'L5e HIS1' 0 R Y of the PuRITANS~ Vot. H. Oli"er removal ·of any of tbe commifiioners, their numbers were to be filled u•i p,·oJeclor. b th p t .o. d h' · 'I b h l' 'f fi · r · 6 , y • e ro euor an IS cotonCI ; or y t e par lament 1 mmg. But 1 :>4-· r f h 1L • d' ' d l' d · ~-...J tome o t e prcwytenan Ivmes ec me aCting, for want of a better auScobel, p. thority; or becaufe they did not like the company; though the authority 3 66 · was as good as any thefe times could produce, till the next feGions of p 8 r. liarnent. By an ordinance of Sept. 2. r654, I find the reverend Mr. John" Rowe, Mr. John Bond, Mr. G_eorgc GrizJitb of the Charte~-Houfe, Mr. John 'Turner, and Godjrey Bofvzl!e Efq; added to the comtmffionm above-mentioned. Their inTo fuch as were approved, the -Gommifiioners gave an injlrument Jlruniom. in writing under a common lea! for that purpofe, by virtue of which they were put into as fnll pofreGion of the living to which they were nominated or chofen, as if they had been admitted by inltitution and induction. Remarks. It was further provided, that all who prefented themfelves for approba– tion, !hou ld produce a certificate figned by th ree perfons at leaf!: of known integrity, one of whom to be a preacher of the gofpel in forn~ fetded place, tefl:ifyi ng on their pcrfonal knowledge, the holy and good con– verfation of the perfon to be admitted ; which certifieate was to be re– giflered and filed. And all penalties for not Jitbfcribing, or reading the articles qf religion, according to tbe aB if 1 yh E!iz. were to cca.Je and /;e void. And for as much as fome perfons might have been preferred to liv– ings within the Jail: twelvemonth , when there was no fettled method of approbation, the ordinance looks back, and ordains " that no pcrfon " who had been placed in any benefice or lecture fince April I. " I 653, fhould be al lowed to conti nue in it, unlefs he got him– " felf approved by the 24th of June, or at furthefl: the 23. of Julj " r6s4·" 'Tis obfervable that this ordinance provides no fecurity for the civil government, the commifiioners not being impowered to adminiil:er an oath of allegiance or fidelity to the protector. By this means fome of the fequefl:ered clergy taking advantage of the act of oblivion in I 65r, paC– fed their trials before the comniiffioners and returned to their livmgs. The proteCtor being advifed of this defect, by advice of his council, pubAdditional lifhed an add itional ordinance Sept. 2 . 1 654, requiring the commit1ioners 01·dinance. Scobel, p. 366. not to give admiilion to any who had been fequefiered from their ecclefi· ail: ical benefices for delinquency, 'till by experience of their conformity, and fu bmiffion to the prefent government, his high11ejs and his cotwcil ihould be fatisfied of their fitnefs to be admitted into eccldi.lfl:ical pro– motions ; and the fame to be fignified to the L'lid commiffion ers. Both the{e ordinances were confirmed by parliament in the year !6 s6, with this
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