54 LIFE OF RICHARD BAXTER. somewhat in them which maketh them more fearful of displeasing God than all the world, and will not give .them leave to stretch their consciences, or turn aside when the interest orthe will of man requireth it. And the laws of Christ, to which they are so devot- ed, are of such a stream as cannot suit with carnal interest. There is a universal and radicated enmity between the camal and the spiritual. This enmity is found in England, as well as in other countries, between the godly and the worldly minds." " The vul- gar rabble of the carnal and profane did every where hate them that reproved their sin, and condemned them by a holy life." " The vicious .multitude of the ungodly called all Puritans that were strict and serious in a holy life, were they ever so conforma- ble. So the same name in a bishop's mouth signified a noncon- formist, and in an ignorant drunkard's or swearer's mouth, a godly, obedient Christian." " Now the ignorant rabble, hearing that the bishops were against the Puritans, not having wit enough to know whom they meant, were imboldened the more against all those whom they called Puritans themselves ; and their rage against the godly was increased ; and they cried up the bishops, partly be- cause they were against the Puritans, and partly becausethey were earnest for that way ofworship which they found most consistent with their ignorance, carelessnessand sins. And thus the interest of the diocesans, and of the profane and ignorant sort of people, were unhappily twisted together in England."* It is unnecessary to say on whicja side Baxter was enlisted. The great conscientiousness with which he acted sufficiently ap- pears from his own review, of the reasons which governed his de- cision. No doubt the same or similar reasons swayed the minds of the gréat multitude of conscientious menwith whom he was asso- ciated in the cause which he espoused. "For my own part, I freely confess that I was not judicious enough in politics and law to decide this controversy, which so many lawyers and wise men differed in. Being astonished at the Irish massacre, and persuaded fully both of the parliament's good endeavors for reformation, and of their real danger, my judgment of the main cause much swayed my judgment in the matter of the wars ; and the arguments a fine, et a natura, et necessitate, which common wits are capable ofdiscerning, did too far incline my judg- ment in the cause of the war, before I well understood the argu- ments from our particular laws. The consideration ofthe quality of the parties also, that sided for each cause, did greatlywork with me, and more than it should have done. I verily thought that if that which a judge in court saith sententially is law, must go for Narrative, Part I. pp. 31, 33.
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