shall wilfully or obstinately standing in the same use any other Rite Ceremony Order form or manner of celebrating the Lords Supper openly or privily or Mattens Even-song Administration of the Sacraments or other open Prayers than is mentioned and set forth in the said Book open Prayer in and throughout this Act is meant that Prayer which is for others to come unto or hear common- The penalty for depraving the Book of common-Common-prayer either in common Churches or private Chappels or Oratories commonly called the Service of the Church or shall preach declare or speak any thing in the derogation or depravation of the said Book or any thing therein contained or any part thereof and shall be thereof lawfully convicted according to the Laws of this Realm by verdict of twelve men or by his own confession or by the notorious evidence of the Fact shall lose and forfeit to the Queens Highness her heirs and successors for his first offence the profit of all his spiritual Benefices or Promotions coming or arising in one whole year next after his conviction And also that the person so convicted shall for the same offence suffer imprisonment for the space of six months without Bail or Mainprise And if any such person once convict of any offence concerning the premises The penalty for the second offence shall after his first conviction eftsoons offend and be thereof in form aforesaid lawfully convict that then the same person shall for his second offence suffer imprisonment by the space of one whole year and also shall therefore be deprived ipso facto of all his spiritual Promotions and that it shall be lawful to all Patrons or Donors of all and singular the same spiritual Promotions or any of them to present or collate to the same as though the person or persons so offending were dead The penalty for the third offence And that if any such person or persons after he shall be twice convicted in form aforesaid shall offend against any of the premises the third time and shall be thereof in form aforesaid lawfully convicted that then the person so offending and convicted the third time shall be deprived ipso facto of all his spiritual Promotions and also shall suffer imprisonment during his life And if the person that shall offend and be convicted in form aforesaid The penalty of an offender having no spiritual Promotion concerning any of the premises shall not be Beneficed nor have any spiritual Promotion that then the same person so offending and convict shall for the first offence suffer Imprisonment during one whole year next after his said conviction without Bail or Mainprise And if any person not having any spiritual Promotion after his first conviction shall eftsoons offend in any thing concerning the premises and shall in form aforesaid be thereof lawfully convicted that the same person shall for his second offence suffer Imprisonment during his life And it is ordained and enacted by the authority aforesaid That if any person or persons whatsoever after the said Feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist next coming shall in any Enterludes Plays Songs Rhimes or by other open words The forfeiture of them which do anything or speak in derogation of the Book of Common Prayer Causing other prayer to be said or sung Coke pla fol. 312. The forfeiture of an hundred Marks for the first offence Dyer fol 203 231 323. The forfeiture of four hundred Marks for the second offence The forfeiture of the third offence declare or speak any thing in the derogation depraving or despising of the same Book or of any thing therein contained or any part thereof or shall by open fact deed or by open threatnings compel or cause or otherwise procure or maintain any Parson Vicar or other Minister in any Cathedral or Parish Church or Chappel or in any other place to sing or say any common or open prayer or to minister any Sacrament otherwise or in any other manner and form than is mentioned in the said Book or that by any of the said means shall unlawfully interrupt or let any Parson Vicar or other Minister in any Cathedral or Parish Church Chappel or any other place to sing or say common and open prayer or to Minister the Sacraments or any of them in such manner and form as is mentioned in the said Book That then every such person being thereof lawfully convicted in form abovesaid shall forfeit to the Queen our Soveraign Lady her heirs and successors for the first offence an hundred marks And if any person or persons being once convict of any such offence eftsoons offend against any of the last recited offences and shall in form aforesaid be thereof lawfully convict That then the same person so offending and convict shall for the second offence forfeit to the Queen our Soveraign Lady her heirs and successors four hundred marks And if any person after he in form aforesaid shall have been twice convict of any offence concerning any of the last recited offences shall offend the third time and be thereof in form abovesaid lawfully convict That then every person so offending and convict shall for his third offence forfeit to our Soveraign Lady the Queen The penalties if the party convicted do not pay his forfeiture within the time limited all his Goods and Chattels and shall suffer Imprisonment during his life And if any person or persons that for his first offence concerning the premises shall be convict in form aforesaid do not pay the sum to be paid by vertue of his conviction in such manner and form as the same ought to be paid within six weeks next after his conviction That then every person so convict and so not paying the same shall for the same first offence in stead of the said sum suffer imprisonment by the space of six months without Bail or Mainprize And if any person or persons that for his second offence concerning the premises shall be convict in form aforesaid do not pay the said sum to be paid by vertue of his Conviction and this Estatute in such manner and form as the same ought to be paid within six weeks next after his said second Conviction that then every person so convicted and not so paying the same shall for the same second offence in stead of the said sum suffer imprisonment during twelve Months without Bail or Mainprize And that from and after the said Feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist next coming all and every person and persons Every person shall resort to the Church upon the holy-days inhabiting within this Realm or any other the Queens Majesties Dominions shall diligently and faithfully having no lawful or reasonable excuse to be absent endeavor themselves to resort to their Parish-Church or Chappel accustomed or upon reasonable let thereof to some usual place where Common-prayer and such service of God shall be used in such time of let upon every Sunday
Gowns of the fashion aforesaid and Caps as afore is prescribed Item That all poor Parsons Vicars and Curates do endeavor themselves to conform their apparel in like sort so soon and as conveniently as their ability will serve to the same Provided that their ability be judged by the Bishop of the Diocess And if their ability will not suffer to buy them long Gowns of the form afore prescribed that then they shall wear their short Gowns agreeable to the form before expressed Item That all such persons as have been or be Ecclesiastical and serve not the Ministery or have not accepted or shall refuse to accept the Oath of obedience to the Queens Majesty do from henceforth abroad wear none of the said apparel of the form and fashion aforesaid but to go as meer lay-men till they be reconciled to obedience and who shall obstinately refuse to do the same that they be presented by the Ordinary to the Commissioners in causes Ecclesiastical and by them to be reformed accordingly Protestations to be made promised and subscribed by them that shaâ—l hereafter be admitted to any Office Room or Cure in any Church or other place Ecclesiastical INprimis I shall not preach or publickly interpret but only read that which is apppointed by publick Authority without special license of the Bishop under his Seal I shall read the Service appointed plainly distinctly and audibly that all the people may hear and understand I shall keep the register-Register-book according to the Queens Majesties Injunctions I shall use sobriety in apparel and specially in the Church at common prayers according to order appointed I shall move the Parishioners to quiet and concord and not give them cause of offence and shall help to reconcile them which be at variance to my uttermost power I shall read daily at the least one Chapter of the Old Testament and another of the New with good advisement to the increase of my knowledge I do also faithfully promise in my person to use and exercise my office and place to the honor of God to the quiet of the Queens subjects within my charge in truth concord and unity And also to observe keep and maintain such order and uniformity in all external Policy Rites and Ceremonies of the Church as by the Laws good Vsages and Orders are already well provided and established I shall not openly intermeddle with any Artificers occupations as covetously to seek a gain thereby having in Ecclesiastical Living to the sum of twenty nobles or above by year Agreed upon and subscribed by Matthaeus Cantuariensis Commissioners in Causes Ecclesiastical Edmondus Londoniensis Commissioners in Causes Ecclesiastical Richardus Eliensis Commissioners in Causes Ecclesiastical Edmondus Roffensis Commissioners in Causes Ecclesiastical Robertus Wintoniensis Nicholus Lincolniensis With others Imprinted at London by Reginald Wolfe The Oaths of Allegiance Supremacy and Canonical Obedience The Oath of Allegiance I A. B. Do truly and sincerely acknowledge profess testifie and declare in my Conscience before God and the World That our Soveraign Lord King CHARLES is lawful and rightful King of this Realm and of all other his Majesties Dominions and Countries And that the Pope neither of himself nor by any Authority of the Church or Sea of Rome or by any other means with any other hath any Power or Authority to depose the King or to dispose any of his Majesties Kingdoms or Dominions or to authorize any Foreign Prince to invade or annoy him or his Countries or to discharge any of his Subjects of their Allegiance and Obedience to his Majesty or to give license or leave to any of them to bear Arms raise Tumults or to offer any violence or hurt to his Majesties Royal Person State or Government or to any of his Majesties Subjects within his Majesties Dominions Also I do swear from my heart that notwithstanding any Declaration or sentence of Excommunication or Deprivatition made or granted or to be made or granted by the Pope or his Successours or by any Authority derived or pretended to be derived from him or his Sea against the said King his Heirs or Successours or any Absolution of the said Subjects from their Obedience I will bear faith and true Allegiance to his Majesty his heirs and Successours and him and them will defend to the uttermost of my power against all Conspiracies and attempts whatsoever which shall be made against his or their Persons their Crown and Dignity by reason or colour of any such Sentence or Declaration or otherwise and will do my best endeavour to disclose and make known unto his Majesty his Heirs and Successours all Treasons and Traiterous Conspiracies which I shall know or hear of to be against him or any of them And I do further swear That I do from my heart abhor detest and abjure as impious and heretical this damnable Doctrine and Position that Princes which be excommunicated or deprived by the Pope may be deposed or murthered by their Subjects or any other whatsoever And I do believe and in Conscience am resolved That neither the Pope nor any person whatsoever hath power to absolve me of this Oath or any part thereof which I acknowledge by good and full Authority to be lawfully administred unto me and do renounce all Pardons and Dispensations to the contrary And all these things I do plainly and sincerely acknowledge and swear according to these express words by me spoken and according to the plain and common sense and understanding of the same words without any equivocation or mental evasion or secret reservation whatsoever And I do make this Recognition and acknowledgment heartily willingly and truly upon the true faith of a Christian So help me God c. The Oath of Supremacy I A. B. Do utterly testifie and declare in my conscience That the Kings Highness is the only supreme Governor of this Realm and of all other his Highness Dominions and Countries as well in all Spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or causes as Temporal And that no Foraign Prince Person Prelate State or Potentate hath or ought to have any Jurisdiction Power Superiority Pre-eminence or Authority Ecclesiastical or Spiritual within this Realm And therefore I do utterly renounce and forsake all Foraign Jurisdictions Powers Superiorities and Authorities and do promise from henceforth I shall bear faith and true Allegiance to the Kings Highness his Heirs and lawful Successours and to my power shall assist and defend all Jurisdictions Priviledges Pre-eminences and Authorities granted or belonging to the Kings Highness his Heirs and Successours or united and annexed to the Imperial Crown of this Realm So help me God and the Contents of this Book The Oath of Simony I A. B. Do swear that I have made no Simoniacal payment contract or promise directly or indirectly by my self or by any other to my knowledge or with my consent to any person or persons whatsoever for or concerning the procuring or obtaining of the R. or V. of A. in
graces strayght commaundment to signifie his farther pleasure to all Colleges Religious houses and Curates within theyr diocesse for the publicacyon and also effectual and universal observacion of the same An. 1536. FOr as moch as the nombre of holy-dayes is so excessyuely grown and yet dayly more and more by mens deuocyen yea rather supersticyon was like further to encrease that the same was and sholde be not onely preiudiciall to the common weale by reason that it is occasion as well of moche slouth and ydleness the very nourishe of theues vacaboundes and of dyuers other unthriftynesse and inconuenyences as of decaye of good mysteryes and artes utyle and necessary fort the common welthe and losse of mans fode many tymes beynge clene destroyed through the supersticious obseruance of the said holy-dayes in not taking thoportunitie of good and serene wheather offered upon the same in time of harvest but also pernicyous to the soules of many men whiche beyng entysed by the lycencyous vacacyon and lybertye of those holy-dayes do upon the same commonly vse and practise more excesse ryote and superfluitie than upon any other dayes And sith the Sabboth-day was ordeyned for mans use and therefore ought to gyue place to the necessitie and behove of the same whan soever that shall occurre mouch rather any other holy day institute by man It is therefore by the kyngs hyghnes auctority as supreme head in earth of the Church of Englande with the Common assent and consent of the prelates and clergy of this his realme in Convocacyon laufully assembled and congregate among other thyngs decreed ordeyned and established ¶ Fyrst that the feest of Dedicacyon of the church shall in all places throughout this realm be celebrated and kepte on the fyrst sonday of the moneth of Octobre for ever and upon none other day ¶ Item that the feest of the patrone of every church within this Realm called commonly the Church-holy-day shall not from henceforth be kepte or observed as a holy-day as heretofore hath been used but that it shall be lauful to all and singular persons resydent or dwelliynge within this realme to go to their work occupacyon or mystery and the same truely to exercyse and occupy upon the said feest as upon any other workeyday excepte the said feest of the Church-holy day be such as must be ells universally observed as a holy-day by this ordynance following Also that all those feests or day holy-days which shall happen to occurre eyther in the harvest time which is to be compted from the fyrst day of Iuly unto the xxix day of Septembre or elles in the terme time at Westmynster shall not be kepte or observed from henceforth as holy dayes but that it may be lauful for every man to go to his work or occupacyon upon the same as upon any other workyeday excepte alwayes the feests of the apostles of our blessed lady and of saynt George And also such feestes as wherein the Kings Iudges as Westminster-hall do not use to sytte in Iudgment all which shall be kepte holy and solempne of every man as in tyme past have been accustomed Prouyded alwayes that it may be laufull unto all preests and clerkes as well secular as regular in the foresayd holy-dayes now abrogate to synge or saye their accustomed seruyce for those holy dayes in their churches so that they do not the same solempnely nor do rynge to the same after the manner vsed in hygh holy-dayes ne do commaunde or indict the same to be kepte or observed as holy-dayes Finally That the feest of the Nativitie of our lord of Easter of the Nativitie of saynt Iohn the baptiste and of Saynt Michaell shall be from henceforth compted and accepted and taken for the iiii general offering days And for further declaracyon of the premysses be it known that Easter terme begyneth alwayes the xviii day after Easter reckoning Easter-day for one and endeth the monday next after thascencyon day Trinitie terme begynneth alwayes the wednesday next after thoctaues of Trinitie sonday and endeth the xi or xii day of Iuly Myghelmas terme beginneth the ix or x. day of October and endeth the xxviii or xxix day of Nouember Hillary terme begynneth the xxiii or xxiiii day of Ianuary and endeth the xii or xiii day of February In Easter terme upon the tascension daye In Trinitie terme upon the Nativity of saynt Iohn Baptist In Mighelmas terme upon Alhollen day In Hillary terme upon Candlemas day The Kings Iudges at Westminster do not use to syt in Iudgment nor upon any sondayes ¶ Imprynted at London in Fletestrete at the sygne of the Sonne by me Iohn Byddel Cum priuilegio Anno 1536. By the Queen A Proclamation against the Despisers or Breakers of the Orders prescribed in the Book of common-Common-prayer THe Queens Majesty being right sorry to understand that the order of common-Common-prayer set forth by the common consent of the Realm and by authority of Parliament in the first year of her Reign wherein is nothing contained but the Scripture of God and that which is consonant unto it is now of late of some men despised and spoken against both by open preachings and writings and of some bold and vain curious men new and other Rites found out and frequented whereupon contentions sects and disquietness doth arise among her people and for one godly and uniform order diversity of Rites and Ceremonies Disputations and Contentions Schisms and Divisions already risen and more like to ensue The cause of which disorders her Majesty doth plainly understand to be the negligence of the Bishops and other Magistrates who should cause the good Laws and Acts of Parliament made in this behalf to be better executed and not so dissembled and winked at as hitherto it may appear that they have been For speedy remedy whereof her Majesty straightly chargeth and commandeth all Archbishops and Bishops and all Iustices of Assises and Oyer and Terminer and all Mayors head Officers of Cities and Towns Corporate and all other who have any authority to put in execution the Act for the Vniformity of Common-prayer and the Administration of the Sacraments made in the first year of her gracious Reign withal diligence and severity neither favouring nor dissembling with one person nor other who doth neglect despise or seek to alter the godly Orders and Rites set forth in the said Book But if any person shall by publick preaching writing or printing contemn despise or dispraise the Orders contained in the said Book they shall immediately apprehend him and cause him to be imprisoned until he hath answered to the Law upon pain that the chief Officers being present at any such preaching and the whole Parish do answer for their contempt and negligence Likewise if any shall forbear to come to the common-Common-prayer and receive the Sacraments of the Church according to the Order in the said Book allowed upon no just and lawful cause all such persons they shall enquire of present and see punished and
