Part III, ¶Neverend Mt. Richard Baxter. toj 3. I perceived that no one (that ever I heard of till-mine) could get a Licenfe unlefs he would be intituled in it, a Presbyterian, Independent, Anabaptift, or of force Sea. The t 9th. of Novemb. ( my Baptifm-Day) was the firft Day after ten Years Si- lence, that I preached in a tolerated Publick AtTembly (though not yet tolerated in any Confecrated Church) but only (against Law) in my own Houfe. § 227. Some Merchants fet up a Tuefday'sLecture inLondon, to bekept by fix Minifters at Pinner's-Hall, allowing them zo s. apiece each Sermon ; of whom they chofe me to be one. But when I had Preached there butfour Sermons, I found the Independents fo quarrelfome with what I laid, that all the City didring of their back bitings andfalfe Accufations : So that had I but preachedfor Unityand against Divicon, or unnecelfary with- drawing from each other, or against unwarrantable narrowing ofthrift's Church, it was cryed abroad, that I preached againft the Inde- pendents; efpecially, if I did but fay, That Man's Will had a Natural Liberty, though a Moral Thraldom to Vice, and that Men might have. Chrift andLife, if a they were truly willing, though Grace mull make them willing ; and that Men have power to do better than they-do, It wascryed abroadamong all the Party, that I Preached up Arminianifm, and Free-Will, and Man's Power, and O! what an odious Grime was this. § 2z8. yanuary 24.1671. I began a Friday-Lelture at Mr. Turner's Church in Nemftreet, near Fetter-Lane, with great Convenience, and God'sencouragingBlef. fing; but I never took a penny of Money for it ofany one. And on the Lord's Days I had no Congregation 'to preach to (but occafioually to any that delire me ) being unwilling to fet up a Church and become the Pallor ofany, or take Mainte- nance, in this ddtrafted and unfettled way, unlefs furtherChanges shall manifeft it to be myDuty : Nor did I ever yet givetheSacrament toany one Perfon, but to myold Flock at Kiderminfler. I fee it offendeth the Conformists, and bath many other Parent Inconveniencies, while wehaveany hope of Reftoration andConcord from the Parliament. § 229. About this time Cornet-Cape, in yerfey, was by Lightning Itrange- ly. torn to pieces, and blown up which was attended with many notable Acci- dents, an account whereof was publifhed. 2i3o. The Parliament met again in February, and voted down the King's De= claration as illegal. And the King promifed them that it should not be brought intoPrecdent. And thereupon they confulted of a Bill for the eafe of Non- conformifts, or Diffenters, and many of them highly profelfed their refolution to carry it on: But when they had granted the Tax they turned it off , and left it undone ; deftroying our flicker of the King's Declaration and fo lea- ving us to the Storm of all their fevere Laws which fouie Country Juftices rigorously executed, but the molt forbore. § 2.31. On February zo. I took my Houfe in Bloomsbury in in London, and re- moved thither afcer Eafler with my Family: God having mercifully given me three years great Peace among quiet Neighbours at Totteridge, and much more Health or Eafe than I expeßed, andfome opportunity toferre him. § i 32. TheParliament fat again, and talked as if they wouldhave united us by abatement of fomeof their Impofitions : But when they had voted down the King's Declaration of Toleration as Illegal, and he had promifed then that it thould never be drawn into aPrecedent, and that they had granted a large Tax, they fruftrated the hopes they had railed in force Credulous Men, and left call as they found it. § 133, Many impudent railing, lying Books were publilhed against'theNona confotmifts about this time ; Sam. Parker Printed one agaiitft Mr. Marvell, and therein tells the World, what wicked, intolerable Perlons we are to keep up Divisons in the Church about things which- we our felves confefs tobe lawful ; and that at Worcefter-Houfe (before the King, as he was told) we profeffed that there was nothing in the Liturgy, which we took to be unlawful but that we pleaded only for tendernefs or forbearance towards others.] Whereas, i. There was no mention of any fuch thing ay Worcefter-Houfe, or before the King, z. Our Bufinefsbefore the King at Worcefter-Houle was to have the King's De- claration
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