of Believers IT is our exceeding Joy that we have all one God one Saviour one Spirit one Faith and one Baptismal Covenant one Rule of Faith and Life one End and Hope and are Members of one Catholick Church and agree about God's Worship in the most and greatest parts And it is our Grief and the Matter of our great Humiliation that we can come no nearer and that by the Remnants of our Differences the Wicked are so hardened the Weak offended our Charity hindered our holy Communion and mutual Edification disturbed our Minds discomposed and the Gospel the Catholick Church and our Saviour dishonoured Lamenting this with the rest of our Unhappiness while we are in the Flesh and absent from the Lord the Centre of Perfect Unity and Concord and knowing it to be our Duty to walk by the same Rule and mind the same things so far as we have attained and being taught of God to love one another and observing how frequently and urgently Brotherly Love and Forbearance and the Unity and Concord of Christians is prest in the holy Scriptures and Uncharitableness and Divisions condemned that as far as may be we may promote our Common Ends of Christianity and with one Mind and Mouth may glorifie God We whose Names are under-written do make this following Offer of Communion 1. To all those that joyn with us in the foregoing Profession of the Christian Faith and have been Baptized since their Infant-Baptism as thinking it unlawful or insufficient we offer free Communion in our particular Churches with leave to Enter your dissent from our Infant-Baptism into the Church-Register or Records so be it you will thence-forth walk in that Love and Holiness and that Obedience to the faithful Overseers of the Flock and that Concord and Brotherly Communion with the Church as is required in the holy Scriptures according to your power and will resist Uncharitableness Discord and Divisions and joyn with us in our Common Work for the Common Ends. 2. To all those that joyn with us in the foregoing Profession of Faith though they have been baptized since their Infant-Baptism or think that Baptism unlawful and dare not hold Local Communion with us in
in Scripture than that Baptism was appointed for our Entrance upon our State of Disciples in general And Ergo if a Man may be a visible Disciple without it where it seemeth most necessary then much more may he be admitted into a particular Church afterward without it when at least it is no more necessary and indeed much less and not at all save only as universal Church-Member this is pre-requisite to particular The Ministers of Christ Baptized 2000 without asking the Consent of any particular Church 2. They that are under both a Precept making the use of instituted Ordinances their Duty and a Promise of Acceptance in the Performance must perform these Duties with belief of their Acceptance But such are these that you account unbaptized Ergo That they are under a Command is plain All the Precepts for Christian Communion and not forsaking the assembling of our selves and obeying those that rule over us c. are made to the whole visible Church that hath Opportunity for such Communion you will not think that our Sin as you take it can except us from an Obligation to Duty But all the Question is whether such Duty will be accepted if performed by the unbaptized as you now suppose them and this you grant professing your self that you are out of doubt that we are very well accepted of God and you think that it is accounted for Baptism to us And if you yield both that we are bound to the Duty and shall have Acceptance in particular Church Communion what is it then besides the regularity that you deny Do you not grant the Cause in Hand And we have many Promises of Acceptance of Believers in their sincere Endeavours and all things are pure to the Pure And if involuntary unavoidable Mistakes shall hinder our Acceptance when we are sincere then we can never be sure that we are accepted 3. It is but visibility that is requisite in a Church or Member to make them capable of our Communion If it be a Communion of Christians as Christians or Saints as Saints that particular Churches are to hold withal that consent and are Members of their Churches then Christianity or visible Sanctity in such Consenters is all that is of Necessity to such Communion But the Antecedent is plain As it is as Christians that we must inwardly love one another so it is as Christians that we must manifest that Love in holy Communion Communion is the Demonstration of Love and all Men must know us to be Christ's Disciples by our loving one another and therefore if any Man be but a visible Christian it 's plain that he 's capable of your Communion if he cohabits and consent else it were not formalitur a Communion of Saints or Christians but of something else Now you confess that Men are visible Christians that are to you unbaptized 4. There is no such thing as a universal visible Church that is not to use Eucharistical Communion nor any parts of it that have opportunity Your similitude of Corporations in a Republick holds in some things but hath this dissimilitude that all Christ's Republick should consist of such Corporations except a Person that is a Merchant Traveller Embassador or by some extraordinary Necessity is denied Opportunity which Rarities are not here of Consideration And whereas in Republicks it may be as commodious for rural Villages to be not incorporate as for Cities to be incorporate and their Priviledges in their Nation may be as great and they are not obliged to incorporate none of this is so in our Case But every visible Christian not hindered by Necessity is bound to incorporate and charged not to forsake the Assemblies but all to join and speak the same things and Glorify God with one Mouth c. And he that is not a visible Christian hath no visible Right to our Christian Communion And he that is a visible Christian and depriveth himself of this Communion sinneth and wrongeth his own Soul and as it were out-laws himself and is not as you suppose in your Comparison of the not-incorporate But though in some Cases such may be saved as deny instituted Communion and Worship or neglect it yet they do so far put themselves into the State of those without 5. Your Opinion sets up a new kind of Church or Christian Assemblies and Communion of such as may only hear and Pray and not have Eucharistical Communion and be under Church-Guidance Shew us any such in Scripture if you can 6. Heathens or Infidels are called to a natural Worship of God Ergo visible Christians are called to more 7. Faith it self hath its Office formally by Institution though its aptitude thereto be in the Nature of the thing And if the Gospel it self be supernatural and our Christianity and Faith an instituted thing as well as Sacrament and Governors and so the universal visible Church an Institution as well as a particular then certainly want of Baptism will no more keep a visible Christian out of the particular instituted Church than out of the universal because as to the Point of Institution there is no such Reason as can make a Difference 8. The great and excellent part of Church Communion is that which you call natural Worship as performed by Believers in the loving God in Christ and admiring and magnifying his Love in the Riches of the Grace of Redemption and seeking with all Saints to comprehend it hearing his Counsels and Commands praying for his Grace and Glory and praising and magnifying him in Faith and Hope and Love with our Eye upon the second Coming of our Lord. And that which you call Instituted Order and Worship is but the means to this and without this but a Shell It is subservient to it And therefore 1. They that are capable of the greater are capable of the less Heathens are bound to meer natural Worship and their Hearing and Praying is another thing and Obligation and Capacity differ 2. They that must do the work must do it in God's way and by his means The great internal Worship is as the Soul and the external as the Body which are to be distinguished but not separated Must one sort of Christians have the Soul of holy Communion without the Body and carry the Knife naked while you deny them the Sheath 9. If a Member of the Universal visible Church as such is pro tempore to be admitted to Communion in all Ordinances with any particular Church where they come then these that you acknowledge such visible Members must by you be so admitted and so are capable of Communion in instituted Ordinances but the Antecedent is true beyond Dispute None of the Apostles were Members of particular Churches but were as Itinerants to do their work in many Countries so was it with abundance of Itinerant Preachers of those times called their Companions and Fellow Labourers and Helpers as Barnabas Luke Mark Silus Timothy Titus Epaphroditus Apollos c. When Paul came
Vera Effigies RICHARDI BAXTERI Ministri Iesu Christi Reliquiae Baxterianae OR Mr. RICHARD BAXTERS NARRATIVE OF The most Memorable Passages OF HIS LIFE AND TIMES Faithfully Publish'd from his own Original Manuscript By MATTHEW SYLVESTER Mihi quidem nulli satis Eruditi videntur quibus nostra ignota sunt Cic. de Finib lib. 1. Quibus ergò rectè dem non praetermittam Sic habeto me cum illo re saepe communicatâ de illius ad te sententiâ atque authoritate Scribere Cic. Epist. 7. ad Lentul Lib. 1. LONDON Printed for T. Parkhurst I. Robinson I. Lawrence and I. Dunton M DC XC VI. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL Sir Henry Ashhurst Bar. SIR I Am not a little sensible of the great Obligations you laid upon the Reverend Author of this following Narrative of which neither was his Sense small 'T is well known to me and others how great a Veneration he had for your deceased Father whom he took to be one of the liveliest Instances and Emblems of Primitive Christianity that ever he was acquainted with Neither am I ignorant of the very great Respects he deservedly bore to your Self and Family The remembrance of your so firm and generous adherence to him in the Day of his Trial and Distress seems to me greatly to justifie your Title to the Dedication of this Account of the Person and Labours which you so greatly valued so publickly own'd He took your resolute Appearance for him as a delightful demonstration of your great Respects to his great Master and for the same Master's sake unto himself He ventur'd his All for God and you expos'd your Self for him to the severely trying Entertainments which he met with in open Court from Men of Place and Figure in that Day wherein their indecent Carriages reflected great Honour both on him and you tho' not a little Disreputation was thereby contracted to themselves Had not the Reverend Author plac'd great Confidence in you so great a Trust as his last Will and Testament repos'd in you had never been your Lot To be Executor to two such Excellent Persons as Mr. Baxter and Mr. Boyle fixes great Honour upon your Name and cannot but raise great Expectations in the World from you of answering that Character which it appears you had obtain'd with two Persons of so great Eminence But Sir Give me leave to tell you that the Eye of God is upon you and that his Claims and Expectations must be answer'd by you Men judge charitably but God judges of us as we are indeed God cannot be deceiv'd Men may Pardon me if I add what he once said to me concerning my own self Sir I think I know you but I am not sure I do The Word came close to me and it may possibly be of use to you it may awaken us both intimately to consider to whose Iudgment we all must stand The Lord fulfil in you and your hopeful Issue all the good pleasure of his Goodness and the Work of Faith Labour of Love and Patience of Hope with power so as to heighten and compleat your Faithfulness and Figure in your Generation This is the Prayer and Hope of Right Worshipful Yours Humbly Thankfully and faithfully in the best Services and fastest Bonds whilst MATT. SYLVESTER THE PREFACE TO THE READER § I. I Am very sensible that this Memorial of Mr. Baxter and his Historical Accounts of the Times which went over him have been long expected and much desired by the World And the greater the impatience the more severely the delay is like to be resented But he that well considers 1. How confusedly a great quantity of loose Papers relating thereunto came into my hands all which were to be sorted and reduced to their proper places 2. How much other work was then incumbent on me 3. How little my indisposed and weak hand can write not an Octavo page in a competently great character in an hour 4. How many uncomfortable Providences have since diverted me and could not but do so 5. How much time the orderly disposal of his bequeathed Library to young poor Students according to his Injunctions on me took up 6. How much time my Ministerial Work required together with the unavoidable removal of my Habitation and Meeting Place and the Setling of my Congregation thereupon He that I say well considers these things and more that I could say were it expedient so long to detain the Reader from the more profitable and delightful Entertainment of the Book it self will at least abate his Censures if not quite lay them by However I must and shall submit my self unto what Constructions the Reader shall think fit to make of my Apology for its delay so long § II. As to the Authour of the ensuing Treatise he appears Par negotio as being very Sagacious Observant Impartial and Faithful The Things here treated on were Things transacted in his day quaeque ipse vidit Et quorum pars magna fuit Much he knew and felt and was himself actively and passively concerned in and the rest he was inquisitive after observant of and acquainted with And being himself an hater of false History he gave the greater heed and diligence to enter into the depths and springs of what was in his day upon the Theatre of Action Much he must be inform'd of by others necessarily and yet he was greatly averse from the reception of things as true upon too loose reports He fanned Intelligence and was not easily imposed upon in things of moment Credulity Rashness Partialicy and Persidiousness Ignorance and Injudiciousness do ill become Historians Quis nescit primam historiae Legem esse me quid falsi dicere audeat deinde ne quid veri non audeat Nequa suspicio gratiae sit in scribendo nequa simultatis Cic. de Orat. lib. II. and he had reason for this thought in that as the Lord Bacon well observes the Examples of our Ancestors the Vicissitudes of Affairs the Grounds of Civil Prudence and Mens Names and Reputations do depend upon the Knowledge the Judiciousness and Faithfulness of Historians Diligent Searches deep and wise Thoughts faithful Representations and Reports with honest Intentions and generous Designs and Aims at Publick Good render Mens Histories of Things and Persons as influential upon others pleasant and advantageous Every one is not fit to tell the World the History of his own Life and Times Who liv'd therein what Post and Station Trust and Business was their assigned Province what Characters they bore through their deportment therein what were the regent Principles the genuine Spirit and main End and Scope of what they did what they pretendedly or really design'd what was the Conduct Tendency and Result of their Consults and Actions wherein they truly failed and how and why Such things as these call for the greatest Clearness Freedom and Sincerity Pains and Judgment and I may add a great Concern for Publick Good which is the loveliest Property and clearest
Conversation amongst all Protestants and upon avoiding Divisions amongst Christ's Followers as that whatever obstructed these Concerns he was impatient of and warm against Truth Peace and Love was he a Votary to and Martyr for and hereunto did he devote most of his Life and Labours Dicam quod res est It is scandalous that there should be Divisions Distances Animosities and Contentions amongst Christians Protestants Dissenters against each other and in the Bowels of each Party But much hereof arises from unhappy Tempers Self-ignorance Confidence and Inobservance want of frequent patient and calm Conference and impartial Debates about things controverted addictedness to Self-Interest and Reputation with our respective Parties impatience of severe Thoughts and Studies and of impartial Consideration before we fix and pass our Judgment taking things too much upon Trust Prejudice against those whose Sentiments are different from our own laying too great a weight upon eccentrical and meaner things prying too boldly into and talking too confidentlyâ— about things unrevealed or but darkly hinted to us in the Sacred Text and representing the Doctrine of our Christianity in our own Artificial Terms and Schemes and so confining the Interest Grace and Heart of God and Christ to our respective Parties as if we had forgot or had never read Rom. 14. 17 19. Acts 10 34 35. Gal. 6. 14 16. and Eph. 4. 