Chap. V. The HIS T 0 RY of the PuRITANs. 577 His majef/y's decla~ation to all his loving.Jubjev1s oj kis king!~m of ~ng- Ch~;~:f H. , land and domimon oj Wales, concermng ecclejiajltca/ qfjatrs. G tven 1 66o. at our court at Whitehall, OClober 25, 166o, in the twelfth year oft.__~ .Abjlralt of the king's de– claration conour reign. The declaration being long, and to be met with in moft of our hiftori- cerning eccleans, I 111all give the reader only an abfl:ract of it. .fj._ajlzcal af– iOJrs. K. Chron. CHARLES REX. p. 289. ,, J N our letter from Breda we promifed in due time to propofe fome- ~ort~'/-fift. " thing to the world for the propagation of the protefl:ant religion; 2 : 6 ·. · P· " and we think ourfelf more competent to propofe, and with God's af- Baxter's life, " fiftance determine many things now in difference, from the experience part IL P· « we have bad in mofi of the reformed churches abroad, where we have 2 59· « had frequent conferences with the, mofi learned men, who have unani- « moufly lamented the difl:empers, and too notorious fchifms in matters •• of religion in England. " When we were in Holland we were attended by many grave and " learned minifl:ers from hence of the prefbyterian opinion, and to our " great fatisfaction we found them full of afrection to us, no enemies to « epifcopacy or liturgy (as they have been reported to be), but modefi– " ly defiring fuch alterations as without ihattering foundations might give ,, eafe to the tendernefs of fame men's confciences. For the doing of this, " we intended to have called a fynod of divines, but obferving the over cc pafiionate and turbulent way of proceeding of fame perfons, and the « impatience of others for a fpeedy determination of thefe matters, we •• have been prevailed with to invert the method we propofed, and to « give fame deter ruination ourfelf to tbe matters in difference, till fuch a « fynod may be called, as may without paffion or prejLJdice, give us " fuch further affifl:ance towards a perfed union of affeCtions, as well as « fubmiffion to authority as is neceifary. " vVe mufl:, for the honour of all with whom we have conferred, de– " clare, that tbe profeffions and defires of all for the advancement of piety. " and true godlinefs are the fame; their profellions of zeal for the peace "of the church, and of affection and duty to m, the fame; they all ap– " prove epifcopacy and a liturgy, and difapprove of facrilege, and the alie– " nation of the rev~nues of the church." VoL. II. 4 E Hi~
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