had been fo inhumanly used for their oppofi 6 tion merit, to fit in fupreme councils and committees (as their breeding was) fell to huckfter the commonwealth. Others did thereafter as men could footh and humour them beft; fo he who would give moft, or under covert of hypocritical zeal, infinuate basest, enjoyed unworthily the rewards of learning and fidelity; or efcaped the punishment of his crimes and mifdeeds. Their votes and ordinances, which men looked fhould have contained the repealing of bad laws, and the immediate conftitution of better, refounded with nothing elfe, but new impofitions, taxes, excifes; yearly, monthly, weekly. Not to reckon the offices, gifts and preferments, beftowed and fhared among themfelves.-And, if the ftate were in this plight, religion was not in much better; to reform which, a certain number of divines were called, neither chofen by any rule or cuftom ecclefiaftical, nor eminent for either piety or knowledge above others left out, only as each member of parliament, in his private fancy, thought fit, fo elected one by one. The most part of them were fuch as had preach⚫ed and cried down, with great fhew of zeal, the avarice and pluralities of bifhops and prelates; that one cure of fouls was a full employment for one spiritual 6 paftor, how able foever, if not a charge rather above human ftrength. Yet thefe confcientious men (ere any part of the work done for which they came together, and that on the public falary) wanted not boldnefs, to the ignominy and scandal of their pastor-like profeffion, and efpecially of their boafted reformation, to feize into their hands, or not unwillingly to accept (befides one, fometimes two or more of the best livings) collegiate mafterships in the univerfities, rich lectures in the city, fetting fail to all winds that might blow gain into their covetous bofoms; by which means thefe great rebukers of nonrefidence, among fo many diftant cures, were not • afhamed 6 < 6 doubt tion to the prelates; and we need not but with afhamed to be feen fo quickly pluralifts and non-refidents themselves, to a fearful condemnation, doubtlefs, by their own mouths. And yet the main doc trine, for which they took fuch pay, and infifted upon with more vehemence than gofpel, was but to • tell us, in effect, that their doctrine was worth nothing, and the fpiritual power of their miniftry lefs ⚫ available than bodily compulfion; perfuading the magiftrate to use it, as a ftronger means to fubdue and bring in confcience than evangelical perfuafion; diftrusting the virtue of their own fpiritual weapons, 'which were given them, if they be rightly called, with full warrant of fufficiency to pull down all thoughts and imaginations that exalt themselves ' against God. But while they taught compulfion with'out.convincement, which, not long before, they complained of, as executed unchriftianly against themfelves, these intents are clear to have been no better • than antichriftian; fetting up a fpiritual tyranny, by a fecular power, to the advancing of their own authority above the magiftrate, whom they would have made their executioner, to punish church-delinquencies, whereof civil laws had no cognizance. And well did their difciples manifeft themselves to be no ⚫ better principled than their teachers; trufted with committeeships, and other gainful offices, upon their commendations for zealous, and (as they fticked not to term them). godiy men, but executing their places like children of the devil, unfaithfully, unjustly, un• mercifully, and, where not corruptly, ftupidly. So that between them the teachers, and these the difciples, there hath not been a more ignominious and mortal wound to faith, to piety, to the work of reformation, nor more cause of blafpheming given to the enemies of God and truth, fince the firft preach- (c) Milton's ing of reformation (c).'—A stronger contraft, per Works, vol. haps, ii. p. 44. F 2 Profe with zeal he joined in it. The tyranny of the bishops had been long odious in his eyes, and haps, never was than what is formed by thefe two paflages of the fame writer. However, in this latter, we may obferve it is allowed they began well, tho" their after-deeds are reprefented as black, odious and deteftable. Be they what they may, I am not concerned in their vindication. Those of them that fall in my way I will reprefent fairly, cenfure candidly, and leave them to the determination of the reader. That there was a glorious band of patriots in the house of commons, in the beginning of the long parliament, is too evident to be denied. Milton, by mentioning their actions, known facts, has established their character beyond all contradiction. Elated by profperity, influenced by the