Sentence shall bind to submission though the Superiours may err in the sentence Thus God ordered it Deut. 17. that in doubts the Inferiour were to stand to the decision and sentence of the Priests and the Judge and yet their judgement was not infallible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole Assembly the chiefest Senate might err and sin through Ignorance and a sacrifice is appointed for the expiation of their errour Lev. 4.13 Better that Inferiours be bound to stand to such fallible judgment as to quiet submission in such kind of controversies as afore-mentioned than that every man be suffered to interpret Laws and determine controversies which will bring into the Church certain confusion Nor will such submission in the Inferiours be damnable seeing in this submission to Authority they follow Gods method obeying them that have the oversight over them Heb. 13. and keep order of which God is the Author 1 Cor. 14.33 God is not the Author of Confusion but of order and peace as in all Churches of the Saints This Authority in determining doubts and controversies the Church hath practised in all Ages and her constant practice is the best interpreter of her right We read not only of St. Pauls determining controversies about rites and circumstances 1 Cor. 14. but also of the Churches determining controversies of Doctrines and matters of belief in a full Council Act. 15. and requiring submission to those determinations from inferiour members The like did the Church afterwards in her general Councils of NICE CONSTANTINOPLE EPHESUS CHALCEDON And not only the General Councils have exercised this Authority but particular Churches also in National Councils in the Council of ORANGE MILEVIS and others have used the same power over their children whom they were bound to teach and govern and for whose souls they were to account to God and they did no more than was their right so long as they did it with submission to the general Church to whom they are subject Christ said to the Apostles and by this to all the guides of souls that should succeed them in a lawful Ordination he that hears you hears me and he that despises you despises me St. Cypr. Ep. 69. From these premises it plainly follows that our dear Mother the Church of England in makeing these Canons and Articles for determining the controversies in matters of belief which you may see in the ensuing Collection did no more than what was both her right and her duty to do both for the preservation of her peace and the guidance and conduct of the souls committed to her charge and what her care hath been in the exercise of this power for the good of her members ever since the Reformation will evidently to her honour appear by this following Collection made up not without great care and industry of the Publisher By which he hath done our Mother this farther right that now whosoever will may easily see the notorious slander which some of the Roman perswasion have endeavoured to cast upon her That her Reformation hath been altogether Lay and Parliamentary for by the Canons and Articles following which were formerly scattered and hard to be seen by every one now gathered together into a body it easily appears to any that will but open their eyes and read that the Reformation of this Church was orderly and Synodical by the Guides and Governors of souls and confirmed by Supreme Authority and so in every particular as legal as any Reformation could or ought to be Anth. Sparrow Books newly Printed for Robert Pawlet at the Bible in Chancery Lane 1675. AN Historical Vindication of the Church of England in point of Schisme as it stands separated from the Roman and was Reformed I. Elizabeth Written by Sir Robert Twisden Knight and Baronet XIX Sermons Preached by that Eminent Divine Henry Hammond D. D. Published by the Authors own Copies Golden Remains of the ever Memorable Mr. John Hales of Eaton Colledge Also Letters and Expresses concerning the Synod of Dort with many new Additions from an Authentick hand INJUNCTIONS Given by the most Excellent Prince EDWARD VI. By the Grace of God KING of England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith And in Earth under Christ of the Church of England and Ireland the Supreme Head To all and singular his loving Subjects as well of the Clergy as of the Laity Imprinted at London by Richard Grafton MDXLVII Injunctions given by the most Excellent Prince Edward the Sixth by the Grace of God King of England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith and in Earth under Christ of the Church of England and of Ireland the supreme Head To all and singular his loving Subjects as well of the Clergy as of the Laity THE Kings most Royal Majesty by the advice of his most dear Vncle the Duke of Somerset Lord Protector of all his Realms Dominions and Subjects and Governor of his most Royal Person and residue of his most honourable Council intending the advancement of the true honor of Almighty God the suppression of Idolatry and Superstition throughout all his Realms and Dominions and to plant true Religion to the extirpation of all Hypocrisie Enormities and Abuses as to his duty appertaineth doth minister unto his loving Subjects these godly Injunctions hereafter following whereof part were given unto them heretofore by the Authority of his most dear beloved Father King Henry the Eighth of most famous memory and part are now ministred and given by His Majesty All which Injunctions his Highness willeth and commandeth his said loving Subjects by his supreme Authority obediently to receive and truly to observe and keep every man in their offices degrees and states as they will avoid his displeasure and the pains in the same Injunctions hereafter expressed 1. The first is That all Deans Archdeacons Parsons Vicars and other Ecclesiastical persons shall faithfully keep and observe and as far as in them may lie shall cause to be kept and observed of other all and singular Laws and Statutes made as well for the abolishing and extirpation of the Bishop of Rome his pretensed and usurped power and jurisdiction as for the establishment and confirmation of the Kings authority jurisdiction and supremacy of the Church of England and Ireland And furthermore all Ecclesiastical persons having cure of souls shall to the uttermost of their wit knowledge and learning purely sincerely and without any colour or dissimulation declare manifest and open four times every year at the least in their Sermons and other Collations that the Bishop of Rome's usurped power and jurisdiction having no establishment nor ground by the Laws of God was of most just causes taken away and abolished and that therefore no manner of obedience or subjection within his Realms and Dominions is due unto him And that the Kings power within his Realms and Dominons is the highest power under God to whom all men within the same Realms and Dominions by Gods Laws owe most Loyalty and
vertue of their Oaths they shall present at the said Visitations the names of such Persons whom they know or hear of or justly suspect to be delinquent in all or any of these particulars and that under the pains of the highest censures of the Church that so these Delinquents may be legally cited and being found obstinate they shall be Excommunicated and such Excommunication shall be pronounced both in the Cathedral Church of the Diocess and in the several Parishes where such Recusants live and every third month they shall be again publickly repeated in the places aforesaid that all may take notice of those Sentences And because there are places which either have or pretend to have exemptions in which such Delinquents do usually affect to make their aboad Therefore we enjoyn that all Bishops shall within their several Dioceses send unto such places one or more of their Chaplains or some of their Officers whom they may relie on to make strict enquiry after Offenders in those kinds who diligently returning their information accordingly the said Bishop shall certifie such informations to his Metropolitan that the aforesaid proceedings may forthwith issue from some higher Courts in these cases whereof by reason of the said exemptions the inferiour Courts can take no cognisance But if neither conferring nor censures will prevail with such persons the Church hath no way left but complaints to the secular power and for them we streightly enjoyn that all Deans and Archdeacons and all having inferiour or exempt Jurisdiction shall every year within six Months after any Visitation by them holden make Certificate unto their several Bishops or Archbishop if it be within his Diocess under their Seal of Office of all such persons who have been presented unto them as aforesaid under pain of suspension from their said Jurisdictions by the space of one whole year And we in like manner enjoyn all Archbishops and Bishops that once every year at the least they certifie under their Episcopal Seal in Parchment unto the Justices of Assize of every County in the Circuits and within their Dioceses respectively the names and sirnames not only of those who have been presented unto them from the said Deans Archdeacons c. but of those also who upon the Oaths of Church-wardens and other Sworn-men at their Visitations or upon the information of Ministers imployed in the said Conferences have been presented unto them that so the said intended proceedings may have the more speedy and the more general success In particular it shall be carefully inquired into at all Visitations under the Oaths of the Church wardens and other Sworn men what Recusants or Popish persons have been either Married or Buried or have had their Children baptized otherwise than according to the Rules and Forms established in the Church of England and the names of such Delinquents if they can learn them or otherwise such names as for the time they carry shall be as aforesaid given up to the Bishop who shall present them to the Justices of Assize to be punished according to the Statutes And for the education of Recusants Children since by Canon already established no Man can teach School no not in any private house except he be allowed by the Ordinary of the place and withal have subscribed to the Articles of Religion established in the Church of England We therefore streightly enjoyn That forthwith at all Visitations there be diligent enquiry made by the Church-wardens or other sworn Ecclesiastical Officers of each Parish under their Oaths who are employed as School-masters to the Children of Recusants and that their several names be presented to the Bishop of the Diocess who citing the said School-masters shall make diligent search whether they have subscribed or no and if they or any of them be found to refuse subscription they shall be forbidden to teach hereafter and censured for their former presumption and withal the names of him or them that entertain such a School-master shall be certified to the Bishop of the Diocess who shall at the next Assize present them to the Judges to be proceeded against according to the Statutes And if they subscribe enquiry shall be made what care they take for the instruction of the said Children in the Catechism established in the Book of Common-prayer And all Ordinaries shall censure those whom they find negligent in the said instruction and if it shall appear that the Parents of the said children do forbid such School-masters to bring them up in the Doctrine of the Church of England they shall notwithstanding do their duty and if thereupon the said Parents shall take away their Children the said School-masters shall forthwith give up their names unto the Bishop of the Diocess who shall take care to return them to the Justices of Assize in manner and form aforesaid And because some may cunningly elude this Decree by sending their Children to be bred beyond the Seas Therefore we ordain That the Church-wardens and other sworn Ecclesiastical Officers shall likewise make careful enquiry and give in upon their Oaths at all Visitations the names of such Recusants Children who are so sent beyond the Seas to be bred there or whom they probably suspect to be so sent which names as aforesaid shall be given up to the Bishop and from him returned to the Judges as aforesaid that their Parents who so send them may be punished according to Law Provided alwayes that this Canon shall not take away or derogate from any Power or Authority already given or established by any other Canon now in force And all the said Complaints or Certificates shall be presented up to the Judges in their several Circuits by the Bishop's Register or some other of his Deputies mimediately after the publishing of His Majesties Commission or at the end of the Charge which shall be then given by the Judge And this upon pain of Suspension for three months This Sacred Synod doth earnestly intreat the said Reverend Justices of Assize to be careful in the execution of the said Laws committed to their trust as they will answer to God for the daily increase of this gross kind of superstition And further we do also exhort all Judges whether Ecclesiastical or Temporal upon the like account that they would not admit in any of their Courts any vexatious Complaint Suit or Suits or presentments against any Minister Church-wardens Questmen Side-men or other Church-Officers for the making of any such Presentments And lastly We enjoyn that every Bishop shall once in every year send into his Majesties High Court of Chancery a Significavit of the names and sirnames of all such Recusants who have stood excommunicated beyond the time limited by the Law and shall desire that the Writ De excommunicato capiendo might be at once sent out against them all Ex officio And for the better execution of this Decree this present Synod doth most humbly beseech His most Sacred Majesty that the Officers of the
