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book_n	apostle_n	bishop_n	church_n	1,878	5	4.2003	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43611	The black non-conformist, discover'd in more naked truth proving, that excommunication, confirmation, the two great Episcopal appurtenances & diocesan bishops, are not (as now in use) of divine, but human make and shape, and that not only some lay-men, but all the keen-cringing clergy are non-conformists ... : also a libel, and answer (thereunto) fitted to every man's case (be it what it will) that is cited to ecclesiastical courts, whose shallow foundation is unbared, and a true table of ecclesiastical court fees, as it was return'd into the star-chamber, Anno Domini 1630, by the ecclesiastical fellows themselves, and compar'd with the statutes : also concerning the unlawfulness of granting licences to marry, Quakers-marriages, folly, as well as other evil consequences of that new law-maxim, viz. that no non-conformists ought to be jury-men : shewing also, that, religion, religion, that should have been the world's great blessing, is become the plague of mankind, and the curse of Christendom ... / by Edm. Hickeringill ...	Hickeringill, Edmund, 1631-1708.	1682 (1682)	Wing H1797; ESTC R22899	136,499	106

Hell for Ever and Aye Here 's your Men quoth the Popish Priests Chapmen What do you lack What do you buy Then then and not till then they got the whipping-hand of the superstitious world for he that has got a hank over other Mens Souls and Consciences their Bodies and Estates consequently are without dispute at his Service and Devotion And when a Priest can make a poor Lady believe that he can damn her or absolve her and has the Keys and something else under his Girdle and can let her into or shut her out from the Church and Sacraments so that she will but shew him all her Secrets and unbosome her self in Auricular Confession Cajol'd thereunto superstitiously and bug-bear'd by many lying Miracles in the Legend of many that dyed and got as far as Heaven-gates but were glad to return a long and weary Journey to earth again to be confest by a Priest before they could be let in dying unshriv'd or unhousled can such a Priest that has got the Lock and Key of a Ladies Closet and Secrets have far to go before he come at her heart And I have therefore wondred that the jealous Italians Spaniards and Portugueze that will not suffer any man scarce a Brother to see their Wives face should yet permit them to go to secret and auricular Confession to a young vigorous unguelt piece of Sanctity I had almost said Hypocrisie I could not but wonder 'till now of late to find St. Ambrosie Ora pro nobis in the Popish Letany or Mass For what merit Oh! Captain St. Ambrose was the first Ecclesiastical-Hector or Spiritual-Bravo that in defiance of God and the King durst as malapartly as barbarously and insultingly some say Traiterously shut the doors of the Church against his Prince and Emperor Theodosius the elder not admitting him to the Sacrament nor Divine Service 'till the Emperor submitted to the proud insulting Priest and promis'd upon his knees that for the future he would be rul'd and so he and the Priest became Friends again Well I see St. James the Author the Papists say of their Liturgy and Mass though he was none of the Twelve Apostles yet was a Bishop and a Prophet too if he could so early insert into the Churches Common-Prayer Book stout Captain St. Ambrose and make him pray for himself and all Christen-Souls 400 years before he was born Oh! the merit of some mens Ecclesiastical Insolence But if Captain Ambrose was Canoniz'd and Sainted for shutting the Church-doors and debarring a great Sinner from Divine Service and Sacraments Will not the men of the same Leaven Anathematize me for opening the Church-doors thus to Sinners great Sinners and small Sinners and shut me out But it is better far to eat with Publicans and Sinners as our blessed Saviour did than to partake with Scribes Pharisees and Hypocrites to whom he denounced Wo Wo Wo. Thus have I known School-Boys taught in the Church but better fed than taught to barr out their Masters and be Masters of Mis-rule upon pretence of Christmas and a Holy-time and with a Brazen-face make Declamations and Verses in praise of that precious Ecclesiastical Discipline But if I come I 'le open the Church Doors again and spread the Arms of Mercy wide open and outstretched to as great a Latitude and Comprehension as our Blessed Saviour did even to Publicans and Sinners they shall eat with me let the Hypocrites eat alone and as fittest by themselves if they will not vouchsafe to eat with Sinners let them cringe and bow and face to the Left to the Left to the East the East Sinners look you Sinners though they despise Sinners so much in nomine Domini Sinners are the best Gryst that comes to their Mills If it were not for Sinners the Bench Ecclesiastical at least would not be so scarlet as it is their Holinesses might sit alone as well as a cold if it were not for Sinners and look as lean as an Easter-Offering Sinners quoth a Who is this that despises Sinners which our Blessed Redeemer did not despise by God's help this little Book shall open the Church-Doors to let in Sinners in spight of the most self-conceited Hypocrite as far as the Old and New Testament will go I say ipse dixi What shall sin walk barefac't magisterial in open Court and unrebuk't And shall the Naked-Truth be glad to hide its Head Ha shall the wicked Extortioners of Doctors-Commons sin and will you make me suffer and be whipt for their faults upon their Backs whilst they hold me up to you Sir look you my Lord Is there any Conscience in this Look you Sir look you I am got into the Modern Rhetorical Phraze entail'd on some seats of Eloquence can it be Justice look you my Lord that I should suffer because they sin and I only wish and endeavour their amendment Just thus does the unjust World abuse the poor Cuckolds when the Naked-Truth on 't is the great and only fault is