priesthood, enfnared by wealth and power, or heated by oppofition, 'tis very poffible many things were done by them which can never be juftified, though allowances be made for times of diforder and confufion: more especially the permitting their clergy to tyrannize over the confciences of men, like the prelates that went before them. This latter, indeed, feems to have given Milton the greatest disguft, who was a mortal foe to the dominion of priests, and a zealous affertor of the rights of confcience. He could not bear that the fame kind of men fhould complain of and exercife oppreffion; that thofe, in whofe cause he had drawn his pen, fhould defeat all his hopes, and manifeft, that 'twas not liberty, but power, they had been contending for. Because you have thrown off your prelate lord, Mon and therefore he adhered to their enemies in Montefquieu feems to account well for a behaviour which appears at firft fight fo unnatural. It is a principle, fays he, that every religion which is perfecuted becomes itself perfecuting; for as foon as by fome ac'cidental turn it arifes from perfecution, it attacks the religion which perfecuted it; not as a religion, but as • a tyranny [*].' The parliament however rectified their conduct, even on this head, to the fore displeasure of the lordly Prefbyters, and kept them from mifufing and oppreffing their brethren. So that upon the whole, though they were not free from faults, yet were they, in the eyes of the knowing and unprejudiced, the ableft nobleft set ⚫ of people this nation ever produced.' But let us appeal to facts. When Van Tromp fet upon Blake in Folefton-bay, the parliament had not above thirteen 'fhips against threescore, and not a man that had ever feen any other fight at fea, than a merchant ship and a pyrate, to oppose the best captain in the world, attended with many others in valour and experience ⚫ not much inferior to him. Many other difficulties ⚫ were observed in the unfettled ftate: few ships, want of money, several factions, and fome who to advance particular interefts betrayed the publick. But fuch was the power of wisdom and integrity of those that fat at the helm, and their diligence in chufing men only for their merit, was bleffed with fuch fuccefs, that in two years our fleets grew to be as famous as ⚫ our land armies; the reputation and power of our nation rose to a greater height, than when we poffeffed the better half of France, and the Kings of France and Scotland were our prifoners. All the States, Kings and ' poten F 3 [*] Spirit of Laws, vol. ii. p. 180. *Warwick's Me moirs, p. 177. (d) Sidney of Government, p. 222. Folio. lip Warwick, what I would not have; though I cannot what I would *:' the cafe of many others I fuppofe at that time. He appeared very zealous for the remonftrance (P) of the ftate of the kingdom, which, "The potentates of Europe, most respectfully, not to say submiffively, fought our friendship; and Rome was more afraid of Blake, than they had been of the great King of Sweden, when he was ready to invade Italy with a hundred thousand men. This was the work of those, who, if our author [Filmer] fay true, thought bafely of the publick concernments; and believing things might be well enough managed by others, minded only their private affairs. Thefe were the effects of the negligence and ignorance of those, who being suddenly advanced to offices, were removed before they understood the duties of them (d).'- Mr. Trenchard celebrates their actions in the following manner. Lond. 1698. parliament governed for five years, who made their name famous through the whole earth, conquered their enemies in England, Scotland and Ireland; reduced the kingdom of Portugal to their own terms; ' recovered our reputation at fea; overcame the Dutch in feveral famous battles; fecured our trade, and managed the publick expences with fo much frugality, that no eftates were gained by private men upon the ⚫ publick miferies; and at laft were paffing an act for 'their own diffolution, and fettling the nation in a free and impartial commonwealth; of which the army being afraid, thought it neceffary to diffolve them (e).' The bare recital of these facts is an elogium fufficient: and every man who knows them to be facts, will be And notes difpofed to think favourably of thofe who performed them; and to contemn a writer who has the infolence (ƒ) Lanf- and ill breeding (though a frequenter of courts and a lodowne's ver of the polite arts) to call them a pack of knaves (ƒ).” (P) The remonstrance of the fate of the kingdom.] This 12mo. 1736. remonftrance deferves very particular notice, as it oc (e) Short History of ftanding Ar mies, p. 19. 8vo. 1739. (KK), (LL), (MM). Works, vol. ii. p. 201. ca |