resolved to make him an example. Cartwright himself sent an elegant latin letter to the secretary, in which he declares, that he waved all occasions of speaking concerning the habits, but owns he had taught that our ministry declined from the ministry of the apostolical church in some points, according to which he wished it might be modelled; however, that he did this with all imaginable caution, as almost the whole university would witness, if they might be allowed. He prayed the secretary to hear and judge the cause himself; which was so far from novelty, that it was as venerable for its antiquity as the apostolic age, but though the secretary was convinced,* that his behavior was free from arrogancy, or an intention to cause trouble, and that only as a public reader in the university, he had given notes of the difference between the ministry in the times of the apostles, and the present ministry of the church of England, yet he left him to the mercy of his enemies, who poured upon him all the infamy and disgrace their power would admit.They first denied him his degree of doctor in divinity, then forbad his reading public lectures, and at last deprived him of his fellowship, and expelled him the university. A short and compendious way of confuting an adversary!

Mr. Cartwright being now out of all employment, travelled beyond sea, and settled a correspondence with the most celebrated divines in the protestant universities of Europe. While he was abroad he was chosen minister to the English merchants at Antwerp, and afterwards at Middleburgh, where he continued two years with little or no profit to himself; and then returning to England, being earnestly solicited thereunto by letters from Dr. Deering, Fulk, Wiburne, Fox, and Lever, we shall hear more of the sufferings of this eminent divine for his non-conformity.†

This year [1570] Grindal bishop of London being translated to York, Sandys bishop of Worcester was removed to London; in his primary visitation, Jan. 10, he charged his elergy, 1. To keep strictly to the book of common-prayer. 2. Not to preach without a licence. 3. To wear the apparel, that is, the square cap and scholar's gown, and in

*Pierce's Vindication, p. 77. + Clarke's Life of Cratwright, p. 18.

divine service, the surplice. 4. Not to admit any of other parishes to their communion. He also ordered all clerks' tolerations to be called in; by which it appears that some few of the non-conformists had been tolerated, or dispensed with hitherto, but now this was at an end. However, the puritans encouraged one another by conversation and letters, to stedfastness in their opposition to the corruptions of the church, and not to fear the resentments of their adversaries.

There was a spirit in the parliament, which was convened April 2, 1571, to attempt something in favor of the puritans, upon whom the bishops bore harder every day than other. Mr. Strickland, an ancient gentleman, offered a bill for a further reformation in the church, April 6, and introduced it with a speech, proving, that the common prayerbook,with some superstitious remains of popery in the church might easily be altered without any danger to religion. He enforced it with a second speech, April 13, upon which the treasurer of the Queen's houshold stood up, and said, "All matters of ceremonies were to be referred to the "Queen, and for them to meddle with the royal prerogative "was not convenient." Her majesty was so displeased with Mr. Strickland's motion, that she sent for him before the council,and forbad him the parliament-house, which alarmed the members, and occasioned so many warm speeches, that she thought fit to restore him on the 20th of April. This was a bold stroke at the freedom of parliaments, and carrying the prerogative to its utmost length. But Mr. Strickland moved further, that a confession of faith should be published and confirmed by parliament, as it was in other protestant countries; and that a committee might be appointed to confer with the bishops on this head. The committee drew up certain articles, according to those which passed the convocation of 1562, but left out others. The archbishop asked them, why they left out the article for homilies,and for the consecrating of bishops, and some others relating to the hierarchy. Mr. Peter Wentworth replied, because they had not yet examined how far they were agreeable to the word of GOD, having confined themselves chiefly to doctrines.

* Strype's Annals, vol. ii. p. 29.

The archbishop replied, Surely you will refer yourselves wholly to us the bishops in these things? To which Mr. Wentworth replied warmly, No, by the faith Ibear to God, we will pass nothing before we understand what it is, for that were but to make you popes. Make you popes who list, for we will make you none. So the articles relating to discipline were waved, and an act was passed, confirming all the doctrinal articles agreed upon in the synod of

1562.

