first led him and some of his followers into various irregularities, and intolerable extravagancies, which are not justified even by his advocates. "Seekers after truth" was the title they at first assumed, and afterwards the more appropriate appellation of " Friends," which they still use; but their enemies, as a term of reproach, from some of them trembling when brought before the magistrate on account of their zeal in preaching, gave them the denomination of "Quakers."

CHAPTER II.

SCOTLAND DURING THE COMMONWEALTH.

Scotland enjoys prosperity Religion flourishes-Charles II crowned in Scotland — Bishop's testimony concerning the Presbyterian clergy- Reflection.

SCOTLAND, during the Commonwealth, enjoyed its own forms of religious worship and government. Its national church remained entire, though party-spirit was not quite extinct. Still, as Burnet remarks, "There was good justice done, and vice was suppressed and punished; so that we always reckon those eight years of usurpation a time of great peace and prosperity *."

So far from approving the usurpation of Cromwell, they made several attempts to restore monarchy by elevating the young prince. They sent for him from the continent and crowned him at Scone, as Charles II, requiring him to take their "solemn league and covenant." Their efforts, however, were defeated by the army of Cromwell.

Religion prospered surprisingly in Scotland at this period; as is testified by bishop Burnet, who was at that time a minister in that country. Referring to this state of the church, after the restoration, and contrasting it with its wretched condition on the establishment of episcopacy by Charles II, he says, "The former incumbents were a grave and solemn sort of people. Their spirits were eager, and their tempers sour: but they had an appearance that created respect." Considering the persecutions which they had endured under James I and Charles I, it would be natural to expect they

* Life and Times, vol. i, p. 93, 12mo. edition.

would be men of solemn gravity, being made more alive to the awful and glorious realities of death, judgment, and heaven. "They were related," that prelate adds, “to the chief families of the country, either by blood or marriage; and had lived in so decent a manner, that the gentry paid great respect to them. They used to visit their parishes much, and were so ready at extempore prayer, that from that they grew to practise extempore sermons. For the custom in Scotland was after dinner or supper to read a chapter in the Scriptures and where they happened to come, if it was acceptable, they on the sudden expounded the chapter. They had brought the people to such a degree of knowledge, that cottagers and servants would have prayed extempore. I have often heard them at it: and though there was a large mixture of odd stuff, yet I have been astonished to hear how copious and ready they were in it. Their ministers generally brought them about them on the Sunday nights, where the sermons were talked over, and every one, women as well as men, were desired to speak their sense and their experience, and by these means they had a comprehension of matters of religion, greater than I have seen among people of that sort anywhere. The preachers went all in one track, of raising observations on points of doctrines out of their text, and proving them by reasons, and then of applying those, and showing the use that was to be made of such a point of doctrine, both for instruction and terror, for exhortation and comfort, for trial of themselves upon it, and for furnishing them with proper directions and help and this was so methodical, that the people grew to follow a sermon quite through every branch of it. To this some added, the resolving of doubts concerning the state they were in, or their progress or decay in it; which they called Cases of Conscience. They lived in great familiarity with their people, and used to pray and to talk oft with them in private; so that it can hardly be imagined to what a degree they were loved and reverenced by them *."

:

Probably it would be difficult to conceive how any one could furnish a more honourable testimony in favour of a

* Ibid. p. 253-255.

body of Christian ministers, than is here given by bishop Burnet. And as to any 66 sourness," if they really manifested such a temper, which seems a little contradictory, it may fairly be attributed to the injuries which they had sustained from the courts of high commission, and the intolerant proceedings of the court and the prelates of England.

CHAPTER III.

ENGLAND UNDER CHARLES II.

Monarchy restored-Character of Charles II-State of the country-Religion Puritans conform -Savoy Conference - Act of Uniformity- Ejected clergymen -Their character-Sufferings Authors of the Act Bishops Sheldon and Ward New clergy- Conventicle Act Its rigours on the Nonconformists - Five Mile Act - The Great Plague - The Great Fire of London - Numbers of the ruined Nonconformists-Thomas Gouge- The Hon. Robert Boyle. CROMWELL dying Sept. 3. 1658, his son Richard succeeded him as Lord Protector of England: but about eight months after, he relinquished that high station, and retired to private life, as more congenial with his habits and inclinations. General Monk, with a powerful army, marched into England, where contentions had arisen between the royalists and republicans the general acceded to the request for a parliament to be called, and this voted the return of the king. Charles II arrived in London, May 29, 1660, and though he was indebted to the presbyterians for his restoration, he sacrificed all his most solemn promises, "that no man shall be disquieted or called in question for differences of opinion in matters of religion, which do not disturb the peace of the kingdom." But in forming an opinion concerning the state of religion in England during this reign, it is necessary especially to consider the character of the sovereign.

