8oz The HIS T 0 R Y oj tbe PuRITANS. Voi.. II. King " as in your judgments, may moft conduce to the the ends aboveWilliam " mentioned." and queen Mary. The committee having affembled in the Jerufalem Chamber, a difpute 168g. arofe about the legality of their commiffion ; Sprat bil11op of Rochrjler, ~1- 1 one of king ']ames's ecclefiallical ccmmiffioners, being of the number u;e tega 1 y I . > of them. t 1ey pretended to fear a preemumre, though there was not fo much as a t'hadow for fuch a pretence, the king'sji1premacy, if it means any thing, empowering him to appoint proper perfons to prep~re matters for the le– giilature: However upon this debate, Mew bii11op of Winchejler, Sprat of Rochrjler, with Dr. Jane and Dr. Aldridge, withdrew. Some of them declared plainly, they were againfr all alterations whatfoever; they thought too much would be done for the di(jenters, in granting them an aCt of toleration, and they would do nothing to make confo rmity Reafli!iaeafier. They faid further, that altering the cufioms and conflitutions of gamjlaltn·a- h h h "f ·n d bll" l"k h tions. t e c urc to gratt y a peev1 1 an o nmate party, was 1 e to .ave no Rurnet, other effeCt, than to make them more infolent. But was it ever tried ? Vol. II. p. Did the convocation or parliament make a fingle aba tement from the year 3 1 • 1662 to this time? If the experiment had been tried, and proved ineffeCtual, the blame might have been cafi upon the d{flenters; but to call them peevijh and objlinate, without offering them any, even the fmallefi conceilions, deferves no better a name than unjufi: calumny. Was there no obftinacy and peevi!bnefs on the fide of the church, in retreating from fo many promifes, without a fingle offer? -- But it was faid further, that the church by propo!ing thefe alterations, feemed to confefs, th-at £11e had hitherto been in the wrong, and that the attempt would di– vide them among themfelves, and lefien people's efleem for the liturgy, if it appeared that it wanted correction. Such were the reafonings of thefe higb divines, if they deferve the name, fome of whom but a few months before, bad made the warmefi pretences to a fpirit of mo– deration. Andfor It was alledged on the other fide, that if a few correCtions or explathem. nations were allowed, there was reafon to hope, it would bring over ma– ny of the people, if not the teachers them.felves; at leafi if the prejudices of the prefent diflenters were too flrong, it might have a good effeCt on the next generation ; nor could it be any reproach to the church, fince the offers were made only in regard to their weaknefs. Ritual matters were of an indifferent nature, and became neceffary in virtue only of the authority that injoined them ; therefore it was an unreafonable lliffnefs to deny any abatements, in order to heal the church's divifions. Great changes had been made by the church of Rome in her rituals ; and a– mong ourfelves fince the reformation , in the reigns of king Ed1vard Vf. queen Elizabeth, king James, and king Cbar!es II. and it feemed neceffary
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