Baxter - BV649 B3 1670

280 ludee ?;lot the cetul'e by the perfinsp are of this mind. And indeed fin Both felcome get fo great an advantage in the world, as when it bath won the major vote among the moil religi- os fort of people : Ifbut a Peter feparate, Barna. bu and many more will follow. And on the other fide, fometimes the worfer fort of men may hold fai the truth, and many ig- norant perlons are apt to reject it, becaufe it is owned by men fo bad. But if Truth be the Re- ligion of their Ding and Catuntrey, or of their Anceflors in which they werebrought up ; or if their reputation or peace of confcience lie upon it ;or if the defence of it thew their wit or learn tng ; or if they can take an advantage by it, a- ,atnfi better men, who erre in that one point It is no wonder in all thefe Cafes, ifthe worfer fort of men defend the truth. For inflance; If any Scet thould rife in Eng- bond, who fhould deny Chrii, or the Scripture , or the Refurre&ion, or the Life to come, or the Lords day (far all that they cannot keep it holy, yet) the worfer fort of the people would all rife tzpagainfl fhch errours. Shall we therefore thin?, that the people are in the wrong ? So if any better perforas deny Infant Baptifine, or the Life of the Lords Prayer, &c. the worfer fort of people would be all againft them ; and yet be in the right. And yet hdw manydo take a formof prayer or Liturgy to be unlawful, meetly becaufe the moff of the worfer fort are for it r As a Pharifee can gratifie his hypocrifie by longPrayers, which yet are good in themfelves ; fo can an ungodly perfori gratife his hypocrifi.l and ílQth by FcrMs an:i

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