Hi,/1ory ofthePuritans, exam%n'd. z 97 fcribed by five moll noted PrefbyterianDivines, who all teflifaed, That he died abundantly fatisfred with the Caufe of Nonconformity, which he dlinguifbed front Separation. * ' After our Author Ball (fays Anthony Tod) 4 had finifhed this laft Book, he undertook a large Treatife of the Church, wherein he intended to difcover the Nature of Schifm, and to deal in the main Controverfies touching the Effence and Government of the vifible Church, of which alfo Fifty Sheets of Paper he left finifhed. Not-. withftanding all this, yet by what our Author ' hath written in his Anfwer to 7o. Can, and in his friendly Trial, &c. fome dividing Spirits of his own Party cenfured him, as in fome degree de- clining from his former profeft Inconformity, in deferting the Nonconformifls Caufe and Grounds ; being too much inclined (efpecially in the laft of thefe two) to favour the Times, in Ceremonies and in the Service-Book. Yet if you'll give cre- dit to what thefe Men [viz. the five noted Pref- byterian Divines] deliver, they'll tell you, that 4 he lived and died a ftrift Forbearer, and conftant Oppofer of all thofe pretended Corruptions, which the Nonconformifls had commonly in their publick Writings difallow'd in the Church of England. So that they of his own Perfuafion, would willingly have it believ'd, that although e he was in thefe his Pieces, againft aggravating ' and multiplying conceiv'd Corruptions, and that 4 thefe were not of fo great weight, as to inforce the Unlawfulnefs of our fet Forms, or warrant a Separation from our Churches, and publickWor- fhip in regard thereof; yet he acknowledged 4 fome things blame - worthy in the Engli/b Litur- gy, whichhe defigned to have evidenced (as thefe Athena Oxon, Vol. I. p. 543. 03 'Men
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