They
possessed an overwhelming majority in the assembly, the senate, the city,
and the army; the solemn league and covenant had enlisted the whole
Scottish nation in their cause; and the zeal of the commissioners from
the kirk, who had also seats in the assembly, gave a new stimulus to the
efforts of their English brethren. The Independents, on the contrary, were
few, but their deficiency in point of number was supplied by the energy and
talents of their leaders. They never exceeded a dozen in the assembly; but
these were veteran disputants, eager, fearless, and persevering, whose
attachment to their favourite doctrines had been riveted by persecution and
exile, and who had not escaped from the intolerance
[Footnote 1: Baillie, i. 420, 431; ii. 15, 24, 37, 43, 61.]
of one church to submit tamely to the control of another. In the House of
Commons they could command the aid of several among the master spirits
of the age,--of Cromwell, Selden, St. John, Vane, and Whitelock; in the
capital some of the most wealthy citizens professed themselves their
disciples, and in the army their power rapidly increased by the daily
accession of the most godly and fanatic of the soldiers. The very nature
of the contest between the king and the parliament was calculated to
predispose the mind in favour of their principles.
Pages:
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128