1 〈◊〉 That Person whose Thoughts Heart and Life shall meet me in the Spirit and Reach of 2 Pet. I. I II. shall have my hearty Love and Service although he determine never to hear me Preach or to Communicate with me all his days through the Impression of his Education or Acquaintance though at the same time I should be loth that such a narrow Thought should be the Principle Poise and Conduct of my Church Fellowship Spirit or Behaviour God hath I doubt not his eminent and valuable Servants inâ—all Parties and Perswasions amongst Christians An heavenly mind and Life is all in all with me I doubt not but that God hath many precious faithful Ones amongst the Men called Independants Presbyterians â—â—â—nabapâ—ists Prelatical And I humbly judge it reasonable that 1. The Miscarriages of former Parties be not imputed to succeeding Parties who own not nor abet their Principles as productive of such practical Enormities 2. That the Miscarriages of some particular Persons be not charged on the rest until they profess or manifest their Approbation of them 3. That what is repented of and pardoned be not so received as to foment Divisions and Recriminations 4. That my trust from Mr. Baxter and faithfulness to him and to Posterity be not constrâ—ed as the Result of any Spleen in me against any Person or Party mentioned in this following History 5. And that we all value that in one another which God thinks lovely where he forms and finds it And 6. O Utinam that we form no other Test and Canon of Christian Orthodoxy and Saving Soundness and Christian Fellowship than what the Sacred Scriptures give us as Explicatory of the Christian Baptismal Creed and Covenant as influencing us into an holy Life and heavenly Hopes and Joys I thought once to have given the World a faithful Abstract of Mr Baxter's Doctrines or Judgment containing the Sence of what he held about Justification Faith Works c. and yet laying aside his Terms of Art that hereby the Reader might discern the Consonancy of it to the Sacred Text and to the Doctrinal Confessions of the Reformed Churches his Consistence with himself and his nearer approach in Judgment to those from whom he seems to differ much than the prejudiced Adversaries are aware of But this must be a Work of Time if not an Enterprize too great for me as I justly fear it is But I will do by him as I would do by others and have them do by me viz. give him his owned Explication of the Baptismal Creed and Covenant as a fit Test to try his Judgment by and if his Doctrines in his other Treatises consist herewith others perhaps will see more Cause to think him Orthodox in the most weighty Articles and less to be suspected notwithstanding his different Modes of Speech The Things professedly believed by him as may be seen in his Christian Concord were THat there is one only God The Father Infinite in Being Wisdom Goodness and Power the Maker Preserver and Disposer of all things and the most just and merciful Lord of All. That Mankind being fallen by Sin from God and Happiness under the Wrath of God the Curse of his Law and the Power of the Devil God so loved the World that he gave his only Son to be their Redeemer who being God and one with the Father did take to him our Nature and became Man being conceived of the Holy Ghost in the Virgin Mary and born of her and named JESUS CHRIST and having liv'd on Earth without Sin and wrought many Miracles for a witness of his Truth he gave up himself a Sacrifice for our Sins and a Ransom for 〈◊〉 in suffering Death on the Cross and being buried he is Lord of all in Glory with the Father And having ordained that all that truly repent and believe in him and love him above all things and sincerely obey him and that to the Death shall be saved and they that will not shall be damned and commended his Ministers to preach the Gospel to the World He will come again and raise the Bodies of all Men from Death and will set all the World before him to be judged according to what they have done in the Body and he will adjudge the Righteous to Life Everlasting and the rest to Everlasting Punishment which shall be Executed accordingly That God the Holy Ghost the Spirit of the Father and the Son was â—â—nt from the Father by the Son to inspire and guide the Prophets and Apostles that they might fully reveal the Doctrine of Christ And by multitudes of Evident Miracles and wonderful Gifts to be the great Witness of Christ and of the Truth of his Holy Word And also to dwell and work in all that are drawn to believe that being first joyned to Christ their Head and into one Church which is his Body and so pardoned and made the Sons of God they may be a peculiar People sanctified to Christ and may mortifie the Fesh and overcome the World and the Devil and being zealous of good Works may serve God in Holiness and Righteousness and may live in the special Love and Communion of the Saints and in hope of Christ's Coming and of Everlasting Life In the belief hereof the Things consented to were as followeth THat he heartily took this one GOD for his only GGD and his chief Good and this IESUS CHRIST for his only Lord Redeemer and Saviour and this HOLY GHOST for his Sanctifier and the Doctrine by him revealed and sealed by his Miracles and now contained in the Holy Scriptures he took for the Law of God
and the Rule of his Faith and Life And repenting unfeignedly of his Sins he did resolve through the Grace of God sincerely to obey him both in Holiness to God and Righteousness to Men and in special Love to the Saints and in Communion with them against all the Temptations of the Devil the World and his own Flesh and this to the Death If therefore these things were Believed and Consented to by him and if these things do essentiate our Saving Christianity and so be sufficient to make us all one in Christ why should some different Modes and Forms of Speech wherewith these great Substantials may and do consist obtain of Men to think him Heterodox because he uses not their Terms And why should such Distances and Discords be kept up amongst us whilst we all of us own all the forementioned Articles and are always ready on all sides to renounce whatever Opinions shall appear to overthrow or shake such Articles of Faith and Covenanting Terms with God and Christ And I cannot but believe that all Christians seriously bound for Heaven and that are fixed upon these Truths are nearer each to other in their Judgments than different Modes of Speech seem to represent them Of such great Consequence is true Charity and Candour amongst Christians 3. The Reverend Prelates and the Ministers and Members of the Church of England may possibly distaste his plainness with them and think him too severe upon them But 1. they are no Strangers to his professed and exemplified Moderation Who valued their Worth and Learning more than he did Who more endeavoured to keep up Church Communion with them by Pen Discourse and Practise though not exclusively Who more sharply handled and more throughly wrote against and reprehended total Separation from them than himself And what Dissenter from them ever made fairer and more noble Overtures or more judicious Proposals for a large and lasting Comprehension with them than they knew he did And who more fairly warned them of the dismal Consequences and calamitous Effects of so narrowing the Church of England by the strict Acts procured and executed against so many peaceable Ministers who thereby were silenced imprisoned discouraged and undone And how many Souls and Families were ruin'd and scandaliz'd by their imposed Terms another and that a solemn and great Day will shew e're long 2. Our Author never yet endeavoured to unChurch them nor to eclipse their Worthies nor did he ever charge their great Severities on them all He ever would acknowledge and he might truly do it that they had great and excellent Men and many such amongst them both of their Laiâ—y and Clergy 3. He thought what I am satisfied is true that many of them little knew who and what was behind the Curtain nor what designed nor great Services were doing to France and Rome hereby 4. And his great Sufferings from them may well even as other things abate their Censuring if not prevent too keen Relentments of these Historical Accounts of them 5. And to leave these things out was more than Mr. Baxter would allow me or admit of Pardon one who acts by Order not of Choice 4. That such copious and prolix Discourses should be here inserted about Things fitter for oblivion than to be remembred may seem liable to Exceptions and Distast from some viz. such Discourses as respect the Solemn League and Covenant the Oxford Act c. Things now abandon'd and repealed by Act of Parliament for Liberty of Conscience But 1. those pressing Acts are yet upon Record and so exposed to the view of Men from Age to Age. 2. They represent Dissenters as an intolerable Seed of Men. 3. All Readers will not readily discern what here is said by way of Apology for those of whom such Acts took hold 4. Hereby Dissenters will appear to all succeeding Generations as a People worthy of nothing but National Severities and Restraints Whence 5. their Enemies will be confirmed in their groundless Thoughts and Censures of them 6. This will not lead to that Love and Concord amongst all Protestants which God's Laws and the Publick Interest and Welfare of Church and State require 7. Those things abode so long in force and to such fatal dreadful purpose as that the Effects thereof are felt by many Families and Persons to this day 8. And all this was but to discharge some of no small Figure in their Day from all Obligations to perform what had been solemnly vowed to God Surely such as never took that Covenant could only disclaim all Obligations on themselves to keep it by virtue of any such Vow upon themselves but to discharge those that had taken it from what therein they had vowed to God to do till God himself discharge them or that it be evident from the intrinsick unalterable Evâ—â— of the Matter vowed that no such Vow shall stand is more than I dare undertake to prove at present or to vindicate in the great Day However a Man 's own Latitude of Perswasion cannot as such absolve another nor eo nomine be another's Rule or Law But 9. if these long Discourses be needful pertinent clear and strong as to the state of that Aâ—â—air their length may be born with 10. The Author thought it needful to have this set in the clear open Light to disabule all that had been imposed on by false or partial and defective History in this Matter and to remove or prevent or allay Scandal and Censure for time to come 11. And if such things be also published to make our selves and others still more sensible of what we owe to God and to our most gracious King and his late Soveraign Consort and our then most gracious Queen Mary not to be parallel'd in any History that I know of by any of her Sex for All truly Royal Excellencies and to his Parliaments who have so much obliged us with freeing us from those so uncomfortable Bonds what Fault can be imputed to the Publisher herein Shall Gratitude be thought a Crime though more copious in the Materials of it than may every way consist with the stricter Bounds of Accuracy 12. I am apt to think and not without cogent ground that very many Readers now and hereafter would with the Author have thought me unfaithful to themselves and him had I not transmitted to Posterity what he left and as he left it for their use And I hope therefore that the Reader will not interpret this Publication as the Product of a Recriminating Spirit God himself knows it to be no such Birth Thirdly The Publication 1. The Author wrote it for this End 2. He left it with me to be published after his Death 3. He left it to the Iudgment of another and my self only by a Writing ordered to be given me after his Death as my Directory about the Publication of his other Manuscripts which are many and of moment And if thâ— rest entrusted with me about their being printed one or
indeed I had such clear Convictions my self of the madness of secure presâ—mptuous Sinners and the unquestionable Reasons which should induce men to a holy Life and of the unspeakable greatness of that Work which in this hasty Inch of Time we have all to do that I thought that Man that could be ungodly if he did but hear these things was fitter for Bedlam than for the Reputation of a sober rational Man And I was so foolish as to think that I had so much to say and of such Convincing Evidence for a Godly Life that Men were scarce able to withstand it not considering what a blind and sensless Rock the Heart of an obdurate Sinner is and that old Adam is too strong for young Luther as he said But these Apprehensions determined my choice § 17. Till this time I was satisfied in the Matter of Conformity Whilst I was young I had never been acquainted with any that were against it or that questioned it I had joyned with the Common-Prayer with as hearty â—ervency as afterward I did with other Prayers As long as I had no Prejudice against it I had no stop in my Devotions from any of its Imperfections At last at about 20 years of Age I became acquainted with Mr. Simmonds Mr. Cradock and other very zealous godly Nonconformists in Shrewsbury and the adjoyning parts whose fervent Prayers and savoury Conference and holy Lives did profit me much And when I understood that they were People prosecuted by the Bishops I found much prejudice arise in my heart against those that persecuted them and thought those that silenced and troubled such Men could not be the genuine Followers of the Lord of Love But yet I resolved that I would study the Point as well as I was able before I would be confident on either side And it prejudiced me against the Nonconformists because we had but one of them near us one Mr. Barnel of Uppington who though he was a very honest blameless Man yet was reputed to be but a mean Scholar when Mr. Garbet and some other Conformists were more Learned Men And withal the Books of the Nonconformists were then so scarce and hard to be got because of the danger that I could not come to know their reasons Whereas on the contrary side Mr. Garbet and Mr. Samuel Smith did send me Downham Sprint Dr. Burges and others of the strongest that had wrote against the Nonconformists upon the reading of which I could not see but the Cause of the Conformists was very justifiable and the reasoning of the Nonconformists weak Hereupon when I thought of Ordination I had no Scruple at all against Subscription And yet so precipitant and rash was I that I had never once read over the Book of Ordination which was one to which I was to Subscribe nor half read over the Book of Homilies nor exactly weighed the Book of Common-Prayer nor was I of sufficient Understanding to determine confidently in some Controverted Points in the 39 Articles But my Teachers and my Books having caused me in general to think the Conformists had the better Cause I kept out all particular Scruples by that Opinion § 18. At that time old Mr. Richard Foley of Stourbridge in Worcestershire had recovered some alienated Lands at Dudley which had been lest to Charitable Uses and added something of his own and built a convenient new School-House and was to choose his first School-Master and Usher By the means of Iames Berry who lived in the House with me and had lived with him he desired me to accept it I thought it not an inconvenient Condition for my Entrance because I might also Preach up and down in Places that were most ignorant before I presumed to take a Pastoral Charge to which I had no inclination So to Dudley I went and Mr. Foley and Iames Berry going with me to Worcester at the Time of Ordination I was Ordained by the Bishop and had a Licence to teach School for which being Examined I Subscribed § 19. Being settled with an Usher in the new School at Dudley and living in the House of Mr. Richard Foley Junior I there preached my first Publick Sermon in the upper Parish Church and afterwards Preached in the Villages about and there had occasion to fall afresh upon the study of Conformity For there were many private Christians thereabouts that were Nonconformists and one in the House with me And that excellent Man Mr. William Fenner had lately lived two miles off at Sedgeley who by defending Conformity and honouring it by a wonderfully powerful and successful way of Preaching Conference and holy Living had stirred up the Nonconformists the more to a vehement pleading of their Cause And though they were there generally godly honest People yet smartly censorious and made Conformity no small fault And they lent me Manuscripts and Books which I never saw before whereupon I thought it my Duty to set upon a serious impartial Trial of the whole Cause The Cause of Episcopacy Bishop Downham had much satisfied me in before and I had not then a sufficient Understanding of the difference betwixt the Arguments for an Episcopacy in general and for our English Diocesans in particular The Cause of Kneeling at the Sacrament I studied next and Mr. Paybody fully satisfied me for Conformity in that I turned over Cartwright and Whitgift and others but having lately procured Dr. Ames fresh suit I thought it my best way to study throughly Dr. Burges his Father-in-law and him as the likeliest means to avoid distraction among a multitude of Writers and not to lose the Truth in crowds of Words seeing these two were reputed the strongest on each side So I borrowed Amesius his Fresh Suit c. and because I could not keep it I transcribed the strength of it the broad Margin of Dr. Burges his Rejoynder over against each Paragraph which he replied to And I spent a considerable time in the strictest Examination of both which I could perform And the result of all my Studies was as followeth Kneeling I thought lawful and all meer Circumstances determined by the Magistrate which God in Nature or Scripture hath determined of only in the General The Surplice I more doubted of but more inclined to think it lawful And though I purposed while I doubted to forbear it till necessity lay upon me yet could I not have justified the forsaking of my Ministry for it though I never wore it to this day The Ring in Marriage I made no Scruple about The Cross in Baptism I thought Dr. Ames proved unlawful and though I was not without some doubting in the Point yet because I most inclined to judge it unlawful never once used it to this day A Form of Prayer and Liturgy I judged to be lawful and in some Cases lawfully imposed Our Liturgy in particular I judged to have much disorder and defectiveness in it but nothing which should make the use of it in the ordinary Publick
