that generally were the Ceremonies The reading the Apocryphal Books The ill translation of the Scriptures used The Rubricks Very many things in the Book of ordaining Bishops Priests and Deacons and several passages in the prayers The number was not many who refused to use a set-form of prayer to be constantly used in their Ministry It was but twenty five years since the whole Nation came out of Popery where they knew nothing else and it could not be expected that in that time should be a discovery of all that was truly blameable in Worship or Government of the Church Yet there were some that in those days refused this Bishop Bancroft in his Dangerous Positions p. 84 tells us that Mr. Field in a Letter to Mr. Asker 14. Ap. 1585. tells him I preach every Sabbath-day if no other that cometh by chance doth supply the place having nothing to do at all with the former Book of Common-prayer c. This was the first division of godly Ministers into such as were purely Nonconformists 2. Conforming Nonconformists The latter were the greater number who had subscribed to use the Common-prayer but not to read it fully and in all parts and this with protestations that their subscriptions should not oblige them to do any thing contrary to the word of God c. there were several forms of it Twenty Ministers of the Diocess of Chichester thus subscribed with exception to all the Rubricks the Book of Ordination and I know not how many limitations Here the great and infinite wisdom of God was seen governing the failers of his servants to his own wise ends and glory By this means a preaching Ministry was preserved in England which had the Bishop kept to his first severity and all the Ministers that at first refused absolutely persisted in their refusal had before the Reformation was 28. years old been destroyed throughout England at least the greatest part of it But saith our Saviour He that will save his life shall lose it Very many of these good men were afterwards suspended deprived indited imprisoned wearied out of their lives by troubles in the High Commission though not for not subscribing for which was no Law yet for not wearing the Surplice not using the Cross in Baptism not keeping Holydays not reading all the Prayers or some such like things Thus was our state from 1583. till 1603. when King James came to the Crown Hitherto I have shewed my Reader the first Impositions in England and the woful mischief wrought by them not only to multitudes of particular Families but to the interest of the Gospel and Reformation in general I shall now proceed to a second period which will take up the whole time of King James his Reign from 1603. to 1625. Whitgift was in the beginning Archbishop and Bancroft Bishop of London Their Writings sufficiently testifie how zealous both of them were against Nonconformists The Convocation this year established the three Articles which 20 years before had made such a confusion by a Canon it is their 36 Canon which Canons were confirmed by King James but never since brought to a Parliament or confirmed by them I am not concerned to enquire how valid they are as Laws obligatory to the subject till confirmed by Parliament that belongeth to Lawyers to argue and dependeth upon the Kings Prerogative and the terms used in the Act of 25 Hen. 8. I am only concerned to note how Conformity improved upon these Canons and also what the effect of these new Impositions was For the first let the Canons themselves speak Subscription to the three Articles was now enjoined by Canon 36. Bowing at the name of Jesus was enjoined Can 18. Bidding of prayer by another Canon with a multitude of other things too long to be here recited for which I refer my Reader to the Book of Canons The first fruit of this was a Petition with a thousand Ministers hands presentad to the King 1603 4. saith Dr. Fuller Indeed Dr. Fuller saith the hands were but 750. I believe he taketh his intelligence from the abridgment of that Book which the Ministers of Lincoln Diocess delivered to his Majesty 5. December 1604. I find them there mentioned to be 752. out of 23. Counties Dr. Fuller saith 25. which are but half the Counties of England and Wales hardly so much Their numbers are thus countd Oxfordshire 9. Stafordshire 14. Dorsetshire 17. Nottinghamshire 20. Surry 21. Norfolk 28. Wiltshire 31. Buckinghamshire 33. Sussex 47. Leicestershire 57. Essex 57. Cheshire 12. Bedsordshire 16. Somersetshire 17. Darbyshire 20. Lancashire 21. Kent 23. London 30. Lincolnshire 33. Warwickshire 44. Devon and Cornwall 51. Northampton 57. Suffolk 72. These make 752 Here are none reckoned of any County in Wales nor any of Yorkshire Barkshire and many others I know no reason any hath to doubt but that there were a 1000. hands to this Petition the Petitioners in the body of their Petition say they were more than a thousand and they would not have told a Lye to a King which so little labour as counting them would have proved to be such But the matter of the Petition is very considerable to let my Reader know both to what height Impositions were grown 77. years since and what Oppositions they met with from our fore-fathers