He published, in 1671, his Defence of the Principles of Love -His Answer to Exceptions against it-The Divine Appointment of the Lord's Day-The Duty of Heavenly Meditation— Holiness the Design of Christianity-The Difference between the Power of Magistrates and Church Pastors-Vindication of God's Goodness-Second Admonition to Mr. Bagshaw. In 1672, appeared More Reasons for the Christian Religion— Desertion of the Ministry Rebuked-Certainty of Christianity without Popery-A Third Answer to Bagshaw. In 1673 and 1674, he published his Christian Directory, on which he had been employed for some years. In these two years, he also published his Full and Easy Satisfaction, and his Poor Man's Family Book. In 1675, he produced his Catholic Theology, a folio volume, which was followed by several other pieces in the course of that and the following year, which I need not now enumerate. Looking at the number and variety of these works, this must have been one of the busiest periods in his life as a writer. He preached less; but during his afflictive retirement, he laboured incessantly with his pen. The mere oversight of the press of so many works, would have been employment enough for an ordinary man. But Baxter must not be measured by this standard. He lived but to labour; and labour was his life.

CHAPTER XI.

1676-1681.

Baxter resumes preaching in the parish of St. Martin-Nonconformists again persecuted-Dr. Jane-Dr. Mason-Baxter preaches in Swallowstreet-Compton, Bishop of London—Lamplugh, Bishop of Exeter-Lloyd, Bishop of Worcester-Various slanders against Baxter-Death of Dr. Manton -Pinner's Hall Lecture-Popish Plot-Earl of Danby-Baxter's interference on behalf of banished Scotsmen-Hungarians-the Long Parliament of Charles II. dissolved-Transactions of the New Parliament-Bill of Exclusion-Meal-Tub Plot-Baxter's Reflections on the Times-WritingsDeath of Friends-Judge Hale-Stubbs-Corbet-Gouge-Ashurst-Baxter's Step-mother-Mrs. Baxter.

In the latter years of Baxter's life, the information which he has furnished respecting himself, is much less particular, than what he has supplied respecting the earlier and more bustling period of it. As he advanced in age, he appears to have lived more retired; and either from choice, or from necessity, took a less active part in public affairs. His ill state of health rendered retirement absolutely necessary, and his experience of the uselessness of contending against the disposition of the government, and the bigotry of the church, probably reconciled him to wait and pray for better times, which happily he lived to see. The gleanings of his last days, however, we must endeavour carefully to gather up. He thus resumes his narrative:

"When I had been kept a whole year from preaching in the chapel which I built, I began in another, in a tempestuous time, on account of the necessity of the parish of St. Martin; where about 60,000 souls had no church to go to, nor any public worship of God! How long, Lord!

"About February and March, 1676, it pleased the king importunately to command and urge the judges, and London justices, to put the laws against Nonconformists in execution; but the nation was backward to it. In London they were often and long commanded to it; till, at last, Sir Joseph Sheldon, the

Archbishop of Canterbury's near relation, being lord mayor, on April 30th, the execution began. They were required especially to send all the ministers to the common jails for six months, on the Oxford act, for not taking the oath, and dwelling within five miles. This day, Mr. Joseph Read was sent to jail, being taken out of the pulpit, preaching in a chapel in Bloomsbury, in the parish of St. Giles. He did so much good to the poor ignorant people who had no other teacher, that Satan owed him a malicious disturbance. He had built the chapel in his own house (with the help of friends), in compassion to those people, who, as they crowded to hear him, so did they follow him to the justices, and to the jail, to show their affection. It being the place where I had been used often to preach, I suppose was somewhat the more maliced. The very day before, I had new secret hints of men's desires of reconciliation and peace, and motions to offer some proposals towards them, as if the bishops were at last grown peaceable. To which, as ever before, I yielded, and did my part, though long experience made me suspect that some mischief was near, and some suffering presently to be expected from them.

"Mr. Jane, the Bishop of London's chaplain, preaching to the lord mayor and aldermen, in the month of June, turned his sermon against Calvin and me. My charge was, that I had sent as bad men to heaven as some that be in hell; because, in my book called the Saint's Rest,' I had said, that I thought of

Dr. Jane, of whom Baxter gives this account, was one of the highest of the high churchmen of his day. His father was a member of the Long Parliament; one of the most decided friends of the king; and author of the Eikwy axλasos, the Image unbroken,' in answer to Milton's Eikovoxλasns, the Image Broken.' The sou was educated at Westminster and Oxford, and no doubt expected to rise high in the church, for his father's services. He does not appear, however, to have advanced beyond the deanery of Gloucester, which he held with the precentorship of the church of Exeter. He had the principal share in drawing up the famous decree passed by the University of Oxford, on the 21st of July, 1683, condemning the political principles and writings of Locke, Baxter, Owen, and others of their description. On the 24th of that month, it was presented to Charles II., in the presence of the Duke of York, by Dr. Jane and Dr. Huntingdon, but had the honour to be burnt by the common hangman, by order of the House of Lords, in 1710. Notwithstanding the principles avowed in this document, Dr. Jane was one of four sent to the Prince of Orange, when on his march to London, with an offer of the University plate, to his highness, who declined it; but Jane thought his services then so important, that he took the opportunity of soliciting for himself the see of Exeter. This could not be obtained in consequence of which he remained secretly disaffected to King William, during his reign. Jane died in 1716.-Birch's Life of Tillotson, pp. 173, 174.