past and grant that we may ever hereafter serve and please thee in newness of life to the honor and glory of thy Name through Iesus Christ our Lord. Then shall the Priest stand up and turning him to the people say thus Our blessed Lord who hath left power to his Church to absolve penitent sinners from their sins and to restore to the grace of the heavenly Father such as truly believe in Christ have mercy upon you pardon and deliver you from all sins confirm and strengthen you in all goodness and bring you to everlasting life Then shall the Priest stand up and turning him toward the people say thus Hear what comfortable words our Saviour Christ saith to all that truly turn to him COme unto me all that travel and be heavy laden and I shall refresh you So God loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son to the end that all that believe in him should not perish but have life everlasting Hear also what St. Paul saith THis is a true saying and worthy of all men to be embraced and received that Iesus Christ came into this world to save sinners Hear also what St. John saith IF any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous he it is that obtained grace for our sins Then shall the Priest kneel down and say in the name of all them that shall receive the Communion this Prayer following WE do not presume to come to this thy Table O merciful Lord trusting in our own righteousness but in thy manifold and great mercies we be not worthy so much as to gather up the crums under thy Table but thou art the same Lord whose property is always to have mercy grant us therefore gracious Lord so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Iesus Christ and to drink his blood in these holy Mysteries that we may continually dwell in him and he in us that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body and our souls washed through his most precious blood Amen Then shall the Priest rise the people still reverently kneeling and the Priest shall deliver the Communion first to the Ministers if any be there present that they may be ready to help the Priest and after to the other And when he doth deliver the Sacrament of the body of Christ he shall say to every one these words following THe body of our Lord Iesus Christ which was given for thee preserve thy body unto everlasting life And the Priest delivering the Sacrament of the blood and giving every one to drrnk once and no more shall say THe blood of our Lord Iesus Christ which was shed for thee preserve thy soul unto everlasting life If there be a Deacon or other Priest then shall he follow with the Chalice and as the Priest ministreth the Bread so shall he for more expedition minister the Wine in form before written Then shall the Priest turning him to the people let the people depart with this blessing THe peace of God which passeth all understanding keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God and of his Son Iesus Christ our Lord. To which the people shall answer Amen Note That the Bread that shall be consecrated shall be such as heretofore hath been accustomed And every of the said consecrated Breads shall be broken in two pieces at the least or more by the discretion of the Minister and so distributed And men must not think less to be received in part than in the whole but in each of them the whole body of our Saviour Iesus Christ Note That if it doth so chance that the Wine hollowed and consecrate doth not suffice or be enough for them that do take the Communion the Priest after the first Cup or Chalice be emptied may go again to the Altar and reverently and devâ—utly prepare and Consecrate another and so the third or more likewise beginning at these words Simili modo postquam coenatum est and ending at these words qui pro vobis promultis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum and withiout any leavation or lifting up Articles to be enquired of in the Visitations to be had within the Diocese of Canterbury in the second year of the Reign of our Dread Soveraign Lord Edward the Sixth by the Grace of God King of England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith and in Earth of the Church of England and also of Ireland the Supreme Head FIrst Whether Parsons Vicars and Curates and every of them have purely and sincerely without colour or dissimulation four times in the year at the least preached against the usurped power pretended authority and jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome Item Whether they have preached and declared likewise four times in the year at the least that the Kings Majesties power authority and preheminence within his Realms and Dominions is the highest power under God Item Whether any person hath by writing cyphring preaching or teaching deed or act obstinately holden and stand with to extol set forth maintain or defend the authority jurisdiction or power of the Bishop of Rome or of his See heretofore claimed and usurped or by any pretense obstinately or maliciously invented any thing for the extolling of the same or any part thereof Item Whether in their Common-prayers they use not the Collects made for the King and make not special mention of his Majesties name in the same Item Whether they do not every Sunday and Holy-day with the Collects of the English procession say the prayer set forth by the Kings Majesty for peace between England and Scotland Item Whether they have not removed taken away and utterly extincted and destroyed in their Churches Chappels and Houses all Images all Shrines coverings of Shrines all Tables Candlesticks Trindels or Rolls of Wax Pictures Paintings and allother Monuments of feigned Miracles Pilgrimges Idolatry and Superstition so that there remain on memory of the same in walls glass-windows or elsewhere Item Whether they have exhorted moved and stirred their Parishioners to do the like in every of their houses Item Whether they have declared to their Parishioners the Articles concerning the abrogation of certain superfluous Holy-dayes and done their endeavor to perswade the said Parishioners to keep and observe the same Articles inviolably and whether any of those abrogate dayes have been kept as Holy-days and by whose occasion they were so kept Item Whether they have diligently duly and reverently ministred the Sacraments in their Cures Item Whether they have preached or caused to be preached purely and sincerely the word of God in every of their Cures every quarter of the year once at the least exhorting their Parishioners to words commanded by the Scripture and not to works devised by mens phantasies besides Scripture as wearing or praying upon Beads or such like Item Whether they suffer any Torches Candles Tapers or any other lights to be in your Churches but only two lights upon the
Head next and immediately under our Saviour Christ Imprinted at London by Reynold Wolfe MDL St. PAUL I Testifie therefore before God and before the Lord Jesus Christ which shall judge the quick and dead at his appearing in his Kingdom preach thou the Word be fervent in season or out of season Improve rebuke exhort with all long suffering and Doctrine 2 Tim. 4. Articles of Visitation by Bishop Ridley Anno 1550. WHether your Curates and Ministers be of that conversation of living that worthily they can be reprehended of no man Whether your Curates and Ministers do haunt and resort to Taverns or Alehouses otherwise then for their honest necessity there to drink and riot or to play at unlawful games Whether your Ministers be common brawlers sowers of discord rather then charity among their Parishioners hawkers hunters or spending their time idely or coming to their Benefice by Simony Whether your Ministers or any other persons have committed adultery fornication incest bawdry or to be vehemently suspected of the same common drunkards scolds or be common swearers and blasphemers of Gods holy Name Whether your Parsons and Vicars do maintain their houses and Chancels in sufficient reparation or if their houses be in decay whether they bestow yearly the fifth part of the fruits of the Benefice until the same be repaired Whether your Parsons and Vicars absent from their Benefice do leave their cure to an able Minister and if he may dispend yearly xx.l. or above in this Deanery or elsewhere whether he doth distribute every year among his poor Parishioners there at the least the forty part of the fruits of the same And likewise yearly spending C.l. whether he doth find one Scholar either at of the Vniversities or some Grammar School and so for every other hundred pound one Scholar Whether every Dean Archdeacon and Prebendary being Priest doth personally by himself preach twice every year at the least either where he is entitled or where he hath jurisdiction or in some place united or appropriate to the same Whether your Minister having license thereunto doth use to preach or not licensed doth diligently procure other to preach that are licensed or whether he refuseth those offering themselves that are licensed or absenteth himself or causeth other to be away from the Sermon or else admitted any to preach that are not licensed Whether any by preaching writing word or deed hath or doth maintain the usurped power of the Bishop of Rome Whether any be a letter of the Word of God to be preached or read in the English tongue Whether any do preach declare or speak with any thing in derogation of the Book of Common-prayer or any thing therein contained or any part thereof Whether any do preach and defend that private persons may make insurrection stir sedition or compel men to give them their goods Whether the Curate doth admit any to the Communion before he be confirmed or any that ken not the Pater Noster the Articles of the Faith and Ten Commandments in English Whether Curates do Minister the Communion for money or use to have Trentals of Communions Whether any of the Anabaptists Sect or other use notoriously any unlawful or private Conventicles wherein they do use Doctrine or Administration of Sacraments separating themselves from the rest of the Parish Whether there be any that privately in their private house have their Masses contrary to the form and order of the Book of Communion Whether any Minister doth refuse to use the Common-prayers or minister Sacraments in that order and form as is set forth in the Book of Common-prayer Whether Baptism be ministred out of necessity in any other time than on the Sunday or Holy-day or in another Tongue than English Whether any speaketh against Baptism of Infants Whether any be married within degrees prohibited by Gods Law or separate without cause lawful or is married without Banns thrice first asked three several holy-days or Sundays openly in the Church at Service-time Whether any Curate doth marry them of other Parishes without their Curates License and certificate from him of the Banns thrice solemnly asked Whether any saith that the wickedness of the Minister taketh away the effect of Christs Sacraments Whether any saith that Christian men cannot be allowed to repentance if they sin voluntary after Baptism Whether your Curates be ready to minister the Sacraments visit the sick and bury the dead being brought to the Church Whether any Minister useth wilfully and obstinately any other Right Ceremony Order Form ot manner of Communion Mattens or Evensong Ministration of Sacraments or open prayers than is set forth in the Book of Common-prayer Whether your Curate once in six weeks at the least upon some Sunday or Holy-day before Even song do openly in the Church instruct and examine children not confirmed in some part of the Catechism and whether Parents and Masters do send them thither upon warning given by the Minister Whether any useth to keep abrogate holy-days or private holy-days as Bakers Shoomakers Brewers Smiths and such other Whether any useth to hollow water bread salt bells or candles upon Candlemas-day ashes on Ashwedneday Palms on Palm-Sunday the Font on Easter-even fire on Paschal or whether there was any Sepulchre on Good-fryday Whether the water in the Font be changed every month once and then any other prayers said then is in the Book of Common-prayer appointed Whether there be any Images in your Church Tabernacles Shrines or covering of Shrines Candles or Trindels of wax or feigned Miracles in your Churches or private-houses Whether your Church be kept in due and lawfull repara tion and whether their be a comely Pulpit set up in the same and likewise a Coffer for Alms for the poor called the poor mens Box or Chest Whether any Legacies given to the poor amending high-ways or marrying poor maids be undistributed and by whom God save the King ARTICLES Argeed upon by the BISHOPS And other Learned and Godly Men In the Last CONVOCATION AT LONDON In the year of our Lord 1552. To root out the discord of Opinions and establish the Agreement of true Religion Published By the Kings Majesties Authority 1553. Imprinted at London by JOHN DAY ARTICLES Agreed upon in the CONVOCATION And published by the KINGS MAJESTY Of Faith in the Holy Trinity THere is but one living and true God and he is everlasting without body parts or passions of infinite power wisdom and goodness the Maker and Preserver of all things both visible and invisible And in unity of his God-head there be three persons of one substance power and eternity the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost That the Word or Son of God was made very Man THe Son which is the Word of the Father took mans nature in the Womb of the blessed Virgin Mary of her substance so that two whole and perfect Natures that is to say the God-head and Manhood were joyned together into one person never to be
praecipitant Non omnes tandem servandi sunt HI quoque damnatione digni sunt qui conantur hodie perniciosam opinionem instaurare quòd omnes quantumvis impii servandi sunt tandem cum definito tempore à justitia divina poenas de admissis flagitiis luerun Excusum Londini apud Reginaldum Wolfium Regiae Majestatis in Latinis Typographum Anno Dom. 1553. INJUNCTIONS Given by the Queens Majesty Concerning both The CLERGY and LAITY of this REALM Published Anno Domini MDLIX Being the first year of the Raign of our Soveraign Lady Queen ELIZABETH LONDON Printed MDLIX INJUNCTIONS Given by the QVEENS MAJESTY As well to the CLERGY as to the LAITY of this Realm The QUEENS most Royal Majesty by the advice of her most honourable Council intending the advancement of the true honour of Almighty God the suppression of superstition throughout all her Higness Realms and Dominions and to plant true Religion to the extirpation of all Hypocrisie enormities and abuses as to her duty appertaineth doth minister unto her loving Subjects these godly Injunctions hereafter following All which Injunctions her Highness willeth and commandeth her loving Subjects obediently to receive and truly to observe and keep every man in their offices degrees and states as they will avoid her Highness's displeasure and pains of the same hereafter expressed 1. THe first is That all Deans Archdeacons Parsons Vicars Usurped and forraign authority and all other Ecclesiastical persons shall faithfully keep and observe and as far as in them may lie shall cause to be observed and kept of other all and singular Laws and Statutes made for the restoring of the Crown the ancient Iurisdiction over the state Ecclesiastical and abolishing of all forraign power repugnant to the same And furthermore all Ecclesiastical persons having Cure of Souls shall to the uttermost of their wit knowledge and learning purely and sincerely and without any colour or dissimulation declare manifest and open four times every year at the least in their Sermons and other Collations that all usurped and forraign power having no establishment nor ground by the Law of God is for most just causes taken away and abolished and that therefore no manner of obedience and subjection within her Highness Realms and Dominions is due unto any such forraign power And that the Queens power within her Realms and Dominions is the highest power under God to whom all men within the same Realms and Dominions by Gods Law owe most loyalty and obedience afore and above all other powers and potentates in earth 2. Besides this Images to the intent that all superstition and hypocrysie crept into divers mens hearts may vanish away they shall not set forth or extol the dignity of any Images Relicks or Miracles but declaring the abuse of the same they shall teach that all goodness health and grace ought to be both asked and looked for only of God as of the very author and giver of the same and of none other 3. Item That they the Parsons above rehearsed A Sermon every month shall preach in their Churches and every other cure they have one Sermon every month of the year at the least wherein they shall purely and sincerely declare the Word of God Works of faith and in the same exhort their hearers to the works of Faith as mercy and charity especially prescribed and commanded in Scripture and that the works devised by mans fantasies besides Scripture as wandring of pilgrimages setting up of candles praying upon beads or such like superstion have not only no promise of reward in Scripture for doing of them Works of mans device but contrariwise great threatnings and maledictions of God for that they being things tending to Idolatry and Superstition which of all other offences God Almighty doth most detest and abhor for that the same most diminish his honour and glory Quarter Sermon or Homily 4. Item That they the Parsons above rehearsed shall preach in their own persons once in every quarter of the year at least one Sermon being licensed especially thereunto as is specified hereafter or else shall read some Homily prescribed to be used by the Queens authority every Sunday at the least unless some other Preacher sufficiently licensed as hereafter chance to come to the Parish for the same purpose of Preaching The Pater Noster 5. Item That every holy-day through the year when they have no Sermon they shall immediately after the Gospel openly and plainly recite to their Parishioners in the Pulpit the Pater Noster the Creed and Ten Commandments in English to the intent the people may learn the same by heart exhorting all parents and housholders to teach their children and servants the same Creed and ten Commandments as they are bound by the Law of God and conscience to do 6. Also That they shall provide within three months next after this Visitation at the charges of the Parish one book of the whole Bible of the largest Volume in English and within one twelve months next after the said Visitation the Paraphrases of Erasmus also in English upon the Gospel and the same set up in some convenient place within the said Church that they have cure of whereas the Parishioners may most commodiously resort unto the same and read the same out of the time of common Service The charges of the Paraphrases shall be by the Parsonor Propriatory and Parishioners born by equal portions and they shall discourage no man from the reading any part of the Bible either in Latine or in English but shall rather exhort every person to tead the same with great humility and reverence as the very lively word of God and the especial food of mans soul which all Christian persons are bound to embrace believe and follow if they look to be saved whereby they may the better know their duties to God to their Soveraign Lady the Queen and their Neighbors ever gently and charitably exhorting them and in her Majesties name straigthly charging and commanding them that in the reading thereof no man to reason or contend but quietly to hear the Reader 7. Also Haunting of Ale-houses by Ecclstsiastical persons The said Ecclesiastical persons shall in no wise at any unlawful time nor for any other cause than for their honest necessities haunt or resort to any Taverns or Ale-houses And after their meats they shall not give themselves to drinking or riot spending their time idely by day and by night at dice cards or tables playing or any other unlawful game but at all times as they shall have leisure they shall hear or read somewhat of the holy Scripture or shall busie themselves with some other honest study or exercise and that they always do the things which appertain to honesty and endeavor to profit the Commonwealth having always in mind that they ought to excel all other in purity of life and should be examples to the people to live well and