that Christian Religion doth not prohibit but that a man may swear when the Magistrate requireth in a cause of faith and charity so it be done according to the Prophets teaching in justice judgment and truth R. Edv. 6. Art 39. Resurrectio mortuorum nondum est facta REsurre Aio mortuorum non adhuc facta est quasi tantum ad animum pertineat qui per Christi Gratiam à morte peccatorum excitetur sed extremo die quoad omnes qui obierunt expectanda est tunc enim vita defunctis ut scripturae manifestissimè testantur propria corpora earnes ossa restituentur ut homo integer prout vel recte vel perdite vixerit juxta sua opera sive praemia sive poenas reportet Art R. Ed. 6. R. Ed. 6. Art 40. Defunctorum animae neque cum corporibus intereunt neque etiose dormiunt QUi animas defunctorum p rdicant usque ad diem judicii absque omni sensu dormire aut illas asserunt una cum corporibus mori extrema die cum illis excitandas ab orthodoxa fide quae nobis in sacris literis traditur prorsus dissentiunt R. Edv. 6. Art 41. Millenarii QUi Millenariorum fabulam revocare conantur sacris literis adversantur in Judaica deliramenta sese praecipitant R. Edv. Art 42. Non omnes tandem servandi sunt HI quoque damnatione digni sunt qui conantur hodie perniciosam opinionem instaurare quod omnes quâ—ntumvis impii servandi sunt tandem cum definito tempore à justitia divina poenas de admissis flagitiis luerunt The Ratification THis Book of Articles before rehearsed is again approved and allowed to be holden and executed within the Realm by the assent and consent of our Soveraign Lady Elizabeth by the grace of God of England France and Ireland Queen Defender of the Faith c. Which Articles were deliberately read and confirmed again by the subscription of the hand of the Archbishop and Bishops of the upper House and by the subscription of the whole Clergy in the nether House in their Convocation in the year of our Lord 1571. THE TABLE 1 OF Faith in the Trinity 2 Of Christ the Son of God 3 Of his going down into Hell 4 Of his Resurrection 5 Of the holy Ghost 6 Of the sufficiency of the Scripture 7 Of the Old Testament 8 Of the three Creeds 9 Of the original sin 10 Of free-will 11 Of Justification 12 Of good works 13 Of Works before Justification 14 Of Works of Supererogation 15 Of Christ alone without sin 16 Of sin after Baptism 17 Of Predestination and Election 18 Of obtaining salvation by Christ 19 Of the Church 20 Of the Authority of the Church 21 Of the Authority of the General Councils 22 Of Purgatory 23 Of ministring in the Congregation 24 Of speaking in the Congregation 25 Of the Sacraments 26 Of the worthiness of Ministers 27 Of Baptism 28 Of the Lords Supper 29 Of the wicked which eat not the body of Christ 30 Of both kinds 31 Of Christs one Oblation 32 Of the marriage of Priests 33 Of Excommunicate persons 34 Of Traditions of the Church 35 Of Homilies 36 Of Consecration of Ministers 37 Of Civil Magistrates 38 Of Christian mens Goods 39 Of a Christian mans Oath 40 Of the Ratification Anno primo Reginae Eliz. cap. 2. There shall be Uniformity of Prayer and Administration of Sacraments WHere at the death of our late Soveraign Lord King Edward the sixth there remained one uniform Order of Common Service and Prayer and of the Administration of Sacraments Rights and Ceremonies in the Church of England which was set forth in one Book entituled The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England authorised by Act of Parliament Stat. 5. 6. Ed. 6. 1. holden in the fifth and sixth years of our said late Soveraign Lord King Edward the sixth entituled An Act for the Uniformity of Common-Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments the which was repealed and taken away by Act of Parliament in the first year of the raign of our late Soveraign Lady Queen Mary Stat. 1. M. 2. to the great decay of the due honor of God and discomfort to the professors of the truth of Christs Religion A Repeal of the Satute 1. M. 2. and the Book of Common prayer shall be of effect Be it therefore Enacted by the Authority of this present Parliament That the said Statute of Repeal and every thing therein contained only concerning the said Book and the Service Administration of the Sacraments Rites and Ceremonies contained or appointed in or by the said Book shall be void and of none effect from and after the Feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist next coming And that the said Book with the Order of Service and of the Administration of Sacraments Rites and Ceremonies with the Alteration and Additions therein added and appointed by this Estatute shall stand and be from and after the said Feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist in full force and effect according to the tenour and effect of this Estatute any thing in the foresaid Estatute of Repeal to the contrary notwithstanding And be it further Enacted by the Queens Highness with the assent of the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled the authority of the same That all and singular Ministers in any Cathedral or Parish-Church The book of common-Common-prayer shall be used 8. Eliz. or other place within this Realm of England Wales and the Marches of the same or other the Queens Dominions shall from and after the feast of the Nativity of S. John Baptist next coming be bounden to say and use the Mattens Even-song Celebration of the Lords Supper and Administration of each of the Sacraments and all the Common and open Prayer in such order and form as is mentioned in the said Book so authorised by Parliament The alteration of the Book set forth 5 6. Ed. 6. 1. in the said 5. and 6. years of the Reign of King Edward the sixth with one alteration or addition of certain Lessons to be used on every Sunday in the year and the form of the Letany altered and corrected and two sentences only added in the delivery of the Sacrament to the Communicants and none other or otherwise And that if any manner of Parson Vicar The forfeiture of those which use any other Service than the Book of common-Common-prayer or other whatsoever Minister that ought or should sing or say Common-Prayer mentioned in the said Book or minister the Sacraments from and after the feast of the Nativity of S. John Baptist next coming refuse to use the said common-Common-prayer or to minister the Sacraments in such Cathedral or Parish-Church or other places as he should use to minister the same in such order or form as they be mentioned and set forth in the said Book or
men known to the Bishop to be of sound Religion a testimonial both of his honest life and of his professing the Doctrine expressed in the said Articles nor unless he be able to answer and tender to the Ordinary an account of his faith in Latine according to the said Articles or have special gift and ability to be a Preacher nor shall be admitted to the Order of Deacon or Ministry Who may have a Benefice of the yearly value of xxxl al Admissions Inductions Tolerations No Lapse upon deprivation but after notice Dyer fo 377. 346. 369. Cok. li. 6. fol. 9 unless he shall first subscribe to the said Articles And that none hereafter shall be admitted to any Benefice with Cure of or above the value of thirty pounds yearly in the Queens Books unless he shall then be a Batchelour of Divinity or Preacher lawfully allowed by some Bishop within this Realm or by one of the Vniversities of Cambridge or Oxford And that all Admissions to Benefices Institutions and Inductions to be made of any person contrary to the form or any Provision of this Act and all tolerations dispensations qualifications and licences whatsoever to be made to the contrary hereof shall be meerly void in Law as if they never were Provided always That no title to confer or present by a Lapse shall accrue upon any deprivation ipso facto but after nx months notice of such deprivation given by the Ordinary to the Patron ADVERTISEMENTS Partly for the due Order in the PUBLICK ADMINISTRATION OF THE HOLY SACRAMENTS And partly for the Apparel of all Persons Ecclesiastical By virtue of the Queens Majesties Letters commanding the same the Twenty fifth day of January in the seventh year of the Reign of our Soveraign Lady ELIZABETH by the Grace of God of England France and Ireland Queen Defender of the Faith c. LONDINI Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum Anno Dom. 1594. Anno 7. Eliz. R. The PREFACE THE Queens Majesty of her godly Zeal calling to remembrance how necessary it is to the advancement of Gods glory and to the establishment of Christs pure Religion for all her loving Subjects especially the state Ecclesiastical to knit together in one perfect unity of Doctrine and to be conjoined in one Uniformity of Rites and manners in the ministration of Gods holy Word in open prayer and ministration of Sacraments as also to be of one decent behaviour in their outward apparel to be known partly by their distinct habits to be of that vocation who should be reverenced the rather in their offices as Ministers of the holy things whereto they be called hath by her Letters directed unto the Archbishop of Canterbury and Metropolitan required enjoined and straightly charged that with assistance and conferences had with other Bishops namely such as be in commission for causes Ecclesiastical some orders might be taken whereby all diversities and varieties among them of the Clergy and the people as breeding nothing but contention offence and breach of common charity and be against the Laws good Usage and Ordinances of the Realm might be reformed and repressed and brought to one manner of Uniformity throughout the whole Realm that the people may thereby quietly honour and serve Almighty God in truth concord unity peace and quietness as by her Majesties said Letters more at large doth appear Whereupon by diligent conference and communication in the same and at last by assent and consent of the persons aforesaid these Orders and Rules ensuing have been thought meet and convenient to be used and followed not yet prescribing these Rules as Laws equivalent with the Eternall Word of God and as of necessity to bind the consciences of her Subjects in the nature of them considered in themselves Or as they should add any efficacy or more holiness to the vertue of publick prayer and to the Sacraments but as temporal orders meer Ecclesiastical without any vain superstition and as rules in some part of Discipline concerning decency distinction and order for the time Articles for Doctrine and Preaching FIrst That all they which shall be admitted to Preach shall be diligently examined for their conformity in unity of doctrine established by publick authority and admonished to use sobriety and discretion in teaching the people namely in matters of controversie and to consider the gravity of their office and to foresee with diligence the matters which they will speak to utter them to the edification of the audience Item That they set out in their preaching the reverent estimation of the holy Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper exciting the people to the often and devout receiving of the holy Communion of the body and blood of Christ in such form as is already prescribed in the Book of common-Common-Prayer and as it is further declared in an Homily concerning the vertue and efficacy of the said Sacraments Item That they move the people to all obedience as well in observation of the orders appointed in the Book of common service as in the Queens Majesties injunctions as also of all other civil duties due for Subjects to do Item That all licenses for preaching granted out by the Archbishop and Bishops within the Province of Canterbury bearing date before the first day of March 1564. be void and of none effect and nevertheless all such as shall be thought meet for the office to be admitted again without difficulty or charge paying no more but iiii pence for the Writing Parchment and Wax Item If any Preacher or Parson Vicar or Curate so licensed shall fortune to preach any matter tending to dissention or to the derogation of the Religion and Doctrine received that the hearers denounce the same to the Ordinaries or the next Bishop of the same place but no man openly to contrary or to impugn the same speech so disorderly uttered whereby may grow offence and disquiet of the people but shall be convinced and reproved by the Ordinary after such agreeable order as shall be seen to him according to the gravity of the offence An that it be presented within one month after the words spoken Item That they use not to exact or receive unreasonable rewards or stipends of the poor Pastors coming to their Cures to preach whereby they might be noted as followers of filthy lucre rather than use the office of preaching of charity and good zeal to the salvation of mens souls Item If the Parson be able he shall preach in his own person every three Months or else shall preach by another so that his absence be approved by the Ordinary of the Diocess in respect of sickness service or study at the Vniversity Nevertheless yet for want of able Preachers and Parsons to tolerate them without penalty so that they preach in their own persons or by a learned Substitute once in every three months of the year Articles for Administration of Prayer and Sacraments FIrst That the Common-prayer be said or sung decently and
vertue of their Oaths they shall present at the said Visitations the names of such Persons whom they know or hear of or justly suspect to be delinquent in all or any of these particulars and that under the pains of the highest censures of the Church that so these Delinquents may be legally cited and being found obstinate they shall be Excommunicated and such Excommunication shall be pronounced both in the Cathedral Church of the Diocess and in the several Parishes where such Recusants live and every third month they shall be again publickly repeated in the places aforesaid that all may take notice of those Sentences And because there are places which either have or pretend to have exemptions in which such Delinquents do usually affect to make their aboad Therefore we enjoyn that all Bishops shall within their several Dioceses send unto such places one or more of their Chaplains or some of their Officers whom they may relie on to make strict enquiry after Offenders in those kinds who diligently returning their information accordingly the said Bishop shall certifie such informations to his Metropolitan that the aforesaid proceedings may forthwith issue from some higher Courts in these cases whereof by reason of the said exemptions the inferiour Courts can take no cognisance But if neither conferring nor censures will prevail with such persons the Church hath no way left but complaints to the secular power and for them we streightly enjoyn that all Deans and Archdeacons and all having inferiour or exempt Jurisdiction shall every year within six Months after any Visitation by them holden make Certificate unto their several Bishops or Archbishop if it be within his Diocess under their Seal of Office of all such persons who have been presented unto them as aforesaid under pain of suspension from their said Jurisdictions by the space of one whole year And we in like manner enjoyn all Archbishops and Bishops that once every year at the least they certifie under their Episcopal Seal in Parchment unto the Justices of Assize of every County in the Circuits and within their Dioceses respectively the names and sirnames not only of those who have been presented unto them from the said Deans Archdeacons c. but of those also who upon the Oaths of Church-wardens and other Sworn-men at their Visitations or upon the information of Ministers imployed in the said Conferences have been presented unto them that so the said intended proceedings may have the more speedy and the more general success In particular it shall be carefully inquired into at all Visitations under the Oaths of the Church wardens and other Sworn men what Recusants or Popish persons have been either Married or Buried or have had their Children baptized otherwise than according to the Rules and Forms established in the Church of England and the names of such Delinquents if they can learn them or otherwise such names as for the time they carry shall be as aforesaid given up to the Bishop who shall present them to the Justices of Assize to be punished according to the Statutes And for the education of Recusants Children since by Canon already established no Man can teach School no not in any private house except he be allowed by the Ordinary of the place and withal have subscribed to the Articles of Religion established in the Church of England We therefore streightly enjoyn That forthwith at all Visitations there be diligent enquiry made by the Church-wardens or other sworn Ecclesiastical Officers of each Parish under their Oaths who are employed as School-masters to the Children of Recusants and that their several names be presented to the Bishop of the Diocess who citing the said School-masters shall make diligent search whether they have subscribed or no and if they or any of them be found to refuse subscription they shall be forbidden to teach hereafter and censured for their former presumption and withal the names of him or them that entertain such a School-master shall be certified to the Bishop of the Diocess who shall at the next Assize present them to the Judges to be proceeded against according to the Statutes And if they subscribe enquiry shall be made what care they take for the instruction of the said Children in the Catechism established in the Book of common-Common-prayer And all Ordinaries shall censure those whom they find negligent in the said instruction and if it shall appear that the Parents of the said children do forbid such School-masters to bring them up in the Doctrine of the Church of England they shall notwithstanding do their duty and if thereupon the said Parents shall take away their Children the said School-masters shall forthwith give up their names unto the Bishop of the Diocess who shall take care to return them to the Justices of Assize in manner and form aforesaid And because some may cunningly elude this Decree by sending their Children to be bred beyond the Seas Therefore we ordain That the Church-wardens and other sworn Ecclesiastical Officers shall likewise make careful enquiry and give in upon their Oaths at all Visitations the names of such Recusants Children who are so sent beyond the Seas to be bred there or whom they probably suspect to be so sent which names as aforesaid shall be given up to the Bishop and from him returned to the Judges as aforesaid that their Parents who so send them may be punished according to Law Provided alwayes that this Canon shall not take away or derogate from any Power or Authority already given or established by any other Canon now in force And all the said Complaints or Certificates shall be presented up to the Judges in their several Circuits by the Bishop's Register or some other of his Deputies mimediately after the publishing of His Majesties Commission or at the end of the Charge which shall be then given by the Judge And this upon pain of Suspension for three months This Sacred Synod doth earnestly intreat the said Reverend Justices of Assize to be careful in the execution of the said Laws committed to their trust as they will answer to God for the daily increase of this gross kind of superstition And further we do also exhort all Judges whether Ecclesiastical or Temporal upon the like account that they would not admit in any of their Courts any vexatious Complaint Suit or Suits or presentments against any Minister Church-wardens Questmen Side-men or other Church-Officers for the making of any such Presentments And lastly We enjoyn that every Bishop shall once in every year send into his Majesties High Court of Chancery a Significavit of the names and sirnames of all such Recusants who have stood excommunicated beyond the time limited by the Law and shall desire that the Writ De excommunicato capiendo might be at once sent out against them all Ex officio And for the better execution of this Decree this present Synod doth most humbly beseech His most Sacred Majesty that the Officers of the
