afford them, as a reward of their
diligent assistance to pull them down.

[Sidenote: Contentions]

And the Bishops' power being now vacated, the common people were made
so happy, as every Parish might choose their own Minister, and tell
him when he did, and when he did not, preach true doctrine: and by
this and like means, several Churches had several teachers, that
prayed and preached for and against one another: and engaged their
hearers to contend furiously for truths which they understood not;
some of which I shall mention in the discourse that follows.

[Sidenote: and contradictions]

I have heard of two men, that in their discourse undertook to give a
character of a third person: and one concluded he was a very honest
man, "for he was beholden to him;" and the other, that he was not,
"for he was not beholden to him." And something like this was in the
designs both of the Covenanters and Independents, the last of which
were now grown both as numerous and as powerful as the former: for
though they differed much in many principles, and preached against
each other, one making it a sign of being in the state of grace, if we
were but zealous for the Covenant; and the other, that we ought to buy
and sell by a measure, and to allow the same liberty of conscience to
others, which we by Scripture claim to ourselves; and therefore not
to force any to swear the Covenant contrary to their consciences, and
lose both their livings and liberties too. Though these differed thus
in their conclusions, yet they both agreed in their practice to preach
down Common Prayer, and get into the best sequestered livings; and
whatever became of the true owners, their wives and children, yet to
continue in them without the least scruple of conscience.

They also made other strange observations of Election, Reprobation,
and Free Will, and the other points dependent upon these; such as the
wisest of the common people were not fit to judge of; I am sure I am
not: though I must mention some of them historically in a more proper
place, when I have brought my Reader with me to Dr. Sanderson at
Boothby Pannell.

And in the way thither I must tell him, that a very Covenanter, and a
Scot too, that came into England with this unhappy Covenant, was got
into a good sequestered living by the help of a Presbyterian Parish,
which had got the true owner out. And this Scotch Presbyterian, being
well settled in this good living, began to reform the Churc