Richard Baxter's penitent confession and his necessary vindication in answer to a book called…

3. Because it did occasion more hurt than good: so that it became the common Theme of ambitious young Preachers, especially at Court, before K. Ch. II. as the way to Preferment, to talk against The Holy Commonwealth, falsely persuading men that by a Commonwealth I meant Democracy or Popular Government, which the Book was purposely written against. So that when the Oxford University burnt that Book (with Dr. Whitby's excellent Reconciler, and some others) though I expostulated with the Vice-Chancellor concerning its Principles, I told them I consented that the Book was burnt: though I told them not why, as now I do.

3. Because it did occasion more hurt than good: so that it became the common Theme of ambitious young Preachers, especially at Court, before K. Ch. II. as the way to Preferment, to talk against The Holy Commonwealth, falsly perswading men that by a Commonwealth I meant Democracy or Popular Government, which the Book was purposely written against. So that when the Oxford University burnt that Book (with Dr. Whitby's excellent Reconciler, and some others) though I expostulated with the Vice-Chancellor concerning its Principles, I told them I consented that the Book was burnt: though I told them not why, as now I do.

XXXVII. Though both Nature and Grace inclined me to hate Lying, and specially in Writers and Preachers, and I honoured Jul. Caes. Scaliger the more, because his Son Joseph tells us how vehemently he hated a Lie, so that he could not be reconciled to a Liar, yet I confess that my impatience herein was faulty. It was long before I well perceived that the Father of Lies, doth Govern his Kingdom (most of the World) by mere Lying: Call it Error, or Mistake, or Falsehood, or what you will, all signifieth the same thing: It is delivering Falsehood for Truth. Christ had told us that the Devil is the Father of Lies, and when he speaketh a Lie, he speaketh his own. Deceit is by Lying, and by this he ruleth his World. As God's Image consisteth in Life, Light and Love, the Devil's Image is Hatred. Falsehood and Hurtfulness or Murder, Joh. 8 But alas to take this for some strange thing, and to be over-impatient with Liars, was my fault, when now I find it is but the very state of corrupt unrenewed Nature: And Pride the Father, and Ignorance the Mother, make Kingdoms, Cities and Persons like a rotting Carcass that swarms with Maggots. You that read Histories, read with Judgment and due Suspicion; for the common corrupt Nature is a lying Nature: And it is not about Religion only; but the Fool rageth and is confident in all his Errors. O what abundance of Lying Books