§ IX.
No Man can justly wonder that he escaped not the Scourges of Tongues and Pens, and the bold Strokes of Calumny, who well considers Humane Degene∣racy, Satan's Malignity, the Dulness of some, the Rashness of others, the Cre∣dulity of others, the Narrowness of others, the Imperfections of himself, and of all, the Entertainments of God's choicest Favourites and Servants upon Record Page [unnumbered] from Age to Age: and the vast Reaches and Designs of Providence in all. Could I but perswade the Reader to read and pause upon some Instances upon Record in Sacred Writ, as being least liable to Exception (though many might be produced from Ancient and Modern Histories) he might there by at least prevent considerably his being Scandalized by the many Obloquies that come from incon∣siderate and malignant Men. What Man of Worth could or did ever yet abso∣lutely escape being traduced by some or other? See Ier. 15. 10. and 20. 10. Neh. 2. 19. and 6. 6, 7. Gen. 39. 14. 1 Sam. 22. 9—15. 2 Sam. 16. 3. Amos 7. 10, 11. Matth. 26. 61. Acts 24. 5—9. and 18. 13. Rom. 3. 8. If greater Persons (such as Ioseph, Nehemiah, Ieremiah, Daniel, Christ, and his Apostles, and David him∣self, Christ's Royal Antitype) were traduced by the Sons of Belial, as guilty of what their Souls abhorr'd so intimately; what wonder is it to find this Reverend Person Mr. Baxter, misrepresented by the malignity and obloquy of some; and by the weakness, credulity, and mistakes of others; and those perhaps excellent Per∣sons otherwise, in manifold respects?
Mr. Baxter is charged by some as being against King Charles the First in the first War, and too much a Fomenter of it. To this you have his Replys in the History it self; and thither I refer the Reader.
He has been also traduced by some, as having kill'd a Man in cold Blood with his own hands. From which Scandalous Report he has also vindicated himself in the following History. But for the Reader's further Satisfaction, I will here subjoyn a Letter from Dr. Allestree, which is not there inserted (that I remember). When a credible Person (Mr. I. H.) told Mr. Baxter that the Doctor had formerly said the like to him; saying, That he could not think well of one that had kill'd a Man in cold Blood with his own hands; Mr. Baxter suspecting that the Doctor's Chair and Reputation might give credit to this slanderous Report, he wrote to the Doctor, des••ing to know of him whether he reported this or no; assuring him in the same Letter, that he never struck any Man in anger, in all his Life, to his remem∣brance —This Letter to the Doctor was dated London, Decemb. 8. 1679. Here∣upon the Doctor returned him the following Answer:
SIR,
I Must profess sincerely that I cannot recollect that ever I said such words of you to Mr. H. as it seems be doth affirm I did. But yet I cannot but acknowledge it is very possible that I related (and it may be to him) that I had heard you kill'd a Man in cold blood; since I very well remember that above Thirty years since, at the end of the War, I heard that publickly spoke before Company, and with this further Circumstance, that it was a Sol∣dier who had been a Prisoner some hours before. Now this Report relating to the Wars, in which I fear such things were no great Rarities; and from my very tender youth, I having not had the least Concern with you, nor likelyhood of any for the future, did not therefore apprehend at present any concern or occasion of enquiring whether it were true; of which, up∣on that confident Asseveration I did make no doubt. And I took so little thought of laying up the Relation, that I protest to you, as in the presence of Almighty God, it is impossible for me, to recover who made up that Company in which I heard it, or from whom I heard it. And I wonder how it came into my mind to say that I had heard it so long after. But how∣ever, though it be some ease to me to believe that the late Discourses of it, do not come from my relating it so long since that I have heard it, neither are likely to receive any confirmation from it, unless it be made more publick than I have made it; yet I do profess it is a great affliction to me to have spoken that, though but as a Report, which it seems was a slander (for so I believe it upon your Asseveration) and not having endeavoured to know whether it were true. And as I have begg'd God's forgiveness, so I heartily desire you will forgive me. And if I could direct my self to any other way of Satisfaction, I would give it. This is the whole Account I can give of this Matter; To which I shall only add that I am,
SIR,
Your very affectionate Servant, Richard Allestree.
