Chap. VI. 'lbe HIS T 0 RY of the PuRITANs. reducing the royal power within certain limits, they refolved to put it King out of their power for ever to reil:rain the prerogative, or alter the go- Cha~~s II. vernment of the church; and the king being in continual want of mo- ~~ ney, was content to facrifice the preiby terians for a large fupply of the nation's money, efpecially when he knew he was ferving the caufe of popery at the fame time, by m•kin g way for a general toleration. The prdbyterian minifters had only three months to confider what to Condufl of do with themfdves al!d the ir families. There were fevc:ral confultations thePre!by- . . d k h h r. . d . h tenans. both w city an country to now eac ot ers ,ent1ments ; an 1t appened here, as it did afterwards about taking the oaths to king William and queen Mary; fome w ho perfuaded their brethren to dilfent, complied themfelves and got the others livings. 'Tis not to be fuppofed they had all Cal. Cont. the fame fcruples. Bi010p Kennet {ays, that renouncing the covenant wasp. 47 I. the greatefl: obfiacle of conformity to the preibyterians. But his lord- !hip is miil:aken; for if :lbjuring the coven ant had been omitted, they could not have taken the corporation oath. Some could not in confcience l:Omply with the very form of the hierarchy. Great numbers fcrupled the bufinefs of re-ordination, which implied a renouncing the validity of their former minifl:rations. But that which the di!Tenters of all de– nominations refufed, was gi'uing their o.!Jent and conjent to all and every thing contained in the book if common-prayer. This they apprehended to be more than was due to any human compofare. Mr. Eachard repn;fents them as under great difficulties; " Some (fays 'The~r dif}i· " he), were pofitive againit any compli ance, but great numbers were cultus. " doubtful and uncertain, and had great firuggles between the attrac- " tions of confcience and honour, interefl: and humour. The ac.l: was " ihic.l:ly penned, and prelfed hard upon late principles and prac.l:ices. " A continual intercourfe of letters palfed between thofe in the city, and " the reil: in the countries, how to proceed in this nice affair. Some- " times the chief oJ them were for compliance, as I have been alfured, " (fays he), by the bell: hands, and then upon further confideration they " changed their minds. They were under confiderable temptations on " both fides; on one fide their livings and preferments were no [mall in- ,, ducement towards their compliance ; on the other fide, befides their " confciences, they were much encouraged by the greatnefs of their " numbers, and were made to believe, that if they unanimoufly il:ood. « out the church mull: come to them, iince the people would never " bear fo fhocking a change- Befides they had great expectations· " from feveral friends at court, and particularly the popith. party, who " gave them great encouragement, not only by a promife of penfions to " fome, but alfo by a toleration, and fufpenfion of the aCt it fclf, , which " not long after was partly made good. No doubt but the non-corn- " pliance
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