Baxters Narrative of His Life and Times, Part 2 · Section 10 · Floating text 16 – Letter 7
To the King's most Excellent Majesty:
The humble and grateful Acknowledgment of many Ministers of the Gospel in and about the City of London, to his Royal Majesty for his gracious Concessions in his Majesty's late Declaration concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs.
Most Dread Sovereaign!
WE your Majesty's most Dutiful and Loyal Subjects, Ministers of the Gospel in your City of London, having perused your Majesty's late Declaration concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs, and finding it to the joy of our hearts, so full of Indulgence and gracious Condescension, we cannot but judge our selves highly obliged, in the first place to render our unfelgned Thanks to our good God, who hath so mercifully inclined your Majesty's Royal heart to this Moderation, and next our most humble and hearty Acknowledgments unto your Sacred Majesty, that we may testifie to your Royal Self, and all the World, our just Resentment of your Majesty's great Goodness and Clemency therein expressed.
May it please your Majesty,
The Liberty of our Consciences and the free Exercise of our Ministry in the Work of our Great Lord and Master, for the Conversion of Souls, ought to be, and are more dear to us, than all the Profits and Preferments of this World; and therefore your Majesty's Tenderness, manifested in these so high Concernments, doth wonderfully affect us, and raise up our Hearts to an high pitch of Gratitude.
We cannot but adore Divine Goodness for your Majesty's stedfast adherance to the Protestant Religion, notwithstanding all Temptations and Provocations to the contrary, and your professed Zeal for the Advancement and Propagation thereof, declaring, that nothing can be proposed to manifest your Zeal and Affection for it, to which you will not readily consent.
Your Majesty has graciously declared, That your Resolution is, and shall be, to promote the Power of Godliness, to encourage the Exercises of Religion, both publick and private, to take care that the Lord's day be applyed to holy Exercises, without unnecessary Divertisements; and that insufficient, negligent and scandalous Ministers be not permitted in the Church. Your Majesty hath granted that no Bishop shall Ordain, or Exercise any part of Jurisdiction which appertains to the Censures of the Church, without the advice and assistance of the Presbyters, and neither do, nor impose any thing, but what is according to the known Laws of the Land. Excluded Chancellours, Commissaries, and Officials from Acts of Jurisdiction: so happily restored the Power of the Pastors in their several Congregations; and granted a Liberty to all the Ministers to assemble Monthly for the Exercise of the Pastoral perswasive Power, to the promoting of Knowledge and Godliness in their Flocks. Your Majesty hath graciously promised a Review, and effectual Reformation of the Liturgy, with additional Forms to be used at Choice: And in the mean time, that none be punished, or troubled for not using it. Your Majesty hath graciously freed us from Subscription required by the Canon, and the Oath of Canonical Obedience; and granted us to receive Ordination, Institution and Induction, and to exercise our Function, and enjoy the profit of our Livings, without the same. Your Majesty hath gratified the Consciences of many, who are grieved with the use of some Ceremonies, by indulging to, and dispensing with their omitting those Ceremonies, viz. Kneeling at the Sacrament, the Cross in Baptism, bowing at the Name of Jesus, and wearing of the Surplice.
All this your Majesty's Indulgence and tender Compassion (which with delight we have taken the boldness thus largely to Commemorate) we receive with all humility and thankfulness, and, as the best Expression thereof, shall never cease to pray for your Majesty's long and prosperous Reign; and study how in our several Stations we may be most Instrumental in your Majesty's Service: And that we may not be defective in Ingenuity, we crave leave to profess, that though all things in this Frame of Government be not exactly suited to our Judgment, yet your Majesty's moderation hath so great an influence upon us, that we shall to our utmost endeavour the healing of the Breaches, and promoting the Peace and Union of the Church.
There are some other things that have been propounded by our Reverend Brethren, which, upon our knees, with all humble Importunity, we could beg of your Majesty, especially that Re-ordination, and the Surplice in Colledges may not be imposed; and we cannot lay aside our Hopes, but that that God, who hath thus far drawn out your Majesty's Bowels and Mercy, will further incline your Majesty's Heart to gratifie us in these our humble Desires also.
