P A It T Il. ReverèndMr. Richard Baxter. 231 Bates and Lives would cheerfully be offered to his Service. And I humbly be- fought him that he would never fuller his Subjeets to be tempted to have favou- rable Thoughts of the late Ufurpers, by feeing the Vice indulged which they fup- preffed ; or the godly Minil ersor People difcounterianced when] they encoura- ged ! For the Common People are apt to judge of Governours by the Effeas, even by the Good or Evil which they feel : and theywill rake him to be the heft Governour who doch them molt good, and him to be the wort that doth them molthurt : And all his Enemies cannot teach him a more effectual way to rettore the Reputation and Honour of the Ufurpers, than to do worfe than they, and de- ftroy the Good which they had done, that fohe may go contrary tohis Enemies; and fo to force. the People to cry out, We are undone in lofs of the Means ofour Salvation: It being a hard matter ever to bring the People to love and honour him, by whom they think they are undone , in comparifbn of chofe that they think madethem happy, though the one have a jut Title to be their Governour, which the other hath nor. And again I humbly craved, That no mìfreprefentati- ons might caufe him to believe, that becaufe fonte Fanaticks have been Factious and Ditloyal, therefore the Religious People in his Dominions , who are molt careful of their Souls, are fuch, though fome of them may be diffatished about Tome Forms and Ceremonies in God's Worfhip, which others ufe : And that none of them might go under fo ill aCharaster withhim , by mifreports, behind their backs, till it were proved of(Hein perfonally , or they had anfwered for them - (elves : For wethat better knew them thanthofe that were like to be their Accufers, . did confidently teffifie to his Majefty on their behalf, that they are refolved Eñe- mies of Sedition,Rebellion,Difobedience and DiviSons; which the World !hall fee; and their Adverfaries be convinced of,if his Majelty's Wifdom and'Clemency do but remove thofe Occafions of Scruple in force Points ofDlfcipline and Wort»p of God, which give Advantage to others, to call all Diffenters, Factious and Difobe. dient, how Loyal and Peaceablefoever. And I'humblycraved,That the Freedom and Plainnefs of there Expreílions to hisMajefty might be pardoned, as being ex- traeted by the prefent Necellity,.and encouraged by our revived hopes. I told him alfo, that it was not forPresbyterians or any Party, as filch, that we were fpeaking for, but for the Religious part of his Subjeíts, as filch ; than whom no Prince on Earth had better ; and how cotlfiderable part of the Kingdom he would find them to be. And of what great advantage their Union would be to his Ma- jetty, to the People, and to theBithops themfelves, and how eafily 'it might be procured, r. By making only things Neceffary to be theTerms of Union. 2. And by the true Exercifeof Church Difcipline againfl Sin. ;. And not callingout the faithful Minigers that mull Exercife it, norobtruding unworthy Men upon' the People. And how cafe it was to avoid the violating of Mens Solemn Vows and Covenants without any hurt to any others. And finally, I requeted that we might but be heard fpeak for our felves, when any Accufatiòns were brought a- gaint us]. Theft, with tome other Such things, I thenfpake, when fome of my Brethren bad fpoken firt. Mr. Sámeór: Aß alfo fpake much to the fame purpofe, and of all our Defires of his Majefty's AlGltance in our defiled Union. § 95. The King gave as not only a free Audience, but as gracious an Anfwer as we couldexpea : profeffìog hisgladnefs tohear our Inclinations to Agreement; and his Refolution to do his part to bring us together; And that it muff not be by bringingone Party over to the other , but by abating fomewhat' on both fides, and meeting in the Midway and that if it were not accomplifhed, it fhould be long of our felves, and not of him : Nay, that he was refolved to fee it brought to pats, and that he would draw us together himfelf] : with force more to this purpofe. Infomuch that old Mr. Afh built out into Tears with Joy, and could not forbear expreffing what Gladnefs this Promifeof his Majefty hadput in- to his heart. , 4 92. Either at this time, orthortly after, the King required us to draw up, and offer him fuch Propofals as we thought meet , in order to Agreement about Church Government; for that was themain Difference : ifthat wereagreed there would be little danger of differing in the red.: And he defired us to fec down the molt that we could yield to. 49;. We told him, r. That we were but a few Men, and had no Commiflìon from any of our Brethren to exprefs their Minds : And therefore defved that his Majefty would giveus leave toacquaintour Brethren in theCountry with it, and take them with us. The King anfwered, That thatwouldbe too long, and make too
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