Non-Conformity Without Controversy, Title page – Dedication
NON-CONFORMITY, WITHOUT CONTROVERSIE.
FROM ROM. Chap. 12. Ver. 2.
SHEWING, That it is every Chriſtian's Duty, To be a NONCONFORMIST to this World.
By BENJAMIN BAXTER, Preacher of the Goſpel.
Jer. 15. 19. Let them return unto thee, but return thou not unto them.
John 15. 19. You are not of the world, I have choſen you out of the world.
LONDON, Printed by A.M. for Tho. Parkhurſt, at the Bible on London-Bridg▪ 1670.
READER,
TAke not occaſion by the Title of this Book, either of a pleaſing or diſpleaſing Miſtake. It ſpeaketh not at all againſt any Conformity to the lawful Commands of lawful Governours, in things Civil or Eccleſiaſtical; but only againſt a Conformity to the Vices of the World: Which ſhould be no offence to any who renounceth not his Baptiſm, in which we all renounce the World, with the pomps and vanities thereof, and all the ſinful luſts of the fleſh; promiſing that we will not follow or be led by them. He underſtandeth nothing of Chriſtianity, who underſtandeth not the enmity of the World, to a life of ſincere Holineſs; and how inconſiſtent the Love of the World is to the Love of God; and how much the Life and Death of Chriſt were intended and fitted, to mortifie our earthly Minds and Affections, and to bring us to a holy contempt of the Pleaſures, and Profits, and Honours of the World; and that it is the office of our Faith, to be our victory over the World; and all this, in the imitation and ſtrength of Him, who hath heartned us to the warr, with this Encouragement, Be of good cheer, I have overcome the World. They that are not Enemies to the Croſs of Chriſt, whoſe God is not their Belly, who glory not in their ſhame, and mind not earthly things, while they are named Chriſtians; are crucified to the world, and the world to them, by the croſs of Chriſt; and their Political converſation is in Heaven. This Subject you will find handled in this Diſcourſe, by the Reverend Author, (my very dear and worthy Friend) with great plainneſs and perſpicuity, in a ſtile neither obſcure, dull, nor tedious; and in a moſt natural and congruous Method (in which reſpect all the Sermons that ever I heard from him, (whereof ſome were above thirty years ago) did excel other men's). The Lord make it effectually ſerviceable to his Ends, who gave himſelf for our ſins, that he might deliver us from this preſent evil world, according to the will of God, and our Father. To whom be glory for ever. Amen. Gal. 1. 4, 5.
Sept. 14. 1668. Ri. Baxter.
To the Vertuous and his much Honoured Couſins Mrs. Grace Allen, Wife to Mr. William Allen, Merchant: Mrs. Sarah Paunsfoot, Wife to Mr. Robert Paunsfoot: Mrs. Heſter Brear-cliff, Wife to Mr. Thomas Brear-cliff, Merchant: all of the City of LONDON.
Much Honoured Couſins,
IT is not any Ambition to appear in Print, that hath induced me to this Ʋndertaking; Only I could not handſomly decline the Dedication of this Poſthumous Piece, and Preſenting it to your Hands, who have ſo clear and unqueſtionable a Right to it, as will appear by the Sequel. I preſume you are not ignorant, that it was really intended and deſigned for you by the Reverend Author, (now at Reſt with the Lord) your dear Brother and mine; Who, (had he not been prevented by Death) had done it with his own Hand: but perceiving the Printing of this Book procraſtinated beyond his Expectation, and being dayly ſenſible of his near approaching and long expected Change, it was his deſire that I would undertake it in his behalf; and indeed it was one of the last requests he made to me before he left the World. I doubt not then, but what I have done herein, will be well conſtrued and kindly accepted, when it is done in purſuance of ſo honeſt a Deſign▪ & to gratifie the juſt & reaſonable Deſire of ſo near and dear a Relation, who (on his Death-bed) bequeath'd this Legacy as a Teſtimony of his unfeigned Brotherly-Love, and Memorial of his real Gratitude to you his dear Dear Siſters, who had not been forgetful of him, but oft relieved and refreſhed him by your Kind and Chriſtian like Viſits, in his Low and Languiſhing Condition.
As for the Subject of the following Diſcourſe, You will eaſily grant, it is very ſeaſonable and needful as for all Times, ſo eſpecially theſe laſt and worſt Times, wherein Worldlineſs ſo much prevails & gets ground of Godlineſs even in the Hearts and Lives of thoſe that call themſelves Chriſtians, whereas did they truly anſwer the Name they bear, what would it ſpeak elſe, but their Conformity to Chriſt, and not to the World.
