The HIS T 0 R Y of the PuRITA N s . K. Charles l. " to take notice hereof, and yield obed ience he reunto," Afterwards ~when it was queftioned, whether the fiftbs fhould pay their proportion of the public taxes, it was ordai ned, that tbe incumbent ~nly fhould pay them. Under the government of the proteCtor Cromwell1t was ordained that if the ejeCted minifter left the quiet poifdfion of his houfe and gleb~ to his fucceifor within a certain time, he fhould recive his fifths, and a// his arrears, provided he had not a real eftate of his own of thirty pounds per annum, or five hundred pounds in money. Tbe hardjhip After all, it was a hard cafe on both fides; the incumbents thought it hard on bath fides. to be obliged to all the duties of their place, and another to go away with a fifth of the profit, at a time when the value of church lands was con– fiderably le!fened by the negleC1 of tillage, and exorbitant taxes laid upon all the neceifaries of life. To which may be added, an opinion that began to prevail among the farmers, of the unlawfulnefs of paying tithes: Mr. Se/den had led the way to this in his book of tithes, whereupon the par– liament by an ordinance of Nov. 8. 1644. " firiCl:ly enjoyned all per– " fans fully, truly, and effeCl:ual!.y to fet out, yield, and pay refpeclively " all and fingular tithes, ofterings, oblations, obventions, rates for tithes, " and all other duties commonly known by the name of tithes." Otbers who had no fcruple about tbe payment of tithes, refufed to pay them to the new incumbent, becaufe the ejected minifter had the legal right; in– .fomuch that the preibyterian miniflers were obliged in many places to fue their parifhioners, which created difturbances and divifions, and at length gave rife to feveral petitions from the counties of Buckingham, Oiford, H ertford, &c. praying, that their minifters might be provided for fame other way. The parliament referred them to a committee, which produced no redreiS, becaufe they could not fix upon another fund, nor provide for the lay-impropriations. Parties in the affimbly of divines. C H A P. IV. Of the feveral parties in the ajfembly of Divines, PRESBY– T ERIANs, ERASTIANS, INDEPENDENTS. Theirproceed– ings about ordination, and the directory for divine wor– :fhip. The rife, progrejs, and Ju./ferings of the engliih AN AB APT I S T S. BE F 0 RE we proceed to the debates of the aifembly of divines, it will be proper to difti nguilli the feveral parties of which it was con– fiJtuted. The epifcopal clergy had entirely deferted it before the bring– ing
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