LIFE OF RICHARD BAXTER. 149 their zeal for their own liberty, had not yet learned the great prin- ciple of universal toleration, against which they had so zealously contended in the days of the commonwealth ; and Richard Baxter was always too boldly conscientious not to speak his mind, what- ever it might cost him. "The most of the time being spent thus in speaking to particu- lars of the declaration, as it was read, whenwe came to the end, the lord chancellor drew out another paper, and told us that the king had been petitioned also by the Independentsand Anabaptists ; and though he knew not what to think of it himself, and did not very well like it, yet something he had drawn up which he would read to us; and desire us also to give our advice about it. There- upon he read, as an addition to the declaration, ' that others also be permitted to meet for religious worship, so be it they do it not to the disturbance of the peace ; and that no justice of peace or officer disturb them.' Whenhe had read it, he again desired them all to think on it, and give their advice ; but all were silent. The Presbyterians all perceived, as soon as they heard it, that it would secure, the liberty ofthe Papists ; and Dr. Wallis whispered me in the ear, and entreated meto say nothing, for itwas an odious busi- ness,-but to let the bishops speak to it. But thebishops wouldnot speak aword, nor any one of the Presbyterians, and sp we were like to have ended in silence. Iknew, if we consented to it, it would be charged onus, that we spake for a toleration of Papists and secta- ries ; yet it might have lengthened out our own. And ifwe spake against it, all sects and parties wouldbe set against us as the causera of their sufferings, and as a partial people, that would have liberty ourselves, but would have no others have it with us. At last, see- ing the silence continue, I thought our very silence would be charg- ed onus as consent, if it went on, and therefore I only said this ' That this reverend brother, Dr. Gunning, even now speaking against -sects, had named the Papists and the Socinians: for our parts, we desired not favor to ourselves alone, and rigorousseverity we desired against none. As we humbly thanked his majesty for his indulgence to ourselves, so we distinguished the tolerable parties from the intolerable: For the former, we humbly cravedjust lenity and favor; but for the latter,, such as the two sorts named beforeby that reverend brother, for our parts, we could not make their tolera- tion our request.' To which his majesty said, 'there were laws enough against the Papists;' to which I replied, that we understood the question to be, whether those laws should be executed on them or not. And so his majesty broke up the meeting, of that day." "When I went out from the meeting," says Baxter, proceeding with his narrative, "I went dejected, as being fullysatisfied that the
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