treated them with much respect and decency,

Milton, in the following beautiful sonnet, which I believe every lover of virtue and the Muses will read here with pleasure, addresses himself to him as the patron of this most glorious cause.

Cromwell, our chief of men, who through a cloud
Not of war only, but detractions rude,
Guided by faith and matchless fortitude,
To peace and truth thy glorious way hast plough'd,
And on the neck of crowned fortune proud

Hast rear'd God's trophies, and his work pursued,
While Darwen stream with blood of Scots imbrued,
And Dunbar field resounds thy praises loud.
And Worcester's laureat wreath. Yet much remains
To conquer still; peace hath her victories
No less renown'd than war: new foes arise
Threat'ning to bind our souls with secular chains :
Help us to save free conscience from the paw
Of hireling wolves, whose gospel is their maw.

Cromwell's own sentiments concerning this matter will be best known from the following paragraphs in his speech at the dissolution of the parliament in 1654. He is rebuking them for their conduct, and among other things, says, "When you were entered upon this government raveling into it, if you had gone upon that foot of account, to have made such good and wholsome provisions for the good of the people of these nations, for the settling of such matters in things of religion as would have upheld and given countenance to a godly ministry, and yet would have given a just liberty to godly men of different judgments, men of the same faith with them, that you call the orthodox ministry in England, as it is well known the independants are, and many under the form of baptism, who are sound in the faith, only may perhaps be different in judgment in some lesser matters, yet as true Christians both looking at salvation, only by faith in the blood of Christ, men professing the fear of God, and having recourse to the name of God as to a strong tower; I say you might have had opportunity to have settled peace and quietness amongst all professing

and openly declared for their toleration and

godliness, and might have been instrumental, if not to have healed the breaches, yet to have kept the godly of all judgments froin running one upon another, and by keeping them from being overrun by a common enemy, rendered them and these nations both secure, happy, and well satisfied.

"Are these done, or any thing towards them? Is there not yet upon the spirits of men a strange itch? Nothing will satisfy them, unless they can put their finger upon their brethrens consciences, to pinch them there. To do this was no part of the contest we had with the comnon adversary; for religion was not the thing at the first contested for, but God brought it to that issue at last, and gave it to us by way of redundancy, and at last it proved to be that which was most dear to us; and wherein consisted this, more than in obtaining that liberty from the tyranny of the bishops to all species of protestants, to worship God according to their own light and consciences? for want of which many of our brethren forsook their native countries to seek their bread from strangers, and to live in howling wildernesses; and for which also, many that remained here were imprisoned and otherwise abused. Those who were sound in the faith, how proper was it for them to labour for liberty, for a just liberty, that men should not be trampled upon for their consciences? Had not they laboured but lately under the weight of persecutions, and was it fit for them to sit heavy upon others? Is it ingenuous to ask liberty and not to give it? What greater hypocrisy, than for those who were oppressed by the bishops, to become the greatest oppressors themselves as soon as their yoke was removed! I could wish that they who call for liberty now also, had not too much of that spirit if the power were in their hands. As for prophane persons, blaspheners, such as preach sedition, the contentious railers, evil speakers, who seek by evil words to corrupt good manners, persons of loose conversations, punishment from the civil magistrate ought to meet with them; because if these pretend conscience, yet walk

encouragement. Indeed he constantly was a

ing disorderly, and not according but contrary to the Gospel, and even to natural light, they are judged of all, and their sins being open, makes them subjects of the magistrate's sword, who ought not to bear it in vain." In a speech to the parliament, Ap. 3, 1657, speaking concerning the provision made for liberty of conscience in the Humble Petition and Advice, he made use of the following words: "As to the liberty of men professing godliness under the variety of forms amongst us, you have done that, which was never done before; and I pray God it may not fall upon the people of God as a fault in them, or any sort of them, if they do not put such a value on what was done, as never was put on any thing since Christ's time, for such a catholick interest of the people of God b."-These extracts fully evince Cromwell's judgment concerning liberty of conscience, and make appear how zealous he indeed was to restrain men from injuring each other on the account of it: in a word, they shew the man, the Christian, the politician. I must add,

