Part III. `Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter. 147 the Places they once had, are filled, and difpofed but there are others enough. Thereare many of thofe, who poffefs theirs, do aifo keep their own, and keep more. There aremany who are Canons, Deans, Prebendaries, that are alto Parfum, Redors, Vicars; who have Benefices and Honours by heaps,and 1?y the blithe!. If it fhall pleafe you therefore in this Bill on the Anvil, or in another, to take Cognizance of Pluralities, that, for the preventingan Idle, Scandalous, Covetoufly overgrown, un- profitable Miniftery, every Manwho hath more than one Cure of Souls, or one Dignity, (hall givethem up into a publick flock, Or to a general Diftribution; you !hall do the Church right, and the Eje&ed right, you (hall give filch Drones their Due, and Godhis Due and Itrew the way bythis means for the making your Grace intended in this Bill,of lignification. In the Name of God, Sirs, let me move you to this, if it wereonly Hac vice, for a prefent needful Gonjnn&ion of us at this fea- fon. We fee the jaws of Popery, and the Se&ary opening uponus, if the fober Proteftant Interelt be notunited, we perifh. I know who will be ready to Ramat hereand throw duff inthe Air, for it is there Som of th lo f -Leech, whore voice is ftill GaveGive, that vri!1 never he contentedwith a tingle portion. A Dignity there- fore with a Living let thembe allowed : but one Dignity and one CureofSouls fhould be all, rho they cut themfelves with Lances. It is this damn'd hard obje&ion at the bottom, the Prielts Covetoufnefsand Corruption, ratherthan their Dtfpute about thingsindifferent, that really hinders the Church's peace and profperity. ToConclude. According towhat every Man's mind is molt upon (the Publick lntereft, or his own) fach is his value moreor lefs. § 263. About this time was a great change of Affairs in Scotland ; their Parlia- mentconcurring with this of England, in diltafting the prefent Councils and Pro- ceedings(hut not fo much Proclaiming the danger of Popery, as Aggravating the Burdens and Grievances of thePeople, againft the great Commifiioner the Dukeof Lauderdail:) So that Duke Hamilton became theHead of theOppofition, and molt of the Nobility and Commons adhered tohim, and were againft D. of Lauderdail : And the Parliament went fo high that D. Lauderdail was fain to Adjourn them: Whereupon D. Hamilton came to England with their Grievances to the King (with fome of the Nobility). But theKing, tho he gave him fair refile&, Iharply rebuked him and their Proceedings, and (tuck ciofe to D. Lauderdail againft all oppoltion. § 264. At lift D. Lauderdail found the way to turn their own Engin againft themfelves,and whereas many of their Grievances had been fettled by themfelves by A& of Parliament (while they were ruled by him), he acgeainteth the King how heavy andunfitfferable they were, and fo the King, by a Letter, releaíth them: And among their burdens was a great income fettled upon D. Hamilton for fome fervice, Lofsor Loan to the King,by hisPredeceflors, whichhe that had complain- ed of Grievanceswas now to lofe by the King removing the Grievances: Where- upon he profeffed that he had been Rill ready to remit thofe Revenues ; but he could not do it in this way of a Letter againft a Law,lefl by the fame wayanother Letter ihould take away the reft of his Efate o And he got the handsof Lawyers to teftify it was againft Law, and feat it to the King, who in difpleafurerejetied his Narrative, and fo the Diflèntion inScotland increafed. § 26g. At this time (6pril 5674.) God bath fo much increafed my Langailbing, and laid me fo low, by an inerrant inflation of my head, and tranllation of my great flatulencythither to the Nerves and. Members, increafing there ten or twelve weeks to greater pains, that I have reafon to think thatshy time on Earth will not be long : And O how Good hath the Will of God proved hitherto to me ? And will it not be belt at lath ? Experience caufeth me to fay to hispraife, Great peace have they that love his Law, andnothing ?hall offend them ; And thomy flcch and heart do fail, God is the Rock of myheart and my portionfor ever. § 266. At this timecame out my Book called, The poor Man's Family Book ;which the remembrance of the great ufe of Mr. Dents Plain Man's path way to Heaven (now laidby) occafioned me to write,for poor ConntreyFamilies who cannot buyor read many Books. § 26 I will not here pafs by the Commemoration of one among many of the worthy filenced Minifters of London, that filch Examples may provoke more to fome imitation, viz. Mr. Thomas Gouge: He is the eldefì Son of old Dr. William Gauge Deceafed : He was Paltor to that great Para called Sepulchres ; whence he Tttt a was
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=