That we be not further burthensome, we humbly beg leave to thank your Majesty for the Liberty and Respect vouchsafed to our Reverend Brethren in this weighty Affair of Accommodation. The God of Heaven bless your Majesty, and all the Royal Family,
Your Majesty's most Loyal Subjects,
Sa. Clark.
Tho. Case.
Io. Rawlinson.
Io. Sheffield.
Tho. Gouge.
Gab. Sanger.
Will. Cooper.
Will. Whittaker.
Tho. Iacomb.
Tho. Lye.
Io. Iackson.
Io. Meriton.
Eli. Pledger.
Will. Bates.
Io. Gibbon.
Mat. Poole.
With may others.
This Address was Presented to his Majesty at Whiteball, Nov. 16. by some of these Ministers, to whom he was pleased to return a very gracious Answer.
London, Printed by his Majesty's Approbation for Ioh. Rothwel, at the Sign of the Fountain in Cheapside, in Goldsmiths Row, 1660.
§ 130. Whether this came to the King's Ears, or what else it was that caused it. I know not, but presently after the Earl of Lauderdale came to tell me, that I must come the next day to the King: Who was pleased to tell me, that he sent for me only to signifie his Favour to me: I told him, I feared my plain Speeches Octob. 22. which I thought that Cause in hand commanded me, might have been displeasing to him: But he told me that he was not offended at the plainness or freedom or earnestness of them, but only when he thought I was not in the right; and that for my free Speech he took me to be the honester Man.
I suppose this Favour came from the Bishops, who having notice of what last past, did think that now I might serve their Interests.
§ 131. The Question now is, What we got by procuring this Declaration of the King's, and how it was accepted by the People?
1. I thought it no small gain, though none of it should be fulfilled, that we had got so much from the hand of a King, to take off prejudice among the People, and abate the violence of cruel Men, and to stand on record to Posterity that once so much was granted us by the King! for if ever there be any inclinations to Peace and Charity hereafter, that which once hath been granted will be easilier granted again, than that which was never granted before. This Testimony is more worth than all our labour for it.
2. The Ministers and People of the Land that were concerned in it, had a Twelve months time by it, in their Ministerial Liberty, and Maintenance: for this suspended the Execution of the old Laws which were in force against them, till the new ones were made.
3. We got (which was a valuable benefit) the Liberty in our Treaty to speak for our Cause under the protection of the King's Commission, and justly to state our Differences; which else would have been fasly stated to our prejudice, and none might have contradicted them.
§ 132. But for the fulfilling of it, there was nothing at all done which the Declaration mentioneth, save only this years Suspension of the Law against us: And some Men were so violent at a distance in the Country, that they indicted Ministers at the Assizes and Sessions notwithstanding the Declaration, taking it for no Suspension of the Law: which put us on many ungrateful Addresses to the King and the Lord Chancellour for their Deliverance: For the Brethren complained to us from all Parts, and thought it our Duty, who had procured the Declaration, to procure the Execution of it: And when we petitioned for them they were commonly delivered from that Suffering.
But as to the Matter of Church-Government mentioned in the Declaration, 1. The Power of Godliness hath been promoted, as the Act of Uniformity, and the Act against Conventicles, and the Ejecting of 1800 Ministers at once, and many Hundred before, with much more to the same purpose, express. 2. The publick and private Exercises of Religion, have been encouraged, just as those two forementioned Acts express: Of which to English-men I need not give an Exposition. 3. Of the applying the Lord's Day wholly to holy Exercises, without unnecessary Divertisements, I have least to say; because in these Times we expect only Liberty to do so our selves, leaving all others to take their own way: And through God's mercy we have liberty to meditate or pray in our Closets; and to pray in our Families, so there be not above four others present, and to hear Common Prayer and Sermon too in Publick in those Parishes that have a Minister that can and will preach: And if others think a Play, or publick Games or Drinking, or Ryoting to be necessary Divertisements, they cannot constrain us to the like. 4. That Clause of not permitting insufficient, negligent, scandalous Ministers (for the word [Non-resident] could not pass) I believe is executed according to the Judgment of the Executors: for I suppose they take him that cannot discern the lawfulness of the Subscriptions, Declarations, and Practises of Conformity, about Oaths, Prelacy and Ceremonies, to be more insufficient for the Ministry (how learned and able otherwise soever) than an ignorant Reader is. And I suppose they take one that renounceth not the Obligations of the Vow and Covenant, and Subscribeth not to Prelacy and Ceremonies to be more scandalous than a Drunkard or a Whoremonger; and one that neglecteth any of these to be more negligent than he that neither preacheth to his Flock, nor personally instructeth them.