and other days ordained and used to be kept as holy-days and then and there to abide orderly and soberly during the time of the Common-prayer Preaching or other service of God there to be used and ministred upon pain of punishment by the censures of the Church And also upon pain that every person offending shall forfeit for such offence twelve pence to be levied by the Church-wardens of the Parish where such offence shall be done The forfeiture for not coming to Church 32 Eliz. 1. to the use of the poor of the same Parish of the goods lands and tenements of such offender by way of distress And for due execution hereof the Queens most excellent Majesty the Lords Spiritual and all the Commons in this present Parliament assembled do in Gods Name earnestly require and charge all the Archbishops Bishops and other Ordinaries that they shall endeavour themselves to the uttermost of their knowledges that the due and true execution hereof may be had throughout their Diocess and Charges as they will answer before God for such evils and plagues wherewith Almighty God may justly punish his people for neglecting this good and wholsom Law And for their Authority in this behalf be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid The Ordinary may punish Offenders by the Censures of the Church That all and singular the said Archbishops Bishops and all other their Officers exercising Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction as well in place exempt as not exempt within their Diocess shall have full power and Authority by this Act to reform correct and punish by Censures of the Church all and singular persons which shall offend within any their Iurisdictions or Diocess after the said Feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist next coming against this Act and Statute any other Law Statute Priviledge Liberty or Provision heretofore made had or suffered to the contrary notwithstanding Which Justices may punish their offences And it is Ordained and Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and every Iustices of Oyer and Determiner or Iustices of Assize shall have full power and Authority in every of their open and general Sessions to enquire hear and determine all and all manner offences that shall be committed or done contrary to any Article contained in this present Act within the limits of the Commission to them directed and to make Process for the execution of the same as they may do against any person being indicted before them of trespass or lawfully convicted thereof Provided always A Bishop may join with the Justices to enquire of offenders and be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and every Archbishop and Bishop shall or may at all time and times at his liberty and pleasure join and associate himself by vertue of this Act to the said Iustices of Oyer and Determiner or to the said Iustices of Assize at every of the said open and general Sessions to be holden in any place within his Diocess for and to the enquiry hearing and determining of the offences aforesaid Provided also and be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Books concerning the said Services shall at the costs and charges of the Parishioners of every Parish and Cathedral Church be attained and gotten before the said feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist next following At whose charges the Books of Common-prayer shall be gotten and that all such Parishes and Cathedral Churches or other places where the said Books shall be attained and gotten before the said feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist shall within three Weeks next after the said Books to attained and gotten use the said Service and put the same in ure according to this Act. Within what time offenders be impeached And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That no person or persons shall be at any time hereafter impeached or otherwise molested of or for any of the offences abovementioned hereafter to be committed or done contrary to this Act unless he or they so offending be thereof Indicted at the next General Session to be holden before any such Iustices of Oyer and Determiner or Iustices of Assize next after any offence committed or done contrary to the tenour of this Act. Trial of Peers Provided always and be it Ordained and Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and singular Lords of the Parliament for the third offence abovementioned shall be tried by their Peers Chief Officers of Cities and Boroughs shall enquire of offenders Provided also and be it Ordained and Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that the Mayor of London and all the Mayors Bayliffs and other head Officers of all and singular Cities Boroughs and Towns Corporate within this Realm Wales and the Marches of the same to the which Iustices of Assize do not commonly repair shall have full power and authority by vertue of this Act to enquire hear ad determine the offences abovesaid and every of them yearly within fifteen days after Easter and St. Michael the Archangel in like manner and form as Iustices of Assize and Oyer and Determiner may do The Ordinaries Jurisdiction in their cases Provided always and be it Ordained and Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and singular Archbishops and Bishops and every of their Chancellours Commissaries Archdeacons and other Ordinaries having any peculiar Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction shall have full power and authority by vertue of this Act as well to enquire in their Visitation and elsewhere within their Iurisdiction at any other time and place to take accusations and informations of all and every the things abovementioned done committed or perpetrated within the limits of their Iurisdictions and Authority and to punish the same by Admonition Excommunication Sequestration or Deprivation and other Censures and Process in like form as heretofore hath been used in like cases by the Queens Ecclesiastical Laws Provided always and be it Enacted None shall be punished above once for one offence That whatsoever persons offending in the premises shall for their offences first receive a punishment of the Ordinary having a Testimonial thereof under the said Ordinaries Seal shall not for the same offence eftsoons be convicted before the Iustices And likewise receiving for the said first offence punishment by the Iustices shall not for the same offence eftsoons receive punishment of the Ordinary Any thing contained in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding Provided always and be it Enacted Ornaments of the Church and Ministers That such Ornaments of the Church and of the Ministers thereof shall be retained and be in use as was in this Church of England by Authority of Parliament in the second year of the Reign of King Edward the sixth until other order shall be therein taken by the Authority of the Queens Majesty with the Advice of her Commissioners appointed and authorized under the Great Seal of England for causes Ecclesiastical or of the Metropolitan
with the grace of thy holy Spirit to amend our lives according to thy holy Word We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. Son of God we beseech the to hear us Son of God we beseech the to hear us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Grant us thy peace O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Have mercy upon us O Christ hear us O Christ hear us Lord have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Our Father which art in heaven c. And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil Amen The Versicle O Lord deal not with us after our sins Answer Neither reward us after our iniquities ¶ Let us pray Ood merciful Father that despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart nor the desire of such as be sorrowful mercifully assist our prayers that we make before thee in all our troubles and adversities whensoever they oppress us and graciously hear us that those evils which the craft and subtilty of the devil or man worketh against us be brought to nought and by the providence of thy goodness they may be dispersed thar we thy servants being hurt by no persecutions may evermore give thanks unto thee in thy holy Church through Iesus Christ our Lord. O Lord arise help us and deliver us for thy names sake O God we have heard with our ears and our fathers have declared unto us the noble works that thou didst in their days and in the old time before them O Lord arise help us and deliver us for thine honour Glory be to the Father and to the Son c. As it was in the beginning is now c. From our Enemies defend us O Christ Graciously look upon our afflictions Pitifully behold the sorrows of our hearts Mercifully forgive the sins of thy people Favourably with mercy hear our prayers O Son of David have mercy upon us Both now and ever vouchsafe to hear us O Christ Graciously hear us O Christ graciously hear us O Lord Christ The Versicle O Lord let thy mercy be shewed upon us Answer As we do put our trust in thee Let us pray WE humbly beseech thee O Father mercifully to look upon our infirmities and for the glory of thy Names sake turn from us all those evils that we most righteously have deserved and grant that in all our troubles we may put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercy and evermore serve thee in holiness and pureness of living to thy honour and glory through our only Mediator and Advocate Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen ALmighty God which hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee and dost promis that when two or three be gathered together in thy Name thou wile grant their requests fulfil now O Lord the desires and petitions of thy servanta as may be most expedient for them granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth and in the world to come life everlasting Amen ¶ Then shall be said also this that followeth ALmighty God which by thy divine providence hast appointed divers Orders of Ministers in the Church and didst inspire thine holy Apostles to chuse unto this Order of Deacons the first Martyr St. Stephen with other mercifully behold these thy servants now called to the like office and administration replenish them so with the truth of thy Doctrine and innocency of life that both by word and good example they may faithfully serve thee in this office to the glory of thy Name and profit of the Congregation through the merits of our Saviour Iesu Christ who liveth and reigneth with thee and the holy Ghost now and for ever Amen Then shall be sung or said the Communion of the day saving the Epistle shall be read out of Timothy as followeth LIkewise must the Ministers be honest not double-tongued not given unto much wine neither greedy of filthy lucre but holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience and let them first be proved and then let them minister so that no man be able to reprove them Even so must theâ—r wives be honest not evil speakers but sober and faithful in all things Let the Deacons be the husbands of one wife and such as rule their children well and their own housholds for they that minister well get themselves a good degree and a great liberty in the faith which is in Christ Iesu These things write I unto thee trusting to come shortly unto thee but and if I tarry long that then thou mayest yet have knowledge how thou oughest to behave thy self in the house of God which is the congregation of the living God the pillar and ground of truth And without doubt great is that mystery of godliness God was shewed in the flesh was justified in the spirit was seen among the angels was preached unto the Gentiles was believed in on the world and received up into glory Or else this out of the sixth of the Acts. THen the twelve called the multitude of the disciples together and said It is not meet that we should leave the word of God and serve tables wherefore brethren look you out among you seven men of honest report and full of the holy Ghost and wisdom to whom we may commit this business but we will give our selves continually to prayer and to the administration of the word And that saying pleased the whole multitude And they chose Stephen a man full of faith and full of the holy Ghost and Philip and Brochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicholas a convert of Antioch These they set before the Apostles and when they had prayed they laid their hands on them And the word of God increased and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly and a great number of the Priests were obedient unto the faith And before the Gospel the Bishop setting in a chair shall cause the Oath of the Kings Supremacy and against the power and authority of all foreign Potentates to be ministred unto every of them that are to be ordered ¶ The Oath of the Kings Soveraignty I A. B. do utterly testifie and declare in my conscience that the Kings Highness is the only supreme Governour of this Realm and of all other his Highness Dominions and Countries as well in all spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or causes as temporal and that no foreign Prince Person Prelate State or Potentate hath or ought to have any jurisdiction power superiority pre-eminence or authority Ecclesiastical or spiritual within this Realm and therefore I do utterly renounce and forsake all foreign jurisdictions powers superiorities and au horities and do promise that from henceforth I shall bear faith and true Allegiance to the Kings Highness his heirs and lawful successours and to my power shall assist and