and Reasons of Dissent and enquire of their Lives and on the same Terms I admit Dissenters also to the Lord's Supper viz. if there be no Charge against their Lives and they come to me before hand and satisfie me of their fitness Still letting them know it is a dangerous case to live from under Order and Discipline and that I do this to them but for a time till they can be satisfied as I would do for a Stranger Your Brother Ri. Baxter To our Reverend and Beloved Brethren the Associated Ministers in the County of Cumberland § 35. Upon the Publication of our Agreement the Ministers in most Counties began to take the Business into consideration and though some few of the ancient Presbyterians were against it and thought it would bring the Presbyterian Government into Contempt or hinder the Execution of it when it had been agreed on by so grave a Synod at Wâ—stminster and established by the Parliament and therefore they rather desired a strict Execution of the Ordinance of Parliament and an Agreement on those Terms yet the most of the godly faithful Ministers as far as I could learn were for it For as we hindered no Man from following his own Judgment in his own Congregation so we Evinced beyond denial that it would be but a partial dividing Agreement to agree on the Terms of Presbyterians Episcopal or any one Party because it would unavoidably shut out the other Parties which was the principal thing which we endeavoured to avoid it being not with Presbyterians only but with all Orthodox faithful Pastors and People that we are bound to hold Communion and to live in Christian Concord so far as we have attained Phil. 3. 15 16. § 36. Hereupon many Counties began to Associate as Wiltshire Dorsetshire Somersetshire Hampshire Essex and others And some of them printed the Articles of their Agreement In a word a great desire of Concord began to possess all good People in the Land and our Breaches seem'd ready to heal And though some thought that so many Associations and Forms of Agreement did but tend to more Division by shewing our diversity of Apprehensions the contrary proved true by Experience For we all agreed on the same Course even to unite in the practice of so much of Discipline as the Episcopal Presbyterians and Independants are agreed in and as crosseth none of their Principles And they that thought the Expression of the Churches desires in various words of Prayer in Publick was better than a stinted Form for all Churches necessarily to use should not think that the Expression of our Consent to the same things is a dividing way because it is done in various Expressions for this Liberty greatly helped Unity for many a one would have scrupled some particular words in such an imposed Form of Concord who yet would accord in the Substance of the Work The Essex Agreement was printed to the same purpose with ours The Wiltshire Ministers were so strictly held to it by the Independant Party that they could get them but to these following preparatory Articles WE whose Names are Subscribed Ministers of the Gospel in the County of Wilts being humbly sensible of our many Failings in the Work of the Ministry by the Lord Christ committed to us and of the great need wherein we stand of the mutual help of our Brethren for Advice Encouragement and Strengthning herein And sadly bawailing the Corruptions of the People in our several Congregations the want of Christian Reformation Love and Unity and the Power of Godliness the breaking in of destroying Errours and the prevailing of Ignorance and Profaneness among them have consented and resolved through God's Grace and in Expectation of his Blessing on our weak Endeavours as fellow Servants to the same Lord Jesus Christ the Great Shepherd of Souls to acquaint our selves one with another and to joyn together and assist each other to the uttermost in the promoting of Gospel Truth Peace Love and the Power of Godliness in our selves and all those that have the Name of Christ upon them in the places wherein we live For the Effecting whereof we desire and purpose if God permit to meet together at Sarum on the 26th of Octob. 1653. for the end hereafter specified First In some publick Place on the same day where any others whose hearts are inclined thereunto may joyn with us by Fasting and Prayer to seek unto God for pardon of our former Failings and for Direction and Strength of his Spirit for the future Work of the Ministry which lyeth upon us in the instructing and ordering of our several Congregations according to the Word of God Secondly After the said Publick Duty discharged to come together more privately in some convenient place And there First Jointly and Solemnly as in the presence of God to testifie our sincere purpose of heart for the time to come in dependence upon the Lord's Strength to take heed unto our selves and to our Doctrine and to continue therein that in doing this we may both save our selves and them that hear us Secondly To testifie to each other our Conscionable readiness as Servants and fellow Labourers to afford and receive Assistance to and from each other in the Work of the Lord committed to us as any occasion shall be offered to us in this kind and accordingly to advise together thereupon Thirdly To Promise and Engage to one another according to our Duty in all Humility Tenderness and Brotherly Love Yet faithfully to admonish one another of any Miscarriage or Neglect which we shall know or be daily informed of which in any of us bringeth Reproach upon the Name of God and his Ways upon the Gospel and the Administration of the same And we shall all of us likewise seriously promise humbly and thankfully to accept of such Admonition from any Brother as a Fruit of Christian Love and Fidelity and without Anger Clamour or Recrimination either to clear our selves to the Brother which Admonisheth us being free from the Crime objected or else endeavour Reformation in what we have offended Fourthly At the same Publick Meeting to appoint some other fit time to meet together in the same manner further to carry on the Work of mutual Brotherly Advice concerning such Courses as conduce to God's Glory the Good of the People and the Discharge of our Duty in the place wherein God hath set us And in this our Meeting we fully resolve through the help of our God First Not to meddle in word or deed with any Matter of Civil Government further than to stir up one another if any just occasion be offered conscionably to maintain and exercise all Christian Obedience to Magistrates as an Ordinance of God Secondly Not to soment any Breaches amongst Brethren but to study to the uttermost of our power that all who accord in the Fundamentals of Gospel Truth and Holiness may be brought to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace And for
some Errors of that Church or the like to consult of it that we may not also injuriously exclude him from our common Communion 6. In such cases of Error or Male-administratition to admonish Neighbour Ministers and Churches as also in case of any Abuse of their Pastors or choice of unsound heretical or ungodly Pastors or cherishing Seducers or ungodly Persons in their Churches or neglecting Discipline or faling to looseness or in case of Scandals among them or of Offences and Divisions among themselves or between them and some Neighbour-church or many the like cases the Advice and Admonitions of the Neighbour associated Pastors should be directed to them for their Recovery which cases single Ministers cannot so well be informed of nor perform their Duty with so much Advantage as the Association may 7. To concur in some Admonitions to the intractable and incorrigible of our several Parishes that they that will not hear their own Teachers through any Prejudice may be prevailed with by many and to strengthen our Hands and the Reputation of our Doctrine and common Duties with the People by our Unity and Concord 8. To help one another but especially the younger sort of Ministers to whom it may be as an Academy by Conference Disputations and other profitable Exercises and preaching they that ordinarily preach have need sometimes to hear and to have a Communication from their Brothrens Gifts as well as the People have from them 9. Those Ministers that scruple censuring any Offender without the consent of other Ministers may here take their consent and young Ministers that are unskilful in managing such Works may take Advice 10. We may here agree upon the fittest manner and season and persons and places in our helping the Congregations that are ignorant ill-provided or unprovided of Ministers or dangerously corrupted and may advise any Neighbour Churches that send to us to help them to a fit Minister or in the like cases 11. Because it is impossible to enumerate punctually the cases in which it is lawful to take Members to a particular Church out of another Church or Parish all Churches and Pastors shall give an account of any such Action to these Associations if any be offended with them Where it shall be enquired whether the Action be dishonourable to God and injurious to the publick Good of the Churches if it be not the Offence is removed If they find it be the Parties offending are to be admonished and if they give not Satisfaction it is to be enquired whether there be any thing in the Principles and manner of the Action that makes it an intollerable Offence to the Churches If there be then after sufficient Admonition and waiting the Guilty if impenitent are to be cast out of our common Communion or the Churches to resolve to have no Christian Communion with them But if there be no such heinous intollerable Ingredient we must be content only to admonish them and disown the Sin and continue Communion with them In like manner if any Scandal be raised of any Brother of the Association or if any have an Accusation against him we must hear them and he must be responsible and give account of his Ways though not as to his Governors yet as to his Brethren to remove Offence and to keep clear the way of holy Communion 12. It will be most regular and avoid the hurt of the Churches if Ordination of Ministers be either performed by these Assemblies on the Ministers to be ordained be here tried and approved and the Ordination to be performed in the Church to which he is ordained by such as they appoint or by the teaching Elders of that Church it self after their Approbation of the Person In these Twelve Particulars you may see what use there is of these Misterial Associations and Assemblies without medling with a superior governing Power and how great Reason there is that all sober godly peaceable Ministers should join in them even for communion of Pastors and Churches and the promoting of our common Work and Welfare 9. Let these Associations chuse their Presidents or Moderators and any fit Name by which they will call him and determine whether he shall be pro tempore or how long or fixed as long as he liveth and is the fittest according to the Judgment of the Ministers For this is not a case in which Men can be forced from their Liberty And if any will so far make use of his Advice as to be guided by him as none can deny him that Liberty of his own Mind so he must not seek to bind all others to the same Subjection but those that bring themselves to it by the same Estimation have their Liberty as he 10. Though it be not of necessity yet would it be of great conveniency and use if the Magistrate would be with us or appoint some Substitute to represent him in all our Assemblies that he may be a Witness of our Proceedings and see that we do no wrong to the Commonwealth and avoid all Suspicions that may be occasioned by Rumors But principally that he may see how far it is meet for him in any case to second us by his Power For as in many cases the Power of the Magistrate ought to be used to second the Ministry as to restrain Men from publishing demnable Heresies from disturbing the Churches Peace c. so we think it a vile abuse of Magistrates to require them to be the meer Executioners of our Sentences and to punish Men only because we have Excommunicated them before he know the justness of the cause As the Church or Ministers are Judges when the Question is whether such a Man is to be avoided rejected or excommunicated for Heresie or any Sin so the Magistrate only is Judge when the Question is whether he be to be corporally punished for Heresie or any Sin and therefore he must know the cause 11. As those Neighbour-Ministers that live at convenient Distance for such Communion should hold such Associations as aforesaid so the Communion of Christians and Pastors in special being to be extended as far as natural and moral capacity will permit it is meet that there be for more extensive Communion some more general Assemblies of the Ministers to be held by the Delegates of these Associations for matters that are of more general Concernment yea and that by Messengers and Letters we hold such correspondency with the Churches of Christ abroad as is necessary to promote the common Cause and the Love and Communion of the Saints 12. If these Associations should attempt any thing unjust and injurious to the Commonwealth or a corrupt Majority should grow in time to countenance either Heresy or Ungodliness or they should by Contentions among themselves disturb the Peace of the Churches and divide them and fall a railing at or excommunicating personately one another it is here the Magistrates Duty to interpose and reprehend and correct them and displace the unworthy and
pretence of promoting Godliness so they fear'd the enraged Prelatical Party would renew their Persecution under pretence of Order and Government And some that thought R. Cromwell's Resignation was not plain and full did scruple it Whether they were not at present obliged to him for though they knew that he had no Original Right and though the condemned the Act of those Men as Treason who set up both his Father and him yet when he was set up and the Government had been Twelve years in their Hands and the House of Commons had sworn Subjection to him they thought it was very doubtful whether they were not obliged to him as the Possessor And withal many had alienated the Hearts of Men from the King making them believe that he was uncertain in his Religion c. and that the Duke of York was a Papist and that they would set up the revengeful Cavaliers but these things were quickly at an end For many Gentlemen who had been with the King in Scotland especially the Earl of Lauderdaile and Colonel Greavâ—â— who were of Reputation with the People did spread abroad mighty Commendations of the King both as to his Temper and Piety whereby the Fears of many at that time were much quieted § 69. As for my self I came to London April the 13th 1660. where I was no sooner arrived but I was accosted by the Earl of Lauderdale just then released from his tedious Confinement in Windsor Castle by the restor'd Parliament who having heard from some of the Sectarian Party that my Judgment was that our Obligations to Richard Cromwell were not dissolved nor could be till another Parliament or a fuller Renunciation of the Government took a great deal of pains with me to satisfie me in that point And for the quieting People's Minds that were in no small Commotion through clandestine Rumours he by means of Sir Robert Murray and the Countess of Balcares then in France procured several Letters to be written from thence full of high Elogiums of the King and Assurances of his firmness in the Protestant Religion which he got translated and publisht Among others one was sent to me from Monsieur Gaches a famous pious Preacher at Chatenton wherein after an high strain of Complements to my self he gave a pomâ—ous Character of the King and assured me that during his Exile he never forbore the Publick Profession of the Protestant Religion no not even in those places where it seemed prejudicial to his Affairs that he was present at Divine Worship in the French Churches at Roan and Rochel though not at Charenton during his stay at Paris and earnestly press't me to use my utmost interest that the King might be restored by means of the Presbyterians c. The Letter being long and already publisht shall not be here inserted But I could not forbear making divers Reflections upon the Receipt of such a Letter as this was § 70. This Excellent Divine with divers others living at a distance knew not the state of Affairs in England so well as we that were upon the place They knew not how much the Presbyterians had done to bring in the King or else they would not have thought it needful to use any Exhortations to them to that end And they knew not those Men who with the King were to be restored so well as we did What the Presbyterians did to preserve and restore the King is a thing that we need not go to any Corners or Cabinets to prove The Votes for Agreement upon the King's Concessions in the Isle of Wight prove it The Ejection and Imprisonment of most of the House of Commons and all the House of Lords prove it The Calamitous overthrow of two Scottish Armies prove it The Death of Mr. Love with the Imprisonment and Flight of other London Ministers prove it The wars in Scotland and their Conquest by Cromwell prove it The Rising of Sir George Booth and his Army's overthrow prove it The Surprize of Dublin-Castle from the Anabaptists by Colonel Iohn Bridges and others in Ireland and the Gratulations of General Monk in England the Concurrence of the Londonners and the Ministers there the Actual Preparations of the Restored Members of the Long Parliament and the Consent of the Council of State left by them and the Calling in of the King hereupon by the next Parliament without one contradicting Voice and finally the Lords and Gentlemen of the King 's old Party in all Countreys addressing themselves to the Parliamentarians and the King 's grateful Acknowledgments in his Letters and his Speeches in Parliament do all put this Matter out of question Of which I have said more in my Key for Catholicks § 71. And when I read this Reverend Man's excessive Praises and his concluding Prayer for the Success of my Labours I thought with my self how little doth the good Man understand how ill the beginning and end of his words accord He prayeth for my Congregation and the Blessing of my Labours when he hath perswaded me to put an end to my Labours by ssetting up those Prelates who will Silence me and many a hundred more He perswadeth me to that which will separate me from my Flock and then prayeth that I may be a Blessing to them He overvalueth and magnifieth my Service to the Church and then perswadeth me to that which will put a Period to my Service and to the Service of many hundreds better than my self But yet his Cause and Arguments are honest and I am so far from being against him in it that I think I am much more for it than he for he is for our Restoring the King that our Ministry may be freed from the obloquy of malicious Enemies but I am for restoring of the King that when we are Silenced and our Ministry at an end and some of us lye in Prisons we may there and in that Condition have Peace of Conscience in the Discharge of our Duty and the Exercise of Faith Patience and Charity in our Sufferings § 72. And I confess at that time the Thoughts of Mens hearts were various according to their several Expectations The Sectarian Party cried out that God had in Justice cut off the Family that Reigned over us and to return to it again was to betray the Church and the Souls of Men. Some others said That the Sectaries had traiterously and wickedly pull'd down the King and Parliament and set up themselves and broken their Oaths and pull'd down all Government and made the Name of Religion a Reproach and brought that Blot upon it which is never till the Day of Judgment like to be wiped off But yet that after Twelve years alienation of the Government and when a House of Commons hath sworn Fidelity to another and the King 's own Party had taken the Engagement their Obligations to that Family were by Providence against their Wills dissolved and that they were not bound to be Actors in that which will Silence
