Chap. J. The HIS T 0 R Y of the PuRITANs: Jan. z. to debar all who a1ould refufe to take and defcribe it, from the Common– benefit of the law; and to difable them from fu:ng in any court of law or w 6 ealth. • l 49· eqully. ~ This was a fevere tefi on th~ prefbyterian~, occafioned by the apprehend. Pmbyte– ed rupture with theJcots; but their clergy inveighed bitterly agJ.in!l it in their ~ians refi<.fe fermons, and refufed to obferve the days of humiliation appointed by au- zt. thority for a bleffing upon their arms. Mr. Baxter fays, that he writ fe- Baxter's life, veralletters to the foldiers, to convince them of the unlawfulnefs of the p. 64, 66. prefent expedition: and in his fer mons declared it a fin to force miniilers to pray for the fuccefs of thofe who had violated the covenant, and were going to ddlroy their brethren. Thaf he both fpoke and preached againfl: the engagement, and dilfuaded men from taking it. At Exeter, fays Mr• .Whitlock, the miniflers went out of town on the fafl:-day, and lhut up the church doors; and -all the magiflrates refufed the engagement. At 'IaU?z– ton the fafl: was not kept by the preibyterian miniilers; and at Chejler they condemned the engt?gement to the pit of hel l ; as did many of the London mini!lers, who kept days of private fafl:ing and prayer, againfl: the prefent government. Some of them (fays Whitlock) joined the royaliils, and re– fufed to read the ordinances of parliament in their pulpits, as was ufual in • thofe ttmes ; nay when the fcots were beat, they refufed to obferve the day of thankfgiving, but !hut up their churches and went out of town; , for which they were fummoned before the committee and reprimanded; , but the times being unfettled no further notice was taken of them at prefen t. Mofl: of the feCl:arian party (fays Mr. Baxtor) fwallowed the engage- Cavaliers ment; and fo did the king's old cavaliers, very few of them ~eing fick of andfeetari– the difeaf~:: of a fcru pulous confcience : fome writ for it, but the moderate an~ take the ep.ifcopal men. and pr~fbyterians, gen~rally refnfed it: ~hofe of Lanca- "Lf}c: P· 6 4 , jbzre and Chejhtre publilhed the followmg reafons agamil Jt. 65. (I.) " Becaufe they apprehended the oath of allegiance, and the.folemn Reafons " league and covenant, were il:ill binding. againjl it · (z.) " Becanfe the prefent powers were no better thanzifurpers. andforit•. (3·) " Becaufe the taking of it was a prejudice to the right heir of the ''crown, and to the ancient legal confiitution." To which it was anfwered, " that it was abfurd to fuppofe the oath of al– e• legiance, or the folernn league and covenant to be in force after the king's '' de~th ; for how could they be obliged to preferve the king's perfon, '' when the king's perfon was defl:royed, and the kingly office abolilhed; ; ''and as to his fucceiror, his right had been forfeited and taken away by " parliament." With regard to the prifent powers it was f1id, " that " it was not for private perfons to difpute the rights and titles of their fu- " preme
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