Chap. IV. The HISTORY of the PURITANS. 133 " promote it, are worthy of the higheft dignity. They do therefore ElQeeh, " earneftly pray his lordfhip at this time, to exert himfelf, and employ r,6,. '°' all the intereft he has in the queen and nobility, that the church of " England, fo happily reformed to the admiration of the whole world, " may not not be defiled with the remnants of popery. To retain thefe " things will look like giddinefs (fay thefe divines;) it will cffend the " weak, and give great fcandal to their neighbours in France and Scot- Hitt. .kef " land, who are yet under the crois ; and the very milts will juftify Vol. ttt. " their tyrannical impofitions by fuch proceedings." P. 313. The divines of Geneva were more peremptory in their advices ; for in Of the their letter of (Mob. 24. fign'd by Theodore Beza, and feventeen of his bre- FCench dt- vinet. thren, they fay, " If the cafe were theirs they would not receive the mi-- " nifl:ry upon thefe conditions if it were proffered, much lets would they " fue for it. As for thole who have hitherto complied, if they are-o- " bliged not only to wink at manifeft abufes, but to approve of thole things which ought to be redreffed, what thing elfe can we advife " them to, but that they fhould retire to a private life.As for the po- pith habits, thole men that are authors of their being impofed, do. " deferve moft evil of the church, and (hall verily anfwer it at the " dreadful bar of Chrift's judgment." They then argue very ftrongly., againft the habits; and having advised the minifters not to lay down their miniftry prefently, for fear of the return of popery, they conclude thus, " Neverthelefs, if mini(ters are commanded not only to tolerate " thefe things, but by their fubfcriptions to allow them as lawful, what. '. elfe can we advife them to, but that having witneffed their innocence, " and tried all other means in the fear of the lord, they Ilwuld give over " their funEtions to open wrong ?" They then declare their opinions a- gainft the crofs in baptifm; the validity of baptifm by midwives.; the power of the keys being in the hands of lay- chancellors and bithops- courts : And conclude with an exhortation and prayer for unity, and a . more perfe l reformation in the Englifhchurch. Though the reformation in Scotland was not fully eftabli(hed, yet the Of the Scots., fuperintendent miners, and commoners of charges within that realm, di- reaed a letter the very firft opportunity, to their brethren the.b ps,.and._ pears of England, who have renounced the Roman antichri/l, and .do pro-.. fefi with them the Lord f efus Chri/l in fincerity. It was dated from-Ellin- burgh, Dec. 28th, 1566. and figned by yohn Spotfwood, and nine of his brethren, preachers of Chrift Jefus. The letter does not. enter into the debate, whether the habits are fimply indifferent or not.;- but pleads in a molt earneft and pathetick manner for toleration and ,forbearance,: and that the deprived minifters may be reftored._. " If.furplice, corner-cap and tippit (fay, they) have been badges of idolatry,, what have the preach-
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