66'. *2&e HISTORY of the PURITANS. Chap. VII. K.Charles I. men were carried before the houle of lords, and charged with denying 1647 the king's fupremacy in ecclefiaffical matters, and with preaching in fepa- rate congregations, contrary to-the ilatute of the 35th of Eliz._ The lat- ter they confeffed, and, as to the former they declared to the houle, that 'they could acknowledge no other head ofthe church but Chrift ; that they apprehendedno prince on earth hadpower to make laws to bind the can- fèience ; and thatfuch laws as were contrary to the laws ofGod, ought not to be obeyed ; but that they difowned allforeign power and jurifdition. Such a declaration a twelvemonth ago might have toll them their ears ; but the houle inftead of remitting them to the ecclefiaftioal courts, dif- miffed them with a gentle reprimand, and three or four of the mem- bers came out ofcuriofity to their affembly next Lord's day to hear their minifter preach, and fee him adminifler the facrament, and were fo well fatisfied, that they contributed to their colleftion for the poor. Pores of par- To return to the parliament. It has been obferved, that one of !£amínt a- their firíi refolutions was to reduce the power of the fpiritual courts. The úarßs ¡in"- old popifh canons, which were the laws by which alley proceeded (as far as they had not been controuled by the common law or particular ftatutes) were fuch a labyrinth, that when the fubjedt was got into the commons he knew not how to defend himfelf, or which way to get out. The kings of England had always declined a reformation of the ecclfafticallaws, though a plan had been laid before them ever Lince the reign of king Edward VI. But the grievance was now become infufferable, by the numbers of illegal imprifonments, deprivations, and fines levied upon the fubjeét in the late times, for crimes not aftion- able in the courts of Weftmirfer-Hall; it was neceffary therefore to bring the jurifdiftion of thefe courts to a parliamentary flandard, but till this fhould be accotnplifhed by a new law, all that could be done Was to vote down the late innovations, which had very little effeft; and therefore on the 23d of January the houle of commons ordered commifioners to be fent into all counties, to demolifh and remove out of churches and chapels, all images, altars, or tables turned altarwife, crucifixes, fuperftitious pic`lures, and other monuments and relitls of idola- try, agreeably to the injunftions of king Edward VI. and queen Eliza- beth. How far the houle of commons who are but one branch of the legiflature, may appoint commifioners to put the laws in execution, without the concurrence of the other two, is fo very queflionable, that I will not take upon me to determine. Votes r:praony The univerfity of Cambridge having complained of the oaths and ofthzttnrver- fubfcriptions impofed upon young fludents at their matriculation, as thy lab
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