Numb. III. A"PP ENlDXX. .6J to cure Excefs where you find it : What ! a Phyfician flybecaufe hisPatients are Sick! O that we had no forer Difeafes to encounter, than fine Cloaths: If you ' were with me, I could tell you quickly where to find Forty Families of humble, `godly Chriftians, that are as bare, and Poor as you would Wills, and heed as much as you can give them or procure them; that fcarce lore-a Day's Work by Sicknefs, but the Church Inuit maintain them. Andl could fend you to Sixty Families that are as poor, and yet fo Ignorant as more to need your fpiritual Help. ' When they have fat by me to be inftrth edinmy Chamber, they fometimes leàvë the Lice fo plentiful' that we are fcoredwith them for a competent fpace ofrime. ' Never keep in a Separated Church to avoidRiches and fine Cloaths, and for fear ' left you cannot meet with the Poo.. I warrant you a Cure of that Melancholÿ ' Fear in molt places in England. F`. The next -is the great Block. a. If you ga- r they out the choiceft Members that Ihould help the reff, and then complain ofPa- ' riRes, when you have marr'd them, you do not ¡Wily. a. If you will not do your Duty Ma Parish, becaufeforce Miniffers do not theirs, your excufe is frivo- lous. ;.III durfl have gathered a feparated Churchhere,I could have hadone large ` and numerous enough, or fuels as would alloivtpo eafe ; but I think Parish Work theheft; We here agree on thefe Pour Heads,' r. To teach all Its which Work ' in my Parifls, I' could find Work for Ten Nlinifrers, if I could maintain them. e 2. To admit none as adult Members, without' a perfonal credible Profefïion of ' Faith and Holinefs (of which I' refer you to my Treatife of Confirmation). 3. To exercife Difcipline With there. 4. To hold CommunionofChurches by AL ' fociations and Affembliesof the Officers: And I blei God, I findnot my Parif& filch a dead Body as you ¡peak of. Among Eight Hundred Families, Six Hun- dred Per.ons are Church. Members : I hope there innot very màny of there with- ' out Inch a Profeflion as giveth us good Hopesof their Sincerity and none whole ' Prof(lion I am able anyway to di(prove,and this fatisfieth me as God's Way ; and ' many (I hopeScores) there beof thofe that join not withus (on diversAccounts) that I hope fear God : If you have Charity to judge that our Parilhes haveChrilli- `ans, you may have Charity fo judge that they have Life, and fome fit for Corn- ' munion: Howtender is Chrift of his weakeft Members? and Mall not I imitate him ? yea, ¡hall I jú'ge them that am 4o bad my felt", and pluck them from his ` Arms , that defigneth it as his higheft Honour, to be admired and glorified in the freeuefs and fulnefs of his Grace and Love to theUnworthy. 6. Your Foi- e lowers Souls are by you endangered, while you leave them in their Sin ; will iten- ' danger them to tell ehem of that Danger, and help them out? What! to lead ' Men to Holy Love andUnity with the Catholick Church of Chrill? fuchdanger will be but by Accident ; as every necelfary Duty hath its Danger. A loving, melting Lamentation for that Violation of Charity, which your own, and their Divilion bath been guilty of, is like to profit humble Souls that love the Truth ` and if they are fuch as will not indure the Doetrine of Love and Unity, what are they better than our Parifhes ? 7. None will be fad for the Return of a Brother ` to Unity or Love, but thofe that grietee for your Felicity, not knowing what they ' do. You would not forbear a Return to God from any grofs Sin, for fear of grieving Men : Is not Schifm a grofs Sin ? Are they not great that are direly ' againft Love and Unity, the Soul and Life of the Church of Chrilt? and were ` you no whit partial; youwould think that Twenty Hearts made glad at your Re- ` covery, forone that's made fad, fhould at leaft here leave the Ballance even. A Publifh'd Exhortation from you (filch as it feems you intended) to draw your Par- ' ty to Unity and Communion with all true Chriltians, and diffuade them hereafter ' from Cenforioufnefs, oppotition to the Miniflry, and Separation upon the Ac- ` count of fo difficult a Point, and fo far from the Heart of the new.Man, might ` do more good than your overfeeing that Church anHundred .Years, it is not a `Trifle tohold an Opinion that wouldwarrant a Man to have denied, or feparated ' from the uaiverfal vifible Church, for fo many Hundred Years ; even for almoft all the time of its Exiflence fineChrifl. I forbear fending you the FormofCon. cord mentioned till you are readierfor it, and Ihnll delire it, as judging it ufeful, and then, God willing, I fhall fend ir. The Lord I hope will clear up to you his aMind concerning the way in which he would hive youwalk, and in the wayof Duty give you the Peace, which you delire and expe&. I rein Sept. op. 1658. Tour unworthy Brother, To Mr.Lambe. Rich, Baxter. Dear
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