180 LIFE OF RICHARD BAXTER. granted to nonconformists, by theexertion of the royal prerogative. The king hoped in this way to secure some favor for his Catholic friends. He knewthat itwouldbe impossible to set up a toleration of the Romishworship in the existing state of public feeling; and there can be no reasonable doubt that he and many about the court hoped that the oppression of the Protestant nonconformists would create a necessity for ageneral toleration, under which he might show what favor he pleased to the Catholics. Accordingly, "on the 26th of December, 1662, the king sent forth a declaration expressing his purpose to grant some indulgence or liberty in religion, not excluding the Papists, manyof whom had . deserved so well of him." But the great body of nonconformists, unwilling to be even indirectly instrumental in promoting such a design, stood aloof from the oourt. It was intimated to some of them, that it would be acceptable if they would own this declara- tion by returning thanks for the offered indulgence. The design was, that they should be the means of securing this advantage for the Papists ; and that they should stand between the king and the odium of such a measure. The Presbyterians, persuaded of the unlawfulness of tolerating any " intolerable" error, like the errors of Popery, could not give thanks for an indulgence on such terms. The Independents, however, having clearer views of the, great doc- trine of religious liberty, were hindered by no conscientious scru- ples; and were always ready to accept and to ask for a toleration on the broadest basis. But the king's declaration, like every meas- ure of his which looked towards the toleration of Popery, was strongly resisted by the parliament. It was soon discovered that the laws on the subject of religious uniformity, with all their pains and penalties, were by no means to be a dead letter. Mr. Calamy; happening to be. present at the church where he'had formerly been pastor, on an occasion when the preacher failed, and the congregation was about to disperse, was persuaded to preach, under the impression that there was no provision of the law applicable to such a case; but was the next week sent to Newgate prison. After a fewdays' imprisonment, lie was released; but his release displeased the commons, who were beginning to watch against any exercise of that dispensing power, which they knew the king was disposed to set up for the benefit of his Catholic friends. The imprisonment of ministers for preaching either publicly or privately, was a common thing. "As we were forbidden to preach," says Baxter, " so we were vigilantly watched in private, that we might not exhort one another, or praytogether; and, as. I foretold them oft, how they would use us when they had silenced us, every meeting for prayer was called a dangerous meet- ing for sedition, or a conventicle at least. I will now give but one
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