Eaton-Colledge, Dec. 13. 1679.
Page [unnumbered]Such was the Exemplary Ingenuity and true Equity and Candour of this wor∣thy Person.
But the boldest Stroke that ever I met with at the Reputation of this worthy Person Mr. Baxter, occurs in a Letter that I have lately received from a Person very credible (out of Worcestershire, Dated March the first, 1695/6.) The Sum whereof is this:
—HEre is a Report in some Persons mouths that Mr. Baxter, before he dyed, and so till his Death, was in a great doubt and trouble about a Future State. It is suggested that he continued in such Doubt, or rather was inclining to think there was no Future State at all, and that he ended his Days under such a Perswasion; which occasi∣oned no small trouble to him, he having written so many things to perswade persons to be∣lieve there was.—
This Report is related to me as brought down from London by no mean Man; by one of great Repute in his Faculty, and well known through the Nation, frequently an Hearer of Mr. Baxter, and an honourable Person. And I am further informed by the same Hand, That it is there reported that many of his Friends, Per∣sons of Quality about London, know the truth of it.
1. Audax facinus! What will degenerate Man stick at! We know nothing here that could in the least minister to such a Report as this. I that was with him all along, have ever heard him triumphing in his heavenly Expectation, and ever speaking like one that could never have thought it worth a Man's while to be, were it not for the great Interest and Ends of Godliness. He told me that he doubted not, but that it would be best for him when he had left this Life, and was translated to the heavenly Regions.
2. He own'd what he had written, with reference to the Things of God, to the very last. He advised those that came near him carefully to mind their Soul Concerns. The shortness of Time, the instancy of Eternity, the worth of Souls, the greatness of God, the riches of the Grace of Christ, and the excellency and import of an heavenly Mind and Life, and the great usefulness of the Word and Means of Grace pursuant to Eternal Purposes, they ever lay pressingly upon his own Heart, and extorted from him very useful Directions and Encouragements to all that came near him, even to the last. Insomuch, as that if a Polemical or Ca∣suistical Point, or any Speculation in Philosophy or Divinity, had been but of∣fered to him for his Resolution, after the clearest and briefest Representation of his Mind, which the Proposer's Satisfaction call'd for, he presently and most de∣lightfully fell into Conversation about what related to our Christian Hope and Work.
3. Had he thought that there had been no Future State for Man to be Con∣cern'd about, why was he so delighted in a hopeful Race of young Ministers and Christians? to my knowledge he greatly valued young Divines, and hopeful Can∣didates for the Ministry: He was most liberal of Counsel and Encouragement to them, and a most inquisitive after, and pleased with their growthful Numbers and Improvement: And he told me, and spake it in my hearing, That he had the greatest Hopes and Expectations from the succeeding Generation of them: And he pleased himself with the Hopes and Expectations of this, that they would do God's Work much better than we had done before, and escape our Errours and Defects.
