of Durham 20. John Best Bishop of Carlisle 21. George Downham Bishop of Chester The other Bishopricks were either detained in the Queens hands or held in Commendam These men were all of them Conformists but some of them knew the heart of Sufferers for their consciences towards God for themselves had been such indeed they generally had been so though in different degrees This temper of these Bishops gave that party much quiet for several years who could not agree to the Liturgy and Ceremonies I find a very large Petition presented by multitudes to the Queen Anno. 1561. which was the Third year of her Reign in Three or Four Sheets M. S. where they complain of insufficient and scandalous Ministers of Pluralists and Non-residents and Lawyers being Ministers but I find not the least complaint of any suspended deprived c. Yet even at the first I find Mr. Coverdale refusing to be restored to his Bishoprick of Exeter and Reverend Gilpen refusing the Bishoprick of Carlisle But no Subscription was yet required to any thing by any Legal Authority nor was the use of all the Common-Prayer-Book or an exact observance of the Ceremonies generally urged This kept all in quiet some years the people enjoyed the labours of their godly Ministers the Ministers at that time scrupled not to use some parts of the Common-Prayer the Bishops did not exact their use of the more offensive parts of it nor of the Ceremonies some particular Officials were a little busie and some few very few men were sufferers by them but the body of the Nonconforming Ministers and people were much quiet until not only Arch-Bishop Parker was dead but Bishop Grindall also who succeeded him in that who died about 1583. about the 25th of the Queen In the year 1583. Dr. John Whitgift came to be Archbishop of Canterbury The first I read of as to Subscriptions and Nonconformity was when the Subscription to the 39. Articles which were made by the Convocation 1562. but not confirmed by Parliament until the year 1572. which was the 13th Eliz. and then only required to be subscribed by such as were to be admitted to Livings and that no further than so far as concerned matters of Faith and the Doctrine of the Sacraments was exacted from all Ministers After the agreement in them by the Convocation 1562. several Bishops without any Authority from Parliament imposed a Subscription to the whole number of them upon all Ministers in their Diocesces the refusal of which caused the sufferings of seveaal particular men John Fox being required to Subscribe pulled out his Greek Testament and plainly told the Archbishop he would Subscribe to nothing but that but yet such was the gravity of the man such his Eminency for his service to the Church that he was let alone The famous Laurence Humfry and Anthony Gilby and some others appeared Nanconformists Betwixt 1563. and 1583. also especially in the latter part of that time the Bishops began to press a Subscription to Two Articles more the one to acknowledg the Queens Supremacy that none denied or as good as none the other was that the Common-Prayer-Book the Books of Homilies and the Book of ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons contained in them nothing contrary to the Word of God To this day there is no Book of Canons confirmed by Parliament that requireth any such thing but I cannot find that there was any Canon about these things that had King Edward's or Queen Elizabeths assent notified under the Broad Seal so as it could pretend to any Legal establishment But the Bishops of that Age were adventuring to establish these things upon their own Authority directly contrary to the Statute 25. Henry 8. which restrained them from putting any Canons in use to be made after that time unless they first had the Kings Assent The Oath of Supremacy was indeed established by Act 1st Eliz. but a Subscription was not The use of the Common-Prayer was commanded by an Act 1st Eliz. but a Subscription that that there was nothing in it nor in the Homilies nor in the Book of Ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons contrary to the Word of God under a penalty of suspension or Deprivation was not And the question so often put to them by the Bishops Will you use that which you will not subscribe to that it contains nothing repugnant to Gods word is easily answered There was a great part of the Book viz. the Rubricks that were not to be used in God's Worship Nor did they use it all but some part of it which was not offensive to them and other good people But altho' many suffered upon this new imposition after Whitgift came to be a considerable figure in the Church yet the great shock was after that he came upon the death of Grindal to be Arch-bishop of Canterbury which was about the year 1583. and the first considerable Nonconformity of Ministers in England is to be dated from this time Some separation there was before this time For Bishop Bancroft in his Dangerous Positions tells us That within the ten or eleven first years of the Queens reign many of the people separated meeting in woods and fields But their numbers were not valuable nor their persons much