Part Ill. Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter. IOI And that which is for the Interest and Increafe of their Religion, is contrary to our. y.. There are already about 50n that are dead, and have Conformed, line our Silencing and the reR will all he quickly dead: And then all will fall quietly into the Conformists hands, and theChurches be more corrupt than if now weget but a half Reformation. i o. And it Rail be no Divifion of us, to have half taken into thePublick Churches : for we melt love each other, and promote the Workof Chrift in eachothers hands, as the old Godly Conformifts and Nonconformists did, and we now do with the Godly Part of theConformifts : Our Work is not to keep up a Combination against our Superiours nor tóltrengthen a Fa&ion, butto Combinefor Godlinefs, and td Strengthenour felves in the proper work ofthe Gofpel : which we mull do, though fameConform, andfoiedo not. i ,. And our Superiours will be the lets Jealous of us as to Sedition, when they fee us fo divided in Point of Conformity, than if they fee us Strengthened by the Unity of a diftin& Party. 12. And efpecially, the Unity of fuels as Conform, with the prefent Conformists will Strengthen the Publick Miniftery against'Papifis, Infidels, and all Vngodlinefs : And our continued Divifion will be the strength ofall thefe. 03. And it is a weightyConfideration, that the keeping up of the différentPar- ties tempteth allthe Peopleof the Land, to continual Ccnfuring, Uncharitablenefs, and contending, and unavoidably deftroyeth Love and Concord; and fo keepeth Men inconstant Sin. Onall thefe Reafons theywere molt for as muchUnion with the Parish-Minifters, and joyning with them, as the Parliamentwould allow them. § 2:6. But now they found that there was little hopes ofobtaining any fuch thing : For they that were moft for Toleration were moft againft our Comprehenfoa by Abatement of any of the Impositions; and they were many. t. All the Papifs, and their ferret Friends, were most oppofite to Abatements: For it was their Defign from the beginning to get our Prelfures to be as (harp as possible, that fo we tight have as much need as they of aToleration, and might be Sorted to Petition for the opening of clueDoor, bywhich they might come in, or (peedat least no worfe than the Nonconformists. 2. Thofe that were forthe Increafe of the Regal Power andIntereft, didvery well know, that the more grievoufly good People (and fo great a number) were ufed by Parliaments and Laws, the more certainly Nature and Interelt would lead them, to fly from them to the King, for eafe and refuge: And alfo, that when Men's Religion and Liberties are in the Power, and'at the Mercyof the King, their Elates mull be fo too: For who will not rather part withbis Money than his Li- berty and Religion? Yea, and Men's Hearts will be morewith him that faveth them, than with thofe that deftinate them to Jayls and Beggery. 3. And the Independents, Separatifs, and all the SelDaries, were commonly againft a Comprehenfion, for the Reasons before given. Only the vifible Necellities ofthe Nation do fo ftrongly work towards it, that doubtlefs in time, they will prevail with the Wills of thofe that are for the Proteftant Religion, and for Pro- perty ; butwhether Confent and Repenting: will come too late,God onlyknoweth, and time mull tell us. § at 7. In theend of May, :672. was another Sea-Fight with the Dutch, with like Succefs as the former. The Earl of Sandwich, andothers ofours loft, and they parted without any notable Vi&ory or Advantageof either Party, but that they had kill'done another: §218,
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