in the Cuckold-makers the Whore and Rogue And must he not have a face of Brass look you and a conscience of Steel my Lord that shall vindicate that domineering Popishly invented Prelacy which the Holy Scriptures and our Blessed Redeemer condemns making all his Disciples Spiritual-Levellers Luke 22. Whose Disciples then are the Popish Prelates that in defiance of Christ will domineer over the Clergy their Brethren and vex them with Law-Suits having great Interest and great Power and withal Purse-proud to defend in spight of Christ that Antichristian Lordliness and Clergical Tyranny over their Brethren calling it as the Pope contradictione adjecto first call'd it Hierarchy or the Holy Rule But how can that be Holy that the Holy Scriptures and the Holy Jesus decries and condemns and it was first Enacted and made a Law in England when the Pope did what he list both with King and People They had and we have a happy time on 't yet most of these Popish Hierarchical Laws are abolished and that was stoutly attack't though it still stands and let it stand I said in my Naked-Truth Rome was not built and cannot be destroyed in one day it crumbles a pace If you be for Discipline and Spiritual Weapons rather Draw upon the Adulterers and Adulteresses the Extortioners impudent Extortioners in your Spiritual-Courts in Probates Administrations Visitations Ordinations granting Licences to Preach Institutions Inductions Procurations and if you have power to Anathematize and Curse Curse the Cursers and Blasphemers of the unparallel'd Age we live in In all the Reign of Edw. 6. I find no man taken upon the Writ de Excommunicato capiendo nor 'till the fifth of Queen Elizabeth nor any legal Cursing or Commination save that in the Common-Prayer-Book denouncing of Gods Anger and Judgments against Sinners Cursed is he that smiteth his neighbour secretly and Cursed is he that lyeth with his neighbours wife c. and all the people shall say Amen Cursed is he that taketh a reward

we have layd our hands mark that for it is the same in our Common-Prayer Book to certifye them by this Signe of thy savour and gracious goodnes towarde them leat thy fatherly hande c. I know a Bishop being a great person may as Majesty uses to do when he means only his own single act and single hand say we we for so it is said we have laid our hands But how these words our hands can be meant of the Bishop's laying on his single hand and but one hand cannot be reconciled to any Grammar For in King Edward VI's Reign the happy Reformers kept up Imposition of hands not hand as the Collect aforesaid says after the example of the holy Apostles and in imitation of the Apostles laying on of their hands upon the Disciples and thereby conveying to them the gifts of the Holy Ghost Therefore the Papists anoint or have an Unction in meer Mimickry or Imitation of the Unction of the Holy Ghost which was not sold or made of Apothecary Drugs as the Papists Unction is but purely spiritual gifts of the Holy Ghost the gift of Tongues discerning of Spirits c. But they that would fain be accounted Successors of the Apostles and of St. Peter and St. Paul and love to be called the Apostolical men would make Confirmation to be performed or of right ought to be performed by Bishops onely who the Papists account to be the onely Apostolical men and Successors of the small Prophets or Apostles St. Matthew Thomas c. and the Pope the onely Successor of St. Peter and St. Paul But our first Reformers did not confine this Act of Confirmation to a Bishop alone but to other his Fellow Presbyters who signed with the Cross and said as many words over the head of the Child as the Bishop himself Thus when John was present Peter did not bid him stand aside but both of them together laid their hands upon the young Converts and they received the gifts of the Holy Ghost in imitation whereof Confirmation was brought in And the Rubrick makes the Curate or his Certificate a necessary qualification and that of King Edw. 6. the first Reformers the Minister laid his hands on or at least signed the Party with the sign of the Cross and said words over him or prayed over him And probably also as is usual in Ordination both laid their hands on or else what English or Sense is in those words in the Collect Vpon whom we have laid our hands But now I say the Bishop without the concurrence or consent of the Minister of the Parish who best knows the state of the Flock alone confirms all that come which are very few God knows not one in a hundred or more that are baptized And those or most of them hand over-head without any previous examination of their fitness And therefore who can pray in Faith or believe what he says and prays as aforesaid in these words God who hast vouchsafed to Regenerate these thy Servants by water and the Holy Ghost and yet for ought he knows I am sure of some were never baptized so much as by water over whom yet he prays or ought to pray in these words and then and hast given unto them forgiveness of all their sins c. Be not deceived God is not mocked saith the Apostle But what extravagancy will not men run into that would grasp all to themselves contrary to the provision the Law has made for the Minister's consent and concurrence at least to this same Confirmation to his actual laying on of Hands as well as the Bishops in King Edward VI's time and signing with the Cross as well as the Bishop and praying over their heads part of that Prayer that now the Bishop will say alone but in King Edward VI's Common-Prayer Book the Minister said alone before the Bishop toucht the Party to be confirmed So that Confirmation without previous examination and fitness without Godfather or Godmother for a Witness and without the Curate's presenting those of his Parish to be confirmed and certifying their fitness is not only rash and perfunctory impertinent and contrary to the great design those had that invented it but is also illegal and against Law and the Act for Vniformity Hereafter I may perhaps shew at large when and