The Words of the Apoſtle, 1. Cor. 7. 29. 30, 31. deſerve ſeriouſly to be taken, and laid to heart by every Chriſtian: Where, to take us off the extreams of Joy and Sorrow in the Poſſeſſing, or Parting with Earthly Relations, and Worldly Comforts, he tells us, The faſhion of this World paſſeth away: and yet notwithſtanding, how do we find by Woful Experience, the Hearts of too many drawn away and enticed through the Predominancy of Worldly Luſts, that this is their chiefeſt ſtudy how to keep in with the World by Faſhioning and Conforming the dayly Actions of their Lives according to the Rules and Patterns of it? And herein, how do they ſeek to out-vye and out-ſtripeach other with ſo great Emulation and Contention (when their Lives and the World are hastning to an end) as if it were their higheſt Ambition to live and dye the Werld's Favorites? But, certainly if there were a through and ſound Belief of a Life and World to come, after this preſent frail and tranſitory State of all things here below, how would it turn the Stream and Current of Mens Thoughts and Affections, and have a powerful Influence on their Lives and Converſations, to make them more Godly, & leſs Worldly; and from this very Conſideration (2 Pet. 3. 11.) the Apoſtle argues ſtrongly for a Holy and Godly Converſation, and not a Worldly Conformity. But our Saviour himſelf hath foretoldus (and therefore we may and muſt believe it) that towards the end of the World it will be a rare thing to find true Faith, (Luk. 18. 8.) that Victorious Grace which, St. John tells us. (1 Joh. 5. 4.) overcometh the World and the Luſts thereof.
But (dear Couſins) I am perſwaded better things of you, and ſuch as accompany Salvation. You have been happy above mamy, in reſpect of your Education, having been acquainted with Sound Principles of Godlineſs from your tender years, through the Care and Diligence of your Religious Parents. And although there are too many to be found in theſe times, between whoſe Principles and Practices there is little or no Conformity, but the one is rather a plain Confutation of the other; I hope you will never be found in that number: for that precious Seed of good Principles which was ſown in your Minority, was not (it ſeems) burned and laſt, but hath (through Gods Bleſſing with a continual watering) budded and brought forth ſeaſonable and wholeſom Fruit for the Comfort and Refreſhing of others, which hath occaſioned (no doubt) the Thanks-giving of many to God on your behalf. And if God hath given you, (with a large and plentiful Eſtate) a large Heart and open Hand to do good, it is a double Bleſſing, and lays a double Obligation upon you to be thankful.
Now becauſe the beſt Chriſtians need dayly Monitors to warn them of Dangers, and to awaken them to Duty and the continual Exerciſe of their Graces; give me leave as a faithful Friend to beſeech you to keep in remembrance, and ſeriouſly to ponder what the Apoſtle writes to Timothy (1 Tim. 6. 17. 18, 19.) The more Splendid your outward Condition is, the greater is the Danger you are expoſed unto, from the Temptatations of a Smiling & Flattering World, which being masked & vetled, are not eaſily known and diſcovered; which if they were, would more eaſily be reſiſted, and were nothing ſo dangerous. They that by Experience know what a tempting thing Worldly Grandeur is, and have any acquaintance with their own hearts, how apt they are to duplicate page duplicate page be taken with it, cannot but acknowledg, it is none of the eaſieſt Points of that difficult Duty of Chriſtian Self-denial, for thoſe that have arrived at the Haven of Worldly hopes, to keep their Hearts humble from being lifted up with Self-admiring thoughts, when their outward Greatneſs and Splendor invites others to applaud and admire them. And indeed it will put the Faith of Chriſtians to the greateſt Streſs, and prove not only the Truth but the Strength thereof, when, in the midſt of Worldly Enjoyments, they can look above them to higher and better; and in the midſt of Worldly Greatneſs, can live above it in the Soul-raviſhing View of Heavenly Glory. It muſt needs be then a Mercy worth the asking, and a Leſſon worth the learning, to have our Hearts looſed from all outward Comforts before Hand, and to leave and part with them in affection, before we are called to part with them indeed, (ſeeing there will be a time of parting and we enjoy them on no other, but partingterms) and then, whenſoever they are taken from us, or we from them, the trouble of parting will not be great. But to detain you no longer with an Epiſtle; As concerning the Author of the enſuing Sermons, it is needleſs for me to write any thing to you who were ſo nearly related and ſo ſ…iliarly acquainted with him, to whom (I doubt not) his Memory is and will be precious; and that true Love, and due eſteem you always had for his publick and profitable Labours is a ſufficient Commendation of this Practical Piece to your Serious Peruſal which I hope and heartily wiſh (through the Bleſſing of God) may prove advantagious to preſerve you from Worldlineſs, and for the promoting the power of Godlineſs in your Hearts and Lives, that you may dayly ſtrive after a nearer and cloſer Conformity to Chriſt your Heavenly Pattern in all his imitable Graces; then ſhall you have no cauſe to repent the reading, but rejoyce and bleſs God, that by his good Providence it is brought forth to publick View, wherein the Author, (though dead) yet ſpeaketh.
Your moſt Affectionate Kinſman in any Service of Chriſtian Love to be commanded, STEPH. BAXTER.