174 LIFE OF RICHARD BAXTER. were scarce well in their wits, who would go on to speak things so far from truth, of men whom they never knew, and that to their own faces." "This dealing, instead of winning them to the preacher, drove them from the lecture, and then, as I said, they accused the people of deserting it, and put it-dówn. "For this ordinary preacher, they set up one, of the best parts they could get, far from what his patrons spake him to be, who was quickly weary and went away. And next they set up a poor, dry man, that had been a schoolmaster near ús, and after a, little time he died. And since, they have taken another course, and set up a young man, the best they can get, who taketh the con- trary way to the first, and over-applaudeth me in the pulpit, and speaketh well of them, and useth them kindly. And they are glad of ,one that hath some charity. And thus the bishop hath used that flock, who say that, till then, they never knew so well what a bishop was, nor were before so guilty of that dislike of Episcopacy of which they were so frequently and vehemently accused. I hear not of one person among them, who is won to the love of prelacy or formality since my removal. " Having parted with my dear flock,'I need not say with mutual sense and tears, I left Mr. Baldwin to live privately among them, and oversee them in my stead, and visit them from house to house ; advising them, notwithstandingall the injuries they had received, and all the failings of the ministers that preached to them, and the defects of the present way of worship, that they should keep to the public assemblies, and make use of such helps as might be had in public, together with their private helps. Only in three cases they ought to absent themselves. 1. When the minister was one that was utterly insufficient, as not being able to teach them the articles of the faith and essentials of true religion; such as, alas! they had known to their sorrow. 2. When the minister preached any heresy, or doctrine which was directly contrary to any article of the faith, or necessary part of godliness. 3. When in the ap- plication.he set himself against the ends of his office, to make a holy life seem odious, to keep men from it, and to promote the interest of Satan. Yet not to take every bitter reflection upon themselves or others, occasioned by difference of opinion or interest, to be a sufficient cause to say that the minister preacheth against godliness, or towithdraw themselves. "* Soon after this, Baxter's ministry in the church of England was terminated by the celebrated "Act of Uniformity." The greatest diligence had been employed by the court party to secure a par- liament suited to their purposes. Sham plots and flying rumors * Narrative, Part II. pp. 374, 376.
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