For when our Adverfaries formerly would charge the Blame of the Death of the late King of England on our Religion, you know we could very well guard our felves from this Reproach, by cafting it intirely upon the Sectaries, who indeed were only guilty of that horrible Crime. But at prefent we do not ftand upon the fame terms, fince there is fuch a change of Affairs; the Sectarians having loft their credit, or at leaft being fallen from that Sovereign Power which they had grafpt; and on the contrary the Presbyterian Party, which is ours, now governing in England. So that if they let flip the fair opportunity which God feems to open to them, for the re-eftablishing of the King of Great Britain in his Dominion, and to re-advance him to the Throne of his Ancestors, it is moft apparent there will be no further ground to excufe themselves upon the Sectaries, nor to wash our holy Religion from that fpot, from which, by the Grace of God, it hath always been preferv'd pure and clean to this prefent. I well know there are difperfed evil Rumors concerning the Religion of this Prince; and I doubt not, but there are fome Perfons at London, as well as at Paris, who endeavour to perfuade the World, That he hath forsaken our Communion, to embrace that of Rome: But who can be lieve a thing that is fo contrary to all probability? there is nothing of this appears to us. On the contrary we well know, That altho this Prince hath been confirain'd by the Circumftances of his prefent Condition, to refide fometimes in places where the Exercife of our Religion is not permitted, yet he hath always had his Chaplains near to him, who are nothing less than Papifts, and who every where have regularly in his prefence prayed, and performid the other parts of Divine Service. Moreover, all Paru, and all the World hath known the Anger and the juft Indignation which he exprefs'd, when he understood the Endeavours which have been used (tho ineffectively) for the Apoftacy of the Duke of Glocefter. And if this young Prince rendred his Piety and Conftancy admirable, by that firm Refiftance which he oppos'd in fo tender an Age, to fuch a violent and dangerous Perfecution; fo alfo in that he retir'd to the King his Brother, and there fought for a Sanctuary to his Religion, it is a very certain Argument, that the King had not quitted that Religion: for if this had been true, the Duke of Glocefter had found him an Enemy inftead of a Protector, and had fuffer a the loss of his Confcience, where he had fought its Security, and where he really found it. It is objected againft this, that during the whole fpace of time which the King of Great Britain paft in the Court of France, he never came to our Reli gious Affemblies, and that amongst others he never came to Cha Charenton in the days of our Worfhip. But altho this may at firft view appear. ftrange to those who know not the reafon of it; nevertheless, as we are better inform'd of this than any one, we can teftify that Religion was not the cause of it, and that he abftain'd from coming upon politick and prudential Confiderations, which may be peculiar to our Church. And the proof of this appears, in that when the King of England hath been out of Paris, he hath willingly gone to Sermon in the Churches of our Brethren; as for inftance, in Caen, and fome other Towns; and in Holland alfo, he hath feveral times heard the Sermons of the famous Monfieur More, who at prefent is our Colleague. Thus, Sir, it is more clear than the Day, that whatsoever hath been reported till this time of the Change of his Reli gion, is a mere Calumny, fcatter'd by the Artifice of his Enemies, for to vilify him in the Judgment of his Subjects, and to alienate their Affections and Good Will from him; and finally to render fruitless the juft Prayers which they make at prefent for his happy Return into England. God grant their Accomplishment by his Almighty Justice; and as it is he who hath infpir'd thefe good Deligns into the Hearts of his People, and who feems to difpofe all things for the effecting them, may it please him to bless what remains of this Work, and to fucceed it for his Glory, and the Honour of his Anointed, but especially for the Edification of his Church. For this I pray to him with all my Soul, and recommend you particularly to his Grace, being, Paris, 7 April, Sir, Your most humble Servant. DAILLE. Raimond Gaches Paftor of the Reformed Church of Paris, to the most Famous Man and most Upright Paftor, Richard Baxter, wisbeth all Health. HO I am neither by Face nor Fame known unto you Timoft Worthy Sir, and moft Reverend Brother in Chrift) yet I addrefs my felf to you with confidence, because I know you very well, and am fully affur'd of your Piety. I have read again and again, not without admiration, thofe learned Volumes (little indeed, if we refpect the Bulk, but exceeding precious, and throughly dyed with the trueft Tinctures of Christianity) where with you have bleft your own Country, and with which France hath not been altogether unacquainted. Who can seriously read, tho but one Leaf of them, and not perceive how you felt the Breathing of God's Spirit, and were seasonably rais'd up for thefe unhappy times, as one who may with ftout Courage and invincible Arms undertake and curb outrageous Ungodliness? I folemnly profess, I never faw any thing ftudied, and come from thofe, commonly call'd the antient Fathers of the Church, or from the Doctors of the latter times, which doth with equal Success breathe forth the Author's, and alfo kindle the Reader's Devotion. Those things which you have already put out concerning Everlasting Rejt, a Call to the Unconverted, Juftification (in which if you leave the beaten Road a little, you do it, as far as I can underftand, not without Reafon and Scripture) Infant-Baptifm, Peace of Confcience, &c. do witnefs moft clearly both what your Learning is, and what your Love of Religion. Who then may forbid me to pour forth my careful and doubtful Thoughts into the Bofom of fuch and fo great a Man, and to declare what runs in my