"Those ceremonies in the book of common prayer, which 'being taken from popery are in controversy, ought to be "omitted, if it may be done without danger of being put from the ministry; but if there be imminent danger of being deprived, then let the matter be communicated to the 'classis in which that church is, to be determined by them. "If subscription to the articles and book of common 'prayer shall be again urged, it is thought that the book of 'articles may be subscribed, according to the Stat. 13 Eliz. that is, To such only as contain the sum of the christian 'faith and the doctrine of the sacraments. But neither the common prayer book, nor the rest of the articles, may be 'allowed; no, though a man should be deprived of his 'ministry for refusing it.

Concerning Churchwardens.

"It seems that churchwardens, and collectors for the poor, may be thus turned into elders and deacons. "Let the church have warning of the time of election, and of the ordinance of the realm, fifteen days beforehand; but especially of Christ's ordinance, touching ap'pointing of watchmen and overseers in his church, who are to take care that no offence or scandal arise in the church; and if any such happen, that it be duly abolish• ed."

Of Collectors for the poor, or Deacons.

"Touching deacons of both sorts, viz. men and women, the church shall be admonished what is required by the apostle; and that they are not to choose men of custom or 'course, or for their riches, but for their faith, zeal and in'tegrity; and that the church is to pray in the mean time, to be so directed, that they may choose them that are

'meet.

"Let the names of those that are thus chosen, be pub'lished the next Lord's day, and after that, their duties to 'the church, and the church's duty towards them; then let 'them be received into their office with the general prayers of the whole church."

of Classes.

“The brethren are to be requested to ordain a distribution of all churches, according to the rules set down in 'the synodical discipline, touching classical, provincial, comitial, and assemblies for the whole kingdom.

"The classes are to be required to keep acts of memorable matters, and to deliver them to the comitial assem'bly, and from thence to the provincial assembly.

"They are to deal earnestly with patrons, to present fit 'men whensoever any church falls void in their classis. "The comitial assemblies are to be admonished to make collections for the relief of the poor, and of scholars, but especially for the relief of such ministers as are deprived 'for not subscribing the articles tendered by the bishops; also for the relief of Scots ministers, and others; and for 'other profitable and necessary uses.

"Provincial synods must continually foresee in due time to appoint the keeping of their next provincial synods; and 'for the sending of chosen persons with certain instructions 'to the national synod, to be holden whensoever the parlia'ment for the kingdom shall be called, at some certain time 'every year."

The design of these conclusions was to introduce a reformation into the church without a separation. The chief debate in their assemblies was, How far this or the other conclusion might consist with the peace of the church, and be moulded into a consistency with episcopacy. They ordained no ministers; and though they maintained the choice of the people to be the essential call to the pastoral charge, yet most of them admitted of ordination and induction by the bishop only, as the officer appointed by law, that the minister might be enabled to demand his legal dues from the parish.

In the room of that pacific prelate Parkhurst, bishop of Norwich, the Queen nominated Dr. Freke, a divine of a quite different spirit, who in his primary visitation made sad havoc among the puritan ministers. Among others that were suspended in that diocese, were, Mr. John More, Mr. Richard Crick, Mr. George Leeds, Mr. Thomas Roberts, and Mr. Richard Dowe, all ministers in or near the city of NorVOL. I.

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wich They addressed the Queen and council for relief; but were told that her majesty was fully bent to remove all those that would not be persuaded to conform to established orders. The Rev. Mr. Gawton, minister of Goring in the same diocese, being charged with not wearing the surplice, nor observing the order of the Queen's book, he confessed the former, but said that in other things he was conformable, though he did not keep exactly to the rubric. When the bishop charged him with holding divers errors he answered, we are here not above half-a-dozen unconformable ministers in this city [Norwich;] and if you will confer with us by learning, we will yield up our very lives if we are not able to prove the doctrines we hold to be consonant to the word of God. After his suspension he sent his lordship a bold letter, in which he maintained, that Christ was the only lawgiver in his church. "If any king or prince in the ' world ordain or allow other officers than Christ has allowed, we will (says he) rather lay down our necks on the block than consent thereunto; wherefore do not object to us so often the name of our prince, for you use it as a cloke to cover your cursed enterprizes. Have you not thrust out those who preached the lively word faithfully and sincerely? Have you not plucked out those preachers where GoD set them in? And do you think that this plea 'will excuse you before the high judge, I did but execute the law?

