The HIS T 0 R Y of the PuRrTANs. Vot II. ]a!~:g IL Let the reader now judge, whether the flaviili doCtrine of non-refljl1688. ance, and uulimited obedience, which the high church party had been ~~ preaching up for above twenty years, as the doCtrine of the church of Remark. England, had not brought the nation to the very verge of ruin, A doc– trine defiruCl:ive of all law, and of the fafety of fociety, and which has been fatal to many cro7e.med heads. If the king had not relied on the flattering addr~!Jes of thefe men, under which it feems there was a re– firve, he would have fiopt iliort, and taken other meafures ; but he did not perceive the mine till it was fprung, and blew up his whole go– vernment at once. This was the crijis upon which the fate of the nation depended. Seven of While the king was deliberating what to do with the biiliops, he was tbem jmt to (or fome time in great perplexity ; feveral of the popiili nobility preiTed him tiN 1 ower. to retreat; but at length, at the infiigation of father Petre, Mr. Lob, and fame others, he ordered the bil11ops to be profecuted; and they re– fufing to enter into bonds, for their appearance at the King's-Bench bar, on account of their peerage, were lent to the Tower by water, June 8, but were difcharged within a week, upon entering into bonds for fmall fums, to anfwer to the iiformation that day fortnight.. On the 29th of June they were brought to the King's-Bench bar in Wejfminfler-Hall, attend– ed by feveral of the nobility, and a vafi croud of common people; and But acquit- after a long trial of ten hours were acquitted : Upon which there was a ted. general joy, and fuch loud acclamations, as refou nded not only in the ci– ty, but even in the army at Hounjlow. The biil10ps addrefs was printed by authority, with a fatyrical para– phrafe, fetting forth, that though the biiliops had, without any bowels of tendernefs, exercifed many inhuman cruelties upon the dijjrmten, they promife now to come to a temper, but it is only fuch an one, as they themfelves iliould fettle in convocation ; and though they had all along vigoroufly endeavoured to advance above all law, that arbitrary power upon which, they fuppofe, his rnajefiy's declaration was founded, when it could be !trained to the oppreffion of di1fenters, yet now they oppofe it, and are defirous in this junCture (as in the year 1672), that the laws for perfecution iliould retain their force, and the dijpenjing pawer not be countenanced, though defigned for a general good. 'Ihey.court But this was too late, the contcoverfy between the court and the church tbedijflntm. was now no longer to be decided by the pen : and it was·apparent be– yond contradiClion, that the hearts of the people wen: alienated ,from tbe king; even the dijjenters (fays Eachard), fhewed an unufual readinefs to join the church againfi their common enemy; and whatever might be in the hearts of fome, the church party continued to difcover an equal willing- - ne&
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