considerable they were generally as sheep without a Shepherd few or no Ministers being amongst them at least of any note or authority to give them any great name or repute The Author of the Book entituled The unlawful practices of the Prelates which was wrote about that time tells us That as to Protestant Dissenters the Queen had a most peaceable Government for the first twenty four years of her reign Towards some particular good men some hard dealings were shewed here and there by the instigation of some ignorant and half Popish persons for lack of judgment and knowledg That which possibly gave occasion to this activity of the Bishops were two sorts of Dissenters which they observed amongst the Ministers Some who only dissented as to the Common-prayer-book and Ceremonies of which number were Mr. Field Mr. Wilcox Mr. Standon Mr. Boxham Mr. Saintcloe Mr. Clare Mr. Edmonds Others that were also for the Reformation of Discipline amongst whom were Mr. Clark Mr. Travers Mr. Barber Mr. Gardner Mr. Chestou Mr. Crook Mr. Egerton who were all betrayed by one Mr. Johnson who was wont to meet with them and many of them most miserably treated in the High Commission upon it A great noise was made of the election of a Presbytery at Wandsworth in Surry the meaning of which was no more than this The Queens and the Bishops Orders extending no further to the trial and fitness of Communicants than if they could say the Creed the Lords Prayer and the Ten Commandments all which might be done by one so ignorant that no Minister who regarded what he did could administer the Lords Supper unto some Ministers did agree of a stricter examination and the people made choice of ten or eleven persons to
be present at that action Possibly it had been less exposed to scandal if instead of them two or three Ministers had so joined and the end as well obtained but surely this was a far lesser evil than the admitting of all to the Sacrament that could but rehearse the Creed Lords Prayer and Ten Commandments there was nothing in this action but any pious Ministers who are the stewards of the mysteries of God might answer with a safe conscience for of Stewards it is required that they should be faithful saith the Apostle and I believe any Bishop would have judged his Steward unfaithful if he had dealt out his Master's goods contrary to his Master's order The Ministers Master's order is plain enough that the holy Sacrament belongs not either to ignorant or scandalous persons All the Churches of God in all Ages agree this our own Church in her principles agreeth it yet in practice all Ministers were tyed to give the Sacrament as in times of Popery to all such as could but rehearse the Creed the Pater Noster and the Ten Commandments and confessed in Lent those eminent persons who were commissionated by Edw. 6. to draw up a new body of Ecclesiastical Laws though that excellent Prince lived not long enough to set his Hand and Seal to it so as what they had done had no legal force had expresly determined Tit. de Sacramentis Cap. 5. We will have none admitted to the Table of the Lord until in the Church he hath made profession of his faith What should good Ministers do in this case they could act but precariously it seems at Wandsworth in Surry there was a people that voluntarily submitted to this what harm was this to the Bishops But the truth is this business of discipline came into very little debate before 1584. after that Subscription had been so fatally imposed In several Diocesses I perceive there were some circumstantial variations in the forms of Subscriptions To let my Reader therefore know what it was I will give it him as it lieth in the 36th Canon 1603. when it first received any thing like a legal confirmation which was at least 25. or 26. years after it was first devised and full 30. years after it was so rigorously pressed 1. Art That the Queens Majesty under God is thē Supreme Governour of this Realm and of all other her Highnesses Dominions and Territories as well in all Spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or causes as Temporal and that no forreign Prince Person State or Potentate hath or ought to have any Jurisdiction Power Superiority or Preheminence or Authority Ecclesiastical or Spiritual within her Majesties Realms Dominions or Countries 2. Art That he alloweth the Book of Articles agreed on by the Archbishops and Bishops of both Provinces and the whole Clergy in the Convocation holden at London 1562. and that he acknowledgeth All and Every the Articles therein being in number 39. besides the Ratification to be agreeable to the Word of God 3. Art That the Book of Common-Prayer and of ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons containeth in it nothing contrary to the Word of God and that it may lawfully be used and that he himself will use the form in the said Book prescribed in publick Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and no other This Engine was first formed by the Archbishop Whitgift and was one of those 16. Proposals he offered to the Queen for the setling of the Church a Copy of which in M. S. with two Answers to