352 The HIS T 0 R Y of the PuRITANS. VoL. II. K. Charles!." tion and patron, and heretofore held it no facrilege to difpofe of bi~ .~" !hops lands to its own and other ufes by aCt: of parliament, which was " an ordinary praCtice in your maje!ty's predeceffors, kings and queens of " this nation, Befides, in all ages, even under the ceremonial law, im– " minent and urgent neceffity has difpenfed with the alienation of confe– cc crated things. "Your majefiy is pleafcd to fay, You cannot communicate in a public "form of divine firvice, ~vhere it is uncertain ~vhat the minifter will ojfer " to God. But we befeech your majefiy to be informed, that the directory cc fets down the matter of the prayer which the minifl:er is to ufe; words cc and expreffions for enlargement being left to his difcretion. But give cc us leave to add, that this ought to be no objeEtion with your majefl:y, " for then one mull not hear any prayer before fermon, for here every " minifier has a feveral form, which he varies according to occafion. "Upon the whole therefure we humbly hope, tbat your m ~.je fty af– cc ter a mofi feriou s confideration, will difcern the jufi caufe which " the two houfes have for remaining unfatisfied with your majefly's con– " ceffions, with relation to the church, for they are apprehenGve tbat af– " ter the expiration of the three years in which epifcopal government is " to be fufpended, a biiliop fo qualified as your majefiy expreffes will " rife again; for if you lhould not in the mean time agree with your cc parliament upon any other form of government, which depends who!– " ly upon your majefiy's pleafure, no other gov~rnment can be fet up; " and then this epifcopacy will return with fo great power, that the bi– ,, lhop may choofe whether any minifl:er at all !hall be made in the " church of England, and thofe that !hall mufl: be at his devotion, he " having the negative voice in ordination, which we humbly conceive is " no where declared in fcripture to be the prerogative of an apoflolical " bijhop. " We humbly fay further, that the charging bilhops lands with lea(es " for ninety-nine years is not fufficient, becaufe there is a rent referved cc to the the bilhop, and the property will continue as before; fo that cc it cannot be expected that the presbyterian government 010uld be corn– " plied with, and exercifed with profit or corrifort to the church, as long " as a door is left open for the return of a fuperior power upqn tbe firil: " opportunity. "We hope your majefiy will pardon our preffing in this manner; " our intention is not to offer violence to your majefl:y's confcience, but '' to endeavour to inform it in a matter that appears to the two houfes o( u fo great confequence. We again humbly befeech your majefiy to re– •• view our former papers; call to mind thofe reafons and arguments " which in debate have been ufed upon this fubjeet, with fuch others as " your
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