o bore testimony to episcopal
jurisdiction; and though parity may seem at first to have had place
among Christian pastors, the period during which it prevailed was so
short, that few undisputed traces of it remained in history. The
bishops and their more zealous partisans inferred, thence the divine,
indefeasible right of prelacy: others regarded that institution as
venerable and useful; and if the love of novelty led some to adopt the
new rites and discipline of the Puritans, the reverence to antiquity
retained many in their attachment to the liturgy and government of the
church. It behoved, therefore, the zealous innovators in parliament to
proceed with some caution and reserve. By promoting all measures which
reduced the powers of the crown, they hoped to disarm the king, whom
they justly regarded, from principle, inclination, and policy, to be the
determined patron of the hierarchy. By declaiming against the supposed
encroachments and tyranny of the prelates, they endeavored to carry the
nation, from a hatred of their persons, to an opposition against their
office and character. And when men were enlisted in party, it would not
be difficult, they thought, to lead them by degrees into many measures
for which they formerly entertained the greatest aversion. Though the
new sectaries composed not at first the majority of the nation, they
were inflamed, as is usual among innovators, with extreme zeal for their
opinions. Their unsurmountable passion, disguised to themselves as well
as to others under the appearance of holy fervors, was well qualified to
make proselytes, and to seize the minds of the ignorant multitude. And
one furious enthusiast was able, by his active industry, to surmount the
indolent efforts of many sober and reasonable antagonists.

When the nation, therefore, was so generally discontented and little
suspicion was entertained of any design to subvert the church and
monarchy, no wonder that almost all elections ran in favor of those who,
by their high pretensions to piety and patriotism, had encouraged the
national prejudices. It is a usual compliment to regard the king's
inclination in the choice of a speaker; and Charles had intended to
advance Gardiner, recorder of London, to that important trust; but so
little interest did the crown at that time possess in the nation, that
Gardiner was disappointed of his election, not only in London, but in
every other place where it was attempted; and the king was