and art, I see not, except it be because he dwells too near a cathedral church! He may see for the plainness of singing used in former times,—and before the spouse of Christ, the church, in all her ordinances was, by Antichrist, stripped of her homely but comely attire, and tricked up with his whorish ornaments,—that which Austin hath of this matter." a

Yates remarks, in his eighth Argument, on the order which those who "prophesy" should observe so as not "for one prophet to disgrace another." Robinson answers, "Now the exception of disgrace' to the former, by the latter's speaking, is well to be minded, that it may appear how evil customs do infect the minds of godly men, so as they think it a 'disgrace' that one should give place to another to speak after him further, or otherwise than he hath done. But it was not so from the beginning; but since they who, under Christ, should be servants of the church have been her masters, and have exercised this magisterial teaching now in use, where, ordinarily, one alone in a church,-divers others, in divers places, better able than he, sitting at his feet continually to learn,-must be heard all his life long; thinking it a 'disgrace' to have another speak any thing further than he hath done; which was the very disease in the church of Corinth, wherein he that spake first would take up all the time himself." To the ninth Argument, Robinson replies, "It is true that spiritual men are called prophets;' or rather prophets, spiritual men; by a gift of the Spirit;.. whereupon it followeth, undeniably, that so many with us, or elsewhere, as have the ordinary gift or ability to prophesy, are prophets, though 'out of office:'" and he quotes Rom. xii. 6, 7, inferring that "they, then, that have a gift, must prophesy according to their proportion.'" c

On considering "The Confirmation of the Scriptures and Reasons" brought in his Book, "to prove public prophesying out of office, by an ordinary gift," Robinson had necessarily to retrace much of his former ground; but, though occupying many pages, nothing adapted to our present use offers itself, if we except the close, where he says, "The Lord give unto his People courage to stand for this liberty' amongst the rest, wherewith Christ hath made them free;' and, unto us who enjoy it, grace to use the same unto his glory, in our mutual edification." d

b P. 32.

c P. 33.

a Confess. lib. x. cap. 13. d P. 77.-The controversy on the subject of these tracts of Yates and Robinson, was revived several years after; as exhibited in the following titles, "An Antidote against Lay-Preaching; or, The Preachers' Plea.-In a Discourse answering such Objections which were given to a conscientious friend; who, for his satisfaction, requested a resolution. In which Discourse is proved, That Preaching of the Word is a Peculiar Calling, to be undertaken by none without a Special Call; and, That more is required in such who undertake it than Abilities in which, likewise, other Incidental Questions and Cases, concerning the Profession of Preachers, are discussed.—Psal. lxviii. 11. Heb. v. 4. —London. 1642." 4to. pp. 44. Subscribed, “so says your friend, the servant of Jesus Christ, and of his servants which are in Bengeo, John Bewick.""A modest Examination of Laymen's Preaching, discovered to be neither warranted by the Word of God, nor allowed by the Judgment or Practice of the Churches of Christ in New England. By Giles Workman, M. A. 1646.”

Turning aside, for a little while, from the consideration and representation of what had been transacting in that country where our religion and liberty were still being cradled, we take occasion to draw attention to some particulars at home, commemorated, in our national histories, for showing the then state of morals and manners, and perceived now to have been the real causative preliminaries of those extraordinary events which will pass under review in their turns, but which kept as they happened successively, our forefathers and their contemporaries in one long gaze of amazement and horror.

James, after having practised so much of his boasted "king-craft" on our own countrymen as he was able, determined to visit his native land, to inflict upon it the curse of his presence and authority. He was discomfited, however, both here and there, by the "something" described to be "supernatural and unaccountable."a Returning from this ill-fated visit to Scotland, in 1615, the king resolved upon that ill-omened measure which may be said to have sealed the fate of the dynasty of which he was the head. That we may be secured from the effects of being charged with misrepresentation, we shall set down the particulars of the matters under present notice, in the very words in which they are related by writers of eminence among the Episcopalians; Doctors Heylyn and Fuller, with Bishop Kennett.

