106 The HISTORY of the PuRITANs. VoL. If. K. Charles I. the number of twenty- one, had full power given them to ordain pro tem– ~ pore in the county Lancafler. And to obviate the reproaches of the Ox– ford divines, the following cbufe was added, that " if any perfon do " publickly preach, brotherwife exercife any minifterial office, that !hall " not be ordained, or thereunto allowed by feven of the faid minifl:ers, " their names !hall be returned to both houfes of parliament, to be dealt " with as they in their wifdom £hall think fit" It was voted further, Pari. Chr. that " no mii1ifter be allowed to preach , unlefs he has a certi ficate of his p. 152. Di.·etfory for public worjhip. " ordination, or at leaft of his being examined and approved by the af– " fembly." And Feb. r 6. [tt a conference between the two houfes it was agreed, that the aifembly of divines be defired to admit none into their pulpits, except fuch whofe doCl:rine they would be anfwerable for. Such was the concern of the parliament in thefe difl:raCl:ed times, to have a fo– ber and well regulated clergy . Next to the providing for a fuccefiion of minifters by ordination, the aifembly confulted about a form of public devotion. The old liturgy be– ing laid aGde there were no public offiGes in the church : a committee was therefore appointed, Offob. 17. 1643· to agree upon certain general heads, for the direCl:ion of the minifter in the difcharge of his oflice, which having paired through the aifembly, were fent into Scotland for the approbation of the genetal afrembly, and then e!labli£hed by an ordi– nance of parliament bearing date Jan. 3. I 644- 5· under the title of a direelory for public worfbip. The reafons which induced the parliament to difcard the old liturgy, and form a new plan for the devotion of the church, I !hall tranfcribe Pref to difrom their own preface. " It is evident (fay they) after long and fad r(flory. " experience, that the liturgy ufed in the church of England, not with– " !l:anding all the pJins and religious intentions of the compilers, has pro– " ved an offence to many of t he godly at home, and to the reformed '' churches abroad. The enjoining the reading all the prayers, heighten– ,, ed the grievances; and the many unprofitable and burdenfome cere– ,, monies has occaGoned much mifchief, by difquieting the confciences " of many, who could not yield to them. Sundry good people have by '' this means, been kept from the lord's table, and m any faithful mini– " fl:ers debarred from the exerci(e of their miniftry, to the ruin of them '' and their families. The prelates and their faction have raifed their ef1i– " mation of it to fuch an height, as if God could be wor£hipped no other " way but by thejervice book; in confequence of which the preaching of " the word has been depreciated, and in fome places entirely neglcCl:ed. " In the mean time the papifl:s have made their advantage this way, " boaftio-,s that the common prayer book came up to a compliance with " a great part of their fervice ; by which means they were not a little " confirmed
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