The wisest of those who had swayed the sceptre since the
days of Solomon had given his sanction to the maxim "no bishop no king;"
and his own history furnished a melancholy confirmation of the sagacity of
his father. 2. The origin of episcopacy was a theological question, which
he had made it his business to study. He was convinced that the institution
was derived from Christ, and that he could not in conscience commute it for
another form of church government devised by man. He had found episcopacy
in the church at his accession; he had sworn to maintain it in all its
rights; and he was bound to leave it in existence at his death. Once,
indeed, to please the two houses, he had betrayed his conscience by
assenting to the death of Strafford: the punishment of that transgression
still lay heavy on his head; but should he, to please them again, betray it
once more, he would prove himself a most incorrigible sinner, and deserve
the curse both of God and man.[1]
The king had reached Newark in May: it was the end of July before the
propositions of peace were submitted[a] to his consideration. The same in
substance with those of the preceding year, they had yet been aggravated by
new restraints, and a more numerous
[Footnote 1: For all these particulars, see the Clarendon Papers, ii.
Pages:
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218