4. Any Man that reads his last Will may easily see that his Apprehensions and Disposition did not savour of such Scepticism as the Report insinuates. That part thereof which may Confirm the Reader that Mr. Baxter had no such Thoughts abiding in him, I shall here for the Reader's Satisfaction lay before him; which is as followeth:
I Richard Baxter of London Clerk, unworthy Servant of Iesus Christ, drawing to the End of this Transitory Life, having through God's great Mercy the free use of my Understanding, do make this my last Will and Testament—My Spirit I commit, with Trust and Hope of the Heavenly Felicity, into the Hands of Iesus my glorified Redeemer and Intercessor: and by his Mediation into the hands of God my reconciled Father, the Page [unnumbered] Infinite, Eternal Spirit, Life, Light and Love, most great and wise and good, the God of Nature, Grace, and Glory: of whom, and through whom, and to whom are all things: My absolute Owner, Ruler, and Benefactor; whose I am, and whom (though imperfectly) I serve, seek, and trust; to whom be glory for ever, Amen.—To him I render most humble thanks that he hath fill'd up my Life with abundance of Mercy, pardoned my Sins by the Merits of Christ, and vouchsafed by his Spirit to Renew and Seal me as his own; and to moderate and bless to me my long Sufferings in the Flesh, and at last to sweeten them by his own Interest and comforting Approbation, who taketh the Cause of Love and Concord as his own.—
Now let the Reader judge whether any thing in all this can in the least infer his Doubting or Denial of a Future State; or any Repentance of the Pains he took to establish others in the Belief and Hopes of what the Gospel tells us of as future. It is strange to see how Men can trifle in their Soul-affairs, and how easily they can receive whatever may mortifie the Life and Joy of Christian Godliness: But we read of some that have been led Captive by the Devil at his will. But this we may believe, and all shall find that the Hell which they gave no credit to the report of, they shall surely feel, and that they shall never reach that Heaven which they would never believe Existent, and worth their serious looking after. Were it but a meer probability, or possibility, who will have the better of it? When we reach Heaven, we shall be in a Capacity of Insulting over In•idels: But if there be no Future State, they can never live to upbraid us. And it is but folly, madness, and a voluntary cheating of themselves, for Men to think that Honour, Parts, or Learning, or Interest, or Possessions can ever skreen them from the Wrath of a neglected and provoked God. And one would think that such a Spirit that can so boldly traduce and asperse Men, is much below what has acted a Pagan Roman; for even one of them, could say,
Pers.
I can easily foresee that Readers of different sorts are likely to receive this Work, with different Sentiments.
1. The Interested Reader, in things related here, will judge of and relish what he reads as he finds himself concerned therein: He may possibly look upon himself as either commended or exposed, blamed or justified; whether justly or unjustly he may best know. But I would hope that his Concernedness for the Interest of Equi∣ty and Truth, and for the Publick Good, will rather make him candid than severe.
2. The Impartial Reader is for knowing Truth in its due and useful Evidence, and for considering himself as liable to Imperfections if engaged in such work as this: and thus he will allow for others Weaknesses, as he would have his own allowed for.
3. Should any Reader be censorious, and stretch Expressions and Reports beyond their determin'd Line and Reach, sober and clear Conviction in this Case may be their Cure.
4. As to the Judicious Reader, he loves, I know, to see things in their Nature, Order, Evidence and Usefulness: and if he find Materials, he can dispose them ea∣sily, and phrase them to his own Satisfaction, and at the same time pity the injudi∣ciousness of a Publisher, and the imperfections of the Author.
5. As to the weak Reader (for judiciousness is not every sober Person's Lot) it will be harder to convince him beyond his ability of discerning things in their di∣stinctness, truth and strength.
6. As to the byassed Reader, it is hoped that his second serious Thoughts may cure him of his Partiality.
Page [unnumbered]7. As to the selfish Reader, it is bold for any Man to think himself Superiour to the rest of Men and that all must be a Sacrifice to his own Concerns and Humour: A narrow Soul is a great In•elicity, both to its self, to others, and the Publick In∣terest.
8. The Publick Spirited Reader is more concern'd for Truth than for any Thing that Rivals it: his Thoughts and Motto is Magna est veritas & praevalebit; and he will think himself most gratified when Publick Expectations and Concerns are an∣swered and secured best.
9. Those that are perfectly ignorant of what the History is most concerned in will be glad of better Informations; and the Things recorded will be (as being No∣vel) most grateful to him.
10. As to those that were acquainted mostly with the Things here mentioned, they will have their Memories refreshed, and meet with some Additions to their useful Knowledge.
11. And as to my self, if there be any thing untrue, injurious, or unfit, as to either Publick or Personal Concerns, the Publisher hopes that the Reader will not look upon him as obliged to justifie or espouse whatever the Author may have mis∣represented, through his own Personal Infirmities or Mistakes; for all Men are im∣perfect, and my Work was to publish the Author's Sentiments and Reports, rather than my own: Nor will I vouch for every Thing in this History, nor in any meer Humane Treatise, beyond its Evidence or Credibility. But let the Reader assure himself that I am his, in the best of Bonds and Services, whilst
I am M. S.
London, May 13. 1696.
