vi P R E F A C E . figns were Qbfiru .led by fame temporizing b/ops, who having complied with the impoñitions of king Henry VIII. were willing to bring others un- der the fame yoke; and to keep up an alliance with the church of Rome, lß they /hould lofe the uninterrupted fuccefion of their charaelers from the apa/Iles. The contróverfy that gave r f to the SEPARATION began in this reign, on occafion of bUhop Hooper's refufing to be confecrated in the po- pifh habits : This may fiem an unrefonable fcruple in the opinion offame people, but was certainly an affair of great confequence to the reformation, when the habits were the known badges of popery ; and when the admi- niítrations of the pr s, were thought to receive their validityfrom the confecrated veftments ; as I am afraid many both of the clergy andcom- mon people are too inclinable to apprehend at this day. Had the refor- mers fixed upon other decent garments, as badges of the epifcopal or prieft- ly office, which had no relation to the fuperfiitions ofpopery, this controver- fy hadbeen prevented. But the fame regard to the old religion was had, in reviling the liturgy, and tranflating it into the englifh language; the re- formers, inflead offraming a new one in the language of holy fcrip- tore, had recourfe to the offices of the church of Rome, leaving out fuch prayers andpa//ages as were ofenfve, and adding certain refponfes to en- gage the attention of the common people, who till this time had no concern sn the public devotions of the church, as being uttered in an unknown. tongue : This was thought a very con"derable advance, and as much as the times would bear, but was not defignedfor the laß /landard of the englifh reformation ; however, the immature deathof young kingEdward, put an end to all furtherprogref. Upon the acceion of queen MARY, popery revived, by the fupremacy's being lodged in a Jingle hand; andwithin the compafs of little more than a year, became a fcond time the eflablifhed religion of the church of Eng- land : The Matutes of king Edward were repealed, and the penal laws a- gain"? heretics were put in execution again/ the reformers ; many of whom, after a long imprifnment, and cruel trials of mockings and fcourgings, made a noble confeffon of their faith before many witne /s, and foaled it with their blood.' Great numbers fled into banijhment, and were enter- tained by the reformed /fates of Germany, Switzerland, and Geneva, with great humanity ; the magi"?ratesenfranchi/ng them, and appointing churches for their public worfhip. But here began the fatal divn ; fame of the exiles were far keeping to the liturgy of king Edward, as the religion of their country, while others con/dering that thofi laws were repealed, ap- prehended themfelves at full liberty, and having noprfpeEl of returning home, they refolved to /hake of the remains of antichri/, and to copy after the purer forms of thole churches among whom they lived. According- b, the congregation at Frankfort, by the defire of the magjrates, began upon
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=