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 Mattens 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-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
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 Gihson of St. Lconards 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 the 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 of 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 Edmand 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 Aldham in the
by the Election of the Major part of the Presbyters within the Archdeaconry 4. To the End the Dean and Chapters may the better be fitted to afford Counsel and Assistance to the Bishops both in Ordination and other Offices mentioned before c. Moreover an equal Number to those of the Chapter of the most learned pious and discreet Presbyters of the same Diocess annually Chosen by the Major Vote of all the Presbyters of that Diocess present at the Election shall be always advising and assisting together with those of the Chapter in all Ordinations and every part of Jurisdiction which appertains to the Censure of the Church and at all other solemn and important Actions in the Exercise of the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction wherein any of the Ministery are concern'd And Our Will is That the great work of Ordination be constantly and solemnly performed by the Bishop and his aforesaid Presbytery 5. We will take Care that Confirmation be rightly and solemnly performed by the Information and with the Consent of the Minister of the place who shall admit none to the Lord's Supper 'till they have made a credible Profession of their Faith and promised Obedience c. This was the Judgment of His Majesty in that Declaration which see at large to which the Parliament that made the Act of Uniformity gave so much Deference and Reverence That they Publickly gave His Majesty Thanks for the same And as to the matter in hand concerning Confirmation they Enacted it almost to a Tittle which see in the Rubrick foregoing that Sacred Office But who is Conformable thereunto and who are the Nonconformists now And who makes a pause in the work 'till first be obtained the Information and Consent of the Minister of the place without which in the Judgment of His Gracious Majesty Confirmation could not be rightly and solemnly performed It has been prov'd that if a Diocesan-Bishop had no other work besides Confirmation only it is impossible that all the Bishops in England should confirm those that want Confirmation in this one only Diocess of London though they did nothing else and left their own Sees vacant if they observe the Rubrick and Act of Uniformity and not do it as is too frequent perfunctorily and shamefully but with such previous caution scrutiny examination and circumspection and with Certificates thereof and Godfathers and Godmothers as the Common-Prayer-Book enjoyns Grant Confirmation to be a good and needful work yet the Law enjoyns Impossibilities if no one man can possibly be sufficient for these things though he shake off all worldly Affairs and Counsels Again If a Diocesan-Bishop had no other work but only to teach and exhort his Flock publickly and from House to House as Ignatius tells us all Bishops did in his time in the second Century before ever any Diocesan-Bishops were heard of for Bishops then were to enquire after every one by name even Man-servants and Maid-servants even this necessary feeding-work of a good Shepherd would be fully employed in a single Parish and in such a Parish as Saint Andrews-Holborn London there would be work enough for the Bishop and his Dean though the Lecturer and Reader came in to help For no Bishop in the Primitive-times nor 'till Pope Silvester I. had more than one Flock one Altar one Church nor then neither except only in Rome and Alexandria Indeed the Apostles that had the Gift of Tongues travelled all Nations and were Itinerant Preachers for the most part but I speak of setled standing Officers of the Church called Bishops or which is all one in Scripture-Language as Dr. Hammond Jo. Gerson Grotius and most learned men generally agree to be all one with Presbyters for a Sub-Presbyter such as Parish-Priests are made in England is not to be found in the Holy-Scripture of the New-Testament nor the Prime-Primitive-times How then and when did Diocefan-Bishops come into the World and wherefore may some say To which I will answer but not before some body answer me this Question How when and wherefore Hell and Devils came into the Word for from the beginning Hell and Devils were not Some say it was Pride and Ambition that made Angels of Darkness of those that were first Angels of Light Lucifer would be like his Maker ambituis for Rule and Domineering and like God to be Omnipresent and Ubiquitary Therefore Down Lucifer Down to Hell and be condemned said the Almighty to Everlasting Chains of Darkness to the Judgment of the Great Day History Ecclesiastical tells us that the Chorepiscopi or Country-Bishops just like the Rectors of the Parishes saving the Name nay even the Name too of