Chap. V. The HISTORY of the PURITANS. Fuller obferves, That the poor man fell into the ambuíh of the high K. Charles I. commiffion, whofe well tempered feverity fo prevailed with him, that X633 '° he became a convert, and conformed quietly to the church of England." gxi Francis Whitebithop of Ely, was commanded by the king to confute Brad- p. 144 bourne ; after him appeared Dr. Pocklingeon, with his funday no fabbath ; and after him Heylin the archbifhop's chaplain and others. Thefe divines inftead of foftening Tome rigors in Bradbourne's fabbatàrian ftriétnefs, ran into the contrary extreme, denying all manner of divine right or moral obligation to the obfervance of the whole, or any part of the Lord's day, making it depend entirely upon ecclefiaflical authority, and to oblige no further than to the few hours of publick fervice ; and that in the intervals, not only walking (which the fabbatarians admitted) but mixed dancing, mafques, interludes, revels, &c. were lawful and expedient. Inftead of convincing the lober part of the nation, it ftruck them with Remarks, a kind of horror, to fee themfelves invited by the authority of the king and church, to that which looked fo like a contradiftion to the command of God. It was certainly out of charater forbithops and clergymen, who íhould be the fupports of religion, to draw men off from exercifes of de- votion in their families and clofets, bytnticing them to publick recrea- tions. People are forward enough of themfelves to indulge thefe liberties, and need a check rather than a fpur; but the wifdom of thefe times was different. The court had their balls,' mafquerades, and plays on the funday evenings, while the youth of the country were at their mor- rice dances, may-games, church and clerk ales, and all loch kinds of revelling. The revival of this declaration was charged upon archbifhop Laud at his trial, but his grace would not admit the charge, though he confet%d his judgment was in favour of it. It was to be publifhed in all parifh churches either by the minitler, or any other perfon, at the difcretionof the bithop, and therefore the putting this hardfhip on the clergy was their ad and deed; but Laud knew it would diftrefs the puritans, and purge the church of a let of men, for whom he had a perfeft averfion. The reafon given for obliging them to this fervice was, becaufe the two Fuller, judges had enjoined the minifters to read their order againft revels in p, r48. the churches; and therefore it was proper to have it reverfed by the fame perfons and in the fame place. The fevere preffing this declaration made fad havock among the pu- HarelAips of Titans for (even years. . Many poor clergymen ftrained their confciences the puritans in fubmiffion to their fuperiors. Some after publithing it, immediately ro the deloon read the fourth commandment to the people, remember the fabbath day ration. to keep it holy ; adding, this is the law of God ; the other, the injunflion of man. Some put it upon their curates, whilft great numbers refufed to Vox,. I. 4 D comply 569
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