K. Charles T. 1643. ....,~ The HISTORY of the PuRITANS. VoL. II. 'To the Belgick, French, Helvetian, and .other reformed churches, Right reverend mzd dearly beloved in our Lord Jifus Chrijl, .1/ffimbl/s " wE the alfembly of divines, and others, convened by the autho~ letter to l " rity of both houfes of parliament, with the commiffioners from fore~gll cout'- 1 Jr. bl f h h h f S l d d h · ches. " t 1e general auem y o t e c urc o cot an , o eart1ly falute you Rulhw. p. '' in the lord. Vve doubt not, but the fad reports of the miferies under 37 1 • ~' which the church and kingdom of England do bleed, and wherewith " we are ready to be fwallowed up, is long fince come to your ears; and " 'tis probable, the fame inil:ruments of fatan and anti-eh rift have by their « emilfaries, endeavoured to reprefent us as black as may be among your– " felves.--And we fometimcs doubt, whether we have not been want– ,, ing to our own innocence, and your fatisfatlion, in being thus long " filent; but pardon us, dear brethren, if this cup of trembling where– " with our fpirits have been filled to amazement, and our wrefiling with " extream difficulties ever fince our meeting, has hindered from that " which was our duty; and give us leave now a little to eafe our grief, '' while we relate the defolation made by the antichrifiian faCtion, who " are for hindring the work of reformation, and for introducing and « cheri!hing pop~ry; and are now arrived to that firength, that if the " lord do not fpeedily help us, we £hall be altogether laid wafie by " them. " How great a hand they [the prelates] have had, in the miferies of " other reformed churches, in the defiruCl:ion of the Palatinate, in the " lofs of Roche/, are fo fully known and felt by you all, that we need " not fpeak any thing of them. And we fuppofe their inveterate hatred '.' againft you all is fufficiently manifeft, in that multitudes of them have " refufed to acknowledge any of you .for churches of Chriil:, becaufe you " are not prelatical, and thereby (as tht:y conceive) want a·lawful voca– " tion of minifiers. Sure we are, that among ourfelves, fcarce one " thi ng can' be thought of, which may be fuppofed an argument of their " defign to advance popery, that has not been attempted. The laws " again!l: popery have been fufpended; judges forbid to proceed againft " condemn'cl priefis ; jefuits fet free; houfes of fuperfiition in Ireland and " England, have been fet up and not difcountenanced; notorious p3pifl s " harbour'd about the court and preferr'd; many releafed from legal pe– " nalties, and their profecutors di(countenanced ; agents have been fent " into Italy, and nuncios from Rome received, while the moH zralous pro– " tefiants have been perfecnted; many prelates and clergymen have pub– ·~ lickly preached, and endeavoured to leaven the people with all points " of
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