to the reformed churches abroad, the true condition of affairs here, against all mistakes and misinformations. "And now, dear brethren, we beg of you, first, to 'judge aright of our innocence and integrity in this our just defence; if our enemies say, that we are risen up in rebellion to deprive the king of his just power and greatness, and to bring anarchy and confusion into the church of Christ, we doubt not but our solemn covenant (a copy of which we humbly present you herewith) will sufficiently 'clear us. Let the righteous Lord judge between us, whom we implore to help us no further than we can plead these 'things in sincerity.

Secondly, "That you would sympathize with us as brethren, who suffer in and for the same cause wherein 'yourselves have been oppressed.

Thirdly, "That you would conceive of our condition as 'your own common cause, which, if it be lost with us, 'yourselves are not like long to escape, the quarrel being 'not so much against men's persons, as against the power of 'godliness, and the purity of God's word. The way and 'manner of your owning us we leave to yourselves, only 'we importunately crave your fervent prayers, both public and private, that God would bring salvation to us; that the blessings of truth and peace may rest upon us; that 'these three nations may be joined as one stick in the hands of the Lord; and that we ourselves, contemptible build'ers, called to repair the house of God, in a troublesome time, may see the pattern of this house, and commend such a platform to our Zerubbabels as may be most agreeable 'to his sacred word, nearest in conformity to the best re'formed churches, and to establish uniformity among our'selves; that all mountains may become plains before them, and us; that then all who now see the plummet in 'our hands, may also behold the top stone set upon the 'head of the Lord's house among us, and may help us with 'shouting to cry, Grace, grace, to it.

"Thus much we have been commanded to inform you 'of, reverend brethren, (and by you all faithful christians 'under your charge) by the honorable house of commons, in whose name, and in our own, we bid you heartily farewell in the Lord.

"Your most affectionately devoted brethren in Christ,

William Twisse, prolocutor,

66

Commissioners of

the church of Scot

land."

The inscription was, " To the reverend and learned pastors and elders of the classes and churches of the province of Zealand, our much honored brethren."

Letters of the same import were sent to the several churches of the seven provinces; to the churches of Geneva; the protestant cantons of Switzerland; the churches of Hesse, Hanau, and Hainault; and to the protestant congregation at Paris; all which were received with respect, and answered by the several classes.* But the churches of Bohemia, Transilvania, Poland, Silesia, and Austria, and other cities and principalites of Germany, were not written to. The answer from the French church at Paris was read in the assembly the beginning of March; from Switzerland June 12, 1644; and from Geneva at the same time; from the classes of Amsterdam and Guelderland June 29; and Mr. Whitlocke observes, that the Netherland divines expressed not only their approbation of the proceedings of the parliament and assembly touching the covenant, but desired to join with the two kingdoms therein.

The king, apprehending himself misrepresented to the foreign churches, in that part of the assembly's letter which

* History of the Stuarts, p. 232.

S" Diodati, the prince of divinity there," bishop Warburton says, returned a very temperate answer, no way inconsistent with the re'establishment of episcopacy." Ed.

insinuates a design to introduce popery, and being advised to vindicate his character from that imputation, caused a manifesto to be drawn up in Latin and English, to all foreigu protestants; which, though not published till the beginning of next year, may be properly inserted in this place.

CHARLES by the especial providence of Almighty God, king of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c. to all those who profess the true reformed protestant religion, of what nation, degree, or condition soever they be, to whom this present declaration shall come, greeting.

"WHEREAS We are given to understand, that many false rumors and scandalous letters, are spread up and down among the reformed churches in foreign parts, by the pol-itic, or rather the pernicious industry of some ill-affected persons, that we have an inclination to recede from that orthodox religion which we were born, baptized, and bred in, and which we have firmly professed and practised throughout the whole course of our life to this moment; and that we intend to give way to the introduction, and public exercise of popery again, in our dominions; which most detestable calumny being grounded upon no imag'inable foundation, hath raised these horrid tumults, and 'more than barbarous wars, throughout this flourishing island, under pretence of a kind of reformation which is in'compatible with the fundamental laws and government of 'this kingdom; we desire that the whole christian world 'should rest assured, that we never entertained the least 'thought to attempt such a thing, or to depart a jot from that holy religion, which when we received the crown and sceptre of this kingdom, we took a most solemn sacramental oath to profess and protect. Nor does our constant 'practice, and daily presence in the exercise of this religion, with so many asseverations at the head of our armies, and the public attestation of our barons, with the circum"spection used in the education of our royal offspring, be'sides divers other undeniable arguments, only demonstrate this, but also that happy alliance of marriage we contract<ed between our eldest daughter and the illustrious prince

