Baxter - BX5207 B3 A2 1696

118 aflTmEND IyY, le]urnb.VII. ` abroad, and took notice of it in print, and told the World that I intended to take more hereafter; and ever frnce, I took the fifteenth Book ( for my Friends ' and fell) and Eighteen pence more for every Rheam of the other fourteen ; which I deftinated to the Poor. With this, while I was at Xiddersriinffer, I ' bought Bibles to give to all the poor Families: And I got Threehundred or Four. hundred ounds, which I deftinated all to Charitable Ufes : At last , at London, ' it increafed to Eight hundred and thirty pounds, which delivering to a worthy Friend, he put it into the Hands of Sir Robert Viner ( with an Hundred pounds ` of my Wives) where it lyeth fetled on a Charitable !fife after my Death, as from the first I refolved If it fails I cannot help it. I never received more ofany ' Bookfeller than the fifteenthBook , and this Eighteen pence a Rheam. And if ' for after ImprefHons I had more of thofe Fifteenths than I gave away, I took ` about two third parts of the common price of the Bookfeller (or little more) and ' oft left: And fometimes I paid my fell for the printing many Hundreds to give ` away, and fometimes 1 bought them of the Bookfeller , above my number, and ' and fometimes the Gain was my own neceffary Maintenance ; but I refolvedne- ver to lay up a Groat ofit for any but the Poor. Now, Sir, myown Conditionis this: Of my Patrimony or (mall Inheritance, never took a Penny to my Pelf, my poor Kindred needing much more, I am fifteenor 16 years divefted of all Ecclefiaftical Maintenance : I never had any Church or Ledlure that I received Wagesfrom : But within these three or four ` years, much againftmy Difpofrtion, I am put to take Money of the Bounty of fpecial particular Friends ; my Wives Eftate being never my Propriety, nor ' much morethan half our yearly Expence. If then it be any way unfit for me ` to receive filch a Proportion as aforefaid, as the Fruit of my own long and hard ` Labour, for my Neceffary and Charitable lifts ; and if they that never took ` pains for ir, have more right than I, when every Labourer is Matter of his own, or if I may not take fome part with them , I know not the reafonof any ` of this. Mtn grudgenot at a Cobler, or a Tailor , or any Day-labourer, for living on his Labours: And why an ejedted Minifter of Chrilt, giving freely ` five parts to a Bookfeller,maynot take the sixth to himfelf, or to thePoor, I know nor. But what is the Thought or Word of Man? ` Dr. Bates now tells me, that for his Book called the Divine Harmony, he. had ' above an Hundred pounds, (yet referving the Power for the future to himfelf) ' For divers Impreflïons of the Saints Ref , almoft twice as big , I have not had a ` Farthing: For no Book have I had more than the fifteenthBook to my felt and Friends, and the Eighteen pence a Rheam for the Poor and Works of Charity, ` which the Devil fo hateth, that I find it a matter pail my power, to give my ` own to any Good Ufe; he fo robs me of it, or maketh Mencall it a Scandalous ` Thing. Verily, since I devoted all to God , I have found it harder to Give it (when Ido my belt) than to get it : Though I fubmitof late to himpartly upon ` Charity, and am fo far fromlaying up aGroat, that (though I hate Debt) I am 'long in Debt, &c. &c. &c. $ 1 R, Tours, R.B. Numb.

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