Neal - Houston-Packer Collection BX9333 .N4 1754 v1

Chap. IV, the HISTORY of the PURITANS. I " hate contention, nor do we defert our churches and leave them ex- tyi'een " e poled to wolves, but we are driven from them. We leave our bre- EhL6eth, thren to Hand and fall to their own mater, and defire the farne "favourable forbearance from them. All that is pretended is, that " the habits are not unlawful; not that they are good and expedient; " but forafmuch as the habits of the clergy are vifible marks of their « profeffion, they ought not to be taken from their enemies. The an- " cient fathers had their habits, but not peculiar to bithops, nor difintì " from the laity. The inflances of St. john and Çaprian are fingular. " In Tertullian's Time the Palium was the common habit of old chri- " Tians. Chryfoflom fpeaks of white garments, but with no approbation ; " he rather findsfault with them: No do we condemn things indifferent as unlawful; but we with there might be a free fynod to fettle this « matter, in which things may not be carried according to the minds << of one or two perlons. The doe-trine ofour church is now pure, and why thould there be any defeat in our worfhip? Why should we bar- row any thing from popery ? Why thould we not agree in rites as '< well as in doftrine, with the other reformed churches ? We have a Rift. Ref. " good opinion of oar bithops, and bear with their fate and pomp ; we Vol. III. once bore the fame crofs with them, and preached the fameChritl with P. 3rr' « them ; why then are we now turned out of our benefices, and force put in prifon, only for habits, and publickly defamed ? " But the difpute is not only about a cap and furplice ; there are other " ° grievances which ought to be redreffed or difpenfed with ; as, (s.) Ma- lick and organs in divine worfhip. (2.) The fponfors in baptifm, anlwering in the child's name. (3.) The crofs in baptifm. (q..) Kneel- " ing at the facrament, and the uIe of unleavened bread. (5.) There is allo a want of difcipline in the church. (6.) The marriage of theclergy is not legitimated, but their children are looked upon by force as bollards. " (y.) Marriage is not to be performed without a ring. (8.) Women <° are not to be churched without the veil. (q.) The court of faculties ; « pluralities ; licences for non-refidence; for eating flefh inLent, &c. are " < infufferable grievances. (to.) Miniflers have nota free liberty to preach iro, Rej. « without fubfcribing to the nie and approbationof all the ceremonies. in records. << And, laflly, the article which explained the manner of Chritl's prefence P. 335 « in the facrament, is taken away." The bithops alledged in vindication of their compliance with thefe things, the neceffity of the times; the queen's peremptorinefs ; the indifferent na- ture of the things required ; and their fears of the lofs of the whole refor- mation, if they thould defect their Tations in the church ; promising not to urge them upon their brethren who were diffatisfied; but to endeavour their removal in a proper feafon. S 2 The

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