Prelates and Hierarchici was given to Parish-Presbyters though Parishes are no antient Invention Presbyteri qui prasunt Ecclesiis c. Concil Aquisgr and the Learned Filesacus p. 576 577. proves it abundantly that Presbyters were called Prelates as well as Bishops Episcoporum instar suam habebant plebem regendam I say the Chorepiscopi were dismist of their Authority by the rich adjoyning City-Bishopes ne vilescat nomen Episcopi poor Country-Bishops that have no Lordly Equipage will make the name of Bishop cheap and vile and vulgar Ay Ay so it will What Can a lord-Lord-Bishop found like a Lordly Name when poor fellows such as St. Paul the Tent-maker and St. Peter the Fisherman and poor Country Rural Beggarly Bishops pretend to the same Power and Authority in Name and Thing Can the name of a Bishop found Lordly and Domineering over the rost of the Brethren of the Clergy if it be common to every beggarly Minister of Christ and Steward of the Mysteries Therefore make Room and enlarge the Boundaries the Arch-bishoprick of York was glad to swallow seven little Bishopricks at one gulp to make it swell but to the bigness it is now of yet lopt and cropt Can the Tythes of a single Parish maintaian six Lackqueys six Grooms and as many idle Gentlemen or as the Dutch style them idle men Can lean Easter-Offerings buy a guilt Coach Come tell me that Or can a single Acre of melancholly and solitary Glebe-land make fat six Flanders-Jades or Coach-Horses No you must say No why then read the Learned History of the Council of Trent compos'd by Father Paulus a Papist but as great an Enemy of proud Prelacy as any Protestant he will tell you in Page 330 331 332 333. How Grandieur Grandieur And make Room there Sirrah for my Lord Bishop after the Emperors became Christian crept gradually and stole into the Church unknown to the Primitive and New-Testament sanctity I owe the Pope one touch more of my Pen if it be but for bringing in maintaining abetting and promoting Prelatical and Ecclesiastical Lordliness and Domineering in spight of his vaunted Predecessor St. Peter and in spight of our Blessed Saviour 1 Pet. 5.3 Luke 22. to both which he vaunts himself to be the Vicar or Vicegerent Luther's single Pen gave his Holiness such a crock or scratch the wretch
lay their Heads together yet with all this Aid 't is impossible to prevail against God and his Truth Did you never see a Grey-Hound stare when he had lost a Hare in an unhappy Bush that stood by the way just when he was at the very clique and gaping to mouth her even so have I seen a cunning Politician stare as if out of his Wits or at least at his Wits end when some sudden cross Providence by him call'd strange acciden has given his Devilship the go-by then then to see him stare and stamp fret and curse rave and roar like a Lyon in a Graté that would be mouthing but for the Barriers Go then you subtile Persecutors fret and be molt in your own fat and live like the Green-land Bears in Winter upon your own Grease as long as it lasts whilst Truth like Muscovy-Wives and th' Walnut-Tree The more they are beaten still the better they be Well this I 'le say for the Pope and a sig for him but we ought to give the Devil his due much more the Arch-Bishop of all Bishops the Pope I say give him his due builds the Fabrick of his Ecclesiastical Policy rationally if his Foundation were true But Protestants do not that consess themselves and their Churches fallible and frail as does the Church of England in her 19th Article of the 39. For what non-sence is it for any Man or Church to Curse and Damn a Man for a Heretick when we confess our selves that we are fallible and consequently may err in our Judgment of the Man or his Faith Shall blind men shoot a Crow I hate this Hitty-missy Whereas the Pope grant him this Theoreme that he and his Church is infallible is in the right on 't let him Curse who he will and from Morning to Night for ever and aye for if he be infallible he only can draw this Sword of the Lord Excommunication and yet be secure that he fights not against God which Protestants that confess they may err even in matters of faith can never be sure of 'Till the Church then can get eyes to see and discern right from wrong infallibly and a Sinner from a Saint and a Believer from an Infidel and Truth from Falshood indisputably and not fallibly and uncertainly let them down on their knees and pray for the Conversion of one whom they judg an Infidel and then leave him to his Maker to stand and fall and pray to God to tye up their hands to the good Behaviour to Charity Meekness and Humility wherein they can never err which would well become them better than all this Ecclesiastical-Artillery which has ruin'd Christendom and rather let them break than uphold this Money-Trade and Merchandize of Souls especially in this her weak and Militant State How have the Churches the Councils the Fathers the Canons Clash't and Thwarted Curst and Condemn'd one another to the Pit of Hell it would make a man's heart ake to read Ecclesiastical Histories and to hear the pious Bishops complain that they never