by whom it was invented but this for the present I am clear for the use of it according to Law but the abuse of it is abominable I write this for the observation of the Law and that such as cry down Nonconformists and call for Gaols Stocks Fines Excommunications Suspensions Deprivations and Confiscations may learn Forbearance Mercy Humanity and Kindness to humane kind considering humane frailty so visible in themselves and may not with the same mouth opened against other Nonconformists at the same time pronounce their own doom and deprivation of their spiritual Promotions that are worth the keeping and tugging for And may learn to be quiet and bless Almighty God that they are so well on 't themselves and never Vex themselves to vex others breathing out nothing but mischief and ruine to such as are loth to unman themselves by servile Baseness Flattery and Sycophantry For my part I would much rather cease to be a Clergyman than cease to be an Honest man an Englishman and a Gentleman Which ne'r a Flattering Pimp and Sycophant in England can possibly be In short Confirmation is either good for something or good for nothing either good fit and expedient or not expedient If it be not expedient Why is it put into the Common-Prayer Book or so much as once perfunctorily practis'd If it be good for something which I readily grant then why is it not us'd but abus'd 1. Why is it ever us'd by a Bishop rashly hand over-head Hickletee-Pickletee to all that kneel down whether baptiz'd or unbaptiz'd whether they can or cannot say their Catechism whether they have Godfathers and Godmothers along with them or though they never had any such Godfathers or Sureties but tell Stories when they say They did promise and vow three things in my name c. as in the Catechism And not one word of all the three is true or was ever promis'd or vow'd by any body no not by their own Parents who one would think ought to be most concern'd both in the Vow and Performance 2. Why does not the Bishop require the Significavit from the Parish-Minister of the Truth of the Premises and the fitness of those that are to be confirmed but this 't is to do all alone what is impossible to be well done by any one man 3. Why does not the Bishop go to all the Parishes in his Diocess to confirm the Souls that are therein It is his work and he is well paid for the same And why onely at a great Town two or three where there is a great Inn and good Accomodation I am confident St. Paul never sent his Harbinger before him when

but of one ear reserve but one for me unstufft with prejudice and if you had never so lawful a Court I neither need nor require a greater or other favour from you whilst I live But to leave me to them you shall not leave me to them I 'le wash my hands of them God bless me from them I tell you here I 'le not come at them And I would have told you so at Lambeth but I dare not come there neither without your Order and Permission and when I writ to you and the Gentleman I sent ask't you If you would have me to attend you you said No you left all to your under Officers so that I have no other way but this publick way to approach your hand or ear which is I hope a sufficient Apology for this Humble Address of which I trust you will not be an Abhorrer 'T is true these Vncivil-Civilians that make Markets of Souls do but I know truckle under the Clergy for a Livelihood yet they are as petulant to the Clergy as if they were only their Sport or May-game or poor tame Asses fit for nothing so much as to be the Objects of their Wrath and the Subjects of their Affronts and Scorn Thus have I known wanton Jades kick the Hand that fed them and made them fat nay and throw their Masters too when Provant prick't them I Prophesie tho' that I have taken off the keen edge of their onely Toole these Ecclesiastical Fellows work for money with viz. Excommunication with a poor Formality-Priest standing Surrogating in black like at their right hand to see Livery and Seizin given of the Excommunicate Person that is delivered to Satan they shall fight hereafter but with rebated Weapons they are so cruel in their Fulminations and for such Trifles too That ever a Kingdom of Christians should be so long bewitch'd to believe that any can damn them or forgive sins save God onely or that any man has power on earth given him from God to keep others from the Ordinances the means of Grace the Sacraments the Food of Souls and the Bread of Life because they are Sinners Sinners Why there should need no Ordinances nor Sacraments if it were not for Sinners nor did ever any man receive the blessed Sacrament but Sinners all except our Saviour onely The Soul is sick 't is granted more need of Physick and Food The whole have no need of a Physician Nay the first that ever partook of the Blessed Supper if they were Penitents they were soon relaps't For in Luke 22. in the 20th Verse they took it and in the 24th Verse they were no sooner come out from the Holy Feast but they fell a quarrelling and justling for the place and striving it runs in the kind perhaps which of them should be the greatest But the crafty Popish Priests finding that Sinners found the goodness and sweetness of the Blessed Sacrament and long'd for it and they were the onely Stewards of those Mysteries they resolved to make the best benefit of the Stewards place And indeed I have observ'd in some Countries where I have been that when once the Clergy have perceiv'd that their Office was found so mighty necessary they resolve to take the occasion and make their best advantage of it Did the People find comfort in the Bread of Life and also were made to believe that none could Consecrate it but a Priest or Popish Priest Ay quoth the Popish Priest Sinner Do you see Do you see here what I have got in my hands Would you not be glad to have some Nay Hold Stand off Here is the Bread of Life but not a Bit upon a march not a Bit upon the great march and High-way to Heaven though it would save your Soul except you be obedient to your Diocesan nay