Chap. IX. 'Ihe HI S T 0 R Y of the PuRITANS. BiJt in anfwer to the inveCtives of this venal tribe, a pamphlet was King publiilied with the approbation of feveral minifl:ers, entitled, the princi- Ch1a~~e;.II· pies and praC!ices if jeveral non-conformijls, }hewing that their religion is ~'. no other than ~vhat is prifej{ed in the church if England. The authors C?rbet's declare, " that they heartily own the protefl:ant reformation in doC!rine,Przn~rples~;d , , • 1 d h h praurcer 0; ·~ as con tamed 111 the articles of the church of Engtan --t at t ey the nonconf. " are willing to embrace biiliop Ujher's model of church government, " which king Charles I. admitted-·- they hold it unlawful, by the " confl:itution and laws of this k ingdom , for fubjecls to take arms a- " gainlt the king, his office, authority, or perfon, or thofe legally corn- ,, miilioned and authorized by him ; nor will they endeavour any alte- " ration in church or fl:ate by any other means than by prayer to God, and '·' by petitioning their fuperiors -- they acknowledge the king's fu- ,, premacy over all perfons, &c. witlvn his dominions -- they de- " d are that their doCtrine tends to no unquietnefs or confuiion, any more " than the doCtrine of the church of England. And they think it not " fair dealing in their adverfaries, to repeat and aggravate all intemperate " paifages vented in the late times, when impetuous aetings hurried men " into extremities; and they apprehend it would not tend to the advantage " if the conforming clergy, if co/leC!ions jhould be publijhed of all their im- " prudmces and weakne/Jes, as has been done on the other jide --they « abhor feditious conventicles, and afiirm, that infurrections were never " contrived in their meetings, nor in any whereof they are confcious. " Experience (fay they) bath witnefied our peaceablenefs, and that " diiloyalty or fedition is not to be found among us, by the molt inquiii-. " tive of our adverfaries -- They deiire the church of England to " take notice, that they have no mind to promote popilh deiigns; that " they are aware of the advantage that papifis make of the divifions of ·' proteltants -- that the inveCtives thrown out againlt them, are made " up o:1 ly of big and [welling words, or of the indifcre~ions of a few, '' with which they are not chargeable- they don't pretend to be courtiers '·' or philofophers, but. they teach their people to fear God and honour " the king, to love the brotherhood, to bridle their tongues, to be " meek and lowly, and do their own work with quietnefs --" 6 6 Though the perfecution continued very fierce, the non-conformifis Pa,~pl;.;s ;,. ventured to aifemble in private, and feveral pamphlets were publiilied about favour iffl· this time in their defence ; as, the peaceable dljign; or, an account if the ~arate mut– no!1-coriformfflmeetings. By fome London minifiers. Defigned, fays Dr mgs. Sti!lingjleet, to be prefented to parliament. Reafons ~vhich pre·vailed with tbe diflimters in Briil:ol, to continue their meetings however prqfecuted or difturbed --Separation no fchifm--A rebuke to informers ; ~vith a plea VoL. II. . 4 X for
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