said High Court of Chancery whom it shall concern may be commanded to send out the aforesaid Writ from time to time as is desired for that it would much exhaust the particular estates of the Ordinaries to sue out several Writs at their own charge And that the like command also may be laid upon the Sheriffs and their Deputies for the due and faithful execution of the said Writs as often as they shall be brought unto them And to the end that this Canon may take the better and speedier effect and not to be deluded or delayed We further Decree and Ordain That no Popish Recusant who shall persist in the said sentence of Excommunication beyond the time prescribed by Law shall be absolved by vertue of any Appeal in any Ecclesiastical Court unless the said party shall first in his or her own Person and not by a Proctor take the usual Oath De parendo Juri stando mandatis Ecclesiae IV. Against Socinianism WHereas much mischief is already done in the Church of God by the spreading of the damnable and Cursed Heresie of Socinianism as being a complication of many ancient Heresies condemned by the four first general Councils and contrariant to the Articles of Religion now established in the Church of England And whereas it is too apparent that the said wicked and blasphemous errors are unhappily dilated by the frequent divulgation and dispersion of dangerous Books written in favor and furtherance of the same whereby many especially of the younger or unsetled sort of People may be poysoned and infected It is therefore decreed by this present Synod that no Stationer Printer or Importer of the said Books or any other person whatsoever shall print buy sell or disperse any Book hroaching or maintaining of the said abominable Doctrine or Positions upon pain of Excommunication ipso facto to be thereupon incurred And we require all Ordinaries upon pain of the Censures of the Church that beside the Excommunication aforesaid they do certifie their names and offenses under their Episcopal Seal to the Metropolitan by him to be delivered to his Majesties Attorney-General for the time being to be proceeded withal according to the late Decree in the Honorable Court of Star-Chamber against the spreaders of prohibited Books And that no Preacher shall presume to vent any such Doctrine in any Sermon under pain of Excommunication for the first offence and Deprivation for the second And that no Student in either of the Universities of this Land nor any person in holy Orders excepting Graduates in Divinity or such as have Episcopal or Archidiaconal Jurisdiction or Doctors of Law in holy Orders shall be suffered to have or read any such Socinian Book or Discourse under pain if the offendor live in the University that he shall be punished according to the strictest Statutes provided there against the publishing reading or maintaining of false Doctrine or if he live in the City or Country abroad of a Suspension for the first offence and Excommunication for the Second and Deprivation for the third unless he will absolutely and in terminis abjure the same And if any Lay-man shall be seduced into this Opinion and be convicted of it he shall be Excommunicated and not absolved but upon due repentance and abjuration and that before the Metropolitan or his own Bishop at the least And we likewise enjoyn that such Books if they be found in any prohibited hand shall be immediately burned and that there be a diligent search made by the appointment of the Ordinary after all such Books in what hands soever except they be now in the hands of any Graduate in Divinity and such as have Episcopal or Archidiaconal Jurisdiction or any Doctor of Laws in holy Orders as aforesaid and that all who now have them except before excepted be strictly commanded to bring in the said Books in the Universities to the Vicechancellors and out of the Universities to the Bishops who shall return them to such whom they dare trust with the reading of the said Books and shall cause the rest to be burned And we farther enjoyn that diligent enquiry be made after all such that shall maintain and defend the aforesaid Socinianism and when any such shall be detected that they be complained of to the several Bishops respectively who are required by this Synod to repress them from any such propagation of the aforesaid wicked and detestable Opinions V. Against Sectaries WHereas there is a provision now made by a Canon for the suppressing of Popery and the growth thereof by subjecting all Popish Recusants to the greatest severity of Ecclesiastical Censures in that behalf This present Synod well knowing that there are other Sects which endeavor the subversion both of the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England no less than Papists do although by another way for the preventing thereof doth hereby decree and Ordain that all those proceedings and penalties which are mentioned in the aforesaid Canon against Popish Recusants as far as they shall be appliable shall stand in full force and vigour against all Anabaptists Brownists Separatists Familists or other Sect or Sects person or persons whatsoever who do or shall either obstinately refuse or ordinarily not having a lawful impediment that is for the space of a month neglect to repair to their Parish Churches or Chappels where they inhabit for the hearing of Divine Service established and receiving of the holy Communion according to Law And we do also further decree and ordain That the Clause contained in the Canon now made by this Synod against the Books of Socinianism shall also extend to the Makers Importers Printers and Publishers or Dispersers of any Book Writing or scandalous Pamphlet devised against the Discipline and Government of the Church of England and unto the maintainers and Abettors of any Opinion or Doctrine against the same And further because there are sprung up among us a sort factious of people Despisers and Depravers of the Book of common-Common-Prayer who do not according to the Law resort to their Parish-Church or Chappel to joyn in Publick Prayers Service and Worship of God with the Congregation contenting themselves with the hearing of Sermons only thinking thereby to avoid the penalties due to such as wholly absent themselves from the Church We therefore for the restraint of all such wilful contemners or neglecters of the Service of God do ordain That the Church or Chappel-Wardens and Questmen or Side-men of every Parish shall be careful to enquire out all such disaffected persons and shall present the names of all such Delinquents at all Visitations of Bishops and other Ordinaries And that the same proceedings and penalties mentioned in the Canon aforesaid respectively shall be used against them as against other Recusants unless within one whole month after they are first denounced they shall make acknowledgment and reformation of that their fault Provided always that this Canon shall not derogate from any other Canon Law or
104 105 At the Kings Healing of the Evil the Prayers Page 165 I. INjunctions of Edward the Sixth Page 1 Images to be taken down and destroyed Page 2 67 Injunctions of E. 6. to be read once a year Page 5 6 71 Of Justification of Man Page 43 95 Injunctions touching both Clergy and Laity by Q. Eliz. 1559 the first year of her Reign Page 65 Inventories of Church Goods to be made and delivered to the Visitors Page 80 Honour to be given to the Name of Jesus Page 82 The day of His Majesties Inauguration to be observed Page 349 Touching Jurisdiction concurrent Page 369 L. LAnguage understood or a known tongue to be read in the Congregation Page 47. 99 Litany when where and how to be read Page 72 181 182 Concerning Licences to Marry Page 370 M. MInisters absent from their Cures to leave Learned ones to do their Duty Page 3 177 Ministers Licensed and none others may Preach Page 4 69 177 They must give the fortieth part of their profit to the Poor and other Exhibitions to Scholars Page 5 70 71 And lay out the Fifth part of their Revenues in repair of their Churches Page 5 71 And must read the Injunctions once a year Page 5 71 And study Scripture Sentences to help despairing Persons Page 6 72 And Preach at least twice a year Page 7 They are not to be abused Page 10 76 No Man may Minister except he be called Page 47 99 The Ministers Wickedness doth not hinder the operation of Gods Ordinances Page 48 100 Of Magistrates Civil Page 51 106 Millenâ—rii called Hereticks Page 52 Ministers Marriages how to be Celebrated Page 76 77 103 Their Apparel Page 77 78 To read the Prayers c. distinctly Page 82 N. NEw Testament both in Latine and English to be had by every Parson c. Page 72 By the Name of Christ only Salvation can be obtained Page 98 O. OAth injoyned to prevent innovations in Doctrine and Government Page 359 Old Testament not to be refused Page 42 93 Of Original Sin Page 42 43 94 Oblation of Christ upon the Cross Page 49 103 Oath may be taken by Christian Men Page 51 52 107 Overseers for the Service of the Holy days Page 79 Oath of Allegiance Page 129 130 Oath of Supremacy Page 131 Oath of Simony ibid. Oath of Canonical Obedience Page 132 Oath of Residence ibid. P. PAter Noster Creed and the Ten Commandements to be read in English after the Gospel Page 2 68 177 Processions in the Church taken away Page 7 72 Pulpits to be provided at the Charge of the Parish Page 7 74 Primer of Hen. 8. only to be used Page 10 Proclamation concerning the Communion Page 15 16 Predestination and Election Page 45 97 Of Purgatory Page 47 99 Perambulation of Parishes continued and how to be performed Page 73 Parishioners to keep to their own Parish Church Page 78 Protestations to be made by such as take Ecclesiastical Preferment Page 127 Proclamation that the proceedings of the Ecclesiastical Courts are according to the Laws of the Realm Page 132 Priests the form of ordering them Page 149 Popery the growth thereof to be suppressed Page 350 R. ROme Bishop thereof his Power Abolished Page 1 2 Register Books for Weddings Christenings and Burials to be kept in all Parishes Page 4 5 70 178 Resurrection of Christ Page 42 92 Resurrection of the Dead not yet brought to pass Page 52 Reverence to be used in time of Prayers Page 82 The Ratification Page 108 Of Residency Page 177 Reformation of Disorders in the Ministers of the Church Page 118 Concerning the Regal Power Page 345 Rites and Ceremonies a Declaration concerning them Page 361 Ratification Page 373 S. SErmons to be once a quarter Page 2 67 Sacraments to be duly administred Page 3 121 Symony forbidden and punished Page 9 75 178 The Son of God was made very Man Page 41 91 Scripture sufficient to Salvation Page 42 92 Sin against the Holy Ghost Page 44 Salvation obtained only by the Name of Christ Page 46 Of the Sacraments Page 48 100 Of the Lords Supper Page 49 101 Single Life commanded to no Man Page 50 Souls neither dye with the Body nor sleep idly Page 52 All Men shall not be saved Page 52 Superstitious things of all sorts abolished Page 74 Schoolmasters their Allowance and Duty Page 79 Singing Service continued in divers Churches Page 80 Sacramental Bread the Form of it Page 84 Scripture the Names and Numbers of the Canonical Books thereof Page 92 Sin after Baptisme Page 96 Against Socinianisme Page 355 Against Sectaries Page 357 T. TYths must be paid Page 6 71 Traditions of the Church Page 50 103 Tables to be in Churches instead of Altars Page 84 U. USurped and Forreign Authority forbidden Page 67 Upholders thereof to be presented Page 69 Uniformity of Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments Page 110 A confirmation thereof Page 118 W. WOrkes before Justification Page 43 95 Workes of Supererrogation Page 44 95 Workes of Faith Page 67 68 Workes of Mans device Page 68 Witchcraft c. forbidden Page 78 180 Wednesdays and Fridays the Church to read the Litany and Prayers Page 80 Of Good Workes Page 95 TABULA A. ARticuli in Synodo Londinensi anno 1552. Pag. 53 De Arbitrio libero Pag. 56 212 Articuli per Archiepiscopos Episcopos c. 1584 27 Eliz. Pag. 191 Articuli per Archiepiscopos Episcopos c. utriusque Provinciae 1562 Pag. 207 Articulorum confirmatio Pag. 222 Archidiaconi Pag. 229 Æditui Ecclesiarum alii selecti Pag. 234 Apparitorum excessus reformandi Pag. 256 333 Ægrotantes a Ministris sedulò visitandi Pag. 300 Actus judiciales non nisi publica authentica manu expediendi Pag. 325 B. B Blasphemia in spiritum sanctum Pag. 61 218 De Baptismo Pag. 58 96 Vt homines idonei ad sacros ordines Beneficia ecclesiastica admittantur Pag. 193 245 De Beneficiorum Pluralitate cohibenda Pag. 196 247 In Commendationibus Benefactorum Pag. 203 204 In Beneficia instituendi symoniae suspitionem jurejurando jussi avertere Pag. 288 Beneficiorum Pluralitas parcius dispensanda Pag. 289 Beneficiati absentes legitimè Curatum Concionatorem jubentur adhibere Pag. 291 Baptisteria in Ecclesiis paranda Pag. 306 C. COnciliorum Generalium authoritas Pag. 61 218 De Caena Domini Pag. 59 216 Caelibatus ex verbo Dei non praecipitur Pag. 62 Christianorum bona non sunt communia Pag. 63 222 Celebratio Coenae Domini in funebribus Pag. 199 Cancellarii Commissarii c. Pag. 230 Concionatores Pag. 238 Capitula sive Constitutiones Ecclesiasticae Anno 1597 Pag. 247 Constitutiones sive Canones Ecclesiastici Anno 1603 1 Jac. Pag. 263 Coenae sacrae iu usum panis vinum paranda Pag. 278 Coenae trina perceptio quotannis indicta Pag. 278 Coenae administrationem indictio praeire jussa Pag. 278 Coenae usus frequentior Academicis injunctus genuum flexio Pag. 278 Coenae in
The Seales of ARMES of the Bishops of England Sedes Cantuar Sedes Eboracens Sedes Londi Se Winton Se Dunelin Se Eliensis Se Sarum Se Lincoln Se Wigorn. S Lich et Cov Sed Exon. Se Norvic S Bath Wel Se Hereford Se Roffens S Cicestrens Se Petroburg Se Carliol Se Oxon Se Glocest Se Cestrens Se Bristol Se Meneven Se Landav Se Bangor S S Assaph Se Sodorens Printed For Robert Pawlet at the Bible In Chancery Lane F. H. Van Houe fe A COLLECTION OF ARTICLES Injunctions Canons ORDERS ORDINANCES And Constitutions ECCLESIASTICAL With other PUBLICK RECORDS OF THE Church of England Chiefly in the Times of K. Edward VI. Q. Elizabeth K. James K. Charles I. Published to Vindicate the Church of England and to Promote Uniformity and Peace in the same With a Learned PREFACE By ANTHONY SPARROW D. D. Lord Bishop of NORWICH The Third Impression with Additions And Two TABLES LONDON Printed for Robert Pawlet at the Bible in Chancery-Lane near Fleet-street Anno Domini MDCLXXVI THE Principal Heads Contained in this BOOK Â Page An. D. KIng Edwards Injunctions 1 1547. Order of Communion-Service 13 1547. Archbishop Cranmers Articles of Visitation 25 1548. Bishop Ridleys Artices of Visitation 33 1550. Articles of Religion ageed upon in the Convocation 39 1552. The Latin Edition of hose Articles 53 1552. Queen Elizabeths Iijunctions 65 1559. Articles of Religion agreed on in Convocation c. and compared with Edw. 6. Articles 87 1562. An Act for Vniformity of Prayer c. Anno 1 Eliz. 110 with a Clause Anno 8. Eliz. Cap. 1. Reformation of Disorders in Ministers of the Church Anno 13 Eliz. cap. 12. 118 1559. Advertisements for the due order about Ministers Apparel at the Communion c. 121 1564. The Oaths of Allegiance Supremacy Simony Canonical Obedience Continuâ—l Residence 129 Â A Proclamation declaring the proceedings in Ecclesiastical Courts to be according to the Law of the Land 132 Â A Table of Degrees of Marriages set fort by Bishop Parker 262 1563. The Form and Manner of Making and Consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons 135 1559. Prayers at the Healing of the Kings Evil 165 Â Of Abrogation of Holy-days in King Hen. 8. time 167 1536. A Proclamation of Queen Eliz. against the Despisers or Breakers of the Orders prescribed in the Book of common-Common-Prayer 169 1573. A Proclamation against the Sectaries of the Family of Love 171 1580. A Proclamation against Schismatical and Seditious Books and Libels 173 1588. Articles of Visitation in the first year of Queen Elizabeth 175 1559. Articuli pro Clero in Synodo Londin 191 1584. Celebratio Coenae Domini in Funebribus in the second year of Queen Elizabeth 199 1560. Articuli Religionis in Synodo Londin 207 1562. Liber Quorundam Canonum Disciplinae Ecclesiae Anglicanae 223 1571. Capitula sive Constitutiones Ecclesiasticae in Synodo Londin 243 1597. Constitutiones sive Canones Ecclesiastici per Epis Lond. Anno 1603. 1 Jac. 263 1603. Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiastical agreed on n the Convocations at London and York in the Sixteenh year of King Charles the First 335 1640. The Form of Consecration of a Church or Chappel and of the Place of Christian Burial Exemplified by the â— R. Father in God Lancelot Andrews late Lord Bishop of Winchester 171 Â A PREEACE to the Reader OVR great Lord and Master Christ having purchased to himself by his precious Blood a peculiar people his One mystical Body the Church sanctified it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church holy without spot Ephes 5.27 not without all spot there is a spot of Gods Children of sins of frailty and infirmity which the Church as long as she is Militant will never be without but without spot of malice and wicked lewdness such spot and blemishes as were figured by the corporal blemishes forbidden to the Priests and their sacrifices Lev. 21. 22.20 spots that will make the Church as abhorred in the sight of God as those bodily spots made the Priests and their sacrifices unto the eyes of men without such scandalous spots mentioned Gal. 5.9 all the members of this one body may and ought to be That the Church may preserve her self in this purity without spot and in this unity without division and continue one holy Church as it is in our Creed a double power and authority is needful as to all other bodies politick so likewise to this society of believers the Church one of jurisdiction to correct and reform those impure members by spiritual censures whom counsel will not win and if they be incorrigible to cast them out of this holy society lest their leaven should leaven the whole lump 1 Cor. 5.6 Thus to preserve the Churches purity and again to correct and reduce to unity the contentious troublers of the Churches peace if it may be by charitable admonitions if not to stop their mouths Titus 1.11 not by arguments alone for such will never prevail upon absurd unreasonable and obstinate men and such there always will be but by spiritual censure even to the casting them out of the Churches society so to preserve peace and unity Besides this power of Jurisdiction there is necessary also for the obtaining of those two high ends a Legislative power to make Canons and Constitutions upon emergent occasions For though our great Lord hath already given to his Church most holy and wise Rules and Laws for the same purposes yet because they are general not descending to every particularity of time and place and manner of performance which yet are necessary to be determined for the preservation of publick peace and unity and because there may at least through the perversness of men of corrupt minds arise some doubts and controversies about the sense and meaning of those most holy Rules of our Lord for the determining of which we are not now to expect any resolution from Prophet or Oracle or other immediate voice from Heaven it doth hereupon necessarily follow that there must be Authority left to this Church and the Governors thereof to make new Laws upon these emergent occasions to determine these particularities to decide and compose these controversies whereby to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Whosoever shall think that all this may be done by friendly persuasion or learned disputes only will find himself deceived as experience of all Ages hath shown and will shew as long as there be men of perverse minds and corrupt affections Without a definitive and Authoritative sentence controversies will be endless and the Churches peace unavoidably disturbed and therefore the voice of God and right Reason hath taught that in matters of Controversie the definitive sentence of Superiors should decide the doubt and whosoever should decline from that sentence and do presumptuously should be put to death that others might hear and fear and do no more presumptuously Deut.