the Government established for causes Ecclesiastical within her Majesties Dominions have devised written printed or caused to be seditiously and secretly published and dispersed sundry schismatical and seditious Books diffamatory Libels and other phantastical writings amongst her Majesties subjects containing in them Doctrine very erroneous and other matters notoriously untrue and slanderous to the State and against the godly reformation of Religion and Government Ecclesiastical established by Law and so quietly of long time continued and also against the persons of Bishops and others placed in authority Ecclesiastical under her Highness by her authority in railing sort and beyond the bounds of all good humanity All which Books Libels and Writings tend by their scope to persuade and bring in a monstrous and apparent dangerous Innovation within her Dominions and Countries of all manner of Ecclesiastical Government now in use and to the abridging or rather to the overthrow of her Highness lawful Prerogative allowed by Gods Law and established by the Laws of the Realm and consequently to reverse dissolve and set at Liberty the present Government of the Church and to make a dangerous change of the form of Doctrine and use of Divine Service of God and the ministration of the Sacraments now also in use with a rash and malicious purpose also to dissolve the Estate of the Prelacy being one of the three ancient Estates of this Realm under her Highness whereof her Majesty mindeth to have such reverend regard as to their places in the Church and Common wealth appertaineth All which said lewd and seditious practises do directly tend to the manifest wilful breach of great number of good Laws and Statutes of this Realm inconveniences nothing regarded by such Innovations In consideration whereof her Highness graciously minding to provide some good and speedy remedy to withstand such notable dangerous and ungodly attempts and for that purpose to have such enormous male factors discovered and condignly punished doth signifie this her Highness misliking and indignation of such dangerous and wicked enterprises and for that purpose doth hereby will and also straightly charge and command that all persons whatsoever within any her Majesties Realms and Dominions who have or hereafter shall have any of the said seditious Books Pamphlets Libels or Writings or any of like nature already published or hereafter to be published in his or their custody containing such matters as above are mentioned against the present Order and Government of the Church of England or the lawful Ministers thereof or against the Rites and Ceremonies used in the Church and allowed by the Laws of the Realm That they and every of them do presently after with convenient speed bring in and deliver up the same unto the Ordinary of the Diocess or of the place where they inhabit to the intent they may be utterly defaced by the said Ordinary or otherwise used by them And that from henceforth no person or persons whatsoever be so hardy as to write contrive print or cause to be published or distributed or to keep any of the same or any other Books Libels or Writings of like nature and quality contrary to the true meaning and intent of this her Majesties Proclamation And likewise that no man hereafter give any instruction direction favour or assistance to the contriving writing printing publishing or dispersing of the same or such like Books Libels or Writings whatsoever as they tender her Majesties good favour will avoid her high displeasure and as they will answer the contrary at their uttermost perils and upon such pains and penalties as by the Law any way may be inflicted upon the offenders in any of these behalfs as persons maintaining such seditious actions which her Majesty mindeth to have severely executed And if any person have had knowledge of the Authors Writers Printers or despersers thereof which shall within one month after the publicacyon hereof discover the same to the Ordinary of the place where he had such knowledg or to any of her Majesties Privy Council the same person shall not for his former concealment be hereafter molested or troubled Given at her Majesties Palace at Westminster the xiii of February 1588. In the xxxi year of her Highness Reign God Save the Queen Imprinted at London by the Deputies of Christopher Barker Printer to the Queens Most Excellent Majesty 1588. ARTICLES To be Enquired in the VISITATION IN THE First year of the Reign of our most dread Soveraign Lady ELIZABETH By the Grace of God Of England France and Ireland QUEEN Defender of the Faith Anno Domini 1559. Articles c. Anno 1559. FIrst Whether any Parson Residency Vicar or Curate be resident continually upon his Benefice doing his duty in preaching reading and duly ministring the holy Sacraments Item False miracles Whether in their Churches and Chappels all Images Shrines all Tables Candlesticks Trindals and Rolls of Wax Pictures Paintings and all oher monuments of feigned and false Miracles Pilgrimages Idolatry and Superstition be removed abolished and destroyed Item Whether they do not every holy-day The Lords prayer when they have no Sermon immediately after the Gospel openly plainly and distinctly recite to their Parishioners in the Pulpit the Lords Prayer the Belief and the Ten Commandments in English Item Whether they do charge Fathers and Mothers To bring up youth Masters and Governors of Youth to bring them up in some vertuous study and occupation Item Curates Whether such beneficed men as be lawfully absent from their Benefices do leave their Cures to a rude and unlearned person and not to an honest well-learned and expert Curate which can and will teach you wholsom Doctrine Item Whether they do discourage any person from reading of any part of the Bible either in Latine or English Reading the Scriptures and do not rather comfort and exhort every person to read the same at convenient times as the very lively word of God and the sPecial food of mans soul Item Whether Parsons Vicars Taverns and games Curates and other Ministers be common haunters and resorters to Taverns or Ale-houses giving themselves to drinking rioting and playing at unlawful games and do not occupy themselves in the reading or hearing of some part of the holy Scripture or in some other godly exercise Item Preachers Whether they have admitted any man to preach in their Cures not being lawfully licensed thereunto or have been licensed accordingly Item Whether they use to declare to their Parishioners any thing to the extolling or setting forth of vain and usperstitious Religion Pilgrimages Relicks or Images Superstition or lighting of Candles kissing kneeling or decking of the same Images Register Item Whether they have one Book or Register kept wherein they write the day of every Wedding Christning and Burying Obedience Item Whether they have exhorted the people to obedience to the Queens Majesty and Ministers and to charity and love one to another The Sacrament
17. which is to be understood mystically also of death spiritual by Excommunication by being cut off from the living body of Christ's Church It being thus cleared by reason and Gods own Rule that such power is necessary for preserving peace and unity it cannot be imagined with reason that our great Master should deny his dear-bought Body such necessaries But not to rest upon the reason why they should be given it may be made to appear that de facto He hath given such power to the Church and that by reciting his gracious Commissions granted to the Church with his Apostles practice and exercise of those powers who best knowing their Lords will and pleasure must be by their practice the best Interpreters of his mind and meaning See then how read we For the power of Jurisdiction we find a large Commission St. John 20. As my Father sent me so send I you and one particular of Jurisdiction there expressed Whosoever sins you bind in Earth they are bound in Heaven a sharp and dreadful sentence worse than that of the sword by so much as the death of the Soul is worse than the death of the Body which in obstinate despisers of that correction doth too certainly follow This power of spiritual censures St. Paul calls the rod of discipline 1 Cor. 4. ult By vertue of this Power and Commission St. Paul delivers the incestuous Corinthian to Satan and casts him out of the Churches Communion 1 Cor 5. And the same St. Paul not only exercises this Jurisdiction himself but also directs his Son Bishop Timothy how to behave himself in the Ordering of these Church-censures 1 Tim. 5.19 not to receive an accusation against a Presbyter under two or three witnesses and when he hath heard to rebuke or censure as the cause requires without partiality or leaning to either side all which speak plainly a Tribunal erected in the Church and acknowledged by the Apostle enough to prove the power of Jurisdiction Then the Legislative of making Laws and Constitutions for regulating manners and determining doubts and controversies it cannot with reason be denied to be granted in that large Commission forecited St. John 20. As my father sent me so send I you For here committing the Government of the Church to his Apostles our Lord Commissions them with the same power that was committed to him for that purpose when he was on earth with the same necessary standing power that he had and exercised as Man for the good of the Church Less cannot in reason be thought to be here granted than all power necessary for the well and peaceable Government of the Church and such a power is this of making Laws this is a Commission in general for making Laws then in particular for making Articles and decisions of Doctrines controverted the power is more explicit and express St. Matth. 28. All power is given to me go therefore and teach all nations that is with Authority and by vertue of that power that is given to me And what is it to teach the truth with Authority but to command and oblige all people to receive the truth so taught And this power was not given to the Apostles persons only for Christ there promised to be with them in that Office to the end ef the world that is to them and their Successors in that Pastoral Office to the Apostles or Bishops that should succeed them to the end of the World This will appear still more clear by St. Paul Heb. 13. where after he had commanded them not to be carried about with divers and strange Doctrines he prescribes this as the preservative against such errors and inconstancy Obey them that have the oversight over you and watch for your souls obey them in the guidance and conduct of your souls in their determinations and decisions about such divers and strange Doctrine all which supposes in those Guides a power to govern and rule us in such doubts and controversies about Doctrines and matters of belief an authority to determine in Controversies of Faith as our Church teaches in her twentieth Article Add to this that St. Paul tells us 1 Tim. 3.15 that the Church is the ground and pillar of Truth And whither then should we go in doubts and controversies for the determination of what is truth but to the ground and pillar of truth For the clearer understanding of this power in the Church know that to this one holy Church our Lord committed in trust the most holy Faith and the whole stock of necessary Christian truth therefore called the ground and pillar of truth This truth she must endeavor to preserve as by stopping the mouths of obstinate gainsayers so by guiding and governing the meek but weak doubters into the truth by determining their doubts and controversies Not that the Church can make Articles of Faith and obtrude them upon the members but that she may and must if the true sense of Faith and holy Scriptures be called in question declare and determine what that sense is which she hath received in trust from Christ and his Apostles commanding under penalties and censures all her children to receive that sense and to profess it in such expressive words and form as may directly determine the doubt Thus she did in the great NICENE Council venerable over all the Christian World when the Arrians had perverted by subtil controversies and questions the true sense of the Creed concerning our Saviors Divinity she first declared what sense of the Creed she had received by constant tradition from the Apostles and then enjoined all Christians to profess that sense by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same substance with the Father a word directly determining the controversie in hand Nor did the Christian World ever questian her Authority in this particular And in contriversies about Doctrines where she hath received no such clear determination of either part from Christ and his Apostles she hath power to declare her own sense in the controversie and to determine which part shall be received and prefest for truth by her members and that too under Ecclesiastical penalty and censure which they accordingly are bound to submit to not as an infallible verity but as a probable truth and rest in her determination till it be made plain by as great or a greater Authority that this her determination is an error and if it shall appear to any of the Members to be an errour or if they shall think it so to be by the weight of such reasons as are privately suggested to them yet are they still obliged to silence and peace where the decision of a particular Church is against the Doctrine of the Vniversal not to profess in this case against the Churches determination because the professing of such a controverted truth is not necessary but the preservation of the peace and unity of the Church is This is not to assert Infallibility in the Church but Authority The
any shall sell or utter any manner of Books and Papers being not licensed as is abovesaid that the same party shall be punished by order of the said Commissioners as to the quality of the fault shall be thought meet And touching all other Books of matters of Religion or Policy or Governance that have been printed either on this side the Seas or on the other side because the diversity of them is great and that there needeth good consideration to be had of the particularities thereof her Majesty referreth the prohibition or remission thereof to the order which her said Commissioners within the City of London shall take and notifie According to the which her Majesty straightly chargeth and commandeth all manner of her Subjects and especially the Wardens and Company of Stationers to be obedient Provided that these Orders do not extend to any prophane Authors and Works in any Language that have been heretofore commonly received or allowed in any of the Vniversities and Schools but the same may be printed used as by good order they were accustomed 52. Item Although Almighty God is all times to be honoured with all manner of reverence that may be devised Reverence of prayers yet of all other times in time of Common-prayer the same is most to be regarded Therefore it is to be necessarily received that in time of the Letany and all other Collects and common supplications to Almighty God all manner of people shall devoutly and humbly kneel upon their knees and give ear thereunto Honor to the Name of Jesus and that whensoever the Name of Iesus shall be in any Lesson Sermon or otherwise in the Church pronounced that due reverence be made of all persons young and old with lowness of courtesie and uncovering of heads of the menkind as thereunto doth necessarily belong and heretofore hath been accustomed 53. Item That all Ministers and Readers of publick Prayers Curates to read distinctly Chapters and Homilies shall be charged to read leisurely plainly and distinctly and also such as are but mean Readers shall peruse over before once or twice the Chapters and Homilies to the intent they may read to the better understanding of the people the more encouragement to godliness An Admonition to simple men deceived by malicious THe Queens Majesty being informed that in certain places of the Realm sundry of her native Subjects being called to Ecclesiastical Ministery of the Church be by sinister perswasion and perverse construction induced to find some scruple in the form of an Oath which by an Act of the last Parliament is prescribed to be required of divers persons for their recognition of their Allegeance to her Majesty which certainly never was ever meant nor by any equity of words or good sense can be thereof gathered would that all her loving Subjects should understand that nothing was is or shall be meant or intended by the same Oath to have any other duty allegeance or bond required by the same Oath than was acknowledged to