heaven with the more pleasure, because I should there meet with Peter, Paul, Austin, Chrysostom, Jerome, Wicliff, Luther, Zuinglius, Calvin, Beza, Bullinger, Zanchy, Paræus, Piscator, Hooper, Bradford, Latimer, Glover, Sanders, Philpot, Reynolds, Whittaker, Cartwright, Brightman, Bayne, Bradshaw, Bolton, Ball, Hildersham, Pemble, Twisse, Ames, Preston, Sibbs, Brooke, Pym, Hampden. Which of these the man knew to be in hell, I cannot conjecture: it is likely those who differed from him in judgment; but till he prove his revelation, I shall not believe him.

"This makes me remember how, this last year, one Dr. Mason, a great preacher against Puritans, preached against me publicly in London; saying, that when a justice was sending me to prison, and offered to let me stay till Monday, if I would promise not to preach on Sunday, I answered, 'I shall not,' equivocating; meaning, I shall not promise, when he thought I meant, I shall not preach. O, these, say the malignants, are your holy men! and was such a falsehood fit for a pulpit? Yet such men never spake one word to my face in their lives! The whole truth is this; Ross and Phillips, being appointed to send me to prison, for preaching at Brentford, shut the chamber doors, and would neither show nor tell me who was my accuser or witness, or let any one living be present but themselves. It being Saturday, I requested to stay at home to set my house in order till Monday. Ross asked me, whether I would promise not to preach on Sunday? I answered, 'No; I shall not:' the man not understanding me, said, 'Well, you promise not to preach.' I replied, 'No, Sir, I tell you; I will not promise any such thing: if you hinder me, I cannot help it, but I will not otherwise forbear.' Never did I think of equivocation. This was my present answer, and I went straight to prison upon it; yet did this Ross send this false story behind my back, and among courtiers and prelatists it passed for current, and was worthy Dr. Mason's pulpit impudency. Such were the men that we were persecuted by, and had to do with. Dr. Mason died quickly after.

"Being denied forcibly the use of the chapel which I had built, I was obliged to let it stand empty, and pay thirty pounds

The person of whom Baxter gives this account was, I apprehend, Charles Mason, who was made rector of St. Mary Woolchurch, in 1661, a prebendary of St. Paul's in 1663, and collated to the rectory of St. Peter Le Poor, in 1669. He was author of two or three sermons, of which I know nothing. He died in 1677.

per annum for the ground-rent myself, and glad to preach for nothing, near it, at a chapel built by another for gain, in Swallowstreet. It was among the same poor people who had no preaching, the parish having sixty thousand souls in it more than the church could hold. When I had preached there awhile, the foresaid Justice Parry, with one Sabbes, signed a warrant to apprehend me, and on the 9th of November, six constables, four beadles, and many messengers, were set at the chapel doors to execute it. I forbore that day, and afterwards told the Duke of Lauderdale of it, and asked him what it was that occasioned their wrath against me. He desired me to go and speak with the Bishop of London. I did so, and he spake fairly, and with peaceable words; but presently, he having spoken also with some others, it was contrived that a noise was raised, against the bishop at court, that he was treating of a peace with the Presbyterians. But after awhile, I went to him again, and told him it was supposed that Justice Parry was either set at work by him, or at least a word from him would take him off; I desired the bishop, therefore, to speak to him, or provide that the constables might be removed from my chapel doors, and their warrant called in. I offered also to resign my chapel in Oxendon-street to a Conformist, if so be he would procure my continued liberty in Swallow-street, for the sake of the poor multitudes that had no church to go to. He did as good as promise me, telling me that he did not doubt to do it, and so I departed, expecting quietness the next Lord's day; but instead of that, the constable's warrant was continued, though some of them begged to be excused; and against their will they continued guarding the door for above four-and-twenty

There has been a Scots church in Swallow-street for a great many years but I believe neither the present building, nor the congregation, arose from the labours of Baxter. The English Presbyterian congregation formed by Baxter's preaching, was dissolved about the beginning of last century.-Wilson's Diss. Churches, vol. iv. pp. 44-46.

Compton was raised to the see of London, on the death of Hinchman. He had formerly been a soldier, and did not take orders till he was past thirty. He was not a man of learning, or of much talent. According to Burnet, he was humble and modest; but weak, wilful, and strangely wedded to a party. Yet he applied himself diligently to the business of the diocese, and was considered decidedly opposed to Popery.—Own Times, vol. ii. p. 144. He did not entirely forget his martial character after he wore lawn sleeves; for, on the landing of the Prince of Orange, he carried off the Princess Anne to Nottingham, and marched into that town at the head of a fine troop of gentlemen and their attendants, as a guard for her highness.