Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT763 .B35 1655

The Preface to the Peaders. bomipts Nailer elegit ut merito dixerim5 Eofter eft magh (War, sit Nero Deo conflituttts. But the main defign of the enemy is againft their Pa- 'tors. Some of them he keeps in a firperficial carnal and cuftomary Chriftianity ; So that theynever foundly be- lievedthe great myfteries which for a Livingjthey fludy and preach : And how fuel" are like to edifie the Church, and preach that heartily toothers ,that never was in their own hearts, youmay eafily Judge : when they mutt fpeak all out of their books , and by hear-fay:, and the common opinionof others, of things which they never well believed or felt thelifelves. Others he intangleth in worldly affairs, and caufeth them to mind the 'natters of the ilefh , that they are heartiefs and unfaithful in their mafters work - So that s poor foul may go to Hell with very little diurbance , and starve even at the next door to them, while they are minding their Own matters, or are dulled by lazynefs, and addia: their chiereft -,iffe6tions and endeavours to the fervice of fo vile a mafter as their &Ili. How far Satan bath prevailed this way with the Pa- 'ots of the Congregations , is a matter of too clear Evidence, and very fadconfideration. As they do molt grofly mifcarry among the Papifts and more defiled parts of the Church, by keeping up Ignorance,and Dif- cord, and a Carnal, Pompous , Ceremonious worfhip., that theymay uphold a carnal Intereft of their own ; So I would in themolt Reformed Churches we were more Innocent then we are. What an ignorant, or negligent miniflery was (for the greater part -) in England, in the time of the late Bifhops rule, yeawhat opp(As ofGod- , lynefs, and too manyof them openly deboilt , I need not tell any that will believe their eyes and ears. And , ( b ) though

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