be due to the most noble Kings of famous memory King Henry the eighth her Majesties Father or King Edward the sixth her Majesties Brother And further her Majesty forbiddeth all manner her Subjects to give ear or credit to such perverse and malicious persons which most sinisterly and maliciously labor to notifie to her loving Subjects how by words of the said Oath it may be collected that the Kings or Queens of this Realm possessors of the Crown may challenge authority and power of Ministery of divine service in the Church wherein her said Subjects be much abused by such evil disposed persons For certainly her Majesty neither doth nor ever will challenge any authority than that was challenged and lately used by the said noble Kings of famous memory King Henry the eighth and King Edward the sixth which is and was of ancient time due to the Imperial Crown of this Realm that is under God to have the Soveraignty and rule over all manner of persons born within these her Realms Dominions and Countries of what estate either Ecclesiastical or Temporal soever they be so as no other forreign power shall or ought to have any superiority over them And if any person that hath conceived any other sense of the form of the said Oath shall accept the same Oath with this interpretation sense or meaning her Majesty is well pleased to accept every such in that behalf as her good and obedient Subjects and shall acquit them of all manner of penalties contained in the said Act against such as shall peremptorily or obstinately take the same Oath For Tables in the Church WHereas her Majesty understandeth that in many and sundry parts of the Realm the Altars of the Churches be removed and Tables placed for the administration of the holy Sacrament according to the form of the Law therefore provided and in some other places the Altars be not yet removed upon opinion conceived of some other order therein to be taken by her Majesties Visitors In the other whereof saving for an uniformity there seemeth no matter of great moment so that the Sacrament be duly reverently ministred Yet for observation of one uniformity through the whole Realm and for the better imitation of the Law in that behalf it is ordered that no Altar be taken down but by oversight of the Curate of the Church and the Church-wardens or one of them at the least wherein no riotous or disordered manner be used And that the holy Table in every Church be decently made and set in the place where the Altar stood and there commonly covered as thereto belongeth and as shall be appointed by the Visitors and so to stand saving when the Communion of the Sacrament is to be distributed at which time the same shall be so placed in good sort within the Chancel as whereby the Minister may be more conveniently heard of the Communicants in his prayer and ministration and the Communicants also more conveniently and in more number Communicate with the said Minister And after the Communion done from time to time the same holy Table to be placed where it stood before The Sacramental bread Item Where also it was in the time of King Edward the sixth used to have the Sacramental bread of common fine bread it is ordered for the more reverence to be given to this holy mysteries being the Sacramencs of the body and blood of our Saviour Iesus Christ that the said Sacramental bread be made and formed plain without any figure thereupon of the same fineness and fashion round though somewhat bigger in compass and thickness as the usual bread and water heretofore named singing Cakes which served for the use of the private Mass The form of bidding the Prayers to be used generally in this uniform sort YE shall pray for Christs holy Catholick Church that is for the whole Congregation of Christian people dispersed throughout the whole world and especially for the Church of England
in Reg. Edward 9. Artic. cannot put away our sins and endure the severity of Gods judgment yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively faith insomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known as a tree discerned by the fruit 13. Of Works before Justification WOrks done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of this Spirit are not pleasant to God forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Iesu Christ neither do they make men meet to receive grace or as the School-Authors say deserve grace of Congruity yea rather for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done we doubt not but they have the nature of sin 14. Of Works of Supererogation VOluntary Works besides over and above Gods Commandments which they call works of Supererogation cannot be taught without arrogancy and iniquity For by them men do declare that they do not only render unto God as much as they are bound to do but that they do more for his sake than of bounden duty is required whereas Christ saith plainly When ye have done all that are commanded to you say We are unprofitable servants 15. Of Christ alone without sin CHrist in the truth of our nature was made like unto us in all things sin only excepted from which he was clearly void both in his flesh and in his Spirit He came to be a Lamb without spot who by sacrifice of himself once made should take away the sins of the World and sin as S. John saith was not in him But all we the rest although baptised and if born again in Christ yet offend in many things and if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Blasphemia in Spiritum Sanctum EST cum quis Verborum Dei manifestè perceptam veritatem ex malitia obfirmatione animi convitiis insectatur hostiliter insequitur Atque hujusmodi quia maledicto sunt obnoxii gravissimo sese astringunt scelere unde peccati hoc genus irremissibile à Domino appellatur affirmatur Artic. 16. Edward 6. 16. Of sin after Baptism NOt every deadly sin willingly committed after Baptism is sin against the holy Ghost and unpardonable Wherefore the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after Baptism After we have received the holy Ghost we may depart from grace given and fall into sin and by the grace of God we may arise again and amend our lives And therefore they are to be condemned which say they can no more sin as long as they live here to deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent 17. Of Predestination and Election PRedestination to life is the everlasting purpose of God whereby before the foundations of the world were laid he hath constantly decreed by his counsel secret to us to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation as vessels made to honour Wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God be called according to Gods purpose by his Spirit working in due season they through grace obey the calling they be justified freely they be made Sons of God by adoption they be made like the Image of his only begotten Son Iesus Christ they walk religiously in good works and at length by Gods mercy they attain to everlasting felicity As the godly consideration of Predestination and our Election in Christ is full of sweet pleasant and unspeakable comfort to godly persons and such as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ mortifying the works of the flesh and their earthly members and drawing up their mind to high and heavenly things as well because it doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal salvation to be enjoyed through Christ as because it doth frequently kindle their love towards God so for curious and carnal persons lacking the Spirit of Christ to have continually before their eyes the sentence of Gods Predestination is a most dangerous downfal whereby the Devil doth thrust them either into desperation or into wretchlesness of most unclean living no less perilous than desperation Furthermore we must receive Gods promises in such wise as they be generally set forth to us in holy Scripture and in our doings that will of God is to be followed which we have expresly declared unto us in the word of God Omnes obligantur ad moralia legis praecepta servanda LEx à Deo data per Mosen licet quoad ceremonias ritus Christianos non astringat neque civilia eis praecepta in aliqua Repub. necessario recipi debeant nihilominus ab obedientia mandatorum quae moralia vocantur nullus quantumvis Christianus est solutus quare illi non sunt audiendi qui sacras literas tantum infirmis datas esse perhibent spiritum perpetuo jactant à quo sibi quae praedicant suggeri asserunt quamquam cum S. Scripturis apertissime pugnent Art Edward 6.19 18. Of obtaining eternal Salvation only by the Name of Christ THey also are to be had accursed that presume to say that every man shall be saved by the Law or Sect which he professeth so that he be diligent to frame his life according to that aw and the light of nature For holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the Name of Iesus Christ whereby men must be saved 19. Of the Church THe visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of faithful men in which the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacramencs be duly ministred according to Christs Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same As the Church of Jerusalem Alexandria and Antioch have erred So also the Church of Rome hath erred not only in their living and manner of Ceremonies but also in matters of faith 20. Of the Authority of the Church THe Church hath power to decree Rites or Ceremonies authority in Controversies of Faith And yet it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to Gods Word written neither may it so expound one place of Scripture that it be repugnant to another Wherefore although the Church be a witness and a keeper of holy Writ yet as it ought not to decree any thing against the same so besides the same ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of salvation 21. Of the Authority of General Councils GEneral Councils may not be gathered together without the commandment and will of Princes And when they be gathered together forasmuch as they be an Assembly of men whereof all be not governed with the Spirit and word of God they may erre and sometime have erred even in things pertaining unto God Wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to salvation
Christ once made is that perfect redemption propitiation and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world both original and actual and there is none other satisfaction for sin but that alone Wherefore the sacrifices of Masses in the which it was commonly said that the Priest did offer Christ for the quick and the dead to have remission of pain and guilt were blasphemous fables and dangerous deceits 32. Of the marriage of Priests BIshops Priests and Deacons are not commanded by Gods Law Non habentur haec notata in R. Edv. 6. Artic. either to vow the estate of single life or to abstain from marriage Therefore it is lawful also for them as for all other Christian men to marry at their own discretion as they shall judge the same to serve better to godliness 33. Of excommunicate persons how they are to be avoided THat person which by open denunciation of the Church is rightly cut off from the unity of the Church and Excommunicate ought to be taken of the whole multitude of the faithful as an Heathen and Publican until he be openly reconciled by penance and received into the Church by a Iudge that hath authority thereunto 34. Of the Traditions of the Church IT is not necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies be in all places one or utterly like for at all times they have been divers and may be changed according to the diversity of Countries and mens manners so that nothing be ordained against Gods Word Whosoever through his private judgment willingly and purposely doth openly break the Traditions and Ceremonies of the Church which be not repugnant to the Word of God and be ordained and approved by common authority ought to be rebuked openly that other may fear to do the like as one that offendeth against the common order of the Church and hurteth the Authority of the Magistrate and woundeth the consciences of weak brethren Non habentur haec notata in Edv. 6. Artic. Every particular or national Church hath authority to ordain change and abolish Ceremonies or Rites of the Church ordained only by mens authority so that all things be done to edifying 35. †Homiliae nuper Ecclesiae Anglicanae per injunctiones Regias editae atque commendatae piae sunt atque salutares doctrinamque ab omnibus amplectendam continent Of Homilies THe second Book of Homilies the several titles whereof we have joyned under this Article doth contain a godly and wholsom Doctrine necessary for these times as doth the former Book of Homilies which were set forth in the time of Edward the sixth and therefore we judge them to be read in Churches by the Ministers diligently and distinctly that they may be understanded of the people Of the Names of the Homilies 1 OF the right use of the Church 2 Against peril of Idolatry 3 Of Repairing and keeping clean of Churches 4 Of good works first of Fasting 5 Against gluttony and drunkenness 6 Against excess of apparel 7 Of Prayer 8 Of the place and time of Prayer 9 That common Prayers and Sacraments ought to be ministred in a known Tongue 10 Of the reverent estimation of Gods Word 11 Of â—lms doing 12 Of the Nativity of Christ 13 Of the Passion of Christ 14 Of the Resurrection of Christ 15 Of the worthy receiving of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ 16 Of the gifts of the holy Ghost 17 For the Rogation-days 18 Of the state of Matrimony 19 Of Repentance 20 Against Idleness 21 Against Rebellion De libro precationum ceremoniarum Ecclesiae Anglicanae LIber qui nuperrime authoritate Regis Parliamenti Ecclesiae Anglicanae traditus est continens modum formam orandi Sacramenta administrandi in Ecclesiâ Anglicanâ similiter libellus eadem authoritate editus de ordinatione ministrorum Ecclesiae quoad doctrinae veritatem pii sunt salutari doctrinae Evangelii in nullo repugnant sed congruunt eandem non parum promovent illustrant atque ideo ab omnibus Ecclesiae Anglicanae fidelibus membris à maximè ministris verbi cum omni prompitudine animorum gratiarum actione recipiendi approbandi populo Dei commendandi sunt Artic. R. Edvard 6. 36. Of Consecration of Bishops and Ministers THe Book of Consecration of Archbishops and Bishops and ordering of Priests and Deacons lately set forth in the time of Edward the sixth and confirmed at the same time by Authority of Parliament doth contain all things necessary to such Consecration and ordering neither hath it any thing that of it self is superstitious and ungodly And therefore whosoever are consecrated or ordered according the Rites of that Book since the second year of the aforenamed King Edward unto this time or hereafter shall be consecrated or ordered according to the same Rites we decree all such to be rightly orderly and lawfully consecrated and ordered 37. Of Civil Magistrates Rex Angliae est supremum caput in terris post Christum Ecclesiae Anglicanae Hiberniae Artic Edv. 6. Haec notata non habentur in Artic. Edvard 6. THe Queens Majesty hath the chief power in this Realm of England and other her Dominions unto whom the chief Government of all estates of this Realm whether they be Ecclesiastical or Civil in all causes doth appertain and is not nor ought to be subject to any foreign Iurisdiction Where we attribute to the Queens Majesty the chief Government by which titles we understand the minds of some dangerous folks to be offended we give not our Princes the ministring either of Gods word or of the Sacraments the which thing the Injunctions also set forth by Elizabeth our Queen do most plainly testifie but that only prerogative which we see to have been given always to all godly Princes in holy Scriptures by God himself that is that they should rule all estates and degrees committed to their charge by God whether they be Ecclesiastical or Temporal and restrain with the civil sword the stubborn and evil doers The Bishop of Rome hath no Iurisdiction in this Realm of England Magistratus civilis est à Deo ordinatus atque probitus quamobrem illi non solum propter iram sed etiam propter conscientiam obediendum est Artic. R. Ed. 6. The Laws of the Realm may punish Christian men with death for heinous and grievous offences It is lawful for Christian men at the commandment of the Magistrate to wear weapons and serve in lawful wars 38. Of Christian mens Goods which are not common THe Riches and Goods of Christians are not common as touching the right title and possession of the same as certain Anabaptists do falsly boast Notwithstanding every man ought of such things as he possesseth liberally to give alms to the poor according to his ability 39. Of a Christian mans Oath AS we confess that vain and rash swearing is forbidden Christian men by our Lord Iesus Christ and James his Apostle So we judge