the King and Land And he told me That Beddingfield could have no right to that which he had sold and that the right was in the King who would readily grant it to the good use intended and that we should have his best assistance to recover it And indeed I found him real to us in this Business from first to last yet did Beddingfield by the friendship of the Attorney General and some others so delay the Business as bringing it to a Suit in Chancery he kept Mr. Ashurst in a Twelve-months trouble before he could recover the Land but when it came to Judgment the Lord Chancellour spake very much against him and granted a Decree for the New Corporation For I had procured of him before the King 's Grant of a New Corporation and Mr. Ashurst and my self had the naming of the Members And we desired Mr. Robert Boyle a worthy Person of Learning and a Publick Spirit and Brother to the Earl of Cork to be President now called Governour and I got Mr. Ashurst to be Treasurer again and some of the old Members and many other godly able Citizens made up the rest Only we left the Nomination of some Lords to his Majesty as not presuming to nominate such And the Lord Chancellour Lord Chamberlain and six or seven more were added But it was Mr. Boyle and Mr. Ashurst with the Citizens that did the Work But especially the care and trouble of all was on Mr. Ashurst And thus that Business was happily restored § 149. And as a fruit of this his Majesty's Favour Mr. Elliot sent the King first the New Testament and then the whole Bible translated and printed in the Indian's Language Such a Work and Fruit of a Plantation as was never before presented to a King And he sent word that next he would print my Call to the Unconveried and then The Practice of Piety But Mr. Boyle sent him word it would be better taken here if the Practic of Piety were printed before any thing of mine At the present the Revenues of the Land goeth most to the maintaining of the Press Upon the occasion of this Work I had these Letters of Thanks from the Court and Governour in New-England and from Mr. Norton and Mr. Elliot Reverend and much honoured Sir THat we who are personally unknown to you do in this manner apply our selves is rendred not only excusable but unless we will be ingrateful necessary by Obligations from your self with whom the interest of poor Strangers in a remote Wilderness hath been so regarded as to shew them kindness and that we believe upon the best account i.e. for the Lord's sake We have understood from those that were employed by us with what loving and cordial readiness you did upon request put forth your self to further our Concernments in our late Applications to his Majesty for which act of favour and love we cannot but return our unfeigned thankful Acknowledgments and the rather because we know no Argument that could move your Thoughts in it but that of the poor Prophets Widow viz. That your Charity did look upon your Servants as Fearers of the Lord Love unto whom we perswade our selves was the Root that bare this Fruit of Love and Kindness to us and that at such a time as this We trust the faithful God will not forget your Work and Labour of Love which you have shewed towards his Name in ministring to the help of some part of his unworthy People who are Exiles in this Wilderness we hope for his Names sake Sir You shall further oblige this poor People and do that will not be unpleasing to him who is our Lord and yours by the continuance of your Love and Improvement of your Interests and Opportunities in our behalf What advantage God hath put into your hands and reserved your weak Body unto by access unto Persons of Honour and Trust or otherways we hope it will be no grief of heart unto you another day if you shall improve part thereof this way â— All that we desire is Liberty to serve God according to the Scriptures Liberty unto Errour and Sin or to set up another Rule besides the Scriptures we neither wish to be allowed to our selves nor would we willingly allow it unto others If in any thing we should mistake the meaning of the Scriptures as we hope it is not in any Fundamental Matter that we do so having therein the Concurrence of all the godly Orthodox of the Reformed Protestant Religion so on the other hand in Matters of an inferiour and more difficult Nature wherein godly Christians may differ and should bear difference without disturbance we are willing and desirous to live and learn by any orderly means that God hath appointed for our Learning and Instruction and glad shall we be of the opportunity to learn in peace The Liberty aforesaid we have by the favour of God now for many years enjoyed and the same advantaged and encouraged by the Constitution of our Civil Government according to Concessions and Priviledges granted and established to us by the gracious Letters Patents of King Charles the First the continuance of which Priviledges concerning which his Majesty's late gracious Letter to us hath given us very great encouragement is our earnest and just desire for nothing that is unjust or not honest both in the sight of the Lord and also of Men do we seek or would allow our selves in We hope we shall continue as faithful Subjects to his Majesty according to our Duty and be every way as beneficial to the Interest of our Nation under an Elective Government as under an Imposed But sundry particular Persons for private respects are as we hear earnestly soliciting to bring Changes upon us and do put in many high Complaints against us in special that the Generation of the Quakers are our bitter and restless Enemies complaining of Persecution but are themselves most troublesome and implacable Per secâ—â—â—â—â— of us who desire but to keep our own Vineyard in peace Our hope is in God who hath hitherto helped us and who is able to keep open for us a great and effectual Door of Liberty to serve him and opportunity to advance his Name in this Wilderness although there be many Adversaries among which he can raise up for us some Friends as he hath done your self And as a Friend loveth at all times and a Brother is born for Adversity so may you in this time of our threatned Adversity still perform the part of a Friend as opportunity serves we shall be further much ingaged to ThanKfulness unto God and you who are SIR Your Friends and Brethren in the Faith of Christ Jo. Endecott Governour With the Consent and by Order of the General Court Boston in New-England this 7th of August 1661. To the Reverend and much Honoured Mr. Richard Baxter one of his Majesty's Chaplains in Ordinary Reverend and dear Sir THough you are unknown to me by Face yet not
become a Divine Colledge And Lastly when Antichrist is overthrown and a divine Form of Church-Government is put in practice in all Places then all the World would become Divine or at least all the World would become very Divine or very Prophane Rev. 22. 11 15. And so the World should end as it began Gen. 4. 26. some calling on the Name of the Lord and some prophaning it eminently distinguish'd from each other I rejoice to see and taste the wonderful gracious Savour of God's Spirit among his Saints in their humble Retirements Oh! how sweet is the trodden Cammomile How precious and Powerful is the Ministry of the Cross It is a dryer time with us who are making after Compliances with the Stream Sir I beseech you let us have a share in your holy Prayers in your holy Retirements in your blessed Chambers when the Lord shuts the Door and yet is among you himself and maketh your Hearts to burn by the Power of his Presence Thus commending you and all your holy Labours to the Lord and to the Word of his Grace I rest Your unworthy Fellow-Labourer In the Lord's Vineyard John Eliot Roxbury this 6th of the 5th 1663. To his Reverend Friend and Brother Mr. Baxter The Answer Nov. 30. from Acton near London Reverend and much honoured Brother THough our Sins have separated us from the People of our Love and Care and deprived us of all publick Liberty of preaching the Gospel of our Lord I greatly rejoice in the Liberty Help and Success which Christ hath so long vouchsafed you in his Work There is no Man on Earth whose Work I think more Honourable and Comfortable than yours To propagate the Gospel and Kingdom of Christ unto those dark Parts of the World is a better Work than our hating and devouring one another There are many here that would be ambitious of being your Fellow-Labourers but that they are informed you have access to no greater a Number of the Indians than you your self and your present Assistants are able to instruct An honourable Gentleman Mr. Rob. Boyle the Governor of the Corporation for your Work a Man of great Learning and Worth and of a very publick universal Mind did Motion to me a publick Collection in all our Churches for the maintaining of such Ministers as are willing to go hence to you partly while they are learning the Indian Language and partly while they after labour in the Work as also to transport them But I find those backward to it that I have spoke to about it partly suspecting it a Design of those that would be rid of them but if it would promote the Work of God this Objection were too carnal to be regarded by good Men partly fearing that when the Money is gathered the Work may be frustrated by the alienation of it but this I think they need not fear so far as to hinder any partly because they think there will be nothing considerable gathered because the People that are unwillingly divorced from their Teachers will give nothing to send them further from them and those that are willingly separated from them will give nothing to those that they no more respect But specially because they think on the aforesaid Grounds that there is no work for them to do if they were with you There are many here I conjecture that would be glad to go any whither to Persians Tartarians Indians or any unbelieving Nation to propagate the Gospel if they thought they could be serviceable but the Defect of their Languages is their great Discouragement For the universal Character that you speak of many have talked of it and one hath printed his Essay and his way is only by numeral Figures making such and such Figures to stand for the Words of the same signification in all Tongues but no body regards it I shall communicate your Motion here about the Hebrew but we are not of such large and publick Minds as you imagin every one looks to his own Concernment and some to the things of Christ that are near them at their own Doors But if there be one Timothy that naturally careth for the State of the Churches we have no Man of a Multitude more likeminded but all seek their own things we had one Dury here that hath above thirty Years laboured the reconciling of the Churches but sew regarded him and now he is glad to escape from us into other Countries Good Men that are wholly devoted to God and by long Experience are acquainted with the Interest of Christ are ready to think all others should be like them but there is no hope of bringing any more than here and there an experienced holy self-denying Person to get so far above their personal Concernments and narrowness of Mind and so wholly to devote themselves to God The Industry of the Jesuits and Fryars and their Successes in Congo Iapan China c. shame us all save you But yet for their personal Labours in the Work of the Gospel here are many that would be willing to lay out where they have Liberty and a Call though scarce any that will do more in furthering great and publick Works I should be glad to learn from you how far your Indian Tongue extendeth how large or populous the Country is that useth it if it be known and whether it reach only to a few scattered Neighbours who cannot themselves convey their Knowledge far because of other Languages We very much rejoice in your happy Work the Translation of the Bible and bless God that hath strengthened you to finish it If any thing of mine may be honoured to contribute in the least measure to your blessed Work I shall have great cause to be thankful to God and wholly submit the Alteration and use of it to your Wisdom Methinks the Assemblies Catechism should be next the holy Scriptures most worthy of your Labours The Lord prolong your Days and prosper you As to your Case about God's Image and Likeness 1. The Controversy de Nomine is of no great Moment I know the Schoolmen make the two Words signifie two things I think it 's a groundless Conceit But dere call them what you will Image or Likeness it consisteth of three parts or a Trinity in Unity 1. The natural substantial Part. 2. The qualitative moral part 3. The relative honorarary part I rather call them three Parts of God's Image than three Images though here also the Controversy de Nomine is small 1. Man's high superanimal or rational Life in Unity hath his Trinity of noble Faculties an Intellect or Reason capable of knowing God a free or self-determining Will capable of adhearing to him and an executive Power capable of serving him That these Natural Essential Powers are the Natural Part of God's Image appears Gen. 9. 6. where Man as Man is supposed to have it else the Murder of none but Saints is there forbidden This no Man loseth 2. Holiness or the Spirit in Unity
him 3. That executively it is to be done by every one in their places the Pastors giving or denying the Sacraments c. and the People holding or refusing Communion or Company with Men according as they are judged by the Church I think there is no Controversie among us about these § 325. 3. And therefore the Work will resolve us of the place viz. That the Execution must be in that place where he had or desired Communion or was capable of it And therefore that the Iudgment should be by those that being upon the place have fullest opportunity to know the Persons and the Case Even by those Pastors who labour amongst the People that are over them in the Lord 1 Thess. 5. 12 13. who have the rule over them and preach to them the Word of God Hebr. 13. 7 17 24. and not by those that are strangers to them § 326. 4. And as to the Manner all Divines are agreed That it is not to be like the proceedings of a Civil Court where there is no more to be done but examine the Cause and pass the Sentence and execute it by Corporal Penalties and Mulcts But 1. That it is to be managed by grave Divines the Physicians of Souls for the saving of the Sinner if it may be with great seriousness and light and weight of Scripture Argument convincing the Erroneous terrifying the Secure with the terrours of the Lord reproving and admonishing and perswading the penitent Offender and all this with Love and Compassion and due Patience and restoring the Penitent with Tenderness and Consolation and necessary Caution From all which it is evident That one single Person thus dealt with in case of Heresie may hold the Pastor or Bishop many days time and one gross Sinner may hold him many hours time before this Work can be done as the Nature and Ends of it do require 2. And it is to be done by the meer Keys of the Kingdom of Christ by managing God's Word by particular Application to the Case and Conscience of the Sinner and not by outward Force of Penalties § 327. 5. And all this is apparent in the Ends of it which is 1. That Churchâ—Communion may be a Communion of Saints 2. That the Sinner may be saved and converted to that end 3. Or however that others may be warned by his sad Example 4. And that the unbelieving and ungodly World may see the Excellency of Christian Religion and not be hardened in their Infidelity and Impietyâ— 5. And so that Christ and the Father by him may be honoured in his holiness among the Sons of Men These are the Ends of Church-Discipline § 328. 3. And as you see what the Discipline is that is to be Exercised so the Number of Persons on whom it is to be exercised may be gathered from what is said in the beginning where is shewed 1. How many hundred Parishes are in a Diocess 2. How many hundred or thousand Souls in a Parish unless the very smallest 3. And how many Hereticks Atheists Papists Infidels or Swearers Cursers Railers Drunkards Fornicators and other scandalous Sinners there are proportionably in most Parishes I leave to the judgment of every faithful Pastor that ever tried it by a particular knowledge of his Flock § 329. 4. And lastly who they be that are to Exercise all this Discipline I have shewed before even one Court or Consistory in a whole Diocess with the inconsiderable subserviency of the Arch-Deacon's Court For the Rural Deans do nothing in it and are themselves scarce known and the Pastor and Churchwardens do nothing but present Men to the Courts and execute part of their Sentences § 330. All this being laid together the impossibility of Christ's Discipline in our Churches is undeniable 1. Because by this Computation there must stand at once before the Court many thousand Persons to be at once examined convinced reproved exhorted or a great Multitude at least whenas they can speak but to one at once 2. Because the second Admonition which should be before two or three is there before an open Judicature which is not suited to the appointed End so that really our Controversie with the Diocesans is the same in effect as if it were controverted whether a thousand or six hundred Schools shall have as many governing School-masters or whether one only shall govern all these Schools and the rest of the School-masters have only power to â—each and not to govern were it only whether one should have a general Inspection over the rest that they may be punished for Malc-administration we should not be so far disagreed for though we might question whether Christ ever made or allowed any such Officer besides the Magistrate yet if the Work were but done by any we should judge it more tolerable Or the Controversie is as if it were questioned whether all the Diocess should have any more than one Physician that should have any power to prescribe any Government to the Patients and all the rest should only read general Lectures of Physick to them and be his Apothecaries to carry them his Prescripts and Medicines which were to question whether most shall have any Physician or none and whether the People shall have their Lives sacrificed to the mad Ambition of some one Man that would be their only Physician Shifting may deceive the unexperienced but let any Minister in England be but so faithful as to know all his Flock and regard their Souls and he can never deny that this is the true Case For my own part the Lord knoweth that I did with too much remisness exercise some Discipline a few years when I had liberty in one Country Parish upon one of the most Reformed People in the Land and that with the help of many Fellow-Ministers and of many of the People in their places and the countenance and presence of three Justices of the Peace and yet I found the burden too great for me and that one half of that Parish would have been enough It is in this as in Military Discipline or Navigation The Judgment of that Man that never tried it is of very little value in the Case Do but try the Government of one Parish in the Scripture way and we shall not differ § 331. And the Nonconformists further prove that our Prelacy maketh this Discipline morally impossible thus Were it not morally impossible some one godly Bishop in England would have executed it as Christ appointeth But no one godly Bishop in England doth or ever did so execute it Ergo The Major will not be denied of a Moral Impossibility or at least of a difficulty next it That which no one Man no not the wisest or the best ever did may well be called morally impossible or neer it And that England hath had some such Bishops we are not so uncharitable as to question when we remember Hooper Farrar Latimer Cranmer Ridley Iewel Grindall Hall and many more And I never met with