Dr. Fuller in his Church-History assures us he has got the true Copy I will therefore transcribe it from him as I find it in the 10th Book p. 22. Most Gracious and Dread Soveraign Seeing it hath pleased the Divine Majesty to the great comfort of all good Christians to advance your Highness according to your just Title to the peaceable Government of this Church and Common-wealth of England We the Ministers of the Gospel in this Land neither as factious men affecting a popular parity in the Church nor as Schismaticks aiming at the dissolution of the State Ecclesiastical but as the faithful Servants of Christ and loyal Subjects to your Majesty desiring and longing for a Redress of divers abuses of the Church could do no less in our obedience to God service to your Majesty love to his Church than acquaint your Majesty with our particular griefs for as your Princely Pen writeth tâ— The King as a good Physician must first know what peccant humours his Patient naturally is most subject unto before he can begin his Cure And although divers of us that sâ—â— for Reformation Subscribe to the Book some upon Protestation some upon Exposition given them some with Condition rather than the Church should have been deprived of their labour and Ministry yet now we to the number of more than a thousand of your Majesties Subjects and Ministers all groaning as under a common burden of humane Rites and Ceremonies do with one joint consent humble our selves at your Majesties feet to be cased and relieved in this behalf Our humble suit then unto your Majesty is that these offences following some of them may be removed some amended some
qualified 1. In the Church Service That the Cross in Baptism Interrogatories ministred to Infants Confirmation as superfluous may be taken away Baptism not to be administred by Women and so explained The Cap and Surplice not urged That Examination may go before the Communion That it may be administred with a Sermon That divers terms of Priests Absolution and some others used with the Ring in Marriage and other such like in the Book might be corrected The longsomeness of Service abridged Church-songs and Musick moderated to better edification That the Lords day be not profaned The rest upon Holidays not so strictly urged That there may be an Vniformity of Doctrine prescribed No Popish opinion any more taught or defended No Ministers charged to teach the people to bow at the Name of Jesus That the Canonical Scriptures only be read in the Church 2. Concerning Church Ministers That none hereafter be admited into the Ministry but able and sufficient men and those to preach diligently and especially upon the Lords day That such as be already entred and cannot Preach may either be removed and some charitable course taken for their relief or else to be forced according to the value of their Livings to maintain Preachers That non-Residency be not permitted That King Edwards Statute for the lawfulness of Ministers Marriages may be revived That Ministers be not urged to subscribe but according to the Law to the Articles of Religion and the Kings Supremacy only 3. For Church-livings and Maintenance That Bishops leave their Commendams some holding Prebends some Parsonages some Vicarages with their Bishopricks That double beneficed men be not suffered to hold some two some three Benefices with Cure and some two three or four Dignities besides That Impropriations annexed to Bishopricks and Colledges be demised only to Preachers incumbent for the old Rent That the Impropriations of Lay-mens fees may be charged with a sixth or seventh part of the worth to the maintenance of the â—reaching Ministers 4. For Church-Discipline That the Discipline and Excommunication may be administred according to Christs Institution or at the least that enormities may be redressed as namely That Excommunication come not forth under the names of Chancellors Lay-persons Officials c. That men be not Excommunicated for trifles twelve peny matters That none be Ecommunicated without consent of his Pastor That the Officers be not suffered to extort unreasonable fees That none having Jurisdiction or Registers places put out the same to farm That divers Popish Canons as for restraint of Marriage at certain times be reversed That the longsomeness of Suits in Ecclesiastical Courts which hang sometimes 2 3 4 5 6 7 years may be restrained That the Oath ex Officio by which men are forced to accuse themselves be more sparingly used That Licenses for Marriage without Banes asked be more cautiously granted These with such other abuses yet remaining and practised in the Church of England we are able to shew to be not agreeable to the Scriptures if it shall please your Highness further to hear us or more at large to be informed or by conference amongst the Learned to be resolved And yet we doubt not but that your Majesty without further process of whose Christian judgment we have received so good a taste already is able of your self to judg of the equity of this cause God we trust hath appointed your Highness our Physician to heal these diseases and we say with Mordecai to Esther Who knoweth but you are come to