Gowns of the fashion aforesaid and Caps as afore is prescribed Item That all poor Parsons Vicars and Curates do endeavor themselves to conform their apparel in like sort so soon and as conveniently as their ability will serve to the same Provided that their ability be judged by the Bishop of the Diocess And if their ability will not suffer to buy them long Gowns of the form afore prescribed that then they shall wear their short Gowns agreeable to the form before expressed Item That all such persons as have been or be Ecclesiastical and serve not the Ministery or have not accepted or shall refuse to accept the Oath of obedience to the Queens Majesty do from henceforth abroad wear none of the said apparel of the form and fashion aforesaid but to go as meer lay-men till they be reconciled to obedience and who shall obstinately refuse to do the same that they be presented by the Ordinary to the Commissioners in causes Ecclesiastical and by them to be reformed accordingly Protestations to be made promised and subscribed by them that shaâ—l hereafter be admitted to any Office Room or Cure in any Church or other place Ecclesiastical INprimis I shall not preach or publickly interpret but only read that which is apppointed by publick Authority without special license of the Bishop under his Seal I shall read the Service appointed plainly distinctly and audibly that all the people may hear and understand I shall keep the Register-book according to the Queens Majesties Injunctions I shall use sobriety in apparel and specially in the Church at common prayers according to order appointed I shall move the Parishioners to quiet and concord and not give them cause of offence and shall help to reconcile them which be at variance to my uttermost power I shall read daily at the least one Chapter of the Old Testament and another of the New with good advisement to the increase of my knowledge I do also faithfully promise in my person to use and exercise my office and place to the honor of God to the quiet of the Queens subjects within my charge in truth concord and unity And also to observe keep and maintain such order and uniformity in all external Policy Rites and Ceremonies of the Church as by the Laws good Vsages and Orders are already well provided and established I shall not openly intermeddle with any Artificers occupations as covetously to seek a gain thereby having in Ecclesiastical Living to the sum of twenty nobles or above by year Agreed upon and subscribed by Matthaeus Cantuariensis Commissioners in Causes Ecclesiastical Edmondus Londoniensis Commissioners in Causes Ecclesiastical Richardus Eliensis Commissioners in Causes Ecclesiastical Edmondus Roffensis Commissioners in Causes Ecclesiastical Robertus Wintoniensis Nicholus Lincolniensis With others Imprinted at London by Reginald Wolfe The Oaths of Allegiance Supremacy and Canonical Obedience The Oath of Allegiance I A. B. Do truly and sincerely acknowledge profess testifie and declare in my Conscience before God and the World That our Soveraign Lord King CHARLES is lawful and rightful King of this Realm and of all other his Majesties Dominions and Countries And that the Pope neither of himself nor by any Authority of the Church or Sea of Rome or by any other means with any other hath any Power or Authority to depose the King or to dispose any of his Majesties Kingdoms or Dominions or to authorize any Foreign Prince to invade or annoy him or his Countries or to discharge any of his Subjects of their Allegiance and Obedience to his Majesty or to give license or leave to any of them to bear Arms raise Tumults or to offer any violence or hurt to his Majesties Royal Person State or Government or to any of his Majesties Subjects within his Majesties Dominions Also I do swear from my heart that notwithstanding any Declaration or sentence of Excommunication or Deprivatition made or granted or to be made or granted by the Pope or his Successours or by any Authority derived or pretended to be derived from him or his Sea against the said King his Heirs or Successours or any Absolution of the said Subjects from their Obedience I will bear faith and true Allegiance to his Majesty his heirs and Successours and him and them will defend to the uttermost of my power against all Conspiracies and attempts whatsoever which shall be made against his or their Persons their Crown and Dignity by reason or colour of any such Sentence or Declaration or otherwise and will do my best endeavour to disclose and make known unto his Majesty his Heirs and Successours all Treasons and Traiterous Conspiracies which I shall know or hear of to be against him or any of them And I do further swear That I do from my heart abhor detest and abjure as impious and heretical this damnable Doctrine and Position that Princes which be excommunicated or deprived by the Pope may be deposed or murthered by their Subjects or any other whatsoever And I do believe and in Conscience am resolved That neither the Pope nor any person whatsoever hath power to absolve me of this Oath or any part thereof which I acknowledge by good and full Authority to be lawfully administred unto me and do renounce all Pardons and Dispensations to the contrary And all these things I do plainly and sincerely acknowledge and swear according to these express words by me spoken and according to the plain and common sense and understanding of the same words without any equivocation or mental evasion or secret reservation whatsoever And I do make this Recognition and acknowledgment heartily willingly and truly upon the true faith of a Christian So help me God c. The Oath of Supremacy I A. B. Do utterly testifie and declare in my conscience That the Kings Highness is the only supreme Governor of this Realm and of all other his Highness Dominions and Countries as well in all Spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or causes as Temporal And that no Foraign Prince Person Prelate State or Potentate hath or ought to have any Jurisdiction Power Superiority Pre-eminence or Authority Ecclesiastical or Spiritual within this Realm And therefore I do utterly renounce and forsake all Foraign Jurisdictions Powers Superiorities and Authorities and do promise from henceforth I shall bear faith and true Allegiance to the Kings Highness his Heirs and lawful Successours and to my power shall assist and defend all Jurisdictions Priviledges Pre-eminences and Authorities granted or belonging to the Kings Highness his Heirs and Successours or united and annexed to the Imperial Crown of this Realm So help me God and the Contents of this Book The Oath of Simony I A. B. Do swear that I have made no Simoniacal payment contract or promise directly or indirectly by my self or by any other to my knowledge or with my consent to any person or persons whatsoever for or concerning the procuring or obtaining of the R. or V. of A. in
the Diocess of London Nor will at any time hereafter perform or satisfie any such kind of payment contract or promise made by any other without my knowledge or consent So help me God through Jesus Christ Juramentum de Canonica Obedientia EGo A. B juro quod praestabo veram Canonicam Obedientiam Episcopo Londinensi ejusque successoribus in omnibus Licitis honestis Sic me Deus adjuvet Juramentum de continuâ Residentiâ in Vicariâ EGo A. B. juro Quod ero residens in Vicariâ meâ nisi aliter dispensatum fuerit à Diocesano meo By the KING A Proclamation declaring that the proceedings of his Majesties Ecclesiastical Courts and Ministers are according to the Laws of the Realm WHereas in some of the Libellous Books and Pamphlets lately published the most Reverend Father in God the Lord Archbishop and Bishops of this Realm are said to have usurped upon his Majesties Prerogative Royal and to have proceeded in the high Commission and other Ecclesiastical Courts contrary to the Laws and Statutes of this Realm It was ordered by his Majesties high Court of Star-Chamber the twelfth day of June last that the opinion of the two Lords chief Justices the Lord chief Baron and the rest of the Judges and Barons should be had and certified in those particulars viz. Whether Processes may not issue out of the Ecclesiastical Courts in the Name of the Bishops Whether a Patent under the great Seal be necessary for the keeping of the Ecclesiastical Courts and enabling Citations Suspensions Excommunications and other censures of the Church And whether Citations ought to be in the Kings Name and under his Seal of Arms and the like for Institutions and Inductions to Benefices and Correction of Ecclesiastical offences Whether Bishops Arch-Deacons and other Ecclesiastical persons may or ought to keep any Visitation at any time unless they have express Commission or Patent under the great Seal of England to do it and that as his Majesties Visitors only and in his name and right alone Whereupon his Majesties said Judges having taken the same into their serious consideration did unanimously concur and agree in opinion and the first day of July last certified under their hands as followeth That Processes may issue out of the Ecclesiastical Courts in the name of the Bishops and that a Patent under the great Seal is not necessary for the keeping of the said Ecclesiastical Courts or for enabling of Citations Suspensions Excommunications and other censures of the Church And that it is not necessary that Summons Citations or other Processes Ecclesiastical in the said Courts or Institutions or Inductions to Benefices or correction of Ecclesiastical offences by censure in those Courts be in the Kings name or with the style of the King or under the Kings Seal or that their Seals of office have in them the Kings Arms And that the Statute of Primo Edvardi sexti cap. secundo which enacted the contrary is not now in force And that the Bishops Arch-Deacons and other Ecclesiastical persons may keep their Visitations as usally they have done without Commission under the great Seal of England so to do Which Opinions and Resolutions being declared under the hands of all his Majesties said Judges and so certified into his Court of Star-chamber were there recorded And it was by that Court further ordered the fourth day of the said month of July that the said Certificate should be enrolled in all other his Majesties Courts at Westminster and in the High Commission and other Ecclesiastical Courts for the satisfaction of all men that the proceedings in the High Commission and other Ecclesiastical Courts are agreeable to the Laws and Statutes of the Realm And his Royal Majesty hath thought fit with advice of his Council that a publick Declaration of these the Opinions and Resolutions of his Reverend and Learned Judges being agreeable to the Judgment and Resolutions of former times should be made known to all his Subjects as well to vindicate the legal proceedings of his Ecclesiastical Courts and Ministers from the unjust and scandalous imputation of invading or entrenching on his Royal Prerogative as to settle the minds and stop the mouths of all unquiet spirits that for the future they presume not to censure his Ecclesiastical Courts or Ministers in these their just and warrantable proceedings And hereof his Majesty admonisheth all his Subjects to take warning and as they shall answer the contrary at their perils Given at the Court at Lyndhurst the 18 day of August in the 13 year of his Majesties Reign God save the KING Imprinted at London by Robert Barker Printer to the Kings Most Excellent Majesty and by the Assigns of John Bill MDCXXXVII THE FORM and MANNER OF Making and Consecrating Bishops Priests AND DEACONS According to the Appointment of the CHURCH OF England LONDON Printed by Bonham Norton and John Bill Printers to the Kings Most Excellent Majesty 1629. The PREFACE IT is evident unto all men diligently reading holy Scripture and ancient Authors that from the Apostles time there hath been these Orders of Ministers in Christs Church Bishops Priests and Deacons which Offices were evermore had in such reverent estimation that no man by his own private authority might presume to execute any of them except he were first called tried examined and known to have such qualities as were requisite for the same and also by publick prayer with imposition of hand approved and admitted thereunto And therefore to the intent these Orders should be continued and reverently used and esteemed in this Church of England it is requisite that no man not being at this present Bishop Priest nor Deacon shall execute any of them except he be called tried examined and admitted according to the form hereafter following And none shall be admitted a Deacon except he be twenty one years of age at the least And every man which is to be admitted a Priest shall be full four and twenty years old And every man which is to be consecrated a Bishop shall be fully thirty years of age And the Bishop knowing either by himself or by sufficient testimony any person to be a man of vertuous conversation and without crâ—me and after examination and trial finding him learned in the Latine Tongue and sufficiently instructed in holy Scripture may upon a Sunday or Holy-day in the face of the Church admit him a Deacon in such manner and form as hereafter followeth The form and manner of Ordering DEACONS FIrst When the day appointed by the Bishop is come there shall be an Exhortation declaring the duty and office of such as come to be admitted Ministers how necessary such Orders are in the Church of Christ and also how the people ought to esteem them in their Vocation After the Exhortation ended the Archdeacon or his Deputy shall present such as shall come to the Bishop to be admitted saying these words REverend Father in God I present unto you these persons present
