as their advocate both in the country and the

par

⚫ dominions; as if uniformity were always beautiful : and yet we fee all men are created with several faces, voices, and complexions, without any deformity to the universe.'-This is a fine thought, and has been frequently made ufe of by our beft advocates for toleration. The fame writer, fpeaking of the fame men, af ferts that in the high commiffion, at the council table, in the ftar chamber, and the chequer, churchmen are · now more active than in their own confiftories, and yet their ambition further aims (as 'tis faid) to the chancery, court of requests, &c. which could not chufe to redound to the fcandal of religion, the obstruction of juftice, and vexation of the fubject. If there were < not learned and fkilful men enough in policy and law to ferve the King, unlefs divinity were depriv'd of fome of her followers, there were fome feeming umbrage why the King might borrow of God; but when God's more holy office is neglected, that the King's meaner may be the worfe adminiftred, the world much gazes and wonders at it (e).' We may naturally enough imagine men thus ambitious of power and wealth were not overstocked with real religion! and we may, with like probability, conclude that pretences to confcience in their eyes had but an odd and ridiculous appearance and confequently that the perfons who made ufe of them to juftify their oppofition to their injunctions would fare little the better for them. I will not enter here into the particulars of the hardships and oppreffions which the puritans underwent from the prelates, and the high hand which was carried by these latter over all who oppofed them. I have given a sketch of (f) Hifto- it elsewhere, and must refer fuch as may be uninform’d thither (). However, the following fhort litany may count of the not be unacceptable even to thofe who are beft acquainted with their tranfactions. It fhews their behaviour,

(e) Difcourfe Concerning Puritans, p. 36. 4to. Lond. prin

ted for Robert Bof

tock, 1641.

rical and

critical ac

Life of

Charles I. and the fenfe men then had of it.

P. 222.

parliament; that he cenfur'd and oppos'd

A fhort LETA NIE.

the

From this prelatical pride and their lordly dignities; From all their fuperftitious vanities, and Popifh ceremonies;

From their late innovations and mifchievous policies; From the curfed oath ex officio, and high commiffion cruelties;

From their Romish clergy, and the peoples unfufferable miferies;

From their greedy gainful vifitations, and the churchwardens enforced perjuries;

From their most corrupt courts, and their vexing flaveries;

From all their fruitlefs fhadows, and hypocritical formalities;

From their hatred and malice againft Chrift's appointed ordinances;

From their needlefly devifed and troublefome conformities;

From all their illegal proceedings, and oppreffing tyrannies;

From their finful fynods, and all their papal hierarchy;

From Abaddon and Apollyon, with their priests, jefuits, their favourites, and all their furious blafphemers; Good Lord, deliver us (g).

(g) Short View of the prelatical

From this little fatyr appears how ill beloved, yea church of hated, these men were, how tyrannical and cruel they England, p. were deem'd! To oppofe these then must have been 39. 4to. meritorious; to fcreen fuch as were opprefs'd by them, humane and charitable. Cromwell did this as much as lay in his power. When the puritans were like to come (b) See Philinto trouble, he would attend on Dr. Williams, bifhop lips's Life of of Lincoln, at Bugden, and speak in their behalf (). Williams, What his fuccefs was appears not: probably but small, P. 290. 8vo. for Williams being joftled out of favour by the arts of

Cambridge

1700.

the court-prelates; and even preferr'd freedom in a foreign land (M) to the flavery and op

preffion

Laud, and Buckingham, to the latter of whom he had been a fervile tool, was fearful of fhewing favour, left his adversary might get a farther advantage over him.In the parliament 1628, we find Cromwell in a com⚫mittee concerning the pardons granted by the King [Charles] fince the laft feffion, to certain perfons queftioned in parliament. And we are told that he inform'd the house what countenance the bishop of Winchefter did give to fome perfons that preached flat po< pery, and mentioned the perfons by name, and how by this bishop's means, Manwaring (who by cenfure the laft parliament, was difabled for ever holding any ecclefiaftical dignity in the church, and confefled the juftice of that cenfure) is nevertheless preferred to a (i) Rushrich living. If thefe be the fteps to church-preferworth's Col-ment (faid he) what may we expect (i)?' But these lections, vol. efforts of his, as well as of the greatest and best men i. p. 655. folio. Lond. in the house of commons, were ineffectual. They were protected by Charles, who would rather diffolve a parliament, than degrade a court-prerogative-bishop.

