Reliquiæ Baxterianæ, or, Mr. Richard Baxters narrative of the most memorable passages of his…

§ 250. When he Silenced me, he told me that he marvelled that I should think my own preaching so necessary, as to offer to preach for nothing, as if other Men could not do as much good as I? I told him, That when they and I had all done our best, there would be many Places unsupplied; and asked him, Whether he thought that such an one as I were not better than none! He told me, That he thought no meanly of my Abilities; but till I was better affected, he thought they were better that had none. I urged him to tell me what he thought was the Error of my Mind or Affections, and what he would have me do towards the Cure? My Errors he would not tell me (save the ridiculous recital of that Sentence at the Savoy, of Sin per accidens, which I have spoken of in my Answer to him at large); but for my Cure (of I know not what) he would have me read Bilson and Hooker. I told him that was not now to do: But when, at his persuasion, I revised them, I admired at their Infatuation, that ever they suffered such Books as Hooker's Eighth Book, and Bishop Bilson of Obedience, to see the Light: When Hooker goeth so much further than the Long Parliament went, as to affirm that the Legislative Power is so naturally belonging to the whose Body; that it is Tyranny for a single Person to exercise it, (Lib. 1.) And that the King is singulis Major, sed Universis Minor, and receiveth his Power from the People, with many more Antimonarchical Principles, which I have confuted in the Fourth Part of my Christian Directory particularly, as judging them unsound. And Bilson, in that excellent Book of Christian Obedience, hath this passage, which methinks should make them burn it, and not commend it to us for our Cure, [Pag. 520. If a Prince should go about to subject his Kingdom to a Foreign Realm, or change the Form of the Commonwealth, or neglect the Laws established by common Consent of Prince and People, to execute his own pleasure: In these, and other Cases which might be named, if the Nobles and the Commons join together to defend their ancient and accustomed Liberty, Regiment and Laws, they may not well be counted Rebels]—[I never denied that the People might preserve the Foundation, Freedom and Form of their Commonwealth, which they fore-prized when they first consented to have a King—I say, the Law of God giveth no Man leave to resist his Prince: but I never said, that Kingdom;

§ 250. When he Silenced me, he told me that he marvelled that I should think my own preaching so necessary, as to offer to preach for nothing, as if other Men could not do as much good as I? I told him, That when they and I had all done our best, there would be many Places unsupplyed; and asked him, Whether he thought that such an one as I were not better than none! He told me, That he thought no meanly of my Abilities; but till I was better affected, he thought they were better that had none. I urged him to tell me what he thought was the Errour of my Mind or Affections, and what he would have me do towards the Cure? My Errours he would not tell me (save the ridiculous recital of that Sentence at the Savoy, of Sin per accidens, which I have spoken of in my Answer to him at large); but for my Cure (of I know not what) he would have me read Bilson and Hooker. I told him that was not now to do: But when, at his perswasion, I revised them, I admired at their Infatuation, that ever they suffered such Books as Hooker's Eighth Book, and Bishop Bilson of Obedience, to see the Light: When Hooker goeth so much further than the Long Parliament went, as to affirm that the Legislative Power is so naturally belonging to the whose Body; that it is Tyranny for a single Person to exercise it, (Lib. 1.) And that the King is singulis Major, sed Universis Minor, and receiveth his Power from the People, with many more Antimonarchical Principles, which I have confuted in the Fourth Part of my Christian Directory particularly, as judging them unsound. And Bilson, in that excellent Book of Christian Obedience, hath this passage, which methinks should make them burn it, and not commend it to us for our Cure, [Pag. 520. If a Prince should go about to subject his Kingdom to a Foreign Realm, or change the Form of the Commonwealth, or neglect the Laws established by common Consent of Prince and People, to execute his own pleasure: In these, and other Cases which might be named, if the Nobles and the Commons joyn together to defend their ancient and accustomed Liberty, Regiment and Laws, they may not well be counted Rebels]—[I never deny'd that the People might preserve the Foundation, Freedom and Form of their Commonwealth, which they fore-prized when they first consented to have a King—I say, the Law of God giveth no Man leave to resist his Prince: but I never said, that Kingdom;