S. TURNER-J. WARD. 305 experience of his sound doctrine, his useful preaching, and exemplary conversation, saying, that his deprivation was hard dealing. If his deprivation of his fellowship was hard dealing, what must all the other proceedings have been ? These troubles came upon him in the year 1584 : but we do not find that this persecuted servant of Christ obtained any relief. STEPHEN TURNER was minister of Arlington in Sussex, but much troubled for nonconformity. About the year 1584, beingconvened before his ecclesiastical judges, and required to subscribe toWhitgift's three articles, he refused, saying, that he was willing to subscribe as far as the laws of the realm required. With an evident design to ensnare his conscience, or accuse, him upon his own confession, he was asked whether the Book of Common Prayer contained any thing contrary to the word ofGod ; when he observed, that he was not bound by law to answer such an inquiry. Also, when he was asked whether he would use the form of prayers and administration of the sacraments, as prescribed, and no other, he replied, that he did not consider himself bound by law to answer. He was then suspended from his ministry.+ Having remained a considerable time under the ecclesiastical censure, he sent the following certificate to certain persons of quality : " These may certify your honours, that I, Stephen Turner, minister of Arlington in Sussex, have been suspended from my charge this year and aquarter, for refusing to subscribe, no other matter being laid to my charge."I JOHNWARD was a celebrated puritan divine, and many years the laborious minister of Haverhil in Suffolk. After- wards, he appears to have become minister of Writtle, near Chelmsford, in Essex ; but, about the year 1584, he was suspended by Bishop Aylmer, for not wearing the surplice. On account ofhis nonconformity, though he was a most ex- cellent and peaceable man, Aylmer drove him fromone place to another, by which means hewas exceedingly harassed, and not suffered to continue long in any one situation.i Strype's Parker, 391. + MS. Register, p. 569. t MS. Chronology, vol. ii. p. 419. (1.1.) S MS. Register, p. 584, 742. VOL. L.
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