The HISTORY of the PuRITANs~ VoL. U. K. Char1e;1. friendlhip and peace among themfelves, many of the independent minifiers ~ joining with them. The a!Tociations met once a month, at one or other ·church in the county, and after prayers and a fermon, conferred upon the fcate of religion, and gave their advice upon fuch cafes as were brought . before them, in a neighbourly and friendly manner. Or~inance a· To return to the parliament, which was now recruited with fuchpmby– l'J,"YI b/1" terian members as had abfconded, or deferted their fiations, while the ar– {,;1§:. an my was quartered in the nei ghbourhood of the city; the(e gent!emen Scobel's.Col. finding they had the fuperiority in the houfe, refumed their courage, and cap. cx,v. took the oppportunity of difcovering their principles and fpirit, by paffing l'· ~49fuch a law againfl: heretics as is hardly to be parallelled among prote!tants. It had been laid afide by the influence of the army for above nine months, till May I. when it was voted, that all ordinances concerning church government referred to committees, be brought in and debated; and that the ordinance againft blajphemy and her~fy be now determined, which was done accordingly. This is one of the moll: !hocking laws I have met with in refl:raint of religious liberty, and lhews that the governing presbyterians· would have made a terrible ufe of their power, had they been fupported by the [word of the civil magifl:rate. The ordinance is dated May z . 1643. and ordains, " that all perfons who lhall willingly maintain, pub– •• liili, or defend, by preaching or writing, the following herelies with •• obfiinacy, lhall upon complaint, and proof, by the oaths of two wit– " ne!Tes, before two jufl:ices of the peace, or confeilion of the party, be ,., committed to prifon, without bail or mainprize, till the next gaol de– " livery; and in cafe the indiCtment {hall then be found, and the party " upon his triallhall not abjure his faid error, and his defence and ·mainte– " nance of the fame, he fhall fuffer the pains of death;. as in cafe of> ,, felony, without benefit of clergy; and if he recant or abjure, he " lhall remain in prifon till he find fureties, that he will not maintain the •·• fa id herelies or errors any more; but if he relapfe, and is conviCted a . « fecond time, he lhall fuffer death as before, The herelies or errors are.; " thefe following. - 1. " That there is no God: z; " That God·is not omniprefent, omnifcient, almighty, eternal, and " perfeCl:ly holy. 3· " That the Father is not God, that-the Son is not God, that the -Ho– .. ly Ghofl: is not God, or that· thefe three are not one eternal God; or •• Chrift is not God equal with the F~tther; 4• " The denial of the manhood of Chrifl:, or· that the godhead'and " manhood are difiinCl: natures; or that the humanity of Chrifl: is·pure · .. and unfpotted of all fin. S· ·~The
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