buttheministersandpreachersofthePresbyteriansandIndependents,andofalltheothersortsofprofessions,hadbeguntogatherseparatesocietiesanderectaltaragainstaltar,andallthosehadtheirmeetingsforworshipapart,astheyhavenow,butnotsomanythen,theDissentersbeingnotthoroughlyformedintoabodyastheyaresince;
andthosecongregationswhichwerethusgatheredtogetherwereyetbutfew。Andeventhosethatwere,theGovernmentdidnotallow,butendeavouredtosuppressthemandshutuptheirmeetings。
Butthevisitationreconciledthemagain,atleastforatime,andmanyofthebestandmostvaluableministersandpreachersoftheDissentersweresufferedtogointothechurcheswheretheincumbentswerefledaway,asmanywere,notbeingabletostandit;
andthepeopleflockedwithoutdistinctiontohearthempreach,notmuchinquiringwhoorwhatopiniontheywereof。Butafterthesicknesswasover,thatspiritofcharityabated;andeverychurchbeingagainsuppliedwiththeirownministers,orotherspresentedwheretheministerwasdead,thingsreturnedtotheiroldchannelagain。
Onemischiefalwaysintroducesanother。Theseterrorsandapprehensionsofthepeopleledthemintoathousandweak,foolish,andwickedthings,whichtheywantednotasortofpeoplereallywickedtoencouragethemto:andthiswasrunningabouttofortune—