Chap. V. the HISTORY of the PURITANS. 195 " firperftition. - -We think, that thofe nail days of Chrif}, as of his :VY"" " JirEL, circzemciton, ,pngbver, refúrr' icn, and afcezzaon, &c. may by I"'zabetfl, " cbriftían liberty be kept, becaufe they are only devoted to Chrift, to c_v;a " whom all days and times belong. But days dedicated to faints, with " farts on their eves, we utterly diflike, though we approve of the re- " vcrend memory of the faints, as examples tobe propounded to the peo- n° pie in fermons; and of publick and private fags, as the circumftances " of nations or private perlons require." The confefion concludes with an article concerning the office of the civil magittrate. " We hold, that chriftians may bear office ; that ma- " giftrates may put offenders to death lawfully; that they may wage war, " and require a lawful oath of the fubjeh ; that fubjefts are bound to °' obey all their juft and lawful commands; to pray for them, to give " them all honour ; to call them by their lawful titles, and to be ready " with their bodies and goods, lives, and all that they have, to ferve them with bodily fervice; yea, all thefe things we -muff do though they be infidels, and obtain their dominion, either by inheritance, " by elcétion, by conquer, or otherwife. On the other hand, it is MI s. p. r3r. " the magiftrates duty to provide for the publick peace and quiet " of their fubjeéts; and to let forth Chriti's pure religion, by advan- " cing the preaching of the gofpel, and rooting out all fuperftition " and idolatry." The authors of this confeffion lay in prifon a confderable time; for though the inhabitants of Aldermary, Landon, prefented two fupplications for the enlargement of their valuable pallor, and learned and faithful preacher, as they called Mr. Field; and though fome great friends inter- ceded for them, they could not obtain their releafe. The archbifhop Pent his chaplain to confer with them in prifon, after they had been there three months, for which they were thankful. The conference began with a fuitable prayer, which Mr. Field made, and was carried on with Such decency, as moved the chaplain's compaffion ; but nothing would prevail with the inexorable conimif loners to releafe them, 'till they had fuffered the extremity of the law, and paid their fees, though the keeper gave it under his hand, that they were f poor, as not to have money to pay for their lodgings or victuals. To return to the ADMONITtON, which confifted of twenty-three chapters, under the following titles. Chap. 1. Whether Chri/t frbiddeth ruleor fzeperiority to miners. Beads of the -1I. Of the authority of the church in things indi/érent. admenitzen to III, Of the eleElion ej miners. theparlia- merit. Of mini/ters having no pa/ioral charge ; and of ceremonies ufed in ordering miniilers. C c Chap. V.
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