Chap. VIII. The HISTORY of the PURIrA«ás. 353 " ble church of Chrift, from the holy communion whereof, by way of Tueen fchifm, it is not lawful to depart. Elizabeth, Our whole life may thew the evident proof hereof; for always be-. r> " fore the time of our trouble, we have lived in the daily communion " of it, not only as private men, but at the time of our reftraint (as " many years before) preached and exercifed our miniftry in the fame; " and at this prefent,moft earneftly befeech all in authority that is fet over " us, efpecially your excellent majefty, that we may fo proceed to ferve God and your highnefs all the days of our life. REBELLION " Another crime fuggefted againft us is, that wefhouldprablife or pur- " pofe rebellioufly to procure fuch further reformation of our church as we " defäre, by violent and undutiful means. Whereunto our anfwer is that " as we think it not lawful to make a fchifm in the church for any " thing that we efteem needful to be reformed in it fo do we in all " fimplicity and fincerity of heart [declare] in the prefence of almighty " God (to whom all fecrets are known) and of your excellent majefty " (to whom the fword is given ofGod for jolt vengeance andpunifhment " of tranfgreffors) that for procuring reformation of any thing that we " defire to be redreffed in the flue of our church, we judge it molt un- " lawful and damnable by the word of God to rebel, and by force of " arms, or any violent means, to leek redrefs thereof: And moreover, " that we never intended to ufe, or procure any other means for the fur- " therance of fuch reformation, than only prayer to almighty God, " and moft humble fuit to your excellent majefty, and others in autho- " rity, with fuch like dutiful and peaceable means as might give in- " formation of this our fuit, and of the reafons moving us thereunto. SUPREMACY: " The third crime mifinformed againft us is, that we impeach your " =jelly's fupremacy. For anfwer whereunto we unfeignedly proteft, " (God being witnefs, that we fpeak the truth herein from our hearts) " that we acknowledge your highnefs's fovereignty and fupreme power, " next and immediately under God, over all perlons, and in all caufes,.., as well ecclefaftical as civil, in as large and ample manner as it is " ° agnized by the high court of parliament in theflatute of recognition, " and is let down in the oath of fupremacy enacted by the fame ; and as " it is further declared in your majefty's injtìnftions, and alto in the arti- " cles of religion agreed in the convocation, and in fundry books of " learned men of our nation, publifhed and allowed by publick autho- city. We add yet hereunto, that we acknowledge the fame as fully Vol,. I. Z z it as
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