Parr 111 1'<,everend Mr. Richard Baxter. 4 tender times it would have been fo great an offenceto the Congregational Brethren, if I had Communicated with him (and perhaps have haftened their fiifferings who durit not do the fame) that I thought it would do more harm than good. § rod. The ladyear of my abode at Aldan, I had the happinefs of a Neighbour whom I cannot eafily praife above hisworth : Which was Sir Mat. Hale Lord chief Rayonof the Exchequer, whom all the Judges and Lawyers of England admired for hisskill in Law, and for his indice, and Scholars honoured for his Learning, and highly valuedfor his fincerity, mortification, felf-denyal, humility, confcientioufnefs; andhis dote fidelity in friendfhip. When he came firff to Town, I came not near him left being a lilenced and fitfpefted perfon (with his Superiors) I fhould draw him alfounder fufpicion, and do himwrong : Till I had notice round aboutof his delire of my Acquaintance ; And I Pearce ever converted foprofitably With any other per- fon inmy Life. * * I have § tog . He was a Manof no quick attèrance, but often hefitant ; but fpake with fame writ, great reafon. He wasmolt precifely júlt ; infomuch as I believe he would have loft ten my all that he had in the World ratherthan do an anjuft Aft : Patient in hearing the kn°wiedgc tedioufeft fpeech which any Man had to makefor himfelf ! Thepillar of Juftice, the of him. Refuge of the fitbjea who fearedOppreflion, and oneof thegreatelt Honoiirs of his Majeltie's Government : For with fume more upright Judges, he upheld the honour of the Englifh Nation, that it fell not into the reproach of Arbitrarinefs, Cruelty and utter Confufion. EveryMan that had a jut caufe was almoft paft fear, if they couldbut bring it to the Court or Affize where he was Judge (for the other Judges feldom contradiftedhim.) He was the great Inffrument for rebuilding London: For whenan Aft was made for deciding all Controverhes that hindered it ; it was hethat was the conlkant Judge, who, for nothing followed the work, and by his Prudence and Juftice removed a multitude of great Impediments. His great advantage for in- nocency wasthat he was no Lover of Riches or of Grandeur. His Garb was too plain; He Patiently avoided all unneceffary familiarity with great perlons, and all that manner of Living which fignifyethWealth and Greatnefs. He keptno greater afamily, thanmy felf. I lived in a fmall houfe, which for a pleafant back-fide he had a mindOf But canted a Pranger (that he might notbe fufpe&ed to be the Man) to knowof me whether I were willing topart with it, before he would meddlewith it; In that houfe he liveth contentedly, without any pomp, and without coftlyor trou- blefome retinue or vifitors; but not without Charity to the poor : He continueth the ftudyof Phyficks and Mathematicks dill as his great delight : He hath himfelf written four Volumes inFolio (three of which I have read) againft Atheifn,, Saddu- celfmand Infidelity, to prove fiat the Deity and then the immortality of Man's Soul, and then the truth of Chriftianity and the holy Scripture, anfwering the Infidels Obje&ionsagaint Scripture ; It is Prong and mafcaline, only too tedious for impa- tient Readers : He faith, he wrote it only at vacant hours in hisCircuits to regulate his meditations, finding that whilehe wrote down what he thought on, his thoughts weretheeaüiver kept clofe towork, and kept in a method, and he could after try his former thoughts, and make further ufe of them if they were good. But I could not yet perfirade hitoto hear of publifhing it. The Conference which I had frequently with hint, (motly about the immortality of the Soul., andother Foundation points, and Philofophical) was fo edifying, that his very Queftious and Obje&ionsdid help me to more light than other mens folati- ont. Thofe that take no Men for Religious who frequent not privateMeetings, cite. tookhim for an Excellently righteous moral Man : But I that haveheard and read his ferionsExlnelions of the Conccrnments of Eternity,, and feenhis Love to all good. Metì, and the blanilefsnefs of his Life, ch.. thought better of his Piety than of mineown. When the People crowded in and outof may Houfe to hear, he open- ly Mewed me fo great refpett before them at the Door, and never fpake a word againi it, as was no finall encouragement to the Common People-togo on; though the other fort muttered that a Judge Ihould feem fo far to countenance that which they took to be agáint the law. He was a great Lamenter of the Ex- tremities of the Trines; and the violence and foolilhnefs of the predominant Clergy, and a great delref of filch abatementsas might retore us all to fervice- ablenefs and Unity. He had got but a very fmall Efface ( though he had long the greatelt Pr:iftice ; ) becaufe he would take but little Money, and undertaké no morebafineCs than he could well difpatch. He often offered to the Lord:Chan- cellor torelign his place, when he wasblamed for doing that which he fuppofed was Janice.
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