A27066:25
Mr. Baxter's vindication of the Church of England in her rites and ceremonies, discipline,…
Mr. Baxter's vindication of the Church of England in her rites and ceremonies, discipline, and church-orders as faithfully taken out of his own writings, without either false citation, or fraudulent alteration : to which is prefixed his epistle to the non-conformists, being a just and true abstract of his book entitled, A defence of the principles of love.Mr. Baxter's vindication of the Church of England in her rites and ceremonies, discipline, and church-orders as faithfully taken out of his own writings, without either false citation, or fraudulent alteration : to which is prefixed his epistle to the non-conformists, being a just and true abstract of his book entituled, A defence of the principles of love.
London: printed for Walter Kettilby, 1682
Letter: Mr. BAXTER's EPISTLE TO THE Non-Conformists, Being a just and true Abstract of his Defe…
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.
Brethren—I know that our division gratifieth the Papists,1 and greatly hazardeth the Protestant Religion, and that more than the most of you seem to believe or regard. I know that our division advantageth Profaneness, and greatly hinders the success on both sides, I know that it greatly pleaseth Satan, and buildeth up his Kingdom, and weakeneth the Kingdom of our Lord; his own mouth hath told us so. I foresaw, that while we worried and weakened one another, Papists were like to be the principal gainers: and they would be ready to offer their service to strengthen one of the Parties against the other, and would be glad to take up the reproaches against the most religious people, that were by angry Adversaries brought unto their hands.2 And that when we had made our selves the common scorn by our manifold divisions, and by our biting and devouring one another, they would plead this as their shame, to draw People to themselves, as the only stable and, consistent Church; and would make us giddy, that we may rest on them, as our Supporters, and when they saw ⟨p. 10⟩us weak, would, be ready to devour us all.
Brethren—I know that our division gratifieth the Papists,1 and greatly hazardeth the Protestant Religion, and that more than the most of you seem to believe or regard. I know that our division advantageth Profaneness, and greatly hinders the success on both sides, I know that it greatly pleaseth Satan, and buildeth up his Kingdom, and weakeneth the Kingdom of our Lord; his own mouth hath told us so. I foresaw, that while we worried and weakened one another, Papists were like to be the principal gainers: and they would be ready to offer their service to strengthen one of the Parties against the other, and would be glad to take up the reproaches against the most religious people, that were by angry Adversaries brought unto their hands.2 And that when we had made our selves the common scorn by our manifold divisions, and by our biting and devouring one another, they would plead this as their shame, to draw People to themselves, as the onely stable and, consistent Church; and would make us giddy, that we may rest on them, as our Supporters, and when they saw