Part III `- everend Mr. Richard Baxter. r99 who my Acatfrs, but they told me it was for no fault, but to fee u'e the Govern- meat in cvil Times ; and that they had a Lift of many fufpehed perfons that moft do the like as well as L I defired to know for what I was numbred with the Sul'pef, and by whofe accnfation, but they gave me gladwords and would not tell me. I told them I had rather they would fend ale to Jail than put me tO wrong others by being bound®with me, in bonds that I was, like to break to morrow : for if there did but five perfons come in when í was praying, they woald rake it for a breach of the 'good behaviour: They told me, not if they came on other bufinefs, unexpeftcdly, andnot to a Lt meeting ; Nor yet if we did tying contrary to Law, or the prat "rife of the Church. I told them our innoc. was not now any fèctaity to us : If cwo beggar women did but Rand in the and fwear that I fpake contrary to the Law tho' they heard nie not, my bonds ai:. 'liberty were at their will : For I myfelf lying on my bed, heard Mr. I. R. Preach in a Chappel on the other lisle Of my Chamber, and yet oneSibü Daft) and Eliza -. be'h Cap;éU fwore to the Juttices that it was another that Preached ( Two mifetahle poor women that made a Trade of it, and had thus fworn againit very many worthy perütns in Kacknry and elfawhere, on which their Goods were feized on for great Malas or Fines. But to all this I had no Anfwer, but moltgive bond, when they knew that 1 was not like to break, theBehaviour, uttlefs by 1 ., ieg in bed in pain. §. 85. But all this is fo fmall a part of my feffering in comparifon of what I bear in myflefn, that I could fcarce regard it : And it'sfmal. in campai iibn of what others filar ; Many excellent perfons die in Common Jails ; Thoufands . ruin'd : That holy humbleMan, Mr. Rofeicell is nowunder a verdict for death as a Traitor for Preaching fame Words, on the witnefs, and Oath of Ftilt,n'sWife (andone or twomore Women) whofe Husband liveth profefl'edly on theTrade, for whirls he claimeth many Hundred or Thoufand pounds, And not only theman profeffeth, but many of his hearers witnefs that no filch words were fpoken, liar ally that befeemed not a loyal prudent man. But we have been too longunthank- ful, when all our Lives, Elates, and Liberties, are in the power Of anyWhores Beggars, Enemies or malicious Papifls, that will but fwear that we are guil- ty, that God bath marvelloufly fo long retrained them : and that forcing es into ferret Meetings out of our publick , hatlf fecured the Lives of many. §. 86. December Eleventh, I was forced in all my pain and weaknefs to be carried to the Sefons-haul, or elfe my bonds of Four hundred pounds would have been judged forfeit : And the more moderate Juftices that promifed my difcharge would noneof them be Mere, but left theWork to Sir William Smith and the nit, who openly declared that they had'`nothing againft me, and took me for Innocent, but yet I, mutt continue bound, left others íhould expekt to be difcharged alfo, which I openly reflled: But my Sureties would be bound, left I ihoult die in Gaol, againft my declared Will, and fo I mull continue. Yet they difcharged others as faon as I was gone. I was told that they did ail by inftru&ions from, &c. and that the main end was to reltraht ine from writing: Which now íhould I do with greateft Caution, they will pick . out fume thing which a Jury may take for a breach of my bonds. I have written againit Popery fo much already that my Confcience will now allow me filence But whereas one Separatift bath interpreted "nly Treatife of Epifcopacy as jufti- fying Separation, and Mr. Falbbath by grofs miftake faltly accufed me as a Lyer for faying that his Congregation a Churchworlhipped -many years without tinging. Ffalms ( and Sacraments) (forfooth becaufe he took them not then for a Cuirch) 1 mutt fufpend my Anfwer to then and all fuch; tho' I know the Papifts will take it for a Confutation of all my writingsagainft them, to fay [his own brethren; Protefläntts and D:fkntera have proved him a Lyer. ] This I molt bear from Sepa- rating' Non-conformifts, while the Juftices that bind and trouble me,, de- clare me innocent. And I am told that the Papifìs will not endure Me to write againft theSeparatifts, no more than againft themfelvcs, becaufe they heed their help to pull down the Godly ParilhMinifters. §. 87. Many French Minilters fentenced to Death and Banilhment, fly hither for refuge: And the Church men relieve them not becaufe they are not for Fogli h Diocefans and Conformity , And others have many of their own of treed fi
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