praying, and zealous for keeping the Lord’s day, and catechising children and servants, and repeating at home in their families what they had heard in public. But even as these grew into power, they were not only for whipping some out, but others into the temple; and they appeared rigid in their spirits, rather than severe in their lives, and more for a party than for piety; which brought forth another people, that were yet more retired and select. They would not communicate at large, or in common with others; but formed churches among themselves of such as could give some account of their conversion, at least of very promising experiences of the work of God’s grace upon their hearts, and under mutual agreements and covenants of fellowship they kept together. These people were somewhat of a softer temper, and seemed to recommend religion by the charms of its love, mercy, and goodness, rather than by the terrors of its judgments and punishments; by which the former party would have terrified people into religion. They also allowed greater liberty to prophesy than those before them; for they admitted any member to speak or pray, as well as their pastor (whom they always chose, and not the civil magistrate), if such found anything pressing upon them to either duty, even without the distinction of clergy or laity; persons of any trade, be it never so low and mechanical. But alas! even these people suffered great loss: for tasting of worldly empire, and the favour of princes, and the gain that ensued, they degenerated but too much. For though they had cried down national churches, and ministry, and maintenance too, some of them, when it was their own turn to be tried, fell under the weight of worldly honour and advantage, got into profitable parsonages too much, and outlived and contradicted their own principles: and which was yet worse, turned some of them absolute persecutors of other men for God’s sake, that but so lately came themselves out of the furnace; which drove many a step farther, and that was into the water—another baptism, as believing they were not scripturally baptized; and hoping to find that presence and power of God in submitting to that ordinance, which they desired and wanted. These people made also profession of neglecting, if not renouncing, and censuring, not only the necessity but use of all human learning as to the ministry; and all other qualifications to it, besides the helps and gifts of the Spirit of God, and those natural and common to men; and for a time they seemed like John of old, a burning and a shining light to other societies.