Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT70 .B397 1675

284 Of thegreat Errors, Sin and Danger S. when you (peak fo dowdily, who can remember every word you fay? P. Is not this plain EnglifhC Perufe it and confider. And dare you carry falfe reports abroad on pretence of pious zeal, and then fay, Tort cannot remember ' Why would you ,report that which you:-cannot re- Member ti' Why woúld you not flay till you had helpsyour merifpry, by fpeakingw,with me or %me one that couldhave informed you Bur' are not we in a hard cafe with fuch hearers as you, when we mutt look to be as oft belyed as your under/landing or your memory faileth ? becaufe your loofe Confciencefailethwith them: whichis very oft. S. 1 am not alone injudging theeofyou ; City and Countrey ring of it : what companyWI one come into where you are .not talkt of ? , tdaily hear good people lamentyou : and the bell they fay is, that cod ufeth to let thofe menfall fouly in fume things who have been extraordinarily fer- viceable,that men may not idolize them. P. They that knowmebut half as well as I know my Pelf, will know that I have enough to abafe me before God and man : But will that war., rant a courfe of lyingand backbiting in others? Do you partly receive, and partly make andpropagate falfe reports, and then plead the Common.. nefs for your excufe ? He that fet London on fire might fo have excufed himfelf becaufe the flame was common when he had caufed it. The ef- feéf and profperingofyour fin should humble you, and not feem to juftifie you. But yet I mutt tell you that Backbiting Seilaries arenotthegreater part of London: Thereate many fiber people that are afhamed of your fin and folly. I will make this friendlymotion to you : Infteadof backbiting, Let us here to one anothers faces, fo friendly admonifh each other of that which we take to be fin, as may help to bring each other to repentance : And do you begin, Tell me of all the evil- that you know by me. S. I havenothing to accufeyou of but that your Principles aretoo large; andyou vent them too freely, and therebyyou harden Papiffs, and difha flour the Proteftant caufe, and wrongfree grace, and the Righteoufnefsof Chrifi, by your decirine offufliftcation and mans Righteoufnefs ; And by coming fo near Conformity, yougrieve the hearts ofgood people, and may, bring perfecution on chafe that cannot doasyou can. P. r. About Conformity, forbear me here, for I muff deal with you of that by it Pelfelfewhere. z. Asto my doéfrine of Juftification, if Ihave not fully juftified it elfe- where, I shall not now on this occafion. 3. But whether you or I be righter about Popery, let us now debate,. Have you read my SafeRetie,. and.my Keyfor Catholicks, and my Treatife of the certainty of ChrJtianity without Popery, and my late Dialogue, and my 'Treat. againfi Johnfon of the vifibility of the Church ? and others againft Popery r S. Ihavefamewhat elfe todo than read all your writings. P. Why have you not then fomewhat elfe to do than hear me, and backbite me, and judge of things which you have not leifure to under- ftand r. Do we not (till deal on hard terms with fuch men as you that neither (peaking ncr writing can make them know our minds e Have all your party that revileme, done more each one againft Popery than I have done r But ifthis be all thatyou have to callme to repentance for, I have a great deal more to fay againft my Pelf ; Andnow I will deal faithfully with you : I be

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