A26982:190
Richard Baxter's penitent confession and his necessary vindication in answer to a book called…
Richard Baxter's penitent confession and his necessary vindication in answer to a book called The second part of the mischiefs of separation, written by an unnamed author with a preface to Mr. Cantianus D. Minimis, in answer to his letter which extorted this publication.
London: printed for Tho. Parkhurst, 1691
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
XXX. I repent that I sooner enquired not into the danger that the Land was in by Cromwell and his Sectaries: And I repent that when his fundamental Troop at Cambridge (which after made Commanders headed his Army) wrote to me with Subscribed Names to be their Pastor, I refused and rejected the offer to their offence, telling them that I was neither for a Military Church nor an Independent popular Church; Had I gone to them then, what might I have prevented?
XXXI. Though I am not able to see, that I did not my Duty (my most Self-denying and costly Duty) in taking the defence of the Nation, Religion, King and Parliament (to be reduced to Unity) to be my necessary Employment (while I owned not their Miscarriages) yet knowing the frailty of my understanding, I daily beg of God, that if I was mistaken he will make me know it (for which I have long Prayed); and that he will pardon my Sins, which I would fain know, and fain repent of, and publicly confess if I could know them; but dare not take the greatest Duty of my life to be my Sin.
XXXI. Though I am not able to see, that I did not my Duty (my most Self-denying and costly Duty) in taking the defence of the Nation, Religion, King and Parliament (to be reduced to Unity) to be my necessary Employment (while I owned not their Miscarriages) yet knowing the frailty of my understanding, I daily beg of God, that if I was mistaken he will make me know it (for which I have long Prayed); and that he will pardon my Sins, which I would fain know, and fain repent of, and publickly confess if I could know them; but dare not take the greatest Duty of my life to be my Sin.
XXXII. I am in great doubt how far I did well or ill in my opposition to Cromwell and his Army at last. I am satisfied that it was my duty to disown, and as I did, to oppose their Rebellion and other Sin: But there were many honest Pious men among them: And when God chooseth the Executioners of his Justice as he pleaseth, I am oft in doubt whether I should not have been more Passive and Silent than I was; Though not as Jeremiah to Nebuchadnezzar, to persuade men to submit: