Baxter - BX5207 B3 A2 1696

PART II. Reverend Mr. Richard. Baxter. To the Reverend and moll Learned Mr. Richard Baxter, a Zealous Minifter ofthe Gofrel of Chrift, his moll worthy and moll ho- noured Brother in Chilli, at Kiddermin(ler. Recommended to the careof Mr. Dorvile. The Grace of our Lord 7efus,and the Peace of God,be increafed among us. Moll worthy and molt honouredSir, er H E Occafion of twoCofins of mine going for London, invites me to take 1 the liberty to write this Letter to you ( moll honouredSir, )^and hope you will excufe my boldnefsin fodoing ; beingunknown to you,I Ihould have forborn troublingyou inyour weighty Affairs, which befides the great zeal and care for your Parifhioners, yea for the whole Church of God , are made known i But I could not pals by fo good an Opportunity, to acquaint you, how muchyour Name and your Perfoo, (although with your Body fo far fromus,) is efteenied by me, an unworthyServant ofJefus Chrift, and by many other faithful Brethren in the Lord in this our Town, and allò in our Neighbour Proteftant Confederate Cities ofZuric and Sebfboufen infomuch that we often remember one another thegreat caufe we have to pray the Lord joyntly and conflantly with your beloved Parilhi- oners, yea with whole England, for your health and long life , that you may fur- ther continue to us all your edifying Doârines and Admonitions. I dare not write to you, molt godly Sir, in what fame you are among us, that you may notfufpeet me of flattery, which doubtlelss youdefpifè as a great vanity : But I pray, Sir, to believe me confidently, that after Providence had led me fòme years agone into England, but time would not permit to flay long there, but as fpeedily as poflïble to learn the Englfl, Tongue, andam heartily forry I did not vifit you, molt wor- thy Sir, at Kidderminfter that time, for to take upon feveral Points your godly Ad- vice: being in ten Months time, as, long as I flayed in London, Oxford, and Cam- bridge, I did learn (God be thanked) lbmuch Englrfr that I could underftand read. ing and preaching. Andby the Advice of the molt zealous and worthy Men ; Mr. Edmund Calamy, Mr, Cranford, Mr. Nalton ( of whom I received great Cour- tele and Friendfhip, though a Stranger) Í bought a good number of Englifh Divi- nity Books of your molt folid and fele&ed Divines ; and among others your E- ver/ailing Ref, Item Gilder, Salvianue, Or ReformedPallor ; Item True Chri/tianity, ItemA Sermon of Judgment, &c. being at that time recalled to my ownCountry; I had no time to penile thole heavenly Meditations ; but ftnce have made it my chief work, and cannot exprel the great Advantage I received by them : fò that I commended the very fame Books to others of,our Brethren who have .endea- voured without delay to.get them, by means of fome of our Merchants here; and alfo the remainderof your Works, that wecould bring to our notice, viz. The Un-. reafonableneßof Infidelity, your Confejon of Faith, The rigbt Methodfor a fetled Peaceof Confdente, The fafe Religion, Key for Catbolicka, TheCrucifying of the World , Item of Self-denial, Item B Treatife of Converfion, Call to the Unconverted, your Apology againfí Mr. Blake,&c. Item your Holy Commonwealth, The Catbolick Unity, your Treatife of Death : For which Workswe thank God with one accord , for the great and hea- venly Gifts he bath ft largely bellowed upon you, for the common good of his Church ; and with that by this occafron we might alto be partakers of what we want of your Works that are extant ; Sermons or other Treatifes : Particularly I mull acquaint youwith the high elteem we make of thofe two Chief Pieces, the Everlajting Re/t and ReformedPfior r in which latter you ltrike home to the very heart many Minifiers: and we ruultneeds.confels that living among a rude and unlearned People, ignorant and felt=conceited;- -that according to your Advice in the ReformedPaftor, it is molt necelfary to take in hand,with all fpeed and care,the private Inllruhlion and Catechizing: But we can find no way to obtain it : And being your Admonitions and Perfsvafions to the Praetiee thereof; are very home Lit a and

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