Part HL Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter. i 3 i "inwhen you were in power ? but preach and write fo much as youdid againft "Toleration of them ? But you that would have us difpenfe to all things now, "would your Pelves difpenfe with nothing then. ] Anjw. It's pity that matters ofpublick fall fhould be fo much unknown, and that when fuch inference follow ! t. I was never in power : Naymy Lot never fell out tobeof any fide that wasOppermoft in Church matters, nor in State-Gfurpedpower, but I always was of theunder fide. z. It was theToleration of all Seas unlimitedly that I wrote and preacht againft, and not ( that I remember ) of steer Independents. . 3. Thefe that did oppofe theToleration of Independents, of my acquaintance, dîd not deny them the liberty of Independency, but oppofed feparation, or their Gathering other Churches out of Parilh- Churches that had faithful Minifters : If they wouldhave taken Parifh-Churches on IndependentPrinciples, withont fepa- ration, neither I nor my aquaintance did oppofe them, no nor their Endeavours to reform fuch Churches. 4. The Cafe greatlydiffered : For an Independent to refufe Parifh-Churches, *hen no Ceremony, no Liturgie, no Oath or Subfcription iserequired of him, Which he fcrupleth, is not like his refuting Oaths, Subfcriptions, Liturgie, Cere- monies, &c. 5. But in a Word, Grant us but as much, and take to but in, as we granted to, and took in the Independents and we are content. Make this agreementand all isended we re no more of defi you. We never denyed the Independents the liberty of preaching Lefures, as often as theywould : Nor yet the liberty of taking Parifh- Churches : Theycommonly hadPrefeetations, and the publick Maintenance; And noSubfcription, Declaration, Liturgie, or Ceremony, was ìmpofed on them. A- gain I fay, I ask you nomore Liberty thanwas given the Independentsby their rethren called Presbyterians. Let your Grant now agree but with your inti- mations. 6. And how then fay you, wewould difpenccwith nothing ? For my part and thofe ofmy mind,we never intpofed nor endeavoured to impofe any thing on any man, as neeelrary to Ordination, litiniftry, or Communion, but [ The Owning Of the ScriptureGenerally, and the Creeds, Lord's Prayer, end Decafogue andSacraments par- ticularly, with that meafure ofunderftanding them, and ability to teach them, Which i3ne- eeffary to á Miníilter,and fidelitytherein.] I never (peke for libertyherein for Epifco- pal, Independents yea and Anabaptifts that only deny Infant.Baptifm, I wrote thathindering men's Miniftrffor their beingagainft the Parliament : And I think I kept many and many thoufands from taking the Covenant. 7, At leaft do you deny Liberty to none but tholethat denyed it to others, and we !hall thankfully acquiefce. " Stria. I cannot thinkthe maker ofthefe Propofals could imaglnthat any, mucli " lefs all of them would or could be agreed to.] You fpeak truly, if you mean [ by thofe men,of whom upon former tryal,he had fogreat Experience i ] Itwere great weaknefs in him tohaveexpefted it. But yet be is fo charitable as to be confident ( though nòt certain) that if thefe Propofals were made to the Conformable London Minifters, ( filch as Dr. Whitchcot, Dr. Stillingfieet, Mr. Gifford, Dr.Tillotfon, Dr. Cradock; Dr.Outram, Dr. Ford, and many more fuch Learned worthy peaceable men, in this City ) they wouldeither grant all thatis here delred, or abate fo little as Ihould be no hinde- rance to our prefent Conterd s And though I have no great acquaintance with any ofthem, yet my knowledge of themby fame and hearing them preach, doth render me fo fully perfuaded, that if we could get the Cafebet referred to their Judgment and Counfel, infteadof the Interefred Bithops whobrought us to the Rate that we are in I make no doubt butwe fhould be all healed-iná few weeks time. And that you may not think my confidence vain take this proof: Bihhop Wilkins was no fool nor fanatick: Thefe menate much of his fpirit and judgment, ( who wasa Lover ofMankind, andof honefty, peace and Impartiality and Juftice.) And we agreed withhim upon Terms like thefe, ( upon the Lord Keeper Bridgman's Invitation y fo far, that by mutual Confent the Agreement was drawn up into the form of au Aft, to have been offered to the honfe, fo that as much as lay in him and us, we were all agreed and healed. And why fhould I fufpeft that any of thefe worthy perfums are left peaceable? Rrrr y a. But
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