Part III. Reverend Mr. RichardBaxter. 14j Houle [ that had it beenbut to abate usa Ceremony, he wouldnot haae fpoken in it . But he knew that we were bound to the fame things Rill,by other Claufesor Obligations, if theft were Repealed. ] S. zs8. But on Feb. 24.. all thefethings were Suddenly ended, the King early; faddenly and unexpe$edly Proroguing the Parliament till November. Whereby the Minds ofboth Hodes were much troubled, and Multitudes greatly exafperated, and alienated fromthe Court : Ofwhom many now taw that the Leading Bilhaps had been the great Caufes of our Diferaftions ; but others hating the Nonconfor- ruins more ; were ftill as hot for Prelacy and their Violence as ever. s. 259. All this while the afpiringfort of Confonnifts, that looked for Prefer- lisent, and the Chaplains that lived in fullnefs; and other Malignant Fatuous Clergymen, did Write and Preach to ftir up King, Parliament, and others, to Violence and Cruelty , again': the Liberty and blood of the Nonconformifts, who lived quietlyby them in Labour and Poverty and medled not with them, ( betides their neceffary Diffent. ( Some railed at them as the molt intolerable Villains in the World; efpeically S. Parker (jocularly confuted and deteted by Mr. Marvel a Parliament Man, ] and oneHickeringhiti and others,came near him in their malignity ; AndPapifts taking the advantage, fet in and did the like. One Wrote , [ a Sober Enquiry ofthe Iteafons why the Nonconfonnable Mitü'ters 'were ftill fo valued by the People , ] ( which was their grievous vexation, ) And pretended manyCaufes I know not whether more malignantly or foolifhly, which none could believe but Strangers, and thofe that were blinded by the FaBi- on, Malignity, or Falfe Reports. OneDr. ffheton, Chaplain to the Duke of Or- mond, Wrote a Book, r. To perfwade thofe to Subfcribe who held it lawful, and forbore it onlyfor fear of offending others ; falily infinuating, that this was the Nonconformifts Cafe ; when I never knew one Man fuck among them all to this day. z. To Itir up Rulers to Violence, to Ruine us, perfwading them that it is no Perfecution : And the Man was not afraid to profefs to theWorld That as he was going to meet us at the Bar of God, the Reafon why fo many Subfcwibed not, was Reputationand Intereft, Pride andCovetoufnefs ; ] And that he might not feem StarkMad with Malice, in charging Menwith Covetoufnefs, that I loft all,and lived fo poorly upon the Charity of others (moftly poor themfelves,) he'giveth you - z proofs of theircovetoufnefs. t. ThatbyNon-conformity they got Living for their conformable Sons. z. That they lof? notbennby their Non-conformity (as BifhopGunning alto vehementlytold me :) words which tell the world that Hiftory is no more credible to Polterity, than either the Concept of all Parties, or the notoreity of fait, or thehoneftyof the Writer, canmake it fo, by being knownas it's evidence Wordswhich tell you that it's hard todevife cvords,fo falfe and impudent,befeeming the Devil himfelf were the fpeaker, which Carnal Clergy-men maynot be drawn. with great confidence to utter. For i. of the 1 coo, or z000. Minifters that were Silenced, I have not yet heard of thirty in all, nor of twenty, or twelve yet living, that have Conformable Sons in the Miniftry. And of thofe I know not of one that Conformed by his father's cnnfent, And why Ihould not the father's Conformity be the liken to help his fon to a Living than his Non-confor- mity, when the far greaten part of the Prefenters or Patrons are Conformiffs? Andwould not covetoufnefs rather make both father andfon Conform that both might have Livings, than the fonalone ? Anddo a thoufand or 16co!Mibifters, that have no Conformable fons in'the Millinery, refufe Conformity, that z0, or a.o of othet Minifter's funs may have Livings ? Did d not - confider that, among Strangers and Malignants, any thing may be believed that isbad, I fhould think the Devil a fool for playing his game fo unskilfully. z. And that theylofe nothing, by lohng all their Church maintenance now above eleven years togethfer, is a thing hardly to be believed by their poor families , or neighbours,rFital' kcäow that many go in rags and want bread, and even in London, more than diie have lately died of Colds and Difeafes, contra&ed by poverty and want of the necefräry Comforts of Life. And it is a wonder of God's mercy, and the honour of cha- ritable People, efpecially in London, that it is not fo with a very great numberof them. § z6o. This Malignity inviteth me once more to recite my owncafe t I have loft not only the Bilhoprick which they offered mebyNon-conformity, but all Mi- nillerial maintenance theft eleven years now near 24.. years in 1681. I havethefe eleven years Preached for nothing : I knownot to my remembrance that I have received
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