Part 111. Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter. 67 . cord, and we will agree with ,ou.] The Rea fo why we would bear-with other Dif- ferences, is hecaufe we cannot bear with the abfince a/ Vnity, Love and Peace, elfe we may let all go to Divifions, without anymoreado. And the great things whichhinder the Presbyterians andModerate Epifopal Men, from dolingwithyou, are principally thefe. I. Betanfe they think that your way tends todeftroy the Kingdom ofChrilt by dividing it while all Excommunicate Perfons, or Ídereticks, or humorous Perfons, may at any time gather a Church of fuch as Separatefrom the Church which they belonged to, though it be on the account oflingodlinefs, or Impatienceof Difci- pline e. and then may !land on equal Terms withyou efpeciallywhen you are not for the conftant Correfpondency of Churches in Synods, by which they may ltrengthen themfelvesagainft them. 2. They think, whileyou feem tobe fora Jtritïer Difcipline than others, that your way (or ufual'Praelice) tendeth to'extirpate Godlinefsout of the Land ; by taking a very few that can talk more than the reff, andmaking them the Church, and lhutting out more that are as worthy, and by negleaing the Souls of all the Pariai elfe, except as to tome publick Preaching; againft which altoyou prejudice them by unjaft Rejetions; and then think that you may warrantably account them un- worrthy: becaufe you know no worthinefs by them, when you eftrange your felves from them, and drive them away from you. They think that Park-Reformation tendeth to themaking Godlinefs univerfal, and that your Separation tendeth todwin dle it tonothing. I know that Tome of you have fpoken for endeavouring thegood of all but (pardon my plainnefs) I knew fcarce any of you that didnot byanunjuft efp'o ng ofyour few, do the People a double Injury, one by denying them their Church-Rights, without any regular Church lattice, and the other by lazily omit- ting molt that fhould have been donefor their Salvation. In our Countrey almolt all thetell of the Miniftersagreed to deal ferioufly and orderly with all the Families of their Parifhes (which force did to their wonderful benefit) except your Party, and the highly Epifcopal, and they flood off. The doubt was when I came toKi- derminfler, Whether it were better to take zo Profellors for the Church, and leave a Reader tohead and gratifie therefs? Or, to attemptthe ¡Mt Reformation of the Parifh ? TheProfefrors would have been belt pleafed with the firlt and I wasfar the latter, which after full tryal, bath done that which bath fatisfied all thePro- feffors: So that profelfed Piety, and Family-Worfhip (in a way ofHumility and Unity) was fo common that the few that differ among force Thoufands are molt - fy alhamed of their Difference on theaccount of Singularity, and would feem tobe Godly with the refs. The lait Week I had with me an honeft Scotcbman, and one of myActon Neighbours, and I asked him how their Nation came to be fó unanimous in the approbation of Godlinefs without any Sea. And he told me that ufually they had twelve Elders in a Parifh, and every one took their Divifion and ob- ferved the manners of the People, and if any Family prayed not, tire. They ad- monifhed them, and told the Pallor and that the Pallor then went to them (though many Miles off) and taught them to Pray, and led themin it, and let them upon other meansas we teach Children to read : And that once a Week theyhad a meeting of the Elders, to confidt about the good of the Parifh, and oncea Weeka meeting of the People to pray and confer, and receive refolution of Doubts, before the Pallor, and every Lord's Day after Sermon, they flayed to difcourfe of the things Preached of, that Objeaions might be anfoered, and thofe urged to theirduties that had nothing to fay againft it. This, and more, the Scotchman averred to me. My Acton Neighbour told me, that there is now but one Perfon (a Woman) in all this Town and Parifh that was here admitted to the Sacrament, and that the refs were partly by this courfe (and other nea- tens) dttafted, and their'diflike encreafed, and partly neglectedand left to them- felves : That of rich Families, (js{r. Rous, Major Skip ous, Collonel Sely, and Mr. Humphreys) were admitted while the refs were refuted, or neglefted : And that one furvìving Perfon whowas admitted, it hut a Sojourner here. Where- as upon a little Tryal, I am able to fay, that there are comparatively few openly fcandalous Perfons in the Town ; that there aremany who? Ihave reafon to believe do ferioupy fear God, and are fit for Chtirch-Communion :. That almoft the whole T¿bwn and Parifh (even thofe that feemedmolt averle) are defirous and I i i i z diligent
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