The act is entitled, For reformation of disorders in the ministers of the church ;*And enjoins all that have any ecclesiastical livings, to declare their assent before the 'bishop of the diocese to all the articles of religion, WHICH ONLY CONCERN THE CONFESSION OF THE TRUE FAITH, AND THE DOCTRINE OF THE SACRAMENTS, comprized in the book imprinted, and entitled, articles, whereupon it was agreed by the archbishops and bishops, &c. and the whole clergy in the convocation of 1562, for avoiding diversity of opinions, and for the establishing of consent touching true religion; and to subscribe them; which was to be testified by the bishop of the diocese, under his seal; which testimonial he was to read publicly with the 'said articles, as the confession of his faith, in his church on a Sunday, in the time of divine service, or be deprived. If any clergyman maintained any doctrine repugnant to the said articles, the bishop might deprive him. None were to be admitted to any benefice with cure, ex'cept he was a deacon of the age of 23 years, and would subscribe, and declare his unfeigned assent to the articles above-mentioned. Nor might any administer the sacraments under 24 years of age.'

It appears from the words of this statute, that those articles of the church which relates to its discipline were not designed to be the terms of ministerial conformity; and if theQueen and the bishops had governed themselves accordingly, the separation had been stifled in its infancy; for there was hardly a puritan in England that refused subscription to the doctrinal articles: If all the 39 articles had been

established, there had been no need of the following clause, Which ONLY concern the confession of the true christian faith, and the doctrine of the sacraments. And yet notwithstanding this act, many that held benefices and ecclesiastical preferments, and that offered to conform to the statute, were deprived in the following part of this reign; which was owing to the bishops' servile compliance with the prerogative, and pressing subscription to more than the law required.§

It deserves further to be taken notice of, that by a clause in this act the parliament admits of ordination by presbyters without a bishop; which was afterwards disallowed by the bishops in this reign, as well as at the restoration of King Charles II. when the church was deprived of great numbers of learned and useful preachers, who scrupled the matter of re-ordination, as they would at this time, if it had been insisted on. Many of the present clergy had been exiles for religion, and had been ordained abroad, according to the custom of foreign churches, but would not be re-ordained, any more than those of the popish communion; therefore to put an end to all disputes the statute includes both; the words are these, "That every person under the degree "of a bishop, that doth, or shall pretend to be a priest or "minister of God's word and sacraments, by reason of any "other form of institution, consecration, or ordering, than "the form set forth in parliament in the time of the late King "Edward VI. or now used in the reign of our most sover"eign lady Queen Elizabeth, shall, before Christmas next, "declare his assent, and subscribe the articles aforesaid." The meaning of which clause (says Mr. Strype) is undoubtedly to comprehend papists, and likewise such as received their orders in some of the foreign reformed churches, when they were in exile under Queen Mary.†

It is probable that the controverted clause of the 20th article, the church has power to decree rites and ceremonies, and authority in controversies of faith, was not among the articles of 1562, as has been shewn under that year; though it might be (according to Laud and Heylin) inserted in the

§ Strype's Ann. vol. ii. p. 72. + Strype's Ann. vol. ii. p. 71.

convocation book of 1571, but what has this to do with the act of parliament, which refers to a book printed nine years before? Besides, it is absurd to charge the puritans with striking out the clause, as archbishop Laud has done; they having no share in the government of the church at this time, nor interest to obtain the least abatement in their favor; nor does it appear that they disapproved the clause under proper regulations: One might rather suppose, that the Queen should take umbrage at it as an invasion of her prerogative, and that therefore some zealous churchman, finding the articles defective upon the head of the church's authority, might insert it privately, to avoid the danger of a præmunire.

But after all, subscription to the doctrinal articles of the church ONLY, has been reckoned a very great grievance by many pious and learned divines, both in church and out of it; for it is next to impossible to frame 36 propositions in any human words, to which ten thousand clergymen can give their hearty assent and consent. Some that agree to the doctrine itself may dissent from the words and phrases by which it is expressed; and others that agree to the capital doctrines of christianity, may have some doubts about the deeper and more abstruse points of speculation. It would be hard to deprive a man of his living, and shut him out from all usefulness in the church, because he doubts of the local descent of Christ into hell; or, whether the best actions of men before their conversion have the nature of sins;* or that every thing in the three creeds, commonly called the Apostles, the Nicene, and the Athanasian, may be proved by most certain warrants of holy scripture, and are therefore to be believed and received. Wise and good men may have different sentiments upon the doctrine of the decrees, which are a depth which no man can fathom. These, and some other things, have galled the consciences of the clergy, and driven them to evasions destructive to morality, and the peace of their own minds. Some have subscribed them as articles of peace, contrary to the very title, which says, they are for avoiding the diversity of opinions. Others have tortured