Chap. Ill. The HIS T 0 R Y of the PuRITANS. 485 0 1her extravagancies of this people about this time, are recorded by our POliver . . d . l l . . · . rotellor. hiftori, 1 ns. The proteCtor was conunually te1ze Wll1 t ~e1r 1mport~nwes; 1656 . they waited for him on the road, and watched about h1s palace, ~Ill they ~· got an opportunity to fpeak to him. George Fox and others, wnt letters filled with denunciations of divine judgments, unlefs he would pull down the remains of antichrifl:, by which they underftood church miniflers, and church maintenance. To which the proteCtor paid no regard. As new inroads were made upon the ordinances for obfervation o£Ordina11ce h r. b h 1' k d h Tl · h for better obt e 1a bat , the par 1ament too care to amen t em. 115 year t ey jervation of ordained, that " the fabbath fhould be deemed to extend from twelve of the fabbath. " the clock on Saturday night, to twelve of the clock on Lord's day Scobel, p. " night; and within that compafs of time they prohibited all kinds of 43 8 • " bufinefs and diverfions, except works of neceility and mercy. No " eleCtion of magifl:rates is to be on the Lord's day; no balding of courts, " or return of writs, but if, accorrling to their charters, they fall upon " the Lord's day, they are to be deferred to Monday. It is further enaCted, " That all perfons not having a rea{onable excuie, to be allowed by a " juftice of pence, fhall refort to fome church or chapel, where the tme " worfhip of God is performed, or to feme meeting-place of cbrifiians " not differing in matters of faith from the public profeilion of the na- " tion, on pen3lty of two ihillings and fix pence for every offence. It is. " further ordained, that no minifter fhall be moiefted, or diflurbed in " the difcharge of his office on the Lord's day, or on any other day,. " when he is performing his duty, or in going or coming from the " place of public worfhip. Nor fhall any wilful difturbance be given to " the congregation, on penalty of five pounds, or being fent to the " workhoufe for fix months, provided the information be within one " month after the offence is committed." This ordinance to be read in every church or chapel of this nation annually, the firfi Lord's in every lvfarch. The oath of abjuration, for difcovering popifh recufants, not being.Agaillj'l pa– effeCl:iJal, it was now further ordained, " that all jufl:ices of peace at pijls. " the quarter fellions, iliould charge the grand juries to prefent all per- " fons whom they fufpeeted to be popiihly affeCted; and that every: " fuch perfon fhould appear at the next quarter feilions, and take and " ~ubfcribe t~e following oath of abjuration, on penalty of being ad- " judged pop1lh recufants conviCt, to all intents and purpofes what-· " foever:• .. I A. B.
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