Chap. IX. Tbe HISTORY of tbe PuRITANS~ 295 " taking it to be inconfifl:ent with our loyalty to the king, :• he has by proclamation forbid it.'~ efpecially fince K. Charles I. 1647· ~ OBJECTIONS TO. THeE SEVERAL ARTICLES OF THE COVENANT, To the Jirft article. " We cannot fwem· to preferve the religion of another kingdom (Scot- .tfgailljl.!hi!– •·• land) whereof we have very little underfl:anding, which as far as wefirfi artrcle. " are acquainted with it, is much worfe than our own in wodhip, difcip- " line, and government, and in doctrine not at all better; wherein there " are (ome things fo far tending to fuperfl:ition and fchifm, that it feems " reafonable to us that we !hould call upon them to reform, rather than we " be bound to preferve it entire. " Neither are we fatisfied in the prefent reformation of religion in our " own kingdom, in dotlrine, qvorjhip, and di(cipline, becaufe, (I.) It gives– " a manifefl: fcand al to the papi/'t and fiparatift, by giving up the caufe · " for which the martyrsand bifhops have contended fince the reformation;. " by jufhfying the papifts in their recufancy,. who reproach us, by faying, " we know not what religion we are of; nor where to ftop, fince we '' have left them ; and that ours is a parliamentary religion. Befides this lb. p. 179; "' would be a tacit acknowledgment, that there has been fomething in the • ~ church if England not agreeable to the word if God, and Jo juflify the "fiparation, and condemn all the penal laws that have been made to oblige "people to coiform. (2.) By the intended reformation we !hould wrong our " felves,. by fwearing to reform tlut which we have formerly by our fub .. " fcriptions approved, and which we do fl:ill believe to be more agreeable " to the word of God than that which by this covenant we mufl: [wear " to prcferve; •and to which, by the laws ftill in bei ng, every clerk at '.' his admi!lion to a benefice, is bound to give his confent. (J.) Befides- " ' we a1ould be in danger of perju ry, becaufe 'tis contrary to our former " proteftation, which obliges us to maintain the do&rine of the church if "England, which may take in the whole efl:abli11mJent ; and it is con- " trary to the oath of fiLpremacy, which gives the foie power to the king in, ~· matters ecclefiafl:ical.'.' · 0:&JECTIONs to tbe ficond article;. .. " We are ver~ much grieved to ~e.e the prelacy of. the church of Eng· Againjl thr , la~1d ran~\e~ wJt.h popery,. f~ pe r fl ltwn, herefy, fch1fm, and profanenefs,fecond articll· ~ Witb an.mtimatlon,, that 1t 1s contrary to found ~octr.ine, . or the power lb. P· 184· · ~· of,
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