§ 133.Declar. p. 11. As to the Appointment of such a number of Suffragan Bishops in every Diocess as is necessary to the due performance of the Work, there was never a one appointed in any one Diocess in the Land, that ever I heard of; but yet this may be thus far excused, that the Parliament having done so much of the Work of Church Discipline themselves, as to cast out 1800 of us at once, there was the less need of Suffragans afterwards; and the Bishops themselves were sufficient to cast out, or keep out the rest, if ever any such more as we should seek to get into the Ministry.
§ 134. That no Bishop shall ordain or exercise any part of Iurisdiction, p. 11.&c. without the Advice and Assistance of the Presbyters, may be performed, for ought I know; for perhaps the Bishop (or Chancellor) hath the Advice of his Chaplain in private to do it himself, and I believe many of his Presbyters assist him by their Information, telling him who they be that scruple Ceremonies, and who meet in private to Worship God, and what nonconformable Ministers presume to preach the Gospel.
§ 135. That no Lay Chancellor, Commissaries, or Officials as such shall excommunicate,p. 11. absolve, &c. may for ought I know be fulfilled: For though they do it Familiarly, as they did before, and few Countries have not some that are excommunicated by them, for not receiving the Sacrament against their Consciences, or some such Matter: Yet whether they do it [as such] or in any other unknown Capacity, is more than a Stander-by can tell, and they say, that when it comes to the Sentence of Excommunication, some of them use a Priest pro Formâ.
§ 136. Nor did I ever yet hear of an Archdeacon who exercised his Iurisdiction by the Advice and Assistance of six Ministers chosen as is there mentioned (p. 11.)
§ 137. Nor did I ever hear that an equal Number (to the Canons and Prebends) were annually,p. 12. (or ever once) chosen in any one Diocess by the Vote of the Presbyters to be always assisting to the Bishop in all Church-censures, &c. But indeed the Suffragans did never exercise their Iurisdiction without them;p. 12. because such Suffragans never were.
§ 138.p. 12. Nor did I ever hear that the Ministers Consent was desired for the Confirming of any in his Parish; nor of any other than the old way of Confirmation, that is, for any that will run into the Church, though never so unknown, to kneel down and have the few Words mentioned in the Liturgy said with the Bishop's Hand on his Head.
§ 139. Nor did I yet ever hear of any one,p. 12. who before he was admitted to the Sacrament, was called to any other [credible Profession of Faith] and Promise of Obedience, than to stand up at the Creed, or to be present at the Common-Prayer: Nor of refussing Scandalous Offenders till they have openly declared themselves to have truly repented and amended their former naughty Lives. But I have oft heard them threatned for not receiving.
§ 140.p. 13. Much less did I ever hear of any such thing as a Rural Dean with his Neighbour-Minister meeting monthly, or ever once, for any of those excellent Works there mentioned: Nor of any Attempt of such a thing.
§ 141.p. 14. As for the Bishop's not using Arbitrary Power, but according to the known Law of the Land, I suppose they take the Canons to be the Law of the Land, or according to it, which other Men never dream'd of, that desired that Provision.
§ 142. And whether ever the Alterations mentioned were made of the Liturgy and the additional Forms in Scripture Phrase suited to the Nature of the several Parts of Worship, you may know by perusing it, and by that which here followeth.
