at last the doctrinal articles were debated. The Queen and the later bishops would not part with a pin out of the hierarchy, nor leave a latitude in the most trifling ceremonies, but insisted upon an exact uniformity both in doctrine and ceremonies, that all might unite in the public standard. The puritans, in their writings and conferences, attempted to shew the defects of the establishment from scripture, and from the earliest ages of the church; and what they suffered for it has been in part related; the suspensions and deprivations of this long reign amounting to several thousands; but when it appeared that nothing would be abated, and that penal laws were multiplied and rigorously executed, they endeavored to erect a sort of voluntary discipline within the church, for the ease and satisfaction of their own consciences, being unwilling to separate; till at length the violence of persecution drove some of them into the extremes of brownism, which divided the puritans, and gave rise to a new controversy, concerning the necessity of a separation from the established church, of which we shall hear more hereafter; but under all their hardships their loyalty to the Queen was untainted, and their behavior peaceable; they addressed the Queen and parliament, and bishops for relief, at sundry times; and remonstrated against the arbitrary proceedings of the spiritual courts, making use of no other weapons but prayers and tears, attended with scripture and argument.

The chief principles of the puritans have been already related: They were no enemies to the name or function of a bishop, provided he was no more than proestost, or a stated president of the college of presbyters in his diocese, and managed the affairs of it with their concurrence and assistance. They did not object against prescribed forms of prayer, provided a latitude was indulged the minister to alter or vary some expressions; and to make use of a prayer of his own conception before and after sermon: nor had they an aversion to any decent and distinct habits for the clergy that were not derived from popery. But upon. the whole they were the most resolved protestants in the nation, zealous Calvinists, warm and affectionate preachers, and determined enemies to popery, and to every thing that had a tendency towards it.

It is not pretended, that the PURITANS were without their failings; no, they were men of like passions and infirmities with their adversaries; and while they endeavored to avoid one extreme, they might fall into another; their zeal for their platform of discipline would, I fear, have betrayed them into the imposition of it upon others, if it had been established by law. Their notions of the civil and religious rights of mankind were narrow and confused, and derived too much from the theocracy of the Jews, which was now at an end. Their behavior was severe and rigid, far removed from the fashionable freedoms and vices of the age; and possibly they might be too censorious, in not making those distinctions between youth and age, grandeur and mere decency, as the nature and circumstances of things would admit; but with all their faults, they were the most pious and devout people in the land; men of prayer, both in secret and public, as well as in their families; their manner of devotion was fervent and solemn, depending on the assistance of the divine spirit, not only to teach them how to pray, but what to pray for as they ought. They had a profound reverence for the holy name of God, and were great enemies not only to profane swearing, but to foolish talking and jesting, which are not convenient; they were strict observers of the christian sabbath or Lord's day, spending the whole of it in acts of public and private devotion and charity. It was the distinguishing mark of a puritan in these times, to see him going to church twice a day with his Bible under his arm: And while others were at plays and interludes, at revels, or walking in the fields, or at the diversions of bowling, fencing, &c. on the evening of the sabbath, these with their families were employed in reading the scriptures, singing psalms, catechising their children, repeating sermons, and prayer: Nor was this only the work of the Lord's day, but they had their hours of family devotion on the week days, esteeming it their duty to take care of the souls as well as the bodies of their servants. They were circumspect as to all the excesses of eating, drinking, apparel, and lawful diversions, being frugal in house-keeping, industrious in their particular callings, honest and exact in their dealings, and solicitous to give to every one his own. These were the

people who were branded with the name of precisians, puritans, schismatics, enemies to God and their country, and throughout the course of this reign underwent cruel mockings, bonds, and imprisonment.

Sir Francis Walsingham has given a summary account, of the Queen's policy towards them, in a letter to Monsieur Cretoy, which I shall transcribe in his own words.*

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"I find, says Sir Francis, that the Queen's pro'ceedings both against papists and puritans are grounded upon these two principles :

The one, that consciences are not to be forced but to be won, and reduced by force of truth, with the aid of time and use of all good means of instruction and persuasion.

"The other, that causes of conscience, when they exceed their bounds, and grow to be matter of faction, lose their nature; and that sovereign princes ought distinctly to punish their practices and contempt, though colored with the pretence of conscience and religion.

