Neal - Houston-Packer Collection BX9333 .N4 1754 v1

P R E F A C E . xix prefbyterians, independents, fedaries, &c. whereas in truth they had thefe matters very little at heart. The king was hampered with notions of the divine right of diocefan epifcopacy, but the two houfes [excepting the bfops] were almoli to a man, of the principles of ERASTUS, who maintained, that Chrift and his apoftles had prefcribed no particular form of difcipline for his church in after ages, but had left the KEYS in the hands of the civil magiftrate, who had the foie power of pu- nifhing tranfgrefíbrs, and of appointing fuch particular forms of church . government from time to time, as were molt fubfervient to the peace and welfare of the commonwealth. Indeed, thefe were the fentiments of our church reformers, from archbi/hop Cranmer, down to Bancroft. And though the puritans, in the reign of queen Elizabeth, writ with great eagern f for the divine right of their book of difcipline, their pofterity in the next reigns were more cool upon that head, declaring their fatisfac tion, if the prefent epifcopacy might be reduced to a more primitive fland- ard. This was the fubflance of the minifters petition in the year 1641, figned with feven hundred hands. And even thole who were for ROOT and BRANCH, were willing to fubmit to a parliamentary reformation,, till the fcots revived the notion of divine right in the affembly of divines. However, 'tis certain, the TWO HOUSES had no attachment to prefbyte- ry or independency, but would have compromifed matters with the king upon the epifcopal fcheme, as long as his ntaje/iy was in the Aid, but when viblory had declared on their fide, they complied in force meafure with their northernfriends, whohad affï/led them in the war ; but would never part with the power of the KEYS out of their own bands. If the rea- der will keep this in mind, be will eafily account for the feveral revolutions of church government in th f unfettled times. 'Tis not to be expeeled, that the moll dfntere/led writer of thefe afairs fhould efcape the cenfures of dforent parties ; I thought 1 had alreadyfuf- ficiently explainedmy intentions in publ f ing the hiftory of the puritans ; Expof:t. let- but becaufe it has been infanuated in a late pamphlet, that it looked like a ter, p. 29, plot againfl the ecclfaflical conflitution, 1 think it proper to affure the 30. world once for all, that what I have written is with no ill fpirit, or de- ign again/i the peace of the church or nation; that I have no private or party views; nopatron; no a/ociates ; nor other profpett of reward, than the pleafure f jetting the englifh reformation in a true light, and of beating down force of thefences and inclofisres confcience. Nor can there be any inconvenience in remembering the m f tikes of our ancHors, when all the parties concerned are gone of the Rage, and their families reconciled by inter-marriages ; but it may be of Tome of and benefit to c 2 mankind

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