them I have read some little difference there was in the Arch-bishops form His first Article was 1. Art That the Authority which is given her Majesty in Causes Ecclesiastical by the Laws of the Land is lawful and according to the Word of God The Second Article was his Third andran thus 2. Art That he allowed the Book of Articles of Religion agreed on by the Archbishops and Bishops of both Provinces and the whole Clergy in the Convocation holden at London 1562. and set forth by her Majesties Authority and that he agreeth the Articles therein contained to be agreeable to the Word of God 3. Art Which was the Archbishops Second was word for word the same This Motion of the Archbishops put the Queen upon adding force to the Imposition which indeed had been by some Bishops began before but now in most Diocesses it was rigorously pressed The issue of this is told us by the Author of the unlawful practices of Prelates in these words Whatsoever was required in Civil Causes either that concerned her Majesty or the State was by the Ministers embraced wholly and freely In Ecclesiastical Causes also whatsoever concerned Doctrine or otherwise was expresly required by Statute for Subscription Thus far at the first all men with protestation offered but to yeild to this thing so strange and new without any Law in streighter sort than ever was required That all things were agreeable to Gods Word and not against it not only tollerable but allowable both in the Book of Common Prayer and in the Book of ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons This was refused divers of the Ministers were suspended multitudes were thrust out How many godly able painful Ministers were outed all over England I cannot tell but ex ungue Leonem I have seen a M. S. which gives an account of the names of Sixty odd in Suffolk Twenty one in Lincolnshire Sixty four in Norfolk Thirty eight in Essex which though they seem comparatively few yet are a great many when we consider that in Essex at that time there was an account given of 163. Ministers that never Preach'd only read Prayers and Homilies and 85. more Pluralists Non residents or persons most notoriously debaucht This was the first fruit of that Archbishops preferment and a fair offer at the rooting out of the reformed Religion as soon as planted which never did nor ever will live and flourish in any place under the conduct of an ignorant debauched unpreaching Ministry such a Ministry much better serving Popish than Protestant purposes What the Ministers that were suspended or deprived did to prevent their misery or to get this severity a little mitigated and allayed at this time in the years 1583 1584 1585. I shall inform the world from the worthy Author of the Book aforementioned wrote at that very time and often quoted by Bishop Bancroft His words are these The Cause was general means were made Ministers presented Doubts Protestations Supplications they were repulsed reviled threatned the Ministers did indure sustained with a good Conscience but their miserable flocks were subject to all disorders spoils havock Good men mourned evil men prevailed License possessed all places nothing was reserved whole to civil and modest life These things Gentlemen of all sorts took to heart they lamented their own estate and the estate of the people they pitied their Ministers their Wives and Children Gods Cause moved them the honour of the Gospel drew them yea the safety
of her Majesty in these dangerous times compelled them their own Offices of Justice which by the word was so well aided and which without it they could not steer in a storm of so great confusion drew them to sue in all humble sort to the Archbishop testifying the wholesome Doctrine together with the honest life of their Pastors declaring the breaches waste and wrecks of their Country the present evil the dangers to come finally craving that in regard of the souls of the people and their own he would accept such a Subscription as the Law expresly appointed 13. Eliz. c. 12. and restore the poor men both to their Preaching and Livings This second means prevail'd with him Archbishbp Whitgift no more than the first The third was attempted This refuge was to the Honourable Senate of her Majesties Privy-Council There it was in like manner sought and declared the proceedings before used with the Archbishop The inconveniency by this new dealing sprang up in the Church and Commonwealth was shewed and witnessed by Subscribed Hands These supplications with Letters of favour were sent to the Archbishop in the behalf of Preachers did he yet any thing relent surely no nay I would he had not been more indurate Six or Eight months were thus spent the Country devoid of Preaching the calamities of some Shires increased testimonies informations multiplied At the length such were the complaints that her Majesties most Honourable Council dealt very feelingly in the case Lest any should traduce that Book as giving a false account I could out of a MS. in my hands fill a competent Volume with Copies of Supplications of this nature It shall suffice to give an instance or two 1. Of the Ministers