high Altar Item Whether they have not every Holy-day when they have no Sermon immediately after the Gospel openly plainly and distinctly recited to their Parishioners in the Pulpit the Pater Noster the Creed and the ten commandments in English Item whether every Lent they examine such persons as come to confession to them whether they can recite the Pater Noster the Articles of our Faith and the Ten Commandments in English Item Whether they have charged Fathers and Mothers Masters and Governors of Youth to bring them up in some vertuous study and occupation Item Whether such beneficed men as be lawfully absent from their benefices do leave their Cure to a rude and unlearned person and not an honest well-learned and expert Curate which can and will teach you wholsom Doctrine Item Whether in every Cure they have the have provided one book of the whole Bible of the largest Volume in English and the Paraphrasis of Erasmus also in English upon the Gospels and set up the same in some convenient place in the Church where their Parishioners may most commodiously resort to the same Item whether they have discouraged any person from reading of any part of the Bible either in Latine or in English but rather comforted and exhorted every person to read the same as the very lively word of God and the special food of mans soul Item whether Parsons Vicars Curates and other Priests be common haunters and resorters to Taverns or Ale-houses giving themselves to drinking rioting or playing at unlawful games and do not occupie themselves in the reading or hearing of some part of holy Scripture or in some other godly exercise Item whether they have admitted any man to preach in their Cures not being lawfully licensed thereunto or have refused or denied such to preach as have been licensed accordingly Item whether they which have heretofore declared to their Parishoners any thing to the extolling or setting forth of Pilgrimages Relicks or Images or lighting of Candles kissing kneeling decking of the same Images or any such superstition have not openly recanted and reproved the same Item whether they have one book or register safely kept wherein they write the day of every VVedding Christning and Burying Item whether they have exhorted the people to obedience to the Kings Majesty and his Ministers and to charity and love one to another Item whether they have admonished their Parishioners that they ought not to presume to receive the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ before they can perfectly rehearse the Pater Noster the Articles of the Faith and the Ten Commandments in English Item whether they have declared and to their wits and power have persuaded the people that the manner and kind of fasting in Lent and other days in the year is but a meer positive Law and that therefore all persons having just cause of sickness or other necessity or being licensed by the Kings Majesty may moderately eat all kind of meats without grudge or scruple of conscience Item whether they be resident upon their Benefices and keep hospitality or no and if they be absent or keep no hospitality whether they do make due distributions among the poor Parishoners or not Item whether Parsons Vicars Clerks and other beneficed men having yearly to dispend an hundred pound do not find competently one Scholar in the Vniversity of Cambridge or Oxford or some Grammar School and for as many hundred pounds as every of them may dispend so many Scholars likewise to be found by them and what be their names that they so find Item whether Proprietaries Parsons Vicars and Clerks having Churches Chappels or Mansions do keep their Chancels Rectories Vicarages and all other houses appertaining to them in due reparations Item whether they have counselled or moved their Parishioners rather to pray in a tongue not known then in English or to put their trust in a prescribed number of prayers as in saying over a number of Beads or other like Item whether they have read the Kings Majesties Injunctions every quarter of the year the first Holy-day of the same quarter Item whether the Parsons Vicars Curates and other Priests being under the degree of a Batcheler of Divinity have of their own the New Testament both in Latine and English and the Paraphrase of Erasmus upon the same Item whether within every Church he that ministreth hath read or cause to be read the Epistle and Gospel in English and not in Latine either in the Pulpit or some other mete place so as the people may hear the same Item whether every Sunday and Holy-day at Matins they have read or cause to be read plainly and distinctly in the said place one Chapter of the New Testament in English immediately after the Lessons and at Even-song after Magnificat one Chapter of the Old Testament Item whether they have not at Matins omitted three Lessons when ix should have been read in the Church and at Even-song the Responds with all the Memories Item whether they have declared to their Parishioners that Saint Marks day and the Evens of the abrogate Holy-days should not be fasted Item whether they have the Procession-book in English and have said or sung the said Litany in any other place but upon their knees in the midst of their Church and whether they use any other Procession or omit the said Litany at any time or say it or sing it in such sort as the people cannot understand the same Item whether they have put out of their church-Church-books this word Papa and the name and service of Thomas Becket and prayers having rubricks containing pardons or indulgences and all other superstitious legends and prayers Item whether they bid not the beads according to the order appointed by the Kings Majesty Item whether they have opened and declared unto you the true use of Ceremonies that is to say that they be no workers nor works of salvation but only outward signs and tokens to put us in remembrance of things of higher perfection Item whether they have taught and declared to their Parishioners that they may with a safe and quiet conscience in the time of Harvest labour upon the holy and festival days and if superstitiously they abstain from working upon those days that then they do grievously offend and displease God Item whether they have admitted any persons to the Communion being openly known to be out of charity with the Neighbors Item whether the Deans Archdeacons Masters of Hospitals and Prebendaries have preached by themselves personally twice every year at the least Item whether they have provided and have a strong Chest for the poor mens box and set and fastned the same near to the high Altar Item whether they have diligently called upon exhorted and moved their Parishioners and specially when they make their Testaments to give to the said poor mens box and to bestow that upon the poor Chest which they were wont to bestow upon Pardons Pilgrimages
Trentals Masses satisfactory decking of Images offering of Candles giving to Friers and upon other like blind devotions Item whether they have denied to visit the sick or bury the dead being brought to the Church Item whether they have bought their Benefices or come to them by fraud or deceit Item whether they have every Sunday when the people be most gathered read one of the Homilies in order as they stand in the book set forth by the Kings Majesty Item whether they do not omit prime and hours when they have any Sermon or Homily Item whether they have said or sung any Mass in any Oratory Chappel or any mans house not being hallowed Item whether they have given open monition to their Parishioners that they should not wear Beads nor pray upon them Item whether they have moved their Parishioners lying upon their death-beds or at any other time to bestow any part of their substance upon Trentals Masses satisfactory or any such blind devotions Item whether they take any Trentals or other Masses satisfactory to say or sing for the quick or the dead Item whether they have given open monition to their Parishioners to detect and present to their Ordinary all adulterers and fornicators and such men as have two wives living and such women as have two husbands living within their Parishes Item whether they have not monished their Parishoners openly that they should not sell give nor otherwise alineate any of their Churches goods Item whether they or any of them do keep more Benefices and other Ecclesiastical promotions than they ought to do not having sufficient license and dispensations thereunto and how many they be and their names Item whether they minister the Communion any other ways then only after such form and manner as is set forth by the Kings Majesty in the book of the Communion Item whether they hallowed and delivered to the people any Candles upon Candlemas-day and Ashes upon Ash-Wednesday or any Palms uyon Palm-Sunday last past Item whether they had upon Good-Friday last past the Sepulchres with their lights having the Sacrament therein tem whether they upon Easter-even last past hallowed the Front Fire or Paschal or had any Paschal set up or burning in their Churches Item whether your Parsons and Vicars have admitted any Curates to serve their Cures which were not first examined and allowed either by my Lord of Canterbury Master-Archdeacon or their Officers Item whether you know any person within your Parish or elfewhere that is a letter of the word of God to be read in English or sincerely preached or of the execution of the Kings Majesties Injunctions or other his Majesties proceedings in matters of Religion Item whether every Parish have provided a Chest with two locks and for the book of VVedding Christning and Burying Item whether in the time of the Letany or any other common-Common-prayer in the time of the Sermon or Homily and when the Priest readeth the Scripture to the Parishioners any person have departed out of the Church without a just and necessary cause Item whether any Bells have been knowled or rung at the time of the premisses Item whether any person hath abused the Ceremonies as in casting holy water upon his bed or bearing about him holy-bread St. Johns Gospel ringing of holy Bells or keeping of private holy-days as Taylors Bakers Brewers Smiths Shoomakers and such other Item whether the money coming and rising of any Cattle or other moveable stocks of the Church and money given or bequeathed to the finding of Torches Lights Tapers or Lamps not paid out of any Lands have not been employed to the poor mens Chest Item who hath the said stocks and money in their hands and what be their names Item whether any undiscreet persons do uncharitably contemn and abuse Priests and Ministers of the Church Item whether they that understand not the Latine do pray upon any Primer but the English Primer set forth by the Kings Majesties Authority and whether they that understand Latine do use any other then the Latine Primer set forth by like Authority Item whether there be any other Grammar taught in any other School within this Diocess then that which is set forth by the Kings Majesty Item whether any person keep their Church holy-day and the Dedication day any otherwise or at any other time then is appointed by the Kings Majesty Item whether the service in the Church be done at due and convenient hours Item whether any have used to commune jangle and talk in the Church in the time of the Common-prayer reading of the Homily Preaching reading or declaring of the Scripture Item whether any have wilfully maintained and defended any Heresies Errours or false Opinions contrary to the faith of Christ and holy Scripture Item whether any be common drunkards swearers or blasphemers of the Name of God Item whether any have committed adultery fornication or incest or be common Bawds and receivers of such evil persons or vehemently suspected of any of the premisses Item whether any be brawlers slanderers chiders scolders and sowers of discord between one person and another Item whether you know any that use Charms Sorcery Enchantments VVitchcraft Southsaying or any like craft invented by the Devil Item whether the Churches Pulpits and other necessaries appertaining to the same be sufficiently repaired Item whether you know any that in contempt of your own Parish Church do resort to any other Church Item whether any Inholders or Alehouse-keepers do use commonly to sell meat and drink in the time of Common prayer Preaching or Reading of the Homilies or Scripture Item whether you know any to be married within the degrees prohibited by the Laws of God or that be separated or divorced without a just cause allowed by the Law of God and whether any such have married again Item whether you know any to have made privy contracts of matrimony not calling two or more thereunto Item whether they have married solemnly the Banns not first lawfully asked Item whether you know any Executors or Administrators of dead mens goods which do not bestow such of the said goods as were given and bequeathed or appointed to be distributed among the poor people repairing of high-ways finding of poor Scholars or marrying of poor Maids or such other like charitable deeds Item whether any do contemn married Priests and for that they be married will not receive the Communion or other Sacraments at their hands Item whether you know any that keep in their houses undefaced any abused or feigned Images any Tables Pictures Paintings or other monuments of feigned miracles Pilgrimages Idolatry or Superstition ARTICLES TO BE ENQUIRED of IN THE VISITATION OF THE DIOCESS of LONDON By the Reverend Father in God NICOLAS BISHOP of LONDON In the fourth year of our Soveraign Lord King Edward the Sixth by the Grace of God King of England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith and in Earth of the Church of England and also of Ireland the supreme
Head next and immediately under our Saviour Christ Imprinted at London by Reynold Wolfe MDL St. PAUL I Testifie therefore before God and before the Lord Jesus Christ which shall judge the quick and dead at his appearing in his Kingdom preach thou the Word be fervent in season or out of season Improve rebuke exhort with all long suffering and Doctrine 2 Tim. 4. Articles of Visitation by Bishop Ridley Anno 1550. WHether your Curates and Ministers be of that conversation of living that worthily they can be reprehended of no man Whether your Curates and Ministers do haunt and resort to Taverns or Alehouses otherwise then for their honest necessity there to drink and riot or to play at unlawful games Whether your Ministers be common brawlers sowers of discord rather then charity among their Parishioners hawkers hunters or spending their time idely or coming to their Benefice by Simony Whether your Ministers or any other persons have committed adultery fornication incest bawdry or to be vehemently suspected of the same common drunkards scolds or be common swearers and blasphemers of Gods holy Name Whether your Parsons and Vicars do maintain their houses and Chancels in sufficient reparation or if their houses be in decay whether they bestow yearly the fifth part of the fruits of the Benefice until the same be repaired Whether your Parsons and Vicars absent from their Benefice do leave their cure to an able Minister and if he may dispend yearly xx.l. or above in this Deanery or elsewhere whether he doth distribute every year among his poor Parishioners there at the least the forty part of the fruits of the same And likewise yearly spending C.l. whether he doth find one Scholar either at of the Vniversities or some Grammar School and so for every other hundred pound one Scholar Whether every Dean Archdeacon and Prebendary being Priest doth personally by himself preach twice every year at the least either where he is entitled or where he hath jurisdiction or in some place united or appropriate to the same Whether your Minister having license thereunto doth use to preach or not licensed doth diligently procure other to preach that are licensed or whether he refuseth those offering themselves that are licensed or absenteth himself or causeth other to be away from the Sermon or else admitted any to preach that are not licensed Whether any by preaching writing word or deed hath or doth maintain the usurped power of the Bishop of Rome Whether any be a letter of the Word of God to be preached or read in the English tongue Whether any do preach declare or speak with any thing in derogation of the Book of common-Common-prayer or any thing therein contained or any part thereof Whether any do preach and defend that private persons may make insurrection stir sedition or compel men to give them their goods Whether the Curate doth admit any to the Communion before he be confirmed or any that ken not the Pater Noster the Articles of the Faith and Ten Commandments in English Whether Curates do Minister the Communion for money or use to have Trentals of Communions Whether any of the Anabaptists Sect or other use notoriously any unlawful or private Conventicles wherein they do use Doctrine or Administration of Sacraments separating themselves from the rest of the Parish Whether there be any that privately in their private house have their Masses contrary to the form and order of the Book of Communion Whether any Minister doth refuse to use the common-Common-prayers or minister Sacraments in that order and form as is set forth in the Book of common-Common-prayer Whether Baptism be ministred out of necessity in any other time than on the Sunday or Holy-day or in another Tongue than English Whether any speaketh against Baptism of Infants Whether any be married within degrees prohibited by Gods Law or separate without cause lawful or is married without Banns thrice first asked three several holy-days or Sundays openly in the Church at Service-time Whether any Curate doth marry them of other Parishes without their Curates License and certificate from him of the Banns thrice solemnly asked Whether any saith that the wickedness of the Minister taketh away the effect of Christs Sacraments Whether any saith that Christian men cannot be allowed to repentance if they sin voluntary after Baptism Whether your Curates be ready to minister the Sacraments visit the sick and bury the dead being brought to the Church Whether any Minister useth wilfully and obstinately any other Right Ceremony Order Form ot manner of Communion Mattens or Evensong Ministration of Sacraments or open prayers than is set forth in the Book of common-Common-prayer Whether your Curate once in six weeks at the least upon some Sunday or Holy-day before Even song do openly in the Church instruct and examine children not confirmed in some part of the Catechism and whether Parents and Masters do send them thither upon warning given by the Minister Whether any useth to keep abrogate holy-days or private holy-days as Bakers Shoomakers Brewers Smiths and such other Whether any useth to hollow water bread salt bells or candles upon Candlemas-day ashes on Ashwedneday Palms on Palm-Sunday the Font on Easter-even fire on Paschal or whether there was any Sepulchre on Good-fryday Whether the water in the Font be changed every month once and then any other prayers said then is in the Book of common-Common-prayer appointed Whether there be any Images in your Church Tabernacles Shrines or covering of Shrines Candles or Trindels of wax or feigned Miracles in your Churches or private-houses Whether your Church be kept in due and lawfull repara tion and whether their be a comely Pulpit set up in the same and likewise a Coffer for Alms for the poor called the poor mens Box or Chest Whether any Legacies given to the poor amending high-ways or marrying poor maids be undistributed and by whom God save the King ARTICLES Argeed upon by the BISHOPS And other Learned and Godly Men In the Last CONVOCATION AT LONDON In the year of our Lord 1552. To root out the discord of Opinions and establish the Agreement of true Religion Published By the Kings Majesties Authority 1553. Imprinted at London by JOHN DAY ARTICLES Agreed upon in the CONVOCATION And published by the KINGS MAJESTY Of Faith in the Holy Trinity THere is but one living and true God and he is everlasting without body parts or passions of infinite power wisdom and goodness the Maker and Preserver of all things both visible and invisible And in unity of his God-head there be three persons of one substance power and eternity the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost That the Word or Son of God was made very Man THe Son which is the Word of the Father took mans nature in the Womb of the blessed Virgin Mary of her substance so that two whole and perfect Natures that is to say the God-head and Manhood were joyned together into one person never to be
