Baxter - BX5207 B3 A2 1696

Numb. Ii. 4 P P ND IX `2. Among!t our felves I have privately urged, ro my Friends enlarging confi e derably. ;. I have my felt with my Family frequented the publick Lectures. 4. In the Strength of God taken Courage to preach to the Congregation the e Doctrineof the Church Univerfal, and its Unity, from r Cor: ea. z6. and from thence to Thew them the Schifmatical Date wherein weare; which Sermons hath e brought the Anabaptills about my Ears from other Parts. Four or five of them oppofed me the !aft firi day after my Sermon, andbecaufe of what I had preach- ' ed the Day before, half my own Congregation never came to hear me ; Their Hearts arequite gone from me Net any of the Church cometh to fee me, or ask me any Quefion. Now ;. and Lagiy, As to the prefent frameof my Spirit and State it is thus. ' As to the uniting Work I have in Hand, I thank God I am bold, and amwaiting on God, (upon whole Influences I live) to guide me in Thought, Word, and ' Deed aboutit,' but I have lately been forely troubled with one Temptation : e What Ihould I preach, orwrite any thing for, Concerning Religion? I cannot - endure Torments for Chrin if I lhouìdbe tried ; 'ris not for 1uth fainthearted Creatures as I to meddle inInch Work : Now theConfcience of this, that indeed ' I am a poor Creature, weak both in Faith and Spirit, hash made way for this Temptation to feize upon me, tothe faddening of my Soul, and to the enfeebling of me to fo great a Degree, that for this two or three Days I havenot been able to do any thing. As for my prefent State in refpeet of the Church, I am Dill e with them, and purpofe, God willing, to Morrow to apply what I have preach- ' ed about Schifm. The next lFednefday isappointed to debate things ; our Friends 'hall in the HeadS ofotherChurchesto theirAffiftance,and'I hear thofe from abroad intend to flit. upMir Friends to caft me out of the Church, what the Iffue will be God knoweth, and what to do with my Pelf afterwards I know not, I know I e fhall be forely befet bythe Enemy ; but my hope is in God, that he will not fief- ' fer me to be tempted above that I am able, and that my merciful Redemer and 'HighPriel will be touched with the Peeling of my Infirmities, himfelf being tempted, he knoweth how to fuccour thofe thatare tempted. Heb. 4. t.6. faith, '. Grace barb a Throne : and S. 10, 21. faith, Graee reigned, : Oh bleffed be God ! t r Ephef. faith, be bathgiven bim to be Head aver all things to the Church ; not to go- 'vern it only, but to influence it with all neceffary Supplies, to fill all in all. He e fuppofed while we are here, we Ihail.be in an indigent C,onr i:icndivers ways: ' but at that Throne where Grace Reigneth, there is Grace enough to fupply all ' our Wants. Therefore e yob. Of his frslneß we bave all received Grace for Crace. ' and becaufe fach poor Creaturesas I, t nfrble of much Unworthinefs, are very ' apt to doubt our Entertainment, and fear where "no fear ú, bleffed Jens calleth us to come boldly. Sir, when I Ihall havedone my Work where ß am, which I believe will be Tshortly, I could be content to return to Mr. Goodwin's, if God would like it, and that my Re-union with that Church would not hinder my main Work. ' They have oftheir own accord made aVote to receive me wheh mySpirit fhould 'be free to return, and indeedalways have manifefted muchLove to me ; but the Truth is, I am to clog'd with Scruples about popular Government, and filch like 'things, that though to Will be prefent with me, to performI find not. Mr. Good- ' win never renouncedhis Ordination to take it from the People, and is for Free 'Communion, and faith, will join in filch a Uniting Draught as I hope youwill 'nowdraw up and profecuteprefently, and which I will labour in,God willing, to ' promote whenit comethhere:, That which mainly flicketh with mein refpeet of 'reterning to Mr. Goodwin's is, that when I Ihall publilh what is in myHeart about 'the Caufes of the Churches Maladyin England, I (hall rafted upon the Indepen- dant Principlesexceedingly. Nowmy fear is, that my Relation to them, will be ' a Curb to me. I know not what to do, but ray Eye is up towards God. I am ' lure 1 have reaped Benefit by your Counfe], and hope I have had an Interef in ' your Prayers, which I Dill beg, being confident God will hear you. Sir, the Lord preferve your Life and bleuyour Labours. I hope it will not be long e're I. !hall hear from you, who am From my Houle in Tour affeilionate Fiend GreatSt. Bartbolomews. and Brother in Chrifbefrss My Wife prefentsherLove, with many Thanks to you. ,Tho. Lambe. To bis very worthy Friend, Mr. R. Baxter, Preacher of God_: Word qt Kidderminfer in Worcefferlhire. I Dear

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