The HIS T 0 R Y of the PuRITANS. 59 Chap. II. their conduCt, with their advice tO' his majefl:y to take the covenant K. Charles I. . 1643· h1mfelf. · 1../"'o---..J Great complaints have been made, and not without reafon! of the '!'be influence execution this tefl: did upon the king's clergy throughout the kmgdom. it bad on tbt It was a new weapon put into the hands of the committees, which en- Clfrgy. abled them with more eafe and certainty to deteCt malignant or difojfeBed minijlers; for infl:ead of producing a number of witndfes, as had been the method hitherto, they now tender'd the covenant, which the others refuling, gave occafion to the general report, that the clergy were turned out of their livings, only for r·ejujing the covena11t, whereas their fequeftration was grounded upon other caufes: or at leafl: the articles of immorality or difaffeetion to the parliament, were almoft always joined with · it. When the CO'Uenant pafTed through the parliament quarters, in fame towns it was negleCted, in others the incumbent avoided it, by with~rawing for a few weeks, and getting another to officiate. Some who-refufed were difplaced, and the names of thofe who abfented were returned to the parliament, but little or nothing came of it. The writer of the life of biihop Saunde-rjon fays, that in the afTociated counties of Cambridgejhire, &c. all were ejected who refufed the covenant, that is, all to whom it was tender'cl; for though it was prefTed pretty clofely in fome places notorious for difaffeCtion, in others, that had been quiet, it was little regarded. The earl of Manchejter had particular infiruetions to tender the covenant to the Cambridge fcholars, and yet the commiffioners impofed it only upon fuch who had adher'd to the king, or of whofe difaffeClion they bad fufficient evidence, fevera! who behaved peaceably being permitted to keep their places, who would certainly have refufed it. It has been obferved already, that Mr. Baxter prevented its being much taken in Worcefterjhire; and no doubt, there were men of moderation and influence who did the fame in other counties. Thofe clergymen who had declared for the king were ufually put to the trial; but reputed calvinijis, of fober lives, who had fiood neuter, were frequently overlooked; fo that the beneficed clergy fuffered by the covenant, rather as parties in the war, than as friends of the hierarchy. However, it being a religious tejt, the impofing it was, in my opinion, unwarrantable, and a very great bardihip, efpecially as it was for fame time a dcor of entrance into ecclefiafiical preferments, for fuch young divines as had no concern in the war. A tefl: of a civil nature, would have anfwered all the en .~s \ of civil government, without ihackling the confciences of men, which ought always to be left free, and open to conviction. But if the puri•an 1 powers bore hard upon the loyalin:s, in impojing the covenant, the king's clergy were even with them at the ren:oration, when they obliged them publickly to abjure it, or quit their preferments, I z The
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