1659.

(M) He preferr'd freedom in a foreign land to the flavery and oppreffion which were continually increasing at home.] Charles I. and his minifters were bent on introducing uniformity in religion, and defpotifm in the ftate. They met with oppofition in parliaments-and therefore parliaments for a long courfe of years were laid afide. Private persons spoke and wrote against the meafures purfued; but they got nothing for their pains but fines, imprifonments, or barbarous corporal punishments. The courts of law indeed were open - but they were properly the King's courts. The prerogative was what they maintain'd and enlarged to the utmoft of their power, and no man had a chance to fucceed in them, who would not fubmit to it. In fhort, the judges declared in effect that the King's will was law, and that the property of the fubject, was indeed his. After Hampden's

ftand

preffion which were continually increafing

at

ftand in the great cafe of fhip-money, and the infamous determination of the much greater part of the bench, all was profound filence; a dead calm fucceeded; every one look'd about him for a place of refuge and retreat from the iron hand of power. For it was manifeft there was no redress, and that the men at the helm were for an unrelenting severity. Let us hear Laud, in his epiftle dedicatory to his mafter. God forbid I fhould ever ⚫ offer to perfwade a perfecution in any kind, or practife it in the leaft.. -But on the other fide, God forbid too, that your Majefty fhould let both laws and difcipline fleep for fear of the name of perfecution, and in the mean time let Mr. Fisher and his fellows angle in all parts of your dominions for your fubjects. If in your grace and goodnefs you will fpare their perfons: yet I humbly befeech you to fee to it, that they be not suffered to lay either their weels, or bait their hooks, or caft their nets in every ftream, lest that tentation grow both toc general, and too ftrong.

fo

-Now as I would humbly befeech your Majefty to keep a ferious watch upon these fishermen,'I would not have you neglect another fort of anglers in a fhallower water. For they have fome ill nets too. And if they may fpread them, when, and where they will, God knows what may become of it. There have not so ftrong a back abroad, as the Romanists have, but that's no argument to fuffer them to increase. They may grow to equal ftrength with number. And factious people, at home, of what fect or fond opinion foever they be, are not to be neglected. Partly because they are fo near; and 'tis ever a dangerous fire, that begins in the bed ftraw; and partly, because all thofe domeftick evils, which threaten a rent in church or state, are with far more fafety prevented by wisdom, than punished by juftice: Thus fpeaks the great director of affairs to his mafter. A little afterwards, he fays, I know it is a great eafe to let every

E 2

at home. But his intentions were frustrated,

and,

thing be as it will, and every man believe, and do as he lift. But whether governors in state or church do their duty therewhile. is eafily feen, fince this is an effect of no King in Ifrael. The church of Chrift upon earth may be compared to a hive of bees, and that can be no where fo fteadily plac'd in this world, but it will be in fome danger. And men that care • neither for the hive nor the bees, have yet a great mind to the honey. And having once tafted the fweets of the churches maintenance, fwallow that for honey, which one day will be more bitter than gall in their bowels. Now the King and the priest, more than any other, are bound to look to the integrity of the church in doctrine and manners, and that in the first place. For that's by far the best honey in the hive. But in the fecond place, they must be careful of the churches maintenance too, elfe the bees shall make honey for otllers, and have none left for their ¿ own neceffary fuftenance, and then all's loft. For we fee it in daily and common ufe, that the honey is not taken from the bees, but they are deftroyed firft. Now in this great and bufy work the King and the priest must not fear to put their hands to the hive, though they be fure to be fung. And ftung by the bees, whofe hive and houfe they preferve. It was King David's cafe, (God grant it be never yours) They came about me (faith the Pfalm 118) like bees. This was hard ufige enough, yet fome profit, fome honey might thus be gotten in the end: and that's the King's cafe. But when it comes to the priest, the cafe is alter'd; They come about him like wafps, or like hornets rather; all fting, and no honey there. And all this many times for no offence, nay fometimes for fervice done them, would they fee it.Now one thing more let me be bold to observe to your Majefty, in particular, concerning your great charge, the church of England. 'Tis in an hard condition.

6

• She