Chap. VI. The HIS T 0 R Y of the PuRIT-ANS~ 203 " formation and purity of religion, and the prefervation and proteCl:ion !{.Charles r. " of the people of God in this kingdo:n, has under God, been owing ~. " to the parliament's exer~ife of this power. . If then the minds of any ' " are diil:urbed for want of the prefent fetthng of church-government, cc let them apply to thofe [minifl:ers) who having fufficient power and " direCtion from the boufes on that behalf, have not as yet put the fame ~t in execution." The mglijh preibyterians having refolved to fland and fall with the Scots, EnglilhPret– refufed peremptorily to comply with the ordinance 1 relying upon the af- by~erians ft· fill:ance and fupport of that nation. Mr. Marjhall flood up in the aifem- t~ton ;$a11!ft bly, March zo. and faid, that fince an ordinance of parliament for ~:n~:. z. church-government was now publi!hed, and fpeedily to be put in execu- MS. tion • and fince there were fame things in that ordinance which lay very penes me, harl upon his confcience, and upon the confciences of many of his bre- Seff. 608 • thren, (though he blefTed God for the zeal of the two houfes in fettling the government of the church thns far); yet being much preifed in fpirit with fome things contained therein, he moved that a committee might be appointed to examine what things in the ordinance were contrary to their confciences, and to prepare a petition to prefent them to the two houfes. -A petition was accordingly drawn up, and prefented March 23. by the whole aifembly with Mr. Marjhall at their head, in this petition they aifert the DIVINE RIGHT of the prefbyterian government, and complain of a claufe in the late ordinance, which efl:ablifhes an appeal from the cmfures qf the church to a committee qf parliament. It was a fanguine and daring attempt of thefe divines, who were called together only for their advice, to examine and cenfure the ordinances of parliament, and difpute in this manner with their fuperiors; the commons alarmed at this petition, appointed a committee to take into confideration the matter and manner of it, who after fame time reported it as their opinion, that the aifembly of divines in their late petition had broken the priviledges of parliament, and were guilty of a PRAEMUNIRE; and whereas they in- Tl fifl:ed fo peremptorily on the ;us DIVINUM of the prefbyterian govern- 11,;t;a~;:,tl ment, the committee had drawn up certain queries-, which they defired witb a prae.; · the aifembly might refolve for their fatisfaCl:ion; the houfe agreed to the munir·(, report of the committee, and on the 3oth of April fent Sir John Eve/in Mr. N~thanie~ Fiennes? and Mr. Browue to the aifembly, to acquain~ them with their refoluuons; Thefe gentlemen fet before them their ralh and imprudent conduct, and in feveral fpeeches lhewed wherein they had exceeded their province, which was, to advife the hozfes in fitch points as theY, Jbo~!d lay bf(ore them, but not to diCJate to thofe to whom they owed thetr bang an ajjembly. Then they read the votes abovementioned, and· ' :D d z -- deliv·
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