and swear Obedience to Canons and Laws of Holy Church though you starve and dye for a Bit. He therefore that can make a Sacrament and debarr ad libitum sinners from it may well take the wall of all other Men in Christendom But there is no Scripture in the Old or New Testament that ever I found that ever gave power to any Man Men or Church to debar any Man from the Sacraments that is pleased to come to them for such as were deliver'd to Satan in the Apostles days were therewith kill'd their Flesh was destroyed 'T is true an impenitent Sinner he comes at his own peril if he venture to eat unworthily but 't is not a greater sin to eat unworthily than not to eat at all rejecting of the Ordinance is certain damnation whereas he that eats unworthily makes a hopeful Assay of Obedience to Christ and as he said Lord I believe help my Vnbelief so it is acceptable worthiness to say Lord I endeavor to eat and drink worthily help my unworthiness And as he that eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks his own damnation so he that prays preaches or hears unworthily preaches hears and prays damnation to himself Nor need I tell you my Lord that the world is generally mistaken in the meaning of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unworthily better Translated unbecomingly or unsuitably namely to the Institution as when Men make the Sacrament of Christ or take the Sacrament of Christ for no other Cause than a Test or State-Sacrament only making it the Sacrament of a Corporation or of Preferment only to get into a Ship or a Fort or on the Bench. And this Construction of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have in Ephes 4.1 Col. 1.10 Phil. 1.27 1 Thess 2.12 Rom. 16.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as becometh Saints for there is none but Papists that plead the merit of Condignity or that any man is worthy of God or worthy the Gospel otherwise than as endeavouring to walk becomingly and suitably thereto And to back this Interpretation I have the great Le Groot or Grotius on my side a Name that with me out-weighs all the Popish Priests put together We are all Sinners and the Sacrament's made on purpose for us and none but those that have the gift of God of discerning of spirits infallibly by the Holy Ghost as the Primitive Christians had can judge of the truth of any mans Repentance or consequently setch power from the Scriptures to debar men from the holy Ordinances or shut the Church-doors against them I know Priests have made a gainful Trade on 't but abating that By what Authority Divine do they these things and who gave them that Authority I always except the Rubrick in the Common-Prayer Book Sacramenta non sunt Vaenalia Sacraments are too holy to be made Vendible Commodities And if my Child shall not be baptiz'd 'till I have compounded with the Priest whose Religion is No Penny No Pater-noster Nor if I must not come into the Church but be barr'd out 'till I have pleas'd that is paid the Sumner the Register the Proctor and the Court-Fees Good Lord deliver us

Bridge Clerk Rector of Wivenhoe in the County of Essex aforesaid and his Parishioners did within the time aforesaid endeavour to Animate and Incense the said Parishioners or some of them against their said Rector and proffer'd that if they would give or pay you twenty pounds you would rout the said Mr Bridge from the said Living or from amongst them or to that effect Pot. tamen de qualibet alia summa 3. Item We Article and Object that you the said Edmund Hickeringill do know believe or credibly have heard that Samuel Harris Clerk was and is the lawful Vicar of the Vicaridg of Fingringhoe in the said County of Essex and by vertue thereof rightly instituted to the small Tythes belonging to the said Vicaridg and that notwithstanding the Premises you the said Edmund Hickeringill have stirred up and forewarned several of the Parishioners of the said Parish not to pay their small Tythes to the said Vicar on purpose to stir up contentious Suits between the said Vicar and the said Parishioners And this was and is true publick and notorious and so much you the said Edmund Hickeringill have confessed and acknowledged to be true Et Objicimus Articulamur ut supra 4. Item We Article and Object that you the said Edmund Hickeringill do know believe or have credibly heard that within the time aforesaid the Tythes Profits and Emoluments of and belonging to the Parish-Churches of St. Botolphs and St. Leonards in Colchester being both void of an Incumbent are by vertue of a Sequestration for each of the said Churches rightly and duly committed and granted by the Right Reverend Father in God Henry Lord Bishop of London to the Custody of the said Samuel Harris Clerk and that he is rightful and lawful Sequestrator of the same and that by vertue of a Licence or Licences under the Seal of the said Bishop the Cure of the Souls of the Parishioners and Inhabitants of the said respective Parishes are rightly and duly committed and granted to the said Samnel Harris And that notwithstanding the Premises you the said Edmund Hickeringill have forewarned several Parishioners of the said Parish or one of them not to pay any Tythes Dues or Duties to the said Mr. Harris And more particularly by a Note under your Hand bearing Date the sixth of April 1681. Directed to the Parishioners and Inhabitants of the said Parish of St. Botolphs have promised to save harmless and indempnifie all the Parishioners and Inhabitants of the said Parish in the payment of their Tythes Offerings Obventions and Oblations unto you against all men living And likewise by another Note under your Hand bearing Date the 16th day of March 1680. have promised and engaged unto one Robert Gibson of St. Leonards in Colchester aforesaid Baker to desend him and save him harmless in the Possession of the Parsonage-House of St. Leonards aforesaid upon condition he pay unto you the Quarterly Rent of twelve shillings and six pence so long as he holds the same notwithstanding the said House