who will also sure enough exclude themselves and do from any such Agreement But have you done the same as to the Socinians who are numerous and ready to include themselves upon our Communion The Creed as expounded in the Four first Councils will do it 3. Whether some Expressions suited to prevent future Divisions and Separations after a Concord is obtained may not at present to avoid all exasperation be omitted as seeming reflective on former Actings when there was no such Agreement among us as is now aimed at 4. Whether insisting in particular on the power of the Magistrate especially as under civil Coercition and Punishment in cases of Error or Heresie be necessary in this first Attempt These Generals occurred to my Thoughts upon my first reading of your Proposals I will now read them again and set down as I pass on such apprehensions in particular as I have of the Severals of them To the first Answer under the first Question I assent so also to the first Proposal and the Explanation Likewise to the second and third I thought to have proceeded thus throughout but I fore-see my so doing would be tedious and useless I shall therefore mention only what at present may seem to require second Thoughts As 1. To Propos. 9. by those Instances what Words to use in Preaching in what Words to Pray in what decent Habit do you intend Homilies prescribed Forms of Prayer and Habits superadded to those of vulgar decent use Present Controversies will suggest an especial Sense under general Expressions 2. Vnder Pos. 13. Do you think a Man may not leave a Church and joyn himself to another unless it be for such a Cause or Reason as he supposeth sufficient to destroy the Being of the Church I meet with this now answered in your 18th Propos. and so shall forbear further particular Remarks and pass on In your Answer to the Second Qu. Your 10th Position hath in it some-what that will admit of further consideration as I think In your Answer to the 3d. Qu. have you sufficiently expressed the accountableness of Churches mutually in case of Offence from Male-Administration and Church Censures This also I now see in part answered Prop. 5th I shall forbear to add any thing as under your Answer to the last Question about the power of the Magistrate because I fear that in that matter of punishing I shall some-what dissent from you though as to meer Coercion I shall in some Cases agree Vpon the whole Matter I judge your Proposals worthy of great Consideration and the most probable medium for the attaining of the End aimed at that yet I have perused If God give not an Heart and Mind to desire Peace and Vnion every Expression will be disputed under pretence of Truth and Accuracy But if these things have a place in us answerable to that which they enjoy in the Gospel I see no reason why all the true Disciples of Christ might not upon these and the like Principles condescend in Love unto the Practical Concord and Agreement which not one of them dare deny to be their Duty to Aim at Sir I shall Pray that the Lord would guide and prosper you in all Studies and Endeavours for the Service of Christ in the World especially in this your Desire and Study for the Inâ—â—â—â—â—ing of the Peace and Love promised amongst them that Believe and do beg your Prayers Your truly affectionate Brother And unworthy Fellow-Servant Iohn Owen Ian. 25. 1668. § 143. For the Understanding of this you must know 1. That the way which we came to at last for the publication of the Terms if he and I had agreed secretly should be That as I had Printed such a thing called Vniversal Concord 1660. which was neglected so I would Print this as the Second Part of the Vniversal Concord that it might lye some time exposed to view in the Shops before we made any further use of it that so the State might not suspect us for our Union as if we intended them any ill by doing our Duty which course he approved 2. That I oft went to him and he had written this Letter ready to send me and so gave it me into my hand but we first debated many things in presence in all which there remained no apparent Disagreement at all so far as we went And in particular the great Point about separating in the Cases enumerated he objected no more but what I answered and he seemed to acquiesce 3. But I so much feared that it would come to nothing that I ventured to tell him what a difficulty I feared it would be to him to go openly and fully according to his own Judgment when the Reputation of former Actions and present Interest in many that would censure him if he went not after their narrowed Judgment did lye in his way and that I feared these Temptations more than his Ability and Judgment But he professed full Resolutions to follow the Business heartily and unbyassedly and that no Interest should move him And so I desired him to go over my Proposals again and fasten upon every Word that was either unsound or hurtful or unapt or unnecessary and every such Word should be altered which he undertook to do and so that was the way that we agreed on but when I came home I first returned him this following Answer to his Letter and Exceptions Feb. 16. 1668. SIR UPon the perusal of Yours when I came home I find your Exceptions to be mostly the same which you speak and therefore shall be the briefer in my Answer upon Supposition of what was said To your First Qu. I answer I am as much for Brevity as you can possibly wish so be it our Agreement be not thereby frustrated and made insufficient to its ends I would desire you to look over all the Particulars and name me not only every one that you think unsound but every one which you judge unprofitable or needless But if we leave out that which most or many will require and none have any thing against it will but stop our Work and make Men judge of it as you did of the want of a longer Profession than the Scriptures against Socinianism And it will contradict the Title The Iust Terms of Agreement For our Terms will be insufficient And as to your Words the first attempt my business is to discover the sufficient Terms at first that so it may facilitate Consent For if we purposely leave out any needful part as for a second attempt we bring contempt upon our first Essay and before the second third and perhaps twentieth Attempt have been used to bring us to Agreement by Alterations and cross Humours and Apprehensions things will go as they have done and all be pulled in pieces Therefore we must if possible find out the sufficient Terms before too many hands be ingaged in it Your own Exceptions here say That if too many Explications had not afterward occurred
Lawful And what if we had done so Is the Liturgy all that Nonconformists stick at Is the Canonical Subscription and Oath of Obedience and Re-ordination c. no more And doth not the Nation know that it was only the old Conformsty which was then questioned and that the new was not in being And that the Act of Uniformity was since made wherein besides Re-ordination is the new Declaration and new Subscription and since that the new Oxford Oath Such Impudency it was that assaulted and rendered us odious to the ignorant contrary to publick notoriety of Fact yet visible in Print to all the World § 234. Another at that time wrote that I had written that the Supreme Power might be resisted for Religion And another a Papist writing for Toleration that I wrote that the â—uthority of any of the Peers might warrant Subjects to take up Arms against the King Things that I never wrote or thought or any thing like them but have written very much to the contrary But it is our Lot to fall into the Hands of such Men as have banished all Modesty in their Calumnies § 235. About the beginning of May in my Walk in the Fields I met with Dr. Gunning now Bishop of Chichester with whom I had the contention and fierce Opposition to all the motions of Peace at the Savoy and at his Invitation went after to his Lodgings to pursue our begun Discourse which he vehemently professed that he was sure that it was not Conscience that kept us from Conformity but meerly to keep up our Reputation with the People and we desired alterations for no other ends and that we lost nothing by our Non-conformity but were fed as full and lived as much to the Pleasure of the Flesh in Plenty as the Conformists did And let me know what odious thoughts he had of his poor Brethren upon Grounds so notoriously false that I had thought few Men that lived in England could have been so ignorant of such matters of Fact But alas what is there so false and odious which exasperated factious malicious Minds will not believe and say of others And what Evidence so notorious which they will not out-face I told him that he was a stranger to the Men he talked of that those of my Acquaintance whom he confessed to be far more than of his were generally the most Conscionable Men that I could 〈◊〉 on Earth That he might easily know Reputation could not be the thing which made them suffer so much Affliction because 1. many of them were young men not pre-engaged in point of Reputation to any side 2. He knew that we lost by our Nonconformity that Worldly Honour which we were as capable of as he and others We did not so vilifie the King Parliament Lords Bishops Knights and Gentry who were most against us as to think it a piece of Worldly Honour to be vilified by them and called Rogues and sent to the common Goals among Rogues and branded to the World as we are in the Oxford Act of Confinement and banished five Miles from Cities and Corporations Our Consciences would not allow us to say that he and such 〈◊〉 he who were clergy-Clergy-Lords and Parliament-Barons did conform out of Pride or Love of Reputation and which was the liker to a reasonable Conjecture That he should be moved by Pride who chuseth the way of worldly Wealth and Domination and Honour giving Laws to his Brethren and vilifying them and trampling on them at his Pleasure as on a company of contemned scorned Wretches or they that chuse the way of this Contempt and Scorn with Poverty and Corporal Distress Whose honour is it that such Men seek You account their Followers the refuse of the World as you do them And if they themselves think better of them yet they will know that they are 〈◊〉 of the meaner sort and that poor Men have little to spare for others and we are not so sordidly dis-ingenious as not to be sensible that to be beholden to poor Men that want themselves for our daily Bread is not the work of Pride but putteth our Humilty to it to the utmost It 's foolish Pride which chuseth the hatred and scorn of the Great Men of the World instead of Dignities and Honour and chuseth to suffer Scorn and Imprisonment among poor Men to whom we must be beholden for a beggerly Sustenance And as for the Plenty and fullness which they upbraid us with it telleth us that there is nothing so immodest and unreasonable which some Mens Malice will not say Do they not know into what Poverty London is brought by the late Fire and want of Trade And what Complaints do fill all the Land And how close-hunded almost all Men are that are themselves in want And Ministers are not so impudent as to turn Beggers without Shame I had but a few days before had Letters of a worthy Minister who with his Wife and six Children had many Years had seldom other food than brown Rye Bread and Water and was then turned out of his House and had none to go to And of another that was fain to spin for his Living And abundance I know that have Families and nothing or next to nothing of their own and live in exceeding want upon the poor Drops of Charity which they stoop to receive from a few mean People And if there be here and there a rich man that is Charitable he hath so many to relieve that each one can have but a small share Indeed about a dosen or twenty Ministers about London who stuck to the People in the devouring Plague or in other times of Distress and feared no Sufferings have so many People adhering to them as keep them from Beggery or great want and you judge of all the rest by these when almost all the rest through England who have not something of their own to live upon do suffer so much as their Scorners will scarce believe It is no easie thing to have the Landlord call for Rent and the Baker the Brewer the Buther the Taylor the Draper the Shooemaker and many others call for Money and Wife and Children call for Meat and Drink and Cloaths and a Minister to have no Answer for them but I have none And the Bishop had the less modesty in standing confidently to my Face of his certainty of our losing nothing by our Non-conformity when he himself knew that I was offered a Bishoprick in 1660. and he got not his Bishoprick for all his extraordinary way of Merit till about 1671 or 1672 and I had not a Groat of the Ecclesiastical Maintenance since the King came in nor to my best remembrance ever received more than the fonâ— Pound even now mentioned as a Salary for Preaching these Eleven Years nor any way for Preaching the Sum of eight Pound in all those Years Yea on this occasion I will not think it vain to say that all that I remember that ever I
their Lawful Pastors to prevent all ill Effects 6. And for the Minister himself to repeat his Sermon or Catechize or Instruct his People that will come to him And is this the intolerable Evil worthy to be avoided at the rate of all our Calamities Are all our Divisions better than the enduring of this If any Limitations necessary had been omitted I might have expected to have found them named which I do not But 1. No Man's denial can make us ignorant of it that too great a Part of the People in most places know not what Baptism Christianity or the Catechism are and many hundred thousands cannot Read 2. And that few Ministers so personally instruct them as their need requireth nor can do for so many or by their Instruction they have not cured them 3. That to go to their Neighbours on the Lord's Day to hear again the Sermon which they had forgotten and to Praise God and hear the Scripture or a good Book that is Licens'd read hath done great good to many Souls 4. That otherwise such Ignorant Persons as we speak of except at Church-time cannot spend the Lord's Day to any Edification of themselves or Families 5. Men are not hinder'd from Feasting Drinking Playing together frequently and in greater Numbers Why then by Bishops from reading the Scripture or a Licens'd Book or Sermon 6. That God hath Commanded Provoke one another to Love and to good works And exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Heb. 10. 24. and 3. 13. And Cornelius had his Friends with him in his House for God's Servics Acts 10. and Acts 12. 