PAKT L Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter. 123 2. Another Manufcript is called [ * AChri/tian indeed 't It conffteth of two*since Parts ; The tirft is a Difcovery of the Calamities which follow the weakneß and punted: faultinef, ofmany true Chriftians,and Dire&ions for their ftrengthening andgrowth in Grace : which was intended as the third particularTra&ate in fulfilling theSince ptin-. forefaid requeft of Bithop Giber ; The Cal/ to the Unconverted being for that fort ; Leso Di- and theDirectionsfar a found Converfion, being for the fecond fort, who are yet as for weak it were in the birth : And this being for the weakerand faultier fort of Chriftiáns, Chriftianc which are the third fort. To which is added a fecond Part, containing the juft Defcription of a found confirmed Chriftian ( whom I call a -Chriltian Indeed ) in fixty Charaeters or Marks ; and with each of them is adjoyned the Charaeter of the weak Cbriftian, and of the Hypocrite about the fame part of Duty. But all is but brieflydone ( the Heads being many ) without any life or ornament of Stile. This fhort Treatife I offered to Mr. Thomas Grigg , * the Bilhop of London's*No* Cha lain, to be licenfed for the Preis, ( a man that but lately Conformed, and dead. profeffed fpecial refpeet to me ) ; but heutterly refufed it ; pretending that it fa- vouredof Difcontent, and would be interpreted as againft the Bithops and the Times. And the matter was, that infeveral Paflages L fpake of the Profperity of the Wicked, and theAdverfity of the Godly, and defcribed Hypocrites by their Enmity to the Godly, and their forfaking the Truth for fear of Suffering, and de- fèribed theGodly by their undergoing the Enmity of the wicked World, and be- ing ftedfaft whatever it Ihall colt them, &c. And all this was interpreted as a- gainft the Church or Prelati/ir. I asked him whether they would licenfe that of trinewhich they would do of another man's againli whom they had no difpleafure ( in the fame words ) : And he told meNo : becaufe the words would receive their interpretation with the Readers from the mind of the Author. And he askt i me, whether I did not think my felf that Nonconformilts would interpret t as againft the Times. I anfiveredhim, Yes, I thought they would; and fò they do all thofe Paffages of Scripture which (peak of Perfecution and the Suffering of the Godly ; but I hoped Bibles fhould be licenfed for all that. I asked him whether that wasthe Rule which they went by, that they would licenfe nothing of mine which they thought anyReaders would interpret as againft the Bithops or their Party. And when he told me plainly, that it was their Rule or Refolution, I took it for my final Anfwer, and purpofednever tooffer him more : For I defpair of writing that which men will not interpret 'according to their own Condition and Opinion ; efpecially againft thofe who Crimes are notorious before the World. This made the think what a troublefome thing is Guilt, which, as Se- neca faith, is like aSore, which is pained not only with a little touch, but fome- time upon a conceit that it is touched ; and maketh a man think that everyBryar is a Sergeant to Arrelt him ; or with Cain, that every one that teeth him would kill him ! A Cainiter heart andlife bath ufually the attendance of a Cainiter Confcience. I did but try the Licenfer with this (mall inconfiderable Script, that I might know what to expe& for mymore valued Writings!And I told him that Ihad trou- bled the World with fo much already, and faidenough for one man's part, that I could not think it Very neceffary to fayany more to them ; and therefore I thould accept of his difcharge, But fain they wouldhave had my Controverfal Writings, ( about Univerfal Redemption, Predetermination, &c. in which my Judgment is more pleating to them) ; but I was unwilling to publilh them alone, while thé. Pra&ical Writings are refufed. And I give God thanks that I once taw Times of greater Liberty ( though under an tJfurper) i or etfe as far as I candifcern, fearce any of my Books had ever feenthe Light. ;. Another Manufcript that lyeth by me, is a Difputation for tome Úniver- fality of Redemption *, which bath lain by menear Twentyyears unfinifhed, part- ,,publifht ly becaufe many narrow minded Brethren would have been offended with it, and flute the and partlybecaufe at !aft cameout after Amyraldur, and Davenanr's Differtations , a Author's Treatife of Dallaus, which contained the fame things, but efpecially the fameD'St> by Teftimonies ofconcordant Writers which I had prepared to produce. Mr. 33of. .;. There is alfo by me an imperfe& Manufcript of Predetermination. Rea . p. And divers Difputationsof fufficient Grace, 6. And divers rnifcellaneousDifputatiotis on feveral Queltioni in Divinity, Cur- forily managed at our Monthly Meetings. 7. And my twoReplies to Mr. Cartwright's Exceptions again(t myAphorifms. 8. And my two Replies toMr. Lpwfán's Anintadverlionson fhç'ime Book. Since. And
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=