Part III Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter. 87 great Work to Die well; his time is near ; all worldly Glory muff come down ; intreat him to keep his Integrity, over-come Temptations, and pleafeGod, and prepare to Die.] Hedeeply bewailed the great Sins of the Times, and the Prog- nofticks of dreadful things which he thought we were in danger of: And though in the -Wars lie fuffered Imprifonment for the King's Gaffe, towards the end he came from them, and he greatly fearedan inundation of Poverty, Enemies, Popery and Infidelity. § SS. The great Talk this Year wasof the King's Adjourningthe Parliament again for about a Year longer ; and whether we Ihouldbreak the TripleLeague, and defect the Hollanders, dre. § S9. Before they were Adjourned, I fecretly direaed forre Letters to the belt of theConforming Minifterst telling them howmuch it would conduce to their own, and the Churches Intereff, if they that might beheard, would become Pe- titioners for fuch Abatements in Conformity, as might let in the Non-conformifts, and unite us ; Peeing two things would do it? T. The removal ofOaths and Sub- fcriptions, fave our Subfcription to Chriftianity, the Scriptures, and the 39 Arti- cles, and the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy. 2. To give leave to them that cannot ufe all the Liturgy and Ceremonies, to bebut Preachers in thofeChurches where they are ufed by others ; fubmitting to Penalties ifever they be proved to Preach agáinft the Do&rine, Government, or Worfhip of theChurch, or to doany thing agamft Peace, or the Honour of the King and Governours. But I couldget none to offer fach a Petition. And when I did but mention our own petitioning the Parliament, thole that wereamong them, and familiar With them, dill laught at me for imagining that they were reafonable Creatures, or that Reafon fignified any thing with themin fach Matters. And thus we were Silenced every way. § s 90. During the Mayoralty of SirSamuel Sterling, many Jury's Men in London were Fined and Imprifoned by the judge, for not finding certain Quakers guilty of violating the Aft against Conventicles. They Appealed and fought remedy. The Judges remained about a Year in fufpenfe; and then by the Lord Chief Jultice Vaughan deliveredtheir Refolution againft the Judge for theSubjefes Freedom from {itch force of Fines, that when he had in a Speechof twoor threeHours long, fpoke vehemently to that purpofe, never thing, fine theKing's Return, was receivedwith greater Joy and Applaufe by the People; and theJudges dill taken for the Pillars of Law and Liberty. § 191. TheParliament having made theLaws againit Nonconformiffs Preaching, andprivate Religious Meetings, d e, fogrinding and terrible as aforefaid, the King (who confented to thofe Laws) became thefoie Patron ofthe Nonconformift's Li- berties; not.by any Abatements by Law, but by his own Connivanceas to the Exe- cution, the hlagiftrates for the molt part doing what they perceived to be his Will. So that SirRich. Ford, all the time of his Mayoralty inLondon ( though fuppofed one of their greateft and molt knowing Adverfaries) never difturbed them. TheMi- Bitters in feverai Parties were oft encouraged to make their Addreflès to the King, only to acknowledge hisClemency by which they held their Liberties; and to pro- fefs their Loyalty: Sir noon Babor introduced Dr. Manton, and force with him; Mr. Enolo, a Scotch Non-conformift bySir Rob. Murray, introducedMr. Whittakeri, Dr. Annefley, Mr. Watfon, and Mr. Vincent's. TheKing (as they fay themfelves) told them, That though filchAds weremade, He was agamlt Perfecution, and ho- ped ere long to ftand on hisown Legs, and thenthey fhould fee how mach he was against it. Bythis means many fcore Nonconformable Minifters in London kept up preaching in privateHoufes : Some So, force too, many 300, and many iono, or n000at a Meeting, by whichfor theprefent, theCity'sNeceffities were much fup- plied. For very few burnt Churches were yet built upagain, ( about 3 or 4 in the City) which yet never moved the Bifhops to relent, and give any Favour to the Preaching of Nnnconformids. And though the belt ofEngland ofthe Conformiffs for the mod part, were got up to London, alai! they werebut few : And the moft of theReligious People were more and more alienated from the Prelates and their Churches. 192. h front h t t a t tlamentd all They thought at it beginning not withoutgreat Wit, that fetingonly a Parliament was malted before the Kingwith the People's Liberties, and couldraife aWar
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