of difference whereby Christian men are discerned from others that be not Christned but it is also a sign and seal of our new-birth whereby as by an instrument they that receive Baptism rightly are grafted into the Church the promises of forgiveness of sin and of our adoption to be the sons of God are visibly signed and sealed faith is confirmed and grace increased by vertue of prayer unto God The Custom of the Church to Christen young Children is to be commended and in any wise to be retained in the Church Of the Lords Supper THe Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the love that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another but rather it is a Sacrament of our redemption by Christs death Insomuch that to such as rightly worthily and with faith receive the same the bread which we break is a communion of the body of Christ likewise the Cup of blessing is a communion of the blood of Christ Transubstantiation or the change of the substance of Bread and VVine into the substance of Christs Body and Blood cannot be proved by holy VVrit but it is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture and hath given occasion to many superstitions For as much as the truth of mans nature requireth that the body of one and the self same man cannot be at one time in divers places but must needs be in some one certain place therefore the body of Christ cannot be present at one time in many divers places and because as holy Scripture doth teach Christ was taken up into heaven and there shall continue unto the end of the world a faithful man ought not either to believe or openly confess the real and bodily presence as they term it of Christs flesh and blood in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper The Sacrament of the Lords Supper was not commanded by Christs Ordinance to be kept carried about lifted up nor worshipped Of the perfect Oblation of Christ made upon the Cross THe offering of Christ made once for ever is the perfect redemption the pacifying of Gods displeasure and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world both original and actual and there is none other satisfaction for sin but that alone VVherefore the sacrifices of Masses in the which it was commonly said that the Priest did offer Christ for the quick and the dead to have remission of pain or sin were forged fables and dangerous deceits The state of single life is commanded to no man by the Word of God BIshops Priests and Deacons are not commanded to vow the state of single life without marriage neither by Gods law are they compelled to abstain from matrimony Excommunicate persons are to be avoided THat person which by open denunciation of the Church is rightly cut off from the unity of the Church and Excommunicate ought to be taken of the whole multitude of the faithful as an Heathen and Publican until he be openly reconciled by penance and received into the Church by a Iudge that hath authority thereto Traditions of the Church IT is not necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies be in all places one or utterly like for at all times they have been divers and may be changed according to the diversity of Countries and mens manners so that nothing be ordained aginst Gods VVord VVhosoever through his private judgment willingly and purposely doth openly break the Traditions and Ceremonies of the Church which be not repugnant to the Word of God and be ordained and approved by common authority ought to be rebuked openly that other may fear to do the like as one that offendeth against the common order of the Church and hurteth the authority of the Magistrate and woundeth the consciences of weak brethren Of Homilies THe Homilies of late given and set out by the Kings authority be godly and wholsom containing Doctrine to be received of all men and therefore are to be read to the people diligently distinctly and plainly Of the Book of Prayers and Ceremonies of the Church of England THe book which of very late time was given to the Church of England by the Kings Authority and the Parliament containing the manner and form of praying and ministring the Sacraments in the Church of England likewise also the book of ordering Ministers of the Church set forth by the aforesaid Authority are godly and in no point repugnant to the wholsom Doctrine of the Gospel but agreable thereunto furthering and beautifying the same not a little and therefore of all faithful members of the Church of England and chiefly of the Ministers of the word they ought to be received and allowed with all readiness of mind and thanksgiving and to be commended to the people of God Of Civil Magistrates THe King of England is supreme head in Earth next under Christ of the Church of England and Ireland The Bishop of Rome hath no jurisdiction in this Realm of England The Civil Magistrate is ordained and allowed of God wherefore we must obey him not only for fear of punishment but also for conscience sake The Civil Laws may punish Christian men with death for heinous and grievous offences It is lawful for Christians at the commandment of the Magistrate to wear weapons and serve in lawful wars Christian mens Goods are not common THe riches and goods of Christians are not common as touching the right title and possession of the same as certain Anabaptists do falsly boast Notwithstanding every man ought of such things as he possesseth liberally to give alms to the poor according to his ability Christian men may take an Oath AS we confess that vain and rash swearing is forbidden Christian men by our Lord Iesu Christ and his Apostle James so we judge that Christian Religion doth not prohibit but that a man may swear when the Magistrate requireth in a cause of faith and charity so it be done according to the Porphets teaching in justice judgment and truth The Resurrection of the Dead is not yet brought to pass THe Resurrection of the dead is not as yet brought to pass as though it only belonged to the soul which by the grace of Christ is called from the death of sin but it is to be lookt for at the last day For then as Scripture doth most manifestly testifie to all that be dead their own bodies flesh and bone shall be restored that the whole man may according to his works have either reward or punishment as he hath lived virtuously or wickedly The Souls of them that depart this life do neither die with the bodies nor sleep idlely THey which say that the souls of such as depart hence do sleep being without all sense feeling or perceiving until the day of judgment or affirm that the souls die with the bodies and at the last day shall be raised up with the same do utterly dissent from the right belief declared to us in holy Scripture Hereticks called Millenarii THey that
Service than in quiet attendance to hear mark and understand that is read preached and ministred 39 Item The Grammar of King Henry 8. That every Schoolmaster and Teacher shall teach the Grammar set forth by King Henry 8. of noble memory and continued in the time of King Edward 6. and none other 40. Item Allowance of Schoolmasters That no man shall take upon him to teach but such as shall be allowed by the Ordinary and found meet as well for his learning and dexterity in teaching as for sober and honest conversation and also for right understanding of Gods true Religion 41. Item Duty of Schoolmasters That all teachers of children shall stir and move them to love and do reverence to Gods true Religion now truly set forth by publick Authority 42. Item Sentences of Scripture for Scholars Unlearned Priests That they shall accustom their Scholars reverently to learn such sentences of Scriptures as shall be most expedient to induce them to all godliness 43. Item Forasmuch as in these latter days many have been made Priests being children and otherwise utterly unlearned so that they could read to say Mattens or Mass the Ordinaries shall not admit any such to any Cure or spiritual Function 44. Item Every Parson Vicar and Curate The Catechism shall upon every holy-day and every second Sunday in the year hear and instruct the youth of the Parish for half an hour at the least before Evening-prayer in the ten Commandments the Articles of the belief and the Lords Prayer and diligently examine them and teach the Catechism set forth in the book of publick prayer The Book of the afflictions for Religion 45. Item That the Ordinary do exhibit unto our Visitors their books or a true copy of the same containing the causes why any person was imprisoned famished or put to death for Religion 46. Item Overseers for service on the holy-days That in every Parish three or four discreet men which tender Gods glory and his true Religion shall be appointed by the Ordinaries diligently to see that all the Parishioners duly resort to their Church upon all Sundays and holy-dyas and there to continue the whole time of the godly service and all such as shall be found slack and negligent in resorting to the Church having no great or urgent cause of absence they shall straightly call upon them and after due admonition if they amend not they shall denounce them to the Ordinary Inventories of Church goods 47. Item That the Church-wardens of every Parish shall deliver unto our Visitors the Inventories of Vestments Copes and other Ornaments Plate Books and specially of Grayles Couchers Legends Processionals Manuals Hymnals Portuesses and such like appertaining to the Church Service on Wednesdays and Fridays 48. Item That weekly upon Wednesdays and Fridays not being holy days the Curate at the accustomed hours of Service shall resort to Church and cause warning to be given to the people by knolling of a Bell and say the Letany and prayers Continuance of singing in the Church 49. Item Because in divers Collegiate and also some Parish-Churches heretofore there have been Livings appointed for the maintenance of men and children to use singing in the Church by means whereof the laudable service of Musick hath been had in estimation and preserved in knowledge the Queens Majesty neither meaning in any wise the decay of any thing that might conveniently tend to the use and continuance of the said science neither to have the fame in any part so abused in the Church that thereby the Common-prayer should be the worse understanded of the hearers willeth and commandeth that first no alterations be made of such assignments of Living as heretofore hath been appointed to the use of singing or Musick in the Church but that the same so remain And that there be a modest and distinct song so used in all parts of the Common-prayers in the Church that the same may be as plainly understanded as if it were read without singing and yet nevertheless for the comforting of such that delight in Musick it may be permitted that in the beginning or in the end of the Common-prayers either at Morning or Evening there may be sung an Hymn or such like song to the praise of Almighty God in the best sort of melody and Musick that may be conveniently devised having respect that the sentence of Hymn may be understanded and perceived 50. Item Because in all alterations and specially in Rites and Ceremonies Against slanderous and infamous words their happen discord amongst the people thereuâ—on slanderous words and railings whereby charity the knot of all christian society is loosed the Queens Majesty being most desirous of all other earthly things that her people should live in charity both towards God and man and therein abound in good works willeth and straightly commandeth all manner of her Subjects to forbear all vain and contentious disputations in matters of Religion and not to use in despight or rebuke of any person these convitious words Papist or Papistical Heretick Schismatick or Sacramentary or any such like words of reproach But if any manner of person shall deserve the accusation of any such that first he be charitably admonished thereof and if that shall not amend him then to denounce the offender to the Ordinary or to some higher Power having Authority to correct the same 51. Item Because there is a great abuse in the Printers of Books which for covetousness chiefly regard not what they Print so they may have gain whereby ariseth the great disorder by publication of unfruitful vain infamous books papers the Queens Majesty straitly chargeth commandeth that no manner of person shall print any manner of book or paper of what sort nature or in what Language soever it be except the same be first licensed by her Majesty by express words in writing or by six of her Privy Council or be perused and licensed by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York the Bishop of London the Chancellors of both Vniversities the Bishop being Ordinary and the Archdeacon also of the place where any such shall be Printed or by two of them whereof the Ordinary of the place to be always one And that the names of such as shall allow the same to be added in the end of every such work for testimony of the allowance thereof And because many Pamphlets Plays and Ballads be oftentimes Printted wherein regard would be had that nothing therein should be either heretical seditious or unseemly for Christian ears her Majesty likewise commandeth that no manner of person shall enterprise to print any such except the same be to him licensed by such her Majesties Commissioners or three of them as be appointed in the City of London to hear and determine divers causes Ecclesiastical tending to the execution of certain Statutes made the last Parliament for Vniformity of order in Religion And if
the Father Haec notata non habentur in Edw. 6. begotten from everlasting of the Father the very and eternal God of one substance with the Father took mans nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin of her substance so that two whole and perfect Natures that is say the Godhead and Manhood were joyned together in one person never to be divided whereof is one Christ very God and very man who truly suffered was crucified dead and buried to reconcile his Father to us and to be a sacrifice not only for original guilt but also for actual sins of men 3. Of the going down of Christ into Hell AS Christ died for us and was buried Nam Corpus usque ad resurrectionem in Sepulchro jacuit spiritus ab illo emissus cum spiritibus qui in carcere sive in inferno detinebantur fuit illisque praedicavit quemadmodum testatur Petri locus Sic Artic Edw. 6. so also is it to be believed that he went down into Hell 4. Of the Resurrection of Christ CHrist did truly rise again from death and took again his body with flesh bones and all things appertaining to the perfection of mans nature wherewith he ascended into Heaven and there sitteth until he return to judge all men at the last day 5. Of the holy Ghost Non habentur in R. Edw. 6. Artic. THE holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son is of one Substance Majesty and Glory with the Father and the Son very and eternal God 6. Of the sufficiency of the holy Scriptures for Salvation HOly Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation so that whatsoever is not read therein †Licet intetdum a fidelibus ut pium conducibile ad ordinem decorum admittatur nor may be proved thereby * is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an Article of Faith or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation In the name of the holy Scripture we do understand those Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church Of the Names and numbers of the Canonical Books Non habetur in R Edw 6. Artic. GEnesis Exodus Leviticus Numeri Deuteronomium Josue Judges Ruth The 1. Book of Samuel The 2. Book of Samuel The 1. Book of Kings The 2. Book of Kings The 1. Book of Chronicles The 2. Book of Chronicles The 1. Book of Esdras The 2. Book of Esdras The Book of Hester The Book of Job The Psalms The Proverbs Ecclesiastes or Preacher Cantica or Songs of Salom. 4. Prophets the greater 12. Prophets theless And the other Books as Hierome saith the Church doth read for example of life and insturction of manners but yet doth not apply them to establish any Doctrine Such are these following The 3. Book of Esdras The 4. Book of Esdras The Book of Tobias The Book of Judeth The rest of the Book of Hester The Book of Wisdom Jesus the Son of Sirach Baruch the Prophet The song of the three Children The Story of Susanna Of Bell and the Dragon The Prayer of Manasses The 1. Book of Maccabees The 2. Book of Maccabees All the Books of the New Testament as they are commonly received we do receive and account them Canonical 7. Of the Old Testament THe Old Testament is not contrary to the New Testamentum vetus quasi novo contrarium sit non est repudiendum ed retisnendum for both in the Old and New Testaments everlasting life is offered to mankind by Christ who is the only Mediator between God and man being both God and man Wherefore they are not to be heard which feign that the old fathers did look only for transitory promises Although the Law given from God by Moses as touching Ceremonies and Rites do not bind Christian men nor the civil precepts thereof ought of necessity to be received in any Common-wealth Vid. haec Art 18. notata ex R. Edw. yet notwithstanding no Christian man whatsoever is free from the obedience of the Commandments which are called Moral 8. Of the three Creeds THE three Creeds Nice Creed Athanasius Creed and that which is commonly called the Apostles Creed ought thorowly to be received and believed for they may be proved by most certain warrant of holy Scripture 9. Of Original or Birth-sin ORiginal sin standeth not in the following of Adam as the Pelagians do vainly talk †Et hodie Anabaptistae repetunt but is the fault and corruption of the nature of every man that naturally is ingendred of the off-spring of Adam whereby man is far gone from original righteousness and is of his own nature inclined to evil so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the spirit and therefore in every person born into this world it deserveth Gods wrath damnation And this infection of nature doth remain yea in them that are regenerated whereby the lust of the flesh called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some do expound the wisdom some sensuality some the affection some the desire of the flesh is not subject to the Law of God And although there is no condemnation for them that believe and are baptized yet the Apostle doth confess that concupiscence and lust hath of it self the nature of sin De Gratia GRatia Christi seu S. Spiritus qui per eundem datur cor lapideum aufert dat cor carneum Atque licet ex nolentibus quae recta sunt volentes faciat ex volentibus prava nolentes reddat voluntati nihilominus violentiam nullam infert nemo hâc de causâ cum peccaverit sâ—ipsum excusare potest quasi nolens aut coactus peccaverit ut eam ob causam accusare non mereatur aut damnari Artic. Edwardi 6. decimus 10. Of Free-will THe condition of man after the fall of Adam is such that he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength and good works to faith and calling upon God wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God without the Grace of God by Christ preventing us that we may have a good will and working with us when we have that good will 11. Of the Justification of Man WE are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ by faith Haec non habentur in Reg. Edward 9. Artic. Justificatio ex sola Fide Jesu Christi eo sensu quo in Homilia de Justificatione explicatur est certissima saluberrima Christianorum doctrina Sic in Reg. Edward 6. Artic. 11. and not for our own works or deservings Wherefore that we are justified by faith only is a most wholsom Doctrine and very full of comfort as more largely is expressed in the Homily of Justification 12. Of good works ALbeit that good works which are the fruits of faith and follow after Iustification Hic Artic non habetur
