Reliquiæ Baxterianæ, or, Mr. Richard Baxters narrative of the most memorable passages of his…

They wrote us also a Second Letter, which I here subjoin: Reverend and much valued Brethren, YOUR Affectionate Letter in Answer to ours, by that Honourable Person, we have received, and do desire that these Lines may testify our Thankfulness to you for your loving and free Acceptation of our Desires of a Brotherly Correspondency. Those Pantings of yours for the Peace and Union of the Saints, we doubt not will be to your Comfort at the great Day of your Account: God is not unjust to forget your Work and Labour of Love; Go on therefore, dear Brethren, in his Strength whose work it is, and of whose Power and Presence you have had so great Experience: We trust as our Hearts are with you, so our Prayers shall not be wanting for you at the Throne of Grace. We thank you for your Joy at our Association and Success, and that we still breath after that happy Work. Surely if after our long Experiences of those woeful Desolations that Divisions and Dissentions have involved the Saints in, our Hearts should not be enlarged after Union and Peace that must repair our Breaches, we should have Cause to suspect our Union with, and Love to our Head. We are not ignorant how much the Self-love and Pride of some, and the misguided Zeal of others of approved Sincerity, have advanced the Design of the grand Enemy by over eager and unbrotherly Bitterness; even in matters circumstantial: Neither are we altogether ignorant how subtly that old Serpent and Deceiver hath laboured by a pretext of Love, to swallow up Truth; it being for a while the only Cry, Love, Love, yet not the least hint of Truth, which had most need of their Charity; being miserably torn and mangled. To which our Charity leads us to attribute the Praise of many of our Brethren, as being unwilling to buy Love with the Loss of Truth: It is the Apostles Advice that the Truth should be spoken in Love, and that we should contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints. But Thanks be to the Lord God of Truth that hath preserved his Darling from the Devourer, making the way of Love exceeding amiable because of Truth; so that we trust it will not lie untrodden by the Lord's People, through circumstantial Differences, whilst all hold the Form of wholesome Words, considering one another, and walking together in what they are agreed, and waiting upon the Lord for the revealing of that, wherein they differ;

They wrote us also a Second Letter, which I here subjoin: Reverend and much valued Brethren, YOUR Affectionate Letter in Answer to ours, by that Honourable Person, we have received, and do desire that these Lines may testify our Thankfulness to you for your loving and free Acceptation of our Desires of a Brotherly Correspondency. Those Pantings of yours for the Peace and Union of the Saints, we doubt not will be to your Comfort at the great Day of your Account: God is not unjust to forget your Work and Labour of Love; Go on therefore, dear Brethren, in his Strength whose work it is, and of whose Power and Presence you have had so great Experience: We trust as our Hearts are with you, so our Prayers shall not be wanting for you at the Throne of Grace. We thank you for your Ioy at our Association and Success, and that we still breath after that happy Work. Surely if after our long Experiences of those woful Desolations that Divisions and Dissentions have involved the Saints in, our Hearts should not be enlarged after Union and Peace that must repair our Breaches, we should have Cause to suspect our Union with, and Love to our Head. We are not ignorant how much the Self-love and Pride of some, and the misguided Zeal of others of approved Sincerity, have advanced the Design of the grand Enemy by over eager and unbrotherly Bitterness; even in matters circumstantial: Neither are we altogether ignorant how subtilly that old Serpent and Deceiver hath laboured by a pretext of Love, to swallow up Truth; it being for a while the only Cry, Love, Love, yet not the least hint of Truth, which had most need of their Charity; being miserably torn and mangled. To which our Charity leads us to attribute the Praise of many of our Brethren, as being unwilling to buy Love with the Loss of Truth: It is the Apostles Advice that the Truth should be spoken in Love, and that we should contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints. But Thanks be to the Lord God of Truth that hath preserved his Darling from the Devourer, making the way of Love exceeding aimable because of Truth; so that we trust it will not lie untrodden by the Lord's People, through circumstantial Differences, whilst all hold the Form of wholesom Words, considering one another, and walking together in what they are agreed, and waiting upon the Lord for the revealing of that, wherein they differ;