most part endeavour to ftop all channels of publi cation which they have in their power. All the wide fteps towards arbitrary power which have ever been made in Britain, in either church or ftate, have been attended with a difpofition to restrain the liberty of the prefs; and there is not a more certain mark of fome intended encroachment upon the natural rights of mankind, than the ftopping of this channel of conveyance. Pub lic managers in church or ftate, have no occafion to be afraid that the publication of their conduct, will expofe them when they act worthily; the more vifible worthy actions are made, the more praife and approbation are likely to redound to the actors; but it betrays a confcioufnefs of fome bad intention, when men who are employed for the public, want to conceal their proceedings from its infpection. This Star-chamber was one of the most infamous courts that ever exifted in Britain, or any other nation, and except the Inquifition, it is a queftion if ever it was equalled in any nation in Europe. It interfered with both the fouls and bodies of men, it deprived minifters of their offices, and fined or imprifoned them according as the commiffioners pleafed; and as it was the Queen's court, an appeal to her or any other power had no effect. Petitions to the fovereign, when he is fwayed by defpotic principles, has always been found to be ineffectual; and the petitioners have, for the moft part, been accounted difloy al, and their petitions libels against the ftate. Vol. II. The The Puritans from this time, till the days of Charles the first, proceeded in humble fupplications to the throne, but never received any redrefs of their grievances. The government proceeded in the fame arbitrary manner, and made larger advances to defpotifm, till they threw the nation into fuch convulfions, as shook the throne itself, and tumbled the unhappy monarch Charles from his feat, and fent him into the other world. The non-conformists were now feverely perfecuted; their livings were fequeftrated, their perfons imprisoned, and they had no opportunity to publish their cafe to the world; fhut up in darkfome prifons, where left to pine away their days in forrow, poverty, and want, their friends were not permitted to adminifter comfort to them, nor allowed to fupply their wants: they were now wholly under the power of arbitrary tyrants, whofe tender mercies were cruel, whofe guilty fouls were' hardened against diftrefs, and whose hearts were fteeled against the cries of mourners. Oppreffion at laft pushed them to lengths they never intended, and which they could not well avoid. Such as were yet unconfined and had liberty, affembled to confult what was proper to be done in fuch an alarming crifis. They at laft agreed to feparate from a church which now breathed nothing but perfecution, and paid no regard to any principles of religion or morality; that perfecuted its minifters for not complying with unprofitable ceremonies, which, by the very imposers, were accounted indifferent. From this time they laid a fide all common prayer and fervice of the church of England, and embraced that of Geneva; they formed feparate affemblies for worship, and no longer accounted themselves members of the eftablished church of England. The reader may make his own remarks upon the conduct of both parties, and learn from their proceedings who were to blame for this feparation. From this time the divifions in the church encreased, and thofe called Puritans be- 1567. more numerous, notwithstanding all came The the troubles and perfecutions they met with from the Queen and the ruling clergy. principal objections which the Puritans urged at this time for their non-conformity, were the habits and ceremonies; but there were other things with which they were far from being fatisfied. The hierarchy, or the fuperiority of bishops above presbyters, and their claiming the fole right of ordination, and the power of the fpiritual keys, was a thing they were not fatisfied with. The other dignities affumed by church-men, they thought inconfiftent with the fpiritual character they affumed, and not agreeable to the humble station of minifters of Chrift. They affirmed that Archdeacons, Deans, Chapters, and other officials be longing to cathedrals, had no authority in fcripture nor primitive inftitution; and that the exorbitant power of the bishops and their chancellors in their fpiritual courts, were derived from the Popish canon law, and not from revelation or the ftatute law of the land. They complained of the negO 2 lect lect of difcipline, and the promifcuous admiffion of all perfons to the communion of our Lord's Supper; they had also many objections to the liturgy, and the marriage and burial offices. They difapproved of reading the apocryphal books in the church, while fome parts of canonical fcripture were omitted; and affirmed that pluralities and non-refidents were unlawful. Festival days and finging prayers in cathedral-churches, were likewife complained of as inconfiftent with fcripture worship, and they declared that organs were not a New Teftament inftitution. The crofs in baptifm and the form of churching women, they declared to be unfcriptural; the ufe of god-fathers and god-mothers while the parents were church members, and the practice of confirming children, they looked upon as unlawful; kneeling at the facrament, bowing at the name of Jefus, the ufe of the ring in marriage, and the form of words then ufed, they believed to be finful. There was no difference between the church and Puritans in point of doctrine, for they nearly agreed in thefe points. The main and the most effential difference between the Puritans and the friends of the hierarchy, was concerning the rights of private judgment. The Puritans at that time maintained, though afterwards fome of them went contrary to their principles, that it is the right of every man to judge for himself in all matters of religion, and make profeffion of that religion, which to him appears noft agreeable to revelation, as far far as it does not effect the peace of the govern❤ ment he lives under, without being determined by the prejudices of education, the laws of the civil magiftrate, or the decrees of council, churches, or fynods. This was at once throwing off all Lordship in matters of faith, and entirely contrary to the plan which the Queen and Bifhops purfued at this time. This was indeed the original principle of proteftants, upon which they founded their diffent from the church of Rome, and, without purfuing this maxim, whatever profeffions men make, they are of the fame principles with thofe of the Roman church; for it is of fmall confequence whether one or a hundred men be lords of our faith; while we are not allowed to judge for ourselves, we have no faith which we can call our own. The chief men who were accounted the heads among the Puritans, were Coleman, Button, Halingham, Benfon, White, Rowland, and Hawkins, who were beneficed clergy, within the diocefe of London. They all had their particular admirers and followers, who forfook the parish churches and affembled with them in fuch places as they could beft with fafety worship God, with the habits and ceremonies of the church. The proceedings of the Puritans were foon carried to court, and aggravated with many grievous circumftances. This gave great offence to the Queen and the Bishops, who were ready to perfwade her that many things were worfe than what had been reported. Elizabeth upon this commanded the ecclefiaftical commiffioners, who were very well |