Christ once made is that perfect redemption propitiation and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world both original and actual and there is none other satisfaction for sin but that alone Wherefore the sacrifices of Masses in the which it was commonly said that the Priest did offer Christ for the quick and the dead to have remission of pain and guilt were blasphemous fables and dangerous deceits 32. Of the marriage of Priests BIshops Priests and Deacons are not commanded by Gods Law Non habentur haec notata in R. Edv. 6. Artic. either to vow the estate of single life or to abstain from marriage Therefore it is lawful also for them as for all other Christian men to marry at their own discretion as they shall judge the same to serve better to godliness 33. Of excommunicate persons how they are to be avoided THat person which by open denunciation of the Church is rightly cut off from the unity of the Church and Excommunicate ought to be taken of the whole multitude of the faithful as an Heathen and Publican until he be openly reconciled by penance and received into the Church by a Iudge that hath authority thereunto 34. Of the Traditions of the Church IT is not necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies be in all places one or utterly like for at all times they have been divers and may be changed according to the diversity of Countries and mens manners so that nothing be ordained against Gods Word Whosoever through his private judgment willingly and purposely doth openly break the Traditions and Ceremonies of the Church which be not repugnant to the Word of God and be ordained and approved by common authority ought to be rebuked openly that other may fear to do the like as one that offendeth against the common order of the Church and hurteth the Authority of the Magistrate and woundeth the consciences of weak brethren Non habentur haec notata in Edv. 6. Artic. Every particular or national Church hath authority to ordain change and abolish Ceremonies or Rites of the Church ordained only by mens authority so that all things be done to edifying 35. †Homiliae nuper Ecclesiae Anglicanae per injunctiones Regias editae atque commendatae piae sunt atque salutares doctrinamque ab omnibus amplectendam continent Of Homilies THe second Book of Homilies the several titles whereof we have joyned under this Article doth contain a godly and wholsom Doctrine necessary for these times as doth the former Book of Homilies which were set forth in the time of Edward the sixth and therefore we judge them to be read in Churches by the Ministers diligently and distinctly that they may be understanded of the people Of the Names of the Homilies 1 OF the right use of the Church 2 Against peril of Idolatry 3 Of Repairing and keeping clean of Churches 4 Of good works first of Fasting 5 Against gluttony and drunkenness 6 Against excess of apparel 7 Of Prayer 8 Of the place and time of Prayer 9 That common Prayers and Sacraments ought to be ministred in a known Tongue 10 Of the reverent estimation of Gods Word 11 Of â—lms doing 12 Of the Nativity of Christ 13 Of the Passion of Christ 14 Of the Resurrection of Christ 15 Of the worthy receiving of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ 16 Of the gifts of the holy Ghost 17 For the Rogation-days 18 Of the state of Matrimony 19 Of Repentance 20 Against Idleness 21 Against Rebellion De libro precationum ceremoniarum Ecclesiae Anglicanae LIber qui nuperrime authoritate Regis Parliamenti Ecclesiae Anglicanae traditus est continens modum formam orandi Sacramenta administrandi in Ecclesiâ Anglicanâ similiter libellus eadem authoritate editus de ordinatione ministrorum Ecclesiae quoad doctrinae veritatem pii sunt salutari doctrinae Evangelii in nullo repugnant sed congruunt eandem non parum promovent illustrant atque ideo ab omnibus Ecclesiae Anglicanae fidelibus membris à maximè ministris verbi cum omni prompitudine animorum gratiarum actione recipiendi approbandi populo Dei commendandi sunt Artic. R. Edvard 6. 36. Of Consecration of Bishops and Ministers THe Book of Consecration of Archbishops and Bishops and ordering of Priests and Deacons lately set forth in the time of Edward the sixth and confirmed at the same time by Authority of Parliament doth contain all things necessary to such Consecration and ordering neither hath it any thing that of it self is superstitious and ungodly And therefore whosoever are consecrated or ordered according the Rites of that Book since the second year of the aforenamed King Edward unto this time or hereafter shall be consecrated or ordered according to the same Rites we decree all such to be rightly orderly and lawfully consecrated and ordered 37. Of Civil Magistrates Rex Angliae est supremum caput in terris post Christum Ecclesiae Anglicanae Hiberniae Artic Edv. 6. Haec notata non habentur in Artic. Edvard 6. THe Queens Majesty hath the chief power in this Realm of England and other her Dominions unto whom the chief Government of all estates of this Realm whether they be Ecclesiastical or Civil in all causes doth appertain and is not nor ought to be subject to any foreign Iurisdiction Where we attribute to the Queens Majesty the chief Government by which titles we understand the minds of some dangerous folks to be offended we give not our Princes the ministring either of Gods word or of the Sacraments the which thing the Injunctions also set forth by Elizabeth our Queen do most plainly testifie but that only prerogative which we see to have been given always to all godly Princes in holy Scriptures by God himself that is that they should rule all estates and degrees committed to their charge by God whether they be Ecclesiastical or Temporal and restrain with the civil sword the stubborn and evil doers The Bishop of Rome hath no Iurisdiction in this Realm of England Magistratus civilis est à Deo ordinatus atque probitus quamobrem illi non solum propter iram sed etiam propter conscientiam obediendum est Artic. R. Ed. 6. The Laws of the Realm may punish Christian men with death for heinous and grievous offences It is lawful for Christian men at the commandment of the Magistrate to wear weapons and serve in lawful wars 38. Of Christian mens Goods which are not common THe Riches and Goods of Christians are not common as touching the right title and possession of the same as certain Anabaptists do falsly boast Notwithstanding every man ought of such things as he possesseth liberally to give alms to the poor according to his ability 39. Of a Christian mans Oath AS we confess that vain and rash swearing is forbidden Christian men by our Lord Iesus Christ and James his Apostle So we judge
and other days ordained and used to be kept as holy-days and then and there to abide orderly and soberly during the time of the Common-prayer Preaching or other service of God there to be used and ministred upon pain of punishment by the censures of the Church And also upon pain that every person offending shall forfeit for such offence twelve pence to be levied by the Church-wardens of the Parish where such offence shall be done The forfeiture for not coming to Church 32 Eliz. 1. to the use of the poor of the same Parish of the goods lands and tenements of such offender by way of distress And for due execution hereof the Queens most excellent Majesty the Lords Spiritual and all the Commons in this present Parliament assembled do in Gods Name earnestly require and charge all the Archbishops Bishops and other Ordinaries that they shall endeavour themselves to the uttermost of their knowledges that the due and true execution hereof may be had throughout their Diocess and Charges as they will answer before God for such evils and plagues wherewith Almighty God may justly punish his people for neglecting this good and wholsom Law And for their Authority in this behalf be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid The Ordinary may punish Offenders by the Censures of the Church That all and singular the said Archbishops Bishops and all other their Officers exercising Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction as well in place exempt as not exempt within their Diocess shall have full power and Authority by this Act to reform correct and punish by Censures of the Church all and singular persons which shall offend within any their Iurisdictions or Diocess after the said Feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist next coming against this Act and Statute any other Law Statute Priviledge Liberty or Provision heretofore made had or suffered to the contrary notwithstanding Which Justices may punish their offences And it is Ordained and Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and every Iustices of Oyer and Determiner or Iustices of Assize shall have full power and Authority in every of their open and general Sessions to enquire hear and determine all and all manner offences that shall be committed or done contrary to any Article contained in this present Act within the limits of the Commission to them directed and to make Process for the execution of the same as they may do against any person being indicted before them of trespass or lawfully convicted thereof Provided always A Bishop may join with the Justices to enquire of offenders and be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and every Archbishop and Bishop shall or may at all time and times at his liberty and pleasure join and associate himself by vertue of this Act to the said Iustices of Oyer and Determiner or to the said Iustices of Assize at every of the said open and general Sessions to be holden in any place within his Diocess for and to the enquiry hearing and determining of the offences aforesaid Provided also and be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Books concerning the said Services shall at the costs and charges of the Parishioners of every Parish and Cathedral Church be attained and gotten before the said feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist next following At whose charges the Books of common-Common-prayer shall be gotten and that all such Parishes and Cathedral Churches or other places where the said Books shall be attained and gotten before the said feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist shall within three Weeks next after the said Books to attained and gotten use the said Service and put the same in ure according to this Act. Within what time offenders be impeached And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That no person or persons shall be at any time hereafter impeached or otherwise molested of or for any of the offences abovementioned hereafter to be committed or done contrary to this Act unless he or they so offending be thereof Indicted at the next General Session to be holden before any such Iustices of Oyer and Determiner or Iustices of Assize next after any offence committed or done contrary to the tenour of this Act. Trial of Peers Provided always and be it Ordained and Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and singular Lords of the Parliament for the third offence abovementioned shall be tried by their Peers Chief Officers of Cities and Boroughs shall enquire of offenders Provided also and be it Ordained and Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that the Mayor of London and all the Mayors Bayliffs and other head Officers of all and singular Cities Boroughs and Towns Corporate within this Realm Wales and the Marches of the same to the which Iustices of Assize do not commonly repair shall have full power and authority by vertue of this Act to enquire hear ad determine the offences abovesaid and every of them yearly within fifteen days after Easter and St. Michael the Archangel in like manner and form as Iustices of Assize and Oyer and Determiner may do The Ordinaries Jurisdiction in their cases Provided always and be it Ordained and Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and singular Archbishops and Bishops and every of their Chancellours Commissaries Archdeacons and other Ordinaries having any peculiar Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction shall have full power and authority by vertue of this Act as well to enquire in their Visitation and elsewhere within their Iurisdiction at any other time and place to take accusations and informations of all and every the things abovementioned done committed or perpetrated within the limits of their Iurisdictions and Authority and to punish the same by Admonition Excommunication Sequestration or Deprivation and other Censures and Process in like form as heretofore hath been used in like cases by the Queens Ecclesiastical Laws Provided always and be it Enacted None shall be punished above once for one offence That whatsoever persons offending in the premises shall for their offences first receive a punishment of the Ordinary having a Testimonial thereof under the said Ordinaries Seal shall not for the same offence eftsoons be convicted before the Iustices And likewise receiving for the said first offence punishment by the Iustices shall not for the same offence eftsoons receive punishment of the Ordinary Any thing contained in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding Provided always and be it Enacted Ornaments of the Church and Ministers That such Ornaments of the Church and of the Ministers thereof shall be retained and be in use as was in this Church of England by Authority of Parliament in the second year of the Reign of King Edward the sixth until other order shall be therein taken by the Authority of the Queens Majesty with the Advice of her Commissioners appointed and authorized under the Great Seal of England for causes Ecclesiastical or of the Metropolitan
of this Realm And also that if there shall happen any contempt or irreverence to be used in the Ceremonies or Rites of the Church by the misusing of the orders appointed in this Book the Queens Majesty may by the like advice of the said Commissioners or Metropolitan ordain and publish such farther Ceremonies or Rites as may be most for the advancement of Gods glory the edifying of his Church and the due reverence of Christs holy mysteries and Sacraments And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all Laws All Laws and Ordinances made for other service shall be void Statutes and Ordinances wherein or whereby any other Service Administration of Sacraments or Common-prayer is limited established or set forth to be used within this Realm or any other the Queens Dominions or Countries shall from henceforth be utterly void and of none effect Coke pla fol. 352. A Clause Anno 8. Eliz. cap. 1. A Confirmation of the Stat. of 2 Eliz. 1 touching the Book of common-Common-prayer and Administration of the Sacraments WHerefore for the plain declaration of all the premises and to the intent that the same may the better be known to every of the Queens Majesties Subjects whereby such evil speech as heretofore hath been used against the high state of Prelacy may hereafter cease Be it now declared and enacted by the Authority of this present Parliament That the said Act and Statute made in the first year of the Reign of our said Severaign Lady the Queens Majesty whereby the said Book of common-Common-prayer and the Administration of Sacraments with other Rites and Ceremonies is authorised and allowed to be used shall stand remain good and perfect to all respects and purposes And that such order and form for the Consecrating of Archbishops and Bishops A Confirmation of the Stat. of 5. 6. Ed. 6. 1. touching the form of consecrating of Archbishops c. and for the making of Priests Deacons and Ministers as was set forth in the time of the said late King Edward the sixth and authorized by Parliament in the fifth and sixth years of the said late King shall stand and be in full force and effect and shall from henceforth be used and observed in all places within this Realm and other the Queens Majesties Dominions and Countries Anno 13. Eliz. cap. 12. Reformation of Disorders in the Ministers of the Church c. THat the Churches of the Queens Majesties Dominions may be served with Pastors of sound Religion be it Enacted by the Authority of this present Parliament that every person under the degree of a Bishop which doth or shall pretend to be a Priest or Minister of Gods holy Word and Sacraments by reason of any other form of Institution Consecration or ordering than the form set forth by Parliament in the time of the late King of most worthy memory 3 Ed. 6. 12. 5 Ed 6. 1. Dyer f. 377. King Edward the sixth or now used in the Reign of our most gracious Soveraign Lady before the Feast of the Nativity of Christ next following shall in the presence of the Bishop or Guardian of the Spiritualities of some one Diocess where he hath or shall have Ccclesiastical Living declare his assent and subscribe to all the Articles of Religion which only concern the Confession of the true Christian Faith and the Doctrine of the Sacraments comprised in a Book imprinted entituled Articles Every Ecclesiastical person shall subscribe to the Articles touching the Confession of the Faith and declare his assent there unto Reading of the Articles and Testimonial The penalty of maintaining of Doctrine against the Articles whereupon it was agreed by the Archbishops and Bishops of both Provinces and the whole Clergy in the Convocation holden at London in the year of our Lord 1562. according to the computation of the Church of England for the avoiding of the diversities of Opinions and for the establishing of consent touching true Religion put forth by the Queens Authority and shall bring from such Bishop or Guardian of Spiritualities in writing under his Seal authentick a testimonial of such assent and subscription openly on some Sunday in the time of some publick Service afternoon in every Church where by reason of any Ecclesiastical living he ought to attend read both the said testimonial and the said Articles upon pain that every such person which shall not before the said Feast do as is appointed shall be ipso facto deprived and all his Ecclesiastical promotions shall be void as if he were then naturally dead And that if any person Ecclesiastical or which shall have Ecclesiastical Livings shall advisedly maintain or affirm any Doctrine directly contrary or repugnant to any of the said Articles and being convented before the Bishop of the Diocess or the Ordinary or before the Queens Highness Commissioners in causes Ecclesiastical shall persist therein or not revoke his errour or after such revocation eftsoons affirm such untrue Doctrine such maintaining or affirming and persisting or such eftsoon affirming shall be just cause to deprive such person of his Ecclesiastical Promotions And it shall be lawful to the Bishop of the Diocess Several things required in him which shall be admitted to a Benefice or to the Ordinary or the said Commissiones to deprive such persons so persisting or lawfully convicted of such eftsoons affirming and upon such sentence or deprivation pronounced he shall be indeed deprived And that no person shall hereafter be admitted to any Benefice with Cure except he then be of the age of 23 years at the least and a Deacon shall first have subscribed the said Articles in presence of the Ordinary and publickly read the same in the Parish-Church of that Benefice with declaration of his unfeigned assent to the same And that every person after the end of this Session of Parliament to be admitted to a Benefice with Cure except that within two Months after his Induction he do publickly read the said Articles in the same Church whereof he shall have Cure in the time of Common-prayer there with declaration of his unfeigned assent thereto and be admitted to minister the Sacraments within one year after his Induction if he be not so admitted before shall be upon every such default ipso facto immediately depâ—ived And that no person now permitted by any dispensation or otherwise shall retain any Benefice with Cure being under the age of 21 years or not being Deacon at the least or which shall not be admitted as is aforesaid within one year next after the making of this Act or within six Months after he shall accomplish the age of 24 years on pain that such his dispensation shall be meerly void The Age of a Minister or Preacher and his testimonial And that none shall be made Minister or admitted to preach or administer the Sacraments being under the age of 24 years nor unless he first bring to the Bishop of that Diocess from
