Chap. IV. The HISTORY cf the PURITANS. 87 " Mary, and Elizabethdid ; or to limit the clergy's preaching to certain of queen " the thirty nine articles eftablifhed by law, as kingCharles I. did." All the Elizabeth, forementioned kings and queens publithed inftructions or injunctions con- t ¡`> cerning matters of faith, without confent of the clergy in convocation al- fembled; and enforced them upon the clergy under the penalties of a præmunire; which made it a little difficult to underftand that claufe of the zoth article of the church, which Pays, the CHURCH has authority in matters of faith. 2. With regard to difcipline, the kings of England feem to have had Difcipline the keys at their girdle; for though the old canon law be in force, as far as is confident with the laws of the land, and the prerogative of the crown, yet the king is the fupreme and ultimate judge in the fpiritual courts by his delegates, as he is in the courts of common law by his judges. His majeflymight appoint a fingle perfon of the laity, to be his vicar general in all caufes ecclefiaflical, to reform what was amifs, as king Henry VIII. and Charles I. did, who very much refembled the pope's legate in the times before the reformation. By authority of parliament the crown was empowered to appoint 32 commiflioners, Tome of the laity, and fome of the clergy, to reform the canons or ecclefraftical laws; and though the defign was not executed, the power was certainly in the king, who might have ratified the new canons, and given them the force of a law, without content of the clergy in convocation, or of the par- liament; and therefore at the coronation of king Charles I. the bifhop was direaed to pray, " That God would give the king, Peter's keyof difcipline, " and Paul's doílrine." 3. As to rites and ceremonies the a& of uniformity Pays exprefly, " That Ceremnder, " the queen's majefly, by advice of her ecclefaftical commiffioners, or r Etiz. cap. " of her metropolitan, may ordain and publifh fuch ceremonies or rites, I. as may be mod for the advancement of God's glory, and the edifying " of the church." Accordingly her majefly publithed her injuncîions, without fending them into convocation or parliament, and erected a court of high commsAn for ecclefiaftical caufes, confiding of commifhoners of her own nomination, to fee them put in execution. Nay, fo jealous was queen Elizabeth of this branch of her prerogative, that (he would not fuffer her high court of parliament, to pals any bill for the amendment or alteration of the ceremonies of the church, it being (as fhe Paid) an invafion of her prerogative. 4. The kings of England claimed the foie power of the nomination f Námimuiaa Eilhops ; and the DEANS and CHAPTERS were obliged to choof thofe whom °f 'B' °ps. their majeflies named, under penalty of a preemunire.; andafter they were chofen and confecrated, they might not all but by common from the crown. They ,held their very bifhopricks, for fome time, durante beneplacito; and by
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=