defend all jurisdictions priviledges pre-eminences and authorities granted or belonging to the Kings Highness his heirs and successours or united and annexed to the Imperial Crown of this Realm So help me God and the contents of this Book Then shall the Bishop examine every one of them that are to be ordered in the presence of the people after this manner following DO you trust that you are inwardly moved by the holy Ghost to take upon you this office and ministration to serve God for the promoting of his glory and the edifying of his people Answer I trust so The Bishop DO you think that ye be truly called according to the Will of the Lord Iâ—sus Christ and the due Order of this Realm to the Ministry of the Church Answer I think so The Bishop DO you unfeignedly believe all the Canonical Scriptures of the Old and new Testament Answeâ— I do believe The Bishop WIâ—l you diligently read the same unto the people assembled in the Church where you shall be appointed to serve Answer I will The Bishop IT appertaineth to the office of a Deacon in the Church where he shall be appointed to assist the Priest in Divine Service and specially when he ministreth the holy Communion and to help him in distribution thereof and to read holy Scriptures and Homilies in the Congregation and to instruct the youth in the Catechism to Baptize and to Preach if he be admitted thereto by the Bishop And furthermore it is his office where provision is so made to search for the sick poor and impotent people of the Parish to intimate their estates names and places where they dwell unto the Curate that by his Exhortation they may be relieved by the Parish or other convenient alms will you do this gladly and willingly Answer I will do so by the help of God The Bishop WIll you apply all your diligence to frame the fashion your own lives and the lives of your family according to the doctrine of Christ and to make both your selves and them as much as in you lieth wholsom examples of the flock of Christ Answer I will do so the Lord being my helper The Bishop WIll you reverently obey your Ordinary and other chief Ministers of the Church and them to whom the government and charge is committed over you following with a glad mind and will their godly admonitions Answer I will endeavor my self the Lord being my helper Then the Bishop laying his hands severally upon the head of every of them shall say Take thou authority to execute the Office of a Deacon in the Church of God committed unto thee In the name of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost Amen Then shall the Bishop deliver to every one of them the New Testament saying Take thou authority to read the Gospel in the Church of God and to preach the same if thou be thereto ordinarily commanded Then one of them appointed by the Bishop shall read the Gospel of that day Then shall the Bishop proceed to the Communion and all that are ordered shall tarry and receive the holy Communion the same day with the Bishop The Communion ended after the last Collect and immediately before the Benediction shall be said this Collect following ALmighty God giver of all good things which of thy great goodness hast vouchsafed to accept and take these thy servants unto the Offices of Deacons in the Church make them we beseech thee O Lord to be modest humble and constant in their ministration to have a ready will to observe all spiritual discipline that they having always the testimony of a good conscience and continuing ever stable and strong in thy Son Christ may so well use themselves in this inferiour office that they may be found worthy to be called unto the higher Ministeries in thy Church through the same thy Son our Saviour Christ to whom be glory and honor world without end Amen And here it must be shewed unto the Deacon that he must continue in that Office of a Deacon the space of a whole year at the least except for reasonable causes it be otherwise seen to his Ordinary to the intent he may be perfect and well expert in the things appertaining to the Ecclesiastical administration in executing whereof if he be found faithful and diligent he may be admitted by his Diocesan to the Order of Priesthood The form of Ordering of Priests When the Exhortation is ended then shall follow the Communion And for the Epistle shall be read out of the twentieth Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles as followeth FRom Miâ—eto Paul sent Messengers to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Congregation which when they were come to him be said unto them Ye know thaâ— from the first day that I came into Ana after what manner I have been with you at all seasons seâ—ving the Lord with all humbleness of mind and with many tears and temptations which happened unto me by the lying in wait of the Iews because I would keep back nothing that was profitable unto you but to shew you and teach you openly throughout every house witnessing bâ—th to the Jews and also to the Greeks the repentance that is toward God and the Faith that is toward our Lord Iesus And now behold I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem not knowing the things that shall come on me there but that the holy Ghost witnesseth in every City saying that bands and trouble abide me But none of these things prove me neither is my life dear unto my self that I might fulfil my course with joy and the ministration of the word which I have received of tâ—e Lord Ie us to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God Aâ—d now behâ—ld I am sure that henceforth ye all thâ—ough whom I â—ave gone preaching the Kingdom of God shall see my face no more Wherefore I take â—oâ— to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men For I have spared no labour but have shewed you all the counsel of God Take heed therefore to your selves and to all the flock among whom the holy Ghost hath made you overseers to rule the Congregation of God which â—e hath purchased with his blood For I am sure of this that after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing â—he flock Moreover of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw disciples after them Therâ—fore awake and remember that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn ev ry one of you night and day with tears And now brethren I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build further and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified I have desired no mans silver gold or vesture Yea you know your selves that these hands have ministred unto my necessities and unto them that were with me I have shewed you all things how that so labouring
necessity to eternal salvation but that you shall be perswaded may be concluded and proved by the Scripture Answer I am so perswaded and have so determined by Gods grace The Bishop WIll you then give your faithful diligence always so to minister the Doctrine and Sacraments and the Discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commanded and as this Realm hath received the same according to the Commandments of God so that you may teach the people committed to your cure and charge with all diligence to keep and observe the same Answer I will do so by the help of the Lord. The Bishop WIll you be ready with all faithful diligence to banish and drive away all erroneous and strange doctrines contrary to Gods Word and to use both publick and private admonitions and exhortations as well to the sick as to the whole within your Cures as need shall require and occasion be given Answer I will the Lord being my helper The Bishop Will you be diligently in prayers and in reading of the holy Scriptures and in such studies as help to the knowledge of the same laying aside the study of the world and the flesh Answer I will endeavor my self so to do the Lord being my helper The Bishop WIll you be diligent to frame and fashion your own selves and your families according to the Doctrine of Christ and to make both your selves and them as much as in you lieth wholsom examples and spectacles to the flock of Christ Answer I will apply my self the Lord being my helper The Bishop WIll you maintain and set forwards as much as in you lieth quietness peace and love among all Christian people and especially among them that are or shall be committed to your charge Answer I will so do the Lord being my helper The Bishop VVIll you reverently obey your Ordinary and other chief Ministers unto whom the government and charge is committed over you following with a glad mind and will their godly admonitions and submitting your selves to their godly judgments Answer I will so do the Lord being my helper Then shall the Bishop say ALmighty God who hath given you this will do all these things grant also unto you strength and power to perform the same that he may accomplish his work which he hath begun in you until the time shall come at the latter day to judge the quick and the dead After this the Congregation shall be desired secretly in their prayers to make humble supplications to God for the foresaid things for the which prayers there shall be a certain space kept in silence That done the Bishop shall pray in this wise ¶ Let us pray ALmighty God and heavenly Father which of thine infinite love and goodness towards us hast given to us thy only and most dearly bloved Son Iesus Christ to be our Redeemer and Author of everlasting life who after he had made perfect our redemption by his death and was ascended into heaven sent abroad into the world his Apostles Prophets Evangelists Doctors and Pastors by whose labour and ministery he gathered together a great flock in all the parts of the World to set forth the eternal praise of thy holy Name For these so great benefits of thy eternal goodness and for that thou hast vouchsafed to call these thy servants here present to the same office and ministry of salvation of mankind we render unto thee most hearty thanks we worship and praise thee and we humbly beseech thee by the same thy Son to grant unto all which either here or elsewhere call upon thy Name that we may shew our selves thankful to thee for these and all other thy benefits and that we may daily increase and go forwards in the knowledge and faith of thee and thy Son by thy holy Spirit So that as well by these thy Ministers as by them to whom they shall be appointed Ministers thy holy Name may be always glorified and thy blessed Kingdom enlarged through the same thy Son our Lord Iesus Christ which liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same holy Spirit world without end Amen When this prayer is done the Bishops with the Priests present shall lay their hands severally upon the head of every one that receiveth Orders the receivers humbly kneeling upon their knees and the Bishop saying REceive the holy Ghost Whose sins thou dost forgive they are forgiven and whose sins thou dost retain they are retained and be thou a faithful dispenser of the Word of God and his holy Sacraments In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Amen The Bishop shall deliver to every one of them the Bible in his hand saying TAke thou authority to preach the Word of God and to minister the holy Sacraments in this Congregation where thou shalt be so appointed When this is done the Congregation shall sing the Creed and also they shall go to the Communion which all they that receive Orders shall take together and remain in the same place where the hands were laid upon them until such time as they received the Communion The Communion being done after the last Collect and immediately before the Bendiction shall be said this Collect. MOst merciful Father we beseech thee to send upon these thy Servants thy heavenly blessing that they may be clad about with justice and that thy Word spoken by their mouths may have such success that it may never be spoken in vain Grant also that we may have grace to hear and receive the same as thy most holy Word and the means of our salvation that in all our words and deeds we may seek thy glory and the increase of thy Kingdom through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen And if the Order of Deacons and Priesthood be given both upon one day then shall all things at the holy Communion be used as they are appointed at the ordering of Priests saving that for the Epistle the whole third Chapter of the first to Timothy shall be read as it is set out before in the order of Priests And immediately after the Epistile the Deacons shall be ordered And it shall suffice the Litany to be said once The form of Consecrating of an Arch-Bishop or Bishop ¶ At the Communion The Epistle THis is a true saying If a man desire the office of a Bishop he desireth an honest work A Bishop therefore must be blameless the husband of one wife diligent sober discreet a keeper of hospitality apt to teach not given to overmuch wine no fighter nor greedy of filthy lucre but gentle abhorring fighting abhorring covetousness one that ruleth well his own house one that hath children in subjection with all reverence For if a man cannot rule his own house how thall he care for the congregation of God He may not be a young Scholar lest he swell and fall into the judgment of the evil speaker He must also have a good report of them which are without lest he fall
graces strayght commaundment to signifie his farther pleasure to all Colleges Religious houses and Curates within theyr diocesse for the publicacyon and also effectual and universal observacion of the same An. 1536. FOr as moch as the nombre of holy-dayes is so excessyuely grown and yet dayly more and more by mens deuocyen yea rather supersticyon was like further to encrease that the same was and sholde be not onely preiudiciall to the common weale by reason that it is occasion as well of moche slouth and ydleness the very nourishe of theues vacaboundes and of dyuers other unthriftynesse and inconuenyences as of decaye of good mysteryes and artes utyle and necessary fort the common welthe and losse of mans fode many tymes beynge clene destroyed through the supersticious obseruance of the said holy-dayes in not taking thoportunitie of good and serene wheather offered upon the same in time of harvest but also pernicyous to the soules of many men whiche beyng entysed by the lycencyous vacacyon and lybertye of those holy-dayes do upon the same commonly vse and practise more excesse ryote and superfluitie than upon any other dayes And sith the Sabboth-day was ordeyned for mans use and therefore ought to gyue place to the necessitie and behove of the same whan soever that shall occurre mouch rather any other holy day institute by man It is therefore by the kyngs hyghnes auctority as supreme head in earth of the Church of Englande with the Common assent and consent of the prelates and clergy of this his realme in Convocacyon laufully assembled and congregate among other thyngs decreed ordeyned and established ¶ Fyrst that the feest of Dedicacyon of the church shall in all places throughout this realm be celebrated and kepte on the fyrst sonday of the moneth of Octobre for ever and upon none other day ¶ Item that the feest of the patrone of every church within this Realm called commonly the Church-holy-day shall not from henceforth be kepte or observed as a holy-day as heretofore hath been used but that it shall be lauful to all and singular persons resydent or dwelliynge within this realme to go to their work occupacyon or mystery and the same truely to exercyse and occupy upon the said feest as upon any other workeyday excepte the said feest of the Church-holy day be such as must be ells universally observed as a holy-day by this ordynance following Also that all those feests or day holy-days which shall happen to occurre eyther in the harvest time which is to be compted from the fyrst day of Iuly unto the xxix day of Septembre or elles in the terme time at Westmynster shall not be kepte or observed from henceforth as holy dayes but that it may be lauful for every man to go to his work or occupacyon upon the same as upon any other workyeday excepte alwayes the feests of the apostles of our blessed lady and of saynt George And also such feestes as wherein the Kings Iudges as Westminster-hall do not use to sytte in Iudgment all which shall be kepte holy and solempne of every man as in tyme past have been accustomed Prouyded alwayes that it may be laufull unto all preests and clerkes as well secular as regular in the foresayd holy-dayes now abrogate to synge or saye their accustomed seruyce for those holy dayes in their churches so that they do not the same solempnely nor do rynge to the same after the manner vsed in hygh holy-dayes ne do commaunde or indict the same to be kepte or observed as holy-dayes Finally That the feest of the Nativitie of our lord of Easter of the Nativitie of saynt Iohn the baptiste and of Saynt Michaell shall be from henceforth compted and accepted and taken for the iiii general offering days And for further declaracyon of the premysses be it known that Easter terme begyneth alwayes the xviii day after Easter reckoning Easter-day for one and endeth the monday next after thascencyon day Trinitie terme begynneth alwayes the wednesday next after thoctaues of Trinitie sonday and endeth the xi or xii day of Iuly Myghelmas terme beginneth the ix or x. day of October and endeth the xxviii or xxix day of Nouember Hillary terme begynneth the xxiii or xxiiii day of Ianuary and endeth the xii or xiii day of February In Easter terme upon the tascension daye In Trinitie terme upon the Nativity of saynt Iohn Baptist In Mighelmas terme upon Alhollen day In Hillary terme upon Candlemas day The Kings Iudges at Westminster do not use to syt in Iudgment nor upon any sondayes ¶ Imprynted at London in Fletestrete at the sygne of the Sonne by me Iohn Byddel Cum priuilegio Anno 1536. By the Queen A Proclamation against the Despisers or Breakers of the Orders prescribed in the Book of Common-prayer THe Queens Majesty being right sorry to understand that the order of Common-prayer set forth by the common consent of the Realm and by authority of Parliament in the first year of her Reign wherein is nothing contained but the Scripture of God and that which is consonant unto it is now of late of some men despised and spoken against both by open preachings and writings and of some bold and vain curious men new and other Rites found out and frequented whereupon contentions sects and disquietness doth arise among her people and for one godly and uniform order diversity of Rites and Ceremonies Disputations and Contentions Schisms and Divisions already risen and more like to ensue The cause of which disorders her Majesty doth plainly understand to be the negligence of the Bishops and other Magistrates who should cause the good Laws and Acts of Parliament made in this behalf to be better executed and not so dissembled and winked at as hitherto it may appear that they have been For speedy remedy whereof her Majesty straightly chargeth and commandeth all Archbishops and Bishops and all Iustices of Assises and Oyer and Terminer and all Mayors head Officers of Cities and Towns Corporate and all other who have any authority to put in execution the Act for the Vniformity of Common-prayer and the Administration of the Sacraments made in the first year of her gracious Reign withal diligence and severity neither favouring nor dissembling with one person nor other who doth neglect despise or seek to alter the godly Orders and Rites set forth in the said Book But if any person shall by publick preaching writing or printing contemn despise or dispraise the Orders contained in the said Book they shall immediately apprehend him and cause him to be imprisoned until he hath answered to the Law upon pain that the chief Officers being present at any such preaching and the whole Parish do answer for their contempt and negligence Likewise if any shall forbear to come to the Common-prayer and receive the Sacraments of the Church according to the Order in the said Book allowed upon no just and lawful cause all such persons they shall enquire of present and see punished and
