h Officers, and taketh no more from the Prelats, but
coercive power or jurisdiction extending to civil penalties, which indeed
belongeth to no Ecclesisticall Officers. In the twelfth Proposall, wee do
not see, how it can avoid or shun the toleration of Popery, Superstition,
Heresie, Schisme, Profannesse, or whatsoever works of darknesse shall be
practised by such as dispise the publicke Worship of God in the Church, &
have the most unlawful and wicked meetings else where under a profession
of Religious duties, exercises or ordinances. From the thirteenth
Proposall, we can make no other result, but that in stead of enjoyning the
taking of the Covenant, under such penalties as the Parliaments in their
wisdome shall agree upon, the former ordinance of Parliament enjoyning the
taking of it, is desired to be repealed: and then what may bee the danger
of those that have taken, or shall take an oath of that kinde, not
enjoyned nor ratified by authority, wee leave it to be judged by those who
know best the Lawes of that Kingdome.

One thing more wee Cannot passe, that whereas in the Armies Declaration,
or Representation to the Parliament, dated June 14 1647. they mention
their Brethren of _Scotland_ as having proceeded in the vindication and
defence of their just rights and liberties, much higher then that Army
hath done; Wee are necessitated to say this much for clearing of these
proceedings in this Nation reflected upon: They of this Church and Kingdom
who joyned together and associated themselves in this Cause, first by
humble Petitions, and afterwards by Covenant, were so far from slighting
or breaking that Covenant which was taken, that it was the special visible
character by which the friends of the Cause were distinguished from the
enemies thereof and they were so far from crying down the Ministery and
Ecclesiasticall Assemblies, or from disobeying any Orders or Commands of
Parliament, that a Generall Assembly of the Church, and a Parliament, were
two chief Heads of their Petitions and desires, at that time when they had
neither; And when they had obtained a Generall Assembly and Parliament,
they chearfully submitted to both respectively.

And now the dangers of Religion in this Illand being so great, as there
hath been lately a Solemne Humilitation throughout this Land, upon
occasion of these great and growing dangers; so we cannot but still look
upon them as matters of frequent Prayer and Humiliation to our selves, as