Neal - Houston-Packer Collection BX9333 .N4 1754 v1

Chap. IV. The HISTORY of ,the PURITANS. 91 the catholick caufe ought not to be fubmitted to fuch an arbitration, tho' `.F"4 EIIZaI)r559 ech, they had not thefe fcruples in the reign of queen Mary, when it was known the conference would iffue in their favour. The bifhops of Win- cheer and d,incoln faid, The doo`írine of the catholick church was already of ablifhed, and that it was too great an encouragement to hereticks, to ad- mit them to difcourfe againfi the faith before an unlearned multitude. They added, That thé queen had deferved to be excommunicated ; and talkedof thundering out their anathema's again/[ the privy council; for which they were both committed to the Tower. The reformed had a great advan- tage by their adverfaries quitting the field in this manner, it being con- cluded from hence, that their caufe would not bear the light, which pre- pared the people for further changes. The papifts being vanquifhed, the next point was to unite the reform- K. Edward's ed among themfelves, and get fuch an eftablifhment as might make them vt éd: B- all eafy; for though the troubles at Francfort were hufht, and letters of forgivenefs had paffed between the contending parties ; and though all the reformers were of one faith ; yet they were far from agreeing about difcipline and ceremonies, each party beißg for fettling the church ac- cording to their own model ; fame were for the late fervice and difcipline of the Englifh at Geneva ; others were for the fervice book of king Ed- ward VI. and for withdrawing no farther from the church of Rome, than was neceffary to recover purity of faith, and the independency of the church upon a foreign power. Rites and ceremonies were (in their opi- nion) indifferent ; and thofe of the church of Rome preferable to'others, becaufe they were venerable and pompous, and becaufe the people had been ufed to them: Thefe were the Sentiments of the QUEEN, who therefore appointed a committee of divines, to review king Edward's li- turgy, and to fee if in any particular it was fit to be changed ; their names were, Dr. Parker, Grindal, Cox, Pilkington, May, Bill, White- head, and Sir Tho. Smith, doflor of the civil law. Their inftruftions were, to ftrike out all offenfive paffages againft the pope, and to make people eafy about the belief of the corporal prefence of Chrift in the &- crament ; but not a word in favour of the ftriéter proteftarìts. Her majefly was afraid of reforming too far ; fhe was defirous to re- tain images in churches, crucifixes and crofl'es, vocal and inftrumental mu- lick, with all the old popifh garments; 'ds not therefore to be wonder'd, that in reviewing the liturgy of king Edward, no alterations were made in favour of thofe who were now called PUR t TAN S ; from their attempt- ing a purer form of worfhip and difcipline than had yet been eftablifh- ed. The queen was more concerned for the papifts, and therefore in the litany, this pafl'age was ftruck out, From the tyranny of the bifhop of Rome, and all his .deteflable enormities, good Lord deliver us. Na The

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