ordered according as is prescribed in the said Act with more care and diligence than heretofore hath been done the which negligence hath been cause why such disorders have of late now so much and in so many places encreased and grown And if any persons shall either in private houses or in publick places make assemblies and therein use other Rites of Common-prayer and Administration of the Sacraments than is prescribed in the said Book or shall maintain in their houses any persons being notoriously charged by Books or Preachings to attempt the alteration of the said Orders they shall see such persons punished with all severity according to the Laws of this Realm by pains appointed in the said Act. And because these matters do principally appertain to the persons Ecclesiastical and to the Ecclesiastical Government her Majesty giveth a most special and earnest charge to all Archbishops Bishops Archdeacons and Deans and all such as have ordinary jurisdiction in such cases to have a vigilant eye and care to the observation of the Orders and Rites in the said Book prescribed throughout their Cures and Diocess and to proceed from time to time by ordinary and Ecclesiastical jurisdiction as is granted them in the said Act with all celerity and severity against all persons who shall offend against any of the Orders in the said Book prescribed upon pain of her Majesties high displeasure for their negligence and deprivation from their Dignities and Benefices or other Censures to follow according to their demerits Given at Greenwich the 20 day of October 1573 In the fifteenth year of the Queens Majesties Reign God save the Queen Imprinted at London by Newgate-Market next unto Christs Church by Richard Jugge Printer to the Queens Majesty Cum privilegio Regiae Majestatis By the Queen A Proclamation against the Sectaries of the Family of Love WHereas by report of sundry of the Bishops of this Realm and others having cure of souls the Queens Majesty is informed that in sundry places of her said Realm in their several Diocesses there are certain persons who do secretly in corners make privy assemblies of divers simple unlearned people and after they have craftily and hypocritically allured them to esteem them to be more holy and perfect men than other are they do then teach them damnable Heresies directly contrary to divers of the principal Articles of our Belief and Christian Faith and in some parts so absurd and fanatical as by feigning to themselves a monstrous new kind of speech never found in the Scriptures nor in ancient Father or Writer of Christs Church by which they do move ignorant and simple people at the first rather to marvel at them than to understand them but yet to colour their sect withal they name themselves to be of the Family of Love and then as many as shall be allowed by them to be of that Family to be elect and saved and all others of what Church soever they be to be rejected and damned and for that upon conventing of some of them before the Bishops and Ordinaries it is found that the ground of their sect is maintained by certain lewd heretical and seditious books first made in the Dutch tongue and lately translated into English and printed beyond the seas and secretly brought over into the Realm the author whereof they name H. N. without yielding to him upon their examination any other name in whose name they have certainly books set forth called Evangelium Regni or a joyful Message of the Kingdom Documental Sentences The prophecie of the spirit of love a publishing of peace upon the earth and such like And considering also it is found that these Sectaries hold opinion that they may before any Magistrate Ecclesiastical or Temporal or any other person not being professed to be of their sect which they teame the Family of Love by oath or otherwise deny any thing for their advantage so as though many of them are well known to be teachers and spreaders abroad of these dangerous and damnable sects yet by their own confession they cannot be condemned whereby they are more dangerous in any Christian Realm Therefore her Majesty being very sorry to see so great an evil by the malice of the Devil first begun and practised in other Countries to be now brought into this her Realm and that by her Bishops and Ordinaries she understandeth it very requisite not only to have these dangerous Hereticks and Sectaries to be severely punished but that also all other means be used by her Majesties Royal authority which is given her of God to defend Christs Church to root them out from further infecting of her Realm she hath thought meet and convenient and so by this her Proclamation she willeth and commandeth that all her Officers and Ministers temporal shall in all their several vocations assist the Archbishops and Bishops of her Realm and all other persons Ecclesiastical having cure of Souls to search out all persons only suspected to be either teachers or professors of the foresaid damnable sects and by all good means to proceed severely against them being found culpable by order of the Laws either Ecclesiastical or Temporal and that also search may be made in all places suspected for the Books and Writings maintaining the said Heresies and Sects and them to destroy and burn And wheresoever such Books shall be found after the publication hereof in custody of any person other than such as the Ordinaries shall permit to the intent to peruse the same for confutation thereof the same persons to be attached and committed to close prison there to remain or otherwise by Law to be condemned until the same shall be purged and cleared of the same Heresies or shall recant the same and be thought meet by the Ordinary of the place to be delivered And that whosoever in this Realm shall either print or bring or cause to be brought into this Realm any of the said Books the same persons to be attached and committed to prison and to receive such bodily punishment and other mulct as fautors of damnable Heresies And to the execution hereof her Majesty chargeth all her Officers and Ministers both Ecclesiastical and Temporal to have special regard as they will answer not only afore God whose glory and truth is by these damnable Sects greatly sought to be defaced but also will avoid her Majesties indignation which in such cases as these are they ought not escape if they shall be found negligent and careless in the execution of their authorities Given at our Mannour of Richmond the third of October in the two and twentieth year of our Reign God save the Queen Imprinted at London by Christopher Barker Printer to the Queens most Excellent Majesty By the Queen A Proclamation against certain seditious and schismatical Books and Libels c. THe Queens most Excellent Majesty considering how within these few years past and now of late certain seditious and evil disposed persons towards her Majesty and
the twelfth day of May then next following for the Province of Canterbury And by Our like Letters Patents dated the seven and twentieth day of the same month of April and the twentieth day of the month of May aforesaid for the Province of York did give and grant full free and lawful liberty license power and authority unto the said Lord Archbishop of Canterbury President of the said Convocation for the Province of Canterbury and unto the said Lord Archbishop of York President of the said Convocation for the Province of York and to the rest of the Bishops of the said Provinces and unto all Deans of Cathedral Churches Archdeacons Chapters and Colledges and the whole Clergy of every several Diocess within the said several Provinces and either of them that they should and might from time to time during the Present Parliament and further during Our will and pleasure confer treat debate consider consult and agree of and upon Canons Orders Ordinances and Constitutions as they should think necessary fit and convenient for the honor and service of Almighty God the good and quiet of the Church and the better Government thereof to be from time to time observed performed fulfilled and kept as well by the said Archbishop of Canterbury and the said Archbishop of York the Bishops and their Successors and the rest of the whole Clergy of the said several Provinces of Canterbury and York in their several Callings Offices Functions Ministeries Degrees and Administrations As by all and every Dean of the Arches and other Iudges of the said several Archbishops of Courts Guardians of Spiritualties Chancellours Deans and Chapters Archdeacons Commissaries Officials Registers and all and every other Ecclesiastical Officers and their inferiour Ministers whatsoever of the same respective Provinces of Canterbury and York in their and every of their distinct Courts and in the order and manner of their and every of their proceedings and by all other persons within this Realm as far as lawfully being members of the Church it may concern them as in our said Letters Patents amongst other clauses more at large doth appear Now forasmuch as the said Lord Archbishop of Canterbury President of the said Convocation for the Province of Canterbury and the said Archbishop of York President of the said Convocation for the Province of York and others the said Bishops Deans Archdeacons Chapters and Colledges with the rest of the Clergy having met together respectively at the time and places before mentioned respectively and then and there by vertue of Our said Authority granted unto them treated of concluded and agreed upon certain Canons Orders Ordinances and Constitutions to the end and purpose by Vs limited and prescribed unto them and have thereupon offered and presented the same unto Vs most humbly desiring Vs to give Our Royal assent unto the same according to the form of a certain Statute or Act of Parliament made in that behalf in the five and twentieth year of the Reign of King Henry the Eighth and by Our said Prerogative Royal and Supreme Authority in causes Ecclesiastical to ratifie by Our Letters Patents under Our great Seal of England and to confirm the same the Title and Tenour of them being word for word as ensueth Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiastical treated upon by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York Presidents of the Convocations for the respective Provinces of Canterbury and York and the rest of the Bishops and Clergy of those Provinces And agreed upon with the Kings Majesties License in their several Synods begun at London and York 1640. In the year of the Raign of our Soveraign Lord CHARLES by the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland the Sixteenth I. Concerning the Regal Power WHereas sundry Laws Ordinances and Constitutions have been formerly made for the acknowledgment and profession of the most lawful and independent Authority of our dread Soveraign Lord the Kings most Excellent Majesty over the State Ecclesiastical and Civil We as our duty in the first place binds us and so far as to us appertaineth enjoyn them all to be carefully observed by all persons whom they concern upon the penalties of the said Laws and Constitutions expressed And for the fuller and clearer instruction and information of all Christian people within this Realm in their duties in this particular We do further ordain and decree That every Parson Vicar Curate or Preacher upon some one Sunday in every quarter of the year at Morning-prayer shall in the place where he serves treatably and audably read these Explanations of the Regal Power here inserted THE most High and Sacred Order of Kings is of Divine Right being the Ordinance of God Himself founded in the prime Laws of Nature and clearly established by express Texts both of the Old and New Testaments A supreme Power is given to this most excellent Order by God Himself in the Scriptures which is That Kings should Rule and Command in their several Dominions all persons of what rank or estate soever whether Ecclesiastical or Civil and that they should restrain and punish with the Temporal Sword all stubborn and wicked doers The care of Gods Church is so committed to Kings in the Scripture that they are commended when the Church keeps the right way and taxed when it runs amiss and therefore her Government belongs in chief unto Kings For otherwise one man would be commended for anothers care and taxed but for anothers negligence which is not Gods way The Power to call and dissolve Councils both National and Provincial is the true right of all Christian Kings within their own Realms and Territories And when in the first times of Christs Church Prelates used this Power 't was therefore only because in those days they had no Christian Kings And it was then so only used as in times of persecution that is with supposition in case it were required of submitting their very lives unto the very Laws and Commands even of those Pagan Princes thar they might not so much as seem to disturb their Civil Government which Christ came to confirm but by no means to undermine For any person or persons to set up maintain or avow in any their said Realms or Territorities respectively under any pretence whatsoever any independent Coactive Power either Papal or Popular whether directly or indirectly is to undermine their great Royal Office and cunningly to overthrow that most sacred Ordinance which God Himself hath established And so is treasonable against God as well as against the King For Subjects to bear Arms against their Kings Offensive or Defensive upon any pretence whatsoever is at least to resist the Powers which are ordained of God And though they do not invade but only resist St. Paul tells them plainly They shall receive to themselves damnation And although Tribute and Custom and Aid and Subsidy and all manner of necessary support and supply be respectively due to Kings from their Subjects by the Law of God