Richard Baxter's penitent confession and his necessary vindication in answer to a book called…

§ 49. Accus. XXXVI. His next is a common Accusation of me by his Party, that I speak of Brook, Prin, Hampden and White as of Men in Heaven.]

§ 49. Accus. XXXVI. His next is a common Accusation of me by his Party, that I speak of Brook, Prin, Hambden and White as of Men in Heaven.]

Ans. I think so still: Prin and White were never Soldiers: Our Creed containeth not any Article that decideth Controversies about the various forms of Government: Christ never told us how much of the Supremacy was in Caesar, and how much in the Senate and People, and which of them had the Legislative Power: Nor whether England be an Absolute or a Limited Monarchy; nor whether the Parliament have part of the Legislative and Self-defending Power. And those that best knew these Men (especially Hampden and White] took them for Men in all other respects of Great Wisdom, Piety and Honesty: If among the old Romans all the Civil Wars between the Senate and the Emperors, and one Emperor and another, (when of Forty scarce Ten died a Natural Death, but were Murdered) had inferred the Destruction and Damnation of all that were against the Censuring side, how few would have escaped? When setting up Emperors and killing them was so common, that Soldiers set the Crown to Sale. I never heard that Brutus, or Cato, or Cicero, or Seneca, or Lucan and such others might not have their Virtues praised, and that above their Enemies, though they died as esteemed Rebels. I am sure these Men that reproach me for this Charity, have a Law to turn me and all Nonconformists out of the Ministry, if we were to bury such a Man and would not profess our Hope of his Salvation: For they bind us to do it of every individual person buried in the Land, except the Unbaptized, Excommunicate and Self-Murderers. And exceptio firmat regulam in non exceptis.

Ans. I think so still: Prin and White were never Souldiers: Our Creed containeth not any Article that decideth Controversies about the various forms of Government: Christ never told us how much of the Supremacy was in Caesar, and how much in the Senate and People, and which of them had the Legislative Power: Nor whether England be an Absolute or a Limited Monarchy; nor whether the Parliament have part of the Legislative and Self-defending Power. And those that best knew these Men (especially Hambden and White] took them for Men in all other respects of Great Wisdom, Piety and Honesty: If among the old Romans all the Civil Wars between the Senate and the Emperors, and one Emperor and another, (when of Forty scarce Ten died a Natural Death, but were Murdered) had inferred the Destruction and Damnation of all that were against the Censuring side, how few would have escaped? When setting up Emperors and killing them was so common, that Souldiers set the Crown to Sale. I never heard that Brutus, or Cato, or Cicero, or Seneca, or Lucan and such others might not have their Virtues praised, and that above their Enemies, though they died as esteemed Rebels. I am sure these Men that reproach me for this Charity, have a Law to turn me and all Nonconformists out of the Ministry, if we were to bury such a Man and would not profess our Hope of his Salvation: For they bind us to do it of every individual person buried in the Land, except the Unbaptized, Excommunicate and Self-Murderers. And exceptio firmat regulam in non exceptis.