the Kingdom for such a time Thus your Majesty shall do that which we are perswaded shall be acceptable to God honourable to your Majesty in all succeeding ages profitable to his Church which shall be thereby increased comfortable to your Ministers which shall be no more suspended silenced disgraced imprisoned for mens traditions and prejudicial unto none but those who seek their own credit quiet and profit in the world Thus with all dutiful submission referring our selves to your Majesties Pleasure for your Gracious answer as God shall direct you We most humbly recommend your Highness to the Divine Majesty whom we beseech for Christ his sake to do herein what shall be for his glory the good of his Church and your endless comfort Your Majesties most humble Subjects the Ministers of the Gospel who desire not a disorderly Innovation but a due and Godly Reformation How his Majesty resented this Petition is variously reported But sure it is saith Fuller it ran the Gantlop through all the Prelatical party every one giving it a lash some with their Pens more with their tongues and the dumb Ministers as they term it found their speech most vocal against it How many the number of those was who joined in this and several other Petitions at the same time and were suspended deprived imprisoned c. I cannot tell but a great division arose which held during the Archbishop Bancrofts time Bishop Abbot who succeeded him in the Archbishoprick of Canterbury was much calmer Several Books were wrote at this time against the Nonconformist by Mr. Hutton Mr. Rogers Dr. Lovel and Dr. Spark who had himself been a Dissenter but in the year 1607 1608 they were learnedly answered by a Book of three parts call'd A Defence of the Ministers Reasons for refusal of Subscription The first part was concerning the holy Scriptures the ill Translation of several Texts The second concerning the Holy Scriptures and Apocrypha The third was about kneeling at the Sacrament Several able Ministers left the Nation many others with their Families were undone in it Thus Conformity stood till the time of King Charles the First some Bishops being more some less rigid in pressing the Canons But when Archbishop Laud came to be Archbishop of Canterbury who succeeded Abbot he made a new Edition of Impositions to which he required Conformity saying second Service at the Table setting that at the East end of the Church Altarwise commanding the Communion Table to be railed in and all people to come up thither to receive the Communion kneeling enforcing the bowing at the Name of Jesus Forbidding Lectures and Afternoon-Sermons Pressing the Book of Sports on the Lords day Not injoining but commending bowing toward the East-end c. and twenty more things What havock hese things made is yet within the memory of many and what disturbance Bishop Wren made in Suffolk and other places as several other Bishops that were his Creatures did in other Diocesses many alive know multitudes of Ministers were again deprived and suspended Many undone in the High Commission At last in the Convocation 1640 an Oath with c. was devised which had perfected the business in rooting out all Puritan Preachers had not a Parliament came and spoil'd that design Scarce any is ignorant what numbers of Godly Ministers and people left the Nation upon this account betwixt 1630. and 1640. so many as to make one of the noblest Colonies at this day in the world that
be present at that action Possibly it had been less exposed to scandal if instead of them two or three Ministers had so joined and the end as well obtained but surely this was a far lesser evil than the admitting of all to the Sacrament that could but rehearse the Creed Lords Prayer and Ten Commandments there was nothing in this action but any pious Ministers who are the stewards of the mysteries of God might answer with a safe conscience for of Stewards it is required that they should be faithful saith the Apostle and I believe any Bishop would have judged his Steward unfaithful if he had dealt out his Master's goods contrary to his Master's order The Ministers Master's order is plain enough that the holy Sacrament belongs not either to ignorant or scandalous persons All the Churches of God in all Ages agree this our own Church in her principles agreeth it yet in practice all Ministers were tyed to give the Sacrament as in times of Popery to all such as could but rehearse the Creed the Pater Noster and the Ten Commandments and confessed in Lent those eminent persons who were commissionated by Edw. 6. to draw up a new body of Ecclesiastical Laws though that excellent Prince lived not long enough to set his Hand and Seal to it so as what they had done had no legal force had expresly determined Tit. de Sacramentis Cap. 5. We will have none admitted to the Table of the Lord until in the Church he hath made profession of his faith What should good Ministers do in this case they could act but precariously it seems at Wandsworth in Surry there was a people that voluntarily submitted to this what harm was this to the Bishops But the truth is this business of discipline came into very little debate before 