Baxters Narrative of His Life and Times, Part 3 · Section 3
The CASE of R. B.
§. 79. HAving been prosecuted as offending against the Oxford Confining-Act, and finding that my silence may occasion the guilt of such as understand not my Case, and being by God's hand disabled personally to appear and plead it, I am necessitated to open it by Writing, to undeceive them that mistake it.
1. As to the Sence of that Law, I conceive that it reacheth to none but Noncouformists; and that because they are suspected to teach Schism and Rebellion. For though the body of a Law someteme extend further than the Title, yet when the title containeth both the end of the Law, and the Description of the persons meant (as hear it doth) it is expository to the Law: Therefore the words] all such] in the third Paragraph, must mean [all such as aforesaid, viz. Nonconformists] and not [all such others,] viz. Conformists: For,
1. The Conformists are supposed to be from under the Suspicion.
2. And else it may ruin many Churches: If the Curate omit the Liturgy, or part, and the Incumbent Preach, it will be made an Unlawful Assembly, by the same reason that House-Meetings are so called, for want of the Liturgy; For the Law imposeth the Liturgy on Churches, but not on Houses.
3. Many Conformists have still used to repeat their Sermons in their Houses, to more than four Neighbours, without the Liturgy: And if any such thing be judg'd a Conventicle, to Fine the Incumbent Forty pounds, and Banish him Five Miles from his parish ever after, seems contrary to our Discipline.
II. My Case is this.
1. I am no Nonconformist in Law-Sence, (and my Conscience hath no Judge but God:) For I Conform to the Liturgy and Sacrament, as far as the Law requireth me: I was in no place of Ecclesiastical Promotion on May the 1st, 1662; nor ever since had any, nor the offer of any: And therefore the Law imposeth not on me, the Declaration, or the Assent or Consent, no more than on Lawyers, or Judges.
2. I have the Bishop of London's License to Preach in his Diocess, which supposeth me no Nonconformist in Law-sence: And I have the Judgment of Lawyers, even of the present Lord Chief Justice, and Mr. Pollexfen, that by that License I may Preach occasional Sermons.
3. I have Episcopal Ordination, and judge it gross Sacriledge to forsake my Calling.
4. I am justified against suspicion of Rebellious Doctrine many ways. 1. By my publick Retractation of any old accused words or writings. 2. I was chosen alone to Preach the Publick Thanksgiving at St. Paul's for General Monk's success. 3. The Commons in Parliament chose me to Preach to them at their Publick Fast for the King's Restoration, and call'd him home the next day. 4. I was Sworn Chaplain in Ordinary to the King. 5. I was offered a Bishoprick. 6. The Lord Chancellor who offered it, attested under his hand, His Majesty's Sense of my Defert, and His Acceptance. 7. I am justifyed in the King's Declaration about Ecclesiastical Affairs among the rest there mention'd. 8. When I Preached before the King, he commanded the Printing of my Sermon. 9. To which may be added the Act of Oblivion. 10. And having published above an Hundred Books, I was never yet convict of any ill Doctrine, since any of the said Acts of King, Parliament and others for my Discharge and Justification.
5. I have oft Printed my judgment for Communion with the Parish Churches, and exhorted others to it: And having built a Chappel, delivered it for Parish use.
6. I was never lawfully Convict of Preaching in an unlawful Assembly: for I was not once summon'd by the Justices that granted out the Five Warrants against me, to answer for my self, nor ever told who was my Accuser, or who Witnessed against me. And I have it under the hand of the present Lord Chief Justice, that a Lawful Conviction supposeth Summons. And the Lord Chief Justice Vaughan, with Judge Tyrrel, Archer and Wild, did long ago discharge me, upon their declaring, that even the Warrant of my Commitment was illegal, because no Accuser or Witness was named, and so I was left remediless in case of false Accusation.
