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

3. Another Advantage was, that most of the bitter Enemies of Godliness in the Town, that rose in Tumults against me before, in their very Hatred of Puritans, had gone out into the Wars, into the King's Armies, and were quickly killed, and few of them ever returned again; and so there were few to make any great Opposition to Godliness.

3. Another Advantage was, that most of the bitter Enemies of Godliness in the Town, that rose in Tumults against me before, in their very Hatred of Puritans, had gone out into the Wars, into the King's Armies, and were quickly kill'd, and few of them ever returned again; and so there were few to make any great Opposition to Godliness.

4. Another, and the greatest Advantage was, the Change that was made in the Public Affairs by the Success of the Wars; which, however it was done, and though much corrupted by the Usurpers, yet it was such as removed many and great Impediments to Mens Salvation: For before, the riotous Rabble had Boldness enough to make serious Godliness a common Scorn, and call them all Puritans and Precisians that did not care as little for God and Heaven and their Souls as they did; especially if a Man were not fully satisfied with their undisciplined, disordered Churches, or Lay Chancellors Excommunications, &c. then no Name was bad enough for him: And the Bishops Articles enquiring after such, and their Courts and the High Commission grievously afflicting those that did but Fast and Pray together, or go from an ignorant drunken Reader, to hear a godly able Preacher at the next Parish, &c. this kept Religion among the Vulgar under either continual Reproach or Terror, encouraging the Rabble to despise it and revile it, and discouraging those that else would own it. And Experience telleth us, that it is a lamentable Impediment to Mens Conversion, when it is a way every where spoken against, and prosecuted by Superiors, which they must embrace; and when at their first Approaches they must go through such Dangers and Obloquy as is fitter for confirmed Christians to be exercised with, than unconverted Sinners or young Beginners: Therefore, though Cromwell gave Liberty to all Sects among us, and did not set up any Party alone by Force, yet this much gave abundant Advantage to the Gospel, removing the Prejudices and the Terrors which hindered it; especially considering that Godliness had Countenance and Reputation also, as well as Liberty; whereas before, if it did not appear in all the Fetters and Formalities of the Times, it was the way to common Shame and Ruin: Hearing Sermons abroad when there were none, or worse at home; Fasting and Praying together; the strict Observation of the Lord's Day, and such like, went under the dangerous Name of Puritanism, as well as opposing Bishops and Ceremonies.