belongs to the said Mr. Harris by vertue of the said Sequestration And that if he be ejected or troubled by Suits at Law you will bear the charges of the said Suit and will also bear the charges of erecting an Oven there if he be forced out of the Possession thereof by due Course of Law before Christmas next after the Date of the said Note he paying you fifty Shillings at Christmas next if he be in the Possession of the same Parsonage-House and do not relinquish the same 'till forced thereunto by due Order of Law or to that effect Et Objicimus Articulamur ut supra 5. Item Objicimus Articulamur that notwithstanding the said Mr. Harris is Licensed by the said Bishop to serve the said Cures of St. Botolph and St. Leonards aforesaid yet you the said Edmund Hickeringill in contempt of the Authority of the said Bishop your Ordinary have threatned the Sextons of the said Parishes or one of them that you will ruin him or them if he or they give notice to the said Mr. Harris of any business concerning the Ministerial Function to be done or performed as Christning Marrying Burying or the like in the said Parishes or either of them and that you have several times or at least once disturb'd the said Mr. Harris in doing and performing his Ministerial Function in the said Parishes or one of them in one or more of the Holy Offices aforesaid to the great scandal of our Ministerial Function and of all good people in and about Colchester aforesaid And this was and is true publick and notorious Et Objicimus Articulamur ut supra Item Objicimus Articulamur that you the said Edmund Hickeringill do know or have heard that by the Canons and Constitutions of the Church of England in that behalf Published and Established no Minister upon pain of suspension per triennium ipso facto shall Celebrate Matrimony between any Persons without a Faculty or Licence first in that behalf lawfully obtained except the Banes of Matrimony have been first Published three several Sundays or Holy-days in the time of Divine-Service in the Parish Churches and Chappels where the said Parties dwelt according to the Book of Common-Prayer And that every Minister who shall hereafter Celebrate Marriage betwixt any Persons contrary to the said Constitutions or any one of them under colour of any peculiar Liberty or Priviledg claim'd to appertain to certain Churches and Chappels shall be suspended per triennium by the Ordinary of the Place where the offence shall be committed as by the said Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiastical it doth more plainly appear Et Objicimus Articulamur ut supra 7. Item Objicimus Articulamur that notwithstanding the Premises you the said Edmund Hickeringill in contempt of the said Canons and Constitutions did in the Months of March April May June July August September October November December January February and March in the Years of our Lord 1678 1679 1680. And likewise in the Months of March April and May 1681. And in all some of one of the said Years and Months without any Licence or Faculties in that behalf first obtained or Banes Published and Denounced as is enjoyned by the said Canons and Constitutions and by the Book of Common-Prayer by Law established in the Church of England Solemnize or rather Prophane several Marriages between several persons and more especially between James Abel of the Parish of St. Leonards in Colchester aforesaid and Anne Burnham of the same Parish And also between John Shepheard of the Parish of St. Leonards aforesaid and Damaris Gillings of the same Parish And also between Edward Hartley of the Parish of St. Botolphs in Colchester and Mary Groom of the Parish of St. Leonards aforesaid And also between Daniel Steers of the Parish of St. Mary Magdalen in Colchester aforesaid and Ann Bloome of the Parish of St. Leonard aforesaid And also between Richard Potter of

transgression of the Act of Uniformity by the Bishops and Clergy especially Namely In the Rubrick before the order of Morning Prayer we find these words namely And here is to be noted That such Ornaments of the Church and of the Ministers thereof at all times of their Ministration shall be retained and be in use mark that as were in this Church of England by Authority of Parliament in the second year of the Reign of King Edward VI. Now the great Question will be What Ornaments they were that were in use in the Reign of King Edward the sixth A question that I hope few Countrey or City Clergy-men of ordinary Rank know how to answer for it is to be hoped that they sin through ignorance and not through stubbornness and contempt of the Act of Vniformity and are rather ignorant Nonconformists than wilful Nonconformists in using other Rites and Ceremonies and other Ornaments at all times of their Ministration than what were in use in the time of the 2d of Edward the sixth enjoined by Act of Parliament For in the Rubrick in the Communion Service made in the said 2d of Edward the sixth after the Title which is in these very words The Supper of the Lord and the Holy Communion commonly called the MASSE We have this Commandment namely Upon the day and at the time appointed for the ministration of the Holy Communion the Priest that shall execute the Holy Ministery shall put upon him the Vesture appointed for that Ministration that is to say A white Albe plain with a Vestment or Cope And where there be many Priests or Deacons there so many shall be ready to help the Priest in the Ministration as shall be requisite And shall have upon them likewise the Vestures appointed for their Ministry that is to say Albes with Tunicles And to make the matter plainer in the Act for the Uniformity of Common-Prayer and Service in the Church and Administration of the Sacraments 1 Eliz. It is enacted That every manner of Parson Vicar or other whatsoever Minister that ought or should sing or say Common-Prayer mentioned in the said Book or minister the Sacraments c. shall minister the same in such order and form mark that as they be mentioned and set forth in