the Diocess of London Nor will at any time hereafter perform or satisfie any such kind of payment contract or promise made by any other without my knowledge or consent So help me God through Jesus Christ Juramentum de Canonica Obedientia EGo A. B juro quod praestabo veram Canonicam Obedientiam Episcopo Londinensi ejusque successoribus in omnibus Licitis honestis Sic me Deus adjuvet Juramentum de continuâ Residentiâ in Vicariâ EGo A. B. juro Quod ero residens in Vicariâ meâ nisi aliter dispensatum fuerit à Diocesano meo By the KING A Proclamation declaring that the proceedings of his Majesties Ecclesiastical Courts and Ministers are according to the Laws of the Realm WHereas in some of the Libellous Books and Pamphlets lately published the most Reverend Father in God the Lord Archbishop and Bishops of this Realm are said to have usurped upon his Majesties Prerogative Royal and to have proceeded in the high Commission and other Ecclesiastical Courts contrary to the Laws and Statutes of this Realm It was ordered by his Majesties high Court of Star-Chamber the twelfth day of June last that the opinion of the two Lords chief Justices the Lord chief Baron and the rest of the Judges and Barons should be had and certified in those particulars viz. Whether Processes may not issue out of the Ecclesiastical Courts in the Name of the Bishops Whether a Patent under the great Seal be necessary for the keeping of the Ecclesiastical Courts and enabling Citations Suspensions Excommunications and other censures of the Church And whether Citations ought to be in the Kings Name and under his Seal of Arms and the like for Institutions and Inductions to Benefices and Correction of Ecclesiastical offences Whether Bishops Arch-Deacons and other Ecclesiastical persons may or ought to keep any Visitation at any time unless they have express Commission or Patent under the great Seal of England to do it and that as his Majesties Visitors only and in his name and right alone Whereupon his Majesties said Judges having taken the same into their serious consideration did unanimously concur and agree in opinion and the first day of July last certified under their hands as followeth That Processes may issue out of the Ecclesiastical Courts in the name of the Bishops and that a Patent under the great Seal is not necessary for the keeping of the said Ecclesiastical Courts or for enabling of Citations Suspensions Excommunications and other censures of the Church And that it is not necessary that Summons Citations or other Processes Ecclesiastical in the said Courts or Institutions or Inductions to Benefices or correction of Ecclesiastical offences by censure in those Courts be in the Kings name or with the style of the King or under the Kings Seal or that their Seals of office have in them the Kings Arms And that the Statute of Primo Edvardi sexti cap. secundo which enacted the contrary is not now in force And that the Bishops Arch-Deacons and other Ecclesiastical persons may keep their Visitations as usally they have done without Commission under the great Seal of England so to do Which Opinions and Resolutions being declared under the hands of all his Majesties said Judges and so certified into his Court of Star-chamber were there recorded And it was by that Court further ordered the fourth day of the said month of July that the said Certificate should be enrolled in all other his Majesties Courts at Westminster and in the High Commission and other Ecclesiastical Courts for the satisfaction of all men that the proceedings in the High Commission and other Ecclesiastical Courts are agreeable to the Laws and Statutes of the Realm And his Royal Majesty hath thought fit with advice of his Council that a publick Declaration of these the Opinions and Resolutions of his Reverend and Learned Judges being agreeable to the Judgment and Resolutions of former times should be made known to all his Subjects as well to vindicate the legal proceedings of his Ecclesiastical Courts and Ministers from the unjust and scandalous imputation of invading or entrenching on his Royal Prerogative as to settle the minds and stop the mouths of all unquiet spirits that for the future they presume not to censure his Ecclesiastical Courts or Ministers in these their just and warrantable proceedings And hereof his Majesty admonisheth all his Subjects to take warning and as they shall answer the contrary at their perils Given at the Court at Lyndhurst the 18 day of August in the 13 year of his Majesties Reign God save the KING Imprinted at London by Robert Barker Printer to the Kings Most Excellent Majesty and by the Assigns of John Bill MDCXXXVII THE FORM and MANNER OF Making and Consecrating Bishops Priests AND DEACONS According to the Appointment of the CHURCH OF England LONDON Printed by Bonham Norton and John Bill Printers to the Kings Most Excellent Majesty 1629. The PREFACE IT is evident unto all men diligently reading holy Scripture and ancient Authors that from the Apostles time there hath been these Orders of Ministers in Christs Church Bishops Priests and Deacons which Offices were evermore had in such reverent estimation that no man by his own private authority might presume to execute any of them except he were first called tried examined and known to have such qualities as were requisite for the same and also by publick prayer with imposition of hand approved and admitted thereunto And therefore to the intent these Orders should be continued and reverently used and esteemed in this Church of England it is requisite that no man not being at this present Bishop Priest nor Deacon shall execute any of them except he be called tried examined and admitted according to the form hereafter following And none shall be admitted a Deacon except he be twenty one years of age at the least And every man which is to be admitted a Priest shall be full four and twenty years old And every man which is to be consecrated a Bishop shall be fully thirty years of age And the Bishop knowing either by himself or by sufficient testimony any person to be a man of vertuous conversation and without crâ—me and after examination and trial finding him learned in the Latine Tongue and sufficiently instructed in holy Scripture may upon a Sunday or Holy-day in the face of the Church admit him a Deacon in such manner and form as hereafter followeth The form and manner of Ordering DEACONS FIrst When the day appointed by the Bishop is come there shall be an Exhortation declaring the duty and office of such as come to be admitted Ministers how necessary such Orders are in the Church of Christ and also how the people ought to esteem them in their Vocation After the Exhortation ended the Archdeacon or his Deputy shall present such as shall come to the Bishop to be admitted saying these words REverend Father in God I present unto you these persons present
trusty and well-beloved Councellor Richard by Divine Providence Lord Archbishop of York Primate and Metropolitan of England respectively directed bearing date the twentieth day of February in the fifteenth year of Our Reign to appear before the said Lord Archbishop of Canterbury in Our Cathedral Church of St. Paul in London and before the said Lord Archbâ—shop of York in the Metropolitan Church of St. Peter in York the fourteenth day of April then next ensuing or elsewhere as they respectively should think it most convenient to treat consent and conclude upon certain difficult and urgent affairs contained in the said Writs Did thereupon at the time appointed and within the Cathedral Church of S. Paul and the Metropolitan Church of S. Peter aforesaid assemble themselves respectively together and appear in several Convocations for that purpose according to the said several Writs before the said Lord Archbishop of Canterbury and the said Lord Archbishop of York respectively And forasmuch as We are given to understand that many of Our Subjects being misled against the Rites and Ceremonies now used in the Church of England have lately taken offence at the same upon an unjust supposal that they are not only contrary to Our Laws but also introductive unto Popish Superstitions whereas it well appeareth unto Vs upon mature consideration that the said Rites and Ceremonis which are now so much quarrelled at were not onely approved of and used by those learned and godly Divines to whom at the time of Reformation under King Edward the sixth the compiling of the Book of of common-Common-Prayer was committed divers of which suffered Martyrdom in Queen Maries days but also again taken up by this whole Church under Queen Elizabeth and so duly and ordinarily practised for a great part of her Reign within the memory of divers yet living as that it could not then be imagined that there would need any Rule or Law for the observation of the same or that they could be thought to savour of Popery And albeit since those times for want of an express Rule therein and by subtile practises the said Rites and Ceremonies began to fall into disuse and in place thereof other forraign and unfitting usages by little and little to creep in Yet forasmuch as in our own Royal Chappels and in many other Churches most of them have been ever constantly used and observed We cannot now but be very sensible of this matter and have cause to conceive that the Authors and Fomentors of these jealousies though they colour the same with a pretence of Zeal and would seem to strike only at some supposed iniquity in the said Ceremonies Yet as we have cause to fear aim at Our own Royal Person and would fain have Our good Subjects imagine that we Our Self are perverted and doe worship God in a Superstitious way and that we intend to bring in some alteration of the Religion here established Now how far we are from that and how utterly We detest every thought thereof We have by many publick Declaracions and otherwise upon sundry occasions given such assurance to the World as that from thence We also assure Our Self that no man of wisdom and discretion could ever be so beguiled as to give any serious entertainment to such brain-sick jealousies and for the weaker sort who are prone to be misled by crafty seducers We rest no less confident that even of them as many as are of loyal or indeed but of charitable hearts will from henceforth utterly banish all such causeless fears and surmises upon these our sacred professions so often made by Vs a Christian Defender of the Faith their King and Soveraign And therefore if yet any person under whatsoever mask of Zeal or counterfeit Holiness shall henceforth by speech or writing or any other way notwithstanding these Our right hearty faithful and solemn Protestations made before Him whose Deputy We are against all and every intention of any Popish Innovation be so ungracious and presumptuous as to vent any poisoned conceits tending to such a purpose and to cast these develish aspersions and jealousies upon Our Royal and Godly proceedings We require all Our loyal Subjects that they forthwith make the same known to some Magistrate Ecclesiastical or Civil And We straightly charge all Ordinaries and every other person in any Authority under Vs as they will answer the contrary at their utmost peril that they use no palliation connivance or delay therein but that taking particular information of all the passages they do forthwith certifie the same unto Our Court of Commission for causes Ecclesiastical to be there examined and proceeded in with all fidelity and tenderness of Our Royal Majesty as is due to Vs their Soveraign Lord and Governour But forasmuch as we well percieve that the misleaders of Our well-minded people do make the more advantage for the nourishing of this distemper among them from hence that the foresaid Rites and Ceremonies or some of them are now insisted upon but only in some Diocesses and are not generally revived in all places nor constantly and uniformly practised thorowout all the Churches of Our Realm and thereupon have been liable to be quarrelled and opposed by them who use them not We therefore out of Our Princely inclination to Vniformity and Peace in matters especially that concern the holy worship of God proposing to Our Self herein the pious examples of King Edward the sixth and of Queen Elizabeth who sent forth Injunctions and Orders about the Divine Service and other Ecclesiastical matters and of Our dear Father of blessed memory King James who published a Book of Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiastical and according to the Act of Parliament in this behalf having fully advised herein with Our Metropolitan and with Our Commissioners authorised under Our great Seal for causes Ecclesiastical have thought good to give them free leave to treat in Convocation and agree upon certain other Canons necessary for the advancement of Gods glory the edifying of his holy Church and the due reverence of his blessed Mysteries and Sacraments that as We ever have been and by Gods assistance by whom alone We Reign shall ever so continue careful and ready to cut off Superstition with one hand so We may no less expel Irreverence and Profaneness with the other whereby it may please Almighty God so to bless Vs and this Church committed to Our Government that it may at once return unto the true former splendour of Vniformity Devotion and holy Order the lustre whereof for some years by-past hath been overmuch obscured through the devices of some ill-affected to that sacred Order wherein it had long stood from the very beginning of the Reformation and through inadvertency of some in Authority in the Church under Vs We therefore by vertue of Our Prerogative Royal and supreme Authority in causes Ecclesiastical by Our several and respective Letters Patents under Our Great Seal of England dated the fifteenth day of April now last past and
Nature and Nations for the publick defence care and protection of them yet nevertheless Subjects have not only possession of but a true and just right title and propriety to and in all their Goods and Estates and ought to have And these two are so far from crossing one another that they mutually go together for the honourable and comfortable support of both For as it is the duty of the Subjects to supply their King so is it part of the Kingly Office to support his Subjects in the property and freedom of their Estates And if any Parson Vicar Curate or Preacher shall voluntarily or carelesly neglect his duty in publishing the said Explications and Conclusions according to the Order above described he shall be suspended by his Ordinary till such time as upon his penitence he shall give sufficient assurance or evidence of his amendment and in case he be of any exempt jurisdiction he shall be censurable to his Majesties Commissioners for Causes Ecclesiastical And we do also hereby require all Archbishops Bishops and all other inferiour Priests and Ministers that they Preach Teach and Exhort their People to obey honor and serve their King and that they presume not to speak of His Majesties Power in any other way than in this Canon is expressed And if any Parson Vicar Curate Preacher or any other Ecclesiastical Person whatsoever any Dean Canon or Prebendary of any Collegiate or Cathedral Church any Member or Student of Colledge or Hall or any Reader of Divinity or Humanity in either of the Universities or elsewhere shall in any Sermon Lecture Common-place Determination or Disputation either by word or writing publickly maintain or abet any position or conclusion in opposition or impeachment of the aforesaid explications or any part or Article of them he shall forthwith by the Power of His Majesties Commissioners for Causes Ecclesiastical be excommunicated till he repent and suspended two years from all the profits of his Benefice or other Ecclesiastical Academical or Scholastical Preferments And if he so offend a second time he shall be deprived from all his Spiritual Promotions of what nature or degree soever they be Provided always that if the offence aforesaid be given in either of the Universities by Men not having any Benefice or Ecclesiastical Preferment that then the Delinquent shall be censured by the ordinary authority in such cases of that University respectivly where the said fault shall be committed II. For the better keeping of the day of His Majesties most happy Inauguration THe Synod taking into consideration the most inestimable benefits which this Church enjoyeth under the peaceable and blessed Government of our dread Sovereign Lord King CHARLES and finding that as well the godly Christian Emperors in the former times as our own most Religious Princes since the Reformation have caused the days of their Inaugurations to be publickly celebrated by all their Subjects with Prayers and Thanksgiving to Almighty God and that there is a particular form of Prayer appointed by Authority for that day and purpose and yet withal considering how negligent some people are in observance of this day in many places of this Kingdom Doth therefore decree and ordain That all manner of Persons within the Church of England shall from henceforth celebrate and keep the morning of the said day in coming diligently and reverently unto thei Parish Church or Chap. at the time of Prayer and there continuing all the while that the Prayers Preaching or other service of the day endureth in testimony of their humble gratitude to God for so great a blessing and dutiful affections to so benign and merciful a Soveraign And for the better execution of this our Ordinance the holy Synod doth straightly require and charge and by authority hereof enableth all Archbishops Bishops Deans Deans and Chapters Archdeacons and other Ecclesiastical persons having exempt or peculiar jurisdiction as also all Chancellors Commissaries and Officials in the Church of England that they enquire into the keeping of the same in their Visitations and punish such as they shall find to be delinquent according as by Law they are to censure and punish those who wilfully absent themselves from Church on Holy-days And that the said day may be the better observed we do enjoyn that all Church-wardens shall provide at the Parish-charge two of those Books at least appointed for that day and if there be any want of the said Book in any Parish they shall present the same at all Visitations respectively III. For the suppressing of the growth of Popery ALL and every Ecclesiastical persons of what rank or condition soever Archbishops and Bishops Deans Archdeacons all having exempt or peculiar jurisdiction with their several Chancellors Commissaries and Officials all persons intrusted with cure of souls shall use respectively all possible care and diligence by conferring privately with the parties and by censures of the Church in inferiour and higher Courts as also by complaints unto the Secular Power to reduce all such to the Church of England who are misled into Popish Superstition And first These private Conferences shall be performed in each several Diocess either by the Bishop in person if his occasion will permit it or by some one or more learned Ministers at his special appointment and the said Bishop shall also defign the time and place of the said several Conferences and all such persons as shall be present thereat which if Recusants refuse to observe they shall be taken for obstinate and so certified to the Bishop And if the said time and place be not observed by the Minister or Ministers so appointed they shall be suspended by their Ordinary for the space of six months without a very reasonable cause alledged to the contrary Provided that they be not sent above ten miles from their dwelling If the said Conferences prevail not the Church must and shall come to her Censures and to make way for them the said Ecclesiastical persons shall carefully inform themselves in the places belonging to their several charges of all Recusants above the age of twelve years both of such as come not at all to Church as also of those who coming sometimes thither do yet refuse to receive the holy Eucharist with us as likewise of all those who shall either say or hear Mass and they shall in a more especial manner enquire out all those who are either dangerously active to seduce any Persons from the Communion of the Church of England or seditiously busie to disswade his Majesties Subjects from taking the Oath of Allegiance together with all them who abused by their Sophistry refuse to take the said Oath And we straightly command all Parsons Vicars and Curates that they carefully and severally present at all Visitations the names and sirnames of the Delinquents of these several kinds in their own Parishes under pain of suspension for six months And likewise we straightly enjoyn all Church-wardens and the like sworn Officers whatsoever that by