§ 143. Yet I think that those Men are reproveable who say that nothing but Deceit and Jugling was from the beginning intended: For who knoweth other Mens Intents but God; Charity requireth us to think that they speak nearer to the Truth, who say, that while the Diocesan Doctors were at Breda, they little dreamt that their way to their highest Grandeur was so fair, and therefore that then they would have been glad of the Terms of the Declaration of Breda; and that when they came in, it was necessary that they should proceed safely, and feel whether the Ground were solid under them, before they proceeded to their Structure: The Land had been but lately engaged against them: The Covenant had been taken even by the Lords and Gentlemen of their own Party at their Composition: There was the Army that brought them in (who were Presbyterians as to the most of the ruling part) to be disbanded; and how knew they what the Parliament would do? Or that there would be none to contest against them in the Convocation? How could they know these things beforehand? Therefore it was necessary that moderate things should be proposed and promised; and no way was so fit as by a Declaration, which being no Law, is a temporary thing, giving place to Laws: And it was needful that the Calling of a Synod were delayed, till the Presbyterians were partly cast out, and a way to keep out the rest secured. And if when all these things were done, the former Promises were as the Independants called the Covenant, like an Almanack out of Date, and if Severities were doubled in comparison of what they were before the Wars, no Man can wonder that well understood the Persons and the Causes.
§ 144. Presently after this, Mr. Crofton writing to prove the Obligation of the solemn National Vow and Covenant; (not as binding any Man to Rebellion, or to any thing unlawful, but in his Place and Calling to endeavour Reformation, to be against Schism, Popery, Prelacy and Profaneness, and to defend the King) he was sent Prisoner to the Tower; where when he had laid long at great Charges, he sought to get an Habeas Corpus; but his Life being threatned, he was glad to let that Motion fall, and at last to petition for his Liberty, which he obtained. But going into his own Country of Cheshire, he was imprisoned there; and when he procured his Liberty, he was fain to set up a Grocer's Shop to get a maintenance for his Family. While he was in the Tower, he went to the Chappel Service and Sermon; his Judgment being against separating from the Parish-Churches, notwithstanding their Conformity, so be it he were not put himself to use the Common-Prayer as a Minister, or the Ceremonies. And this occasioned some that thought his Course unlawful, to write against it: to which he somewhat sharply replied, and so divers Writings were published on both sides, about such Communion.
§ 145. This calleth to my Remembrance, how earnest the Brethren of London and the Countries were, to have had us draw up among our selves, how far we should go when Conformity was imposed, that we might not be weakened by differing among our selves; which I could never persuade my self to attempt, considering, as I oft told them, 1. That we had no such Design, as to unite and strengthen one Party against onother, but to keep up the Interest of Religion in the Land. 2. That if God permitted some able Men to conform, though sinfully, he would do good by it to his Church, by keeping the Parish-Churches in such a Case, that all of us might not be driven to forsake them. 3. That the thing desired was utterly impossible: 1. Because no Man could tell beforehand what would be imposed on us; and therefore none could tell wherein we should be forced to dissent. 2. Because the same Act (as coming to Common-Prayer, or Sacrament in the Churches) might become a Duty to some Men, and a Sin to others, by diversity of their Stations, Relations, Pastors, Churches, Occasions, Circumstances (as I proved). How then could all beforehand set a bound how far to go? It would be much better to persuade Censorious Brethren, to unite in Christian Faith and Love, and to keep Charity and Peace with all that agree in the Foundation, and not to make a Breach by their Censoriousness, and then say others make a Breach by differing from us: Nor to be of the same Spirit with Imposers, while they are in the Heat of Opposition against them; or of sufferings by them. The Difference is but in the Expressions of Uncharitableness: one Party silenceth, imprisoneth, and banisheth; and the other Party censureth those that differ from them, as Temporisers, and unfit for their Communion. 3. And if any had set down his Terms or Bounds, who can dream that all would have agreed to them, when Mens Judgments, and Interests, and Temptations are so various? 4. The thing would have seem'd intollerable to our Governors; and they would have taken us for Factious, that had more desired to strengthen a Party against them, than to live in Peace and Concord.
