ut the consent of the church itself,
was represented as sufficient ground for the introduction of any change
in religious worship or discipline. And though James had obtained the
vote of assemblies for receiving Episcopacy and his new rites; it must
be confessed, that such irregularities had prevailed in constituting
these ecclesiastical courts, and such violence in conducting them, that
there were some grounds for denying the authority of all their acts.
Charles, sensible that an extorted consent, attended with such invidious
circumstances, would rather be prejudicial to his measures, had wholly
laid aside the use of assemblies, and was resolved, in conjunction with
the bishops, to govern the church by an authority to which he thought
himself fully entitled, and which he believed inherent in the crown.

The king's great aim was to complete the work so happily begun by his
father; to establish discipline upon a regular system of canons,
to introduce a liturgy into public worship, and to render the
ecclesiastical government of all his kingdoms regular and uniform.
Some views of policy might move him to this undertaking; but his chief
motives were derived from principles of zeal and conscience.

The canons for establishing ecclesiastical jurisdiction were promulgated
in 1635; and were received by the nation, though without much appearing
opposition, yet with great inward apprehension and discontent. Men felt
displeasure at seeing the royal authority highly exalted by them, and
represented as absolute and uncontrollable. They saw these speculative
principles reduced to practice, and a whole body of ecclesiastical laws
established without any previous consent either of church or state.[*]

* Clarendon, vol. i. p. 106.

They dreaded lest, by a parity of reason, like arbitrary authority, from
like pretences and principles, would be assumed in civil matters: they
remarked, that the delicate boundaries which separate church and state
were already passed, and many civil ordinances established by the
canons, under color of ecclesiastical institutions: and they were apt
to deride the negligence with which these important edicts had been
compiled, when they found that the new liturgy or service-book was every
where, under severe penalties, enjoined by them, though it had not yet
been composed or published.[*] It was, however, soon expected; and in
the reception of it, as the people are always most affected by what is
extern