The Editor flatters himself, the perufal of the following Notes will not only prove interesting to the reader, as they elucidate the character of Sir Matthew Hale, but will fuggeft to him one of the most ufeful and important maxims in the life of a Chriftian. The example of this great man will be found, in an eminent degree, to inculcate the fpirit of moderation, charity, and forbearance; and furnish a practical comment on the text of the Apostle, who exhorts us To 'honour all men, and love the brotherhood.' The reader will learn to abjure and abhor the maxims of bigotry and intolerance which then fo powerfully prevailed. Firm, indeed, to his own principles, he will be ever ready to fhew a tenderness for the prejudices of others. Inftead of widening, he will endeavour rather to heal the wounds of religious difcord.

Whoever perufes the hiftory of the Church in the time of the Ufurpation, and contemplates the unhappy confequences which flowed from her divifions, will find abundant reafon to deplore the intemperate zeal of the oppofite parties, by which it unfortunately happened, in their indifcriminate hoftility to each other, that those, who were the most diftinguished for talents, learning, and piety, were often the greatest fufferers. The retaliations for the injuries which the friends of the Established Church had received, were deeply felt and justly lamented in the perfon of Baxter, whofe eftimable qualities and rare endowments must make every good man wifh he had escaped the rod of perfecution.

The Church of England, indeed, revolts at the principle. Her weapons are fpiritual. Those whom fhe cannot convince by argument, fhe difdains to fubdue by violence. Let us hope the age of perfecution is fled for ever; that our eyes are open not more to its impiety than its impolicy. We live in times when the real friends of religion and virtue have more reafon than ever to overlook their differences in fpeculative opinions, and unite together in

ftemming

stemming the torrent of vice and infidelity which is ready to overwhelm us. Our political fituation moreover demands of every true patriot these facrifices, and the promotion of Christian unity, love, and concord.

May the bright example and inftructive writings of this pattern of Chriftian moderation produce, amongst the profeffors of Christianity, the happy effect of extirpating from their hearts the paffions of religious rancour and animofity, and diffufing the fpirit of univerfal peace and comprehenfive good-will to men.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

OF THE

LIFE AND DEATH

OF

SIR MATTHEW HALE, KNIGHT.

WRITTEN BY

RICHARD BAXTER,

At the request of EDWARD STEPHENS, Esq. Publisher of his Contemplations, and his familiar Friend.

TO THE READER.

SINCE the hiftory of Judge Hale's life is published (written by Dr. Burnet very well) fome men have thought, that because my familiarity with him was known, and the last time of a man's life is fuppofed to contain his matureft judgment, time, study, and experience correcting former over-fights; and this great man, who was moft diligently and thirftily learning to the laft, was like to be fill wifer, the notice that I had of him in the latter years of his life fhould not be omitted.

I was never acquainted with him till 1667, and therefore have nothing to fay of the former part of his life; nor of the latter, as to any public affairs, but only of what our familiar converfe acquainted me: but the vifible effects made me wonder at the industry and unwearied labours of his former life. Befides the four volumes again.ft Atheism and Infidelity, in folio,

which I after mention, when I was defired to borrow a manufcript of his law collections, he fhewed me, as I remember, about two and thirty folios, and told me he had no other on that fubject, (collections out of the Tower records, &c.) and that the amanuenfis' work that wrote them, coft him a thoufand pounds. He was fo fet on ftudy, that he refolvedly avoided all neceffary diverfions, and fo little valued either grandeur, wealth, or any worldly vanity, that he avoided them to that notable degree, which incompetent judges took to be an excefs. His habit was fo coarfe and plain, that I, who am thought guilty of a culpable neglect therein, have been bold to defire him to lay by fome things which feemed too homely. The houfe which I furrendered to him, and wherein he lived at Acton, was indeed well fituated, but very fmall, and fo far below the ordinary dwellings of men of his rank, as that divers farmers thereabouts had better; but it pleafed him. Many cenfured him for choofing his laft wife below his quality but the good man more regarded his own daily comfort than men's thoughts and talk. As far as I could difcern, he chofe one very fuitable to his ends; one of his own judgment and temper, prudent and loving, and fit to, pleafe him, and that would not draw on him the trouble of much acquaintance and relations. His housekeeping was according to the reft, like his eftate and mind, but not like his place and honour: for he refolved never to grafp at riches, nor take great fees, but would refufe what many others thought too little. I wondered when he told me how fmall his eftate was, after fuch ways of getting as were before him: but as he had little, and defired little, fo he was content with little, and fuited his dwelling, table, and retinue thereto. He greatly fhunned the vifits of many, or great perfons, that came not to him on neceffary bufinefs, because all his hours were precious to him, and therefore he contrived the avoiding of them, and the free enjoyment of his beloved privacy.

I must with a glad remembrance acknowledge, that while we were fo unfuitable in places and worth, yet fome fuitableness of judgment and difpofition made our frequent converfe pleafing to us both. The last time but one that I was at his houfe, he made me lodge there, and in the morning inviting me to more frequent vifits, faid, No man fhall be more welcome; and he was no diffembler. To fignify his love, he put my name as a legatee in his will, bequeathing me forty fhillings. Mr. Stephens gave me two manufcripts, as appointed by him for me, declaring his judgment of our Church contentions and their cure (aftermentioned). Though they are imperfect, as written on the fame question at feveral times, I had a great mind to print them, to try whether the common reverence of the author would cool any of our contentious clergy: but hearing that there was a restraint in his will, I took out part of a copy, in which I find these words, 'I do exprefsly declare, that I will have nothing of my writings printed after my death, but only fuch as I fhall in my life-time deliver out to be printed.' And not having received this in his life-time, nor to be printed in exprefs terms, I am afraid of croffing the will of the dead, though he ordered them for me.

It fhewed his mean eftate as to riches, that in his will he is put to distribute the profits of a book or two, when printed, among his friends and fervants. Alas! we that are great lofers by printing, know that it must be a small gain that muft thus accrue to them. Doubtless, if the lord chief juftice Hale had gathered money as other lawyers do that had less advantage, as he wanted not will, fo he would not have wanted power to have left them far greater legacies. But the fervants of a felf-denying mortified mafter, muft be content to suffer by his virtues, which yet, if they imitate him, will turn to their final gain.

God made him a public good, which is more than to get riches. His great judgment and known inte