ly the ink and paper do so throughly incorporate,
that the letters are hardly discernable. It is possible
the Scots may take their money, if the other will pay
it; but if upon that consideration they leave the
Kingdom, or suffer the King to leave them, I will no
more pretend to divination. Let not those apprehensions
startle you nor be troubled that they seem sometimes to
make Propositions which you do not like; it being safe
and profitable to them to offer anything which they
foresee must be denied by their jealous brethren. Look
upon their Covenant, their avowed gloss upon that
Covenant published to the world, and tell me if any
contradications in Philosophy be more diametrically
opposite and impossible to be reconciled to the ends of
the Independents than those extremes. I wish I were as
sure that the King would not desert himself and his
pious and honourable principles (of which, truly I have
a great confidence) as that the Scots will stick to him,
when they are fully convinced that he is not to be
removed.

"Must I believe _H. Cressy's_[EN] resolution to be
peremptory whilst he remains in such company? Truly I am
exceedingly troubled for it.

"What scruples or scandals could work this odious
alteration (for methinks, apostacy is too cholerick a
word towards a friend) which you could not remove? It is
a great loss to the Church, but a greater to his
friends, dead and alive; for the dead suffer where their
memory and reputation is objected to question and
reproach.

"Is it a necessary consequence to the conscience, that
if a man turn to that Church, he must take orders in it?
Methinks there is a duty incumbent to the function, that
might well terrify a man that feels not a very strong
impulsion, though he were never so well satisfied in the
religion itself.

"If we can not keep him a Minister of our Church, I wish
he would continue a layman in their's, which would
somewhat lessen the defection, and it may be, preserve a
_greater proportion of his innocence_.

"I am very glad (for my own sake) that you have the
happiness to be known to my Lord Newcastle. I commit the
managing what concerns me, both in substance and
circumstance, wholly to your direction and dexterity: I
told you how far I was advanced by my Lord Withrington.
I p