Applications to Archbishop Whitgift 2. The peoples and several Gentlemens applications and supplications to the Archbishop then 3. To the Council Letters from Noblemen and Privy-Councellors to the Archbishop c. That of the Ministers of the Diocess of Ely is one of the shortest I shall therefore transcribe that for a specimen of Applications to the Archbishop Whereas two Canonical Admonitions upon our obedience are already past most Râ—verend Father in God and suspension ready to proceed against us for not subscribing to some things we know not and others that we greatly doubt of We having received good hope upon our own knowledg of your Lordships wonted hatred of sin and love of true Religion and godliness are bold to offer our humble supplication unto you as well to shew our obedience to all superiority over us in the Lord as also to crave your Lordships lawful favour for larger space of time to be granted to us considering how carefully we have used our Ministry to the building of the Church endeavouring with all our hearts to keep the good peace thereof which we daily pray for Wherefore if it shall please your Lordship to deal so graciously with us as either to free us from all subscriptions saving to her Majesties authority and the Articles of the Christian Religion which the Law requireth or to give us so long time as divers Treatises may be perused by us that either we may be satisfied in our persuasions to subscribe or if there be no remedy quietly to give place to the peace of the Church In the mean time we judg them not that have subscribed as we desire not to be judged in this our staying Thus if it shall please Almighty God to move your Lordship to take compassion on our troubled consciences that we may feel our burden lighter by your good favour we shall praise God for the same and shew our thank fulness to your Lordship which we pray God to preserve and keep to the good and benefit of his Church and to your own comfort 12. March 1583. Your Graces most humble Robert Garret Bowter Martin Henry Dickenson Mat. Chapman Edw. Brain Christopher Jackson Thomas Brain Many Supplications of this nature were in that and in the two following years presented to the Archbishop to particular Bishops of Diocesses c. which I forbear to transcribe the matter being much the same These not finding their due effect the Gentlemen of several Counties petitioned the Archbishop I could insert several Copies I shall only insert that of the Gentlemen in Cambridgshire to the Archbishop bearing date the 26. of April 1583. May it please your Lordship that under your good favour we whose 〈…〉 en â—â—y be acceptable suitors on the behalf of divers godly Ministers with in this County of Cambridg whose names are set down in a schedule herewith sent unto you concerning the manner of subscribing to the articles lately published the execution whereof towards our Ministers we fear would be to the displacing of them as some are already whereby we think great inconvenience must follow in these parts by reason that both the sufficiency and good conversation of these already placed with the good success and blessing on their labours is evidently known unto us and we are persuaded that they continue their places by bond in conscience for that hitherto we have not heard of any contentiousness in Religion or disquietness and disorder in any of them or their people Wherefore altho in your wise and fatherly care your desire is to make choice of a good supply if these fail yet if it should seem good unto your Wisdom we should acknowledg our selves much bound unto your Lordship in the continuance of these men being known unto us already the other hereafter to come being unknown what they shall be and so much the rather because of the bare Livings which some of them have whereby it is to be feared it will be no easie matter to place sufficient men in their stead Thus trusting and nothing doubting but that they may find your honourable favour so far forth as you may grant not contrary to the Law of this Realm and most humbly beseeching that we may enjoy them in their rooms as long as any others in other places whereof we and they hope so much the more for that it pleased God once to make your Lordship a special member in this County for a time whereby as you gave and bestowed a great cause of love so you reaped much good will which as it remaineth in us and them to stand you in any stead to our powers so we trust that we and they shall find this latter fruit of it to our great comfort and benefit and thus we humbly take our leave Your Graces assured John Cutts Fr. Hind John Hutton Fitzralph Chamblein Thomas Wendy Thomas Chickly Anthony Cage Some others there were of this nature but it seemed â—â—â—h by what followed and also by what the Author of the Book aforementioned saith that the Archbishops ear was deaf to all Supplications of this nature and has resolved to carry his Subscription through The poor Ministers in this distress together also with the Gentlemen of several Counties and the people of several places addressed