of Orange, most closely confirms the reality of our intentions herein; by which it appears, that our endeavors are not only to make a profession thereof in our own domin'ions, but to strengthen it abroad as much as lieth in our "power.*

"This most holy religion of the Anglicane church, ordained by so many convocations of learned divines, con'firmed by so many acts of parliament, and strengthened by so many royal proclamations, together with the ecclesiastical discipline and liturgy, which the most eminent 'protestant authors, as well as Germans, French, Danes, and Swedes, Dutch and Bohemians, do with many elo'gies, and not without a kind of envy, approve and applaud in their public writings, particularly in the transactions of the synod of Dort, wherein, (besides others of our divines who were afterwards prelates) one of our bishops 'assisted, to whose dignity all due respect and precedency were given; this religion, we say, which our royal father of blessed memory, doth publicly assert in his famous 'confession addressed to all christian princes, with the hi'erarchy and liturgy thereof, we solemnly protest, that by the help of God, we will endeavor to our utmost power, and last period of our life, to keep entire and inviolable; and will be careful, according to our duty to heaven, and the tenor of our oath at our coronation, that all our eccle'siastics, in their several degrees and incumbencies, shall preach and practise. Wherefore we command all our 'ministers of state beyond the seas, as well ambassadors 6 as residents, agents and messengers; and we desire all the rest of our loving subjects that sojourn in foreign parts, to communicate and assert this our solemn and sincere 'protestation, when opportunity of time and place shall be 'offered.

"Given in our university and city of Oxford, May 14, 1644.”

This declaration did the king little service among foreign protestants, for though it assured them his majesty would not turn papist, it convinced them that no alteration in the

*Rushworth, vol. v. p. 732..

English hierarchy was to be expected. His marrying his daughter to the prince of Orange was perhaps the only evidence of his charity for the Duch reformation; but his appeal to the education of his children was trifling, when all the world knew they were under popish instructors, in pursuance of a marriage contract, till twelve or fourteen years of age, and had received impressions not to be easily defaced. His insinuating to the foreign churches, that their most learned divines preferred the English hierarchy to the government of their own countries, convinced them they ought to be more sparing of their compliments for the future, to persons who would draw such conclusions from them. As to the synod of Dort, no precedency was given to the bishop on account of his episcopal character, but as a baron of the English parliament.* Nor is there any thing in the declaration that might encourage the foreign clergy to hope his majesty would own their churches, ministers, or sacraments, or unite with them against the common enemy of the reformation, any more than before these unhappy troubles began.

All the episcopal divines left the assembly before the bringing in of the covenant, except Dr. Featly, who was expelled for holding correspondence with archbishop Usher at Oxford, and for revealing their proceedings, contrary to the express words of the ordinance, which obliges them not to divulge by printing or writing, or otherwise, their opinions or advices, touching the matters proposed to

* Dr. Grey will have it, that the contrary was the fact; and quotes bishop Carleton. But the quotation goes to prove no more, than that the foreign divines, at the synod, in their conversations with him, expressed their approbation of the episcopal government of the English church, and their wishes to have the same order established among themselves. But Mr. Neal's representation does not seem to be accurate. The case of precedency, according to Brandt, appears to have stood thus: When the synod met, the two commissioners of the states took place near the chimney on the right hand. The English divines sat on the left. An empty seat was kept for the French. The third place was appointed for the deputies of the Palatinate; and so on. Next to the commissioners on the right the professors of divinity took place, and then the ministers and elders of the country, according to the rank of each province. So that the precedency, which the English bishop had, naturally arose from his rank amongst the English divines; to whom, in general, was assigned the first seat on the left hand. History of the Reformation Abridged, vol. ii. p. 397. Ed.

VOL. III.

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