of popery, and could not in confcience comply with the fuperftitious form of worship which was now established. They were of opinion that the reformation fhould have proceeded farther, and the ancient fimplicity of gofpel worship should have been restored. They confidered the church of Rome, as the very Antichrift, with whom they could have no, manner of fellowship, and looked upon every conformity to thofe rites which were practised in that church as finful, and therefore could not in confcience comply therewith. They difowned all fo-. reign jurifdiction over the church, but could not admit of that extenfive power of the crown, which claimed a fupremacy over the church in all matters of religion. The court reformers admitted the church of Rome to be a true church, though corrupted in fome points of doctrine, and govern¬ ment, and allowed that all her administrations were valid; that the Pope was a true Bishop of Rome, though not of the church univerfal. This was thought neceffary to fupport the character of the Bishops in England, who could not otherwife derive their fucceffion from the Apostles. Both parties agreed that the holy fcriptures were a perfect rule of faith; but the Bishops and court reformers tho' they allowed them to be a standard of difcipline and church government, yet affirmed that our Saviour and his Apostles left it to the difcretion of the civil magiftrate, in those places where christianity was profeffed, to accommodate the government of the church to the policy of the ftate. The puritans apprehended the holy fcriptures to be a standard of

church

church difcipline as well as doctrine, and that nothing ought to be impofed upon men as neceffary," but what was exprefsly contained in or derived from the fcriptures by neceffary confequence: and in cafe it could not be proved that all things neceffary for church government were not deduced from the fcriptures, they maintained that the difcretionary power belonged to the clergy, and not to the civil magiftrate. Many arguments were deduced from the practice of the primitive church for the first five centuries, to prove that the government of the church was imperfect in the apoftolic times, and that the forms of order afterwards received, were better fuited to an establishment. To these the puritans replied, that the Bible was the only guide to direct us in the chief principles of church government, and that no church officers or ordinances were to be admitted which were not recorded therein. They affirmed, that the form of government appointed by the Apostles was aristocratical, according to the conftitution of the Jewish fanhedrim, and was defigned as a pattern for churches in after ages, not to be departed from in any of its main principles; and therefore they paid no regard to the customs of popery, or the practice of the earlier ages of christianity, any farther than they agreed with the Bible.

It was a point ftrongly infifted upon by the friends of the hierarchy, that things indifferent in their own nature, which are neither commanded nor prohibited in the fcriptures, fuch as rites, ceremonies, and habits, might be fettled, deterVol. II. mined,

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mined, and made neceffary by the authority of the civil magiftrate; and in fuch cafes it was the indifpenfible duty of all fubjects to obferve them. To this it was replied, that those things which Christ had left indifferent, ought not to be made neceffary by any human laws, but that chriftians fhould ftand faft in that liberty wherewith Christ had made them free: and it was added, that fuch ceremonies as were fuperftitious, and had been fo often abused to idolatry, were no longer indifferent, but ought to be rejected as unlawful. In this - manner did the two parties combat each other. One thing they agreed in, which was abfurd in the first inftance, and that was in afferting the neceffity of an uniformity of public worship, and of calling in the affiftance of the civil magiftrate to fupport their several opinions. Both fides made an ill ufe of the civil fword when they had it in their power, and perfecuted one another for nonconformity. This fhewed that they were tinctured with the leaven of popery on both fides, and equally distant from the fpirit of the New Teftament. The standard which the Bishops went by, was the Queen's fupremacy, and the laws of the land; and the puritans held by the decrees of provincial and national fynods, inforced by the civil power. Both parties were equally enemies to liberty of confcience, and that freedom of profeffion which is every man's right, as far as it is confiftent with the peace of the government he lives under.

The principle upon which the Bishops juftified their proceedings against the puritans in this and

the

1

the following reign, was the fubjects obligation to obey the laws of their country in all things which are indifferent, and neither commanded nor forbidden in the law of God. The puritans argued, that Chrift was the fole lawgiver of his church, in all things neceffary to be obferved to the end of the world; and that it was criminal in any perfon to part with the liberty he had granted them in obedience to any power upon earth.

The reformation being now fettled, the Queen iffued commiffions for a general vifitation, and fet forth a collection of injunctions, confifting of fiftythree articles, commanding all her loving fubjects to obferve them in their different ftations, and in their different offices and degrees. Thefe injunctions were-That they fhould not extol images, relicks, or miracles.-That perfons fhould preach once a month upon works of faith, mercy, and charity, and inform the people that works of man's devifing, fuch as pilgrimages, fetting up wax candles, and praying upon beads, are offenfive to God.-That perfons having the cure of fouls fhall preach in perfon once a quarter at least, or else read one of the homilies prefcribed by the Queen, every Sunday in the church, when there was no fermon.

That every holy-day they fhould recite from the pulpit the pater-nofter, creed, and ten commandments. That within three months every parish fhall provide a Bible, and within twelve months Erafmus's Paraphrase upon the Gospel, in English, and fet them up in their feveral churches.-That the clergy fhall not haunt ale-houfes or taverns, Vol. II.

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or

or spend their time idly at dice, cards, or any unlawful games.-That none fhall be admitted to preach in churches without licence from the Queen or her vifitors, or from the Archbishop, or Bishop of the diocefe. That all perfons under the degree of Master of Arts fhall buy for their own ufe, the New Testament in Latin and English, with paraphrafes, within three months after this vifitation. -That they fhall learn out of the fcriptures fome comfortable fentences for the fick.-That there shall be no popish proceffions; nor fhall any perfons walk about the church, or depart out of it while the priest is reading the fcriptures.-That the perambulation of parishes, or proceffions with the Curates, fhall continue. That holy-days shall be ftrictly observed, except in harvest time.-That Curates may not admit to the holy communion perfons who live openly in fin, without repentance; or who are at variance with their neighbours, till they be reconciled. That Curates fhall teach the people, not obftinately to violate the laudable ceremonies of the church.-That they utterly abolifh and destroy all fhrines, and coverings of fhrines; all tables, candlesticks, trindles and rolls of wax, pictures, paintings, and all monuments of feigned miracles, pilgrimages, idolatry, and fuperftitionThat due reverence fhall be paid to the ministers of the gospel.-No Prieft or Deacon fhall marry without allowance of the Bishop of his diocefe, and two Juftices of the Peace, nor without the confent of the parents of the woman, if she has any, or others that are nearest of kin, upon penalty of being rendered

incapable