the people, gave such cracks, that three several times they ran out of the room, concluding it was falling. The next day taking up the boards they found that two rends in the beam were so great, that it was a wonder of Providence that the floor had not fallen, and the roof with it, to the destruction of multitudes. He was afterwards apprehended as he was preaching his Thursday lecture at Mr. Turner's; but soon released, because the warrant was not signed by a city justice, as it should have been, when he was apprehended for preaching in the city. In 1676, by the assistance of his friends, he built a new meeting-house in Oxenden Street, and when he had preached there but once, a resolution was taken to surprise him the next time, and to send him for six months to gaol upon the Oxford Act. But he being out of town, Mr. Seddon, a Derbyshire minister, preaching for him, was sent to the Gate-house in his room, though the warrant did not suit him; and he was forced to continue there three months, till he had a Habeas Corpus. He afterwards built another meeting-house in St. Martin's parish, but was forcibly kept out of it by constables and officers: and thereupon Mr. Wadsworth, in Southwark, dying, he upon the invitation of his people preached to them many months in peace. And when Dr. Lloyd succeeded Dr. Lamplugh, in St. Martin's parish, he offered him his chapel, in Oxenden Street, for public worship, and accepted it.[3]

Anno 1682. He was suddenly surprised in his house, by an informer with constables and officers, who served upon him a warrant, to seize on his person for coming within five miles of a corporation; and five more warrants in distraint for £195 for five sermons. He was going with them to a justice, though extremely bad as to his health, till meeting Dr. Cox, he forced him back to his bed, and went and took his oath before five justices that he could not go to prison without danger of death. The king being consulted, consented that his imprisonment should for that time be forborne. But they executed the warrants on the books and goods in the house, though he made it appear they were none of his; and they sold the bed he lay upon. Some friends paid down the money they were appraised at, and he repayed them. Being afterwards in danger of new seizures, he was forced to retire to private lodgings.

Anno 1684. He was again seized upon and carried to the sessions, when he was scarce able to stand, and bound in a bond of £400, to his good behaviour; and was told that this proceeding was only to secure the government against suspected persons. He was some time after carried again to the sessions-house in great pain, and forced to continue bound. He refused to stand bound, not knowing what they might interpret a breach of the peace. But his sureties would be bound, lest he should die in a gaol. He was carried thither a third time, and still bound; though for the most part he kept his bed.

Though he was thus treated all King Charles's reign, he yet prayed as heartily for him as any man; and he was often consulted about terms and measures for a union between the conformists and nonconformists, as to which he was ever free to give his sentiments. He was not for comprehension without indulgence; nor for a bare indulgence without the enlargement of the Act of Uniformity to a greater comprehension; but for the conjunction of both. He declared this when he was consulted by a person of honour, anno 1663. In the year 1668, Dr. Bates and he waited on the Lord Keeper Bridgman by desire, in order to a treaty about a comprehension and toleration, and were afterwards met by Dr. Wilkins and Mr. Burton, with whom they conferred. The thing they most differed about was re-ordination. At length by conference with Sir Matthew Hale, that point was thus adjusted, that there should be an admission into the ministry of the church of England, of such as had been before ordained according to this form of words: "Take thou legal authority to preach the word of God, and administer the holy sacraments in any congregation of England, where thou shalt be lawfully appointed thereunto." It was agreed the ceremonies should be left indifferent, and the Liturgy altered; and that there should be an indulgence of such as could not be comprehended. And a bill was drawn up by Judge Hale, to be presented to the parliament; but the high-church party made such an interest, that it was carried by a vote that no man should bring in a bill of this nature. He afterwards in the year 1673, upon the desire of the Earl of Orrery, drew up terms of union between the conformists and the nonconformists, in order to their joint vigorous opposing popery. And the next year there was also an agreement upon like terms, between Dr. Stillingfleet and Dr. Tillotson, and Dr. Manton, Dr. Bates, Mr. Pool, and Mr. Baxter, and an act was proposed to be brought in the next session of parliament, in pursuance of the treaty; but Dr. Tillotson wrote word to Mr. Baxter, that as circumstances stood, such an act could not pass in either house, without the concurrence of a considerable part of the bishops, and his Majesty's countenance, which at that time he saw little reason to expect.

In the reign of King James II. Mr. Baxter was committed to the King's Bench prison by warrant from the Lord Chief Justice Jefferies, for his "Paraphrase on the New Testament," which was called a scandalous and seditious book against the government. On May 30, 1685, he was brought to his trial. The passages mentioned in the information, were his paraphrase on Matt. v. 19; Mark ix. 39; xi. 31; xii. 38-40; Luke x. 2; John xi. 57; Acts xv. 2: and a certain noted clergyman put into the hands of his enemies some accusations out of his paraphrase on Rom. xiii. &c. as against the king, to touch his life; but no use was made of them. Jefferies interrupted his council in pleading for him, and treated Mr. Baxter most scornfully and rudely. He had given judgment against him, June 29, when he was fined 500 marks, and to lie in prison till he paid it; and bound to his good behaviour for seven years. But the next year King James altering his measures, many of the dissenters that were imprisoned were released; and their fines were remitted: and among the rest, Mr. Baxter obtained his pardon by the mediation of the Lord Powis. His fine was remitted; and Nov. 24, Sir Samuel Astrey sent his warrant to the keeper of the King's Bench to discharge him. But he gave sureties for his good behaviour: his Majesty declaring for his satisfaction, that it should not in him be interpreted a breach of the good behaviour for him to reside in London, which was not allowable by the Oxford Act; and this was entered upon his bail-piece. He continued some time in the Rules; and in February following removed to a house in Charter-house Yard.

After his settlement there, he gave Mr. Sylvester (whom he peculiarly valued, and had a special intimacy with) and his flock, his pains, gratis, every Lord's day in the morning, and every other Thursday morning at a weekly lecture. And thus he continued for about four years and a half; rejoicing as much as any man at the happy revolution under the conduct of King William, though he appeared not much in public. And when he was quite disabled from public service by his growing weakness, he still continued to do good in his own hired house, where he opened his doors morning and evening every day, to all that would come to join with him in family worship; reading and expounding the Scriptures with great seriousness and freedom. At length his distempers took him off from this also, and confined him first to his chamber, and then to his bed. Under sharp pains, he was very submissive to the will of God; and when he was inclined to pray most earnestly for a release, he would check himself and say, "It is not fit for me to prescribe: Lord, when thou wilt,