768 The HIS T 0 R Y of the PuRITANS. VoL H. King This was fl:range conduct (fJys bifhop Burnet), in a roman catholic moJa;n6~/I. narch, at a time when h!s bro:her of France, ~ad ju!l: broke _the ediCl of ~ Nantz, and was dragoomng h1o proteil:ant futjeCts out of h1s kingdom. Rcmarkl. But the bifhop fufpeCl:s the king's fincerity in his declaration, from his Dijfenton admitted to fer·vt dfiw. Sewcl, p. 609· promifing to ufe no invincible nece/fity to force his JubjeCls to change their religion, as if there was a referve, and that fome degrees of compulfion migh t be proper one time or other; which feems to have been a parallel cafe to the doctrine of the church, concerning non-rejzflance. However by another proclamation, the king granted full liberty to the Jcots prejby– terians, to fet up conventicles in their own way, which they thankfully accepted; but when his majefl:y prefied them to difpofe their friends, to concur with him in taking off the tefl: and penal laws, which they knew was only to ferve the papijts, they anfwered only i-n cold and general terms. In purfuance of thefe declarations, the diifenters of all forts were not only fet at liberty, but admitted to ferve in all offices qf profit and trujl. Nov. 6, the king fent an order to the lord mayor of London, to difpenfe with the quakers taking oaths, or at leafi not to fine them if they re– fufed to ferve, by which means a door was open to thl!! roman catholics, and to all others to bear offices in the fiate, without a legal qualification. Several addreifes were prefentcd to the king upon this occafion, from the companies in the city of London, from tbe corporatiom in the country, and even from the clergy themfelves, thanking his majdl:y for his declaration for liberty qf' confcience; and bis promife to .fopport the church of England as by /mv eflablijhed; aifuring him of th~ir endeavours, to choofe fuch members for the next parliament, as fhould give it a more le– .gal fanetion. But will not Th,e feveral denominations of dif[enters alfo, were no lefs thankful for ackno_wlcdgc their liberty, and addreifed his majefl:y in higher fl:rains, than fome of thedijpcnjing their elder and more cautious minifl:ers approved. Mr. Baxter, Mr. t:~';s. Stretton, and a great many others, rcfufed to join in them; and bifhop Burnet admits, that few concurred in thofe addreifes, and that the per– fans who prefented them, were mean and inconfiderable. When there was a general meeting of the minifl:er<, to confider of their behaviour Gazette, in this crifis, and two meif~ngers from court waited to carry back the N• 2234. refult of the debate, Mr. Howe delivered his opinion againfl the dif– penjing power, and againfl: every thing that might contribute ailiflance to the papifl:s, to enable them to fubvert the protefl:ant religion. Another miniil:cr il:oodiup and declared, that he apprehended their late fufferings, had been occafioned more by their firm adherence to the co'!flitutiou, than their differing from the ejlablijhment, and therefore if the king ex– ,peeted they fhould give up the con!titution, and declare for the dij}m?.fing power,
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