354- The HISTORY of the PURITANS. Chap. VIII wren « as ever it was in old time acknowledged by the prophets to belong to Èlizabeth, " the virtuous kings of udah ; and as all the reformed churches in Chri- 'fv1 " ftendom acknowledgehe fame to their fovereign princes, in the con- " feflions of their faith exhibited unto them, as they are fet down in a t0 book named the harmony ofconfeons, and the obfervations annexed " thereunto. « And befides this proteftation, we appeal to the former wholecourfe of our lives, wherein it cannotbe Chewed, that we ever made queftion of it ; « and more particularly by our publick doctrine, declaring the fame; and « by our taking the oath offupremacy as occafton hath required. EXCOMMUNICATION. It bath been odioufly deviled againji us, concerning the perfonr_fubjectl to excommunication, and the power. thereof, how far it extendeth ; touch- ing the former,we judge not otherwife herein, than all the re- formed churches that are this day in the chrittian world, nor than our own Englifh church, both always heretofore hath judged, and doth 'till at this prefent, as may appear by the articles of religion agreed by the convocation, and by a book of homilies allowed by the fame, and alfo by fundry other books of greateft credit and authority in our church ; which is, that the word of God, the facraments, and the power of binding and looting, are all ordinances of almighty God, gracioufly ordained for the comfort and falvation of the whole church ; and that therefore no part or member of it is to be denied the comfortable wholefome aid and benefit thereof, far the furtherance of their faith, and (as need may require) of their repentance, &c. " For the other part, how far this cenfure extendeth, we profefs that it depriveth a man only of fpirituál comforts, as of being partaker of the Lord's table, and being prefent at the publick prayers of the church, or fuch like, Without taking away either liberty, goods, lands, government private or publickwhatfoever, or any other civil or earthly commodity of this life. Wherefore from our hearts we deteft.and ab- hor that intolerable prefumption of the bifhop of Rome, taking upon him, in fuch cafes, to depofe fovereign princes from their higheft feats of fupreme government, and difcharging thèir fubjeéts from that du- tiful obedience, that by the laws of God they ought to perform. CONFERENCES. « Concerning our conferences, we have been charged to have given ORD ERS, and made MINIST E R S, and to have adminifiered the cenfures of the church, andfinally to have exercifed all ecclfajiicaljurifditison. To which fuggeftion we anfwer, that indeed of long time we have 4 ufed
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