7. As far as I understand it, I never did Preach in any unlawful Assembly, which was on pretence of any Exercise of Religion contrary to Law. I Preached in Parish Churches where the Liturgy was Read as oft as I had leave and invitation: And when I could not have that leave, I never took any Pastoral Charge, nor Preached for any Stipend, but not daring perfidiously to desert the Calling which I was Ordained and Vowed to, I Preacht occasional Sermons in other Men's Houses, where was nothing done, that I know of, contrary to Law; There was nothing done but Reading the Psalms, and Chapters, and the Creed, Commandments, and Lord's Prayer, and Singing Psalms, and Preaying and Praching; and none of this is forbidden by Law: The Omission of the rest of the Liturgy, is no Act, but a not-acting, and therefore is no pretended Worship according to Law. But were it otherwise, the Law doth not impose the Liturgy on Families, but only on Churches, and a Family is not forbidden to have more than four Neighbours at saying Grace, or Prayer, nor is bound to give over Family-worship, when-ever more than Four come in. The Act alloweth Four to be present at Unlawful Worship, but forbids not more to be present at Lawful Worship. And House-worship without the Liturgy is lawful worship. And yet if this were not so, as the Curate's Omission of the Prayers makes not the Preacher and Assembly guilty (suppose it were an Assize-Sermon that for hast omitted the Liturgy;) so the owner of the House, by omitting the Liturgy, maketh not him guilty that was not bound to use it, nor the Meeting unlawful to any but himself. Charity and Loyalty bind us to believe, that our King and Parliament, who allow more than many Four's to meet at a Play-house, Tavern, or Feast, never meant to forbid more than Four to b…ogether in a House to sing a Psalm, or Pray, or Read a Licensed Book, or edifie each other by Godly Conference, while no Crime is found by any Man in the Matter of their Doctrine or Prayer; and no Law imposeth the Liturgy on any but Church-Meetings.
If after many years Reproach, once Imprisonment, and the late Distress and Sale of all my Books and Goods, and those that were none of mine, but another's, and this by five or six Warrants for present Execution, without any Summons or Notice of Accusers or Witnesses, I could yet have leave to die in peace, and had not been again persecuted with new Inditements, I had not presumed thus to plead or open my own Cause. I Pray God that my Prosecutors and Judges may be so prepared for their near Account, that they may have no greater sin laid to their Charge, than keeping my Ordination-Vow is, and not Sacrilegiously forsaking my Calling, who have had so good a Master, so good a Word, so good Success, and so much Attestation from King, Parliament, City, and Bishops, as I have ha….
If they ask why I Conform not? I say, I do, as far as any Law bindeth me: If they ask why I take not this Oath, I say, Because I neither understand it, nor can prevail with Rulers to Explain it. And if have a good sence, I have not only subscribed to it, but to much more, in a Book called, The second Plea for Peace, page 60, 61, 62. Where also I have professed my Loyalty much further than this Oath extendeth. But if it have a bad sence, I will not take it. And I find the Conformists utterly disagreed of the Sence, and most that I hear of renouncing that sence which the words signifie in their common use. And knowing that Perjury is a mortal Enemy to the Life and Safety of Kings, and the Peace of Kingdoms, and to Converse, and to Man's Salvation, I will not dally with such a dangerous Crime. Nor will I deceive my Rulers by Stretches and Equivocations; nor do I believe Lying lawful after all that Grotius de Iure Belli, and Bishop Taylor Duct. Dub. have said for it. I think Oaths imposed are to be taken in the ordinary sense of the words, if the Imposers put not another on them. And I dare not Swear that a Commission under the Broad-Seal is no Commission, till I that am no Lawyer know it to be Legal: Nor yet that the Lord Keeper may Depose the King without resistance, by Sealing Commissions to Traytors to seize on his Forts, Navy, Militia, or Treasure: Nor can I consent to make all the present Church-Government as unalterable as the Monarchy; especially when the Seventh Canon extendeth it to an & caetèra, to Arch-bishops, Bishops, Deans, Arch-deacons, and the rest that bear Office