PartIII Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter. 155 biters were efpecially fome very few more Mioilters, accounted earnelt judicious Men: But theWomen, and Independent Men were the chief. §. 281. This greatly rejoyced the Perfeeuting Pretatilts ; and, t. They hence inferred, That the Noneonformifts were as bad a People as they had reported them, and that whatever was thought Judicious, or Moderate, in anyof myWri- . rings, Preaching, or Converfation , the Nonconformihshad no right to any Im- putation of it, or Reputation by it, becaufe Iwas one that they difowned : z. They would hence have drawn me off from the Nonconformifts, telling me, That I was work fpoken of, and ufed by fuch, than by the Prelatifts. To both which I anfweted , I. That 'they knew not the Nónconformifts fo well as I : and that tho' the London-Separatifts, and a few other weak and palfionate perfons, made all this noife, yet the generality of the Milliners and fober People , efpecially in the Countrey , were of my mind : 2. That all this Cenfure and Clamour was a very fmall thing in comparifon ofwhat I fuffered by the Bilhops who had thefe 13 years , if not more , deprived me. of all Minilterial Maintenance, and alto forbid- den me to Preach Chrift's Gofpel, though I did it without pay ; and had feat me among Rogues, to the Common Gaol ; and had deprived me "much of the end of Life, which is more to me than Lifeit felt. S. 2132. While I was thus murmured at by. Backbiters, Se&aries and Prelatifts, whentheKing's Licenfes were recalled as aforefaid, I was the firft that was appre- hended byWarrant and brought before the Juhices asaConventicler. One Keting, anignorant fellow had got a Warrant, as Bayliffand Informer, to fearch after Conventicles (PapiftsandProteítants ) which he profecutedwith great animofity and Violence : Having then left St.James's -( theLeafe ofthe Houfe being out. ) I Preached onlyon Thurfdays at Mr. Turner's; and by the Aft I am to be Judged by a latticeof the City, or Divifion where I Preach , but to be diftreined on by Warrant from a Juhice oftheDivifion or Countywhere I live. So that the Preach- ietaplace being in the City , only a City-Janice might Judge me : Keting went to many of the City Juhices and noneof them would grant him a Warrant á- gainfl me ; Therefore he went to the lattices of the County, who lived near me, and one Sirloin: Medlicot, and Mr. Bennet ( Brother tothe LordArlington) igno- rant of the Law herein, gave their Warrant to apprehend mc, and bring me before them, or forceother ofHis Majefty's Juftices : The Conftable and Infor- mer gaveme leave to choofe what Juftices I would goto. I went with them to feek divers of the heft lattices ; and could findnone of them at home , and fo fpent that day (in a cafeof pain andgreat Weaknefs) in being carryed up and down invain : But 1 ufed the Informer kindly , and fpake that to him , which his Confcience (tho' a very ignorant fellow) did not well digeft. The next day Iwent withthe Confiable and him toSir William Poultney, whomade him Thewhis Warrant, which was figned by Henry Mounrague (Son to the late worthy Earl of Mancbefter) as Bayliff of WeftminJter, Enabling him to Search after Mafs- Priefts and Conventiclers ; but I hear of no Mats- Priefts fave one that was ever medled with 'to this Day ; and that one delivered (as we all dented. ) Sir William [hewed him, andall the Company, in the Mt, that none but a City- luttice had Power to Judge me for a Sermon Preached in the City ; and fo the informer was defeated : As I went out of the Houfe I met the Countefs of Warwick and the LadyLucy Mountague, Sifter to the Paid Mr. Henry Mouutague, and told them of the Cafe andWarrant; who affured me, That he whofe Hand Was at it, knew nothing of it; andTome of them tent to him, and Keting's War- rant was called in within two or three. days. But it proved that one Mr. Bar- soeU, Sub-Bayliff of Wefminfter,was he that fet Keting on work, and gave him his Warrant, and told him, How good á Service it was to the Church, and what he might gain by it : And Bartell fharply Chid Keting for doing his work With me nomore skilfully : And the Lord of Arlington moh Iharply Chidhis Brother for granting hisWarrant : And within a fewdays Mr. Bartell riding the Circuit, was cart by his Horfe, and died in the very Fall. And Sir íobn Medlicot, and his Brother, a few weeks after, lay both dead in his Houfe toge- ther. Shortly after Keting came feveral times to have fpoken with Me, to ask me Forgivenefs, and not meeting with me, went to myFriends in the City with the fame Words ( when a little before he had boafted, how many Hun died pounds he would have of the City-Juftices for refilling him Juftice. At laft he found me within, and would have.fal'n down On his knees to me, and kl u u n 2 ask't
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