Chap. VIII. The HISTORY' tot the PURITANS.. 371 " England has fubmitted to difputation three times in king Edward's, -pcteer " queen Mary's and queen Elizabeth's time. (4..) Thefe mens errors Elira6eth, 'C have been condemned by the writings of learned men. (5.) It is I " not reafonable that a religion eftablilhed by parliament fhould be exa- " mined by an inferior authority. (6.) It is not reafonable to condemn " thofe foreign churches that have acknowledged ours for a true church. " (7.) Their principal errors have been confuted by St.Aufin. (8.) This " will ftrengthen the hands of the papifts. (g.) It has been the manner " of hereticks to require difputations with clamour and importunity. (io.) The caufe has been already decided by written books which they " ° may confult. (r i.) They will not ftand to the judgment of the of civil magiftrate. 02.) If the church fhould fatisfy every fed that " rifeth, there would be no end of difputations." Thus thefe pious and con - fcientious perlons, after a long and illegal imprifonment, were abandoned to the feverity of an unrighteous law ; fome of thembeing publickly exe- cuted as felons, and others profcribed and fent into banifhment. Among the former were, Mr. Barrowe of Grays-Inn, and Mr. Mr. Bar- Greenwood and Penry minifters; the two firft had been in prifon fomerowe's f:rf years, and feveral times before the commi toners ; their examinations examination. wrote by themfelves are now before me. Barrowe was apprehended at the Clink prifon in Southwark, where he went to vifit his brother Green- wood; he was carried immediately to Lambeth, where the !archbifhop would have examined him upon the oath ex t ?ció, but he refuted to take it, or to fwear at all upon the bible; but (lays he) by God's grace I will anfwer nothing but the truth. So the archbifhop took a paper of inter- rogatories into his hand and afked him, a. Whether the Lord's prayer might be ufed in the church? He anfwered, that in his opinion it was ra- ther a fummary than a form, and not finding it ufed by the apoftles, he thought it fhould not be conftantly ufed by us. 2. Whetherforms ofprayer may be ufed in the church? He anfwered, that none fuch ought to be impofed. 3. Whether the Common Prayer be idolatrous or fuperflitious? He anfwered, that in his opinion it was fo. 4. Whether the facraments of' the church are true facraments and feals of the favour of God? He anfwered, he thought as they were publickly adminiftered they were not. 5. Whether the laws of the church are good? He anfwered, that many of them were unlawful and antichriftian. 6. Whether the church of Eng.. gland is a true church? He anfwered, that as it was now formed it was not ; yet that there are many excellent good chriftians of it. 7. Whe- ther the queen be fupreme governor of the church, and may make laws for it? He anfwered, that the queen was fupreme governor of the church, but might not make laws other than Chrift had left in his word. 8. Whe- ther a private perfon may reform if the prince neglects it ? He anfwered, Bbb z that
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