46 The L l E' E óf the Part Ili And here also the defendents fell into differences among themfelves; when the point of necellity, Tome that had pleaded moll for liorfes, would make of of Alfes rather than none : And others for it, called them Torn-Coats , and the Servantsof Tyranny. But how the Controverlie is like to end, I toldyou before. I have but one word to fay, for expounding any Parable, that by Horfer I do not mean Non-conformifts, (unlefs as any of them fall under another Ge- núr. It is ferious, ReligiousPerron that I mean, who are fcorned as Puritans Zealots, and Precifians, becaufe they fet not as light by Heaven as others, and will go further in Religion thandead Formality, and Imagery. § 102. But I muff returnand fay fomething of my own affairs : Whilft I li- ved at Alton, as long as the A& agairiR Conventicles was in force, though I Preached to any Family, few came to hear me Of the Town ; partly becaufe they thoughtit would endanger me, and partly for fear of fi.ffering themfelves, but e- fpecially becaufe they were an ignorant poor People, and had no Appetite to Such things. But when the Aft was expired there came fo many that I wanted room ; and when once they had come andheard, they afterward came conftant- ly.. Infomuch that in a little time there was a great number of them that Teemed very ferioufly affectedwith the things they heard, and almoft all the Town and Parifh, befides abundance from Brainford, and the Neighbour Pariíhes came : And And I know not of three in the Parifh that wereAdverfaries to its or our Endea- vours, or wilhtus Ill. § 03. Experience here convinced me that the Independent feparating rigour is not the way to do the People good. After Dr. Featly, Mr. Nye, and Mr. Edford, two able Independents had been the fetled Minifters at _Mon ; and when I was there, there remainedbut two Women in all the Town, and Parifh, whom theyhad admitted to the Sacrament (whereof One was a Lady that by alienation from them turned Quaker, and was their great Patronefs, and returned from them while I was there, and heard me with reff.) This rigour made the Peo- ple think hardly of them; and I found that theuncharitable conceit, that the Pa- riles are worfe than they are, doth tend to make them asbad as they are thought. I am fare there were many that fpake to me like ferious Chriftians, of the poorer fort, and few that were Scandalous, and many I could comfortably have Communicated with. And when Threatnings increafed, they continued fti11 to hear with diligence, fo that my Rooms would not containthem. And had I con- tinued there longer, I Ihould have hoped by thole beginnings, that experience might convince Men, that Parifh-Churches may conhft of capable materials. § r o4. The Parton of the Parifh was Dr. Rive, Deanof Windfor, Dean of Wolverhampton, Parfonof Hafeley, and of Adon,Chaplain in ordinary to the King, eve. His Curate was a weak, dull young Man, that fpent moil of his time in Ale-hontes, and read a few dry Sentences to the People, but once a day: But yet becaufe he preached true Doftrine, and I land no better to hear, I con- Rantly heard him when he preached, and went to the beginning of the Common Prayer; and my Houle faceing the Church -Door, within hearing of it, thole that heard me before, went with me to the Church; Scarce three that I know ofin the Parifh refuting, and when I preachedafter the publiek Exercife, they went out of the Church into my Houle. It pleated the Dr. and Parfon that I carne to Church, and broughtothers withme : But he was not able to bear the fight of Peoples crowding into my Houle, though they heard him alto ; fo that though he fpake me fair, and we lived in teeming Love andPeace (while he was there) yet he' could not long endure it. Andwhen I hadbrought the People to Church to hear him, heworld fall upon them with gronndlefs Reproaches, as if he had done it purpefely to drive them away, and yet thought that my preaching to them, becaufe it was in a Haute, didall the mifchief, though he never acetified me of a- ny thing that I fpake. For I preached nothing but Chriftianity and Submillion to our Snperiours ; Faith Repentance, Hope, Love, Humility, Self-denial, Meek - nefs, Patience, and Obedience. § toy. But he was the more offended becaufe I came not to the Sacrament with limn. Though- I communicated in the other parilh-Churches at London, and elfcwhere. I was loth, to offend himby giving him the Áeafon which was thatlie being commonly reputed a Swearer, a Curter a Railer, ec. in tender
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