§ 146. About this time, there fell out an Accident that gave Occasion to the Malicious to reproach us: It was our great Grief, that so many faithful Ministers were put out, and so many unworthy Persons restored, or newly put into the Ministry. Every Day almost People talkt to us of one drunk at such a Place, and another carried in a Cart, or lying in a Ditch at such a place; or one taken drunk by the Watch at Night; and another abused and made a Scorn in his Drunkenness by the Apprentices in the Streets; and of Three that the Day when they had been Ordained… got in their Drink, three Wenches to them in the Inn or Tavern, which having their married in their manner, &c. two fled, and the third was fain to take his Wench to Wife; with abundance such News that fill'd the City. We modestly told some of it, and they made us odious by it, as malicious Slanderers; as if a Word had not been true. At last the City did ring of one Baker, that preached a funeral Sermon drunk at Westminster, and fell a railing at the People in the Church, in his Sermon, with much of the like: Because the Rumour was so common we enquired after it, till it was attested to us by the Hearers; and having such unquestionable Witness, some Brethren would by all means tell the King … it, as by the by, to move …im to reform such things: When we were next with him, Dr. Manton told him of it, and there being one Baker elected by the King to an Irish Bishoprick, and the common Fame and some of the Hearers saying, that it was the same Man; I seconded Dr. Manton, and told the King, That we could not say upon our knowledge that it was true, but when the Fame of such things was common as to affect his Subjects, be it true or false, we thought it better for his Majesty to hear what the People said, than never to hear it: and also that it was said, That this Baker was one that he had elected to be a Bishop. This greatly troubled the King, and he called for the Book that had the Catalogue of the Bishops; which Secretary Nicholas brought, and said there was no such Name; But the King presently spied the Name; and said, There it was, and charged that he should be enquired after. The next day we learned that it was another Baker of the same Name with the Bishop: And though we also learned that the Bishop himself was a Good-fellow, yet because it was not the same Man, I went the next day to Mr. Secretary Morrice, and intreated him to certifie the King, that it was another Baker, that so the Bishop might receive no wrong by it: which he promised to do. Yet was it given out that we were Lyers and …anderers, that maliciously came to defame the Clergy: And shortly after the Bishop put it into the News-Book, That some Presbyterians had maliciously defamed him, and that it was not he, but another of his Name. So that though the Fact was never questioned or denied, yet was it a heinouser matter in us to say that it was reported to be an elect Bishop, when it was as ancient a Priest of the same name, than for the Man to preach and pray in his Drunkenness. I never heard that he was rebuked for it; but we heard enough of it.
§ 147. Upon this Fact, when we met and dined one day at the Lord Chamberlains, among other talk of this Business, I said, [That if I wished their hurt at one of their Enemies, I should wish they were more such, that their shame might cast them down]. Mr. Horton (a young Man that was Chaplain to the Lord Chamberlain, and then intended to conform) answered, That we must not wish evil, that good may come of it. To which I replyed, There is no doubt of it: far is it from me to say that I wish it; but if I were their Enemy, I could scarce wish them greater hurt and injury to their Cause, than to set up such Men; and that those are their Enemies, whoever they be, that perswade them to cast out learned, godly Ministers, and set up such in their room as these. Yet did this Mr. Horton, in his complying weakness to please that Party, tell Dr. Bolton, That I wished that they were all such: And Dr. Bolton told it from Table to Table, and published it in the Pulpit: And when he was questioned for it, alledged Mr. Horton as his Author. When I went to Mr. Horton, he excused it, and said, That he thought I h…d said so; and when I told him of the additional words, by which then I disclaimed such a sence, he could not remember them; and that was all the remedy I had; though none of the Brethren present remembred any such words as he reported. But when the Lord Chamberlain knew of it, he was so much offended, that I was fain to intercede for Mr. Horton, that it might not prove any hurt to him. And by this following Letter he exprest his distast—
For my esteemed Friend Mr. Baxter, These.
SIR,
I Have just Cause to intreat your Excuse for so abrupt a breaking from you: I confess I was under very great trouble, for the folly of my Chaplain, and could not forbear to express it to him. I am concerned with a very true resentment for so imprudent a Carriage. Let me intreat you that it may not reflect upon me, but that you will believe that I have so great a value of you, and am so tender of your Credit, as I cannot easily pass by my Chaplain's indiscretion: Yet I shall endeavour to clear you from any untrue Aspersions, and shall approve my self
Your assured Friend, Ed. Manchester.
§ 148. I shall next insert some account of the Business which I had so often with the Lord Chancellour at this time: Because it was most done in the inter-space between the passing of the King's Declaration, and the Debates about the Liturgy.