themselves by Petition to the Queen and to particular Lords of the Council then to the Queen and the whole Council Particularly Dunmow in Essex sent a Supplication to my Lord Rich. The Parishioners of Aldermary in London to the Earl of Leicester The Ministers of the Diocess of Peterborough to another Lord. Many addressed to the whole Council viz. The Gentlemen of Norfolk the Ministers in Norfolk the Ministers of Essex the Ministers of Lincolnshire Essex Oxfordshire the Isle of Ely and many other Counties and places I have by me all the Copies I shall only transcribe that of the Ministers of Lincolnshire The Supplication of the Ministers of Lincolnshire to the Lords of the Council Forasmuch Right Honourable as the Lord of heaven and earth hath substituted your Honours next under her Majesty to procure passage to his Gospel beauty to his Church and glory to his Kingdom in which business of the Lord to the great joy of all those which pray heartily for the peace of Jerusalem hitherto you have happily proceeded We whose names are underwritten whom the same Lord hath in mercy placed over some of his people here in Lincolnshire as Pastors and Preachers to feed them with the word of truth do humbly beseech your Honours to regard the pitiful and woful estate of our Congregations and people in these parts which being destitute of our Ministry by the means of a Subscription generally and strictly urged now of late by the Bishops Officers do mourn and lament It is well known to all your Lordships that an absolute Subscription is required throughout the whole Province of Canterbury to three Articles The first concerning her Majesties Supreme Authority The second to the Book of Common-prayer with that of consecrating Bishops and ordering Priests and Deacons The third concerning the Book of Articles As touching the first we offer our sevles to a full Subscription as always heretofore we have done as also to the Articles of Religion I presume here must be meant as in the rest generally is exprest so far as they concern matters of Faith and the Doctrine of the Sacraments and cannot be accepted herein without an absolute Subscribing to the other unto which we dare not condescend being as yet many of us not fully acquainted with the Book of confecrating Bishops and ordering Priests and Deacons and all of us unresolved and unsatisfied in our Consciences in many points of the Common-Prayer May it please your Lordships also favourably to consider that in refusing an absolute Subscription we do it not out of any arrogance or singularity but only for that we have no sufficient resolution which we have earnestly desired of some doubts about divers weighty matters and points in the same Book which requests of ours sith we could not obtain we desired that at the least in our Subscription we might make exceptions of the things whereof we doubted which they have utterly denied us for which causes Right Honourable we fearing to Subscribe so absolutely as we were urged we are all suspended from executing the function of our Ministry amongst our people to the great danger of their souls and danger of losing the fruit of our former poor labours which we have by Gods Grace imployed upon them wherefore we humbly crave of your Honours our Cause being as we are perswaded the Lords own Cause and his Churches that it may be considered And that since we can neither be impeached of false Doctrine nor of contempt of her Majesties Laws nor of refusing of the exercising of the Book of Common-Prayer in our charges nor of breeding contention and sedition in the Church And again that Papists her Majesties enemies with Atheists to the corrupting of Religion in Doctrine and Manners do daily multiply and increase we may be restored to our flocks and people in such sort as with all peace of Conscience we may go forward with the Lords Work in building up his house in several places Thomas Fulkeck Hugh Tuke John Daniel Richard Allen. Anthony Hunt Reinold Grome Thomas Tripler Shepheard Henry Nelson Mat. Tomson Thomas Bradly Joseph Gibson James Worship Charles Bingam John Munning Humfrid Travers John Pryer John Summerscales John Wintle Richard Holdsworth Richard Kellet These are enough for specimens of several sorts of Supplications There were others more particularly directed to the Queen and to some great persons all much to the same sense This last means had some little effect of which the Author of the Book called The unlawful practices of Prelates giveth us this account c. 4. Hence became the subscription to be somewhat more tolerable and further time was granted unto divers in divers Countreys and retaining that which pertained to the Civil State and in the Ecclesiastical that which concerned doctrine with protestation to use the Book of Common-prayer the Archbishop suffered himself to be entreated to require no more of many To this many were drawn the peace of the Church the compassion of their flocks the weariness of turmoils brought many to it that yet did it some with tears some with so great heaviness of conscience long after as they were never quiet till their dying day So great a desire of unity was in sundry men that stood herein Others