Rich. Baxters apology against the modest exceptions of Mr. T. Blake and the digression…

4. Another dangerous Temptation that will attend these, will be, to disregard Christs Interest through an over-minding of their own: To play your own game, and lay out your chiefest care for your self, and make Gods business to stoop unto your own. Where this prevails, the hearts of such are false to Christ: While they pretend to serve him, they do but serve themselves upon him. They will honour Christ no longer then he will honour them. And when they are once false to Christ, they can be true to no one else. Their friends are esteemed but as stepping stones to their Ends. When they can serve them no longer they reject them as unprofitable. Ever Remember, that man stands safest that espouseth no Interest contradictory to Christs; I had almost said, None but Christs: For even Christs must be made his own, and then his own will be Christs. God is more engaged to secure his own Interest then ours. There is no Policy therefore comparable to this, to Engage most deeply where Christs chiefest Interest lieth, and to Unite our own to his, in a just subordination. He that will needs have a standing divided from Christ, Independent on him, or Equal with him, much more in Opposition to him, is sure to fall. It will break the greatest Prince on Earth to espouse an Interest inconsistent with Christs, when he doth but arise to plead his Cause. Study therefore where Christs Interest most lieth, and then devote all your own to the promoting of it: and hold none that lives not as the Vine on the Wall, or rather as the branch in the Vine, in Dependence upon his. And upon Enquiry you will find, that ⟨image 6⟩Christs Interest lies much in these two things, the Piety and the Peace of his People. The Reformation of his Churches, and the Uniting of them (at home and abroad) are the greatest works that any can be Employed in. To which ends Gods chiefest means, is an Able, Godly, Diligent Ministry, to Teach and Rule his flocks according to his Word. All the Interest that God hath Given you, he expecteth should be speedily, diligently and undeservedly employed to these Ends. Delay not, you have but your time. Think it not enough to do no harm, or no more good then those below you. Your standing is unsafe when you do little or nothing for God. He is not bound to hold you the Candle to do nothing, or to work for your self. Work therefore while it is day: the night comes when none can work.

4. Another dangerous Temptation that will attend these, will be, to disregard Christs Interest through an over-minding of their own: To play your own game, and lay out your chiefest care for your self, and make Gods business to stoop unto your own. Where this prevails, the hearts of such are false to Christ: While they pretend to serve him, they do but serve themselves upon him. They will honour Christ no longer then he will honour them. And when they are once false to Christ, they can be true to no one else. Their friends are esteemed but as stepping stones to their Ends. When they can serve them no longer they reject them as unprofitable. Ever Remember, that man stands safest that espouseth no Interest contradictory to Christs; I had almost said, None but Christs: For even Christs must be made his own, and then his own will be Christs. God is more engaged to secure his own Interest then ours. There is no Policy therefore comparable to this, to Engage most deeply where Christs chiefest Interest lieth, and to Ʋnite our own to his, in a just subordination. He that will needs have a standing divided from Christ, Independent on him, or Equal with him, much more in Opposition to him, is sure to fall. It will break the greatest Prince on Earth to espouse an Interest inconsistent with Christs, when he doth but arise to plead his Cause. Study therefore where Christs Interest most lieth, and then devote all your own to the promoting of it: and hold none that lives not as the Vine on the Wall, or rather as the branch in the Vine, in Dependance upon his. And upon Enquiry you will finde, that