·~1-24 "'Tl:Je HIS T 0 R Y of the PuRITANS. VoL. H. Commonfuch a fummons, and from fuch hands, Moft of them were men of · wealth. · t b 1' · · d h c · 1653 . pte y,. ut ,no &reat po ~tiCians, an were t ere1ore m contempt called ·~ .fomenmes tne lzttle parltament; and by othl:rs, Barebone's parliamen•. from a featberfeller of that name, who was one of the moft active mem7-'heir probers. 'When the general ":as withdrawn, they chafe Mr. Roufe an ag~d ceecdings. and venerable man, member in the late parliament for 'Truro in Cornwal. their fpeaker, and then voted themfelves the parliament of the common– wealth of England. Mr. Baxter places them in a contemptible light, and p•. 70 , 8o. fays " they intended, to ejeCl: all the parilh minifters, and to encourage " the gathering indeprndent churches ; that they caft out all the minifttrs " in Wales, which, though bad enough for the moft part, were yet bet– " ter than none, or the few itinerants they fet up in their room; and that " they attempted, and had almofl: accompliilied the fame in England." But nothing of this appears among their aCl:s. \Vhen the city of London petitioned, that more learned and approved minil1ers might be fent into the country to preach the gofpel; that their fettled maintenance by law might be confirmed, and their ju!1: properties preferved; and that the uni– verfities might be zealoufiy countenanced and encouraged; the petiiioners had the th anks of that houk; and the committee gave it as their opinion, that commiflioners iliould be fent into the feveral counties, who !l10uld have power to ejeCl: fcand3lous and infufficient minil1ers, and to fettle ot11ers in their room. They were to appoint preaching in all vacant pla– ces, that none might live above three miles fi·om a place of worlhip. That fu ch as were approved for public minifters lhould enjoy the main– tenance provided by the laws; and that if any fcrupled the payment of tithes, the neighbouring juftices of peace lhould fettle the value, which the owner of tbe land lhould be obliged to pay ; but as for the tithes them– felves they were of opinion, that the incumbents and impropriators had a right in them, and therefore they could not be taken away till they were fatisfied. Liberty of July 2 3· it was referred to ; committee, to confider of a repeal of fuch >onfcience. laws as hindered the progrefs of the gofpel; th.1t is (fays bilhop Kennet) to take away the few remaining rnles of decency and order; or in other language, thepenal laws. T his was done at the in!i:ance of the indepen– dents, who petitioned for proteCtion againft the prdbyteries ; upon which it was voted, that a declaration lhould be publi01ed, for giving proper li– berty to all that feared God ; and for preventing their impofing hardlhips on one another. Mr. Eachard and others cif his principles, write, that this parliament had under deliberation the taking away the old englijh laws, as bad gF.s ?f the Norman conquefl-, and fubftituting the mofaick laws of governmLnt 111 their place; and that all fchools of learning, and titles of honour, lhould be 2
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