satisfying themselves with a protestation of an holy and godly resolution by the Archbishop and other of the Bishops in certain points as they supposed by the example of certain learned men in the like case did not refuse to subscribe as the Ministers of Sussex and such like Again some other special men were admitted in divers places with more favour as the Ministers of Leicestershire Buckinghamshire and somt other places and some such others chiefly such whose authority would have brought discredit to their too too severe proceedings without any subscription at all Hence of the multitude that held out at first seemed not so great tho in truth in respect of the men and the times they were too too many and their subscription laid with their sundry exceptions in a manner no subscription at all But with the credit of these shewing only the subscriptions in one paper and retaining their Protestation in another many were drawn also as unawares birds into the net by the chirping of birds first taken From the colour of these last forms of subscriptions sprang bruits as tho all things were well in the Orders and Liturgy of the Church of England all things subscribed unto that all had yielded that whosoever mouths were open had subscribed But how far these differ frow that which was at first tendered I suppose no man is ignorant As again how little difference there is between the latter and that which all men did freely and frankly offer at the first Nothing that did pertain to her Excellent Majesty was struck at nothing that concerned doctrine or the substance of our faith Nothing that in the Statutes was set down touching Subscription The most that was excepted against at first and
THE HISTORY OF Conformity Or a PROOF of the MISCHIEF OF IMPOSITIONS FROM THE EXPERIENCE Of more than One Hundred Years LONDON Printed by A. Maxwell and R. Roberts 1681. To the READER by way of INTRODUCTION Christian Reader WHAT was in a great measure proved before the Committee of Parliament in the year 1666 that London was burned by the treachery of Papists and hath withal been suspected a long time by our wise and discerning Patriots that a Plot was by them laid to subvert the Government of the Nation and introduce the Popish Religion hath been so fully proved by a variety of Evidence before the greatest Courts of Judicature in England since the first discovery of the late Hellish Plot and that with this advantage to convince us of the Villany and danger of that party That they had upon it grafted a design for the hastening of the other to assassinate his most Sacred Majesty and several eminent Peers and by a Popish army to massacre all Protestants as none can deny it with any degree of modesty And if any had any inclinations to it the murther of Sir Edmondbury Godfrey and Assassination of Mr. Arnold the manifold lyes perjuries subornations which have been proved against them the device of the Meal-tub Plot c. to spoil the credit of the manifold proofs against them have been such convictions as none hath been able to outface unless such as have dreamed of a liberty yea and a merit too for and in doing any thing for the reputation of the Catholick Church as they nickname the Synagogue of Rome It is as evident that the design of the Popish faction was to have cast the Odium of these actions upon the Protestants The Odium of Sir Edmondbury Godfreys death should have been cast upon Debauches of that Religion had it not been unluckily discovered that he was murthered within the Walls of Sommerset House But that of the Kings Death could they have effected it should have been thrown on the Presbyterians a name under which of late they have comprehended all Dissenters This should have engaged our credulous and furious men to have helped them to have destroyed the Dissenters while they should have got their Catholick Army in a capacity at last to have destroyed them also This restless party having had this long in their design no doubt wonderfully influenced some to procure such a settlement of Religion upon his Majesties Restauration as should produce Dissenters enough nor is it reasonable to think that all the latter severe Acts against Dissenters were not the fruits of their counsels considering how conducive they were to make a great number of Protestants willing for their own ease to have had an Vniversal Toleration which though nothing is or can be more contrary to Popish Principles would admirably have served their design giving an undisturbed liberty to their Priests and Jesuits who can never have an abode in any place without contriving the ruin of those they call Hereticks in our own bowels to have contrived our ruin Or if this failed as indeed it did yet they knew that this way they should employ all our Courts of Judicature against Protestants so as they should not look after them and besides raise a mighty odium and prejudice in the hearts of Protestants one against another so as whatever Villany they should have effected it would have been easie to have charged it upon Dissenters and there had been a party of Protestants in name ready prepared to give credit to it It is now