LIFE OF RICHARD BAXTER. 137 all my crimes. Against this, one Tomkins wrote a book called The Rebel's Plea.' ButI wait in silence till God enlighten us."* For this book the author was reproached and vilified through all the remainder of his life. It was honored by a decree of the Uni- versity of Oxford, which consigned it to the fire in company with other defenses ofBritish freedom. 35. "A Treatise of Death, the last Enemy to be destroyed: showing wherein its Enmity consisteth, and how it is to be destroy- ed. Part of it was preached 'at the funeral of Elizabeth, the late Wife of Mr. Joseph Baker, Pastor of the Church of St. Andrews in Worcester. With some l'assages of the Life of the said Mrs. Baker observed." . 8vo. This is a work of nearly a hundred pages, first published in 1659. 36. " ATreatise of Self -Denial." 4to. publishedin 1659. This is a work ofnearly four hundred pages, "which," he says, "found better acceptance than most of my other books, but yet prevented not the ruin ofchurch, and state, and millions of souls by the sin of selfishness." 37. "Catholic Unity: or the only Way to bring us all to be of one Religion. To be read by such as are offended at the Differ- ences in Religion., and are willing to do their Part to heal them." 12mo. published in 1659. 38. " The True Catholic,, and Catholic Church described ; and the Vanity of the Papists, and all other Schismatics, that confine the Catholic Church to their Sect, discovered and shamed." 12mo. published in 1659. These two works were sermons which he had formerly preach- ed, one in London, and the other in Worcester. They came out at a time when the nation was in a revolutionary state. The Pres- byterians were hoping to regain their, political ascendency. Bax- ter probably thought it a favorable time to speak once more in be- half of those truly catholic principles, for which he had so zealously labored. These pamphlets were published in December; in the April following (1660). he came to London, and his labors with his beloved flock he was never permitted to resume. VOL. I. * Narrative, Part II. pp. 118, 119. 18
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