144 LIFE OF RICHARD BAXTER. safe at the brink of hell? Would you persuade us that he is wise, that contradicts the God and rule of wisdom, and that parts with heaven for a few merry hours, and hath not wit to save his soul? When they see the end, and are arrived at eternity, let them boast oftheir wisdom, as theyfind cause : we will take them then for more competent judges. Let the eternal God be the portion of my soul; let heaven be my inheritance and hope; let Christ be my Head, and the promise my security ; let faith be my wisdom, and love be my very heart and will, and patient, persevering obedience be my life ; and then I can spare the wisdom of the world,because I can spare the trifles that it seeks, and all that they are like to get by it." Not long after the king's return, Baxter, in an interview with Lord Broghill and the earl of Manchester, two noblemen, who, though known as Presbyterians, were men of some influence at court on account of their greatservices in promoting therestoration, spoke off the conversations whichhe had held with some Episcopal divines, respecting union in the church; and urged the importance of a conference between the leading 'men ofthe two parties, for the sake of finding on what terms a Union might be effected. On this suggestion Broghill " proposed to the king a conference for an agreement;" and within a few days Baxter and Calamy were in- formed that the king was pleased with that proposal, and was resolved to further it. This led to a personal interview between the king and his ten Presbyterianchaplains, which took place about the middle ofJune, at the earl of Manchester's lodgings. Of the part which Baxter acted in this interview, we have a full account from his ownpen. "We exercised more boldness, at first, than afterwards would have been borne. When some of the rest had congratulated his majesty's happy restoration, and declared the large hope which they had of a cordial union among all dissentersby his means, I presum- ed to speak to him of the concernments of religion, and how far we were from desiring the continuance of any factions or parties in the church, and how much a happy union would conduce to the good of the land, and to his majesty's satisfaction ; and though there were turbulent, fanatic persons in his dominions, yet that those min- isters and godly people whose peace we humbly craved of him, were no such persons; but such as longed after concord, and were truly loyal to him, and desired no more than to live under him a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty. And whete- as there were differences between them and their brethren, about some ceremonies or disciplineofthe church, we humbly craved his majesty's favor for the endingof those differences ; it beingeasy for bim to interpose, that so the people might not be deprived of their
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