evident to all who will not wilfully shut their eyes how near they were to have accomplished their design But God in infinite mercy hath prevented the accomplishment After all this one would reasonably think that there should not be one Protestant in England who should not think it high time for our Superiors to unite all Protestants A thing the more easie and reasonable because it is apparent that it may be done without the least offence to God or scandal to the generality of Reformed Churches and by the abatement only of some things which being abated we shall be much more like all Reformed Churches than we are But against this some make a mighty outcry out of what design God knoweth For it is a little mysterious that those men who all along have been great pleaders for a reconciliation betwixt us and the Church of Rome and the true Disciples of those Bishops who to prevent the offence of that Church took upon them in the time of King Charles the first to expunge passage out of the Common-Prayer-Book and to bring us as near as possible to them erected Altars brought in Tapers and twenty things more should now that they see the effect of those endeavours for and favours to Papists not be willing for the reconciling of all Protestants to abate those things which themselves own no where specially commanded by God and this too at a time when the Popish bloody Knives are at all our Throats Especially considering that the true cause of retaining our Ceremonies at the first and forming our Common-Prayer-Book in the method it is was originally a desire so far to commend our Worship to the Papists whose Religion lyes all in Ceremonies and Set-forms that they might be proselyted to us and the effects we have seen after an hundred years and upwards is but the hardning of Papists and the alienating infinite numbers of Protestants from us I am aware that a late Author in his Book call'd The Vnreasonableness of Separation hath given us an account of three other reasons of the first Imposition of the Ceremonies upon the Reformation 1. A due reverence to Antiquity 2. To manifest the justice and equity of the Reformation by letting the Papists see we did not break communion with them for things meerly indifferent 3. To shew our consent with other Protestant Churches But he had better have said nothing For will some say How have we reverenced Antiquity in retaining three of their ceremonies and leaving out twenty more of greater antiquity if we may believe the Books we have than the Surplice and kneeling at the Sacrament two of the three we have retained can pretend unto Besides that all the account we have of antiquity is from Books Printed within 200 years for Printing is very little older from Manuscripts which if they bear date three hundred years after Christ must be 1100 years old when they were Printed If we stretch antiquity to 600 years after Christ they must be 800 years old and all that time generally kept in the hands of the known depravers of all Books that ever came in their hands where was any thing not for the purposes of their Church Now what reverence is due to any such worm-eaten Records of antiquity let any men of sense judg His second reason is as invalid for what need was there of our keeping two or three Ceremonies to testifie we did not differ from them for meer
qualified 1. In the Church Service That the Cross in Baptism Interrogatories ministred to Infants Confirmation as superfluous may be taken away Baptism not to be administred by Women and so explained The Cap and Surplice not urged That Examination may go before the Communion That it may be administred with a Sermon That divers terms of Priests Absolution and some others used with the Ring in Marriage and other such like in the Book might be corrected The longsomeness of Service abridged Church-songs and Musick moderated to better edification That the Lords day be not profaned The rest upon Holidays not so strictly urged That there may be an Vniformity of Doctrine prescribed No Popish opinion any more taught or defended No Ministers charged to teach the people to bow at the Name of Jesus That the Canonical Scriptures only be read in the Church 2. Concerning Church Ministers That none hereafter be admited into the Ministry but able and sufficient men and those to preach diligently and especially upon the Lords day That such as be already entred and cannot Preach may either be removed and some charitable course taken for their relief or else to be forced according to the value of their Livings to maintain Preachers That non-Residency be not permitted That King Edwards Statute for the lawfulness of Ministers Marriages may be revived That Ministers be not urged to subscribe but according to the Law to the Articles of Religion and the Kings Supremacy only 3. For Church-livings and Maintenance That Bishops leave their Commendams some holding Prebends some Parsonages some Vicarages with their Bishopricks That double beneficed men be not suffered to hold some two some three Benefices with Cure and some two three or four Dignities besides That Impropriations annexed to Bishopricks and