P A R. T II. Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter. 165 fskncing fame). They do in fame neighbour Counties zealoufly preach again; us, and cry down our way as formal and delufry; making the People believe that we make a Parißi and aChurch all one, and that to cafl themout of the Church is to call them out of the Parsfb; and that we take inall that will come, be they never fo bad : Though we have fully told them that we are taking innone, but difcerning who' are in; and fhall caft out all whom they can provefit to be oar out. Some Brethren all of founder f udgments, do randat a defiance, and will not come amongfl us, to tell en the Reafans of it. Some in other Counties, thatare zealous to promote the Work, do meet with fo much oppofition, tergiver- fatien, and dileouragement, that we bear it es like to binder it with them. Argo we find not that love and inclination in the exaff crated port of tbe Epifeopal Brethren, as might be expeaed from theSons of Peace. But the greateft difeouragement with w isfrom our People : for though through the mercyofGod divers ofus have encouragementyet in melt placer the Multitude bold off, andwì11 not own us. And thougb God fo orders it, that the worfl do generally keep f tbemfelees, and few but Men feeming to fear God do :me, withus, yet famefewof the molt zealous of our People, ire fonte places, do .bold off, as diking the broadnß of .our way. We find it ei not only in Doh(rinals, but Pradicals, that mot( are for the Extreams, and the mean pleafoth few, but is confuted ofboth. No Party will come to us, unlewe will reject aß otherParties, but thorn. It is in Chore dif engagedChriflfans, that are truly Catholick, and are the Servants ofChrifl andnot ofMen, and that love their Brethren asCbriftians,\ andnot chiefly as oftheir Party, that the great hope of our Succeedotbconft/( o Though(mart Experience may pofbly recover fosse of the reff. Our hopes depending in thee doubtfulrate, wegive thanks to God, that he addetb fomewbat to our encouragement byyou. We adventured not rafhly on what we have done. It is near ayear andhalf rnce webegan our Confultationr. Our Profefon was perufed by. Bifhep Ulher and others : Our Propofttions fcandbyman far andnear : and allwas altered in them that any of them were offended at. Tee it es far from our Expeelations that all fhossld jayn only on our Terms o Could we get them to Confultations for Unity and Reforma- tion,. and to hold on till they did fumed, we had our defire. But indeed wefeefuch exceed- ing eliforence inMens Apprehenfions, andfuch addiaedneß to their Party in too many, and filch a loabnef in others to d/leafe the People, er weaken their own Intere/( in them , and hazard part of their maintenance that comesfrom them that we do expect thisWork gourd go heavily on ; and if it prove otherwife, weMoll ofriteit to the meer goodpleafure ofGod and bee extraordinary bleffing o for no doubt but all theforce will be raild againfl it,that theinterefl of Satan in the ungodly, the heretical Dividers, the dark imperfect Saints, can procure. But though our greater Comforts would lye in the Stecceß (becaufe we work -not for -our Elves, but for God and bis Church) yet we findvery much in our upright Endea-, vours. Indeed we have Experienceofmach fweetnefrin the Work : Our very Thoughts and Speeches and Confeltatiom of Peace are fweet. That our Mindsfhouldbe hereby occafoned to dwell fo_much en jach ableed Subject, we find a great advantage to our own Soule; it much compolth and calmetb our Minds, andkilleth the contrary Corruptions, and dfofetb elite love and tenderise, to our Brethren : So that were wefare to have no other Seacceß, we have a plentiful Reward. As ourrudies of Heaven, andpreachingof it to- our Peo- ple, eecafsaneth loch faretef(s that are worth our labeur a thoufandfold , fo de the fludies andattempts for Peace. Brethren, our hearts defire is, that as the Lord bath let fall on you , forme of the fame Spirit of Peace , as on no bee unworthy Servants, that you would joyn with w at the Throne of Grace in profecutienof this Deftgn, and follow it bard with God and Men, and let us be minded of yen in thofeyour Addreffes to God , not only' as Cbririans, as you do others, but in f¢ecialas Peace-makers , that we may proffer in this Work, and the Lord would call in theSpirit of Divifsan, and command down thole Wmde and Waverthat bave threatned the ruinof hit dirrefféd Church; and we hope the Lord will help en to be mindful all of you. Truly, it isfweeter treating with God than with Men. Ter both mull be done. And as wedelire to refill. all Temptations to Dfondency, fe we hope that the Lord will enable you to break over difeouraging Oppofstions, with fuch fixed victorious. Refolutionas becomes Men that are engaged info fweet a Work, andhonou- red to be Leaders underfo faithful, omnipotent, andvittorioso a General. Tou love not the Work of Piety in general ever the werfe for appofitios; nor would you furceafe as difcou- raged thoughyou had met with more.' Let it befo ato in particular for Unityand Refor- mation. We/hall nextgiveyou our Anfwer to your threeQuef(ions. t. As we did parpofely leave the firs. Que/ion unreflved, fo we are loth toput the Que{(ien toany one Affeciation, muck lee to all ; left weeither agree not, or agree in Points that may binder the Work, when we orefee the certain difagreementofethers.
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