Chap. VI. The HIS T 0 R Y of the PuRITANs. 607 felf but may lead to a fin by accident; and if to command fuch an act eKing fi harles H. be a fin, then every command muft be a n. I66r BiChop Burnct adds, " that Baxter and Gunning (pent feveral days in !.../-N. " logical arguing, to the diverfion of the town, who looked upon them " as a couple of fencers engaged in a difpute that co.uld ~ot.be brought " to any end, The biChops infill:ed upon the laws bemg jltlf. rn.force; to " which they ~t!ould admit if no exception, unlefs it was trowd. that the '' matter if them was /i'!ful. They charged the preibytenans With mak- " ing a fchifm for that which they could not prove to be finful. They " faid there was no reafon to gratify fuch men ; that one demand granted " would draw on many more; that all authority in church and ll:ate was " ftrnck at by the pofition they had infiiled on, namely, that it ~vas not " la•wful to impqfe things indifferent, fince thefe feemed to be the only " matters in which authority cculd interfere," Thus ended the difputation . From arguments the minificrs defcended to entreaties, and p_rayed the 'The prefby– biibops to have compailioH on frcupulous mind s, an d not defpife their weaker ~enadns de- . . . h d h 1 cen to en•· brethren. If the non-conformiil:s lhould be ejected, t ey urge , t at treaties, there would not be clergymen enough to fill the vacant pulpits; they put them in mind of their peaceable behaviour in the late times; what they had fuffered for the royal caufe, and the great {bare they had in refioring the king; they pleaded his majefiy's late declaration, and the defign of the prefent conference. To all which the billiops replied, that they were only commifiloned to make .fuch alteratiom in the liturgy as fhould be mcef!ary, andji•ch as jhou!d be agreed upon. The minifters replied, that the word necdfary mull: refer·to the fatisfying tender confciences; but the bilhops infill:ed, that they f1w no alterations neceffary, and therefore were not obliged to make any, till they could prove them fo. The miniil:ers· prayed them to confider the ill confequence that might follow upon a ieparation. But all was to no purpofe, their lordfhips were in the faddle, . and if we may believe MT. Baxter, would not abate the fmallefi ceremony, nor correct the groifeft error, for the peace of the church. Thus the king's commifilon expired July 2 5, and the conferences ended without. any profpect of accommodation. . ~t was agreed' at the conclufion, th at each par:ty might reprefent to his· maJeily, that they were all agreed upon the ends of the conference, which were the church's we!fare, unity, and peace, but ll:ill difagreed as to the means of procuring them. The bi!hops thought they had no occafion to · reprefent their cafe in writing; but the prefbyterian commifiloners· , . met by themfelves, and drew up an account of their proceedings, with· a Baxrer s life, petition for that relief which they could not obtain from the bilhops. P~~t II. p. They prefented it to the king by biihop Re)'nolds, doctor Bates,. doctor 3 ' Manton, and Mr. Baxter; but received no anfwer. Before
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