the more Christian and Orderly managing of this our Brotherly Agreement and Association we do agree First That every Man at his entering into this Society tender us a Certificate of his Painfulness in the Ministry and of his Godliness in Conversation under the Hands of two godly Ministers at least not of the Society and of two or three godly Christians known to some of the Society And that all the Certificates be brought into and kept in the Hands of one of the Brethren that by common Consent shall be appointed thereunto Secondly That every Man that cometh into this Society and Agreement be desired to express his willingness in case of any Miscarriage whereby he shall give just occasion of Offence unto the Society to submit unto the Reproof and Determination of the whole or the major part of the Society so farforth as their Reproof and Determination shall be warranted by the Scripture Thirdly That our Meetings be constantly begun and ended with Prayer to be made by the Moderator pro tempore who at the first Meeting is to be chosen for the Meeting next following and so continually for the better ordering of our Meetings and Debates Fourthly That no private Matters be propounded in our General Meetings but by the Moderator and that not while any Publick Business is in debate without the leave and consent of the whole Society or the major part Fifthly That any Brother that shall be willing to joyn hereafter into this Society may upon the same Terms be freely accepted into this Brotherly Agreement The Independant Churches also in Ireland led by Dr. Winter Pastor of their Church in Dublin associated with the moderate Presbyterians there upon these Provocations and the Perswasions of Col. Iohn Bridges my Neighbour And they sent us together their Desires of Correspondency with which our Answer is here subjoyned Honoured and Beloved Brethren in the Lord IT hath pleased the good hand of Heaven to bring into our Parts our much esteemed Friend Coll. Bridges in much Mercy to us all and by him as also by several other hands to give us some acquaintance with the State of Christ's Affairs among you which very much obliges us to Sympathise with you according to the several Administrations of Providence as becomes the Relation of Fellow-members and Subjects in Christ's Kingdom His Return into your Parts affords us an Opportunity to signify the same and how much we desire to manifest it by real Demonstrations through the good Will of him that dwelt in the Bush. In order thereunto we thought fit to testify our Willingness to contribute our utmost through his Assistance to the maintaining of a Christian Correspondency between us that we may mutually receive and give the Right Hand of Fellowship in a Season of so much need Whilst the common Enemy is still labouring to divide and destroy the Friends of Christ in all parts it concerns us nearly to be so much the more industrious and active in the promoting of Christ's Interest against his Power and Policy the bitter Fruits of unchristian Divisions we have too much tasted of and through the Lord's Goodness have reaped already some Benefit from our brotherly Association whereinto we entered not long ago The present Condition of God's People in Foreign Parts as among us calls a loud for a more cordial Union and Communion among all such who desire to fear his Name It 's therefore our Hearts Desire not to be wanting in our Faith and Prayers Resolves and Endeavours to the fulfilling of those exceeding great and precious Truths do eminently centre in these latter Days that Christ's Friends may receive one Mind and Heart to serve him with one Lip and Shoulder We are thereby much encouraged to request your Christian Assistance and Brotherly Correspondency that we may all be the better able in our several Stations and Relations to promote more vigorously the Interest of Christ and of his People After the sad shakings of this Land and his many turnings of things upside down the Lord is pleased to promise us a little Reviving and to open a Door of Hope even in the Valley of Achor Your favourable help is therefore earnestly craved that Ireland may once more partake of the glad Tidings of Heaven and the wants of many Thousand starving Souls may be seasonably supply'd with the Bread of Life The particular of our Affairs Coll. Bridges will give you a more exact Account of and will be ready to convey to us the Signification of your Christian Compliance with our longing Desire To the Blessing of the most High we humbly recommend the care of the several Nurseries of Christ among you that the Plants of his House may flourish in his Courts through the Supplies of Christ's Spirit in whom we cordially desire to be and appear Your affectionate Brethren in the Bonds of the Gospel to serve you through Grace Sam. Winter Pastor of the Church in Dublin Claudius Gilbert Pastor of the Church at Limerick Ed. Reynolds M. J. Warren M. Will. Markham Tho. Osmonton M. In the Name of the associated Churches of Christ in Ireland Dublin 5. M. 8. D. 1655. Iuly 5. These for the Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter Pastor of the Church of Christ in Kiderminster to be by him communicated to the several Churches of that Association Our Answer whereto was as follows Much honoured and beloved Brethren in the Lord WE received your welcome Lines from the Hand of our faithful and much honoured Friend Coll. John Bridges It much rejoiceth us to hear of your brotherly Affeciation and the Success and more that your Hearts are enlarged with such Desires for the