1584. after that Subscription had been so fatally imposed In several Diocesses I perceive there were some circumstantial variations in the forms of Subscriptions To let my Reader therefore know what it was I will give it him as it lieth in the 36th Canon 1603. when it first received any thing like a legal confirmation which was at least 25. or 26. years after it was first devised and full 30. years after it was so rigorously pressed 1. Art That the Queens Majesty under God is thē Supreme Governour of this Realm and of all other her Highnesses Dominions and Territories as well in all Spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or causes as Temporal and that no forreign Prince Person State or Potentate hath or ought to have any Jurisdiction Power Superiority or Preheminence or Authority Ecclesiastical or Spiritual within her Majesties Realms Dominions or Countries 2. Art That he alloweth the Book of Articles agreed on by the Archbishops and Bishops of both Provinces and the whole Clergy in the Convocation holden at London 1562. and that he acknowledgeth All and Every the Articles therein being in number 39. besides the Ratification to be agreeable to the Word of God 3. Art That the Book of Common-Prayer and of ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons containeth in it nothing contrary to the Word of God and that it may lawfully be used and that he himself will use the form in the said Book prescribed in publick Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and no other This Engine was first formed by the Archbishop Whitgift and was one of those 16. Proposals he offered to the Queen for the setling of the Church a Copy of which in M. S. with two Answers to them I have read some little difference there was in the Arch-bishops form His first Article was 1. Art That the Authority which is given her Majesty in Causes Ecclesiastical by the Laws of the Land is lawful and according to the Word of God The Second Article was his Third andran thus 2. Art That he allowed the Book of Articles of Religion agreed on by the Archbishops and Bishops of both Provinces and the whole Clergy in the Convocation holden at London 1562. and set forth by her Majesties Authority and that he agreeth the Articles therein contained to be agreeable to the Word of God 3. Art Which was the Archbishops Second was word for word the same This Motion of the Archbishops put the Queen upon adding force to the Imposition which indeed had been by some Bishops began before but now in most Diocesses it was rigorously pressed The issue of this is told us by the Author of the unlawful practices of Prelates in these words Whatsoever was required in Civil Causes either that concerned her Majesty or the State was by the Ministers embraced wholly and freely In Ecclesiastical Causes also whatsoever concerned Doctrine or otherwise was expresly required by Statute for Subscription Thus far at the first all men with protestation offered but to yeild to this thing so strange and new without any Law in streighter sort than ever was required That all things were agreeable to Gods Word and not against it not only tollerable but allowable both in the Book of Common Prayer and in the Book of ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons This was refused divers of the Ministers were suspended multitudes were thrust out How many godly able painful Ministers were outed all over England I cannot tell but ex ungue Leonem I have seen a M. S. which gives an account of the names of Sixty odd in Suffolk Twenty one in Lincolnshire Sixty four in Norfolk Thirty eight in Essex which though they seem comparatively few yet are a great many when we consider that in Essex at that time there was an account given of 163. Ministers that never Preach'd only read Prayers and Homilies and 85. more Pluralists Non residents or persons most notoriously debaucht This was the first fruit of that Archbishops preferment and a fair offer at the rooting out of the reformed Religion as soon as planted which never did nor ever will live and flourish in any place under the conduct of an ignorant debauched unpreaching Ministry such a Ministry much better serving Popish than Protestant purposes What the Ministers that were suspended or deprived did to prevent their misery or to get this severity a little mitigated and allayed at this time in the years 1583 1584 1585. I shall inform the world from the worthy Author of the Book aforementioned wrote at that very time and often quoted by Bishop Bancroft His words are these The Cause was general means were made Ministers presented Doubts Protestations Supplications they were repulsed reviled threatned the Ministers did indure sustained with a good Conscience but their miserable flocks were subject to all disorders spoils havock Good men mourned evil men prevailed License possessed all places nothing was reserved whole to civil and modest life These things Gentlemen of all sorts took to heart they lamented their own estate and the estate of the people they pitied their Ministers their Wives and Children Gods Cause moved them the honour of the Gospel drew them yea the safety