to the house; but he would not meddle with it, till he got a stranger to me, to come and inquire of me, whether I was willing to leave it? I told him, I was not only willing, but desirous; not for my own ends, but for my landlord's sake, who must needs sell it : and so he bought it, and lived in that poor house, till his mortal sickness sent him to the place of his interment.

I will truly tell you, the matter and the manner of our converse. We were oft together, and almost all our discourse was philosophical, and especially about the nature of spirits, and superior regions; and the nature, operations, and immortality of man's soul. And our disposition, and course of thoughts, were, in such things, so like, that I did not much cross the bent of his conference. He studied physics, and got all new, or old, books of philosophy, that he could meet with, as eagerly, as if he had been a boy at the university.*

Whenever we were together, he was the spring of our discourse, as choosing the subject: and most of it, still, was of the nature of spirits, and the immortality, state, and operations of separated souls. We both were conscious of human darkness, and how much of our understanding's quiet, in such matters, must be fetched from our implicit trust in the goodness and promises of God, rather than from a clear and satisfying conception of the mode of separated souls' operations; and how great use we have, herein, of our faith in Jesus Christ, as he is the undertaker, mediator, the Lord and lover of

* Here followed Baxter's account of their joint studies; which, in the present day, would be neither interesting, nor very intelligible.

souls, and the actual possessor of that glory. But, yet, we thought, that it greatly concerned us, to search, as far as God allowed us, into a matter of so great moment; and that even little, and obscure prospects into the heavenly state, are more excellent, than much and applauded knowledge of transitory things.

He was much in urging difficulties and objections; but you could not tell by them what was his own judgment: for, when he was able to answer them himself, he would draw out another's answer.

He was but of a slow speech; and, sometimes, so hesitating, that a stranger would have thought him a man of low parts, that knew not readily what to say, though ready at other times.* But I never saw Cicero's doctrine de Oratore more verified in any man, that, furnishing the mind with all sorts of knowledge, is the chief thing to make an excellent orator; for, when there is abundance and clearness of knowledge in the mind, it will furnish even a slow tongue, to speak that, which, by its congruance and verity, shall prevail. Such a one never wants moving matter, nor an answer to vain objectors.

The manner of our converse, was as suitable to my inclination as the matter. For, whereas, many bred in universities, and called scholars, have not

* Hale was a man of no quick utterance; but spake with great reason. He was most precisely just insomuch that, I believe, he would have lost all he had in the world, rather than do an unjust act. Patient in hearing the most tedious speech, that any man had to make for himself. The pillar of justice, the refuge of the subject who feared oppression, and one of the greatest honours of his majesty's government: for, with some other upright judges, he upheld the honour of the English nation, that it fell not into the reproach of arbitrariness, cruelty, and utter confusion.'. . Richard

the wit, manners, or patience, to hear those that they discourse with speak to the end: but, through list and impotency, cannot hold, but cut off a man's speech when they hear any thing that urgeth them, before the latter part make the former intelligible or strong, (when oft the proof and use is reserved to the end) liker scolds than scholars; as if they commanded silence, at the end of each sentence, to him that speaketh, or else, would have two talk at once. I do not remember, that ever he and I did interrupt each other, in any discourse. His wisdom, and accustomed patience, caused him still to stay for the end. And, though my disposition have too much forwardness to speak, I had not so little wit or manners, as to interrupt him; whereby we far better understood each other, than we could have done in chopping and maimed discourse.

His many hard questions, doubts, and objections to me, occasioned me to draw up a small tract, of the nature and immortality of man's soul, as proved by natural light alone, by way of questions and answers. In which, I had not baulked the hardest objections and difficulties that I could think of; conceiving, that atheists and sadducees are so unhappily witty, and Satan such a tutor, that they are as like to think of them as I. But the good man, when I sent it to him, was wiser than I; and sent me word, in his return, that he would not have me publish it in English, nor without some alterations of the method; because, though he thought I had sufficiently answered all the objections, yet, ordinary readers would take deeper into their minds, such

objections as they never heard before, than

the answer, how full soever, would be able to overcome: whereupon, not having leisure to translate and alter it, I cast it by.*

As to his judgment about religion, our discourse was very sparing about controversies. He thought not fit to begin with me about them, nor I with him and as it was in me, so it seemed to be in him, from a conceit, that we were not fit, to pretend to add much to one another.

About matters of conformity, I could gladly have known his mind more fully: but I thought it unmeet to put such questions to a judge, who must not speak against the laws; and he never offered his judgment to me. And I knew, that, as I was to reverence him in his own profession, so, in matters of my profession and concernment, he expected not that I should think as he, beyond the reasons which he gave.

I must say, that he was of opinion, that the wealth and honour of the bishops was convenient, to enable them the better to relieve the poor, and rescue the inferior clergy from oppression, and to keep up the honour of religion in the world. But, all this on supposition, that it would be in the hands of wise and good men, or else it would do as much harm. But, when I asked him, whether great

* One cannot help admiring the superior practical wisdom, of sir Matthew Hale. It is a case eminently in point, that the celebrated Franklin (himself being the authority) imbibed his first infidel prejudices, from reading, in three folio volumes, the Boyle's-lecture sermons. The objections, said he, were succinctly, and pointedly stated: the answers, unhappily, were verbose, and dry. I do not happen to have 'Franklin's Life' at hand; but, on this point, I can sufficiently rely upon my memory. The very fulness of the answer, would evidently mar the effect of it. People in general, for one reason or another,' says bishop Horne, like short objections

wealth and honour would not be most earnestly desired and sought by the worst of men, while good men would not seek them? And whether he that

was the only fervent seeker, was not likeliest to obtain, except under some rare extraordinary prince? And so, whether it was not like to entail the office on the worst, and to arm Christ's enemies against him to the end of the world, which a provision, that had neither alluring, nor much discouraging temptation, might prevent, he gave me I have heard some say, if the pope were a good man, what a deal of good might he do? But have popes, therefore, blessed the world?

no answer.

I can say truly, that he greatly lamented the negligence, and ill lives, and violence of some of the clergy; and would oft say, What have they their calling, honour, and maintenance for, but to seek the instructing and saving of men's souls?

He much lamented, that so many worthy ministers were silenced, the church weakened, papists strengthened, the cause of love and piety greatly wronged and hindered, by the present differences about conformity, And he hath told me his judgment, that the only means to heal us was, a new act of uniformity, which should neither leave all at liberty, nor impose any thing but necessary.

I had once a full opportunity to try his judgment far in this. It pleased the lord keeper Bridgman, to invite Dr. Manton and myself, (to whom Dr. Bates, at our desire, was added,) to treat with Dr. Wilkins and Dr. Burton, about the terms of our reconciliation, and restoration to our ministerial liberty. After

me days' conference, we came to agreement in all