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

§ 66. Once more, I tell this Accuser and the World, that I am so far from justifying King or Parliament, from the beginning, progress, or ending of this War, that I think both sides deeply guilty of very heinous sin: And I cannot tell whether I know a Man living that hateth War more than I hate it: While I meddled in it, it was far a more sad ⟨p. 61⟩and hateful Life to me, than my abode in Prison was when the Church Defenders laid me there with an unsolvable Fine. The truth is, both sides began they knew not what: I knew not a Man but Sir Francis Nethersole that knew what War was, or foresaw what was like to come of it. Both sides thought it would be prevented by the Countries forsaking the other side, or that one Fight would end it. And no Man can tell just where, and when, and by whom it was begun: No more than just when a Chronic Disease begins in Man. Only I am sure that Virtually and Dispositively it began in that division of Minds, Hearts and Lives, which is common in the World between them that Love a Life of Serious Godliness, and cannot Love Wickedness, and them that Hate a Godly Life because it's against their Lust and Carnal Interest. Not that every Adversary to the Parliament was a Cainite, but that through the Land an Enmity between the Seriously Godly, and the Profane encouraged by Pharisaical Ceremonious Formalists, was a War in our Bowels, ready to break forth upon the first advantages. And the Religious Party (as in all former Ages) had many young ignorant Novices, that by Pride ran into Extremes, being self-conceited, and unruly, and ready by Schism or petulant Censoriousness to vilify all that be not of their Sects, and to pretend Fanatic Inspirations for their Errors. As the contrary Party was prone to be so Jealous of their beloved Dominion, Wealth, and Ease, and Honour, as to take such for intolerable Enemies that flattered them not in their Worldly Pomp.

§ 66. Once more, I tell this Accuser and the World, that I am so far from justifying King or Parliament, from the beginning, progress, or ending of this War, that I think both sides deeply guilty of very heinous sin: And I cannot tell whether I know a Man living that hateth War more than I hate it: While I medled in it, it was far a more sad ⟨p. 61⟩and hateful Life to me, than my abode in Prison was when the Church Defenders laid me there with an unsolvable Fine. The truth is, both sides began they knew not what: I knew not a Man but Sir Francis Nethersole that knew what War was, or foresaw what was like to come of it. Both sides thought it would be prevented by the Countreys forsaking the other side, or that one Fight would end it. And no Man can tell just where, and when, and by whom it was begun: No more than just when a Chronical Disease begins in Man. Only I am sure that Virtually and Dispositively it began in that division of Minds, Hearts and Lives, which is common in the World between them that Love a Life of Serious Godliness, and cannot Love Wickedness, and them that Hate a Godly Life because it's against their Lust and Carnal Interest. Not that every Adversary to the Parliament was a Cainite, but that through the Land an Enmity between the Seriously Godly, and the Prophane encouraged by Pharisaical Ceremonious Formalists, was a War in our Bowels, ready to break forth upon the first advantages. And the Religious Party (as in all former Ages) had many young ignorant Novices, that by Pride ran into Extreams, being self-conceited, and unruly, and ready by Schism or petulant Censoriousness to vilifie all that be not of their Sects, and to pretend Fanatick Inspirations for their Errours. As the contrary Party was prone to be so Jealous of their beloved Dominion, Wealth, and Ease, and Honour, as to take such for intolerable Enemies that flattered them not in their Worldly Pomp.