hension, I came to understand how long a time I have suffered in my reputation with my superiors, by your misunderstanding me, and misinforming others; as if when I was to preach before the king, I had scornfully refused the tippet as a toy; when, as the searcher and judge of hearts doth know, that I had no such thought or word. I was so ignorant in those matters as to think that a tippet had been a proper ensign of a doctor of divinity, and verily thought that you offered it me as such: and I had so much pride as to be somewhat ashamed, when you offered it me, that I must tell you my want of degrees; and therefore gave you no answer to your first offer, but to your second was forced to say, "It belongeth not to me, sir." And I said not to you any more; nor had any other thought in my heart than with some shame to tell you that I had no degrees; imagining I should have offended others, and made myself the laughter or scorn of many, if I should have used that which did not belong to me. For I must profess, that I had no more scruple to wear a tippet than a gown, or any comely garment. Sir, though this be one of the smallest of all the mistakes which of late have turned to my wrong, and I must confess that my ignorance gave you the occasion, and I am far from imputing it to any ill will in you, having frequently heard, that in charity, and gentleness, and peaceableness of mind you are very eminent; yet, because I must not contemn my estimation with my superiors, I humbly crave that favour and justice of you, (which I am confident you will readily grant me,) as to ac quaint those with the truth of this business, whom, upon mistake, you have misinformed; whereby in relieving the innocence of your brother, you will do a work of charity and justice, and therefore not displeasing unto God, and will much oblige, Sir, your humble servant, RICHARD BAXTER, P.S. I have the more need of your justice in this case, because my distance denieth me access to those that have received these mis-reports, and because any public vindication of myself, whatever is said of me, is taken as an unsufferable crime, and therefore I am utterly incapable of vindicating my innocency, or remedying their mistakes. To the Reverend and much-honoured Dr. Earle, LETTER LXXXIX. BISHOP EARLE to RICHARD BAXTER, in reply to the SIR, preceding. Hampton Court, June 23. I received your letter, which I would have answered sooner, if the messenger that brought it had returned. I must confess I was a little surprised with the beginning of it, as I was with your name; but when I read further I ceased to be so. Sir, I should be heartily sorry and ashamed to be guilty of any thing like malignity or uncharitableness, (') especially to one of your condition, with whom, though I concur not, perhaps, in point of judgment in some particulars, yet I cannot but esteem for your personal worth and abilities; and, indeed, your expressions in your letter are so civil and ingenuous, that I am obliged thereby the more to give you all the satisfaction I can. As I remember, then, when you came to me to the closet, and I told you I would furnish you with a tippet, you answered me something to that purpose as you write, but whether the same numerical words, or but once, I cannot possibly say from my own memory, and therefore I believe yours. Only this I am sure of, that I said to you at my second speaking, that some others of your persuasion had not scrupled at it; (2) which might suppose (if you had not affirmed the contrary,) that you had made me a formal refusal of which giving me then no other reason than that "it belonged not to you," I concluded that you were more scrupulous than others were. And, perhaps, the manner of your refusing it (as it appeared to me) might make me think you were not very well pleased with the motion. And this it is likely I might say, either to my lord chancellor or others; though seriously I do not remember that I spake to my lord chancellor at all concerning it. But, sir, since you give me now that modest reason for it, (which, by the (1) "O that they were all such."-Note by Mr. Baxter. (2) "These words I heard not, being in the passage from -Note by Mr. Baxter. him." way, is no just reason in itself, for a tippet may be worn without a degree, though a hood cannot; and it is no shame at all to want these formalities for him that wanteth not the substance,) but, sir, I say, since you give that reason for your refusal, I believe you, and shall correct that mistake in myself, and endeavour to rectify it in others, if any, upon this occasion, have misunderstood you. In the meantime I shall desire your charitable opinion of myself, which I shall be willing to deserve upon any opportunity that is offered me to do you service, being, Sir, Your very humble servant, To my honoured friend, Mr. Richard Baxter. Jo. EARLE. LETTER XC. BISHOP OF LONDON (Dr. Sherlock) to DR. DODDRIDGE.— A handsome acknowledgment of a slight courtesy. REVEREND SIR, Temple, March 24, 1750. It was with great pleasure and satisfaction that I received and read your very excellent and seasona ble sermon, published upon the occasion of the late earthquakes. I pray God it may have a due influence upon the minds of all who read it; and I wish all would read and consider it. Though I am a stranger to your person, yet I am not so to your character and abilities, which I have been made acquainted with by many, and particularly by my worthy friend Dr. Grey. Whatever points of difference there are between us, yet I trust that we are united in a hearty zeal for spreading the knowledge of the gospel, and for reforming the lives and manners of the people according to it. I have lived long enough to know by experience the truth of what we are taught, "That there is no other name by which we may be saved, but the name of Christ only." I have seen the true spirit, and the comfortable hopes of religion lost in the abundance of speculation, and the vain pretences of setting up natural religion in opposition to revelation; and there will be little hope of a reformation, till we are humble enough to be willing to know Christ and him crucified. In this necessary and fundamental point I am fully persuaded we do not disagree; and I earnestly beg of God to bless our united endeavours to make his ways known. Recommending you and your Christian labours to his gracious protection, I am, Sir, with great truth, Your affectionate and humble servant, THOMAS LONDON. LETTER XCI. ARCHBISHOP HERRING to DR. BENSON. REVEREND SIR, Kensington, February 2, 1748. I cannot satisfy myself with having sent a cold and |