knew any good come of any Convocation of Bishops Councils nor Synod-men and one Guelt himself to make himself Canonically uncapable of Lawn-Sleeves How did the whole Christian World who were all Arrians and deny'd the Divinity of our Blessed Saviour Curse that poor single Non-Conformist Athanasius Nick-naming him Sathanasius Banish't him and Suborn'd false Witnesses against him and try'd him for his Life for Murder whilst on the contrary our Church of England declares that no man can be saved that does not believe all the Creed of Athanasius and the Comment in words of his own not in Scripture-words of the Holy and Sacred Trinity made by him Though a man does believe the Holy Trinity declar'd in Scripture yet if he will be saved he must believe all the Athanasian-Creed I do not know any man that does not believe it But all the Common-Prayer-Books in the World and all the Acts for Uniformity nor all the Kings and Parliaments in the World can never make any thing true that is really false nor make any thing false which the Holy Scriptures plainly says to be true As for example suppose there be some mistakes in the Common-Prayer-Book by salfe Printing or in the Table to find Easter for ever yet it is Statute-Law But that cannot make a thing true which is Mathematically false nor can any Statute make a Child of God a Child of the Devil though Anathematiz'd for a Heretick And how good Bishops have bewail'd the Diocesan-frame in our days see pious Bishop Hall's Consession of the Corruptions in Church-Governours and Goternment I am not singular in his Modest Osser and Peace-maker See the Incomparably Learned Bishop Vsher's Model See Mr. Alesbury's Confession especially p. 21 24 28 104 169. See Mr. Baxter of Episcopacy or in short the Postscript thereof See Dr. Stillingsleet's Irenicon how does self-interest hoodwink the wise writ before he became a Dignitary-Ecclesiastical Or see Bishop Ganden's Hiera Epist particularly p. 263 and 287. with which I 'le conclude I neither approve or excuse the Personal faults of any particular Bishops as to their exercise of their Power and Authority which ought not in weighty matters to be managed without the Preseuce Counsel and Suffrages of the Presbyters such as are sit for that Assistance The want of this St. Ambrese St. Hierome and all sober men mark that justly reprove as unsafe for the Bishops and Presbyters and the whole Church Now I have done at the long run with my Naked Truth expos'd to the World without Power without Friends without Worldly Interest to support it It is usually thus those that worst may are often put to hold the Candle to their betters yet like Link-boys many times get not of the Gallants but a kick for their pains But I 'le shift the better having a King to Friend a Glorious King to Patronize me and vouch against all Bloody Religions Charles I. Eik Basil Advice to his Son our Gracious Soveraign Charles II. in these words In point of true conscientious tenderness I have often declared how little I desired my Laws and Scepter should entrench on God's Soveraignty who is the only King of Consciences ' My Counsel and Charge to you is that you seriously consider the former real or objected miscarriages which might occasion my Troubles that you might avoid them Will nothing but Sanguinary Counsels yet please Are we no further yet from Rome Not yet Dost thou not feel me Rome Not yet Is Night So heavy on thee or my weight so light May Church of England say Have we so long Been quitting Rome yet not quite from among Christ and his Church by Blood are glorious grown But not by others Blood but by their own Whilst Antichrist and 's Church are Monstrous grown By shedding others Blood but not their own Bless us the Monster Yawns and Glares don 't start In nomine Domini stand speak say What art A Bishop sayst the Devil thou art more like Or Munster's Bishop made to hew and strike Black mouth to damn and Bloody Arms to fight When Hand-cuff't good we 'll do the Devil right Of Flaming-Comet long since have you heard With Tayl hung down to Earth and grisly Beard I 'm skill'd i' th' Language of the Stars and know That horrid Meteor what it meant 't was thou Thou Bonner London's Bishop seem'd to be Arm'd with this Hellish Black-Guard Cap-a-pee Ordain'd it seems and good for naught but harms Like the French Bishop Odo clad in Arms That Coat of Mail ill suits that Coat so Gay Filii tui Haeccine Tunica Satan once came like a Py'd-Piper now This was a Fiend in Jeast in Earnest Thou By the Black-Regiment Martyrs chose to die That Naked Truth might live and so will I. After the French Religion must we Dance Now Persecution's A la mode de France Or shall the French find fairer Quarter here Than we to one another make appear A Bishop sayst Thou ly'st Him Cornet call Of the Black Regiment that Gaols us all FINIS ERRATA THE Introduction Page 4. Line 30. for every word in that weeks Read most words in the two Weeks p. 42. l. 14. for efflagitantes sollicitescit read efflagitates and sollicites it with several other escapes by reason of the Author's absence from the Press but not many