mind concerning the fad and fickle State of your Commonwealth? Truly I am no Pryer into other mens matters; and efpecially as to yours, I have been fo far from angerly thundring [Viralent Declaiming] against them, that I have thought it an unspeaka ble Fault to difpute curioully of them. I will fay more, I could not but hope well of Britain; for I was, and am still of this opinion, that God hath referv'd to himself in England more Elect, and more Godly Men, than ever either flourish'd of old, or can be fhewn now in any Realm of Christendom. Let both fearful Brethren and furious Enemies judg your Safety defperate, and ask in their Unbelief, who will give Salvation to Ifrael out of Zion? God will provide; there are not ten, not a thousand Juft Men, but entire Millions of godly Men. I will hear what the Lord God will fay, for he will speak Peace to his People. But because the moft high Ruler of the World (who can indeed without the intervening of means, both scatter the Darkness, and call back the Light, yet nevertheless) wills not (for the most part) to put forth his Power immediately; we ought (Reverend Sir) to lay together our Studies, and all Counfels to eftablifh firmly the Safety of Britain. I fup pofe its Condition will be perpetually tottering, until the Government return into one Man's hands (Monarchy.) As the Cuftoms of Nations and their Difpofitions are various, so are their Manners of governing publick Affairs; they are not of the fame mind. One People chufes a popular Government; and er is, nor can be accuftom'd to be ruled by one Man! her People, being taken with the Splendor of Nobility, hating the Madness of the Commonalty, prefers MonarYour Country of England hath been a Lover of Kings Imoft innumerable Ages; neither do I know any Mohy in the world more antient. The fame Sun fhines upon prefent English-men; the Afpects of the Stars, the Quaof the Soil hath the fame influence upon their Affections as formerly: Who then can hope that either a Demoy or Ariftocracy, will eafily prevail in that Country, rein Monarchy hath taken fuch deep rooting? But Eng(may fome man fay) hath already chang'd the Form of ernment, and that (as it feem'd) with common Confent; then can deny that may be commodiously done, which been done commodiously? I have a double Anfwer hereFirst, I will in like manner query, whether that Change v'd very happy for England? Truly, if Taxes and Imts be to be counted, they are not only doubled, but ins'd beyond almoft all meafure. If the State of Religion to be confider'd, what a Common Sewer of Heretics is re! Who ever heard of Ranters, Quakers, &c. under the g? Secondly, Suppofe Britain hath been happy fince the ange, yet it was under the Government of One. What tters the Name? This One was a Protettor, not a King, I (nt; but he was One, and fuch a One, as was neither unIful in the Art of Ruling, nor behav'd himfelf inferiour a King in diffolving Parliaments; and from his Death, or leaft from the cafting out of his Son, England never was ter; Changes were continual: whom yefterday we reve ned, to day we loath whom we fwore Fealty to but now, after we mn with Curfes. Shall that most noble she fo tofs'd upon the Waves? And ither, which may calm your Seas? ver have Peace afcertain'd either a or the Attempts of Enemies abroad, fo many Kings, at length be one. He hath every where of King of Britain, tho he the Title. I know what Some, whether really or Conftancy to the true Re s the Church very much, excel them in Godliefs I faid) that, it belongs not Religion; Be he what he will, (if his Power be otherwife lawful, and the Right of Reigning belongs unto him) Obedience in Civil Matters muft be perform'd to the King, and other Matters must be committed unto Divine Providence. Let the Bishop of Rome luft to juftle Kings out of the Throne, unless they order Affairs of Religion according to his Beck; We may not be fo proud. We give unto God the things that are God's, and to Cefar the things that are Cafar's. But I pafs over all this; for (which is the thing chiefly to be confider'd) this Prince being born, and duly educated in the true Religion, never departed from the publick Profeffion of it, no, not even in thofe places, in which he was likely to fuffer lofs thereby: neither did he difdain to be prefent at our Religious Affembly at Roan and Rochel. Moreover, he hath the Eftimation of godly Ufe a mong those that are about him. I confefs he never graced our Church with his Prefence, while he was feated at Paris; which truly griev'd us: but because the Cafe of those call'd Presbyterians, feem'd to concern us who are Presbyterians; and because the King's Death was afcribed to the Presbyterians; he could not but be ftrange to us, until the Event of things certify'd him that his Inftalment was principally hinder'd not by our Brethren, but by the Anabaptifts for the moft part, or at leaft the Independents; whom alfo he cer tainly understood to have before promoted his Father's fad Death. I wish the Odium of that Fact, wherewith our Churches have fo long been loaded, might now at length be removed both from us, and our English Brethren: which I know not how it can ever be, unless matters may be fo compos'd as the Son may bear his Father's Scepter, not violently wrefted out of the Presbyterians hands, but friendly and freely prof fer'd. Go on, Reverend Sir; prevent the Calamitys of imminent War. Do you, and the Brethren like you, embrace peaceable Counfels, and give the like to your Countrymen. Divine Providence will favour and bless your Endeavours, and will ufe you as facred Inftruments for reftoring Happines to your Country. But enough, and too much of this, for you may wonder that I fpeak fo familiarly to you; but I mea tion'd in the beginning what cause moved me thereto, relying on your Piety and Charity, which will take all in good part. Further, God bless your Studies, your Labours, your Church, and all your, nay our England, which is the Flower and Glory of all the Kingdoms wherein God is truly wor hipped. Paris, April 2. 166c. Paris |