748 The HISTORY of the PURITANS, Chap. X. K. Charles E. cc Concerning church corruptions (as you Rile them) and removing un= '6 " nece/ary ceremonies ; we are willing to concur in the removal of any " legal innovations which may have crept in ; and if our parliament ad- " vife us to call a. national fynod for that purpofe, we (hall take it into " confideration. " But we are very foray to hear in loch general terms, corruption in re- " ligion. objeëted, face we are perfuaded in our own confcience, that no " church can be found upon earth that profeffeth the true religion with " more purity of doétrine, than the church of England doth ; nor where " the government and difcipline are jointly more beautified, and free " from fuperftition, than as they are here eftablifhed by law, which by "'the grace of God, we will with conftancy maintain (while we live) in their purity and glory, not only againft all invafions of popery; " but alto from the irreverence of thole many fchifmaticks and fepa.. " ratifts wherewith of late this kingdom, and this city abounds, to " the great difhonour and hazard both of church and Rate ; for the " fupprefon of whom we require your timely aid and altive al: " fiftance. .Biïd to the Some time after [Dec. s .] his majefty publifhed his anfwer to the rrm sñrance. REMONSTRANCE, with a declaration to all his loving fub efts in which Naltbn, g J , p. 746,: he profeffes himfelf fully fatisfied, " That the religion of the church of er England is molt agreeable to the word of God, and that he Ihould be " ready to feal.it with his blood, if God fhould call him to it. That as " for ceremonies in religion, which are in their own nature indifferent; "-he is willing in tendernefa to any number of his fub]ets, that a law " fhould..be. made for the exemption of tender confciences from punifh °` ment, or profecution for fuch ceremonies, as by the judgment of molt " men are held to be indifferent, and of fome.to be abfolutely unlawful5, " provided the peace of the kingdom be not difturbed, nor the prefent " decency and comlinefs of God's fervice eftablifhed in the church dill. " countenanced, nor the pious fober and devout aftions of thefe re_. " verend perlons, who were the firft labourers in the bleßèd reformation; " be fcandalized and defamed. His majefty then adds, that he cannot. " without grief of heart,. and force tax.upon himfelf and his minifters " for not executing; the laws; look upon the bold licenfeof Come men; " in printing pamphlets . and fernons fo full of bitternefs and malice againft the prefent government, and the law efablifhed, fo full of fe- " dition againft himfelf and-the peace of the kingdom, that he is many.. " times amazed to confider by what eyes thefe things are fees, and bywhat " ears they are heard ; he thereforecommands again all his officers and mit. "niftters.of juficc.toproceed againft them with all fpeed, andput the laws J
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