LIFE OF RICHARD BAXTER. ..153 The letter here referred to is inserted by Baxter in his Narrative, and is too characteristic to be omitted, even in this more compen- dious biography,` "MY LORD, , " Your great favor and condescension encourages me to give yóu more of my sense of the business which your lordship was pleased to propound. I was, till I saw the declaration, much dejected, and resolved against a' bishopric as unlawful. But find- ing there more than, on Oct.' 22, his majesty granted us,in the pastor's consent, etc., the rural dean with the whole ministry en- abled to exercise as much persuasive pastoral power as I, who be- lieve that the church hath no other kind of power, could desire, subscription abated in the universities, etc.;and finding such happy concessions in the great point of parochial power and dis- cipline, and in the liturgy, and ceremonies, my soul rejoiced in thankfulness to God and his instruments ; and my conscience pres- ently told me, it was my duty to do my best, with myself and others, as far as I had interest and opportunity, to suppress all sinful discontents; and having competent materials put into my hands, (without which I could have done, nothing) to persuade all my brethren to thankfulness and an obedient submission to the govern- ment. And being raised to some joyful hopes ofseeing thebegin - Dings of a happy union, I shall, crave your lordship's pardon for presuming to tell you what farther endeavors will be necessary to accomplish it. " 1. If your lordship will endeavor to get this declaration passed into an act: "2. If you will speedily procure a commission to the persons that are (equally) to be deputed to that work, to review the com- mon-prayer book, according to the declaration: " 3. If you will further effectually the restoration of able, faith- ful ministers, who are lately removed, (who :have, and will have, great interest in the sober part of the people) to a settled station of service in the church: "4. If you will ,open,some way for the ejection of the insuffi- cient, scandalous, and unable: "5. If you will put as many of our persuasion as you can into bishoprics if it may be, more than three: "6. If you will desire the bishops to place some of them in in- ferior places of trust, especially rural deaneries, which is a station suitable to us, in that it bath no salary or maintenance, nor coer- cive, power, but that simple, pastoral, persuasive power which we desire. "This much will Set us all in joint VOL. I. 20
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