T20. APPENDI .X. Numb.VIII, IV. Being vowed doubly to Chrift ( in my Baptifm and Ordination ) I had been a perjured Traytor againft him, if I had not hated this Sin, and done my part in my place againft it. There is no Age or Land fit. good, where Chriff and Satan, Light and Darkne(s havenot this War : and Secular Interefts or Quarrels are made Satan's Advantages, who pretendeth to great Power in Difpofing of the Riches and Honours of the World, This War ended not in England with Qneen Mary's Reign. The unhappy Differences of Frankford came over with the Exiles One Parry running into Extreams againft Epifcopacy and the Liturgy , and the o- ther forbidding not only them, but all Ordained Minitiers, to preach or expound any Doe-trine or Matter in the Church or elfwhere , without further Licence.' I lived to fee fo much of the Effe its of thee Differences as grieved my Soul : Excel-, lent Preachers, and of Holy Lives rniftakingly cenfotious againft force Iawful Things, and Silencedfor it ; fonte flying to America, and force abkonding here. I law the difeafed Paflions and Divilons thus caufèd ; and how much it extinguifh- ed Chriflian Love : At all we all taw it break out.into the Flames of an odious War. And even the IIfitrpers, that by Silencers pretended their Provocation, fell into the Crime which they Accufed; and call out many Learned Bithops, Do- ors and Preachers, for refufrng their Covenant, and their Engagement, and their Way of Worlhip, and for being againft their War. Thus Satan's Silencing work went on. When Experience and Smart brought molt Men to their Wits, and they had found that a divided Kingdom cannot (land, and that returning co Love andUni- ty muff be our Recovery ; I laboured with Minitiers of each fide with all my power for Agreement, on fuch Terms as we were then capableof a and that was to joyo in the amicable prabtice of all that they were agreed in, and to bear with one another in the tell ( which were no neceffary things) : On thele Terms War- eefterfftire and feven or eight other Counties quickly agreed: Ireland profeftcontent: More were doling : But the Divi /uont of the Ufurpers, and the begun Reconciliation of the Peacemakers (or Pretenders)prefently reifored the King. Men were then varioully affedted, between hope of Unity and fear of Difcord, and of the old Silencing dividing Work. That we had one lawful King to Unite in whopromifed his help hereunto, and declared his Judgment for neceffary In- dulgence, and that Lordsand Knights printed their profeffed Renunciation of Re- venge, and Doctors profeffed Moderation, did greatly raife Mens hopes that there would be no mote fuch Divifions, as fhould Silence faithful Minilers. But they that knew how hardly Love and Moderation are reftored, after the Exafperati- tans of fo odious a War, and how few conquer Worldly Interell and old Opini- ons, and do as they would be done by, feared that Bill the Silencing Work would be carried on. I was certain that good Men would not be united by coming all over to the Opinions of each other: which Party Meyer was in the right in all the Points called Indifferent by tome, and Sinful by others , I knew the Difference would continue : And it doth fo. I knew that thole that were molt obedient co God, would not do that which they judged he forbad them. 1 knew that if for this they were forbidden ro Worthip, God in Church -Worlhip, they would not forbear, till'Suffeiing difabled them. I knew that there were lb many fuch, and the Suffering that difabled them muff be fo great , that the Land thereby muff needs be divided into the Af leti g and Af tIted Parties : And the more confciona- bie the more confiant would they be: It were well if moll unrlerftood all things neceffary: But that 41 Ihould underfland all indifferent things ( that might be MI, sounded ) to be indìlfferenr, I knew would never he, if all the Land were DoEfors. It was cage to knowwhat Exafperations of Mind all this would caute, and what a Conqueft Satan would make here, .again(} Light, Love and Mery, iliac is againft Chttll, In the deep Senfe of this Danger Ì fee my fell to try , whether Termsof Pafi- ble Concord might be_ohtained : The London Minifters joyned : The King greatly encüuraged us; Firitby his Declaration at Breda, and that againft Debauchery. Next by Perfonal Engaging us in a Treaty with the Bithops, and his Promife that he woulddraw diem to meet us, ifwe would come as near them as we could. Then by his gracious Declaration, and the Teltimony there given of our Loyalty and Moderation. Then by his Commiflion to treat for Alterations of theLiturgy; But the Bithops denied the Need of any' Alterations, and daf is all our Hopes: And the Convocation and Parliament call by the King's Indulgence ; and .ilfued all in the A6í ofUniformity.
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