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Calamy_1702_Text.qxp:Calamy 1702 edition Text 15 12 2008 16:54 Page 1 EDMUND CALAMY AN ABRIDGEMENT OF MR. BAXTER’S HISTORY OF HIS LIFE AND TIMES 1702 Calamy_1702_Text.qxp:Calamy 1702 edition Text 15 12 2008 16:54 Page 2 Calamy_1702_Text.qxp:Calamy 1702 edition Text 15 12 2008 16:54 Page 1 AN ABRIDGEMENT OF Mr. Baxter’s HISTORY OF HIS LIFE and TIMES. Quinta Press Calamy_1702_Text.qxp:Calamy 1702 edition Text 15 12 2008 16:54 Page 2 Quinta Press, Meadow View, Weston Rhyn, Oswestry, Shropshire, England, SY10 7RN The format of this book is copyright © 2008 Quinta Press Calamy_1702_Text.qxp:Calamy 1702 edition Text 15 12 2008 16:54 Page 3 1702 edition 3 Mr. Baxter’s HISTORY OF HIS LIFE and TIMES. WITH With an ACCOUNT of many others of those Worthy Ministers who were Ejected, after the Restauration of King CHARLES the Second. Their Apology for Themselves, and their Adherents; containing the Grounds of their Nonconformity, and Practise as to Stated and Occasional Communion with the Church of Eng- land. And a Continution of their History, till the Year 1691. By EDMUND CALAMY, Edm. Fil. & Nepos. LONDON: Printed for S. Bridge, for Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside. Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lyon in St. Paul’s Church-Yard. And John Lawrence; at the Angel in the Poultry, 1702. Calamy_1702_Text.qxp:Calamy 1702 edition Text 15 12 2008 16:54 Page 4 4 edmund calamy TO THE Right Honourable THE LORD MARQUESS OF Hartington. My Lord, Oblemen. have always Nhad many Admirers, but never more, than when their Goodness has been as Diffusive, as their Greatness was Illustrious. Your Lordships Publick Spirit, and Steddy Ver- tue are too Conspicuous to be Concealíd from General Obser- vation; All Eyes are upon you A 3 with with raised Expectations, and your Lordship canít be much sur- prizí d that Even the most Di- stant should desire to pay their Respects where the Meanest are not denyíd Access. Being therefore Incouraged by your Lordships Inquisitive Ge- nius, your Noble Freedom of Thought, and Generous Love of Truth (by whose Hands soever presented to you) I have presu- med to lay these Papers at your Calamy_1702_Text.qxp:Calamy 1702 edition Text 15 12 2008 16:54 Page 5 1702 edition 5 Lordships Feet, which if they may be honoured with your Pe- rusal, I Question not but your Lordship will find some Men and Things fairly and iimpar- tially Represented, that have ge- nerally been misunderstood, for want of a Distinct Account of them. My My Lord, we have lately lost a Great and Good King, whose Generous Charity made him the Common Father of All his Peo- ple. And he has more than once expressíd his Wonder, that where there was such an Harmony in the great Points of Faith, there should be such a want of Charity, in Matters of meer Opinion. Blessed be Divine Providence which has Raised up our most Gracious Qween, the Common Centre of all our Hopes, whose late Royal Assurance of her Favour and Protection affords us an agreeable Prospect, and in- tire Satisfaction. And we are thankful to God, that hath Inspired so many in both Houses of Parliament with A 4 fa- favourable Sentiments towards us: We hope we shall always Demean our Selves so, as not to forfeit the Good-will of our Calamy_1702_Text.qxp:Calamy 1702 edition Text 15 12 2008 16:54 Page 6 6 edmund calamy Superiours, particularly of your Lordship. That you may be long continuíd a bright Pattern of Virtue: An Ornament to the Nobility: A, Patron of Liberty: Honoured and Beloved by all good People; is the Prayer of many, besides Your Lordshipís, Most Humble and most Obedient Servant. Edm. Calamy. THE * This Edmund Calamy was born 5 April 1671 (O.S.) and died 3 June 1732 (O.S.). He was the son of Edmund Calamy (mentioned on page 248 of this book) and grandson of Edmund Calamy (mentioned on page 186 of this book) 1 THE PREFACE R. Baxter’s Narrative of his life and Times, which has bin extant now Mfor some Years, has met with the same Treatment, He in his Life time was so much us’d to, both as to his Person and Writings: It has bin much Valu’d by same, and as much Slighted by others. But where it has bin most freely Censur’d, it has yet bin generally acknowledg’d to contain a Collection of many valuable Things in Divers Kinds: And that an Epitome of it would be acceptable and useful. I don’t think it needful to trouble the World with a