The HISTORY of the PuRITANs. VoL. II. ChKi~g II was. appointed to be drawn up, and prefented to his majefly, with the fol– ar es · lowmg reafons x662. • ~ " We have conftdered (fay they), your majefl:y's declarationfrom Bre- .Addrefs of " da, and are of opinion, that it was not a promife, but a gracious declat he commons " · 1 · h h d · f again.fl it. ratiOn to comp y Wit t e a v1ce o your parliament, whereas no fuch Rapin, p. " advice has been given. T\Jey who pretend a right to the fuppofed 316. " promife, put the right into the hands of their reprefentatives, who have "pafTed theaet of uniformity- If any ihall fay, a right to the benefit " of the declaration fiill remains, it tends to diffolve the very bond of " government, and to fuppofe a difability in the whole legillature, to "make a law contrary to your majefl:y's declaration-- We have alfo " conftdered the nature of the indulgence propofed, and are of opinion– " I. That it will cfl:ablifh fchifm by a law, and make the cenfures of the " church of no confideration -- 2. That it is unbecoming the wif– " dom of parliament, to pafs a law in one feffion for uniformity, and " in another fefiion to pafs a law to frufl:rate or weaken it, the reafons " continuing the fame -- 3· That it will expofe your majefl:y to the " retl:lefs import unities of every feet, who fhall difient from the efl:ablii11ed " ,church - 4· That it will encreafe feB:aries, which will weaken the " protefiant profeilion, and be troublefome to the government ; and in ~· time fome prevalent feet may contend for an efl:ablifhment, which may , " end in popery - 5· That it is unprecedented, and may take away ·• the mea ns of conviB:ing recufants -- 6. That the indulgence propo– " fed will not tend to the peace, but to the difl:urbance of the kingdom; " the be!l: way therefore to produce a fettled peace, is to prefs vigoroufly the "aB: of uniformity." ~marks. The reader will judge of the force of thefe reafons, which in my opinion, would jufl:ify the feverefi: perfecution in the world: However the king was convinced with a fnm of money, and therefore made no other reply, but that he had been ill underjtood. The ho1,!(e then addrefTed him to put the laws in execution againfi: papifi:s; 'and a proclamation was ifTued out for that purpofe, but little regarded. However, this oppofitic~1 to the king and the roman catholics, by lord C!arendon, and his friends in the houfe of commons, laid the foundation of his impeachment the next p. z 5 8. year, and of his ruin fome time after. Biiliop Kennel admits, that the king was inclined to a general indulgence, " though whether it wasfrom " his good nature, ·or a fecret inclination to introduce popery, is not very Eachard, p. " decent to determine; " but both he and Eachard are of opinion, " that 8o6. " the king's clemency hardened the difTenters again it the church; whereas " if they had loft all dependance on a court interefi:, and had found th_e " king and his minifi:ry intent upon the !l:riet execution of the aB: of u_m– " formlty,
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