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

§ 208. When I read and delivered these Papers, the Bishops were much displeased, that I should charge so many things on the Church as Sins: Where you may note the marvellous oscitancy of these men, that when they had treated with us so long, and received so many large Exceptions and Replies, and in all had heard us open the sinfulness of their way, they should yet imagine that we had accused their way but of inexpediency, and think to gratify themselves by such a poor device. But their main design was to divide us, while they set us upon distinguishing all their sins from their inexpediences; and they thought that one would take that for inexpedient only, which others took to be sin. And they considered not that we were now treating what should be imposed, and not what should be obeyed if it were imposed: and that we would charge Sin upon their Impositions, in many points which might lawfully be done when Imposed, rather than to forsake the Churches. And if I did the Church any Service in all these Debates, it was principally by frustrating their evil design, of dividing us; so that all the Snares that ever they could lay for us, never procured them just advantage, once truly to say, that we disagreed among our selves. For though there were enow at a distance, who could not have agreed to all that we did, yet we so far left them out (though to the displeasure both of the Prelatists and them, that no discord was found in any of our Proposals or Debates): which cut some of them more to the heart, than all that else we did to their displeasure.

§ 208. When I read and delivered these Papers, the Bishops were much displeased, that I should charge so many things on the Church as Sins: Where you may note the marvellous oscitancy of these men, that when they had treated with us so long, and received so many large Exceptions and Replys, and in all had heard us open the sinfulness of their way, they should yet imagine that we had accused their way but of inexpediency, and think to gratifie themselves by such a poor device. But their main design was to divide us, while they set us upon distinguishing all their sins from their inexpediences; and they thought that one would take that for inexpedient only, which others took to be sin. And they considered not that we were now treating what should be imposed, and not what should be obeyed if it were imposed: and that we would charge Sin upon their Impositions, in many points which might lawfully be done when Imposed, rather than to forsake the Churches. And if I did the Church any Service in all these Debates, it was principally by frustrating their evil design, of dividing us; so that all the Snares that ever they could lay for us, never procured them just advantage, once truly to say, that we disagreed among our selves. For though there were enow at a distance, who could not have agreed to all that we did, yet we so far left them out (though to the displeasure both of the Prelatists and them, that no discord was found in any of our Proposals or Debates): which cut some of them more to the heart, than all that else we did to their displeasure.