Neal - Houston-Packer Collection BX9333 .N4 1754 v1

Chap. ÍI. 7; e HISTORY of the PURITANS. 45 fuffered fhemfelves to be deprivedof their bifhopricks for. contumacy, 061oó. EdwdVI. 551. Preachers were Lent into the countries to remove the peoples preju- rsso dices, which had a very good effect ; and if they had taken the fame methods with refpe t to the habits, and other relicks of popery; thefe would hardly have kept their ground, and the reformers would have acted a. more conuftent and honourable part. The fad confequences of retaining the popish garments in the fervice Rife of the of the church, began to appear this year:. A debate, one would think, Controverfj, ' 'about the of fmall confequence;. but at this time apprehended of great importanceHabzrs.. to the reformation. The people having- been bred up in a fuperftitious veneration for the priefts garments, being taught that they were facred; that without them no adminiftrations were valid ; that there was a fort of virtue conveyed into- them by confecration ; and in a word, that they were of the fame importance to a chriftian clergyman, as the prieas garments of old were in their miniftrations; it was time to difabufe them. The debate began upon occafron of Dr. Hooper's nomination to the bifhoprick of Glouce/ler, in the room of Dr. Wakeman, who died in December laft. Dr. HOOPÉR was a zealous, pious, and learned man : He wend. out Bllhop of 'England in the latter end of king Henry's reign, and lived. at Zu- Hooper':" rich, at a time when all Germany was in. a flame on account of the Charatïtr.. Interim:; which was a form of worfhip contrived to keep up the ex- terior face of popery, with the foftnings of force other fenfes put upon things. Upon this arofe a great and important queftion among the Ger -V. Refers mans, concerning the ufe of things indferent. It was faid, If things were Vol. III. indifferent in themfelves, they were laufl; and that it was thefubjeds duty P 199' to obey when commanded. So the old popish rites were retain'd, on.purpofe to draw the people more eafily back to popery. Out of this another gsie- ítion arofe,, Whether it was lawful to obey, in things indiffirent, . when it was certain they were injoin'd with an ill dejfgn? ,To.which it was-replied, That the deigns of, legiflators were not to be enquired into. This created a vaff diftradion in the country : Some conformed-to the interim.;- but the major, part were firm to their principles, and were turned, out of their livings for. diföbedience. Thofe who complied were forthe moft.part Lutherans, and.. carried the name of Adiaphor.ifls,: from -the Greekword, that lignifies, things-. .ind érent. But the reft.of the reformed, were for fhaking off all the relicks of popery, with the hazard of whatever that was dear to them.in the world; . particularly at Zurich, where Hooper refided, they were zealous again(' any compliance with the interim, or the ufe of the old rites it prefcribed. With thefe principles, Hooper came over. to England; and applied him felf to,preaching and explaining the fcriptures to the people; he was in the pulpit almof} every day. in the week, and his fermons were fn popular, that.

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