Chap. VIII. the HISTORY of the PURITANS. 399 nature and circutnftances of things would admit; but with all their faults, Queen they were the molt pious and devout people in the land; men of prayer, Eliza'6beth, both in fecret and publick, as well as in their families ; their manner of devotion was fervent and folemn, depending on the aßìftance of the divine fpirit, not only to teach them bow to pray, but what to pray for as they ought. They had a profound reverence for the holy name of God, and were great enemies not only to prophane fwearing, but to foolifh talking and jelling, which are not convenient ; they were Stria obfervers of the chrifiian fabbath or Lord's day, fpending the whole of it in acts of pub- lick and private devotion and charity. It was the diftinguifhing mark of a puritan in thefe times, to fee him going to church twice a day with his bible under his arm: And while others were at plays and interludes, at revels, or walking in thefields, or at the diverfions ofbowling, fencing, &c. on the evening of the fabbath, thr. /é with their families were employed in reading the fcriptures, finging pfaltns, catechifing their children, repeating fermons, and prayer : Nor was this only the work of the Lord's day, but they had their hours of family devotion on the week days, efteemirt it their duty to take care of thefouls as well as bodies of their fervants. They were circumfpedt as to all the exceffes of eating, drinking, apparel, and . lawful diverfions, being frugal in houfe-keeping, induftrious in their par- ticular callings, honeft and exact in their dealings, and folicitous togive to every one his own. Thefe were the people who were branded with the name of PREECISIANS, PURITANS, SCHISMATICKS, ENEMIES TO COD AND THEIR COUNTRY, and throughout the courfe of this reign under- went cruel mockings bonds and imprifonment. Sir Francis Walfingbam has given a fummary account of the queen's (ueen's con policy towards them, in a letter to monfieur Cretoy, which I (hall tran- duel towards fcribe in his own words. them. " -- I find, fays fir Francis, that the queen's proceedings both a- Burnet's gain(t papifts and puritans are grounded upon thefe two principles. Haft. Re/;. .. The one, that confciences are not to be forced but to be won, and P' 4r Vol. 9 Ill. 10 reduced by force of truth, with theaidof time and ufe ofall good means of inftruction and perfuafion. " ° The other, that caufes of confcience when they exceed their " ° bounds, and grow to be matter of fat ion, lofe their nature ; and that fovereign princes ought difiinftly to punifh their praétices and " contempt, though coloured with the pretence of confcience and " religion. " According to thefe principles her majefty behaved towards the papifts " with great mildnefs, not liking to make a window into their hearts, " except the abundanceof themoverflowed into overt aas,of difobedience, " in impugning her fupremacy. When the pope excommunicated her, flae
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