Chap. IV. The HISTORY of the PURITANS. 95 But Rill it has been doubted, whether Parker's confecration was per Queen fatly canonical. Elizabeth, I. Becaufe the perfons engaged in it had been legally deprived, and were not yet reflored. To which it was anfwered, that havingbeen once confecrated, the epifcopal charaEter remained in them, and therefore they might convey it ; though Coverdale and Hodgkins never exercifed it after this time. z. Becaufe the confecration ought by law to have been direEted ac- cording to the ftatute of the 25th of Henry VIII. and not according to the form of king Edward's ordinal for ordaining and confecrating bi- fhops, inafmuch as that book had been let afide in the late reign, and was not yet reftored by parliament. Thefe oblations being frequently thrown in the way of the new bi- fhops by the papifts, made them uneafy; they began to doubt of the va- lidity of their confecrations, or at leaft of their legal title to their bifhop- ricks. The affair was at length brought before parliament, and to filence all future clamours, Parker's confecration, and thofe of his brethren, were confirmed by the two houles, about feven years after they had filled their chairs. The archbifhop was inftalled December 27, 1559. foon after which he confecrated feveral of his brethren, whom the queen had appointed to the vacant fees, as Grindal to the bifhoprick of London, Horn to Win- che/ler, and Pilkington to Durham,' &c. Thus the reformation was re- ftored, and the church of England fettled on its prefent bafis. The new bithops being poor, made a mean figure in comparifon of their prede- ceffors : They were unacquainted with courts and equipages, and nume- rous attendants; but as they grew rich, they quickly rote in their deport- ment, and affumed a lordly luperiority over their brethren. . The hierarchy being now at its ftandard, it may not be improper to let before the reader in one view, the principles upon which it !lands, with the different fentiments of the puritans; by which he will difcover the reafons why the reformation proceeded no further. 1. The court reformers apprehended, That every prince had authority Principle, of to correéf all abufes of dohPrine and war/hip, within his own territories. the Refcrm- From this principle, the parliament fubmitted the confciences and reli- ppefteiths gion of the whole nation, to the dìfpofal of theking; and in cafe of a 1iments.of minority to his council; fo that the king was foie reformer, and might thePuritans. - by commiffioners of his own appointment, declare and remove all man- ner of errors, herefies, &c. and model the doftrine and difcipline of the church as he pleafed, provided his injunEtions did not exprefly contradiEt the ftatute lawof the land, Thus
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