'Ihe HIS T 0 R Y of the P uR ITAN S. Chap. X. It was not poilible for the few independent miniflers inLondon to join K·Charles I. . t'he prejbyterians in thefe addreffes, (1.) becau.fe !hey were not poffdfed ~ of parochial livings, nor members of the provtnctal· affembly of London, Behaviour of nor admitted to their weekly confultations at Sion College, but were a fo rt the int!epen– of di!Iwters fmm the public eil:abli!hment. (z.) Becau fe they did not rlvcnlts.P r . o. amp. believe themfelves fo far bound by the covmant as to oppo1e a toleratiOn, p. 10 8, nor to fupport any conil:itution that was not confi ll:ent with chrifr i111 li. berty, which the prejbyterians would not admit. None of thei r miniftcrs, that I know of, declared their approbation of the proceedings of the council of officers in the trial of the king, except Mr. Hugh P eters, and Mr. 'John Good7oilt. Some of the independent minijlers in the country joined the prejbyterians in proteil:ing againfl: it; thofe of Oxford and Northampton of both denominat ions publi!hed their humble advice and earneft dejire, prefented to general Fai1jax and the council of war .Jan.· 2 5· fubfcribed by nineteen or twenty names, in which they declare their utter difapprobation of all proceedings againfl: his majeil:y 's crown and life, as contrary to fcripture, to the laws of the land, the Jo!emn league and covenant, and tending to ddhoy the conil: itution, and in volve the nation in a war with their neighbours- They declare their diffent from the late violence upon the pa rliament-But with reference to religion they fay, " though our fouls abhor that grand defign of the devil and his a- .. gents to decry all religious and zealous profeil.ors under the names of "feClaries and independents, we willingly gran t, and heartily defire, that " the in tereil: of all godly and honeft men may be carefully provided for, ''and fecured, as far as is confiil:ent with the word of God, our co•ve- " nant, and the public peace; and that men of different apprehenfions in '" matters of religion may not be utterly uncapable of all offices of power "and truft, though we cannot agree to an univerfal toleration." They conclude with befeeching the general, to fufpend all furt her profecution againfl: the king, and to endeavour a right under1l:anding between the king, parliament and army ; but if they cannot prevail, they de fire to wafh their hands of the blood of their dread {overeign, and to approve themfelves innocent of all that confufion and mifery, in which the depofing and taking away his majefiy's life will involve them, their poil:eri- · ty, and all men profefling godlinefs in the three kingdoms. It mull: be confeffed, the independents were a fort of malecontents, and Each. hill. had reafon to be diffatisfied with the treaty of Newport, becaufe they p. 654. were not only excluded the new iflablijhment, but debarred of a toleration; Elench. not, and y~t'. as M~. Eachard and Dr. Bates the phyfician obferve, feveral ofnarr.l~·. them J01lled with their brethren in declaring againfl: the defign of putting P· 118 • tl:e king to death, in their fermons from the pulpit; in conferences, monitory letters, petitions, proteftations, and public remonfl:rances. 2 The
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