Chap. V. The fl IS TORY of the PURITANS 185 " pretations, and then make a- practical reflection, but not dilate to a .ueen " common place. Elizabeth, 3. " Thofe that (peak after, may add any thing they think the other rsv w " has omitted, tending to explain the text; but may not repeat what has been faid, nor oppofe their predeceffor, unlefs he has fpoken contrary " to the fcriptures. ç. " The exercife to continue from 9 to r is the firft fpeaker to " end in three quarters of an hour, the fecond and third not to ex- ceed each one quarter of an hour; one of the moderators always to " conclude. - 5. " After the exercife is over, and the auditors difmiffed, the prefident " (hall call the learned brethren to him, to givetheir judgment of the per- " formances, when it fhall be lawful for any of the brethren, to propofe "- their objections againft them inwriting, which (hall be anfwered before the next exercife. 6. " If any break orders, the prefident [hall 'command him, in the " name of the eternal God, to be filent ; and after the exercife he fhall be " reprimanded. 7. " When the exercife is finifhed, the next fpeaker (hall be appointed, " and his text given him." The confeflionof faith, which the members of theee prophefyings figned at their admiflion, was to the following purpofe. That they believed the wordof God, contained in the Old and NewTheir tonfef- C1 Teftament, to be a perfect rule of faith and' manners; that it oughtfionoffaith. to be read and known by all people, and that the authority of it exceeds all authority, not of the pope only, but of the church alto; and ofcourt- ", cils, fathers, men and angels. They condemn as a tyrannous yoke, whatfoever men have fet up of. " their own invention, to make articles of faith, and the binding mens confciences by their laws and inftitutes-: In fum, all thole manners and " fafhions of ferving God, which men have brought in without the autho- " s ty of the word for the warrant thereof, though recommended bycuftom; " by unwritten traditions, or any other names whatfoever: of which fort are the Pope's fupremacy, purgatory, tranfubjlantiation, man's merits, "free-will, ju/lification by works, praying in an unknown tongue, and dif- " fiintlions of meats, apparel, and days, and briefly all the ceremonies, " and whole order ofpapry, which they call 'the hierarchy ; which are a " devilith confufion, eftablifhed as it were in fpight of. God, and to the " ° reproach of religion. " And we content ourfelves, fay they, with the fimplicity of this pure " word of God, and doëtrine thereof; a fummary of which is in the " Apofllescreed; refolving to try and examine, and alto to judgeali other V or,. I. B " doctrines
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