in the same] not excepting Lay-Chancellor's use of the Keys; (& ipso facto Excommunicateth all, Nobility, Gentry, Clergy and Commons, that say, That it is repugnant to the Word of God.) And it's time to take heed what we Swear, when the Act of Uniformity, the Oxford-Act, the Corporation Act, the Vestry Act, the Militia Act, and the Oath of Supremacy, do bind all the Nation by Solemn Oath, not to endeavour any alteration of Government in Church or State; And yet most Reverend Fathers, who most sharply call us to Conformity, do Write for a Foreign Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, under the Name of an Universal Colledge of Bishops, or Council, having such power as other Courts, even Commanding, Pretorian, Legislative, and Judicial to all the Church on Earth, and that obedience to this Foreign Jurisdiction, is the necessary way to escape Schism and Damnation. And if it be no alteration of Government to bring King and Kingom to be subject to a Foreign Jurisdiction, this Oath, and the Oath of Supremacy, and the 39 Articles and Canons, and several Statutes, which renounced it, are all unintelligible to us. We renounce all subjection to any Foreign Church or Power, but not Communion. We have Communion with the Church of Rome, and all others in Christianity, but not in their sin; and we are not yet so dull as to know no difference between Foreigners Government of us, and their Communion; nor to think that Separation from a Usurped Government is Separation from Christian Communion: Nor can we possibly believe the Capacity of Pope, or Council, or Colledge of Bishops, as a Monarchy, or Aristocracy, to Govern all the World in one Soveraignty Ecclesiastical, till we see one Civil Monarchy, or Aristocracy, rule all the Earth. And we dread the Doctrine and Example of such Men as would introduce any Foreign Jurisdiction, while they are for Swearing all the Land against any alteration of Church-Government; And we must deliberate before we thus Conform, while so Great Men do render the Oath so doubtful to us. I appeal to the fore-cited Profession of my Loyalty, published many years ago, as being far more full and satisfactory to any that questioneth it, than the taking of this doubtful controverted Oath would be.
A true Copy of the Iudgment of Mr. Saunders now Lord Chief Iustice of the King's-Bench, given me March the 22d, 1674/5.
1. IF he hath the Bishop's License, and be not a Curate, Lecturer, or other Promoted Ecclesiastical Person, mentioned in the Act, I conceive he may Preach Occasional Sermons without Conforming, and not incure any Penalty within this Act.
The due Order of Law requires, that the Delinquent, if he be forth-coming, ought to be summon'd to appear to Answer for himself, if he pleases, before he be Convicted: But, in case of his withdrawing himself, or not appearing, he may be regularly Convicted.
Convictions may be accumulated before the Appeal be determined: but not unduely: nor is it to be supposed that any undue Convictions will be made,
As I Conceive, Edm. Saunders. M. day 22. 167….
Mr. Polixfen's Iudgment for my Preaching Occasionally.
A. B. before the Thirteenth of this King being Episcopally Ordained, and at the time of the Act of Uniformity made Car. 2. not being Incumbent in any Living, or having any Ecclesiastical Preferment, before the Act of Uniformity, viz. 25 Feb. 13 Car. 2. obtains a License of the then Bishop of London, under his Seal, to Preach in any part of his Diocess, aud at the same time subscribes the 39 Articles of the Church of England.
Quest. Whether Licenses Preceding the Act be within the meaning of the Act?
I conceive they are:: For if Licensed at the time of the Act made, what need any new License? That were but actum agere, and the Clause in the Act [unless he be Iacensed, &c.] in the manner of penning shews that Licenses, that then were, were sufficient and within the Provision: And the followiug Clause as to the Lecturers is Express [now is, or shall be Licensed] The former part of the Act as well as that extends to Licenses that then were. For the same License that enables a man to Preach a Lecture must enable a man to Preach.
Q. Whether he be restrained by the Act of Vniformity to Preach a Funeral Sermon or other occasional Sermon?
I Concei…e that he is not restrained by this Act to Preach any Occasional Sermon so as it be within the Diocess wherein he is Licensed.
Hen. Pollexfen. Decemb. 19. 1682.
