416 ?he HISTORY of the PURTTANJ. Chap. %James I.' fchifm between the feculars and jfuits, which was Of great fervice. `6° " Doctor, you are a better college-man, than flates- man.": To which 4i^v J Raynolds replied, that he did not intend fuch books as were printed in England, but fuch as were imported from beyond fea ; and this feveral of the privy-council owned to be a grievance. The door having prayed that fome effeéauál remedy might be provided againft the pro- fanation of the Lord'sday, declared he had no more to add on the firft head. Ofpreach- z. With regard to preaching, the do &or complained of pluralities in the church ; and prayed that all parifhes might be furnifhed with preach- ing minifters. Upon which Bancroft fell upon his knees, and petitioned his majefty, that all parifttes might have a praying minifiry, for preach- ing is grown fo much in fafhion, Pays he, that the .fervice of the church is negleted. Befides pulpit harangues are very dangerous ; he therefore humbly moved, that the number of homilies might be encreafed, and that the clergy might be obliged to read them inftead of fermons, in which many vented their fpleen againft their fuperiors. The king afked the plaintiffs their opinion of the bifhop's motion ; who replied, that a preaching miniftry was certainly belt and molt ufeful, though they al- lowed, where preaching could not be had, godly prayers, homilies, and exhortations, might do much good. The lord chancellor [Egerton] faid, there were more livings that wanted learned men, than learned men liv- ings ; let all therefore have fingle coats, before others have doublets. Upon which Bancroft replied merrily, but a doublet is good in cold weather. The king put an end to the debate, by Paying he would confult the bi- thops upon this head. ©f the ter- 3. But the doétor's chief objeaions were to the fervice-book and church- vice-book government: Here he complained of the late fubjcriptions, whereby ma- ond ceremo- n were deprived of their minifi who were willing to fubfcribe to the pies. Y P, y g dolrinal articles of the church, to the king's fupremacy, and to the fta- tutes of the realm. He excepted to thereading the apocrypha to the in- terrogatories in baptifm, and to thefign of the crofs; . to the furplice, andother fuperftitious habits ; to the ring in marriage; to the churching ofwomen bythe name fPURtFICATIoso. He urged, that moft of thefe things were reliques of popery ;. that they had been abufed to idolatry, and therefore ought, like the brazen ferpent, to be abolifhed. Mr. Knewfiubs laid, thefe rites and ceremonies were at beta, indifferent, and therefore doubted, whether the power of the church could bind the confcience without impeaching chriftian liberty. Here his majefty interrupted them, and faid, that he apprehended . the furplice to be a very comely garment ; that the Crof was as old as Con- jiantine, and muff: we charge him with popery ?. Befides it was no more a figni- o
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