398 the HISTORY of the PURITANS. Chap. VIII. keen rarchy, nor leave a latitude in the molt trifling ceremonies, but infift- Eli ó2th' ed upon an exact uniformity both in doctrine and ceremonies, that all t___ might unite in the publick flandard. The Puritans in their writings and conferences, attempted to Phew the defects of the eftablifhment from fcrip- ture, and from the earlieft ages of the church; and what they fuffered for it has been in part related ; the fulpenfions and deprivations of this long reign amounting to feveral thoufands ; but when it appeared that no- thing would be abated, and that penal laws were multiplied and rigo- roufly executed, they endeavoured to ereft a fort of voluntary difcipline within the church, for the eafe and fatisfaftion of their own confciences, being unwilling to feparate ; till at length the violence of perfecution drove fbme of them into the extremes of brownifrn, which divided the puritans, and gave rife to a new controverfy, concerning the nece//ity ofa fpara_ tien from the eflablifhed church, of which we (hall hear more hereafter; but under all their hardfhips their loyalty to the queen was untainted, and their behaviour peaceable; they addreffèd the queen and parliament, and bi(hops for relief, at fiandry times ; and remonftrated againft the arbitrary proceedings of the fpiritual courts, making ufe of no other weapons but prayers and tears, attended with fcripture and argument. Principles of The chief principles of the puritans have been already related : They thePuritans. were no enemies to the name or funftion of a báfhop, provided he was no more than wyoeçíç, or a ftated prefdent of the college ofprefbyters in his diocefe, and managed the affairs of it with their concurrence and af- fiflance. They did not objea againft preferibed forms of prayer, pro- vided a latitude was indulged the minifler to alter or vary Tome expreffions; and to make ufe of a prayer of his own conception before and after fer- mon: Nor had they an averlion to any decent and diflinel habits for the clergy that were not derived from popery. But upon the whole they were the mofl refolved proteliants in the nation, zealous Calvins, warm and affectionate preachers, and determined enemies to popery, and to every thing that had a tendency towards it. Theircha- It is not pretended, that the PURITANS were without their failings; ratter. no, they were men of like paffions and infirmitieswith their adverfaries; and while they endeavoured to avoid one extreme, they might fall into another ; their zeal for their platform of di/hipline, would I fear, have betrayed them into the impofition of it upon others, if it had been eflablifhed by law. Their notions of the civil and religious rights of mankind were narrow and confufed, and derived too much from the theo- cracy of the yews, which was now at an end. Their behaviour was fe- vere and rigid, far removed from the fa(hionable freedoms and vices of the age, and pofìibly they might be too cenforious, in not making thofe diftin&ions between youth and age, grandeur and meer decency, as the nature
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