§ 77. While I continue night and day under constant pain, and often strong, and under the sentence of approaching death by an uncurable disease which age and great debility yields to, I found great need of the constant exercise of patience by obedient submission to God; and writing a small Tractate of it for my own use, I saw reason to yield to them that desired it might be publick, there being (especially) so common need of obedient patience.
§ 78. Having long ago written a Treatise against Coalition with Papists, by introducing a Foreign Jurisdiction of Pope or Councils, I was urged by the Writings of Mr. Dogwel, and Dr. Saywell to publish it, but the Printers dare not Print it; Entitled England not to be perjured by receiving a Foreign Jurisdiction. It is in two Parts: The first Historical shewing who have endeavoured to introduce a Foreign Jurisdiction, citing Papists, Grotius, Arch-Bishop Bromball, Arch-Bishop Laud, Thorndike, Dr. Saywell, Dodwell, four Letters to Bishop Guning, and others. The 2d part strictly Stating the Controversy, and Confuting a Foreign Jurisdiction, against which Change of Government all the Land is Sworn. I may not Print it.
§ 79. When I saw the storm of Persecution arising by the Agitators Hilton, Shad, Buck, and such other, and saw what the Justices were at least in present danger of, and especially how Le Strange and other weekly Pamphleteers bent all their wit and power to make others odious, and prepared for destruction, and to draw as many as possibly they could to hate and ruine faithful men, and how Conscience and serious piety grew with many into such hatred and reproach, that no men were so much abhorred, that many gloried to be called Tories, tho they knew it was the name of the Irish common murdering Thieves: I wrote a small Book called Cain and Abel, in two parts: The first against malignant Enmity to serious Godliness; with abundant Reasons to convince Malignants. The second against Persecution, by way of Quaere's. I wrote a third part (as Impartial) to tell Dissenters why (while I was able) I went oft to the Parish Church and there Communicated, and why they should not suffer as Separatists or Recusants, lest they suffer as evil doers: But wise men would not let me publish it. And the two first, the Booksellers and Printers durst not print but twice refused them.
§ 80. But the third part the Reasons of my Communion with Parish Churches, that have honest able Ministers, I sent to one friend, who telling others of it, a Bookseller after two years importuned me to let him Print it. 1. The sharp execution of the Law had then brought Multitudes into Prison and Poverty. 2. Nonconformists both Presbyterians and Independents, had taken the Corporation Oath and Declaration, and Communicated in the Parish Churches, for to make them capable of Trust and Office in the City; And because it se…m'd to tend to their protection and advantage, we heard of no noise made against them by the Independents; but they admitted them as their Members to their Communion as before. I was against their taking the Declaration, but not against their Communicating, but I medled not with them. At last when the Earl of Shaftsbury was broken and gone, and the City Power and Common Council subdued to the will of the King, the foresaid Communion in publick was more freely blamed by the Independents and Anabaptists, and some few hot Scots Men. And the private Church Meetings were so much supprest, and the prisons so full, that my Conscience began to tell me, that I should be guilty of injuring the truth, the Church, and the Souls and Bodily welfare of my brethren, if I should by silence harden them against publick worship. Specially the Case of the Countrey moved me, wherein a great part of the Kingdom, scarce two hundred men in a whole Country, can have the liberty of any true Church Worship, besides Parochial. I remembred the Case of the Old Nonconformists against the Brownists, and the Writings of Mr. I. Ball, Paget, Hildersham, Bradshaw, Gifford, Brightman, Ames, &c. I could not but remember what work the separating party had made in England and Scotland, in my days from 1644. till 1660 against Government, Religion and Concord:. I saw what I long foresaw, each extreme party growing more extreme, and going further still from one another; And so great a Change is grown on London, that the Terms which we offered the Bishops for Concord 1660 are now abhorred as Antichristian: I saw multitudes like to be Imprisoned and Ruined for refusing their Duty, as if it were sin, and disgracing Religion by fathering these Errours on it. The Conformists, seeing the Errour of the Separatists, derided them all, and were confirmed in the Justification of all their Conformity; thinking that it was but a just differing from a crazed Company of Fanaticks: Those that imprisoned and ruined both them and the rest of the Nonconformists, thought they did God service by it, against an unruly sort of Men: The Common people were made believe that this was the true Complexion of all the Dissenters from whatever the Law Commanded. The distance growing wider, and great sufferings increasing hard thoughts of those by whom Men suffered, all real Love did seem to be almost utterly destroyed, and Neighbours dwelt together like unplacable Enemies: And worst of all, Men were frightened to think that they must rather give over all Church Worship, than they must Communicate with the best Ministry in the Parish Churches; and so the main body of the Land would live like Atheists, who can have no other Church-Worship but the Parochial: For the Nonconformists Churches were in almost all Countries, so suppressed that no considerable Numbers could enjoy them.
