232 n~ HISTORy of the PuRITANS. VoL. II. K. Charles I. oaths, his majell:y allows Mr. Hmderfon's general rule, but thinks he is 1646. miflaken in the application; for the claufe touching religion in the corona- '-"'"'rU tzon oath was made only for the benefit of the church of England ; that therefore it is not in the power of the two houfes of parliament to dif. charge the obligation of this oath, without their confen t. That this church ne·ver made any jubmf!Jion to tbe t7VO bozfis, nor owned herfi!fJitbordinate to tbem ; that the reformation was managed by the king and clergy, and the parliament affi!l:ed only in giving a civil fanClion to the ecclefiall:ical efiab– li fhment. Thefe points being clear to his majefiy, it follows by neceffa. ry confequenc<', that 'tis only the church of England, in whofe favour he took this oath, that can releafe him from it, and that therefore, when the church of England lawfully affembled, fh all declare his majelly, he l1H!ll then, and not till the n, reckon himfelf at liberty. Mr.HenderMr. HENDERSON, in his reply to this fecond paper of June 17. agrees f~n's fecond with the king, that the prime reforming power is in kings and princes, j'jf~'Rerr. P· but adds that in cafe they fail of their duty, this authority devolves upon 3'-5· " the inferior magiflrate, and upon their failure, to the body of the people, upon fuppofition that a reformation is necefiary, and that people's fuperiors will by no means give way to it; he allows that fuch a reformation is .more imperfeCt wi th refpcet to the manner, but commonly more perfect .and refined in the product and iifue. He adds that the government of the church of England is not fuppofed to be built on the found ation of Chrill and his apoll:les, by thofe who confefs that church government is .mutable and ambulatory, as was formerly the opinion of moft of the englijh bifhops; that the divine right was not pleaded till of late by fome few; that the eng!ijh reformation has not perfeClly purged out the roman leaven, but rather depraved the difcipline of the church by conforming to the civil polity, and adding many fupplemental officers to thofe inllituted by the Son of God. To his maje!l:y's objeCtion, that the prefbyterian go– ·vernment was never praCl:ifed before Calvin's time, he anfwers, that it is to be found in fcripture ; and the affembly of divines at Wejiminjier had .made it evident, that the primitive church at Jerufalemwas governed by a prefbytery; that the chureh at 'jerufalem confiil.ed of more congrega– .tions than one ; that all thefe congregations were combined under one prefbyterial government, and made but one church ; that this church was governed by dders of the fame body, and met together for funCtions of authority, and that the apoftles aCted not in quality of apollles, but only as elders, AC!s xv. that the fame government was fettled in the churches of Ephefus, Corinth, 'Ihiflalonica, and continued many years after ; and at !aft, when one of the prefbytery prefided over the reil with the fiile of .-bifhop, even then, as St. Jerom fays, churches were governed with the joint confent of the pre1bytery, and it was cziftom rather than divine ap1 pointment
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