PART II. Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter. but confidently writeth, that he was confederate with Hacker, Cepinger, and Ar- tbi>lgton( whom he feigneth to have been Presbyterians or Puritans, ( who were diltrahted Fanaticks, one calling himfelf Chrift, and the other his two Witneffes. ):. But Mr. Cartwright himfelf longago publith'd a Defence againft the Accusationsof Dr. Sotcliifon thisveryMatter. §118. But to return from this Digreffron t A little before the Meeting about the King's Declaration, Collonel Birch came to me as front the Lord Chancellor, td perluade me to take the Bilhoprick of Hereford (for he had bought the Bishop's Houfe at'Whitbrrrne, and thought tp make a better Bargain with me.than with another, and therefore finding that the Lord Chancellor intended me the ,Offer of one, he defired it might be that ): I thought it beft,togive them no pofitive Deny - al, till I faw the utmoft of their Intents : And I perceived that Coll. Birch came privately that a Bifhoprick might not be publickly refuted, and to try whether I wouil accept it that elfe it might not beofferedme ; for he told me that they would not bear fuch a Repulfe. I toldhim that I was refolved never tobe Bithop, of He- reford, and that I did not think that I thould ever fee taufeto take any Bilhoprick,. but I could givenopofitive Anfwer, till I faw the King'sRefolutions about the way ofChurch- Gdvernment : For if the.old Diocefan Frame continued, he knew we could never accept or own it. After this (having not a flat denyal) he cameagain" and again toDr. Reignalds, Mr. Calamy, andmy lelf together; to importune, us all to accept the Offer ; (for the BifhoprickofNorwich was offered Dr. Reignolds, and Coventry and Litchfield to Mr. Calamy) t But he had no pofitive Anfwer, but the fame from me as before. At last, the Day that the King's Declaration came out, when I was with the Lord Chancellor(who did all) he asked nie whether I would accept of a Bifhbprick : I told them that if he had asked me that(Zreftion the day before, I could eafily have anfwered him, that in' Conscience he couldnot do it; for though lwould live peaceably under whatever Gövernment the King should let up, 1 could not have a hand in executing it. But having as I was coming to him feen the King's Declaration, and feeing that by ir, the Government is fo far altered as it is, I take my felt, for the Churches fake, exceedingly beholden to his Lordlhip for thofe Moderations ; and my delire to promote the Happinefsof the Church, which that Moderation tendeth to, Both make me refolve to take that Courfe, which tendeth molt thereto : But whether to take a Bithoprick, be the way, I was in Doubt, and defired fome farther time of Confideration, But if his Lordíhip would procure us the fettleinent of the matter of that Declaration, by palling it into a Law, I promifed him to take that way in which I might moftferve the PuplickPeace. § 119. Dr. Reigndds, Mr. Calamy, and my felf, had force Speaches oft together about it ; and we all thought that a Bilhoprick might be accepted according to the Defcription of the Declaration, without any Violation of the Covenant, or own, ing theancient Prelacy ; but all the Doubt was, whether this Declarationwould be made a Law (as was then expeAned) or whether it were'but a temporary means to draw us on till wecame up to all the Diocefans defired ; and Mr. Calamy defired that we might all go together, and all refufe, or all accept it. § xzo. But by this time the rumour of it fledabroad, and the Voice of the Ci- ty made a Difference; for though they wilh'd that none of us Ihould be Bithops, yet they laid, Dr. Reignolds and Mr. Baxter, being known to be for moderate'Epif- copacy, their acceptance would be lets fcandalous : But if Mr. Calàwy should ac- cept it, who had preached, and written, and done fo much againit it ( which were then at large recited) never Presbyterian wouldbe trufted for hisfake; fo that the Clamour was very loud againi his acceptance of it : And Mr. Matthew Newcomers, his Brother in Law wrote to me earneftly to diffuade him, andmany more. § rat. For myown part I refolved againft it at the first, but not as a thing which' I judged unlawful in it fell, as described in the King's Declaration: But 1. I knew that .it would take me off my Writing. z. I looked to have molt of the godly Minifters cart our, and what good could be doneupon ignorant, vile, uncapable Men? 3. I feared that this Declaration was but for a prefent life, and that lhort- ly it would be revok'd or nullified. 4. And if fo, I doubted not, but the Laws would prefcribesuch work for Bithops, in filencing Miniflers, and troubling ho. nett Chriltians for their Confciences; and ruling the vicious with greaterLenity, ere. As that I had rather.have the ,meanest Imployment amongst Men. S. And my Judgment was fully refolved aganft the Lawfulness of the old Diocefane Frame. Oo § iga.
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