Chap. .VIII The HISTORY of the PururANS. " for his abfence, or that he was prefent to hear the word of G od K. Charles I. ." preached or expoun?ed elfewhere." . . ~._;::_~ The commons likewtfe agreed, " That preiliytery be efl:abl:lhed tdl the And of the " end of the next feiTions of p~rlia ment, or till the fecond feffi ons; th at commans. " the tenths, and all other maintenance belonging to any chu rch or cha- " pel, !hall be only for the ufe of them who ca_n fubmi_t to t?e pre:lby- " terial government, and none other. The liberty ot confc1ence fh all " extend to none who G1all print, preach, or publi!11, contrary to the " firll fift een articles of the thirty -nine, except the eighth, relating to the R ulhw. " tbree creeds. That nothing contained in this ordinan ce iliall extend toP· 841. "popilh recufants." OCl. 14. they zgr eed further, "That fuch ten der " confciences fhould be freed, by way of indulgence, from the penalty of " the fl atute for the pre:lbyterian govern ment, for their non-conformity, " who do meet in fome other congregation for the wodhip of God on "the Lord'-day, and do nothing againfl: the laws and peace of the king- « dom, and that none others fh all be freed from the penalty of the fi a- " tute of 1 Eliz. cap. z." Oflober 16. the commons voted, " That the Ibid. p. 842: " indulgence granted to tender confciences fhould not extend to toler3 te " the ufe of common prayer in any part of the kingdom." Which w, s 2gainfl: the fenfe of the army, who were for a general indulge nce, as appears from .the declaration of the agitators, dated November r. in which Ibid. p. I6o. they fay, that "matters of religion , and the ways of G od's worihip, are ' " not at all intrufled by us to any human power, becaufe therein we " canllot omit, or exceed a tittle of what our confcience diCtate to be the " mind of God, w ithout wilful fin ; never thelefs the public way of incc flruCling the nation, fo it be not compulfive, is left to their difcretion." . Here was a fair plan of accommodation, but no ordina nce was brought into the houfe to confirm thefe refolutions. November 8. both houfes agreed to the addition of fome new propofitions. As, 1. " For the due obfervation of the Lord's day. 2. " Againft innovations in religion. 3· " A new oath for the conviction of papifl:s. 4· " For the education of the children of papifts in the protefiant '' religion. S· " Againfl: pluralities." . The propofals ~f the preshyterians were the fame with thofe of New- Propojals if c4!le already mentiOned ; but whereas the king declined to accept them tbe Prefby– wlthout a perfonal treaty, they determined in the houfe of commons terians. to r~d~ce ~h-m into four bills, which if his majefl:y refufed to fign a; prelimmanes, they refolved to fettle the nation without him; but before they were perfected, the king withdrew from Hampton Court, and YoL, II~ 0 o · was
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