'Ibe HIS T 0 R Y of the PuR:ITANs. VoL. II. K. Chatles I. days before the army entered the city; it was dated from Sion-College Au– ~gujlz. 1647. and is to this pu_rpofe; « w E the minifters of London, whofe names are fubfcribed, do " profefs in the prefence of the fearcher of all hearts, I. " That we have never done any thing purpofely and willingly to " engage the city againfl: the army , or the army againft the city, but have " fincerely and faithfully endeavoured to prevent it. 2. " That feeing both the parliament and city have declared the neceffi• . •·• ty of putting the city into a prefent pofture of defence, yet protdling " againfl: any de fires of a new war, and thereupon have called upon us to " flir up the people to prepare for their defence: we accordingly have done, " and fhall do our duty therein, that the people may be encouraged to " their own juft and neceifa ry prefervation. 3· " But withal, we profefs our abhorence of the riledding any " blood on either fide; and we humbly pray all whom it may con– " cern, that they will be very careful in preventing it by a feafonable " treaty." Signed by about twenty of the London minifte~s, and prefented to a committee of both houfes, fitting at Guild-hall. Remarks. Let the reader now paufe a little, and judge of the authors of this grand revolution, which brought the parliament under the power of the army, and how far the prdbyterian mini!l:ers were concerned in it. Mr. Baxter in a very angry fiile lays all the blame at the door of the indepenMr.Baxter's ·dents. " A few diifenting members of the Wejlminjler fynod (fays he) •pinion. " began a-Il this, and carried it far on. Afterwards they encreafed, and Abridg. P· 97 • " others joined them, who partly by fiiffnefs, and partly by policy, en- " creafed our flames, and kept open our wounds, as if there had been " none but they confiderable in the world, and having an army and cif)'– " agents fit to fecond them, effeCtually hindered all remedy, till they had " daihed all into pieces as a broken glafs. One would have thought, " that if all their opinions had been certainly true, and their church-order, " good, yet the interefi of Chri!l: and the fouls of men, and of greater '' truths, ihould have been fo regarded by the dividers in England, as " that the fafety of all thefe ihould have been preferred, and not all ruined, " rather than their way fhould want its carnal arm and liberty; and that " they ihould not tear the government of Chri!l: all to pieces rather that it " fhould want their lace." I am £1r from clearing the independmts from all manner of blame in their conduCt; their principles might be too narrow aud .mifiaken in fome points, .and t-heir zeal for chrifiian liberty betray them . ~w
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