The Grotian Religion Discovered, Section 77
SECT. LXXVII.
YOU cannot more convincingly shew §. 77.your selves true Catholicks, and free from the partial designs of the Romanists, which I mentioned, then by a readiness for a truly Catholick Pacification. Will you then begin at home? our breaches are wide enough, and have continued long enough: Forbear▪ your reproaches and uncharitable courses that tend to widen them. You complain that you are persecuted: will you but yield to terms of Peace and Piety, such as are not fitted to a Party, but to the increase of Faith and Holiness, and the good of all? and I would be one that should with all possible importunity Petition for your Liberty. Will you lovingly consult with your Brethren whom you now reproach and censure, to find out, 1. The way of nearest Closure and Agreement; and 2. Of such a Brotherly forbearance in the points wherein you cannot Agree, as most tendeth to maintain our Unity and Peace, and promote the common Truths that we are agreed in? If you would but signifie your Readiness to such an healing course, that the Protestant Churches might be strengthened, and owned, and faithful Ministers of both perswasions might (not be degraded as by many of you they are, nor persecuted as you say you now are, but) be used for the service of their Master, and none of their gifts lost to the Church of Christ; we should then be the more confident that you are not for a faction but the Christian Catholick Interest: Especially if in deeds as well as words, you will manifest this Consent. I dare boldly say, on long consideration, that the terms of Peace are within our reach, even such as moderate men should agree upon: Were it as easie to find a Peaceable Disposition, the work would be soon done. Without consulting the Presbyterians in the point, I dare venture to say with very great confidence, that they will yield to the terms that Bishop Hall himself hath propounded as satisfactory in his Peace-maker, pag. 47, 48, 49, 50, 51. and Bishop Ʋsher in his Modell called the Reduction, &c. Are you moderate Episcopal Divines! Why then are we not agreed without any more ado? Two of your own Bishops, (as Pious, Reverend, Learned men, as most ever the Church had) have already laid down the terms, (To which I may add Forbes his Irenicon.) If you are agreed, we are agreed: I mean, very many that I know to be of my own mind in this; and very many of the most learned, godly Presbyterians in England. I agreed with Bishop Ʋsher in a quarter of an hour, proposing to him some Healing terms, which he professed were sufficient with moderate men, though with others he found they would not take. When we attempted our Association in this County, we purposely left our terms so wide as that we might have Communion with Godly Episcopal men as well as others. But when two of them (Learned moderate men) approved of our Design, and were about to joyn with us (though of another County) in promoting it, a famous, learned man of the New way (of Mr. Ps. acquaintance, and one of his Epistelers) by an unpeaceable writing blasted all: perswading one of them not to Covenant with Schism, and (in my judgement) fomenting a Schism, and that by poor insufficient reasonings, under pretence of avoiding Schismaticks. In a word; Peace is before you: If you love it, and are really friends of it as you pretend; accept it, that the Church may have the benefit. If you refuse it, pretend not to be lovers of it; and blame your selves if you choose rather to smart, then to suffer the Churches wounds to be healed: And you shall give us leave to enjoy the comfort of our desires and endeavours for Unity and Peace, whether we attain them or not.
Finitur, April. 14. 1658.
End of the text · Richard Baxter, The Grotian Religion Discovered (1658)