3. That Oliver's practice was conformable to his principles. Though he declared himself an independant, (I suppose as that sect avowedly appeared for civil and religious liberty in its greatest latitude) yet he confined not his respect or his favours to them. He had great latitude of judgment, and conceived that as it was very possible for wise and good men to differ in their opinions about many points of religion, yet being equally wise and honest, they ought equally to be regarded. We find Manton praying at his inauguration, Baxter preaching at his court, and Calaıny consulted by him on a point of importance. These were all presbyterians, little affected to him, but inclined to the royal interest. The episcopalians, many of them, were treated with equal favour and regard, though the party, as such, gave him a good deal of trouble. He sent for Dr.

• Whitlock, p. 614. b Thurloe, vol. I. p. 757.

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friend to religious liberty, and an opposer of

Brownrig, bishop of Exeter, and treated him with great outward respect; he saved Dr. Barnard's life at the taking Droghedah, and made him his almoner; he invited archbishop Usher to him, and used him with much civility, conversing with him about the advancement of the protes tant religion at home and abroad, and promising him to make him a lease of some parts of the lands belonging to the archbishoprick of Armagh for 21 years, and at his death, -ordered him to be interred with great pomp in Westminster Abbey, where Dr. Barnard to a crowded audience preached his funeral sermon. Dr. Parr, from whom I have the above particulars, imputes Cromwell's ordering this so honourable an interment of Usher's corpse, not only to a desire of advancing his own honour, but likewise to a design of punishing Usher's relations, by putting them to a great expence : but as he owns the protector contributed two hundred pounds towards it, it is no way likely he had any such view. He probably thought, that sufficient for a very honourable burial-those who exceeded it were to blame themselves, if they were hurt thereby.--But it is very hard to please those who are disposed to find fault. Cromwell's behaviour was also equally humane to such as professed opinions uncountenanced by the many in Britain. To John Biddle, who was an Unitarian, and the father of the English Unitarians, in his banishment into Scilly, he allowed a pension of an hundred crowns a year; he admitted Jeremiah White and Peter Sterry into the number of his chaplains, though few speculated more freely on the ends and designs of Providence, or more out of the then road; and John Goodwin, though hated by the fashionable ecclesiastics, continued constantly in his favour b.

Nor were even the Romanists that behaved well, destitute of it. Sir Kenelm Digby, a man of quality, a philosopher

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spiritual tyranny. No wonder therefore that,

and a catholic, in a letter to Mr. Secretary Thurloe, dated Paris, March 18, 1656, has the following passages. "My obligations to his highness are so great, that it would be a crime in me to behave myself so negligently as to give cause for any shadow of the least suspicion, or to do any thing that might require an excuse or apology. I make it my business every where, to have all the world take notice how highly I esteem myself obliged to his highness, and how passionate I am for his service, and for his honor and interest, even to the exposing of my life for them.-[ should think my heart were not an honest one, if the blood about it were not warmed with any the least imputation upon my respects and my duty to his highness, to whom I owe so much." Mr. Prynne informs us, "that Sir Kenelme was lodged by Cromwell at Whitehall; that he suspended penal laws against Romish priests; and protected several of then under his hand and seal." It is certain he wrote to the governor of Virginia in favour of lord Baltimore, proprietor of Maryland, who was of the catholic persuasion *.

I will add but one thing more. It is well known Cromwell (though a believer in the prophecies of the Old Testament, equally, to say the least, with our modern controvertists) was willing to harbour the Jews in England; that he appointed an assembly of men of several professions to consider of the expediency of it; and that it was not owing to him or his council that it proved lost labour. All these considerations will, if I mistake not, abundantly make appear the truth of the text, that bigotry made no part of Cromwell's character. It may be said this was all policy.If it was-it was not the policy of bigots, who break through every tie, human and divine, in order to promote their implanted nonsense and superstition.

a

Thurloe, vol. IV. p. 592. b True and perfect Narrative of what was done, spoken by, and between Mr. Prynne, &c. the 7th of May, 1659. 4to, without name of place or printer.

Thurloe, vol. I. p. 724.