Colledges be demised only to Preachers incumbent for the old Rent That the Impropriations of Lay-mens fees may be charged with a sixth or seventh part of the worth to the maintenance of the â—reaching Ministers 4. For Church-Discipline That the Discipline and Excommunication may be administred according to Christs Institution or at the least that enormities may be redressed as namely That Excommunication come not forth under the names of Chancellors Lay-persons Officials c. That men be not Excommunicated for trifles twelve peny matters That none be Ecommunicated without consent of his Pastor That the Officers be not suffered to extort unreasonable fees That none having Jurisdiction or Registers places put out the same to farm That divers Popish Canons as for restraint of Marriage at certain times be reversed That the longsomeness of Suits in Ecclesiastical Courts which hang sometimes 2 3 4 5 6 7 years may be restrained That the Oath ex Officio by which men are forced to accuse themselves be more sparingly used That Licenses for Marriage without Banes asked be more cautiously granted These with such other abuses yet remaining and practised in the Church of England we are able to shew to be not agreeable to the Scriptures if it shall please your Highness further to hear us or more at large to be informed or by conference amongst the Learned to be resolved And yet we doubt not but that your Majesty without further process of whose Christian judgment we have received so good a taste already is able of your self to judg of the equity of this cause God we trust hath appointed your Highness our Physician to heal these diseases and we say with Mordecai to Esther Who knoweth but you are come to the Kingdom for such a time Thus your Majesty shall do that which we are perswaded shall be acceptable to God honourable to your Majesty in all succeeding ages profitable to his Church which shall be thereby increased comfortable to your Ministers which shall be no more suspended silenced disgraced imprisoned for mens traditions and prejudicial unto none but those who seek their own credit quiet and profit in the world Thus with all dutiful submission referring our selves to your Majesties Pleasure for your Gracious answer as God shall direct you We most humbly recommend your Highness to the Divine Majesty whom we beseech for Christ his sake to do herein what shall be for his glory the good of his Church and your endless comfort Your Majesties most humble Subjects the Ministers of the Gospel who desire not a disorderly Innovation but a due and Godly Reformation How his Majesty resented this Petition is variously reported But sure it is saith Fuller it ran the Gantlop through all the Prelatical party every one giving it a lash some with their Pens more with their tongues and the dumb Ministers as they term it found their speech most vocal against it How many the number of those was who joined in this and several other Petitions at the same time and were suspended deprived imprisoned c. I cannot tell but a great division arose which held during the Archbishop Bancrofts time Bishop Abbot who succeeded him in the Archbishoprick of Canterbury was much calmer Several Books were wrote at this time against the Nonconformist by Mr. Hutton Mr. Rogers Dr. Lovel and Dr. Spark who had himself been a Dissenter but in the year 1607 1608 they were learnedly answered by a Book of three parts call'd A Defence of the Ministers Reasons for refusal of Subscription The first part was concerning the holy Scriptures the ill Translation of several Texts The second concerning the Holy Scriptures and Apocrypha The third was about kneeling at the Sacrament Several able Ministers left the Nation many others with their Families were undone in it Thus Conformity stood till the time of King Charles the First some Bishops being more some less rigid in pressing the Canons But when Archbishop Laud came to be Archbishop of Canterbury who succeeded Abbot he made a new Edition of Impositions to which he required Conformity saying second Service at the Table setting that at the East end of the Church Altarwise commanding the Communion Table to be railed in and all people to come up thither to receive the Communion kneeling enforcing the bowing at the Name of Jesus Forbidding Lectures and Afternoon-Sermons Pressing the Book of Sports on the Lords day Not injoining but commending bowing toward the East-end c. and twenty more things What havock hese things made is yet within the memory of many and what disturbance Bishop Wren made in Suffolk and other places as several other Bishops that were his Creatures did in other Diocesses many alive know multitudes of Ministers were again deprived and suspended Many undone in the High Commission At last in the Convocation 1640 an Oath with c. was devised which had perfected the business in rooting out all Puritan Preachers had not a Parliament came and spoil'd that design Scarce any is ignorant what numbers of Godly Ministers and people left the Nation upon this account betwixt 1630. and 1640. so many as to make one of the noblest Colonies at this day in the world that