Chap. XI. Tbt HIS T 0 R Y of tbe PuRITANS.' 771 .off the penal laws and tiff, as was intended. He requefted them alfo to KingI ufe their infl.uen~e with their breth~en, ~o lay them under the fa~e re- Ja~~?· I. ftraints. Hts htghnifs fent orders hkewtfe to monfieur D)'kvelt lm refi- ~ dent, to prefs the d!/!enters to ftand off from the court; and to a!Jitre them, ofafull to!eratio1r, a11d comprehenjion ifpqfjible, whm tf.e cro71Jil jhou/d devolve on the princifs if Orange. Agents wete fent among the di/fellters, to [often their refentments againft the church, and to . affure them, that for the future they would treat them as brethrm, as will be feen in the next chapter. The dilfenters had it now in their power to diftrefs the church . party, Remarks. and it may be, to have made reprifals, if they would have given way to revenge, and fallen heartily in with the king's meafures. They were ftron gly follicited on both fides ; the king preferred them to places of profit and truft, and gave them all manner of countenance and en– couragement; and the churchmen loaded them with promifes and alfurances, what great things t~ey would do for them, as foon as it lhould be in their power. But alas ! no fooner was the danger over, than the majority of them forgot their vows in dil1:re[s; for when the convocation· met the firfl: time after the revolution, they would not hear of a comprebe'!Jion, nor fo much as acknowledge the foreign churches for their brethren, feemin'g rather inclined to return to their old methods of perfecution ; fo little dependance ought to be placed on high church promifes! But in their prefent circum!l:ances, it was neceffary to flatter the 11011- Letter to th4 conformijts, and weaken the king's hands, by diffitading the diflentersdiffentm; fJOm placing any confidence in their m7v friends ; for this purpofe a pamphlet writ by the marquis of Hallifax, and publilhed by advice of foltle of the mo!l: eminent dignitaries of the church, was difperfed, entitled, a letter to a di!Jenter, upon occafion if his majefly's late gracious declaratiolt if indulgence. It begins with faying, " that churcbmen are not fut·prized " nor provoked, at the dijjimters accepting the offers of eafe, from the late " bardfhips they lay under, but defire them to confider, I. The caufe " they have to fufpect their new friends. And z. Their duty in " chrill:ianity and prudence, not to hazard the public fafety by a defire of " ea(e or revenge. '' With regard to the firfl:, the church of Rome (fays the author), 1 ' does not only diOike your liberty, but by its principles cannot allow " it; they are not able to make good their vows; nay, it would be a " habit of fin that requires abfolution; you are therefore hugged now, " only that you may be the better f.1ueezed another time. To come " [o quick fi·om one extream to ano ther, i& fuch an unnatural motion, " that yau ought to be on your guard : The other day you were fons 5 F 2 of
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