them do more effectually ferve the Devil, against the Cause and Servants of Chrift, than they could have done if they were profelfed Infidels.

9. It makes me blush, and stirrs my Indignation, to read and hear abundance of hot and vehement Disputes, and tedious or Critical difcourfes about many small leffe needfull things, by thofe men that never ftudyed the Foundation, nor can with Senfe and Reafon' defend their Christianity against an Infidel. Such prepofterous methods are perverfe and nanfeous.

10. I am much afraid left many of those ignorant zealous Chriftians, who now turn to that Setary whom they cannot answer, would turn to the Inf del at last, when they finde themselves unable to confute them, through their own infufficiency and ungroundedneße in the Truth.

II. But if they do not Apoftatize, what a Shame will it be to the Church of God, to have our Religion thus betrayed, by fuch as are not able to defend it? And how many others may it tempt to Infidelity, to hear an Ignorant Chriftian baffled.

12. I am too fure, that too many Teachers, that Should be Champions for the Truth, are lamentably unfurnished for fuch a Conflict, by neglecting the study of the Foundation, and bestowing all their thoughts on the Superstructure.

13. I know that it is Gods method, to cause the growth of Faith at the root, in proportion to its growth in tallnese and in fruit: "It is his mercifull Providence, to keep those whofe Faith hath weaker roots, from the strong temptations which others undergoe. As the Plant that is little, doth

bear but little of the stroke of the windes; which elfe would quickly overturn it but the root growing downward, as the top groweth upward, the ra-. dication and the affaults are still proportioned: So Faith must grow equally in its Roots and Branches while we live. Had I felt as strong af faults against my Faith while I was young, as I have done fince, I am not sure it would have fcap'd an overthrow.

14. I have in the anatomizing of the Controverfies which most hazard the Church of Christ, found fo much latent Atheisme and Infidelity, that I think among many (that do not observe it the true root of all the difference is, whether there be a God, and a Life to come? And whether the Scriptures be true. And I think that A found agreement in these, would do more to the ending of fuch Controverfies, and to the healing of our Wounds, than any difputing of the Controverted points.

15. We have had bot and fcandalous Disputes among Chriftians, de Refolutione Fidei; each Party invalidating the others Foundations, as if it had been our work to perfwade the Infidel World, that they are in the right. And I thought it the only way to end that Controverfie, to open all the Causes of our Faith. The Roman Party may bere perceive our Grounds, and better know into what we refolve our Faith, than if we named only one Jort of Caufe, and faid, I refolve it into this: As if all the Frame had but one Wheel? Faith bath variety of Caufes and Objects, into which respectively it may be faid to be refolved: (by thofe that will not use an infignificant Word, to make People

believe

believe there is a difference, where there is none; and to keep men from understanding the matter it felf.) Auguftine faith of his Friend Nebudius (Ep. 23. Bonif.) That he exceedingly hated a fhort Answer to a great Question, and took it ill where he might be free, of any that did expect it from him: [Answer me in a word] is the Command of an ignorant or a flothfull perfon, or of a Deceiver, when a Word is not capable of the necessary Answer.

16. There is no more defireable work in the World, than the converting of Idolaters and Infidels to God and to the Christian Faith. And it is a work which requireth the greatest judgement and zeal in them that must perform it. It is a dolefull thought, that five parts of the World are Still Heathens and Mahometans; And that ChriStian Princes and Preachers do no more to their Recovery; but are taken up with fad Contentions among themselves: And that the few that have attempted it, have hitherto bad fo small fucceffe. The opening of the true method for fuch a Work, is the highest part of my design: In which though many others have excellently laboured, [efpecially Savonarola, Campanella, Ficinus, Vives, Micrælius, Duplessis, Grotius, and our Stillingfleet, ] my Zeal for the faving of Mens Souls hath provoked me to try, whether I might adde any thing to their more worthy Labours, in point of Method and perfpicuity of Proof.

17. Lastly, I have long agoe written much on this subject, which is difperfed and buryed in the midst of other Subjects, (except my Book of the Unreasonableness of Infidelity): And I thought (a 2)

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it more Edifying to fet it in order together by it Self. If thefe Reasons justifie not my undertaking, I have no better. The Lord have mercy on this dark, distracted, fenfual World. Chriftians, watch, pray, love, live, hope, rejoyce, and patiently fuffer, according to this Holy Faith which you profeffe, and you shall be blessed in defpight of Earth and Hell.

Octob. 31. 1666.

Your Brother in this Life of Faith,

Richard Baxter.

Virtus Fidei in Periculis fecura eft; fecuritate periclitatur.

Chryfoft. in Mat. 20.

To the Doubting and the Unbelieving

READERS.

HE natural love to knowledge and to my self, which belong to me as I am a Man, have commanded me to look beyond this life, and diligently to enquire, whether there be any certainty of a better? and which is the way to it, and to whom it doth of right belong. And what I have certainly discovered in this fearch, the love of Mankind, and of Truth, and of God, oblige me to communicate. But it was not a curfory glance at Truth, nor a look towards it afar off, in my ftate of ignorance and diverfion, which brought the fatisfying light into my mind: nor can you reasonably expect it should do fo by you. I faw that in one Savonarola, Campanella, Ficinus, Vives, Mornay, Grotius, Cameron, Micralius, which I now fee might fatisfie all the world, if it were duly received. But it was not a bare reading of one or all of these and others, which was a due reception: I found that truth muft be fo long retained, and faithfully elaborated by a diligent and willing mind, till it be concocted into a clear methodical understanding, and the Scheme or Analysis of it have left upon the foul its proper

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