Chap. V. the HISTORY of the PÜRiTANS. 593 Bithop Montague who fucceeded Wren in the diocefe of Norwich, i63 8. K. Charles 1. imitated his fucceffor in his vifitation articles ; it being now fafhionable for '636, every new bithop to frame feparatearticles of inquiry, for the vifitation ofBp. Mna- his owndiocefe. Montague pointed his inquiries againft the puritan lec- gue's articles turers, of which he obferves three forts. J `nqu=ry concerning I. Such as werefuperindutled into anotherman's cure ; concerning whichfeveral forts he enjoins his vifitors to inquire, Whether the lecturer's fermons in the of lectures. afternoons are popular or catechiltical ? Whether he be admitted with Prynne, èonfent of the incumbent and bifhop? Whether he read prayers inhis fur-P' 376 plice and hood? Of what lengthhis fermons are, and upon what fubjeét? Whether he bids prayer, according to the fifty-fifth canon ? 2. The fecónd fort of lectures are thofe of combination, when the neigh- bouring minifters agreed to preach by turns at an adjoining market-town on market-days ; inquire who the combiners are, and whether they con- form as above? 3. A third fort are running leëlures, when neighbouring chriftians agree upon fuch a day to meet at a certain church in fome country town or vil lage, and after fermon and dinner to meet at the houfe of one of their dif- ciples, to repeat, cenfure, and explain the fermon ; then to difcourfe of fome points propofed at a foregoing meeting by the moderator of the af- fembly, derogatory to the doctrine or difcipiine of the church ; and in conclufron to appoint another place for their next meeting. If you have any fuch lectures prefent them. Dr. Pierfe, bifhop of Bath and Wells, fuppreffed all lectures in market- Bp. Pierre towns, and elfewhere throughout his diocefe, alledging that he faw no of Bath and fach need ofpreaching now, as was in the apoftles days. He fufpended Mr. ells, hs Devenifh minifter of Bridgwater, for preaching a lecture in his own Ifturef for church on a market-day, which had continued ever fince the days of Prynne, queen Elizabeth ; and afterwards, when he abfolved him upon his pro- P 377 mile to preach it no more, he faid to him, Go thy way, fin no more, left a worfe thing befal thee. His lordfhip put down all afternoon fermons on Lord's days ; and fufpended Mr. Cornifh for preaching a funeral fermon on the evening. And whereas fome minifters ufed to explain the quellions and anfwers in the catechifm, and make a fhort prayer before and after, the bithop reproved them fharply for it, faying that was as bad as preach- ing, and charged them to afk no queftions, nor receive any anfwers but fuch as were in the book of common-prayer : and for not complying with this injunction, Mr. Barret rector of Barwick, and fome others, were enjoined public penance. The bifhop of Peterborough, and all the new bifhops, went in the fame trail; and force of them upon this fad prin- ciple, That afternoon firmons on fundays, were an impediment to the revels in the evening. Vox L 4 G The
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=