farther promoting of this healing Work and that you thus breath after the Union of the Saints It doth not only rejoice us on your own behalf and on the behalf of that desolate Land where you abide but also on the behalf of the Churches in general because we seem to discern the gracious Thoughts of God unto his People in sounding a Retreat to their unbrotherly Contentions by sending forth that Spirit of Love and Peace which we know must build us up if ever we are built When God was pulling down and laying Waste be witheld this Mercy and let out upon his Churches a Spirit of Contention Bitterness and Division which hath gone on to demolish and break in pieces and made our own Hands the Executioners of those heavy Iudgments which have laid us so long in Shame and Sorrow and filled our Enemies Mouths with Scorn While this evil Spirit that made desolate did prevail Division seemed aimable and dividing Principles seemed glorious Truths and all Motions to Reconciliations were unsavory things and rejected as a Defection from Truth or Zeal and as a carnal Compliance with the ways of Darkness and even those that were zealous for Truth and Holiness were too many of them cold for Peace and Unity reading those Scriptures which so earnestly press them as if they read them not never
whether he reported this or no assuring him in the same Letter that he never struck any Man in anger in all his Life to his remembrance This Letter to the Doctor was dated London Decemb. 8. 1679. Hereupon the Doctor returned him the following Answer SIR I Must profess sincerely that I cannot recollect that ever I said such words of you to Mr. H. as it seems be doth affirm I did But yet I cannot but acknowledge it is very possible that I related and it may be to him that I had heard you kill'd a Man in cold blood since I very well remember that above Thirty years since at the end of the War I heard that publickly spoke before Company and with this further Circumstance that it was a Soldier who had been a Prisoner some hours before Now this Report relating to the Wars in which I fear such things were no great Rarities and from my very tender youth I having not had the least Concern with you nor likelyhood of any for the future did not therefore apprehend at present any concern or occasion of enquiring whether it were true of which upon that confident Asseveration I did make no doubt And I took so little thought of laying up the Relation that I protest to you as in the presence of Almighty God it is impossible for me to recover who made up that Company in which I heard it or from whom I heard it And I wonder how it came into my mind to say that I had heard it so long after But however though it be some ease to me to believe that the late Discourses of it do not come from my relating it so long since that I have heard it neither are likely to receive any confirmation from it unless it be made more publick than I have made it yet I do profess it is a great affliction to me to have spoken that though but as a Report which it seems was a slander for so I believe it upon your Asseveration and not having endeavoured to know whether it were true And as I have begg'd God's forgiveness so I heartily desire you will forgive me And if I could direct my self to any other way of Satisfaction I would give it This is the whole Account I can give of this Matter To which I shall only add that I am SIR Your very affectionate Servant Richard Allestree Eaton-Colledge Dec. 13. 1679. Such was the Exemplary Ingenuity and true Equity and Candour of this worthy Person But the boldest Stroke that ever I met with at the Reputation of this worthy Person Mr. Baxter occurs in a Letter that I have lately received from a Person very credible out of Worcestershire Dated March the first 1695 6. The Sum whereof is this HEre is a Report in some Persons mouths that Mr. Baxter before he dyed and so till his Death was in a great doubt and trouble about a Future State It is suggested that he continued in such Doubt or rather was inclining to think there was no Future State at all and that he ended his Days under such a Perswasion which occasioned no small trouble to him he having written so many things to perswade persons to believe there was This Report is related to me as brought down from London by no mean Man by one of great Repute in his Faculty and well known through the Nation frequently an Hearer of Mr. Baxter and an honourable Person And I am further informed by the same Hand That it is there reported that many of his Friends Persons of Quality about London know the truth of it 1. Audax facinus What will degenerate Man stick at We know nothing here that could in the least minister to such a Report as this I that was with him all along have ever heard him triumphing in his heavenly Expectation and ever speaking like one that could never have thought it worth a Man's while to be were it not for the great Interest and Ends of Godliness He told me that he doubted not but that it would be best for him when he had left this Life and was translated to the heavenly Regions 2. He own'd what he had written with reference to the Things of God to the very last He advised those that came near him carefully to mind their Soul Concerns The shortness of Time the instancy of Eternity the worth of Souls the greatness of God the riches of the Grace of Christ and the excellency and import of an heavenly Mind and Life and the great usefulness of the Word and Means of Grace pursuant to Eternal Purposes they ever lay pressingly upon his own Heart