Chap. VII. The HI ST 0 R Y of the PuRITANS. 641 the preiliyterians of the power of hurting them for the future; but affiftKing · · N h d JL • • fl · Charles II ed in putting them m executiOn. one a a greater tuare 111 111 ammg 1662 • • the minds of the people, and in founding the trumpet to perfecution. But~ here the reader muft di!l:inguilb between thofe zealots, who from refentment, bigotry, or finifter views, fet themfelves to encourage and promote all the methods of oppreffion and tyranny; and thofe, who though they complyed with the terms of conformity themfel ves, were difpofed to an accommodation with the prote!l:ant non-conformifh upon moderate terms: The bilbops were generally of the former fort; they were old and ex- 'Ihe hijhops. a(perated, fond of their perfecuting principles, and fearful of every thing that tended to relieve the preiliyterians. They went with zeal into all the flavi!l'l doCtrines of the prerogative, and voted with the court in every thing they required. But even fame of thefe bilbops, who at firfl: were very zealous to throw the preiliyterians out of the church, afterwards grew more temperate; Dr. Laney bilbop of Peterborough, who made a great bufl:le in the Savoy conference, was willing at length to wipe his hand s of the dirty work, and (to ufe his own expreffion) could look through his fingers, and fufrer a worthy non conformi!l: to preach publicly near him for years together -- Bifhop Saunderfon had a roll of non-conformifl: mini!l:ers under his angry eye, defigned for difcipline, but when he was near his end, he ordered the roll to be burnt, and faid, he would die in peace -- And moll: remarkable is the paffage in the !aft will and te!l:ament of Dr. Cojins bilbop of Durham, a zealous enemy of the preiliyterians, and who bad met with ill ufage in the late times.-" I "take it to be my duty (fays he), and that of all the bilbops and mi- " nifters of the church, to do our utmo!l: endeavour, that at la!l: an end " may be put to the differences of religion, or at lea!l:, that they q1ay be " le!fened." Such was the different temper of this learned prelate in the vigour of life, and when he came to review things calmly on his dying bed. To thefe might be added bilbop Gauden, Wilkins, Reynolds, and a few others, who were always moderate, and are fa id to carry the wounds of the church in their hearts to the grave; but the far greater majority of the bench, efpecially tbofe who frequented the court, were of diff.:rent principles. The like may be obferved of the inferior clergy, who were divided a The infiricr few years after, into thofe of the ·court and the country; the former were cle;gy. of an angry fuperflitious fpi rit, and far more ftrenuous for a few indif- H,ghchurch, ferent ceremonies, than for the peace of the church, or its more importal!t articles ; their fermons were filled with the reverence due to their holy mother, with the facr ed dignity of their own indelible charaCters, with the flavi fh doCtrines of paffive obedience and non-refiftance, and with the ' VoL. II. 4- N mofl:
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