Chap. XII. The HISTORY of the PuRITANS. 783 " the king commanding it to be read, without requiring our aifent, conKi11g " fent, or allowance, .I can't fee (fays the bilhop), how it can be refuf- Ja~SS II. " ed -- if it be faid this is to admit of a di(penjing power, yet it is ~ " not contrary to the word of G od. If the king lhould aver, his dif- · " pen ling power to be inherent in the crown, and will ufe it as he plea- " fes, I lhould befeech him not to exert it in fo high a manner; but " after this, what have bitbops to do but fubmit, fince here is no doCtrine " affirmed, but only a declaration of matter of faCt." However, the majority of the clergy were of different fentiments; Different be– eighteen bilhops, and the chief of their clergy, refuied to publilh the de- haviour o.f claration, [o that it was read (fays Burnet), only in feven churches in Lon- a..:/;"'· don; and in about two hundred all over England. The commilfioners M:~~· P· for ecclejiajlical ajfairs fent out citations by the king's order, requiring the zog. chancellors and archdeacons, to fend in !ills of all who had obeyed, and Gazette, of thofe who had not obeyed the order of council; together with the No 2 3 6 4· places where it had been negleCted. Mofl: of the bilhops difobeyed, and generoully undertook to fiand in the gap, and fcreen the inferior clergy from profecution : Seven of them met at Lambeth, and after confultation, figned an addrefs in behalf of themfelves, and feveral of their ab- . fent brethren, fetting forth, " that they were not averfe to the publilb- Their ad– « ing his ma)tjly's declaration, for want of duty to his majefty, or due ~refs. " tendernefs towards dijfenters, in relation to whom (fay they), we are %u~ne~ C' l' willing to come to fuch a temper as £hall be thought fit, when the 3 ' 3 · " matter comes to be confidered and fettled in parliament; but the de- " claration being founded on fuch a dijpenjing power, as may at prefent " fet afide all laws ecclefiallical and civil, appears to us illegal, and did " fo to the parliament in the year I 672, and it is a point of fuch great " confequence, that we cannot make ourfelves party to it, fo far as the " reading of it in the church, in time of divine fervice will amount to, and " difl:ributing it all over the kingdom." Signed by Sancrqft archbilhop of Canterbur;•, Lloyde bilhop of St. Ajaph, Kenn of Bath and Wells, Turner of Ely, Lake of Chichtjler, White of Peterborough, and 'Irelawny of Brijlol. The king was fiartled at the addrefs, and anfwered in a very angry King's ~n· tone; " 1 have heard if this before, but did not believe it; I did not ex-fwer, "pea this from the church if England, ejpecially from Jome if you; ij " I change my mind you jhall hear from me, if not, I expeB my commands "Jball be obeyed." And added, that theyjhould be made to feel, what it was to dt/obey him. The fix bilhops who brought the addrefs replied, the will if' God be done. Let
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