Part III Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter. Leg, told me he had loft his Leg by the Wars ; and I thought then. there was no remedy, but Preachers muff be filehced, and live in Goals. But with much importunity I got them once to hèar ine, while I told them why I took not my Meeting to be contrary to Law, and why the Oxford Aft Concerned aie not, and they had no Power to put chat Oath on me by theAc] : But all the Aufwer I could get, was, That they werefatisfìed of that they did.And when,àmong other reá- foningsagainft their conrfe, I told them I thought Çhrift's Ministers had in many Ages been Men efeemed, and efed as wenow are, and their Aflicters have in- fulted over them, the Providenceof Godbath Rill fo ordered it, that the Names and Memory of their Silencers and Alfifters have been left to Pofterity for a Reproach, infomuch that I wondered that they that fear not God, and care not for their own, or the People's Souls, Ihould yet be fo carelefs of their fame; when Honour feemeth fogreat amatter with them. Towhich Raft anfwered that he delired no greater Honourtohis Name, than that it Ihould be remembredof iim,that hedid tIris againft me,and fuch as 1, which he wasdoing. Then theyasked me whe= Cher I would take the Oath, I named a- difficulty or two in it, and defired them to tell me the meaning of it. They told me, thatthey werenot to expound it to me, but to knowwhether I would take it. I toldthem itMull betaken withunder- ftandng, and I did not understand it. They faid'I mutt take it according to the proper fence of the Words. I asked them whether the proper 'fence of Chofe Words [f will not at any time endeavour any alteration of Government in the Church] was not Co!any time] univerfally as it's fpoken; they faid yea : I asked them, whether it were in the Powerof the King and Parliament to make fome alteration of Church-Government ; Rofs fiat faid, that before it was fettled it was - But better bethinking himfelf, faid, Yea : I toldhim the Kingonce gave [tie a Com-. . minion to endeavour, analteration of the Liturgy, arid allowance to endeavour the alteration of Church-Government,as maybe feeninHis Majefty's Declaration about Ecclefaftical Affairs. If he Ihould command me the like again; aim I not fworn by this Oath, if I take it, totifcibey him; yea, or if the Law - rakers change the Law, &c. Atthis Rofi only laughtand derided me, as fpeaking a ridiculous fup- - pofition, and faid, that could not be the Sente. I told him, that then he mutt cbnfefs the Error of his Rule, and that the Oath isnot to be underfood, accor- ding tothe proper meaningand efe of Chofe Words. And I bad them take ma- Lice that I had not refutd their Oath, but defired art explicationof it, which they refuted to give, (though I had reafon enough to refolveme not totake it, howe- ver they that were not the makers of the Law, Ihould have expounded it.) Andfo Phillips prefently wrote my Mittimets, asfolloweth, 49 S t i a. To the Keeper of his Majeffy'sGoal commonly called the New-Prifon in Cltrkenwd 1. Middlefex. TTy ]Horcas it bath been proved unto us, upon Oath, that Richard V V Baxter, Clerk, hash taken upon him to Preach in anunlawful A ferrtby, Conventicle, or Meeting, under colour orpretence of Exercife of Religion, cdn- teary to the Lucas and Statutes of this Kingdom, at A&on, where he now liveth the faid County) not having taken and fubferibed the Oathby At of Parliament, in that cafe appointed to be be taken. Andwhereas we having tender'd to him the Oath and De- claration appointed to be taken by fuch asJhall offendagainft thefaid Al!, which be bath refufed to tale, we therefore fend you herewith the Body of the faid Richard Baxter JIraitly charging and commanding you in bis Majefiy's Name to receive him the faid Richard Baxter intohis Majefly s faidPrifon, and him therefafely to keep for fixMonths without Bail or Mainprize. Andhereofyou are not tofail atyour Peril. Given at Brent- ford the Eleventh of June,, in the one and twentieth year ofthe Reign of out Sovereign bard Charles the Secen, J. Philips, Tho. Ros
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