Statute in that behalf provided against those Sectaries VI. An Oath enjoyn'd for the preventing of all Innovations in Doctrine and Government THis present Synod being desirous to declare their sincerity and constancy in the profession of the Doctrine and Discipline already established in the Church of England and to secure all men against any suspition of revolt to Popery or any other superstition decrees That all Archbishops and Bishops and all other Priests and Deacons in places exempt or not exempt shall before the second day of November next ensuing take this Oath following against all Innovation of Doctrine or Discipline and this Oath shall be tendred them and every of them and all others named after in this Canon by the Bishop in person or his Chancellour or some grave Divines named and appointed by the Bishop under the Seal and the said Oath shall be taken in the presence of a publick Notary who is hereby required to make an Act of it leaving the Universities to the Provision which follows The Oath is I A. B. do swear That I do approve the Doctrine and Discipline or Government established in the Church of England a containing all things necessary to salvation And that I will not endeavor by my self or any other directly or indirectly to bring in any Popish Doctrine contrary to that which is so established nor will I ever give my consent to alter the Government of this Church by Archbishops Bishops Deans and Archdeacons c. as it stands now established and as by right it ought to stand nor yet ever to subject it to the usurpations and superstitions of the See of Rome And all these things I do plainly and sincerely acknowledge and swear according to the plain and common sence and understanding of the same words without any equivocation or mental evasion or secret reservation whatsoever And this I do heartily willingly and truly upon the faith of a Christian So help me God in Jesus Christ And if any man Beneficed or Dignified in the Church of England or any other Ecclesiastical person shall refuse to take this Oath the Bishop shall give him a months time to inform himself and at the months end if he refuse to take it he shall be suspended ab Officio and have a second month granted and if then he refuse to take it he shall be suspended ab officio beneficio and have a third month granted him for his better information but if at the end of that month he refuse to take the Oath above-named he shall by the Bishop be deprived of all his Ecclesiastical Promotions whatsoever and execution of his function which he holds in the Church of England We likewise Constitute and Ordain That all Masters of Arts the sons of Noble-men only excepted all Batchelors and Doctors in Divinity Law or Physick all that are licensed to practice Physick all Registers Actuaries and Proctors all School-masters all such as being Natives or naturalized do come to be incorporated into the Universities here having taken a Degree in any foreign University shall be bound to take the said Oath And we command all Governors of Colledges and Halls in either of the Universities that they administer the said Oath to all persons resident in their several Houses that have taken the Degrees before-mentioned in this Canon within six months after the publication hereof And we likewise Constitute That all Bishops shall be bound to give the said Oath unto all those to whom they give holy Orders at the time of their Ordination or to whomsoever they give Collation Institution or License to Preach or serve any Cure VII A Declaration concerning some Rites and Ceremonies BEcause it is generally to be wished that unity of Faith were accompanied with uniformity of practice in the outward worship and service of God chiefly for the avoiding of groundless suspitions of those who are weak and the malitious aspersions of the professed Enemies of our Religion the one fearing the Innnovations the other flattering themselves with the vain hope of our backslidings unto their Popish superstition by reason of the situation of the Communion-Table and the approaches thereunto the Synod declareth as followeth That the standing of the Communion-Table side-way under the East-window of every Chancel or Chappel is in its own nature indifferent neither commanded nor condemned by the Word of God either expresly or by immediate deduction and therefore that no Religion is to be placed therein or scruple to be made thereon And albeit at the time of Reforming this Church from that gross superstition of Popery it was carefully provided that all means should be used to root out of the minds of the people both the inclination thereunto and memory thereof especially of the Idolatry committed in the Mass for which cause all Popish Altars were demolished yet notwithstanding it was then ordered by the Injunctions and Advertisements of Queen Elizabeth of blessed memory that the holy Tables should stand in the place where the Altars stood and accordingly have been continued in the Royal Chappels of three famous and pious Princes and in most Cathedral and some Parochial Churches which doth sufficiently acquit the manner of placing the said Tables from any allegality or just suspition of Popish su-superstition or innovation And therefore we judge it fit and convenient that all Churches and Chappels do conform themselves in this particular to the example of the Cathedral or Mother Churthes saving always the general liberty left to the Bishop by Law during the time of Administration of the holy Communion And we declare that this scituation of the holy Table doth not imply that it is or ought to be esteemed a true and proper Altar whereon Christ is again really sacrificed but it is and may be called and Altar by us in that sence in which the Primitive Church called it an Altar and in no other And because experience hath shewed us how irreverent the behaviour of many people is in many places some leaning others casting their hats and some sitting upon some standing and others sitting under the Communinion-Table in time of Divine Service for the avoiding of these and the like abuses it is thought meet and convenient by this present Synod that the said Communion-Tables in all Chancells or Chappels be decently severed with Rails to preserve them from such or worse profanations And because the Administration of holy things is to be performed with all possible decency and reverence therefore we judge it fit and convenient according to the word of the service-Service-Book established by Act of Parliament Draw near c. that all Communicants with all humble reverence shall draw near and approach to the holy Table there to receive the Divine Mysteries which have heretofore in some places been unfitly carried up and down by the Minister unless it shall be otherwise appointed in respect of the incapacity of the place or other inconvenience by the Bishop himself in his jurisdiction and other
Ordinaries respectively in theirs And lastly Whereas the Church is the house of God dedicated to his holy Worship and therefore ought to mind us both of the greatness and goodness of his Divine Majesty certain it is that the acknowledgment thereof not only inwardly in our hearts but also outwardly with our bodies must needs be pious in it self profitable unto us and edifying unto others We therefore think it very meet and behoveful and heartily commend it to all good and well-affected people members of this Church that they be ready to tender unto the Lord the said acknowledgment by doing reverence and obeysance both at their coming in and going out of the said Churches Chancels or Chappels according to the most ancient custom of the primitive Chuch in the purest times and of this Church also for many years of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth The reviving therefore of this ancient and laudable Custom we heartily commend to the serious consideration of all good people not with any intention to exhibit any Religious Worship to the Communion-Table the East or Church or any thing therein contained in so doing or to perform the said gesture in the celebration of the holy Eucharist upon any opinion of a corporal presence of the bodyo Jesus Christ on the holy Table or in mystical Elements but only for the advancement of Gods Majesty and to give him alone that honor and glory that is due unto him and no otherwise and in the practise or omission of this Rite we desire that the Rule of Charity prescribed by the Apostle may be observed which is That they which use this Rite despise not them who use it not and that they who use it not condemn not those that use it VIII of Preaching for Conformity WHereas the Preaching of Order and Decency according to St. Pauls Rule doth conduce to edification it is required that all Preacheâ—s as well Beneficed men as others shall positively and plainly Preach and Instruct the People in their publick Sermons twice in the year at least that the Rites and Ceremonies now established in the Church of England are lawful and commendable and that they the said people and others ought to conform themselves in their practice to all the said Rites and Ceremonies and that the people and othe s ought willingly to submit themselves unto the Authority and Government of the Church as it it is now established under the Kings Majesty And if any Preacher shall refuse or neglect to do according to this Canon let him be suspended by his Ordinary during the time of his refusal or wilful forbearance to do thereafter IX One Book of Articles of Enquiry to be used at all Parochial Visitations FOr the better setling of an Uniformity in the outward Government and Administration of the Church and for the more preventing of just grievances which may be laid upon Church-wardens and other Sworn-men by any impertinent inconvenient or illegal Enquiries in the Articles for Ecclesiastical Visitations This Synod hath now caused a Summary or Collection of Visitory Articles out of the Rubricks of the Service-Book and the Canons and warrantable rules of the Church to be made and for future Direction to be deposited in the Records of the Archbishop of Canterbury and we do decree and ordain That from henceforth no Bishop or other person whatsoever having right to hold use or exercise any Parochial Visitation shall under the pain of a months suspension upon a Bishop and two months upon any other Ordinary that is delinquent and this to be incurred ipso facto cause to be printed or published or otherwise to be given in charge to the Church-wardens or to any other persons which shall be sworn to make Presentments any other Articles or forms of enquiry upon Oath then such only as shall be approved and in terminis allowed unto him upon due request made by his Metropolitan under his Seal of Office Provided always that after the end of three years next following the date of these presents the Metropolitan shall not either at the instance of those which have right to hold Parochial Visitations or upon any other occasion make any addition or dimnuition from that allowance to any Bishop of Visitory Articles which he did last before in any Diocess within this Province approve of But calling for the same shall hold and give that only for a perpetual Rule and then every Parish shall be bound only to take the said Book from the Archdeacons and other having a peculiar or exempt Jurisdiction but once from that time in three years in case they do make it appear they have the said Book remaining in their publick Chest for the use of the Parish And from every Bishop they shall receive the said Articles at the Episcopal Visitation only and in manner and form as formerly they have been accustomed to do and at no greater price then what hath been usually paid in the said Diocess respectively X. Concerning the Conversation of the Clergy THe sober grave and exemplary Conversation of all those that are imployed in Administration of holy things being of great avail for the furtherance of Piety It hath been the religious care of the Church of England strictly to enjoyn to all and every one of her Clergy a pious regular and inoffensive demeanour and to prohibit all loose and scandalous carriage by severe censures to be inflicted upon such Delinquents as appears by the 74 and 75 Canons Anno 1603. provided to this purpose For the more effectual success of which pious and necessary care this present Synod straightly charges all Clergy-men in this Church that setting before their eyes the Glory of God the holiness of their calling and the edification of the people committed to them they carefully avoid all excess and disorder and that by their Christian and religious conversation they shine forth as lights unto others in all Godliness and honesty And we also require all those to whom the Goverment of the Clergy of this Church is committed that they set themselves to countenance and encourage godliness gravity sobriety and all unblameable conversation in the Ministers of this Church and that according to the power with which they are intrusted they diligently labor by the due execution of the above-named Canons and all other Ecclesiastical provisions made for this end to reform all offensive and scandalous persons if any be in the Ministery as they tender the welfare and prospering of Piety and Religion and as they will answerâ— to God for those scandals which through their remisness and neglect shall arise and grow in this Church of Christ XI Chancellours Patents FOr the better remedying and redress of such abuses as are complained of in the Ecclesiastical Courts the Synod doth decree and ordain That hereafter no Bishop shall grant any Patent to any Chancellor Commissary or Official for any longer term than the life of the Grantee only nor otherwise than with express reservation to himself
Elect from all the Ends of the Earth and especially those who by a mystical union are flesh of thy flesh and in whose hearts thou hast dwelt by Faith we humbly beseech thee for them whose bodies shall in this place be gathered to their Fathers that they may rest in this hope of Resurection to eternal life through thee O blessed Lord God who shalt change their vile bodies that they may be like thy Glorious body according to the mighty working whereby thou art able to bring all things even death and all into subjection to thy self Holy and blessed Spirit the Lord and giver of life whose Temples the bodies of thy Servants are by thy sanctiying Grace dwelling in them we verily trust that their bodis that have been thy Temples and those hearts in which Christ hath dwelt by Faith shall not ever dwell in corruption but that as by thy sending forth thy Breath at first we received our Being Motion and Life in the beginning of the Creation so at the last by the same Spirit sending forth the same breath in the end of the Consummation Life Being and Moving shall be restored us again so that after our dissolution as thou didst shew thy holy Prophet the dry Bones shall come together again Bone to his Bone and Sinews and Flesh shall come upon them and thou shalt cause thy Breath to enter into them and we shall live and this Corruption shall put on Incorruption and this Mortal shall put on Immortality God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost accept sanctifie and bless this place to that end whereunto according to thine own Ordinance we have ordained it even to bestow the Bodies of thy Servants in till the number of thine Elect being accomplished they with us and we with them and with all other departed in the Faith of thy Holy Name shall have our consummation and Bliss both in body and Soul in thy eternal and everlasting glory Blessed Saviour that didst for this end die and rise again that thou mightest be Lord both of the Living and the Dead whether we live or die thou art our Lord and we are thine living or dying we commend our selves unto thee have mercy upon us and keep us thine for evermore Reintrantes igitur Capellam cantant priorem partem Psal 16. Conscendit Suggestum Magister Mathaeus Wren Thema ei posterior pars vers 17. cap. 2. S. Joan. Zelus domus tuae c. Agit de affectibus in Christo Zelo inter caeteros nec illo falso sed pro Deo nec caeco sed secundum scientiam pro Domo pro Cultu Dei de praesentia Dei praecipue in Templis magno non Morum solummodo nostrorum sed Spei quoque Fidei incremento fulcimentoque Deum Locorum distinctione gaudere confirmat tum exemplo mirifico Jacobi tantopere distinguentis Bethel tum maximo omnium miraculo quo Christus Mercatores e Templo ejecit Enarratis Christi per hoc factum devotionibus concludit in debitam à nobis Templorum reverentiam atque istius Fundatoris Encomium meritissimum Cantatur pars reliqua Vespertinae precationes incipiendo jam à Symbolo Apostolico secundum communem Ecclesiae formulam siniuntur FINIS THE TABLE OF THE Principal Matters A. ALmes incouraged to be given Page 9 74 Articles to be Inquired of in Visitations in 2 E. 6. by Archbishop Cranmer Page 25 to 33 Articles to be Inquired of in the Visitation of London by Bishop Ridley 4 E. 6. Page 33 to 39 Articles of Faith agreed in the Convocation 1552 and 1562. Page 39 88 Ale-houses not to be haunted by Ecclesiastical Persons Page 69 177 Almes how to be distributed Page 75 Ale-house-keepers c. not to sell Drink or Victuals in Service time Page 78 An Admonition to simple Men deceived by malicious Page 83 Archbishops or Bishops the forme of their Consecration Page 159 Articles to be Inquired of in the Visitation the First year of Queen Elizabeth Page 175 Articles for Doctrine and Preaching Page 123 Articles for Administration of Prayer and Sacraments Page 124 Articles for Orders in Ecclesiastical Policy Page 125 Articles for outward Apparel of persons Ecclesiastical Page 126 127 Articles of Enquiry one Book thereof to be used at all Parochial Visitations Page 364 Administration of Sacraments Page 121 B. BIble with the Paraphrase of Erasmus upon the Gospels to be provided in all Churches and by the Parson Page 3 6 68 Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost Page 44 Of Baptisme Page 49 101 Book of the Ceremonies and Prayers of the Church of England Page 51 Books to be Licensed and by whom before they be Printed Page 81 Bishops and Ministers their Consecration Page 135 C. CHildren not to be brought up idly Page 2 3 171 Contentious persons forbidden the Sacrament Page 8 74 Ceremonies to be observed but superstitious ones abrogated Page 8 74 Chantery Priests to teach youth to Read and Write Page 10 Common Prayer the form of bidding thereof Page 10 Communion order thereof and Celebration of the same Page 13 17 18 to 25 Creeds three Page 42 93 Christ alone without Sin Page 44 96 Commandments Moral of the Laws to be kept Page 46 Of the Church and Authority thereof Page 46 98 Councels General their Authority Page 47 99 The Chest of the Poor Page 74 Charmes forbidden Page 78 180 Catechisms to be taught Page 79 Cup in the Sacrament not to be denyed to the Laity Page 102 Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiastical made Anno 1640 16 Car. 1. Page 335 Confirmation thereof Page 337 Conformity of Preaching for it Page 364 Concerning the Conversation of the Clergy Page 365 Chancellors Patents Page 366 Chancellors alone not to censure any of the Clergy in sundry cases Page 367 Concerning Commutations Page 368 Against vexatious Citations Page 371 D. DEscent of Christ into Hell Page 41 91 Disputations about Religion tending to contention forbiddden Page 80 81 Deacons the Form and manner of ordering them Page 135 Disorders Reformed in the Ministers of the Church Page 118 E. ECclesiastical persons not to spend their time idly Page 4 Epistle and Gospel to be read in English Page 6 Excommunicate persons to be avoyded Page 50 103 Excommunication and Absolution not to be pronounced but by a Priest Page 368 F. FAsting days to be observed Page 6 Of Faith in the Holy Trinity Page 41 91 Of free-will Page 43 94 The Form of bidding the Prayers to be used generally Page 85 False Miracles c. to be inquired Page 177 G. OF Grace Page 43 Goods of Christian Men not common Page 51 106 Grammar of H. 8. to be taught and none other Page 79 H. HOlydays to be kept yet they may in Harvest be laboured in Page 7 73 Homilies to be read for lack of Preachers Page 9 50 76 Hereticks called Millenarii Page 52 Heresie not to be maintained Page 78 179 Of the Holy Ghost Page 92 Of Homilies and their Names Page