particular Account how I came to undertake it; If I had tho’t that would want all Excuse, I had never meddled: And therefore, shall only say that thinking I might this way Profitably employ my Time and Pains: I was willing to do what I could to make my Abridgement of general Use. In order to it, tho’t have endeavour’d to say much in a Little, yet I have not willingly omitted any thing that I tho’t Material. I have reduc’d things to that Method which appear’d to me most proper. Personal Reflections, and little Privacys Calamy_1702_Text.qxp:Calamy 1702 edition Text 15 12 2008 16:54 Page 7 1702 edition 7 I have dropt, and things which were out of Date, I have pass’d over lightly; sometimes I have kept pretty much to his language, and sometimes I have taken the freedom to use my own. I have divided the whole into Chapters, and given things something of a Connexion: And perhaps, have this way taken more Pains, than it would need to have cost me, had the Work been entirely New. Of my Performance, I must be Contented every one should Judge, according to their pleasure: For I could expect no other, whatsoever I might be able to Suggest, to bespeak their Favour. It ii It being generally apprehended, that in some Respects Additions were needful, and many being desirous of a Continuation, to bring down the History nearer to the present time, I have been prevail’d with to undertake that also tho’ a Work of no small Difficulty; and there I think a more particular Account may justly be expected from me. The Ninth Chapter, which has most swell’d this Volume, at the same time as it gave me the most Trouble, Contains a List of the Silenc’d Ministers, with the Characters of many of them. This was the more needful, because Dr. Sam. Parker and some others, have taken a liberty strangely to diminish their Number, whereby they have in Effect charg’d those who have reported them to have bin about two Thousand, with falsifying in their own Favour; which cannot but blacken their Memory hereafter, if they should not be clear’d by a just Representation. But tho’ this is what I have endeavour’d, yet for my part I lay so little stress upon Numbers in a Case of this Nature, that I have not had the Curiosity to make a Calculation of the Sum Total of the List here Publish’d. I leave that to others, who take more delight than I do in numbring the People. A Catalogue of this Nature, was indeed Printed in 2 Sheets in the Year 1663; but ’tis become such a Rarity, that with all the Interest I could make, I could not obtain a sight of it, ’till mine was got through the Press. Having perus’d it, I am far from repenting my Pains; For I find it mentions the Names of those who were Ejected in London and Essex, and eight Counties more, but has not a word of all the rest, and yet it bears the Title of an Exact Catalogue. What must the next Age think of the Dissenting Ministers, to find them Asserting with so much Assurance, that the Number of the Ejected amounted to 2000, when all exact Catalogue can’t reckon up above 5 or 600. I could not but think the future Reputation of many, concern’d in the clearing of this matter, by Publishing List, that might better deserve the name Calamy_1702_Text.qxp:Calamy 1702 edition Text 15 12 2008 16:54 Page 8 8 edmund calamy of Exact. than one that contains the name of little more than a quarter part of them. Accord iii Accordingly I sought out every where for Assistance: And after some time obtain’d 4 written Catalogues. One was Collected with great Industry and Application by the Reverend Mr. William Taylor, late of Newbery, who while Chaplain to the late Lord Wharton, had a Correspondence in most parts of England, in Pursuit of this Design. Two I had put into my Hands by the Laborious Mr. Roger Morrice, who was for Collecting everything that was curious, and had taken a great deal of Pains, in order to the compleating such a Design. The fourth I receiv’d from another Hand. I Collated them together, and drew one List out of all of them, omitting none wherein all agreed; and where they differ’d, I some times follow’d one Copy, and some times another, with respect to the several Counties, according to the Information and Advice of such as I consulted in Person and by Letter, for the places with which they were best Acquainted. And yet after all, dare not undertake, that my List is even yet Exact: But I hope it may Pave the way for one, that at length may deserve that Name.