4.3'2 The HIS ·TORY of the PuRITANs: VoL. II. . Oliver ·when the preibyterians found that their claifes could obtain no power Pro~eEw. to inflict pains and penalties on thofe who refufed to fubmit to their dif– · ~cipline, the minifiers of the feveral denominations in the country, be– AJJoc!ations gan to enter into friendly aifociations for brotherly council and advice~ !f mhm!Jlcrs Mr. Baxter and his brethren of fVorcrflerfoire, formed a fcheme upon m I e counr. h 1 . . 1 11 d d . h" h 1 tries. me genera pnnop es as a goo men were agree m, w IC 1e comBaxter's life, municated to the reverend Mr. Vines and Gataker; and when he had Part II. P· drawn up articles if concord he fubmitted them to the correCtion of arch– I47;6&c&c. bi!hop Ujher, and other epifcopal divines, who agreed with him, that no p. · 7 ' more difcipline !hould be praCl:ifed than the epifcopalian, prefbyterian, and independent divines agreed in; that they fhoul d not meddle with politics, or qfjairs of ci7Jil government in their ajjemblies, nor pretend to exercije the po~ur qf the keys, or any church cenfures, but onb• to af!?Jl, advije, and en– courage each other in propagating truth and holinejs, and in keeping their churches ji-otn prophane andjcanda!ous communicants. Their meetings were appointed to be once a month in fome market town, where there was a - ,fermon in the morning; and after dinner the converfation was upon fuch points of doCtrine or difcipline as required advice; or elfe an hour was lpent in difputing upon fome theological queftion which had been ap– pointed the preceeding month. DoCtor fVarmrflry, afterwards dean of Worcifler, and Dr. Good one of the prtbendaries of Heriford, fent Mr. Baxter a letter dated Sept. 20. 1653, wherein they tefiify their approbation of the.affociation abovementioned, and of the articles of con– cord. In the weft of England Mr. Hughes of Plymouth, and Mr. Goodof Exeter, prevailed with the minifiers of the feveral perfuafions in thofe parts, to follow the example ofWorcrflerjbire; accordingly they parcelled themfelves into four divifions, which met once a quarter; and all four had a general meeting for concord once a year: The reverend Mr. Hughes prefided in thofe of 1655, and 1656. The moderator began and ended with prayer, and feveral of the ep:fi:opal divines of the bell charaCter, as well as independmts, joined with them; " The chief of the prdbyterian " and independent divines, who were weary of divifions, and willing to " firengthen each others hands, united in thefe affemblies, though the " cxafperated prelatifts, the more rigid prefoyterians, and feverer fort of '' independents kept at a diftancc: But many remarkable advantages « (fays Mr. Baxter) attended thefe aifociations;" they opened and pre– fcrved a friendly correfpondence among the minifiers; they removed a great many prejudices and mifunderfiandings, infomuch that the contro– verfies and heats of angry men began to be allayed. their fpirits bettered, and the ends of religion more generally promoted. 2 But
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