The first of those historians informs us, that " The king had published a Proclamation, in the first year of his reign, prohibiting some rude and disorderly Pastimes,-as, namely, bull-baitings, bear-baitings, and common interludes,—from being followed on the Sunday, because they drew away much people from God's Public Service. And he had caused the morality of the Lord's-day-Sabbath, to be confirmed among the rest

"The Preacher Sent: or, A Vindication of the Liberty of Public Preaching, by some Men not Ordained. In Answer to two Books; 1. Jus Divinum Ministerii Evangelici, by the Provincial Assembly of London; 2. Vindicia Ministerii Evangelici. By Mr. John Collings, of Norwich.' Published by John Martin, Minister of the Gospel, at Edgfield, in Norfolk. Sam. Petto, Minister of the Gospel at Sandcroft, in Suffolk. Frederick Woodal, Minister of the Gospel, at Woodbridge, in Suffolk. 1658." 12mo. pp. 359.—“ Quo Warranto: A moderate Debate about the Preaching of Unordained Persons: Election, Ordination, and the Extent of Ministerial Relation. In Vindication of the Jus Divinum Ministerii,' from the Exceptions of a late piece, entitled, 'The Preacher Sent.' Written by the appointment of the Provincial Assembly at London; by Matthew Poole. 1659. 4to."--"A Vindication of 'The Preacher Sent; or, A Warrant for Public Preaching without Ordination. Wherein is further discovered, 1. That some Gifted Men unordained, are Gospel Preachers. 2. That Officers sustain not a relation, as officers, to the Universal Church. And other weighty questions co cerning Election and Ordination, are opened and cleared. In answer to two Books, 1. Vindicia Ministerii Evangelici Revindicatæ; or, The Preacher (pretendedly) Sent, sent back again. By Dr. Collings, of Norwich.' 2. Quo Warranto; or, A moderate Enquiry into the warrantableness of the Preaching of Gifted and Unordained Persons. By Mr. Poole, at the desire and appointment of the Provincial Assembly of London.' With a Reply to the Exceptions of Mr. Hudson, [in his Vindication of the Church Catholic visible'], and Dr. Collings, against the Epistle' to The Preacher Sent. Published by Frederick Woodal, Minister of the Gospel, at Woodbridge, in Suffolk. Samuel Petto, Minister of the Gospel, at Sandcroft, in Suffolk. 1659." 12mo. pp. 213. a Hume's Hist. Eng. chap. xlvii. an. 1617.

of the Irish Articles, anno 1615. Which condescensions were so husbanded by the Puritan faction, that by the raising of the Sabbath, they depressed the Festivals; and with the Festivals, all those ancient and annual Fasts which had been kept upon the Eves. By which, and by the temper of the present Government, they gave occasion to some preachers, and not a few public ministers of justice, in their several countries, to interdict all lawful sports upon that day. By means whereof, the people were persuaded by some priests and Jesuits,.. that the Reformed Religion was incompatible with that Christian liberty, which God and nature had indulged to the sons of men. And having brought them to that point, it was no hard matter to persuade them to fall off to popery... Which brought the king to a necessity of publishing his 'Declaration' about Lawful Sports.'" a

The Book of Sports, as it is called, was drawn up by Bishop Morton, and is dated Greenwich, May 24th, 1618. It prescribes, "That for his good people's lawful recreation, his Majesty's pleasure is, that, after the end of Divine Service, they should not be disturbed, letted, or discouraged from any lawful recreations; such as dancing, either of men or women; archery for men, leaping, vaulting, or any such harmless recreations: nor from having of May-games, Whitsun-ales, or Morrisdances, and setting up of Maypoles, or other sports therewith used, so as the same may be had in due and convenient time, without impediment or let of Divine Service: and that women should have leave to carry Rushes to the Church for the decoring of it, according to their old custom; withal prohibiting all unlawful games to be used on Sundays only, as bear-baiting, bull-baiting, interludes, and, at all times, in the meaner sort of people by law prohibited,bowling!" b

Fuller says, when this "Declaration" was published, "It is not so hard to believe, as sad to recount, what grief and distraction thereby was occasioned in many honest hearts!" And, in enumerating the species of defence pleaded for it, he says, some considered," which was mainly material, That this Declaration' was not dogmatical, or doctrinal. to say or aver these things to be theologically lawful;' but it was edictum civile, what the king thought fit, upon just reasons to permit." c

