The HIS T 0 R Y of the PuRITANs. VoL. Il. King courfe ·of this hi!l:ory too much, to infert all the exceptions of the prefCh~~~'~,1l. byteria.n ~ to the pi:cfent liturgy, and the papers. which paffed between the ~ comm111wners, With the letter of the preibytenan minifiers to the archbi– fllOp and bifhops, and the report they made of the whole to the king. I !hall only take notice in this place, that infiead of drawing up a few fupplemental forms, and mak~ng fome am~n dments to the old liturgy, Mr. Baxter compofed an enure new one 111 the language ' of fcripture, which he called the riformed liturgy; not with a defign entirely to fet afide the old one, but to give men liberty to ufe ei:her as they approved. It was drawn up in a fhor t compafs of time, and after it had been ex– amined, and approved by his brethren, was prefented to the bifhops in the conference, together with their exceptions to the old liturgy. This gave great offence, as prefuming that a liturgy drawn up by a fingle hand in fourteen days, was to be preferred, or fiand in competition with one, which had been received in the church for a whole century. Be fides, it was inconfil1ent with the commiffion, and the bifhops declaration of varying no further from the old Jlandard than ihould appear to be neceffary, and therefore the reformed liturgy, as it was called, was rejected at once withProceedings of the com· miJJioners.• out being examined. When the prefbyterians brought in their exceptions to the liturgy, they prefented at the fame time a PETITION FOR PEACE, befeeching the bifhops to yield to their amendments; to free them from the fubfcriptions and oaths in his majefiy's late declaration, and not to infifl: upon the re-ordination of tho(e who had been ordained without a diocdan bifhop, noi' upon the (urplice, the crojs in L>apti.Jm, and other indifferent ceremonies; _for this purpofe they m~ke ufe of various motives and arguments, fuffici– ~nt in mv judgment, to influence all who had any concern for the ho– nour of God, and the falvation of fouls. The bifhops gave a particular :mfwer to thefe exceptions; to which the prefbyterians made fuch a reply, as in the opinion of their adverfaries, !hewed them to be men of learn– ing, and well verfed in the practice of the antient church; however, the bifhops would indulge nothing to their prejudices; upon which they fent them a large expofiulatory letter, wherein, after h.aving repeated their ob– jections, they lay the wounds of the church at thm door. .lfdifputaThe term for the treaty bein~ almofi fpun out. in a _raper oontroverfy, tion propof!d. about ten days before the comtmffion exptred, a dtfputatron was agreed on, Eaxter's lift, to argue the necrfjity of alterations in the prefent liturgy.. Three of each part rr. P· h j ' D p .r; G . d 1,, 337 . party were c 01e to manage tue argument; · r. ear 1 on, unnmg, an Sparrow, on one fide; and Dr. Bates, Jacomb, and Mr. Baxter, on the other. The refi were at liberty to withdraw if they plea-fed. Mr. Bax– ter was opponent, and began to prove the finfulnefs of impofitions; but
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