·5·38 7he HISTORY of the PuRITANs. VoL. Il~ Rlnterdutch minifter at the Hague, to alfert and prove the king's ftedfaflnefs to :~~~~1 ' tht rffobr~ed faibth ka?d ~om~JUnion.1 The letter was dated June 7 , 1759 , ~ a Itt e e ore t e 1ng s go1ng tot 1e pyrencean treaty, to engage the ro– man catholic powers for his reftoration. But to confirm the prefbyterians further, and to pui an end to all fufpicions of his majefty's being turned papifi, Sir Robert Murray and the countefs of Balcarres were employed to engage the moft eminent reform. ed minifters in France, t? ';rite to their _Prefbyterian brethren in England, and alfure them qf tbe kmg sjletifajlnefs m the pr·otfflant faith, and to ex~ cufe his not joining with the church at Charenton. Accordingly thefe cre– dulous miniflers not being acquainted with the fecret, writ to their brethren at London to the following purpofe. :Fr. minijlers MonGeur Raymond Gaches paftor of the reformed church at Paris, to empl1yed to the reverend Mr. Baxter, March 2 3, I 659-60. -- " I know what wnte that " d' b b ft b I. {( d'Jr , fi d, h' fl. the king is a o !Urn as ee_n .ea upon t e {lOg; ome are Iuatls e 1n IS conuancy protejlant. '' to the true rellg1on- I will not anfwer what truly may be £1id, that it Mr Gaches's" belongs not to fubjeCl:s to enquire into the prince's religion ; be he ~te6h " what he will, if the right of reigning belongs to him, obedience in l'· ' 9 r, r~~: " civil matters is his due. But this prince never departed from the pub· " lie projejjirm if the true religion; nor did he difdain to be prefent " at our religious alfemblics at Roan and Rochel, though he never " graced our church at Paris with his prefence, which truly grieved '~ us.-'' Mr. DrelinMonfieur Drelincourt, another of the french pall:ors at Paris, writes toun's, March 24. - " A report is here, that the thing which will hinder the " king's reftoration, is the opinion conceived by fome, of his being " turned roman catholic, and the fear that in time he will ruin the ., proteftant religion. But I fee no ground for the report, his ma– " jefty making no profeilion of it, but on the contrary has rejeCted all << the aids and advantages offered him upon that condition. Charity is " not jealous~ and if it forbids us to fu!peCl: on flight grounds private " perfons, how can it approve jealoufies upon perfons fo facred ! BeGdes, " there are in the king's family, and among his domeftics, fome gentle– " men of our religion, and my old friends; who at feveral times have " given me alfurances of the piety of this prince, and his ftability in the « profeilion he makes - Your prefbyterians are now entrufted with the " .honour of our churches ; if they recal this prince without the interven– " ing of ar1y foreign power, they will acquire to themfelves immortal glo– " ry, and il.op their mouths for ever, who charge us falfly as enemies to " royalty, and make appear that the maxim, no bijhop, no king, is fa!Oy " imputed to us- " The
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=