the said Book Or shall wilfully or obstinately standing in the same which I hope they will not hereafter venture to do use any other mark that Rite Ceremony Order Form or Celebrating the Lord's Supper openly or privity or Martins Evensong Administration of the Sacraments or other open Prayers than is mentioned and set forth in the said Book The Penalties for the first Offence The profit of the Benefice Benefices and all the Spiritual Benefits and Promotions the Offender hath for one Year next after conviction is thereby forfeited and gone together with six Months Imprisonment without Bail or Mainprise For the second Offence Deprivation ipso facta of all the Spiritual Promotions and one whole Years Imprisonment and that it shall be lawful for all Patrons and Donors c. to present or collate to the same as if the Offenders were really dead And for the third Offence Deprivation as aforesaid and Imprisonment during Life And if the Offender be not benefic'd or promoted for the first Offence Imprisonment for one year without Bayl. And for the second Offence Imprisonment during Life So 14 Car. II there is an Act of Uniformity that to the same effect enjoyns no other Rite Ceremony Form or Order of Common-Prayer Ornaments c. This is mentioned to humble the rigid Conformist that he do not plume himself and be exalted above measure over other Nonconformists without any Mercy or Compassion to human Nature human Frailty human Error and human Kind lest he himself by the next Grand Jury be presented and found guilty of using other Rites and Ceremonies than what are enjoyned in the Act of Uniformity and Common-Prayer-Book of King Edward VI or this Common-Prayer-Book And consequently get a Prison on his back the same Prison whereinto he has so often endeavoured to put other Nonconformists and for the same Sin too of Nonconformity and Transgression of the same Act of Uniformity that he has so extoll'd and cry'd up For to bow towards the Altar to bow at the Holy Name of Jesus to force the Inferiour Clergy except in Cathedrals to were the Surplice or to wear the Hood during the Ministration of Baptism Burial Morning-Prayer Letany or Evensong are other Rites and Ceremonies and other Ornaments than were forced on the Clergy to use in 2 Edw. 6th as aforesaid Indeed upon the day and at the time and only at the time of Ministration of the Lord's Supper the Priest was enjoyned to put on the Albe or Surplice and Cope But not till the Letany was read and just before he began to read the Common-Service and administer the Communion at the Altar for so says the Rubrick in the said Communion-Service in the Common-Prayer-Book of 2 Edw. 6th just after the Prayer for fair Weather in these Words And tho there be none to communicate with the Priest yet these days namely Wednesdays and Fridays afore-named in the said Rubrick after the Letany ended the Priest shall put upon him a plain Albe or Surplice with a Cope and say all things at the Altar appointed to be said at the Celebration of the Lord's Supper until after the Offertory So that all are Nonconformists and liable to Indictments and loss of their Liberty as well as loss of their Livings that pray before or after Sermon in other Form or Order than is set down in the Common-Prayer-Book And all that force the Country or City Ministers except in Cathedrals to wear the Surplice during Matten● or Morning-Prayer Letany Baptism Burial Evensong or Evening-Prayer And all that bow towards the Altar and set great Candles thereon and all that bow at the Name of Jesus And all that wear or force Men to wear Hoods at any time except Sermon-time whether Scarlet Black Lamb-skin or Taffety according to their degree except in Cathedrals they may if they please only it is seemly so to do in Sermon time but for that it ought to be left to every Man's Liberty For so says the Rubrick of the second Common-Prayer Book which I confess seems strangely worded in these very Words In the saying or singing of Mattens and Even-song Baptizing and Burying the Ministers in parish-Parish-Churches and Chappels annexed to the same shall I suppose it should have been printed may use a Surplice and in all Cathedral-Churches and Colledges the Arch-Deacons Deans Provosts Masters Prebendaries and Fellows being Graduates may here it is may not shall use in the Quire besides their Surplices such Hoods as pertaineth to their several degrees which they have taken in any University within this Realm But in all other places mark that every Minister shall be at Liberty to use any Surplice or no. It is also seemly that Graduates when they do preach

mark that should use such Hoods as pertaineth to their several Degrees So that to wear the Surplice or no is left to every Man's Liberty even in Cathedrals especially in all other places Hoods according to the degree not in time of Divine-Service as in many Cities and Country-places worn not for want of Ignorance but only may be worn in preaching the Sermon upon the Knowledg of a Man's Degree and Quality may recommend the Sermon possibly and possibly not the Hood is commended not commanded to be worn but the reason ceases in reading Divine-Service and Administring Sacraments or reading of Homilies which are the works of the Law not our own works and are not nor need to be recommended by the Dignity of the Reader or Administrator and therefore Hoods worn at any time except Sermon-time and Surplices forc'd upon Mens backs in reading Mattens Even-Song Baptizings or Burials whether they will or no and not leaving Men at Liberty is enjoining other Rites and Ceremonies than what the Law enjoyns as well as bowing at the Name of Jesus and bowing towards the Altar a place which some Men never pass by but they bow they ought to lose their Spiritual Promotions for such Superstition and good reason for it is either Folly or worse Popish Superstition For if he that bows still as he goes by or approaches the Altar does not fancy that there is somewhat extraordinary there that exacts and requires this extraordinary