Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT763 .B35 1655

nary meeting places, or to enjoy their Society, five, when they have been forced for want of a full :company to come hi- their down to me, that I may terve as a rifer to make up a coin: pleat number ; yet doth it exceedingly rejoyce me at the heart, to hear of any fuch Combination andAgreement of the Lords faithfull fervants in any part ofthe Land, endeavouring as with one {boulder by mutual confent to carry on the Lords work,, and to fettle and fupport the diftrafted and tottering elate of his Churches among us, by fwarms of mifleaders, and fhoals of their followers, miferably torn in pieces, and almoft utterly laid wafte in moll places : And it revivethmy fpirits not a little in this prefent feeble and fainting condition , by rninifiring force matter of hope to me, notwithftanding fo many plotsand projects on foot to undermineand fubvert his Minifiry among us, that the Lord is not yet deferting of his Congregations in the middeft of us, whenhe raifethup the hearts of fo many his faithfull and able fervants, to put their hands joyntly to a work of this nature. Nor {ball mine inftant prayers unto him ( the only fervice that I can doyou) be wanting in your behalf, that he will be pleafed, to ftrengthen your hands in this his work, and go along with you in the profecution thereof, th4t by the gracious condua of his powerful! Spirit, taking good effect, and finding a profperous iflue, others may be encouraged to undertake the like work,. to the further reftauration and better conftitution of his Churches among us, the prefervation of his people from thole damnable Dodrines, deliruetive of the very power of piety that are fcattered abroad in all places with us, and the ftrengthning of his flocks by mutual afliftances-againft fuch feducers and falfe teachers, as would by flight or might be either creeping in among them, or breaking in upon them. There will, Idoubt not, manydifficulties encounter you in the carrying on of fo weighty a work ( for what work of worth or weighty concernment is without much-difficulty accomplith- ed ?) as well fr2m cunning and ferret underminers, as by open and violent oppofers. But the Lord All-fufficien r is able to fur. Mill you, as with fpiritual wifdom to difcover and elude the wiles of the c ne, fo with Chriftian courage to wrefile with,and out. wrefile the other, foas that neither of themmay be able to prevailagaitt you, no more then tbofe adverfaries of Gods, *- people

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