And by this means the Papists were like to have their Wills: The Protestants must be told that Recusancy is all their Duties: And going to the Publick Churches a sin: And who can for shame drive Papists to sin? And if thus they could draw all Protestants to forsake the said Churches, they would, like a deserted City and Garrison'd Fort, be open and ready for their possession. And while the Papists and Malignants are studying how to cast out all the Godly Conforming Ministers, that the Ductile remainder might be prepared for Popery, the separating part of the Independents and Anabaptists, and some few hot Scotch Presbyterians, go before them, and tell all the People that it is unlawful to hear them, and to own them as Ministers or Churches, and to have Communion with them in the Liturgy or Sacraments. Even when the rigour of Prosecutors hath brought it to that pass that they must have such or none, as to Church worship.
Seeing so many in prison, for this Error, to the dishonour of God, and so many more like to be ruin'd by it, and the separating party, by the temptation of suffering, had so far prevailed with the most strict, and zealous Christians, that a great Number were of their mind, and the Non-conformable Ministers, whose Judgment was against this separation, durst not publish their dislike of it, partly because of sharp and bitter Censures of the Separatists, and who took them for Apostates or Carnal Temporizers that communicated in publick, and partly for fear of Encouraging Persecution against the Separatists, and partly for fear of losing all opportunity of teaching them (and some that had no hope of any other friends or maintenance, or Auditors thought they might be silent,) On all these accounts, I, that had no gathered Church, nor lived on the Contribution of any such, and was going out of the world in pain and Languor, did think that I was fittest to bear men's Censures, and to take that reproach on my self, which my brethren were less fit to bear, who might live for farther Service. And at the Importunity of the Bookseller, I consented to publish the Reasons of my Communicating in the Parish-Churches, and against Separation. Which when it was coming out, a Manuscript of Dr. Owen's (who was lately dead) containing Twelve Arguments against such joyning with the Liturgie, and publick Churches, was sent me, as that which had satisfyed Multitude. I thought that if this were unanswered, my labour would be much lost, because that party would still say Dr. Owen's Twelve Arguments confuted all: Whereupon I hastily answered them, but found after that it had been more prudent to have omitted his Name: For on that account a swarm of revilers in the City poured out their keenest Censures, and three or four wrote against me, whom I answered. (I will not name the men that are known, and two of them are yet unknown) But they went on several Prineiples, some Charged all Communion with the Liturgie, with Idolatry, Antichristianity, and perjury and backsliding: One concealed his Judgment, and quarrel'd at by-words. And another —turned my Treatise of Episcopacy against me, and said it fully proved the Duty of Separation, I was glad that hereby I was called to explain that Treatise, lest it should do hurt to mistakers when I am dead; and that as in it I had said much against one extream, I might leave my Testimony against the other I called all these writings together, a Defence of Catholick Communion. And that I might be Impartial I adjoyned two piece, against Dr. Sherlock that ran quite into the contrary Extreames, unchurching almost all Christians as Schismaticks. I confess I wrote so sharply against him as must needs be liable to blame with those that know not the man, and his former and latter Virulent and ignorant Writings.
