Cl1ap. VIII. The HIS T 0 R Y of the PuRITANS. 667 houfe therefore was up, his maJ'eO:y ordered fome of the non -conformill:s lting d fi k h r d h 'f h Id Charles H. to be told, that he was e trous to ma c t em ea y, an t at 1 t ey wou 1662 . petition for relief they fhould be favourably heard. Sir J. Barber (e- ~·cretary of fiate, acquainted Dr. Manton with the king's intention, upon which an addrefs was drawn up and prefented to his majefty at ~he earl. of Arlington's lodgings by Dr.Jacomb, Manton, and Bates; the kmg received them gracioufly, and promifed to do his utmoH to get them comprehended within the eftablilhment. He wi!l1ed there had been no bars at all, but that he was forced to comply for peace fake, and that he would endeavour to remove them, though it was a work of difficulty. He -complained of the umbrage that tbei1· numerous affemblies gave toclamorous people, and advi fed them to ufe their liberty with more difcretion hereafter. When the minifters promifed obedience, and a!fured his majefl:y of their fteady loyalty, and conllant prayers for the profperity of his perfon and government, he difmi!fed them with a fmile, and told them, that he ~vas agaidf perjecution, and hoped e'er long to be able tojlandupon his O'ZVIZ legs. But his majeil:y's promifes were always tQ be bought off by a fum of money to fupport his pleafures. The controverfy of the reafonablenefs if toleration, was now warmly Debates debated without doors; many ill-natured books were writ to expofe the withou~ doyrs doctrine of the prdbyterians, as leading to antinominianifm and licentiouf- Baxtlelrls /zje, r. f . h part • P· ne1s o manners. Others expofed the1r charaCl:ers and manner of preac - 39 . ing. Among thefe, muH be reckoned thefriendly debate, which though The friendly writ by a good man (fays biiliop Burnet), had an ill efftCl: in iliarpening debate, people's fpirits too much againit the di!fenters: The author was Dr. Si- ~~~net, P• mon Patrick, afterwards bilhop of Elj, but now in the heat of his youth; · who by aggravating fame weak and unguarded expreffions, endeavoured to expofe the whole body of non-conformiil: miniil:ers to contempt. But I rnuft do this prelate fo much juftice as to inform the reader, that in his advanced age he expre!fed his diffatisfaetiop with this part of his conduct ; and .in a debate in the houfe of lords about the occajional bill, declared, " he had been known to write againft the di!fenters with fome warmth " in his younger years, but that be had lived long enough to fee reafon to " alter his opinion of that people, and that way of writing." A rare in– fiance of ingenuity and candor! We iliall have occafion to mention Sir Roger L'Ejtrange hereafter. ~ But one of the moft virulent writers of his time, under the form of a Sam. Parker clergyman, was ~amuel Parker, afterwards bifhop of Oiford, a mim of and And. confiderable learmng and great fmartnefs but of no J'udgment and as Marvel. l'ttl ' t d 1' · (" b'IL ' B . ! h Burnet, p. 1 e VI~ ue; an as to re 1g1on 1ays 1mop urnet), rather rmpwus t an 2 6o, otherwrfe. At length Andnw Marvel, the Iivelie!l: wit of the age, at4 Q_z tacked
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