and extorted from him very useful Directions and Encouragements to all that came near him even to the last Insomuch as that if a Polemical or Casuistical Point or any Speculation in Philosophy or Divinity had been but offered to him for his Resolution after the clearest and briefest Representation of his Mind which the Proposer's Satisfaction call'd for he presently and most delightfully fell into Conversation about what related to our Christian Hope and Work 3. Had he thought that there had been no Future State for Man to be Concern'd about why was he so delighted in a hopeful Race of young Ministers and Christians to my knowledge he greatly valued young Divines and hopeful Candidates for the Ministry He was most liberal of Counsel and Encouragement to them and a most inquisitive after and pleased with their growthful Numbers and Improvement And he told me and spake it in my hearing That he had the greatest Hopes and Expectations from the succeeding Generation of them And he pleased himself with the Hopes and Expectations of this that they would do God's Work much better than we had done before and escape our Errours and Defects 4. Any Man that reads his last Will may easily see that his Apprehensions and Disposition did not savour of such Scepticism as the Report insinuates That part thereof which may Confirm the Reader that Mr. Baxter had no such Thoughts abiding in him I shall here for the Reader 's Satisfaction lay before him which is as followeth I Richard Baxter of London Clerk unworthy Servant of Iesus Christ drawing to the End of this Transitory Life having through God's great Mercy the free use of my Understanding do make this my last Will and Testament My Spirit I commit with Trust and Hope of the Heavenly Felicity into the Hands of Iesus my glorified Redeemer and Intercessor and by his Mediation into the hands of God my reconciled Father the Infinite Eternal Spirit Life Light and Love most great and wise and good the God of Nature Grace and Glory of whom and through whom and to whom are all things My absolute Owner Ruler and Benefactor whose I am and whom though imperfectly I serve seek and trust to whom be glory for ever Amen To him I render most humble thanks that he hath fill'd up my Life with abundance of Mercy pardoned my
Believers that the Covenant of God is made and not that we can find to all that that have such believing Sureties who are neither Parents nor Prâ—parents of the Child Ans. Repentance whereby they forsake sin and Faith whereby they stedfastly believe the Promises of God c.  20 Quest. Why then are Infants baptized when by reason of ther tender Age they cannot perform them  Ans. Yes they do perform by their Sureties who promise and vow them both in their Names  In the general we observe That the Doctrine of the Sacraments which was added upon the Conference at Hampton-Court is much more fully and particularly delivered than the other parts of the Catechism in short Answers fitted to the memories of Children and thereupon we offer it to be considered First Whether there should not be a more distinct and full Explication of the Creed the Commandments and the Lord's Prayer Secondly Whether it were no convenient to add what seems to be wanting somewhat particularly concerning the Nature of Faith of Repentance the two Covenants of Justification Sanctification Adoption and Regeneration Of Confirmation The last Rubrick before the Catechism  ANd that no Man shall think that any detriment shall come to Children by deferring of their Confirmation he shall know for truth that it is certain by God's Word that Children being baptized have all things necessary for their Salvation and be undoubtedly saved ALthough we charitably suppose the meaning of these words was only to exclude the necessity of any other Sacraments to baptized Infants yet these words are dangerous as to the misleading of the Vulgar and therefore we desire they may be expunged Rubrick after the Catechism  So soon as the Children can say in their Mother-tongue the Articles of the Faith the Lords Prayer and the Ten Commandments and can answer such other Questions of this short Catechism c. then shall they be brought to the Bishop c. and the Bishop shall Confirm them We conceive that it is not a sufficient qualification for Confirmation that Children be able memoriter to the repeat the Articles of the Faith commonly called the Apostles Creed the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments and to answer to some Questions of this short Catechism for it is often found that Children are able to do all this at four or five years old 2dly It crosses what is said in the third Reason of the first Rubrick before Confirmation concerning the usage of the Church in times past ordaining that Confirmation should be ministred unto them that were of perfect Age that they being instructed in the Christian Religion should openly profess their own Faith and promise to be obedient to the Will of God And therefore 3dly we desire that none may be Confirmed but according to his Majesty's Declaration viz. That Confirmation be rightly and solemnly performed by the Information and with the Consent of the Minister of the place Rubrick after the Catechirm  Then shall they be brought to the Bishop by one that shall be his Godfather or Godmother This seems to bring in another sort of Godfathers and Godmothers besides those made use of in Baptism and we see no need either of the one or the other The Prayer before the Imposition of Hands  Who hast vouchsafed to regenerate these thy Servants