In the time of Cromwell's Government, Mr. Iohn Elliot, with some Assistant in New-England, having learnt the Natives Language, and Converted many Souls among them (not to be baptized and forget their Names as well as Creed, as it is among the Spaniards Converts at Mexico, Peru, &c. but to serious Godliness); it was found that the great hinderance of the progress of that Work was the Poverty and Barbarousness of the People, which made many to live dispersed like wild Beasts in Wildernesses, so that having neither Towns, nor Food, nor Entertainment fit for English Bodies, few of them could be got together to be spoken to, nor could the English go far, or stay long among them. Wherefore to build them Houses, and draw them together, and maintain the Preachers that went among them, and pay School-masters to teach their Children, and keep their Children at School, &c. Cromwell caused a Collection to be made in England in every Parish; and People did contribute very largely: And with the Money (beside some left in stock) was bought 7 or 800l. per Annum of Lands, and a Corporation chosen to dispose of the Rents for the furthering of the Works among the Indians. This Land was almost all bought for the worth of it of one Colonel Beddingfield, a Papist, an Officer in the King's Army: When the King came in, Beddingfield seizeth on the Lands again; and keepeth them, and refuseth either to surrender them, or to repay the Money; because all that was done in Cromwell's time being now judged void, as being without Law, that Corporation was now null, and so could have no right to Money or Lands: And he pretended that he sold it under the worth, in expectation of the recovery of it, upon the King's return. The President of the Corporation was the Lord Steele, a Judge (a worthy Man): The Treasurer was Mr. Henry Ashurst, and the Members were such sober godly Men, as were best affected to New-Englands Work: Mr. Ashurst (being the most exemplary Person for eminent Sóbriety, Self-denial, Piety, and Charity, that London could glory of, as far as publick Observation, and Fame, and his most intimate Friends Reports could testifie) did make this (and all other Publick Good which he could do) his Business: He called the Old Corporation together, and desired me to meet them: where we all agreed, that such as had incurred the King's Displeasure, by being Members of any Courts of Justice, in Cromwell's days, should quietly recede, and we should try if we could get the Corporation restored, and the rest continued, and more fit Men added, that the Land might be recovered: And because of our other Business, I had ready access to the Lord Chancellour, they desired me to solicit him about it: so Mr. Ashurst and I did follow the Business. The Lord Chancelloor at the very first was ready to further us, approving of the Work, as that which could not be for any Faction, or Evil end, but honourable to the King and Land. And he told me, That Beddingfield could have no right to that which he had sold, and that the right was in the King, who would readily grant it to the good use intended: and that we should have his best assistance to recover it. And indeed I found him real to us in this Business from first to last: yet did Beddingfield by the friendship of the Attorney General, and some others, so delay the Business, as bringing it to a Suit in Chancery, he kept Mr. Ashurst in a Twelve-months trouble before he could recover the Land: but when it came to Judgment, the Lord Chancellour spake very much against him, and granted a Decree for the New Corporation. For I had procured of him before, the King's Grant of a New Corporation; and Mr. Ashurst and my self had the naming of the Members: And we desired Mr. Robert Boyle (a worthy Person of Learning and a Publick Spirit, and Brother to the Earl of Cork) to be President (now called Governour) and I got Mr. Ashurst to be Treasurer again, and some of the old Members, and many other godly, able Citizens made up the rest: Only we left the Nomination of some Lords to his Majesty, as not presuming to nominate such, (And the Lord Chancellour, Lord Chamberlain, and six or seven more were added). But it was Mr. Boyle and Mr. Ashurst, with the Citizens, that did the Work: But especially the care and trouble of all was on Mr. Ashurst. And thus that Business was happily restored.
§ 149. And as a fruit of this his Majesty's Favour, Mr. Elliot sent the King, first the New Testament and then the whole Bible, translated and printed in the Indian's Language: Such a Work and Fruit of a Plantation, as was never before presented to a King. And he sent word, that next he would print my Call to the Unconveried, and then The Practice of Piety: But Mr. Boyle sent him word it would be better taken here, if the Practic of Piety were printed before any thing of mine. At the present the Revenues of the Land goeth most to the maintaining of the Press. Upon the occasion of this Work, I had these Letters of Thanks from the Court and Governour in New-England, and from Mr. Norton and Mr. Elliot.