P A T I. Reverend Mr. RichardBaxter. led Puritans themfelves, and their Rage againft the Godly was increafed: and they cried up theBifhops, partly becaufe they were againft the Puritans, and partly be- caufe they were earneft for that wayof Worfhip which they found molt confiftent with their Ignorance, Carelefnefs, and Sins, And thus the Intereft of the Dioce- fans and of the Prophane and Ignorant fort of People were unhappily twifted to gether ha England. And then on the other fide, as all the Nonconformifts were againft the Prelates; fo otherof the molt ferious godly People, were alienated front them on all theft forefaid conjun& Accounts. r. Becaufe theywere derided and abufed by the Name of Puritan.,. Y: Becaufe the Malignant Sort were permitted to make Religious Perfons their commonScorn. 3. Becaufe they faw fo many infufficient and vicious Men among the Confor- mable Clergy. + Becaufe they had a high efteem of the Parts and Piety of molt of the Non- conformable Minifters. 5. Becaufe they grieved to fee fo many Excellent Men filenced , while fo many Thoufandwere perilhing in Ignorance andSin. 6. Becaufethough they took the Liturgy to be lawful, yet a more orderly,feri- ous Scriptural way of Worship was much more pleafing to them. 7. Becaufe Farling and Praying, and other Exerciles, which they found much benefit by, were fo ftri&ly looks after, that the High Commiflion and the Bishops Courts did makeit much more petitions, than common Swearing and Drunken- nefs proved to the Ungodly. S. Becaufe the Book that was publilhed for Recreations on theLord's Day made them think that the Bithops concurred with the Prophane. 9. BecaufeAfternoon Sermons and Le&ures, though by Conformable Men, be- gan to be put down in divers Counties. . to. Becaufe fo great a number of Conformable Minifters were fufpended or pu- nilhed for not reading the Book of Sports on Sundays , or about Altars, or fuch like : and fo many Thouland Families,'und many worthy Miniflera, driven out of the Land. T r. Becaufe when they faw Bowing towards Altars, and the other Innóvations added, they fearedworfe, and knew not where they would end. rz. And laftly, Becaufe they faw that the Bishops proceeded fo far as to flea,. Men to their whole Government by the Et cæteraOath, and that they approvedof Ship-money, and other fuck incroachments on their Civil Interefts. All thete upon my own knowledgewere the,true Caufes why fo great a number of thofe Perlons who were counted molt Religious, fell in with the Parliament in England; infomuch that the generality of the ftriáer diligent fort of Preachers joyned whh them, though not in medling with Arms, yet in Judgment, and in flying to their Garrifons; and almoft all thofe afterwardscalled Presbyterian, were before Conformifls : Very few of all that Learned and Pious Synod at WeJtminfler were Nonconformills before, and yet were for theParliament, fuppofing that the Intereft of Religion lay on that fide. Yet didthey 11111 keepup an honourable efteem ofall that they thought Religious on the other fide ; fuch as Bithop Davenant,Bilhop Hall,Bithop Morton, Archbishop Ufher,&c.But as to the generality,theywent founanimoufly the other way,that upon my knowledge many that were not wife enough to underftand the Truth about the Caufe of the King andParliament, did yet run into the Parliaments Armies,or take their part (as Sheep go together for Company) moved by this Argument , [ Sure God will not fuller almo(( all his moll Religious Servants to err in fogreat a matter.] And [If all theft should perillawhat will becomeof Religion.] But theft were infufficient Grounds to go upon. And abundance of the ignorant fort of the Country, who were Civil, did flock in to the Parliament, and filled up their Armies afterward, meerly becaufe they heard Men (wear for the Common Prayer and Bithops,and heard others pray that were againft them ; and becaufe they heard the King's Soldiers with horrid Oaths abufe the name of God, and faw them live in Debauchery, andthe Parliaments Soldiers flock toSermons,. and talking of Re- ligion,. and praying and tingingPfalms togetheron their Guards. Andall the fo- ber Men that I was acquainted with, who were against the Parliament, were wont to fay, [The King hath the better Carafe, but the Parliament hath the better Men]. I^ And 33.
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