by Water and the Holy Ghost and hast given unto them the forgiveness of all their sins This supposeth that all the Children who are brought to be confirmed have the Spirit of Christ and the forgiveness of all their sins Whereas a great number of Children at that Age having committed many sins since their Baptism do shew no Evidence of serious Repentance or of any special Saving Grace And therefore this Confirmation if administred to such would be a perillous and gross Abuse Rubrick before the Imposition of Hands  Then the Bishop shall lay his hand on every Child severally This seems to put a higher value upon Confirmation then upon Baptism or the Lord's Supper for according to the Rubrick and Order in the Common-Prayer-Book every Deacon may Baptize and every Minister may consecrate and administer the Lord's Supper but the Bishop only may Confirm The Prayer after Imposition of Hands  We make our humble Supplications unto thee for these Children upon whom after the Example of thy Holy Apostles we have laid our Hands to certifie them by this Sign of thy Favour and gracious Goodness towards them We desire that the Practice of the Apostles may not be alledged as a ground of this Imposition of Hands for the Confirmation of Children both because the Apostles did never use it in that Case as also because the Articles of the Church of England declare it to be a corrupt imitation of the Apostles practice Acts 25. We desire that Imposition of Hands may not be made as here it is a Sign to certifie Children of God's Grace and Favour towards them because this seems to speak it a Sacrament and is contrary to that fore-mentioned 25th Article which saith That Confirmation hath no visible Sign appointed by God The last Rubrick after Confirmation We desire that Confirmation may not be made so necessary to the Holy Communion as that none should be admitted to it unless they be confirmed None shall be admitted to the holy Communion until such time as he can say the Catechism and be confirmed  Of the Form of Solemnization of Matrimony THe Man shall give the Woman a Ring c. shall surely perform and keep the Uow and Covenant betwixt them made whereof this Ring given and received is a Token and Pledge c. SEeing this Ceremony of the Ring in Marriage is made necessary to it and a significant Sign of the Vow and Covenant betwixt the Parties and Romish Ritualists give such Reasons for the Use and Institution of the Ring as are either frivolous or superstitious It is desired that this Ceremony of the Ring in Marriage may be left indifferent to be used or forborn The Man shall say With my Body I thee worship This word worship being much altered in the Use of it since this Form was first drawn up We desire some other word may be used instead of it In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost These words being only used in Baptism and herein the Solemnization of Matrimony and in the Absolution of the Sick We desire it may be considered whether they should not be here omitted least they should seem to favour those who count Matrimony a Sacraâ—â—â— Till Death us depart This word depart is here improperly used Rubrick Exception Then the Minister or Clerk going to the Lords Table shall say or sing this Psalm We conceive this Change of Place and Posture mentioned in these two Rubricks is needless and therefore desire it may be omitted Next Rubrick  The Psalm ended and the Man and the Woman kneeling before the Lord's Table the Priest
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
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
Spirit among others is a great rejoicing to me And I hope I may tell you that it is in vain as I am sure I may tell you it is no small Sin any more to resist and strive against him If the Hand of our dear and tender Lord be setting you in joint again shrink not on account of present pain much less should you fear the Reproach of being in Communion with the Body but impartially hearken unto him and yield but lay by all Tumults of Spirits and Passions and get out of the Noise of vulgar Clamours for the Voice of Peace is a still Voice and in Calmness must be attended unto And when you are restored if you find not the Sweetness and Advantages of Peace if you are indeed restored in Mind as well as Practice the Lord hath not spoken in this by me I can hardly think that he that hath raised these Thoughts within you and begun these Convictions will let them die In order to the Ends desired and hoped for I shall offer you so much of my present Thoughts as your described Case requires And 1. though I desire not to dispute the Case of Infant Baptism with you now yet I may say we believe you live in a constant Sin against the Lord in neglecting denying and opposing it and that if you will by one erroneous Supposition draw on a Chain of hurtful Consequences you are the Cause of your own Disorders At a fitter Season I should desire you but to answer me this one Argument All that should be sacramentally or solemnly inticed into the Holy Covenant with God as his People should be Baptized or at least be taken as true Members of the Church and their Entrance just but the Infants of believing Parents should be sacramentally and solemnly entred into Covenant with God or his People Ergo c. The Minor we give you the abundant Proof of Law and Promise for before Christ. It was Abraham's Duty and Priviledge according to the Tenour of the Promise which was made with him before the Law to enter his Children sacramentally and solemnly into the holy Covenant It was all