12. In Mary's House many were gathered together praying And we find not that even the Iews were ever forbidden it by the Pharisees themselves And he that seeth his Brother have bodily need and shutteth up the Bowels of his Compassion from him how dwelleth the Love of God in him And the need of Souls is more common and to be Compassionated Rules may Regulate Charity in both cases but may forbid it or the necessary Exercises of it in neither He shall Perish as guilty of Murder that lets the Poor Die for want of his Relief tho he be forbidden to relieve them unless when the hurt would be greater than the good Love and Mercy are too great duties for a Bishop to null or dispense with We put no private Man on Ministerial Actions but in his own place to shew mercy to Souls To say that on this pretence Schismatical Meetings will be held is no more to the people than to say that all Errours and Wickedness may be kept up by Pretences of Reason Truth Piety Scripture Honesty c. But we must not therefore say Away with Reason Truth c. But I hope God's Servants will Die rather than desert their Master's Work 4. Prop. 1. The greatest part of it once a Quarter of Reading the Liturgy by Lectures Strict i Why not all as well as the greatest part Why not always as well as once a Quarter Answ. 1. I know that here and there a word may be scrupled as the reading of Bell and the Dragon or such like which silently past by maketh no disturbance And I think the Scrupling of such a word deserveth not that all the Peoples Souls be Punished for it with the loss of all their Teachers Labours 2. I never hear one Conformist that saith it all And why may not one be forborn as well as another 3. All the Liturgy for the day will be work too long and great that weak Men that have no Curates cannot Read all and Preach or Catechize also If you say that Preaching and Catechizing then may be omitted I answer They are God's Ordinances and needful to Men's Souls And seeing Prayer and Preaching are both Duties proportion is to be observed that neither may be shut out If you account the Liturgy better than Preaching yet every parcel of it intirely is not sure of so great worth as to cast out Preaching for it Rich parsons that have Curates may between them do both but so cannot poor Countrey Ministers that are alone and are sickly And as to the Always 1. The Canon limiteth some but to once in half a year which is less 2. The Conformable City-Preachers that have Curates very rarely Read it 3. Else what should Men do with Curates if they must always Read themselves 4. A weak Man may do both once a Quarter that is not able to do it every day 4. Prop. 2. It is supposed it will be done Strict k Yes once a Quarter for you would have no Man obliged to do it oftner nor all of it then neither Answ. Read and believe as you can The words were If in the Congregation where he is Incumbent the greatest part of it appointed for that time be sometimes as once a Quarter used by himself and every Lord's-day ordinarily unless Sickness c. either by himself or by his Curate or Assistant Is every Lord's-day but once a Quarter Or can it be every day done and no one obliged to do it 4. Prop. 3. Let not Christian Parents be forbidden to dedicate their Children publickly c. Strict l Christian Parents are not forbidden to present their Children to be Baptized But the Church in favour to the Infants appoints others in case the Parents should die or neglect their duty to have a Paternal care of them in order to their Education for the performance of their Baptismal Covenant That which follows is not worth the Animadverting being nothing else but an Uncharitable and Scandalous Insinuation Ans. 1. Read and believe what is forbidden Then shall the Priest speak to the Godfathers and Godmothers on this wise Dearly Beloved This Infant must also faithfully promise by you that are his Sureties That he will renounce the Devil c. I demand therefore Dost thou in the name of this Child renounce c. The Godfathers and Godmothers must say I renounce them all Dost thou believe c. Answ. All this I stedfastly believe Quest. Wilt thou be Baptized in this Faith Answ. That is my desire Q. Wilt thou obediently keep c. Answ. I will They are after to Name the Child After the Priest shall say to the Godfathers and Godmothers For asmuch as this Child hath promised by you that are his Sureties to renounce to believe in God and to serve him It is your parts and duties to see that this Infant be taught so soon as he shall be able to learn what a Solemn Vow Promise and Profession he hath here made by you c. See the rest So that here All the Covenanting Action on the Infant 's part is made the proper work of his Sureties called Godfathers and Godmothers without one word of the Parents doing it or any part of it And then cometh the Canon and farther saith Can. 29. No Parent shall be urged to be present nor be
long if there be cause § 315. Whilst this was my Employment in the Countrey my Friends at home had got one Mr. Seddon a Nonconformist of Derbyshire lately come to the Gity as a Traveller to Preach the Second Sermon in my New Built Chappel He was told and over-told all the Danger and desired not to come if he feared it I had left word That if he would but step into my House through a Door he was in no danger they having not Power to break open any but the Meeting-house While he was Preaching Three Justices with Soldiers supposed by Secretary Coventry's sending came to the Door to seize the Preacher They thought it had been I and had prepared a Warrant upon the Oxford Act to send me for Six Months to the Common Goal The good man and Two Weak Honest Persons intrusted to have directed him left the House where he was safe and thinking to pass away came to the Justices and Soldiers at the Door and there stood by them till some one said This is the Preacher And so they took him and blotted my Name out of the Warrant and put in his Though almost every Word fitted to my Case was false of him To the Gatehouse he was carried where he continued almost Three Months of the Six and being earnestly desirous of Deliverance I was put to Charges to accomplish it and at last having Righteous Judges and the Warrant being found faulty he had an Habeas Corpus and was freed upon Bonds to appear again the next Term. § 316. By this means my Case was made much worse For 1. The Justices and other Prosecutors were the more exasperated against me 2. And they were now taught to stop every Hole in the next Warrant to which I was still as liable as ever So that I had now no Prospect that way of Escape And yet though my Charge Care and Trouble had been great for his Deliverance and Good People had dealt very kindly with him my usual Back-biters the Prelatists and Separatists talk commonly of me as one that had unworthily saved my self from Danger and drawn a Stranger into the Snare and therefore deserved to bear all the Charges Though as is said 1. I was Twenty Miles off Preaching publickly 2. They that askt him to Preach told him the Worst 3. He went into Danger from Safety by the Conduct of some Persons of that censorious humour 4. My Danger was Increased by it as well as my Charges But Man's Approbation is a Poor Reward § 317. Just when I came home and was beginning to seek Mr. Seddon's Deliverance Mr. Rosse Died the Fiercest of the Justices who had sent me to Goal before The other Two are one Mr. Grey and Sir Philip Matthews § 318. The Parliament being sate again a Letter was secretly printed containing the History of the Debate in the Lord's House the former Sessions about the Test and it was Voted to be burnt by the Hangman but the more desired and read it In which it appeareth That when it came to be their own case more was said by the Lords for the Cause of the Nonconformists than ever they were permitted to say for themselves § 319. A most Excellent Book was written for the Nonconformists for Abatements and Forbearance and Concord by Dr. Herbert Crofts Bp. of Hereford without his Name of which more afterward § 320. The Lords and Commons Revived their Contests about their Powers and Priviledges and the Lords appointed Four Lawyers to plead their Cause and the Commons set up Orders or Votes to forbid them And the Duke of Buckingham made a Notable Speech against Persecution and desired the Consent of the Lords that he might bring in a Bill for the Ease of His Majesty's Protestant Subjects in matters of Religion but while it was preparing the King on Monday November 21st Prorogued the Parliament till February come Twelve-month § 321. The Speeches of the Earl of Shaftsbury and others about the Test were secretly Printed and a Paper of Reasons for Dissolving this Parliament and Calling a New One which were given in the House of Lords And the Debates of this Test opening a little of the Noncouformists Cause as to the Oxford Oath together with what the Earl of Shaftsbury hath done with Wit and Resolution hath alienated many even of the Conformists from the present prevailing Bishops § 322. The other of the fierce Justices that Subscribed a Warrant for my imprisonment died shortly after viz. Colonel Grey The Death of Mr. Barwell Sir Iohn Medlicot Mr. Ross and Mr. Grey besides the Death of some Informers and the Repentance of others and the Death of some late Opposers of the Clergy made me and some others the more to compassionate Persecutors and dread God's Judgments § 323. The Town of Northampton lamentably burnt § 324. An Earthquake in divers Counties § 325. My Dear Friend Sir Matthew Hale Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench falling into a Languishing Disease from which he is not like to Recover resolvedly petitioned for a Dismission and gave up his Place having gone through his Employments and gone off the Stage with more universal love and honour for his Skill Wisdom Piety and resolved Justice than ever I heard or read that any English Man ever did before him or any Magistrate in the World of his rank since the days of the Kings of Israel He resolved in his weakness that the place should not be a burden to him nor he to it And after all his great practice and places he tells me That with his own Inheritance and all he is not now worth above Five hundred Pounds per Annum so little sought he after gain He may most truly be called The Pillar and Basis or Ground of Iustice as Paul called not the Church but Timothy in the Church the Pillar and Basis of Truth His digested knowledge in Law above all Men and next in Philosophy and much in Theology was very great His sincere honesty and humility admirable His Garb and House and Attendance so very mean and low and he so resolutely avoided all the Diversions and Vanities of the World that he was herein the Marvel of his Age. Some made it a Scandal but his Wisdom chose it for his Convenience that in his Age he Marryed a Woman of no Estate suitable to his Disposition to be to him as a Nurse He succeeded me in one of the meanest Houses that ever I had lived in and there hath ever since continued with full content till now that he is going to his Native Countrey in likely-hood to die there It is not the least of my pleasure that I have lived some years in his more than ordinary Love and Friendship and that we are now waiting which shall be first in Heaven Whither he saith he is going with full content and acquiescence in the Will of a gracious God and doubts not but we shall shortly live together O what a blessed World were this were the
and Applications 5. Inasmuch as he stands an Elder over them and is weakened in his Confidence against Infant Baptism which they are so confident against and also cannot baptize Believers otherwise than to satisfie their Scruple of Conscience that shall desire it out of doubt of the Defect is in their Infant Baptism and with Cautioning of such to take heed of their taking it up so as to denominate their Christianity Saint-ship or Church-ship thereby if any Party of the Congregation can not bare him thus but should separate and so want means of Edification or as some say rather be Quakers than so indifferent or as one of them says he would join with the Church of Rome if he thought that true which Mr. Lambe says namely That he may have Communion with Persons not so baptized whether considering their Danger he ought not hide or cease to desist on his Sense or what he ought to do 6. Considering his present Temptatious and Assaults to his Faith and Sense of God's Love it be his present Work to study to be setled in a full Persuasion one way or other about Baptism But to mind his spiritual Defence against these Violent Assaults which makes him say O that he were in his late confidence again and so is resolved to study the Arguments that are against Infant Baptism And he is directed to your Twenty Arguments in the Book about right to Sacraments about the necessity of Faith to interest in Baptism Now sweet Mr. Baxter shall I have so much Grace in your Sight as to have your distinct Answer to these Particulars truly it will be Service to Jesus Christ whom we have desired to serve in all singleness of Heart from our Youth up and have no desire in this World like to this to know his Will and do it whose Love and the Light of whose Countenance is better than Life to our Souls having no Design but to serve our Lord upon the best Terms who hath dealt bountifully with us whose Mercy and Faithfulness we have often experienced I trust it is of God that put it into my Heart to write to you and I will wait that the Son of Righteousness may shine through you a Star in his Right Hand to our Guidance in this Night of our Temptation I acquaint none that I do it were it known it might occasion me some farther Tryals Therefore I intreat your Secrecy in it My Husband hath indeed sometimes said he would write to you but hath said again Mr. Baxter will not regard me and indeed he hath scarce freedom of Mind to any Business he should take a Journey to Worcester which if he do he says he will come to you I do not acquaint him with this but your Advice I know I shall be able to help him by Now our Lord Jesus Christ who still giveth Gifts to Men and doth continue Means in his Church sufficient to the help of all his poor Servants be your Helper to us ward with craving Pardon for my great Boldness I take leave and remain YOURS in our Lord Iesus Barbara Lambe London in Great St. Bartholomews this 12th of August 1658. I have inclosed sent a Copy of the mentioned Arguments which pray peruse and keep private Sir I desire what you write in answer to me may be inclosed in a Cover to Mr. James Marshal in Friday-Street at the Half Moon who is my Son in Law and so I shall have it with privacy I shall long to know that these come safe to your Hands For Mr. Rich. Baxter Minister of the Gospel in Kidderminster These present Dear Mrs. Lambe HOW true did I feel it in the reading of your Husband's Lines and yours which you say in the beginning that unacquaintedness with the Face is no hindrance to the Communion of the Saints So much of Christ and his Spirit appeared to me in both your Writings that my Soul in the reading of them was drawn out into a strong a Stream of Love and closing Unity of Spirit as almost ever I felt it my Life There is a Connaturality of Spirit in the Saints that will work by Sympathy and by closing uniting Inclinations through greater Differences and Impediments than the external Act of Baptism As a Load-stone will exercise its attractive Force through a Stone Wall I have an inward Sense in my Soul that told me so feelingly in the reading of your Lines that your Husband and you and I are one in our dear Lord that if all the self-conceited Dividers in the World should contradict it on the account of Baptism I could not believe them About a Year ago Sir Henry Herbert gave me one of your Husband's Books about Baptism which when I had read I told him that the Author and I were one in Love though not of one Opinion and that he wrote in the most savory honest moderate Style of any of that Mind that ever I read But truly the perusal of these Arguments persuade me yet to higher Thoughts of him much more may be said than he hath said in that great and weighty Case but yet I have met with none that hath said so much in so small a room It delighteth me to feel the workings of a Catholick Spirit in his Lines Nothing hath more undone us except flat Ungodlyness than the loss of Catholick Principles and Affections among Christians few are more void of them than the Papists that boast of them It must be this loving a Christian as a Christian that must hold when all is done He that loveth Christ in Christians will love all Christians where Christ appears Should not Dividers fear least Christ say to them that castoff most of his Holy Members for this Opinion sake Ye did it unto me Is Christ in these Saints or his he not What! a Saint and Christ not in him that cannot be And is he in them and shall he be used so unkindly so uncharitably as to be cast by Oh dear Mrs. Lambe the Lamb of God hath reconciled greater Differences and closed greater Differences than these and his tender Bowels yearn over those that we sullenly reject He that said to his sluggish Followers The Spirit is willing but the Flesh is weak and that sent so kind a Message to Peter that lately denyed him as soon as he was risen and that still shewed such matchless Compassions to the weak will give little Thanks to dividing Spirits that cast out his poor Servants whom he himself doth not cast out I know not Mr. Lambe by Face but Mr. Allen I know could he find in his Heart to deny me Brotherly Communion if I desired it of him and protested that I would be of his Opinion and Practice if I durst and my contradicting Judgment did not hinder me I have told the Pastors of the Re-baptized Churches here that if any of their Judgment and Practice will satisfie themselves with being again Baptized and will live in peaceable Communion with us they shall
