23o The LIFE of the t. I B. 4 9o. When I was with thefe two Lords on this occafron,I told them what Con- ferences I had with feveral Epifcopal Men about the Terms of an Agreement or Coalition, and how much it concerned the Intereft, both of the King and of Re- ligion, that we might he fo united, and what unhappy Confequences elfe would follow, and how ealle I thought an Agreement with moderate Men would be and on whatTerms BifhopUfher and I had agreed in a little Ipace. A little after the Lord Braga was pleafed to cometo me; and he toldme, That he had told the King of the Bufinefs of a Conference for an Agreement, and that the King took it very well , and was refolved to further ir. And about 'the fame time the Earl ofManebefter fignified as much to Mr. Calamy s So that Mr. Calamy, Dr. Yteynolds, Mr.,Afh, and my Self went about it to the Earl of Manche- Jter Lord Chamberlain, and after Confultations of the Bufinefs with him, he determined of á Day to bring us to the King. Mr. Calamy ( to whom both I, and I think all the reif, did leave the Nomination of the Perfons to be employ- ed) advifed that all that were the King's Chaplains of us might be called to the Confultation, and that we fotir might not feem to take fo much upon us without others : ( if we did 'go once without them to the King, which I well remem- ber not, that was all ): So Dr: Wallis, Dr. Manton, and Dr. Spurjtow, &c. went withus to the King : who with the Lord Chancellour, and the Earl of St. Albans, &c. came to us inthe Lord Chamberlain's Lodgings. We exercifedmore bold- nets at firft, than afterwlrrds would have been born : when fome of the reft had congratulated his Majefty's happy Reftoration, and declared the large hope which they hadof a happy Union among all Diffenters by his means, &c. I prefumed to (peak to himof the Concernments of Religion, and how far we were from de- firing the continuance of anyFaétions or Parties in the Church, and how mucha happy Union would conduce to the goodof the Land, and to his Majefty's Setif faetion; and though there were turbulent Fanatick Perfons in his Dominions, yet that thofe Minifters and Godly People, whofe Peace we humbly craved of him, were no fuch Perfons, but filch as longed after Concord, and were truly Loyal to him, anddefired no more than to live under him a quiet and peaceable Life in all game/ andbonefly ;. and whereas there were differences beroeen them ,and their Brethren abourfome Ceremoniesor Difciplineof the Church, we humbly craved his Majefty's favour for the endingof thofe Differences, it being eafie for him to interpofe, that fo the People might not be deprived of their faithfulPaftors, nor ignorant, fcandalous, unworthy Ones obtruded onthem ! I prefumed to tell him, That the People that we fpake for wire fuch As were contentad with an Intereft hi Heaven, and the Liberty and Advantagesof the Gofpel to promote it ; and if this were taken from them, and, they were deprived of their faithful'Paftors, and Liberty of worfhipping God, they would take themfelves as undone in thisWorld, whatever plenty elfe they fhould enjoy : and the Hearts of his molt faithful Sub- jeefs, who hoped for his help, would even be broken: and that we doubted not but his Majelly defired to Govern a People made happy by him, and not a broken hearted People that took themfelves to be undone, by the lo& of that which is dear- er to them than all the Richesof theWorld! And I prefumed to tell him, That the late Ufurpers that were over us, fo well underftood their own Intereft, that to promote it, they had found the way-of doing good,to be the molt effectual means; and had placed and encouraged many Thoufand faithful Minifters in the Church, even fach as detefted their Ufurpation : And fo far had they attained their ends hereby, that it was the principal means of their Intereft in the People, and the good Opinion that anyhad conceived of them; and thofe of them that had taken the contraryCourfe, had thereby broken themfelves to pieces Wherefore I hum- bly craved his Majefty's patience that we might have the freedom to requeft of him, that as he was our lawful King, inwhom all his People (fave a few incon- liderable 'Perfons ) were prepared to Centre, as weary of their Divifions, and glad of the Satisfadtory means of Union in him, fo he would be pleafed to under- take this bleffedWork of promoting their Holineß and Concord : ( for it was not Fa&Rion"or Difobedience which we defired him to indulge) : And that he would never ruff= himfelf to be tempted to undo theGopd which Cromwell or any other had done, becaufe they were Ufurpers that did it, or difcountenancea faithful Miniftry, becaufe his Enemies had let them up : But that he would rather out-go them in doing good, and oppofing and rejed:ing the ignorant and ungodly of what Opinion or Parry foeves : For the People whofe Caufe we recommend to him, had' their Eyes on him as the Officer of God, to defend' them in the poffeffìon of the helps of their Salvation; which if he were pleated to vouchfafe them , -their E- Rates
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