Part III. Reverend Mr. R ichard Baxter. 15 they might vindicate Religion from the Impntation of Fadbonand Rebellion, and make it evident that Confciences only bsndereth their Conformity. Sonoof the melt unfatisffedwere refolved to take is. We came in the afternoon on Friday to the Court where feven Minì- fters bad taken it in the D4ornmg At our appearance the Lord Bridgman addreft him- fidf to us in theft Words: Gentlemen, I perceive you are conte to take the Oath I am gladof it : The intent of it is to diftinguifh between the King's good Subjel}s, and thofewho are mentioned in the Af and to prevent Seditious and Tumultuous Endeavours toalter the Government : Mr. Clark /71d , in this ffnfe we take it. The Lord Keeling fp.rke Ion-b./Cone quicknef Willyou take the Oath as the Parlsamenr hash ap- pointed it. I replyed, My Lord, Weare corn hither to atteftour Loyalty and to declare, we mil not feditsoufly endeavour to alter the Government. Ilewasfilent and we took the Oath, being t 3 in number. After this the Lord Keeling told ne ,'He was glad that fo 'many had taken the Oath; and with great yehesnencyfàid, We had renounced the Covenant ( in two Principal Points ) that damnable Oath , which flicks between the Teeth of fofinny. And he hoped 7hat as 'herewas one King, and one Faith, fo !here mould be one Government: sand ifwe did not Conform, it would bejudged we did this to fave a flake. Theft Words being uttered , after by his Silence he had approved what myi Lord B. had_fpokeof the Senfe of the All, and our errpref Declaration, that in that Senfe we took it; you may imagine bow furprizing they were to us: It was not pogiblefor as to recalled our felves from the Confufion which this caufed, fo a5 to make any repy. We re- tired with faelnefs, and what the confeqùences will be .; you may eafly fore-fee. Some will 'reflectupon us with feverity, judging of the nature of the Alden by this check' ofProvidence.' Others who were refolved to take the Oath, recoil from it; their fealoufies being increafed. ,(hall troubleyou no longer, but a(fure you That notwithftanding this accident cloth not invalidate the Reafons for the lawfùlnefo ofit, in our apprehe ons ;. yet theforelight ofthis wouldhave caufed no tofufend our proceedings. The good Lordfandifie this Providence, tous and teach no to commit our dearefl Concernment.; unto bins, in the performance of our Duty, to whofe Protection I commendyou; and remain London, Feb. 22. Yours intirely; William Bates. After my Lord Keeling's Speech, Sir Sohn Babor enquired ofLord Bridgman, whilif he wason the Bench, Whether the Minigers had renounced the Covenant? He anfwer'd the Covenantwas not concerned in it. . Mr. Calamy, Watfon Gouge; Mid many others, had taken theOath this Week, but for thisunhappy Accident. My LordBridgman came to theSéffions, and declared the Senfeof the Oath, with my, Lord Chancellor's allowance. But all the Reafons contain'd this Letter feem'd not tome to enervate the force Of the fore-going Ob'jeetions, orfolve the Difficulties.' § ïq- A little before this, L. B. and Sir - -_S. committed fach horrid wicked- nefs in their Drinking (aging the part of Preachers, in their Shirts sin a Balcony; with Words andAnions not to be named,) that one (orboth ) ofthemwas openly cenfuredfor it in Weltminfler-Hall by one of theCourts ofJuffice ( You will fay, Sure it was a lhameful Crime indeed.) And Ihortly after a Lightning did felze on theChurch where the Monumentsofthe -were, and tore it, melted the Leads,, and brake theMonuments into fo fmall pieces, that the people that came to fee the place , puttheScraps , with the Letters on , intotheir Pockets , toMew as'a Wonder, and more wonderfulthan the confiunptionof the red by fire. 25. lnthis timethe HauntingofMr.Mompeffen's Houfe in Wilt/hire, with grange Noifes and Motions, for very many Months together ,. was the CommonTalk; Of which Mr. fof Glznvilhavingwrote the Story; I fay no more. § 26., TheNumber ofMinifters all thiswhile either imprifoned fined, or other- Wifeaffiftedfor preachingChrift'sGofpel, whentheywereforbidden, wasfogreat that I forbear to mention then particularly. § 27. The War began with the Dutch whom theFrench of fted. § 28. The Plague which beganat Afton quÿ 29.1.665. beingceafed on March: i,- following, I returned home; and found the Church-yard like a plow'd field with Graves , and many ofmy Neighbours dead; but my Houfe' (near the Church-yard), dninfecled`
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