The tories affected to distinguish themselves as the only true friends to the church and monarchy; and they hated the dissenters with a mixture of spiritual and political disgust.
They looked upon these last as an intruding sect, which constituted great part of the whig faction that extorted such immense sums of money from the nation in the late reign, and involved it in pernicious engagements, from whence it had no prospect of deliverance.

They considered them as encroaching schismatics that disgraced and endangered the hierarchy; and those of their own communion, who recommended moderation, they branded with the epithets of lukewarm christians, betrayers, and apostates.

They now resolved to approve themselves zealous sons of the church, by seizing the first opportunity that was in their power to distress the dissenters.

In order to pave the way to this persecution, sermons were preached, and pamphlets were printed, to blacken the character of the sect, and inflame the popular resentment against them.

On the fourth day of November, Mr.Bromley, Mr.St.John, and Mr.Annesley, were ordered by the house of commons to bring in a bill for preventing occasional conformity.