8s6 Air. Richard Baxrer'r Funeral Sermon. ly replied, All that is in th.tt Book is 1101 Gofl>cl. My Lord Chancellor prudently moderated in that matter, that the Bifhops , in weighty Caufes, fi10ul cl have the afli([- ance of the Presbyters. Mr. Baxter conlider ing the State of ou r Affairs· in that time, was well pleafed with that Decla rat ion : He was of Calvin's mind, who judiciou(] y obferves, upon our Saviour's words, That theSon of iHan fha/1 fend forth his A11gels, and they foal! gath,r out of bi-s Kingdom tt!f thiHf!J that ojfmd : fbti ad extirprmdum quicquid dijplicct pr£poflere tfl~~h:'t ;::z~c;:ott::u;XrfJ{'~~i:.;J:;rs~t c::~:;';;,1h~~~; ,i,~ci;,~ f:~:e;,~~·~c~{;;:a;£; l;ad;::'d'~,,~~~!/(!~d~~ ~t'/!;;{f;fe~~o~f~i;(;~~~s~';'(;~~· w~r~~~,sDrt~~fi~P=~l~~t:h~ Old Coti'formity, that if it had been obferved, it had prevented the doleful Divilion fucceeded afterward. But when there was a Motion made in the Houfe of Commons, that the Decl ara tion might pafs into an Act, it was oppos'd by one of the Secretarys of State, which was a fufficient Indication of the King's averfenefs to it. . After the Declaration there were many Conferen·ces at the Savoy between the Bifhops and Come' Dcctors of their Party, with Mr. Baxter and Come other Mini([ers, for an Agreement, wherein hfs Zeal for Peace was mort confpicuous:. but all was in vain. Of the Particulars that tVcre debated, he has given ari account in Print. Mr. Baxter, ?fter hi's coming to Londo11, during the time of Liberty, did riot neglelt tha't whi ch was the principal Exercife of his Life, the Preaching the GoCpef, bein'g always fenlible of his duty of faving Souls. He Preacht at St. Dmtjlans on the Lord's-days in the Afternoon. I remember one in([ance of his firm Faith in the Divine Providence, and his Fortitude when he was engaged in his Mini([ry there. The CJmrchwasOJd, and the People were'apprehenlivc of fome danger in meeting in it : and wh1le Mr. Baxter was Preaching, fomething in the Steep(e fell down, and the noifc fl:ruck fuch a Terror into the People, they prefently, in a wild diforder, run out of the Church: their eagernefs to ha([e away, put all into a tumult: Mr. Baxtcr, without viflble difl:urbance, fat down in the Pulpit: after the hurry was over, he refum'd his Difcourfe, and faid, to compofetheir Minds; We are ;n-tkc ServiceofGod to prepare om· Jelves, that we may be fearlcfi at tbe great uoife of Jbe diffolving 1-florld, whut the Hcavws Jha!l pafs away, and the Elements melt in ftrvmt- beat; the Earth alfo, and t be fJforks 1 he,·ein foaU be bur ut up. After the Church of St. ]),,ftam was pull'd down in order to its re-building, he remm,cd to Black-hyars, and continued his Preaching there to a vafl Concourfe of Hearers, till the fata l Bartholomew. In t he Year r66r, a Parliament was cail'd, wherein was pafl the Act of Uniformity, . that expel I'd from their publick Places about two Thoufand Mini([ers. I will only take notice concerning the Caufes of that Proceeding, t hat theOld Clergy from Wrath and Revenge, and the young Gentry from their fervilc Compliance with the Court, and their Difrafre of ferious Religion, were very aCl:ive to carry en and cornpleat that All; That this is no rafh Imputation upon the ruling Clergy then is evident, not only from their Concurrence in paffing that Law, for ACl:ions have a Language as convincing as that of Words, but from Dr. She/don then Bif110p of Loudon the ir great Leader; who wl1en the Lord Chamberlain Ma11rhejler told the King, while the Act of Unifor;nity was tmder debate, that be w,u afraid the Terms of it wm fo rigid, that mauy of the Mi11i_fiers would not comply with it; he rcplyed, I ai/J. afrai~ the_1 ~~~lar;,t;'~~ 1,~n~vJI..ft'~o~~if,,!;;et!i'6J::~ ~'?co~1cie::~~ ;,~:;~:t~~ ,~~~hu~r~n~;(~ open'd the way for his R.enoration; and after the R.oyali([s here, bad given pubhck Affu rance, that all former Animofities fhould be buried, a; Rubbijb 1111dcr the Folflld,.. tiou of a Vnive1jal Concord. Mr. Baxtcr was involv'd with fo many Minifl::rs i_n this Calamity, who was their brightell: Ornament, and the be([ Defence of thm nghtcous, though oppreffcd CauCe : T wo Obfervations he made upon that Act and our Ejection. · . The one was, that the Miuiners were turqed and kept out from the.pubhck Exerci(e of their Offi ce, in that time of their Lives, tbat was morr fit to be dedrcated and employed for the Service and Glory of God, tha t is between thuty and lixty Years, when their intellcB:ual aod infi:rumenta l Faculties were in their Vigour. The other was in aLetter to me aftdr the Death of feveral Bifi1ops who were concurrent i11 paffingthat Att, and exprefl: no Sorrow for it : hi s words were, (or o11ght !fee, theBifoops will own the turning oj11s o11t, at·theTribunal ofChrijl, a"d thit!Jer w: appeal. After
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