charitable conftruction could bear. It is almoft incredible how much Dr. Williams was a fufferer in this controversy, from fome who were too apt to act their principles against fuch as opposed them: for he had to contend with a strong party, who would leave nothing unattempted to crush him if poffible. "But he had counted the coft;" as he wrote to a very refpectable member of the Established Church, "even though his life had been "facrificed." This integrity, zeal, and fortitude in oppofing, under fuch circumstances, what appeared to him pernicious errors, difplayed the energy of principle, and excellence of his own character. To his indefatigable and zealous exertions it is in a great degree, afcribed, that within fixteen years after the clofe of this controverfy, the number of antimonians among the diffenters was fo reduced, that only three or four preachers of that denomination, and thofe men of no estimation, were left: the oppofite principles could by advanced without exciting a clamour, and most of the independents and baptifts in the metropolis preached against antimonianism.*

Another effect of this controverfy was, that from the time of forming a new and feparate lecture at Saters' Hall, the two denominations of prefbyterians and independents became diftinct communities, and acted feparately with refpect to their own denominations. And the ground of this feparation being in doctrinal fentiments, the terms came afterwards to fignify not a difference in Church Government,

• Nelfon's Life of Bishop Bull, p. 294—276.

according to their original meaning, but in doctrinal opinions the latter being applied to denote the reception of calviniftic, the former to fignify the belief of arminian fentiments; or respectively of creeds fimilar to either fyftem.

CHAPTER III.

Internal History of the Protestant Dissenters.

SECTION I.

Of their Academies.

HE A&t of Uniformity ejected from the

THE

church men of the firft learning in the age; men, who were the ornaments both of facred and general literature. The names of Baxter, Owen, Howe, and Bates; of Clarkson, who was tutor of Tillotson; of Gale, who wrote "the Court of the "Gentiles;" of Hill, the editor of "Schrevelius' "Lexicon;" of Poole, the author of the " Synopfis "Criticorum;" of Cradock, who with folid judgment and depth of thought methodized and illuftrated the facred hiftorians; of Clark, the annotator; of Tombes, preacher at the Temple; of Ray, the naturalift; of Gilpin, an accomplished scholar and eminent physician; and of Vinckes, an universal scholar; are enrolled in the honourable lift of thofe, who, having been themselves enriched with ftores of learning, largely contributed to extend the limits of fcience and theological literature by their refearches and writings. Thefe names, however, bear but a fmall proportion to the many who, among the Bar

tholomew divines, were held in high estimation for their learning.

The edict that deprived them of their livings could not defpoil them of their erudition. The literary tafte which they had formed in the feats of the Mufes, and the treasures of knowledge which they had laid up, qualified them, in an eminent degree, when driven from their pulpits, to undertake the inftruction of youth. The ftraitened circumftances of many obliged them, when they had loft the revenues of their vicarages and rectories, to seek fome compenfation by applying their talents and learning to the offices of education. Some became tutors in private families; fome opened schools; and fome established academies, in which they read lectures on different branches of fcience and theology.

The ftatute which was defigned to fecure the national establishment, by crufhing the diffidents, had an oppofite effect. It led numbers to feparate themfelves from the church, who were confiderable in point of influence derived from rank or eftates or commercial purfaits. This feceffion originated partly from principle, founded in objections to the establishment; partly from attachment to revered and worthy minifters, whom that ftatute had ejected; and partly from fympathy in the unmerited fufferings which those minifters were hence called upon to bear. The fubfequent proceedings of government were not fuited to conciliate the feparatifts, and to recover them to the communion of the church; but tended by new edicts and profecutions to irritate to

a greater degree minds already exafperated. These diffidents had families to be educated, and naturally looked to those whofe talents and learning they refpected, and of whofe fufferings they were partakers, as the most proper tutors for their fons; efpecially for thofe of them who were deftined to the miniftry, or to the walks of law or phyfic. 'This became more particularly the cafe, as the secesfion created objections not before felt against minifterial conformity; and when the new congregations formed under the ejected minifters were, by the deaths of their firft paftors fucceffively, in want of a new race of minifters to fill up the vacant places. All thefe caufes operated against the short-fighted views of the legislature, and defeated in a great measure the schemes of intolerance. Encourage. ment was afforded-to thofe who were difpofed to adopt plans of education; and feminaries, which but for a malignant policy would never have exifted, were opened in various parts of the kingdom to meet the wishes of fuch as would otherwife have fent their fons to the Universities.

The confequences, when it was too late to prevent them, were feen and felt. Thefe rifing feminaries were viewed with fear and jealoufy; yet recourse was not had to remedial meafures of a mild and liberal nature. Several afperfions were caft on those who taught Univerfity learning; the calm retreat of the student was haunted by the spectre of intolerance; and haraffing proceffes in the fpiritual court were commenced against those who prefided over