730 She HISTORY of the PURITANS. Chap. IX, %Charles L"r any thing that is undoubtedly fo grounded ; and by the fame rule we " may abrogate whofoever is introduced contrary to the undoubtedfaun- '° dation ofyour laws ; but we may not rule and govern by arbitrary " and difputable orders, efpecially in matters of religion." Rioters pu. The lords difapproved of the tumultuous attempt of private perfons, xr/hed and puni(hed them feverely. Complaint being made by the inhabitants Falfn' of St. Saviour's Soutwark, of certain perfons who had pulled down the rails of the communion-table in an infolent and riotous manner, they were fent for into cuftody, and having been heard by their counfel at the bar of the hdufe, the church-wardens of the pari(h were ordered to fet up new rails, at the colts and charges of the offenders, in the manner they had flood for fifty years before, but not according to the model of the four or five Taft years. The rioters alto were enjoined to make a public confeffion of their fault in the body of the church on a fabbath day, when the congregation fhould be prefent, and to (land committed Ib. p. 29e. to the Fleet, during the pleafure of the houle. Upon another complaint of the parifhoners of St. O/ave's Southwark, againft fome who had made a tumult in their church, and ufed irreverent fpeeches during the admi- niftration of the facrament ; the delinquents were fent for into cuflody, and after hearing they were committed to the King's-bench for fix months, without bail or mainprize ; and ordered to Rand upon an high fool in Cheapfide and in Southwark, fbr two hours on a market day, and lb. p. 395. to acknowledge their fault publickly : they were alto fined twenty pounds, and to find fureties for their good behaviour; but when they had been imprifoned about a month, upon their humble petition, and acknowledgment of their mifdemeanors, they were releafed. . adreprefen If we maygive credit to the petition fromCanterbury, things were every àation of ibe where in great confufion ; for it Pays, " That the religion and government iorebÿAo " by law eftablifhed, has been of late molt miferablydiftraäed by ill af- ooyah/h. " feéted perfons, by whole means the houles of God are profaned, and in part defaced; the minifters of Chrift are contemned and defpifed; °' the ornaments, and many utenfils of the church are abufed ; the litur- " gy and book of common prayer depraved and negleéted; that abfolute " model of prayer, the Lord'sprayer, vilified ; the facraments of the got s pel, in force places, rudely adminiftered, in other places omitted; folemn e. days of fafting obferved, and appointed by private perfons;, marriages " illegally folemnized ; burials uncharitably performed,, and the very fun- " damentals of religion fubverted by the publication of a new creed, and " teaching theabrogation of the moral law; many offenfive fermons are vol. t. " preached, and many impious pamphlets printed Lord Clarendon p> 245. fays, " that the pulpits were fupplied with feditious and fchifmatical prea- "chers; that in order to poifon the hearts of the king's fubjects, care: " was
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