the Churches Duty after both Jews and Proselytes both the uncircumcised Females and the circumcised Males and all the uncircumcised Church in the Wilderness Deut. 29 c. Tell me now how I should answer it before the Lord if I tell Parents that they are absolved from this Duty of solemn entring their Children into the Covenant and are divested of the blessed Priviledge especially when you here tell me well that you know of none but his Body that Christ is the Saviour of and that the Church is this Body Ergo you know of no Salvation for Infants if they be not of the Church Ergo Exclussion would be a heavy Case shall I say that Christ hath recalled this Law and Grant but how should I prove it I shew you the Law and Grant do you shew me the Repeal and we have done Christ never speaks a word to repeal it nor any of his Apostles Entring our Children into the holy Covenant is not a Ceremony If God say to a Father why didst thou not dedicate this Child to me and solemnly enter him into Covenant with me what can he say The Precept Promise and long Practice were plain was the Repeal also plain Yes if it be a Repeal for Christ to take such Children into his Arms and bless them and tell us of such is his Kingdom and to be offended with those that would have kept them from him and to command that all Disciples be Baptized He knew well enough when he instituted Baptism and exercised it first upon the adult that the Iews did so too with their Proselites And Ergo when he did in that no more than they did that yet admitted the Infants of Church-Members his baptizing the Adult could no more signify his Denial of Infants to be baptized than the Iews baptizing the Adult could signify it who at that time baptized Infants also nor could the Disciples interpret Christ's Doctrine and Will to be contrary to the Iews when his Practice was no more than theirs And when he never uttered a Syllable to intimate a Repeal of that great Mercy and Duty of entring Infants solemnly into the Covenant which by God's Appointment had continued so long And the Covenant was I will be thy God and thou shalt be my People But all this falls in besides my first intent and therefore I rather expect your Pardon than your regard of it at the present though time may shew you Light in that which now seems Darkness 2. But if our Infant Baptism were irregular how will you prove it a Nullity never by any sound Argument every Irregularity is not a Nullity Whether you take the Word as signifying Faedus Sacramentale a Sacramental Covenant as Scripture commonly doth more notably intending the Covenant than the outward Act or Sacramentum Faederale a Federal Sacrament or Action most notably signifying the Sign or Act it 's all one to our purpose for Infants are capable of both the Covenant and the outward Sign and of all that is essential to Baptism That they are capable of being entred into Covenant 1. Nature tells us we commonly enter them under Princes as their Subjects and into private Contracts with Landlords for Possessions 2. The ancient Law Promise and Practice of the Church before Christ tells us for then it was actually done by God's Command And that they are capable of the outward Sign is undeniable Prove it a Nullity if you can though it were a Sin 3. But if both were granted the Sin and Nullity I come now to give you my Reasons why it warrants you not to deny Communion with the Churches that were thus Baptized in Infancy And 1. I beseech you note that Baptism is as necessary if not much more to the Admission of Men into the universal visible Church as such or into a particular Church Ergo If Men may be admitted into the universal visible Church without adult Baptism then he may be admitted into a particular Church without it But yet here grant that he may be a Member of the universal Church without it Ergo Baptism is indeed appointed to be our regular entrance by way of Sacramental Covenant and Investiture into the Church Universal and not into a particular Church necessarily though it may be into both yet it is but indirectly into the particular Church The Eunuch and all that were baptized first in any place by the Apostles were baptized only into the Church universal and afterward setled in Order under Pastors in particular Churches Baptism as such as it was called our Christening doth only list Men under Christ as Christians and if it do any more as to the thing in Question it is accidentally and not always nor necessarily We are not directly sure baptized to our Pastors and so not to that Particular Church nothing then is more plain
on both Sides If you do it not you lye under some Imputation and it will be taken for granted you cannot vindicate your self If you attempt it and should not do it to the Satisfaction of Impartial Men the latter Art would be thought worse than the first unless you should do it only by way of Apology shewing by what you were induced so to write as in your Key you have done But my thought is you had better never attempt it than not to carry it clearly and if you do that I confess it will be more than I did expect And on the other hand whether your Confutation be fâ—ll or â—aint when it comes abroad it will provoke both the Principal and his Adherents many of whom are honest Independants and Anabaptists prizing him upon a Civil Account at least in great part for his great Accomplishments for Civil Affairs and so indispose them to consider and receive your many worthy Proposals and Directions tending to gather such as were too much scattered And how far you may by such a