Reverence above other places then he is a foolish Coxcomb to beck and bow only to that place above all other for no reason or for nothing But if he doth believe there is something plac'd there that requires this Reverence as the Papists assert who can excuse him from the belief of that Popish Doctrine of Transubstantiation Also all are Nonconformists that administer the Sacrament without Copes on and this makes all the Ministers in England Nonconformists for no body wears Copes and most wear Surplices tho this Defendant has not worn one except at Communion-times for several Years by-past And a Cope he would wear at such time only of celebrating the Lord's Supper but he cannot get one necessitas vincit Legem And in this Instance he hath been the more copious to show how little those Boanarges or Sons of Thunder do observe how they thunder out their own Sentence and Condemnation Out of thine own mouth will I judg thee thou wicked Servant When nothing but Hell and Damnation Goals and Excommunications Fines and Confiscations Suspensions and Deprivations will serve their turns for every little Breach of any Clause in the Rubrick and where no harm ensues nor loss but gain to the People when they are perhaps married without Banes or Licence And for Men to say that bowing at the Name of the Holy Jesus our blessed Redeemer is an harmless Ceremony aggravates the Offence It is the Popish Excuse for all their multiplied Ceremonies so many that their Religion is little else or so miserably covered therewith that Men can see little else To bow at the Name of God or Jehovah the greatest of all Names is harmless but it would be endless to do it and there is no Scripture to vouch these Bowings at the Name of JESVS or GOD c. as is hitherto unanswerably proved in the last page save two of the Naked Truth the second Part. To wear two or ten Surplices especially in cold weather together with an Hood about the Neck are harmless and the Hood keeps the Neck warm in Winter but is too hot in all conscience in Summer-time but if it were not too hot nor yet too heavy yet still they are other Rites and Ceremonies than are enjoined in the Act for Uniformity and therefore punishable and unlawful And what can or dare these Rigid Conformists answer in their own defence except cry Peccavi and confess their Ignorance Let us pray for them in our blessed Saviour's words Father forgive them they know not what they do For certainly the Law does not forgive them but is clear against them What can they say for themselves why Judgment should not be given against them according to their celebrated Act of Uniformity And to say the Canons enjoin some of these Ceremonies much aggravates the Offence to play old Canons against the King and Parliament's new Acts and Statutes this is petulant and unpardonable I had almost said They had more need petition for an Act of Indempnity to pardon all Non-Conformists and to get for themselves Remission in the Crowd CHAP. XI AGain The said Rubrick says None shall solemnize Matrimony without Banes But who observes it who obeys it Do not Commissaries Officials Archdeacons Registers Vice-Registers and all that Tribe grant Licences and Faculties with a non-obstante to the Statute and Rubrick But with what Forehead and by what Authority If the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury or York should grant such Licences or Indulgence to dispence with the Statute a little more might be said for it if but a little But for these Fellows to sell Indulgences and Dispensations to the Statute where 's the Modesty or rather the Impudence The very same Rubrick is in the common-prayer-Common-Prayer-Book of 2 Edw. 6. For the said Statute gives no Privilege no Exception no Dispensation to any Man to solemnize Matrimony without Banes solemnly published three several Sundays or Holy-days in time of Divine Service where there are Churches and Divine Service said in such Parishes where the Parties inhabit otherwise they cannot be married without breach of the said Act or Rubrick except perhaps in that impediment because Necessitas vincit Legent And truly Matrimony tho not a Sacrament yet is so serious a thing so lasting when the Knot is once tied by a Priest ever lasting during Life that the Law could not safely have been made otherwise than by commanding such a solemn previous Publication in open Church in the Parishes where the Parties inhabit three several Sundays or Holy-days And then there could be no stoln-Weddings nor Infants trepann'd into Marriage without the consent of their Parents and Governors A Caution that even in the times of the late Usurpation was taken care for when the Justices of Peace did the Jobb And for Registers and Surrogates c. to take upon them to take Bond of 100 l. is so small a Penalty and the Bond so unwarrantable in Law that it signifies just nothing but to give a Man an Oath in the case is altogether illegal and punishable However it is contrary to Law in the said Rubrick But what shall be the Penalty The Judges alone shall determine according to the evil Circumstances and evil Consquences thereof So that if this Defendant be guilty of solemnizing Matrimony without Banes first published c. he hopes he may pass Scot-free in the Throng and amongst the crowd of so many and great Nonconformists But in this case this Defendant has more to say in his Vindication than all of them put together are

