AN APPENDIX.

ΤΟ ΤΗΣ

LIFE AND DEATH

OF

SIR MATTHEW HALE, KNIGHT.

1

EVERY circumftance which the records of antiquity can furnish to develope the life and character of Sir MATTHEW HALE, must be a welcome contribution to him, whofe mind loves to dwell on images of transcendant piety and unfullied virtue. This fhining ornament of his age had cultivated, in the latter period of his life, a clofe intimacy with Richard Baxter, a person who ranked high amongst those who refused to comply with the Act of Conformity. Though our learned judge was by principle firmly attached to the doctrines and difcipline of the Church of England, he confidered it no inconfiftency to allow a place in his esteem to this divine, who, to an ardent and affectionate regard for the interefts of practical religion, united profound and extenfive learning, and an extraordinary penetration and acutenefs of understanding. The fame spirit of Chriftian courtesy which fhone in his deportment through life, taught him, in his focial intercourfe with this gentleman, carefully to avoid thofe topics which were likely to excite a collifion of ar. guments without producing a change of fentiment; and felect fuch only as might be fafely difcuffed, and, instead of weakening, were calculated to ftrengthen the bonds of friendship, and yield reciprocal pleasure and inftruction.

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 Christian. 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 thofe, who were the moft 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, whose eftimable qualities and rare endowments must make every good man wifh he had efcaped the rod of perfecution.

The Church of England, indeed, revolts at the principle. Her weapons are fpiritual. Thofe 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 stemming

ftemming 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 con

cord.

May the bright example and inftructive writings of this pattern of Christian 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 univer fal peace and comprehenfive good-will to men.

ADDI

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, ftudy, and ex perience correcting former over-fights; and this great man, who was moft diligently and thirftily learning to the laft, was like to be ftill 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 converse acquainted me: but the visible effects made me wonder at the industry and unwearied labours of his former life. Befides the four volumes against 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 thousand pounds. He was fo fet on study, 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 coarse 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 chose one very suitable 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 estate 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