Chap. IV. The HISTORY-of the PURITANS. 541 By virtue of thefe inftru&ions, the bifhop of London fummoned before K. Charles I him all:minifters.and lecturers in and about the city, and in a folemn fpeech infifted on their obedience. He alto fent letters to his archdeacons, re- quiring them to fend him lifts of the feveral lecturers within their arch- deaconries, as well in places exempt as not exempt, with the places where they preached, and their quality or degree; as alfo the names of fuch gen- tlemen,, who being not qualified, kept chaplains in their own houles. His lord(hip required them further, to leave a copy of the king's inftru&ions concerning lecturerswith the parfon of every parifh, and to fee that they were duly obferved. Thefe LECTURERS were chieflypuritans, who not being fatisfied with Character of a full conformity, fo as to take upon them a cure offouls, only preached the lecturers. in the afternoons, being chofen andmaintained by the people. They were f]rift calvinifts, warm and affe&ionate preachers, and diftinguifhed them- felves by a religious obfervation of the Lord's day, by a bold oppofi- tion to popery and the new ceremonies, and by an uncommon feverity of life. Their manner of preachinggave the bifhopa diftafte to fermons, who was already of opinion that they did more harm than good, infomuch that on a fart day forthe plague then in London, prayers were ordered to be read in all churches, but not a fermon to be preached, left the people fhould wander from their own parifhes. The lecurers had very popular talents,. and drew great members of people after them. Bifhop Laud would often fay, " Theywere the moll dangerous enemies of the ftate, becaufe by their prayers and fermons they awakened the people's"difaffe&ion;, and there- " fore muff be fuppreffed."' Good old archbifhop Abbot was of, another fpirit, but the reins were Proceedings, taken out of his hands. He hada good opinion of the lecturers, as men agalo!l them: who had the proteftant religion at heart, and would fortify their hearers Prde's againft the return of popery. When Mr, Palmer le&urer of St..dlphage ór, 373.4' in Canterbury, was commanded to defift from preaching by the arch- deacon, becaufe he drew great numbers of factious people after him, and did not wear the furplice, the archbifhop authorized him to continue : The like he did by Mr. Udnay ofAjbford, for which he was complained of, as not enforcing the king's inftrùCtions, whereby the commißïoners (as they fay) were made a fcern to the factious, and the archdeacon's jurifdiftion inhibited.. But in the diocefe of London bifhopLaud proceeded with the utmoft feverity. Many le&ùres were put down, and fuch as preached againft arminianifm or the new ceremonies, were fufpended and filenced among whom were the Reverend Mr. fohn Rogers of Dedham, Mr.. 'Daniel Rogers of Wethersfield, Mr. Hooker. of Chelmsford, Mr. White of Knightfbridge; Mr. Archer, Mr. William Martin, "Mr. Edwards, Mr. . yones3,
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