§. 81. About this time one Mr. Robert Mayot of Oxford, a very Goldly Man, that devoted all his Estate to charitable uses, a Conformist, whom I never saw, dyed, and beside many greater Gifts to Abbington, &c. gave by his last Will Six hundred pounds to be by me distributed to Sixty poor Ejected Ministers, adding that he did it not, because they were Non-conformists, but because many such were poor and pious. But the King's Attourney Sir Robert Sawyer Sued for it in the Chancery, and the Lord Ceeper North gave it all to the King. Which made many resolve to leave nothing to charitable uses after their Death, but do what they did while they lived.
§. 82. Under my daily pains I was drawn to a work which I had never the least thoughts of (and is like to be the last of my Life,) to write a paraphrase on the New Tewament, Mr. Iohn Humphrey having long importuned me, to write a paraphrase on the Epistle to the Romans, when I had done that, the usefulness of it to my self drew me farther and farther till I had done all. But having confessed my ignorance of the Revelations, and yet loth wholly to omit it, I gave but General Notes, with the Reasons of my uncertainty in the greatest difficulties: which I know will fall under the sharp Censure of many. But Truth is more valuable than such men's praises. I fitted the whole by plaiuness to the use of ordinary Families.
§ 83. After many times deliverance from the Sentence of death, on November Twenty, One thousand six hundred eighty four; in the very Enterance of the Seventyeth year of my Age, God was pleased so greatly to increase my painful Diseases, as to pass on me the Sentence of a painful death: By constant pain by an iucredible quantity of flatulency in Stomach and all the Intestines and Reins, from all that I eat or drink, my Stomach not able to disgest any meat or drink, but turning all to tearing pain; Besides the pain of the Stone in Reins and oft in the bladder; aud urine black like dirt and mortified blood. But God turneth it to my good, and giveth me a greater willingness to die, than I once thought I should ever have attained. The Lord teach me more fully to love his Will, and rest therein, as much better than my own, that oft striveth against it
§. 84. A little before this while I lay in pain and languishing, the Justices of Sessions, sent Warrants to apprehend me (about a Thousand more being in Catalogue to be all bound to the good behaviour. I thought they would send me Six months to Prison for not taking the Oxford Oath, and dwelling in London, and so I refused to open my Chamber door to them, their Warrant not being to break it open. But they set six Officers at my Study-door, who watcht all night, and kept me from my bed and food, so that the next day I yielded to them; who carried me (scarce able to stand) to their Sessions, and bound me in Four hundred pound bond, to the good behaviour: I desired to know what my Crime was, and who my Accusers, but they told me it was for no fault, but to secure the Government in evil Times; and that they had a last of many suspected persons that must do the like as well as I. I desired to know for what I was numbred with the Suspect, and by whose accusation, but they gave me good words and would not tell me. I told them I had rather they would send me 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 persons come in when I was praying, they would take it for a breach of the good behaviour: They told me, not if they came on other business, unexpectedly, and not to a set meeting; Nor yet if we did nothing contrary to Law, or the practise of the Church, I told them our innocency was not now any security to us: If two beggac women did but stand in the street and swear that I spake contrary to the Law tho' they heard me not, my bonds and liberty were at their will: For I my self lying on my bed, heard Mr. I. R. Preach in a Chappel on the other side of my Chamber, and yet one Sibil Dash and Elizabeth Cappell swore to the Justices that it was another that Preached (Two miserable poor women that made a Trade of it, and had thus sworn against very many worthy persons in Hackney and elsewhere, on which their Goods were seized on for great Mulcts or Fines. But to all this I had no Answer, but must give bond, when they knew that I was not like to break the Behaviour, unless by lying in bed in pain.
§. 85. But all this is so small a part of my suffering in comparison of what I bear in my flesh, that I could scarce regard it: And it's smal in comparison of what others suffer; Many excellent persons die in Common Jails; Thousands ruin'd: That holy humble Man, Mr. Rosewell is now under a verdict for death as a Traitor for Preaching some Words, on the witness, and Oath of Hilton's Wife (and one or two more Women) whose Husband liveth professedly on the Trade, for which he claimeth many Hundred or Thousand pounds, And not only the man professeth, but many of his hearers witness that no such words were spoken, nor any that beseemed not a loyal prudent man. But we have been too long unthankful, when all our Lives, Estates, and Liberties, are in the power of any Whores Beggars, Enemies or malicious Papists, that will but swear that we are guilty, that God hath marvellously so long restrained them: and that forcing us into secret Meetings out of our publick, hath secured the Lives of many.
