frf Volume of the Hforÿ of the Puritans. The former part of the queen's reign, was more mild and gentle than the middle and dole, which fir Francis did not live to fee ; though in bis time, fundry of thepuritans were fined and imprifoned, and fome put to death; but afterwards the feverities were greatly increafed, by the ad of the 3 5th of this queen, and were fuch (fags Mr. Cowper, one of the learn -Fol. 86. ed managers again(l Dr. Sacheverel), as I hope, will neverbefeen more in this kingdom, and were the blackili and willpart of the reign of that glorious qüeik. If any of the puritans wrote abufive pafquils, or infringed the laws of their county, except in fch cafes wherein it was their duty to obey Godrather than man, it was reafonable they fhould be refrained ; but to make fanguinary laws againft a whole body of men, for the exceffes of a few, or to adjudge men to banifhment and death, for fome harfh and unmannerly expref ions in the warmth of difpute, or for abfenting from church, or worthipping God in a peaceable manner in feperate affem- blies, is repugnant to the laws of nature and chriftianity. Had the pu- ritans been convifted of plots and confpiracies, or brokeout into open rebellion againft the Rate, as the papifts did, their enemies would have recorded it withpleafure, as well as their refllefs behaviour under the op.. preffions of arbitrary power ; but neither fir Francis Wabfngham, nor any other writer of credit with whom I am acquainted, has produced any examples of this kind ; for though Barrow and Greenwood were Broughton', executed for writing feditious books and pamphlets, 'tis well known works, they went out ofthe world with the flrongefl profeffÿons of loyalty to P. 13' the queen, and fervent prayers for the profperity of her government; and that they might' have been pardoned, and their lives fpared, if they would have promifed to come to church : they died therefore, for non- conformity. But they affirmed (lays fir Francis) that the authorityofthe magjrateVindici was not always to be attended in matters of confcience. And what then ? P. 139. 'Was Bich a fentiment to be treated as a capital offence ? If chriflians ought never to worthip God without leave ofthe magiftrate, how could the chriftian religion have been introduced intotheworld, or have fub- fifled during the firft three hundred years ? or how can we juftify the feparate affemblies of the proteftant confeffors and martyrs in the reign of queen MARY ? 'Tis therefore very extraordinary in this writer, to repeat fo often what fir Francis calls one of the queen's maxims (viz.) that confciences are not to beforced, as if he really believed her majefty governedby it, when he knows that the confciences of the puritans were fifted, and a window made into their hearts by the oath ex efficio, and by archbifhop L'hitgifts's twenty-four interrogatories, which the lord area.. firer Burleigh files, " a judicial and canonical lifting poor mini/lers, too much favouring of the romifh inqui ieion, and adevice tofeelfor ofèn- oL,i. *5U 1°ders 877
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