Charles II was thirty years of age at this period, a complete gentleman in his manners, possessing a brilliant wit and a most engaging affability. But as a prince he inherited all the faults of his ancestors, together with a detestable vice almost peculiar to himself, a total want of sincerity. He regarded religion as an engine of state, and his professions on this sacred subject were the most grossly hypocritical. His court was the theatre of extravagance, profaneness, and

debauchery; in all which the king himself exhibited the most distinguished example. Bishop Burnet says, Bishop Burnet says, "He had a softness of temper that charmed all who came near him, till they found how little they could depend on good looks, kind words, and fair promises; in which he was liberal to excess, because he intended nothing by them, but to rid off importunities, and to silence all farther pressing upon him. He seemed to have no sense of religion: both at prayers and sacrament he, as it were, took care to satisfy people, that he was in no sort concerned in that about which he was employed. So that he was very far from being an hypocrite, unless his assisting at those performances was a sort of hypocrisy, as no doubt it was: but he was sure not to increase that by any the least appearance of religion. He once said to myself, he was no Atheist, but he could not think God would make a man miserable only for taking a little pleasure out of the way. He disguised his popery to the last.-He had a very ill opinion both of men and women; and did not think that there was either sincerity or chastity in the world out of principle.-The duchess of Cleveland was his first and longest mistress, by whom he had five children. She was a woman of great beauty, but most enormously vicious and ravenous; foolish but imperious, very uneasy to the king *."

"With the restoration of the king," Burnet remarks, “a spirit of extravagant joy spread over the nation, that brought on with it the throwing off the very professions of virtue and piety all ended in entertainments and drunkenness, which overrun the three kingdoms to such a degree, that it very much corrupted their morals. Under the colour of drinking the king's health, there were great disorders and much riot everywhere and the pretences of religion, both in those of the hypocritical sort, and of the more honest but no less pernicious enthusiast, gave great advantages, as well as they furnished much matter to the profane mockers of true piety. Those who had been concerned in the former transactions thought, they could not redeem themselves, from the censures and jealousies that those brought on them, by any method

* Ibid. p. 147, 148, 12mo. edition.

that was more sure and easy, than by going into the stream, and laughing at all religion, telling or making stories to expose both themselves and their party as impious and ridiculous *."

Religion in England during the reign of such a sovereign, may reasonably be thought to have been seriously affected; and men of scriptural piety were persecuted with every possible circumstance of intolerance, with more severity than in the preceding reigns of Charles I, or James I.

At the restoration, particularly on the king's declaration for liberty of conscience, a considerable number of the nonconforming divines were induced to conform. Among these were some of the brightest luminaries that ever adorned the church of England; as will be manifest from a few of their names. Barrow, Bull, Cudworth, Gurnall, Leighton, Lightfoot, Pocock, Reynolds, Stillingfleet, Tillotson, Wallis, Ward, Whichcot, and Whitby. These were generally men of moderation, desiring to comprehend the whole of their brethren within the enlarged pale of the church; but their benevolent wishes were defeated by the demon of bigotry.

Charles, both before and after his restoration, sent forth "declarations," stating his intention to restore episcopacy in the church of England, but pledging himself to restrain within due limits the power of the hierarchy; to reform the liturgy, to allow the use or omission of ceremonies as things indifferent, and to grant liberty of conscience to those who could not conform. The "Savoy Conference" was therefore called, April 15, 1661, between twelve of the new bishops with nine assistants, and as many of the presbyterian divines. Episcopacy, according to the plan drawn by archbishop Usher, was proposed by the presbyterians as the basis of their cordial union with the church: but the bishops, directed by Dr. Sheldon, bishop of London, having determined to make no concessions, the result was, increased mutual dissatisfaction; and the prelates, having the countenance of the irreligious court, succeeded in deciding the controversy in favour

* Ibid. p. 145, 146.