s68 The . HIST'O .Ry of the PuRITANS: VoL. H. C~iy If told his majelly, that the inte~eft of the late ufurpers with the people arofe /t6~. • from the encouragement they had given religion; and he hoped the king ~ would not undo, but rather go beyond the good which Cr'OI?Jwel!, or anv other had done. They laid a good deal of ftrefs on their own loyalty, and carefully diftinguiihed between their own behaviour and that of other fec– taries, who had been difloyal and factious. The king replied, that lb. P· 183. " he' was glad to hear of their inclinations to an agreement; that he " would do his part to bring them together, but this mufl: not be by " bringing one party over to ~nother, but by abating fomewhat on both " fides and meeting in the midway; and that if it was not accomplifhed " it fhould not be his fault; nay, he faid, he was refolved to fee it " brought to pafs." Accordingly his majefty required them to draw up fuch propofals as they thought meet for an agreement about c~urch govern– ment, and to fet down the' moft they could yield; promifing them a meet– ing with fome epifcopal divines in his majdly's prefence, when the propoRaxter, part fals were ready. Upon this they fummoned the city minifl:ers to meet I!. l'· 232 • and confult at Sion College, not exclnding fuch of their country brethren as would attend, that it might not be faid afterwards they took upon themfelves the concluding fo weighty an affair. After two or three weeks confultation they agreed upon a paper to the following purpofe, drawn up chiefly by Dr. Reynolds, Dr. Worth, and Mr. Calamy, which, together with archbifhop Ujher's reduction of epifcopacy, they offered to the king, with the following addrefs. May it pleafe your mqft excellent ma)ejly, "w E your majelly's mofl: loyal fubjecrs cannot but. acknowledg_e " it as a very great mercy of God, that immediately after !o '' wonderful and peaceable refloration to your throne and government (for " which we blefs his name), he has !lirred up your royal heart, as to a " zealous tefl:imony againfl: prophanenefs, fo to endeavour an. happy .com– ., pofing of the differences, and healing the fad breaches which are In the " church. And we fhall, according to our bounden duty, become " humble fuitors to the throne of grace, that the God of peace, who " has put fuch a thing as this into your majefl:y's heart, will, by his h~a" venly wifdorn and holy fpirit, affifl: you herein, that you may bnng " your refolutions to a perfect effect and iifue -- . . " In humble conformity to your majefty's chrill:ian defigns, we takmg It " for granted, rhat there is a firm agreement ~e~ween ou: brethren and ~s, " in the doctrinal truths of the reformed rehgwn, and 111 the fubftantlal " parts of divine woril1ip, humbly defire Fitjl,
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