Neal - Houston-Packer Collection BX9333 .N4 1754 v1

firji Volume of the Hiflory of the Puritans. &I " behaviour." Is this a vindicationor commendation oftheir conduet, or any more than a bare narration ? but his reader is defired to mark what follows " becauf they took them for papifts in difguife, for timefryers, p. 162. " and half-facedproteltantr, that would be content with the returnof that religion whofè badge they wore." This is called a rude and unbro- therly reafn, and no better than the produa of Mr. N.'s invention, under the cover of a quotation. I have not Whitgift's defence before me, and therefore left the quotation fhould be mifplaced, the inverted comma's (hall be expunged. But thiswriter mutt allow me to thew him, that 'tis far from being an invention of Mr. N.'s ; and that if the PROTES- TANT POPULACE apprehended a verygreat part ofthe conforming cler- gy, forforceyears after the reformation, were no better than papifts in dif- guife, timefervers, and half-faced proteftanti, that would have been con - tent with the return ofthat religion whofe badge they wore, they were not miftaken ; though it is no vindication of their rudenefs and ill manners. Our author delires his reader to remark the charge, and to remember that it was before the year 1565. i. e. "before the queen haddeclaredround. " ly, &c. and before the bithops had explained away their promifes." Mr. N. joins in the fame fame requeft, and delires him now to attend the proof. " In the reign of queen MARY many proteftants (fays Mr. Strype) Stato f the partly out of fear, and partly out of other confaderations, reforted to refogmat :ors. " mats, though they approved not of it, from this principle, that their Mem. Cran, . bodies might be prefnt fo long as their fpirits did not confent." So P. 363. that not a tenthperfn abode in God's ways. And Mr. N. is of opinion; that Mr. Whitgift, afterwards archbi(hop of Canterbury, was of this L. Whit- number becaufe though he could not fubmit to the Tonflsre, he not gift, P. q. only kept his place in the college throughout the whole courte of this reign, but commenced batchelor of arts 1553-4. and was eleâed fel- low of Peter -houfe 1555. when he to took a corporal oath, toobferve all the ftatutes and ordinances of the college as much as in him lay; all which could not be done without force compliance with the publick wor(hip, as well as a politick concealment of his opinions. From the fame principle, moft of the popi(h clergy afterwards complied with the changes of queen ELIZABETH, being proteftants in appearance and papifts in heart. Our author admits, that at her majefty'sacceßion, and even after religion was reltored to the famefrate as under king ED WARD, " the univerfities were fo entirely loft, that there were fcarce two ofthe " fame opinion with the reformers." " You can fcarce believe (fays bithopYewel) fo great a devaftation could be made in fo fhort a time." " As to the bithops and clergy all over the nation (bithop Cox adds) they were unanimous for popery, firm as a rock : Statclerus tot." Tanquam duraflex aut fret marpea.cautes".. Vïndic.p.r6. And

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