PA aT II. Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter. 2á7 they were not much above twenty ( Men and Women ). nearus, they talk& as if they had been Lords of the World. And. when Sir Henry Vane was in Power, and forming his Draught of a ( not Free but ) Fanatick Common -wealth, andSir George Booth's Riling was near, and the look's for Oppofition, they laid wait upon the Road for my Letters, and intercepting one written to Major Beake ofCoventry, they fenr it up to Sir Henry Vaneto London; who fourid it towarily written, the* himfel£ was mentioned in it, that he could have nothing againft it ; yet Ent he 'tee Major Beake toLondon, and put him to anfwer it at the Committee,:where, hp.exc amination they fought to have made fomething of it; but after many Threareings they difmiffedhim : This was the Anabaptiftsbidelity: g 66.'The People then were fo apprehen(iveofapproaching MifetsrandCnnfat: on while the Fanaticks were Lords, and Vane ruled in the State andLambert, in the Army, and Fifth Monarchy Men ( as they called the Millenaries) and Seekers;:. and Anabapti(is were their chiefStrength,thar the King's old Party (called then the Ca, valiera) and the Parliaments Party (called the Presbyterians) did tècretiy combine ih many parts of the Land to rilè all at once and fupprefs thefe violent IJla pets and bring in the King : Sir Ralph Clare of Kiderminfter, acquaintedme with the intended Rifing; ( the Iffue of whichwas, that the Cavaliers failing; except a low at Satibary, who were fuddenly difperlt or taken, Sir George Booth, and Sir 3bá: Middleton, two old Commanders for the Parliament, drew together an Army: of abouty000 Men, and took Cha/e , and there being no other to divert him, Zam bert came againfi them, and Tome Independants and Anabaptifts of the Country joining with him, his oldSouldiérs quickly routed them all, and Sir GeorgeBooth was afterwards taken and imprifoned) I told Sir R. Clare that if the Presbyterians and EpifcopalMen had but before come to fome Agreement, they would the more unanimoufly join againft the Fanaticks : But time the War, the Diocefane Party. by Dr. Hammond's means wasgone to a greater Pittance, and grown higher than before, and denyed the very being of the Reformed Churches and Miniltry ; and avoided all ways of Agreement with them, but byan ablolute Submiilion to their Power (as the Papifis do by the Proteflants ); and that there is a wondercus dif- ference between the Caufe of the one Party and the other : For though they are born equally capable of Government or Subjedlion, }'et all that the Presbyterians ( for the molt partof them) defire, is but to have leave to wot,hip God, and guide. their Flocks in ways ofPiety and Concord, without being perfecuted for it. And the Prelatical Mens Caufe is, that they may be the Governors of all, and that no Man have leave to ferve God but as they prefcribe to him, nor to rule his Flock but as ruled by them : Yea, as Coon as a Man doth but fide with the Men of that Opinion, he prefently carryeth it, as if by his Opinion he had acquired a right to be the Governor of others : But efpecially I told him, that the Numberofthe Ignorant and Scandalous was fo great, which the Diocefàne Party would reftore and fee up, and the Number of the godly learned able Minihers fo great which they would cart out and filence, that we look'd on it as`theruine of the Church' that we had not any Animofity againft them; that we deired no Man fhould he hindred in his Minifrry for any thing he had done in the Wars againft the Parlia- ment :I)utwedeftred that the People might have faithful Pafltírs, and not drunk- en ignorant Readers, as he knew in this Count) y they hadhad'. And that every ceremonial Difference might not again be thought a Efficient 'Reafbrt to cart out hundredsof the able(' Men, and put inEach inlufficient Perfons intheirfteads: Pet- íècution and the Ruine of the Minifiry and Churches were expeCed by molt, 'if Prelude gat up again; and if fuels leading Men as Dr. Hammondwould hut before- hand come to Terms of fome Moderation, and promife to endeavour faithfully to bring things to that pars as now fhouhl be thought indifferent, it would greatly fa- cilitate Mens Conjutrdtion againftthe turbulent SeEtaries and Souldiers. I told him he had long lived herb'arhong us, and faw thewort' of us; he faw that our private Meetings were only in Subordination to the Publick, and that they were only Tpent in fachAEtions as every Chriftian' mightdo (to repeat a Sermon, and Pray, and propofe his Doubts to his Pallor, -and fing Pfalms) and not to any Faótion or Sedition S and that we had not a Seátaryin theTown, but were all of a Mind, and walked in Humility, and Blamelefnefs, and Charity toward all; all which he .did freely acknowledge; °and-I asked him then, whether he thought we were fit to be endured or to be fuppret? And 'whether it were not hard that Men who had prevailed in Arms ( at theParliaments'paf had done) fhould beg but for Liber- ty to live quietly by them, or diofe that were now kept under, and not obtain ít, But we cared little (tiethis as it is ou -owniritcreft, fe tt:attilt Soblsof Men, (63en Thoufand è
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=