216 `Ihe LIFE òf the 1. .I B., j § 7t: And when I read this Reverend Man's exceffive- Praifes, and his eoriau- dingPrayerforthe Succefs of my Labours, I thought With my(elf,trbw'little doth the good Man underftand how ill the beginning and end of his 'words ac- cord : He prayerh for my Congregation, and the Bleffing of myLabours, when he bath perfwaded me to put an end to my Labours, by letting up thofe Prelates whowill Silence me and many a hundred more ! He perfwadethme to that which will feparateme from my Flock,and then prayeth that I may be a Bleffing to them. He overvalueth and magnifieth my Service to the Church , and then perfwadeth me to that which will put a Period to my Service, and to the Service of many hun- dreds better than my felt But yet his Caufe and Arguments are honelt ; and I am fo far from being againft him in it, that I thinkI ammuch more for it than he: for he is for our Relloring the King, that our Miniftry may be freed from the obloquyof malicious Enemies: but I am for reftoringof the King, that when we are Silenced, and our Miniftry at an end, and force of us lye in Prifons, we may there, and in that Condition , have Peace of Confcience in the Difcharge of our Duty, and the Exercife of Faith, Patience and Charity in our Suffer- ings. § 72. And I confers at that time the Thoughts ofMens hearts were various ac- cording to their feveral Expeótations t The Se&arian Party cried out that God had in Juftice cut off the Family that Reigned over us ; and to return to it again, was to betray the Church, and the Souls of Men. Some others laid , That the Se&aries had traiteroufly and wickedly pull'd down the King and Parliament, and fet up themfelves, and broken their Oaths, and pull'ddown all Government, and made the Name of Religion a Reproach, and brought that Blot upon it, which is never till the Day of Judgment like to bewiped off: But yet that after Twelve years alienation of the Government, and when a Houfe of Commons bath fworn Fidelity to another, and the King's own Party had taken the Engagement, their Obligations to that Family were by Providence, again! their Wills diffolved; and that they were not bound to be A&ms in that which will Silence thoufznds of faithful Minifters, and be like to be the Perdition of many and many thoufand Souls. But the Presbyterians faid, We are bound by the Covenant to the King that lait was, and by theOath of Allegiance to him and his Heirs ; and all Chan- ges fencehave been made unlawfully by Rebellious Salaries; and for our parts, whatever others havedone, we have taken no Engagements or contrary Oaths: if the Salaries and the Cavaliers have taken the Engagement , what is that to us: Oar Brethren ofScotland, nor we never did it: Therefore being obliged to the King, as the undóubtedHeir of the Crown, we ought to do our Duty , as Loyal Subjeetsto Rettore him, and for the Elise let God do what hewill. 7;. ThiswastheirEefolution, but in theirExpeïtations they much differed: for thole of them that converfe with the Nobles-and Great Men, and heard from them an high Chara&er of the King, as to his Temper and Piety, were apt tobe- lieve them: and had great hopes, that becaufehe had taken the Covenant him- felf, he would be moderate in fetling all Matters of the Church, and would allow the Presbyterians liberty to preach the Gofpel in their Parifh- Churches ! and that he would remove the Subfcriptions, and leave the Common Prayer and Ceremo- nies indifferent, fo that they fhould not be call out of the Churches. Others thought that the Prelates, being once fee up, there would be no place for Non - fubfcribers in the Publick Churches : but yet that if we were the means of the King's Reftoration, the Prelates would not for Rame deny us fuch Liberty as the Proteftants have in France ; and that Proteftants would not deny that to Prote- Pants, after fuch an Obligation, which Papills granted them. But a third fort Paid, You know' not the Principles or Spirit of the Prelates, if you look for any Liberty inPublick or in Private, to be granted to any that do not conform. We all look to be Silenced, and force or many ofus imprifoned or banifhed: but yet we will do our parts to retore the King, becaufeno forefeen ill confequence, mull hinder us from our Duty: And if ignorant Men be put into our places, and never fo many Souls perils by it,the Fault is notours,but theirsthat do it. And a fourth fort there were, that forefeeing the Silencing of the Minifters , faid, We are litre that there are not competent Men ( much lefs excellent) in England, to fupply the place of one among manyof thofethatwill be call out ; and we know that Godufeth to work by Means : and therefore that the Change is like to be thedam- nation of many thoufand Souls: and we do not believe that weare bound (all things conldered) to he forward to bringfuch a Work to pafs : But we will hand by, and feewhat God will do, and will not hinder it. 74
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