thing exasperate him and his Confederates against not only you but other Godly Ministers for your sake the thing you mention is considerable But then again if it shall be supposed that he is that way disposed and in Resolulution ingaged to the length of his aim already and whether he be or no I cannot say I would hope otherwise then it will be considerable whether it will not be a good piece of Service to weaken his Interest so far as relateth to his Counsels about Church Affairs by discovering his weakness and unfoundness in things of that Nature And how far your intermedling this way I mean in relation to his unsoundness in your own Vindication may draw on you a Suspicion of Uncharitableness if you should do it is hard to say He is now in place of Power whether upon better Terms than Nero or those under him will not be the Question but how far it would have beseemed a Minister of the Gospel and publickly to have discovered the then Rulers Unsoundness would be a Question I do acknowledge also that a great deal of Care and Tenderness of due belongs to the Reputation of your Person and Name in relation to your place and Office in the Church as well as it does to another in respect of his place in the Common-wealth So that if you could heal the Wound which the Author of the Vindication hath endeavoured to make without wounding the Name or touching the publick Authority now vested in him Sir H. V. I think the case would be clear But then this I think would be without dispute that if you find cause to print that then you carry things with all Christian Sweetness evidencing your Tenderness to the Names of Men so far as may possibly consist with your Faithfulness to a greater and better Interest And I have heard the Author of the Vindication blamed by several of Sir H. V. his Friends for his Edge and Bitterness The less of that appeared the more is gained in any Personal Contests I shall pray the Lord to direct your Thoughts but do not think my self wise enough to be positive in this Advice As for that which concerns the Anabaptists Offence I inâ—line much to think the safect will be not to meddle in it for the present And if you think good to Communicate your Knowledge of the Churches of the Anabaptists their petitioning for Justice to be done upon the late King I shall as I have Opportunity acquaint them what you have in readiness to make good your quarrelled Assertion but that tenderness to them and Christian Peace hath for the present bound your Hands As for the Author of the Sober Word whose Name is Mr. Iohn Iackson â—ormerly Grand Treasurer for the Excise I think from the beginning of it to the Change of Government and now in Commission for bringing in all Arrears of Excise c. you will not need I think to do any thing publickly I meeting him last Night at the Militia where he and I had occasion to be I thought good to acquaint him with so much of your Letter as concerned him And in return he hath promised me a piece of his which he will desire me to send to you for your further Satisfaction touching him as to be no Jesuitical Designer I think it 's made against the Quakers For that which concerns Mr. Tombes his Name I had heard of it more particularly than you express and am troubled that so little hath been done by himself towards his own Vindication unless more hath been done than hath come to my Ear. I question whether he will make it known so as to be communicated to you to be his desire that you should write an Epistle c. If he should a Work of that nature may receive your Countenance and Attestation if it deserve it without concerning your self in his Morals You have if my Intelligence be right in your County and in the County of Gloscester armed Designes brought almost to the Birth and are like to put you suddenly into Trouble if not made Abortive Endeavours are on foot for Prevention some Reserve of Horse and new Arms have been made I believe it concerns you and such as you to be mindful of your own Security by contributing your help towards the Maintenance of the Publick Peace If things are bad now I believe they are like to be much worse if a turn should come by the Hand of War Sir Narrowness of Opportunity hath produced the too much undigestedness of these Lines That the Lord may preserve you and fill you with the Spirit of Wisdom and of Power is the sincere desire of Yours faithfully ingaged in true Affection to serve you Will. Allen. London Iuly 23. 1659. To the Reverend and his worthy good Friend Mr. Rich. Baxter in Kidderminster SIR I Thank you for yours of the 13th currant which I have and I do confess that the several Tempers and Interests of Professors of different Perswasions considered a wise Man can have no great hopes whatever his desires be of any General Accord And to answer your desire in some account of the progress of the Meeting on foot for Agreement Be pleased to understand that however the Work went on merrily whilst Generals only were dwelt on yet it 's almost put to a stand when we come to some Particulars which were thought necessary to be descended to That which hath troubled us most hath been about sending forth or furnishing the Nation with Preachers of the Gospel Though we all agree 1. That it 's all our Duties to promote such a work And 2. That the Persons imployed in it must be godly sound in the Faith and apt to teach And 3. that they ought to pass under some trial for Approbation And 4. that a convenient Maintenance for them should by all meet means be procured yet by whom and how they should be so approved as to be