COnfirmation was at first a good Invention of the Church and politickly and wisely ordain'd not in supplement to Infant-Baptism for that is sufficient without it but to the end that when Children come to the years of discretion and have learned in the Church-Catechism what their Godfathers and Godmothers vowed and promised for them as their Sureties and Pledges 'till they came to Age that they should in their own persons vow the same with their own mouth and consent openly before the Congregation But it is not a Sacrament or necessary to Salvation as the Papists insinuate for it is certain by God's Word as said in the Rubrick of the said first English Common-Prayer Book since the Reformation made in the Reign of Edward VI. That children beeying Baptised yf they depart out of this lyfe in their infancye are undoubtedly saved And this Common-Prayer Book as is said before is declared to be composed by the Aid of the Holy Ghost in the Statute 2 Ed. 6.1 And there is the Church-Catechism set down beginning as ours What is your Name And ending with these words And therefore I say Amen so be it But our Catechism is much larger and all of it ought to be learnt by all before they be brought to the Bishop to be confirm'd And 'till they can say this Catechism and give account of it not like a Parrot hudling it over but sensible and understanding what they say shall they be confirm'd by the Bishop who ought by himself or such as he shall appoint Pose them or Appose them in it nor then neither except they also bring with them one Godfather or Godmother that every Child may have a Witness of their Confirmation Nor then neither ought they to be confirm'd except the Curate of the Parish where they dwell come along with them or at least send a Certificate in writing with his hand subscribed thereunto the Names of all such Persons within his Parish as he shall think fit to be presented to the Bishop to be confirmed And then if the Bishop upon Posing them find them fit they shall be confirmed in manner as prescrib'd in the Common-Prayer Book But are these things observed or who regards them I have been 19 or 20 years Rector of the Rectory of All-Saints in Colchester and during that time have had three several Bishops or Diocesans Gilbert Bishop of London never made any Visitation into the Countrey and over his Diocess to confirm any and yet the same Rubrick says None shall be admitted to the Blessed Sacrament of the Lord's Supper 'till they be confirmed or desire to be confirmed which last words are not in the first Common-Prayer Book of Edw. VI. Humphrey Bishop of London made but two Visitations and in the latter never came near Harwich and that Countrey by twenty Miles nor near Colchester by above eight Miles Henry Bishop of London has also made two Visitations and consequently Confirmations and several of my Parish have been confirmed by them But how I never gave a Certificate of the Names of such as I thought fit and capable of Confirmation the Question was never ask'd me nor of any Minister that I know of nor Godfathers and Godmothers requir'd as the Rubrick enjoins to every one that is confirm'd nor many if any of the children Men or Women appos'd or pos'd by any Bishop or other by him appointed to examine the fitness of them for the same Nor did I ever see any Bishop ever examine any if they did I that was present saw it not done and I am sure many if not all were confirm'd without questioning the matter or any such said Certificate from the Curate Surely Confirmation was godlily design'd but a perfunctory performance thereof at all adventures is quite contrary to the Institution and Act of Vn●… Nor did I ever hear this essential Question put by the Bishop namely Do ye here in the presence of God and of this Congregation renew the Solemn Promise and Vow that was made in your Name at your Baptism nay some have been confirm'd to my knowledge that were never baptized ratifying and confirming the same in your own persons and acknowledging your selves bound to believe and to do all those things which your Godfathers and Godmothers then undertook and most of them I am sure of my Parish never had any Godfathers or Godmothers nor their Parents could be persuaded to procure them or if they were willing they were not able by any means or persuasion to procure Sureties to be bound promise and vow for their Children or undertake by Vow that they should forsake the Devil and all his works and obediently keep Gods Holy Will and Commandments for you Answer I do But I say there required no Answer where the Question was not put nor the Answer particularly requir'd of each of them For all that was required or I am sure of a great many was but to kneel down whil'st the Bishop with a Common-Prayer Book in one hand and the other hand upon the head of the person to be confirmed said over each of them these words Defend O Lord this thy Child or this thy Servant if past Infancy or Childhood with thy heavenly grace that he may continue thine for ever and daily increase in thy holy Spirit more and more until he come unto thy everlasting Kingdom But in King Edward VI's Common-Prayer Book Confirmation was quite another thing and the words these First The Minister signed them with the Sign of the Cross saying Signe them O Lord and mark them to be thine for ever by the vertue of thy holy Crosse and Passion confirme and strengthen them with the inward Unction of thy Holy Ghoste mercifully unto everlasting life Then the Bishop shall cross them in the forehead and lay his hand upon their head saying N. or M. or any other Name N. I Signe thee with the Signe of the Crosse and lay my hand upon thee In the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Amen But the Prayer preceding is the very same with ours observe it Almightie and everliving God who hast vouchesafed to regenerate these thy Servants of water and the Holy Ghost And hast geven unto them forgevenesse of all their sinnes Sende down from Heaven we beseeche thee O Lord upon them thy Holy Goste the Coumforter with the manifolde giftes of Grace the Spirite of wysedom and understanding The Spirite of councell and gostly strength The Spirite of knowledge and true godlinesse and fulfyll them O Lorde with the Spirite of thy holy feare but ours adde onely now and for ever And then this Collect following is almost the same with that of King Edw. 6. I 'll set down only part of it namely Almightie everliving God whiche makest us bothe to will and to doe those thinges that be good and acceptable unto thy Majestie we make our humble supplications unto thee for these Children upon whome after the xample of thy holy Apostles