F R E E A C E. xvii people, putting all the fprings of theprerogative in motion, to drive them out of both kingdoms. But in/leadof accomplifhing his defigns, the number of puritans increaf- ed prodigioufly in his reign, which was owing to one or other of theft caufes. Firfl, To their flanding firm by the conflitution and laws of their country ; which brought over to them all thofe gentlemen in the houfe of commons, and in the feveral counties of England, who found it necfary, for the prefervation of their properties, to oppofe the court, and to infijt upon being governed according to law; theft were called STATE PURI- TANS. Secondly, To their Heady adherence to the doarines of Calvin, and the fynod of Dort, in the points of predeftination and grace, againff the modern interpretation of ARMINIUS and his followers. The court divines fell in with the latter, andwere thought not only to deviate from the principles of the firft reformers, but to attempt a coalition with the church of Rome ;; while moll of the country clergybeing ft f in their old opinions, (though otherwife well enough ajébled to the difdpline and ceremo- nies of the church) were in a manner Phut out from all preferment, and branded with the name of DOCTRINAL PURITANS. Thirdly, To their pious and fevere manner of life, which was at this time very extraordinary. If a man kept the fabbath, and fre- quented fermons; f he maintained family religion, and would neither fwear, nor be drunk, nor comply with the fa/hionable vices of the times, he was called a puritan : This, by degrees, procured them the compafon of the fober part of the nation, who began to think it very hard, that a number offober, induftrious, and confcientious people, should be haraffed out of the land, for fcrupling to comply with a few indifferent ceremonies, which had no relation to the favour of God, or thepraelice of virtue. Fourthly, It has been thought by f me, that their increafe was owing to the mild and gentle government of archbifhop ABBOT. While BAN CROFT lived, thepuritans were ufed with the utmoft rigour, bat ABBOT having agreater concernfor thedobirines of the churchthanfor its ceremo- nies, relaxed thepenal laws, andconnived at their profelyting the people to calvinifm. ARMINIANISM was at this time both a church andfiate fallion ; the divines of this perfuafron apprehending their fintiments not very confident with the received fenfe of the thirty-nine articles, and being afraid of the cenfures of a parliament or convocation ; took fhelter under the prerogative, and went into all the /lavifhmeafures of the court to gain the royal favour, and tofecure to their friends the chiefprefer- meats VOL. I. c
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