Baxter - BX5207 B3 A2 1696

PAR. T I. Reverend Mr. RichardBaxter. 67 fuch Hypocrites as to perfecuteand caft out thofe that preach the Gofpel, while they pretend the advancement of the Gofpel, and the liberty of tender Confci- ences : And what a means it was to debauchall Confciences , and leave neither tendernefe nor honeflyin theWorld, when the Guides of the Flocks, and Preach- ers of the Gofpel !hall be noted to fwallow down fuch heinous Sins. My ownHearers wereall fatisfied with my.Do&rive , but the Committee Men look fowre, but let me alone. And theSoldiers Paid I was fo like to Love, that I would not be right till I was fhorter by the Head. Yet none of them ever med- led with me farther than by the Tongue, nor was I ever by any of them in thofe times, forbidden or hindered to preach one Sermon, except only one Atfize-Ser- mon which the High Sheriff had defired me to preach, and afterward fent the word to forbear, as from the Committee, faying, That by Mr: Moors means (the Independent Preacher at the Colledge) the Committee toldhim that they defired me toforbear, andnot to plreach before the Judges, becaufe i preached againft the State : But afterward theyexcufed it, as done meetly in kindnefs to me, to keep me from runningmy felf intodanger and trouble. § toe. Not far from this time the London MiniÍters were called Traitors by the Ara6 l Rumpand Soldiers for plotting for the King ( a (tram a kind of Treafon) , be- caufe they had fome Meetings to contrive how to raife Tome fmall Sum of Money for Maffsy's relief, whowas then in Scotland i And fome falte * Brother difcovered * capt. A- them, and eight of them were fent to theTower , Mr. Arthur 'ackfon, Dr. Drake, damn: Mr. Wattn, Mr. Love, Mr. yenking &c. and Mr. Nalton and Mr. Caugbtonfled into Holland where one died, butthe other returned and lived to fuffer more by them he fuffered for. Mr. Love was tried at a Court of Juftice, where Edm. Prideaux a Member and Sollicitor for the Commonwealth, did think his Place allowed himto plead against the Life and Blood of the Innocent. Mr. Love was condemned and beheaded, dying neither timerouflynor proudly in any defperateBravado, but with as great alacrity and fearlefs quietnefs and freedom of Speech, as ifhe had but gone to Bed, and had been as little concerned as the Banders by. An f honeft Gentlemanwas f mr.cib- beheaded with him for the fame Caufe. And at the time of their Exécution, or bon, very near it on that day, there was the dreadfulleft Thunder and Lightning and Tempeft, that was heard or feen of a long time before. This Blow funk deeper towards the Root of the New Commonwealth, than will eafily be believed;and made themgrow odious toalmoft the Religious Party in the Land, except the Seelaries: ( Though fame malicious Cavaliers faid it was good enough for him, and laughs at it as good News): for now thePeople would not believe that they fought the promoting of the Gofpel , who killed the Minifters for the Intereft of their Fa&ion. And there is, as Sir Walter Rawleigh noteth of Learned Men, fuch as Demoflbener,Cicero, &c. fo much more in Divines of famous Learning and Piety , enough to put an everlafting odium upon thofe whom they fullerby, though the Caufe of the Sufferers were not juftifiable. Men count him avile and detellable Creature, who in his paillon, or for his intereft, or any fuch low account, that! deprive the World of fuch Lights and Ornaments, and cut off fo much excellency at a blow, and be the Perfecutors of fuch worthy and re- nownedMen. Though the reíl of the Minters were releafed, upon Mr. Jen- kino's Recantation, and Confet$on that God had now convinced him, that he ought to fubmit to the prefent Government. Yet after this, the molt ofthe Mi- nifters and good People of the Land, did look upon the New Commonwealth as Tyranny, and were more alienated from them than before. § toff. The LordFairfax now laid down his Commifon, and would haveno more of the Honour ofbeing Cromwells Inftrument or Mask, when he faw that he mutt buy it at fo dear a rate. And fo Cromwellwith applaufe received a Com- million, and entered upon his place. And into Scotland he hafteneth, and there he maketh his way near Edinburgh , where the Score Army lay : But after long skirmíthing and expe&arions, when he could neither drawthe Scar, out of their Trenches to a fight, nor yet pafs forward, his Soldierscontraeted Sickneffes, and were impatient of thePoverty of the Coun- try,and fo with a weakned ragged Army hedrew off to return to England, and had the Score but let himgo, or cauteloufly followed him, they had kept their Peace and broken his Honour : But they drew out and followed him, and overtaking him near Dunbarr, didforce him to a Fight, by engaginghis Rere in whichFight being notof equal Fortitude they were totally rowted, their Foot taken, and their Horfe purfued to Edinburgh. K 2 5 io8,

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=