Mr. Harvey, another minister of the same city, was cited before the bishop May 13, for preaching against the hier-. archy of bishops and their ecclesiastical officers; and at a court held at St. George's church he was suspended from his ministry, with Mr. Vincent Goodwin and John Mapes.

Mr. Rockrey, B. D. of Queen's college, Cambridge, a person of great learning and merit, was expelled the university for non-conformity to the habits.† Lord Burleigh the chancellor got him restored, and dispensed with for a year, at the end of which the master of his college admonished him three times, to conform himself to the custom of the university in the habits, which he refusing, was finally discharged, as an example to keep others to their duty.

*MS. p. 253. Strype's Ann. p. 448.

+ MS. p. 285.

About the same time Mr. Richard Greenham, minister of Drayton, was suspended, a man of a most excellent spirit, who, though he would not subscribe or conform to the habits, avoided speaking of them, that he might not give offence; and whoever reads his letter to Cox bishop of Ely, will wonder what sort of men they must be who could bear hard on so peaceable a divine.

Some time before the death of archbishop Parker, Mr. Stroud, the suspended minister of Cranbrook, returned to his parish church; but being represented to the present archbishop as a disturber of the peace, he was forbid to continue his accustomed exercises in the church, and commanded to leave the country; but the good man was so universally beloved, that the whole county of Kent, almost, signed petitions to the archbishop for his continuance among them,

"WE know, most reverend father, say they, that Mr. Stroud has been several times beaten and whipt with the untrue reports of slanderous tongues, and accused of 'crimes whereof he has most clearly acquitted himself to the satisfaction of others. Every one of us, for the most part, most gracious Lord, hath heard him preach Christ truly, and rebuke sin boldly, and hath seen him hitherto apply to his calling faithfully, and live among us peaceably; so that not only by his diligent doctrine our youth has been informed, and ourselves confirmed in true reli'gion and learning; but also by his honest conversation and "example we are daily allured to a christian life, and the ' exercises of charity; and no one of us, reverend father, hath hitherto heard from his own mouth, or by credible relation from others, that he has publicly in his sermons, or privately in conversation, taught unsound doctrine, or 6 opposed the discipline, about which great controversy (alas!) is now maintained; yea, he has given faithful promise to forbear the handling any questions concerning the 'policy of the church, and we think in our consciences he has hitherto performed it. In consideration whereof, and that our country may not be deprived of so diligent a la.

*Pierce's Vindication, p. 97.

borer in the Lord's harvest; nor that the enemies of GOD'S truth, the papists, may find matter of joy and comfort; 'nor the man himself, in receiving a kind of condemnation without examination, be thus wounded at the heart and discouraged: We most humbly beseech your grace, for the poor man's sake, for your own sake, and the Lord's sake, either to take judicial knowledge of his cause, to the end he may be confronted with his adversaries; or else, of your great wisdom and goodness, to restore him to his liberty of preaching the gospel among us. And we as in duty bound shall ever pray, &c."

This petition was signed by nineteen or twenty hands; another was signed by twenty-four ministers; and a third by George Ely, vicar of Tenterden, and twenty-one parishioners; Thomas Bathurst, sen. minister of Staplehurst, and nine parishioners; William Walter, of Frittenden, and fourteen of his parishioners; Antony Francis, minister of Lamberhurst, and four parishioners; Alexander Love, minister of Rolenden, and eighteen parishioners; Christopher Vinebrook, minister of Helcorne, and nine parishioners; William Vicar, of Tysherst, and ten parishioners; Matthew Wolton, curate of Beneden, and eleven parishioners; William Cocks, minister of Marden, and thirteen parishioners; William Hopkinson, minister of Saleherst, and eight parishioners. †

Such a reputation had this good man among all who had any taste for true piety, and zeal for the protestant religion! He was a peaceable divine, and by the threatning of Aylmer, bishop of London, had been prevailed with to subscribe with some reserve, for the support of a starving family; and yet he was continually molested and vexed in the spiritual courts.

Two eminent divines of puritan principles died this year; one was James Pilkington, B. D. and bishop of Durham; he was descended from a considerable family near Bolton in Lancashire, and was educated in St. John's college, Cambridge, of which he was master. In the reign of Queen Mary he was an exile, and confessor for the gospel; upon the accession of Queen Elizabeth he was nominated to the see of Dur

† MS. p. 196.