that God enlightened me in these things on purpose to appear against them and lead others out of them in this Confidence I grew bold and began to preach something publickly that I knew would turn the Congregation against me and so prepare me for my Return to Mr. Iohn Goodwin's from whom I separated about Five Years ago But the Truth is as I began to widen from the Church I relate to my Soul sank into deep Mire where there was no standing into a horrible Pit the Arrows of the Lord stuck fast in me and his Hand pressed me sore the Poyson of them drunk up my Spirit and the Terrors of the Lord set themselves in array against me instead of the Smiles of Christ and the comfortable Testimony of Conscience as to a service pleasing to God and the Lord Jesus Christ I met with hellish Horrors Temptations to dâ—spair of God's Love to me and much ado to keep my Head above Water Whereupon I humbled my self under the mighty Hand of God and stopt my present Prosecutions of my Purposes which was to have burnt my Books to have returned to Mr. Goodwin's again to have provided my Papers with some Additions and a solemn Address to all the Churches under that Form But meeting with this wonderful Opposition from God my Hand hangeth down and my Knee feeble I am in an amaze not knowing what to say think or do But this I have found That as widening from the People I am with brought us great distress so joining with them again assuageth the Waters of my Affliction upon these Terms I stand not daring to stir from them nor do any thing to prejudice my esteem with them But yet not satisfied neither through Fear least by going on the way I am engaged in I should countenance a By-way not pleasing to God And thus by degrees I have opened to you the perfect State of my Case but it was because you would ask me what matter the Enemy if it were the Enemy wrought on to make me so great Affliction upon it one thing was some Thoughts of Heart that I had had concerning my Children That made it indeed a matter desirable to me to be out of this way but my Conscience telleth me the Thoughts was lawful and good and that they had not the least influence in the change of my Judgment Another thing is the way we are in is a very narrow way and we have some Christians my dear and intimate Friends that walk in it that excell in holiness and are gone somewhat farther out of the World with their Hearts through their Faith and Sense of future things than ordinarily Christians go these all frown'd on me And then 3. The way I should return to was more open and the Persons less sensible Oh Sir there is abundance have Knowledge but there is but a few have a rich Sense 4. I should leave the Poor and go among the Rich that minded more the adorning of the outward Man than the glorious Gospel of Christ ordinarily whereas my Spirit is much set against gay Apparel and following of Fashions not but that Mr. Goodwin's Church is as sober as most I think as any But the Truth is it is a Sin in my Apprehension at least that few are sufficiently sensible of 5. My Conscience telleth me that as for Parishes there is no proceedings in Parishes that are worthy the Name of Church-Proceedings ordinarily There is indeed in some few an able Man to Preach and the People go to hear but as for watching visiting and nourishing and such like faithful Proceedings for the Health of Souls there are but few lay any such things to Heart so that the Parishes for the most part are but like a dead Corps without Life The living Stones are gone into one gathered Church or other but I confess I do not find them blessed after 6. Another thing was the Danger that the Souls of our Friends would be in upon my leaving them 7. The making of thousands of Hearts sad who have their Eyes upon me I perceive your Propositions at the end of your Letter Alas for me I shall be fit for nothing except God be pleased to heal my wounded Spirit that is my great Care for the present how to behave my self to obtain the Light of his Countenance If God would go before me and lead me I would do any thing the Joy of the Lord is our Strength but however I thank God that enableth me to hold out waiting I am sure my Soul hungereth and thirsteth after Righteousness more than all Riches and therefore I am under the Promise of being fill'd at last I have indeed covered to serve God and secretly plotted how to cast my Affairs so that I might be free for it I have in order to the Devotion of my Soul to the Word and Prayer wholly taken my self off all Converse with the World and supposing I should not long stay where I am I was considering where I might be useful At last I thought of going into some Country with the leave of Mr. Goodwin's Church where there was much People and no means and there to seat my self having a good Estate of my own by which I could not only serve freely but do much good This I thought would have been pleasing to God I resolved not to meddle with the Point of Baptism one way or other but have striven the Conversion of Souls to Jesus Christ But his late Frowns on me maked me fear he will take no delight in me But however since I call him Father it is fit I should say Thy will be done even so Father let it be Amen Amen If you would draw up such a Model of Agreement as you write of I know not how much it may conduce to the Glory of God I believe some here would subscribe it I hope many I propounded it to Mr. Manton he said he should like such a thing very well The Lord preserve your Life Health and Strength that you may live to do God more Service your Zeal provoketh many I am fully persuaded and I think upon good Grounds that had the Ministers taken the Course that I hear you take at Kidderminster it had prevented Separation The good Lord fill you with his Holy Spirit and enable you to do yet more abundantly Dear Sir I intreat you to use your Interest in Heaven for me that my Faith may be strengthned which the Enemy layeth at daily to enlighten my Understanding to give me good knowledge and good Judgment to deliver my Conscience from unnecessary Scruples to manifest his Love to me and increase my Love to him and if it be his Will to use and comfort me in his Service which he knoweth is Meat and Drink to me who am Your affectionate Friend and Brother in Christ Iesus Tho. Lambe I hope shortly to hear from you Dear Mr. Baxter I Do return my many Thanks for your excellent Letter which I have received with
fittest manner and Season of your coming off Therefore it seems to me your Duty freely lovingly compassionately to communicate your Reasons to your Auditors if they can prove them unsound which I am sure they cannot in the main then yield to them if they cannot then beg their Pardon for misguiding them and beseech them to return not to any Sin against God but to the Love of the Saints and the Unity of the universal Body of Christ and the Communion of Brethren 3. To return to Mr. I. Goodwin's Church again I dare not dissuade you or advise you but I would not do it if I liv'd in another Parish where I could have Lawful Communion yea or if I could live in such a Parish I would not be a Member of a Church gathered out of many Parishes in such a Place as London Co-habitation is in Nature and Scripture Example made the necessary Disposition of the Materials of a Church 4. My Thoughts still are that you should Preach the Gospel in some Congregation most suitable to you But I am very glad that you give me the Reasons of your Trouble for it is a sad kind of Work for you or another to plead against Troubles in the dark which a Man can give no Reason for 1. Your First I need say nothing to If you had ever had a Temptation to thrust in a wrong Motive into a good Cause it neither proves the Cause bad else all our Preaching were too bad or your Heart bad as you see your Sin I hope you see your sufficient Remedy 2. The Second is carnal to resist so great a Truth and Duty lest good People be displeased what are they your God God must be enough for you if ever you will have enough and it must satisfie you that he is pleased if ever you will be satisfied Tell those Christians you will not cease to Love them by Loving more nor cease any due Communion with them by having Communion with more Keep in with them by Love and Correspondency even whether they will or no even when you have left their Separation Do not reproach them when you leave them but enjoy the Good of their Communion still as you have Opportunity God's House hath many Mansions if your Friends think that their Closet is all the House convince them of their Mistake and confine your self to that Closet no longer but yet renounce it not it may be a part though sinfully divided though it be not the whole 3. The way that you are called to is God's High way and though the Churches have many in them that are dead yet have they with them as many living Members as yours and many more if these parts may be Witnesses I would not be a Member of that Church willingly that is composed of none but not able Christians though I most Love the best and delight most in their Fellowship and wish that all were such yet when I see a Church so gathered I easily find it is a wrong Constitution and not according to the Mind of Christ. I will never join with them that will have but one Form in Christ's School I would have the A B C there taught as well as the profoundest Mysteries 'T is no Sign of the Family of God to have no Children what if I said Infants in it but strong Men only Nor of the Hospital of Christ to have none Sick nor of his Net to have no Fish but Good nor of his Field to have no Tares Flesh and Blood hath ticed me oft to Separation for Ease but it s too easy a way to be of God I undergo another kind of Life you are extreamly mistaken if you think that you are put on so much Duty and Self-denial by many Degrees among your Hundred Professors as we must undergo Your Work is Idleness to ours how then is yours the streighter way 4. For Riches and gay Apparel you may help to cure Excess where you find it What! a Physician fly because his Patients are Sick O that we had no sorer Diseases to encounter than fine Cloaths If you were with me I could tell you quickly where to find Forty Families of humble godly Christians that are as bare and Poor as you would Wish and need as much as you can give them or procure them that scarce lose a Day 's Work by Sickness but the Church must maintain them And I could send you to Sixty Families that are as poor and yet so Ignorant as more to need your spiritual Help When they have sat by me to be instructed in my Chamber they sometimes leave the Lice so plentifull that we are stored with them for a competent space of time Never keep in a Separated Church to avoid Riches and fine Cloaths and for fear lest you cannot meet with the Poor I warrant you a Cure of that Melancholy Fear in most places in England 5. The next is the great Block 1. If you gather out the choicest Members that should help the rest and then complain of Parishes when you have marr'd them you do not justly 2. If you will not do your Duty in a Parish because some Ministers do not theirs your excuse is frivolous 3. If I durst have gathered a separated Church here I could have had one large and numerous enough or such as would allow me ease but I think Parish Work the best We here agree on these Four Heads 1. To teach all In which Work in my Parish I could find Work for Ten Ministers if I could maintain them 2. To admit none as adult Members without a personal credible Profession of Faith and Holiness of which I refer you to my Treatise of Confirmation 3. To exercise Discipline with these 4. To hold Communion of Churches by Associations and Assemblies of the Officers And I bless God I find not my Parish such a dead Body as you speak of Among Eight Hundred Families Six Hundred Persons are Church-Members I hope there is not very many of these without such a Profession as giveth us good Hopes of their Sincerity and none whose Profession I am able any way to disprove and this satisfieth me as God's Way and many I hope Scores there be of those that join not with us on divers Accounts that I hope fear God If you have Charity to judge that our Parishes have Christians you may have Charity to judge that they have Life and some fit for Communion How tender is Christ of his weakest Members and shall not I imitate him yea shall I judge them that am so bad my self and pluck them from his Arms that designeth it as his highest Honour to be admired and glorified in the freeness and fulness of his Grace and Love to the Unworthy 6. Your Followers Souls are by you endangered while you leave them in their Sin will it endanger them to tell them of that Danger and help them out What! to lead Men to Holy Love and Unity with the Catholick
the publick Lectures 4. In the Strength of God taken Courage to preach to the Congregation the Doctrine of the Church Universal and its Unity from 1 Cor. 12. 26. and from thence to shew them the Schismatical state wherein we are which Sermons hath brought the Anabaptists about my Ears from other Parts Four or five of them opposed me the last first day after my Sermon and because of what I had preached the Day before half my own Congregation never came to hear me Their Hearts are quite gone from me Not any of the Church cometh to see me or ask me any Question Now 3. and Lastly As to the present frame of my Spirit and State it is thus As to the uniting Work I have in Hand I thank God I am bold and am waiting on God upon whose Influences I live to guide me in Thought Word and Deed about it but I have lately been sorely troubled with one Temptation What should I preach or write any thing for concerning Religion I cannot endure Toâ—ments for Christ if I should be triedâ— 't is not for such faint hearted Creatures as I to meddle in such Work Now the Conscience of this that indeed I am a poor Creature weak both in Faith and Spirit hath made way for this Temptation to seize upon me to the saddening of my Soul and to the enâ—eebling of me to so great a Degree that for this two or three Days I have not been able to do any thing As for my present State in respect of the Church I am still with them and purpose God willing to Morrow to apply what I have preached about Schism The next Wednesday is appointed to debate things our Friends call in the Heads of other Churches to their Assistance and I hear those from abroad intend to stir up our Friends to cast me out of the Church what the Issue will be God knoweth and what to do with my self afterwards I know not I know I shall be sorely beset by the Enemy but my hope is in God that he will not suffer me to be tempted above that I am able and that my merciful Redemer and High Priest will be touched with the Feeling of my Infirmities himself being tempted he knoweth how to succour those that are tempted Heb. 4. 16. saith Grace hath a Throne and 5. 20 21. saith Grace reigneth Oh blessed be God! 1 Ephes. saith he hath given him to be Head over all things to the Church not to govern it only but to influence it with all necessary Supplies to fill all in all He supposed while we are here we shall be in an indigent Condition divers ways but at that Throne where Grace Reigneth there is Grace enough to supply all our Wants Therefore 1 Ioh. Of his fulness we have all received Grace for â—race and because such poor Creatures as I sensible of much Unworthiness are very apt to doubt our Entertainment and fear where no fear is blessed Jesus calleth us to come boldly Sir when I shall have done my Work where I am which I believe will be shortly I could be content to return to Mr. Goodwin's if God would like it and that my Re-union with that Church would not hinder my main Work They have of their own accord made a Vote to receive me when my Spirit should be free to return and indeed always have manifested much Love to me but the Truth is I am so clog'd with Scruples about popular Government and such like things that though to Will be present with me to perform I find not Mr. Goodwin never renounced his Ordination to take it from the People and is for Free Communion and saith will join in such a Uniting Draught as I hope you will now draw up and prosecute presently and which I will labour in God willing to promote when it cometh here That which mainly sticketh with me in respect of returning to Mr. Goodwin's is that when I shall publish what is in my Heart about the Causes of the Churches Malady in England I shall reflect upon the Independant Principles exceedingly Now my fear is that my Relation to them will be a Curb to me I know not what to do but my Eye is up towards God I am sure I have reaped Benefit by your Counsel and hope I have had an Interest in your Prayers which I still beg being confident God will hear you Sir the Lord preserve your Life and bless your Labours I hope it will not be long e're I shall hear from you who am Your affectionate Friend and Brother in Christ Iesus Tho. Lambe From my House in Great St. Bartholomews My Wife presents her Love with many Thanks to you To his very worthy Friend Mr. R. Baxter Preacher of God's Word at Kidderminster in Worcestershire Dear Brother IF I understand any thing of the Ways of the Love of God and can perceive by the Effects below what Souls the Light of his Countenance doth shine upon you owe much to his Love and are used by him as he useth the dearest of his own what a Mercy is his Illumination and how much greater his quickening Life that possesseth you with Love to God and Man O did we but know when we feel one Spark of Love to God and his Servants in our Souls from what an infinite Love it comes and to what it tends and what it signifieth surely there would be more studying comparatively for Charity that edifieth than for the Knowledge that puffeth up If your Work for God did cost you nothing it would not be so comfortable to you symptomatically or effectively Though I confess it is harder to bear the Censures of Godly Men than of the World yet the â—iger the Tryal the fuller will be the Evidence of Sincerity in Submission and the greater that Grace and Peace that is used to be given in for Encouragement or Reward And yet I must tell you that your Tryal here is not of the greatest when your Recovery is like to procure you the Esteem of Ten if not an Hundred of God's Servants for one that you are like to lose and I am glad that you give your Censurers so good a Description for if they are such as you describe them I am persuaded many of them will come after you in time And is it not a great Encouragement to you that your Brother and Fellow-labourer comes over with you and so your Hands are strengthned and half your Opposition taken off and turned into Comfort For though I never told him of your Letters to me nor you of his yet I take it for granted that you know each others Minds and ways and yet you know that he is satisfied and resolved for Catholick Communion I pray you go together and do what you do as one Man while you have one Mind and Heart I perceive the Signs of Iudgment and Charity also in him I beseech you also both to hold on your Charity even to them that are offended with
