"London, or in the Country, that fre"quented London) but Mr. FIRMIN was 66 come acquainted with him. Which "thing helped him much to serve the In"terefts of many hopeful young Preachers "and Scholars, Candidates for Lectures, "Schools, Cures, or Rectories; for whom ❝he would folicit with as much Affection ❝ and Diligence, as other Men do for their "Sons, or near Relations. Her late Ma"jefty (Queen MARY) of moft Happy "Memory, having heard much of Mr. "FIRMIN'S Usefulness in all publick De"figns, efpecially thofe of Charity; and "that he was Heterodox in the Articles "of the Trinity, the Divinity of our Sa"viour, and the Satisfaction; fhe fpoke "to Arch-Bishop TILLOTSON, and ear"neftly recommended it to him to fet "Mr. FIRMIN right in those weighty and "neceffary Points. The Arch-Bishop an"fwered, that he had often endeavoured "it; but Mr. FIRMIN having fo early "and long imbibed the Socinian Doctrine, 66 was not now capable of a contrary Im"preffion. However his Grace published "his Sermons (formerly preached at St. "Lawrence's) concerning thofe Questions, "and fent Mr. FIRMIN one of the firft "Copies from the Prefs. Mr. FIRMIN "not convinced by his Grace's Reason"ings, or his Arguments from holy Scrip

ture,

2

"ture, caufed a respectful Anfwer (al"tho' fome have ftretched one Expreffi❝on too far) entituled, Confiderations on "the Explications and Defences of the "Doctrines of the Trinity, to be drawn up and published, himself giving his "Grace a Copy of it. I muft not omit "to do the Arch-Bifhop right against thofe "who pretend, that the Arch-Bishop, "notwithstanding thofe Sermons, was "in his Heart an Unitarian. For Mr. "FIRMIN himself told me, fhortly after "the Arch-Bifhop had published thofe "Sermons, that going to Lambeth, and "the Arch-Bishop happening to dine in "Private, he fent for Mr. FIRMIN to "him, and faid to this Effect, that the "Calumnies of the People had obliged "him to publish his Sermons, fome time ❝fince preached at St. Lawrence's against ❝the Tenents of SOCINUS: That he had "fincerely preached, as he then thought, "and continued ftill to think of those "Points: That however no Body's falfe "Imputations fhould provoke him to "give ill Language to Perfons who dif"fented conscientioufly, and for weigh

ty Reasons, that he knew well this "was the Cafe of the Socinians, for whofe "Learning and Dexterity, he fhould "always have a refpect, as well as for

their Sincerity and Exemplarinefs. Af "terwards

"terwards, when Mr. FIRMIN gave him ❝a Copy of the Confiderations: After he "had read it, he only faid, My Lord of Sa"rum fhall humble their Writers. Nor did "he afterwards at any Time express the "leaft coldnefs on the account of the An"fwer made to him, but ufed Mr. FIR"MIN as formerly, enquiring as his cuftom "was, How does my Son GILES? So he cal"led Mr. FIRMIN'S Son by his fecond "Wife. In his Funeral Sermon, we have the following Account of his preaching this Lecture. "I need not tell you "(fays the Eloquent Preacher) how ma66 ny Years, and with what Labour and "Succefs he divided himself between "that Society (Lincolns-Inn) and this "Place. I am confident you have profi❝ted fo much by it, that you will re"member it long: And that you do rec"kon it as a great Item of the Account 66 you must all one Day give, that you "were fo long bleffed with his Miniftry. "The numerous Affembly that this Le"&ture brought together, even from the "remoteft Parts of this wide City; the

great Concourfe of Clergy-men, who "came hither to form their Minds, the "happy Union that thereby the Clergy "of this great Body grew into, and the "bleffed Effects this had, are Things "which it is to be hoped an Age will not 66 wear

ther Pre

66 wear out of Mens Minds. Some great "Charity, fome public Service, or good "Defign was the work of most of those "Days. Every one faw him confidered

66

as the Head of this learned and emi"nent Body: As he was the only Per"fon that made no Reflections on it him"felf: He was ftill fo affable and hum"ble, fo modeft, and fo ready to ferve "the youngest and meaneft in it, that "fuch as faw all that, muft needs feel "the Impreffions of it go deep, and stick "long with him.

He gets o In 1669. he was made Canon of Christ's ferments. Church in Canterbury, and Prebend of St. Paul's in 1675, he was alfo preferred to the Deanery of Norwich, thence to the Deanery of Canterbury in 1672. and in 1689. he was made Refidentiary of St. Paul's, and Clerk of the Closet to King WILLIAM the Third, and upon the Promotion of Dr. STILLINGFLEET from the Deanery of St. Paul's to the Bishoprick of Worcester, he fucceeded him, all the fame Year.

Has a Con

ference

In 1674. King CHARLES the fecond, with Mr. who had an Apprehenfion and Judgment Baxter a-(when he applied to Bufinefs) equal to of Compre- the greateft of his Predeceffors, did clearhenfion. ly perceive it to be the Sense of his Coun

bout a Bill

cil, and the Voice of his People, that he fhould Support the Established Church,

with a ftrict Hand upon the Papifts, and with a moderate reftraint of the Diffenters, chiefly because their Division gave Advantage to the other Enemy. On this Principle of Wisdom, his Majefty commanded his own Inclination, and during the long recefs of Parliament, to quiet the Minds of his People, he published this Declaration for enforcing a late Order made in Council.

The King's Declaration.

CHARLES R.

66 HE Administration of Juftice, ac

Tcording to the fettled and known

"Laws of our Kingdom, we take to be "the most reasonable and proper Me"thod for attaining and preferving the "Peace and Safety both of Church and "State. As therefore we find it neceffa(( ry, that the Laws fhould be put in Ex"ecution with more Care and Diligence "than of late they have been, so also we "think it expedient, that the Orders we "have already given for that purpose, "fhould be made Publick in fuch a man"ner that all Men may find themselves 66 obliged to take notice of the fame, and " to give a due Obedience thereunto. For "which Reason we have thought fit to ❝declare, and do hereby publish and de

"clare