"According to these principles her majesty behaved towards the papists with great mildness, not liking to make 6 a window in their hearts, except the abundance of them "overflowed into overt-acts of disobedience, in impugning her supremacy. When the pope excommunicated her, she only defended herself against his bulls; but when she was 'threatened with an invasion, and the papists were altered 'from being papists in conscience to being papists in fac'tion, she was then obliged to provide severer laws for the security of her people.

"For the other party which have been offensive to the state, though in another degree, and which call themselves reformers, and we commonly call puritans, this hath been

* Mr. Neal, in his Review, observes, that Sir Francis wrote this letter as secretary of state and as the Queen's servant, endeavoring to vindicate her behavior towards non-conformists to a foreign court; he must be allowed therefore to put the most favorable construction on his royal mistress' conduct, and acquit her in the best manner he is able. It also deserves to be remarked, that Sir Francis, dying April 1590, did not see the severities of the last thirteen years of Queen Elizabeth's reign, which were by much the sharpest and most cruel. Neal's Review, 4to edition, p. 875. ED. Burnet's Hist. Ref. vol. iii. p. 419.

by the proceeding towards them: A great while, when they inveighed against such abuses in the church, as plu'ralities, non-residents, and the like, their zeal was not 'condemned, only their violence was sometimes censured. "When they refused the use of some ceremonies and rites 'as superstitious, they were tolerated with much connivance and gentleness; yea, when they called in question the su'periority of bishops, and pretended to a democracy in the church, their propositions were considered, and by contrary writings debated and discussed; yet all this while it 'was perceived that their course was dangerous and very 'popular as because papistry was odious, therefore it was ever in their mouths, that they sought to purge the church 'from the reliques of papistry, a thing acceptable to the peo'ple, who love ever to run from one extreme to another.

"Because multitudes of rogues and poverty was an eyesore, and a dislike to every man, therefore they put into 'people's heads, that if discipline were planted, there would be no vagabonds, no beggars, a thing very plausible; and in like manner they promised the people many of the im'possible wonders of their discipline; besides they opened to the people a way to government by their consistories and presbyteries, a thing though in consequence no less 'prejudicial to the liberties of private men than to the sovereignty of princes, yet in first shew very popular; nev'ertheless this, except it were in some few that entered into extreme contempt, was borne with, because they pre'tended in dutiful manner to make propositions, and to leave it to the providence of God and the authority of the 'magistrate.

"But now of late years, when there issued from them, that affirmed the consent of the magistrate was not to be attended; when under pretence of a confession to avoid 'slander and imputations, they combined themselves by classes and subscriptions; when they descended into that 'vile and base means of defacing of the church by ridiculous pasquils; when they began to make many sub'jects in doubt to take oaths, which is one of the fundamental parts of justice in this land, and in all pla'ces; when they began both to vaunt of their strength,

and number of their partizans and followers, and to use comminations, that their cause would prevail through uproar and violence, then it appeared to be no more zeal, no more conscience, but mere faction and division; and therefore, though the state were compelled to hold somewhat a harder hand to restrain them than before, yet was it with as great moderation as the peace of the state or church could permit. Thus her majesty has always ob'served the two rules before-mentioned, in dealing tenderly with consciences, and yet in discovering faction from 'conscience, and softness from singularity."

The false colorings of this letter are easily discerned : It admits that the consciences of men ought not to be forced but when they grow into faction; that is, to an inconsistency with the peace and safety of the civil government; and was there any thing like this in the petitions, addresses, and submissive behavior of the puritans? But they did not attend the consent of the magistrate. Let the reader judge by the foregoing history, whether they did not attend and apply for it several years; and if, after all, the consent of the magistrate must be waited for, before we follow the dictates of our consciences, it is easy to see there would have been no reformation in the protestant world. But the Queen's worst maxim was, that while she pretended not to force the consciences of her subjects, she obliged them under the severest penalties to come to church, and make an outward profession of that way of worship which they inwardly disallowed. This was to establish hypocrisy by a law, and to force men to deal falsly with God, and their own consciences, in matters of the most solemn importance.

Practical religion was all this reign at a very low ebb; the greatest part of the clergy being barely capable of reading prayers and an homily. In the remoter countries and villages the people were either papists, or no better than heathens. "If any among the clergy or laity were remarkably pious, strict observers of the sabbath, and declared 'enemies of prophaneness, and popery, (says Mr. Osburn) they were either real puritans, or branded with that in'vidious name; and great numbers of the inferior clergy and people in cities and corporations, were of this number:" The conforming clergy lost ground; and the order