you so far as Christ appeareth in them let them have your special Love The Despondencies you mention are unreasonable Will you conclude you cannot suffer before you are called to Suffering Deny the Baits of fleshly Pleasure vain Glory and worldly Gain and live sincerely to God in your Prosperity and I dare say you may boldly expect his confirming sustaining Grace if he call you to Adversity I had almost said that with most Men it requireth greater Grace to overcome the Temptations of Prosperity and to contemn a flattering World for Christ than to die for him At least the one will prove you possessed with his Spirit and an Heir of Promise as well as the other And therefore the Spirit and Promise that enable you now to live to God would enable you to die for him if he required it Look you to your present Work and trust God for Strength for what he calls you to If my Advice be worth your regard it 's this 1. That you do as you have done offer Communion to other Churches but forbear yet a while to join your self as a Member to any 2. That if you like the Proposals I shall send and Mr. Goodwin like them you both with him do signifie so much and I will take some course that they may be the Introduction to a more general Agreement 3. And that at the time when we publish such Agreement you and your Fellow-labourer join in publishing your Reasons for Catholick Communion For I thank him he hath communicated his and yours set together will give much Evidence in the Cause But I must a little while crave your Patience before I send my Papers by reason of a Crowd of pressing Businesses But the Sweetness of the work will draw me from all wilful Delays Your Brother also I perceive is not yet ready for my Proposals I rest Your unworthy Fellow Servant Rich. Baxter To Mr. Lambe Jan. 22. 1658. Numb IV. Letters and Papers between Mr. Baxter and Mr. Allen. Dear Brother I Bless the Lord for the great Consolation I had in the perusal of your Papers All the Motions and Operations of Holy Love are lovely That is the way of God hat is the way of Love and that to be much suspected that quencheth it What is so much predicated through all the Gospel Above all other ways what a mellow sweetness doth the way of Love communicate to all the Duties and Conversings of those that are abounding in this Grace And it is the Manhood and Maturity of Christianity The Infancy of the Law had less of it than the full Age of the Gospel And young Christians usually are like young Fruit austere and unpleasant whom Age and Holy Experience must mellow by the growth of Love produced by the Sun-shine of Heavenly Love I had thought to have presently returned you my Answer to your Reasons about Infant Baptism but when I had read your other Papers I could not find in my Heart least Disputing should in any Measure abate in the Love that God was kindling Yet shortly if I can find the least leisure I shall give you a few Words to them if God will when that which hath a shew of contending will be more seasonable Your Arguments for Communion are very weighty My next Work to these Ends shall be to persuade some godly Ministers that differ from you to a more charitable Iudgment and walking towards them of your Opinion and if I live so long to persuade our Parliament Men against excessive Rigour and Bitterness against them Do you do the like with those of your way If Love reign in us it must command our Tongues to plead its Cause and to endeavour the promoting of it in the World And when Love shall Reign among the Nations the Lord shall Reign in a way of Love And this is the way to those glorious Times that some expect by other Ways And as the abounding of Iniquity and the cooling of Love are coupled by Christ as Cause and Effect so will the abounding of Love and the decay of Iniquity be conjoined The God of Love carry on this blessed Work in our frozen Souls and in all the Churches by keeping us under the Light of his Countenance and the the Sunshine of his most glorious Love I remain Your Brother Rich. Baxter To Mr. William Allen. Jan. 7. 1658. The Case of Separation Quest. 1. WHether Particular Churches be of Divine Institution Answ. Yea that is Christians associated for Personal Communion in Doctrine Worship and Discipline under the same Pastors one or more are a Church of Divine Institution Proved Act. 14. 23. Titus 1. 5. 1 Tim. Phil. 1. 1 2. 1 Thes. 5. 16 17. Heb. 15. 17. 24. and many other Texts Quest. 2. Whether the Parish Assemblies are such Answ. Parish-Assemblies are not of one sort some are not such that is Parish Assemblies which deny the Essentials of Christianity and are Hereticks or deny Church Essentials or that have no Pastors or such as want some Essentials of the Office as visible to Man's Judgment But Parish Assemblies are true particular Churches who profess the Essentials of Christianity and of Churches and have Pastors who visibly want not any thing essential to their Office though otherwise faulty 2. Churches are called true 1. In point of Essence as aforesaid 2. In point of Soundness and Integrity as a sick Man or a maimed Man or a Thief is a true Man in Essence but not in Soundness in Integrity and Honesty The Parish Churches as constituted by our Laws Articles Ordination and Canons are true Churches as to Essence but not without some Wants and Diseases that need a cure 3. Churches may be called True 1. In their Constitutions Or 2. In their Administration Ours in England as afore described are true in their Constitution But in the Administration some are excellent some are laudable some are tolerable and perhaps some have Ministers intolerable as the Parsons differ 4. The Society called the Church of England hath Pastors of several Minds most I hope hold all that is Essential to Christianity Ministry and Communion But some late Innovators and Corruptors seem to deny somewhat Essential to particular Churches and Ministry but these impeach no Mens Ministry but their own against these I wrote in my Treaties of Episcopacy 5. Distinguish between the Office as instituted by Christ and owned by the Church of England and the Exercise of the Office as restrained and hindred by Canons and by Laws the Parish Ministers and Churches are true Ministers and Churches as described by Ordination and the Church Doctrine but many Canons and some Laws dolefully fetter them and hinder the Exercise of their Office on pretence of governing them but neither do nor can destroy the Essence of the Office it self The Ministers have all essential Qualifications and the Consent of the People though not the first Choice and the People are professed Christians 6. A Parish and a Parish-Church are not
peaceable Reformation among us than to break down This Partition-Wall for there is nothing provokes more than this doth to deny such Churches to be true Churches of Christ. For do but think with your selves and I will give you a familiar Example You come to a Man whom you think to be a godly Man you tell him He hath these and these Sins in him and they are great ones It is as much as he can hear though you tell him he is a Saint and acknowledge him so but if you come to him and say besides this You are a Limb of the Devil and you have no Grace in you this provoketh all in a Man when there is any Ground in himself to think so or in another to judge him so so it is here Come to Church and say You have these Defects among you and these things to be reformed But if you will come and say Your Churches and your Ministers are Antichristian and come from Babylon there is nothing provoketh more Therefore if there be a Truth in it as I believe there is Men should be Zealous to express it For this is the great Partition Wall that hindreth of twain making one Then again This is that which I consider and it is a great Consideration also I know that Jesus Christ hath given his People Light in Matters of this Nature by degrees Thousands of good Souls that have been bred up and born in our Assemblies and enjoy the Ordinances of God and have done it comfortably cannot suddenly take in other Principles You must wait on Christ to do it In this Case Men are not to be wrought off by Falshoods God hath no need of them no rather till Men do take in Light you should give them all that is comfortable in the Condition they are in we should acknowledge every good thing in every Man in every Church in every thing and that is a way to work upon Men and to prevail with them as it is Philem. v. 6. That the Communication of thy Faith may become effectual acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Iesus It is that which buildeth Men up by acknowledgment of every good thing that is in them Lastly The last Inconvenience is this It doth deprive Men of all those Gifts that are found amongst our Ministers and in this Kingdom that they cannot hold any Communion or fellowship with them So that I profess my self as Zealous in this Point as in any other I know And for my part this I say and I say it with much Integrity I never yet took up Religion by Parties in the Lump I have found by tryal of things that there is some truth on all Sides I have found Holiness where you would little think it and so likewise Truth And I have learned this Principle which I hope I shall never lay down till I am swallowed up of Imortality and that is that which I said before To acknowledge every good thing and hold Communion with it in Men in Churches or Whatsoever else I learn this from Paul I learn this from Jesus Christ himself He filleth All in All He is in the Hearts of his People and filleth them in his Ordinances to this Day And where Jesus Christ filleth why should we deny an Acknowledgment and a right Hand of Fellowship and Communion My Brethren this Rule that I have now mentioned which I profess I have lived by and shall do while I live I know I shall never please Men in it Why It is plain for this is the Nature and Condition of all Mankind if a Man dissents from others in one thing he loseth himself in all the rest And therefore it a Man do take what is good of all sides he is apt to lose them all But he pleaseth Christ by it and so I will for this particular Thus far Dr. T. Goodwin prefaced and commended by Thankful Owen and Iames Barron worthy and peaceable Men deceased The Transcriber craveth judicious Resolutions of these two Questions 1. Whether it be lawful to be a fixed Member of a grosly Schismatical Church that is guilty of such separating from slandering almost all others as is here reproved when Communion with better may be had Quest. 2. How far others are bound to reprove and Testify against such dividing Principles Ministers and Churches especially after and under doleful Experience of their sinful calamitous Effects Dear Brother I Have felt that in my own Soul and seen that upon my Brethren for these two or three Years last past which persuadeth me that God is about the healing of our Wounds having communicated more healing Principles and Affections and poured out more of the Spirit of Catholick Love and Peace than I have perceived heretofore Love is arisen and shineth upon the Children of the Day and your congealed Stiffness begins to vanish and a Christian Tenderness to succeed The Prince of Peace erects his Banner and the Sons of Peace flock in apace It is a shame to be the last but a misery to be none God will bring his divided distracted Servants nearer together and it is Pity he should be put to bear down any resisting Saints among the Instruments of Satan and that any of their Carcasses should be found on the Ground when he conquereth the Enemies of Peace The Lord is about revealing to his Servants the Error of their Consoriousness Harshness Uncharitableness and Divisions and how grievously they have wronged him and themselves by departing so far from Christian Love and Unity He will let them see how much of the Cause was secret and undiscerned Pride and Self-conceitedness and want of Holy Christian Love while little was pretended or discerned but Strictness and Obedience He will shew them more fully wherein the true Nature of Grace and Holy Obedience doth consist and teach them by the Impress of his Spirit what he so emphatically commanded them by his Word to go learn what that meaneth I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice It 's pity we should not understand the meaning of Words so plain but it 's Sin and Shame as well as Pity that we have studied them no better after such a Memorandum and Command as this But many of God's Servants have in the Points of Unity and Peace been like those miserable Souls that are described to have Eyes and see not Ears and hear not Hearts and understand not these blessed Precepts of Love and Unity though none more plain and frequent and urgent for the time was not come that they should be recovered and healed though this Defection be not in the Essence of Christianity but the Degrees nor for Perpetuity but a Time yet it 's sad that such a Spirit of deadness should so far prevail that Men inquisitive after Truth and zealous of Holiness should least understand the plainest nearest frequent Precepts and so little feel their Obligations to such weighty Duties that the Lord is pleased to stir upon their
Ireland and England had made those Muâ—ders and Devastations which no true Christian dare own III. At this day the Light of clear found Doctrine is obscured and such Preaching silenced or ceased in most of the Christian Churches on Earth Besides the bloody Persecutions which met those honest Jesuits and Fryars that preached in Congo Iapan China and other Heathen Lands In Abassia Egypt Syria Assyria Armenia there is very little Preaching at all yea want of Printing keepeth them without the holy Scripture which is rare and in few hands Turkish Oppression hath so debased the Greek Church that sound Preaching is rare among them In all the Empire of Muscovy Preaching is long ago put down lest Men should preach Sedition Among most Papists and Protestants beyond Sea it is turned too much into Invectives against one another This is the Success of Satan's War IV. Being vowed doâ—bly to Christ in my Baptism and Ordination I had been a 〈◊〉 Traytor against him 〈◊〉 I had not hated this Sin and done my part in my place against it There is no Age or Land so good where Christ and 〈◊〉 Light and Darkness have not this War and Secular Interests or Quarrels are made Satan's Advantages who pretendeth to great Power in Disposing of the Riches and Honours of the World This War ended not in England with Queen Mary's Regin The unhappy Differences of Frankford came over with the Exiles One Paâ—â—ty running into Extreams against Episcopacy and the Liturgy and the other forbidding not only them but all Ordained Ministers to preach or expound any Doctrine or Matter in the Church or elsewhere without further Licence I lived to see so much of the Effects of these Differences as grieved my Soul Excellent Preachers and of Holy Lives mistakingly censorious against some lawful Things and Silenced for it some flying to America and some absconding here I saw the diseased Passions and Divisions thus caused and how much it extinguished Christian Love At last we all saw it break out into the Flames of an odious War And even the Usurpers that by Silencers pretended their Provocation fell into the Crime which they Accused and cast out many Learned Bishops Doctors and Preachers for refusing their Covenant and their Engagement and their Way of Worship and for being against their War Thus Satan's Silencing work went on When Experience and Smart brought most Men to their Wits and they had found that a divided Kingdom cannot stand and that returning to Love and Unity must be our Recovery I laboured with Ministers of each side with all my power for Agreement on such Terms as we were then capable of and that was to joyn in the amicable practice of all that they were agreed in and to bear with one another in the rest which were no necessary things On these Terms Worcâ—stershâ—re and seven or eight other Counâ—iâ—s quickly agreed Ireland profest consent More were closing But the Divisions of the Usurpers and the begun Reconciliation of the Peace-makers or Pretenders presently restored the King Men were then variously affected between hope of Unity and fear of Discord and of the old Silencing dividing Work That we had one lawful King to Unite in who promised his help hereunto and declared his Judgment for necessary Indulgence and that Lords and Knights printed their professed Renunciation of Revenge and Doctors professed Moderation did greatly raise Mens hopes that there would be no more such Divisions as should Silence faithful Ministers But they that knew how hardly Love and Moderation are restored after the Exasperations oâ— so odious a War and how few conquer Worldly Interest and old Opinions and do as they would be done by feared that still the Silencing Work would be carried on I was certain that good Men would not be united by coming all over to the Opinions of each other which Party soever was in the right in all the Points called Indifferent by some and Sinful by others I knew the Difference would continue And it doth so I knew that those that were most obedient to God would not do that which they judged he forbad them I knew that if for this they were forbidden to Worship God in Church-Worship they would not forbear till Suffering disabled them I knew that there were so many such and the Suffering that disabled them must be so great that the Land thereby must needs be divided into the Afflicting and Afflicted Parties And the more conscionable the more constant would they be It were well if most understood all things necessary But that all should understand all indifferent things that might be commanded to be indifferent I knew would never be if all the Land were Doctors It was easie to know what Exasperations of Mind all this would cause and what a Conqueâ—â— Satan would make here against Light Love and Mercy that is against Christ. In the deep Sense of this Danger I set my self to try whether Terms of Possiblâ— Câ—â—cord might be obtained The London Ministers joyned The King greatly encouraged us First by his Declaration at Breda and that against Debauchery Next by Personal Engaging us in a Treaty with the Bishops and his Promise that he would draw them to meet us if we would come as near them as we could Then by his gracious Declaration and the Testimony there given of our Loyalty and Moderation Then by his Commission to treat for Alterations of the Liturgy 〈◊〉 the Bishops denied the Need of any Alterations and dasht all our Hopes And 〈…〉 and Parliament cast by the King's Indulgence and issued all in 〈…〉 Uniformity I was the more earnest to have prevented this because I knew not but that most of the whole Ministry of the Kingdom might have been Silenced in one day I knew what was said against much that is imposed And I knew that near Ten thousand Ministers had Conformed to what the Parliament had imposed and most taken the Covenant and used the Directory and not the Common Prayer And how knew I that only Two thousand would stick at the New Impositions and Seven thousand obey them and Assent and Consent to the New Book which they mostly never saw it coming not out of the Press till too late V. While I was engaged in this Treaty by the King the Bishops denied all further Debates with us till we had given them in Writing all the Faults that we found in the Liturgy and all that we desired in stead or as Additions So that we did by Authority and Demand write and deliver as our Proposal before so our Desires and Reasons of the mentioned Alterations and a long and humble Petition to prevent the foreseen Breach and our Reformed Liturgy and Reply to their contrary Reasons which some Scribes for gain after printed I knew not who with abundance of Errata VI. After this 1663. the King revived our hope in part by a Declaration of his Judgment and Purpose for our Leave to Preach and Worship God VII In this