§. 86. December Eleventh, I was forced in all my pain and weakness to be carried to the Sessions-house, or else my bonds of Four hundred pounds would have been judged forfeit: And the more moderate Justices that promised my discharge would none of them be there, but left the Work to Sir William Smith and the rest, who openly declared that they had nothing against me, and took me for Innocent, but yet I must continue bound, lest others should expect to be discharged also, which I openly refused: But my Sureties would be bound, lest I should die in Goal, against my declared Will, and so I must continue. … they discharged others as soon as I was gone. I was told that they did all by instructions from, &c.—and that the main end was to restrain me from writing: Which now should I do with greatest Caution, they will pick out some thing which a Jury may take for a breach of my bonds. I have written against Popery so much already that my Conscience will now allow me silence: But whereas one Separatist hath interpreted my Treatise of Episcopacy as justifying Separation, and Mr. Faldo hath by gross mistake falsly accused me as a Lyer for saying that his Congregation a Church worshipped many years without singing Psalms (and Sacraments) (forsooth because he took them not then for a Church) I must suspend my Answer to them and all such; tho' I know the Papists will take it for a Confutation of all my writings against them, to say [his own brethren, Prosestants and Dissenters have proved him a Lyer.] This I must bear from Separating Non-conformists, while the Justices that bind and trouble me, openly declare me innocent. And I am told that the Papists will not endure me to write against the Separatists, no more than against themselves, because they need their help to pull down the Godly Parish Ministers.
§. 87. Many French Ministers sentenced to Death and Banishment, fly hither for refuge: And the Church men relieve them not because they are not for English Diocesans and Conformity; And others have many of their own distressed Ministers and acquaintance to relieve, that few are able. But the Chief that now I can do is to help such, and the Silences Ministers here and the poor, as the Almoner of a few Liberal friends who trust me with their Charity.
§. 88. As to the present State of England, the Plots, the Execution of Men High and Low, the Publick Counsels and Designs, the Quality and Practice of Judges and Bishops, the Sessions and Justices, the quality of the Clergy, and the Universities and Patrons, the Church-Government by the Keys by Lay-Civilians, the usage of Ministers, and private Meetings for Preaching or Prayer, the Expectations of what is next to be done, &c. The Reader must expect none of this sort of History from me; No doubt but there will be many Volumes of it, by others transmitted to posterity; who may do it more fully than I can now do.
§. 89. Ianuary Seventeenth, I was forced again to be carried to the Sessions, and after divers daies good words which put me in expectation of freedom, when I was gone, one Justice, Sir—Decerham said that it's like that these persons solicited so for my liberty that they might come to hear me in Conventicles: and on that they bound me again in Four hundred pound bond, for above a Quarter of a year (and so it's like it will be till I die, or worse; Tho' no one ever accused me for any Conventicle or Preaching since they took all my Books and Goods above two years ago, and I for the most part keep my bed.
§. 90. Mr. Ienkins dyed in Newgate this week (Ianuary Nineteenth, 1684/5.) as Mr. Bampfield, Mr. Raphson, and others died lately before him. The Prison where are so many suffocateth the Spirits of aged Ministers. But blessed be God that gave them so long time to Preach before, at cheaper rates.
§. 61. One Richard Baxter a Sabbatarian Anabaptist was sent to Gaol for refusing the Oath of Allegiance, and it went for currant that it was I.
§. 92. Mr. Rosewell did so fully plead his own Case, and prove his innocency, and prove the Confederacy, incompetency, and falshood of the Witnesses, that tho' (alas) the Jury found him guilty of Treason, even the Chief Justice and Judges were convinced of his innocency, and at last procured his Pardon and deliverance: Innocency with humility and great ability were his advantages improved, and withall that he had few Enemies