Chap. VI. 'Ihe HISTORY of the 'PuRITANS. 201 Thus the pre£byterian form of church-government became the natio- K, Charle; r. nal eftabli!hment, by way of probation, as far as an ordi!:ance of rarl!- ~~ament could make it; for the preamble fets forth, "that 1f upon tnal 1t · " was not found acceptalile it fhould be reverfed or amended. It declares " further, that the houfes found it very difficult to make their new fet- ,, tlement agree with the laws and government of the kingdom, that " therefore it could not be expected, that a prefent rule in every particular " !hould be fettled at once, but that there will be need of fupplements " and additions, and perhaps alterations, as experience !hall bring to light '' the neceility thereof:" - The parliament apprehended they had now eftabliihed the plan of the Remarks, preiliyterian difcipline, though it proved not to the fatisfaction of any one party of chriftians ; fo hard is it to make a good fettlement when' men dig up all at once old foundations. The prejbyterian hierarchy was as narrow as the prelatical; and as it did not allow a liberty of confcience, claiming a civil as well as ecclefiafiical authority over men's perfons and properties; it was equally, if not more infufferable. Bi!hopKennet obferves, that the fettling pre£bytery was fupported by the fear and love of the Jcots army, and that when lhey were gone home it was better managed by the englijh army, who were for independency and a principle of toleration ; but as things fiood no-body was pleafed; the epifco-· palians and independents were excluded; and becaufe the parliament would not give the feveral prdbyteries an abfolute power over their com– municants, but referved the !aft appeal to themfelves, neither the Jcots nor englijh pre£byterians would accept it. When the fcheme was laid before the ftots parliament and general affembly, as a plan for uniformity between the two nations, they infifl:ed upon the following amendments. ( r.) " That no godly minifter may be excluded from being a mem- Exceptions of ~· ber of clailical provincial or national afiemblies. the Scotsta. (z.) "That the ordinary time for the meeting of the national affem- th;newdifn– •: bly may be fixed; with a rcferve of power to the parliament to con- ~::fhw. P• ' venc them when they pleafe, and a hberty to the church to meet oft- 253. " ner on neceffary occafions. (3.) " That the congregational elderjhip may ba·ve power to judge in " cafes qf ji:andal not expr~/Jed. This they conceive cannot be confirued " lodging an arbitrary power in the church ; whereas on the other hand, " the appointing fuch provincialcommijfioners as are fettled in the ordinance, " will occafion difputes, create a difconformity between this and other '' churches, and is a mixture in church-government altogether without VoL. II. D d . pre::
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