ten, "Here is a doctor to be let!"
So that several of those physicians were fain for a while to sit still
and look about them, or at least remove their dwellings and set up in
new places and among new acquaintance. The like was the case with the
clergy, whom the people were indeed very abusive to, writing verses and
scandalous reflections upon them; setting upon the church door, "Here is
a pulpit to be let," or sometimes "to be sold," which was worse.

It was not the least of our misfortunes, that with our infection, when
it ceased, there did not cease the spirit of strife and contention,
slander and reproach, which was really the great troubler of the
nation's peace before. It was said to be the remains of the old
animosities which had so lately involved us all in blood and
disorder;[327] but as the late act of indemnity[328] had lain asleep the
quarrel itself, so the government had recommended family and personal
peace, upon all occasions, to the whole nation.

But it[329] could not be obtained; and particularly after the ceasing
of the plague in London, when any one had seen the condition which the
people had been in, and how they caressed one another at that time,
promised to have more charity for the future, and to raise no more
reproaches,--I say, any one that had seen them then would have thought
they would have come together with another spirit at last. But, I say,
it could not be obtained. The quarrel remained, the Church[330] and the
Presbyterians were incompatible. As soon as the plague was removed, the
dissenting ousted ministers who had supplied the pulpits which were
deserted by the incumbents, retired. They[331] could expect no other but
that they[332] should immediately fall upon them[331] and harass them
with their penal laws; accept their[331] preaching while they[332] were
sick, and persecute them[331] as soon as they[332] were recovered again.
This even we that were of the Church thought was hard, and could by no
means approve of it.

But it was the government, and we could say nothing to hinder it. We
could only say it was not our doing, and we could not answer for it.

On the other hand, the dissenters reproaching those ministers of the
Church with going away, and deserting their charge, abandoning the
people in their danger, and when they had most need of comfort, and the
like,--this we could by no means approve; for all men have not the same
faith and the same courage, and the Scripture comman