7gb The HISTORY of the PURITANS. Chop. Xi. K. Charles I. In the parliament's aufwer to this letter " they acknowledge the friend- , "fhip of their brethren of Scotland, and exprefs their deliires of unity in Pen liament's religion, that in all his maje/ly's dominions there might be but one confef= reply. "fon offaith and form of church-government; and though this is hard.. Ralh ;. " ly to beexpected punftually and exactly, yet they hope, fince they ïl. " are guided by the fame fpirit, they (hall be fo directed as to call out }art gd, g y p , E'. 39o. " every thing that is offenfrve to God, and fo far agree with thefcots, " and other reformed churches, in the fubftantials of doctrine worfhip and difcipline, that there may be a free communion in all holy exerci- " fes and duties of public worfhip, for the attaining whereof they intend " an of embly of godly and learned divines, as foon as they can obtain the royal afl'ent -- We have entered into a ferious confederation " (fay they) what good we have received by the government of bithops, " ° and do perceive it has been the occafion of many intolerable burthens and grievances, by their ufurping a pre - eminence and power not given " them by the word of God, &c. We find it has alto been pernicious " toour civil government, infomuch as the hilltops have ever been for- " ward to fill the minds of our princes, with notions of an arbitrary C29 power over the lives and liberties of the fubjefl:, by their counfels and in their fermons. Upon which accounts, and many others, we do de- " clare, that this government by archbifhops, bi(hops, their chancellors " and commiffaries, deans and chapters, archdeacons, and other ecclefi- aftical officers depending upon the hierarchy, is evil, and juftlyoffen- " five and burdenfome to the kingdom, a great impediment to a reforma- " tion, and very prejudicial to the civil government ; and that we are re- " folved the fame (hall be taken away. And we defire our brethren of " Scotland to concur with us in petitioning his majefty, that we may " have an aft'embly of divines ; and to fend fome of their own miners " to the Paid affembly, in order to obtain uniformity in church-govern- " ment, that fo a more eafy pafl'age may be made for fettling one " confeffion of faith, and directory of public worfhip, for the three " kingdoms." The king being alarmed with the harmony between the two kingdoms, fent a warm remonfirance to the council of Scotland, Aug. 26. the very week he let up his flandard at Nottingham, in which he declares, $ing's letter ta Scotland. " H A T he defired uniformity as much as they, in fuch a way Ham. " as he in his confcience thought molt ferviceable to the true Ïp P. re. ," proteftant religion; but that his two houles of parliament had never '197 " made
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