The latest of our authorities, the Bishop of Peterborough, has furnished these remarks:-" Among all dances that these times were guilty of, none of the masquerades' presented so horrid a vizard as the Churchman's; for some of the Bishops, pretending recreations, and liberty to servants and common people,-of which they carved to themselves too much already,-procured the King to put out a Book, to permit dancing about maypoles; church-ales; and such debauched exercises, upon the Sabbath-day after evening-praying; being a specious way to make the King, and them, acceptable to the rout... This Book being only a trap to catch some conscientious men, that they could not otherwise, with all their cunning, ensnare; for they a Hist. Presb. lib. xi. p. 384.

b Fuller's Church Hist. bk. xvii. p. 74.

e Ibid.

would preach the Gospel in a fool's coat,' as some of them expressed, rather than be silenced for a surplice! And their conjuring of them with the Cross in baptism, and the circle of the Ring in marriage, could not make a well-composed reason, and a sound conscience, then start at it but when so frightful an apparition as the Dancing-Book appeared, some of the ministers left all for fear; others, by force; they were so terrified at it. These, and such like, machinations of the Bishops, to maintain their temporal greatness, ease, and plenty, made the stones in the walls of their palaces, and the beam in the timber, afterwards to cry out, moulder away, and come to nothing! Whereas, if those in most authority had not been so pragmatical; but holy, prudent, and godly men,-as some others of the function were,— their light might have shined still upon the mount; and not have gone out as it did, offensive to the nostrils of the rubbish of the people! This new encroachment upon the Sabbath, gave both king and people more liberty to profane the day with authority." a

Deferring to the time of its renewal, in the next reign, any other account of this reproachful transaction, we turn from that digression, to look into a small volume of but thirty-eight pages, intituled “ An Answer to the Ten Counter-Demands propounded by T. Drakes, Preacher of the Word at H. and D. in the County of Essex. By WIL. EURING.-Prov. ix. 12.-Printed in the year 1619." 16mo. Of this author, we know no more than he tells in these words, "Good reader, bear with my unscholarship, for I have not been brought up among the Muses, but Mariners; and am unwillingly, though particularly drawn hereunto."c He represents Drakes as having had of late," much combating with the morris-dancing papists and atheists: '.. and finding them too hard for him,.. he hath bethought him of another sort of adversaries with whom he hopes more easily to deal; and these are the poor' Separatists,' against whom he hath also those morrisdancers, and many greater than they, to take his part. Them he encountereth, stoutly, with Ten Counter-Demands,' as he calls them; with which, as with so many iron horns,'d he hopes so to shake the silly Separatists,' as not to leave them a whole bone in their skin! But why doth he call them Counter-Demands?' Not because he hath answered, but only seen, as I hear, Seven' Demands' of theirs, some good space since propounded by them." e

"Your first Demand is, Whether our Separation from your Church, or church-assemblies, of England, can, in any probability, be pleasing unto God; seeing it hath had, say you, such unhappy beginnings, and so many dismal and fatal events?' This your Demand is like as if a Canaanite, or Philistine, should thus have demanded of the

Complete Hist. of Eng. vol. ii. p. 709. The words are Wilson's in the Hist. of the Life, &c. of Jas. I. 1653. p. 105.

"Which raised great clamour at the present, but greater when revived in the reign of king Charles, [Oct. 18, 1633.] at what time we shall find Laud charged for republishing of it; so much the greater by how much the more the Sabbatarian doctrines had prevailed amongst us." Hist. of the Life and Death of the most Reverend and Renowned Prelate, William, by Divine Providence, Lord Archbishop of Canterbury. By P. Heylyn, D.D. 1668. fo. p. 78. < Pref. p. ii. d 1 Kings xxii. 11. e Pref. passim.

Israelites;-Whether is it like that the wars you hold against us, 'can, in any probability, be pleasing unto God; seeing that they have had such unhappy success, with so many dismal and fatal events? Some, were burnt with fire; some, sunk into the earth alive; some, were destroyed of serpents; some, by the enemies' sword; some, by the sword of their own brethren.b Even Moses and Aaron, your first and greatest, yea, principal pillars of greatest reckoning, died in the desert for their sin. And, of six hundred thousand men' that came out of Egypt to fight against us, only two men are left alive! What think you, Sir? was this war, in any probability, pleasing unto God?' If you say Yea, you have answered your Demand yourself, and discovered your own folly; for thus you see a pagan might have pleaded against Israel,-God's true church then, -with as much colour, and more truth, than you that are called a Christian, can do against us now! "e

In answer to the Second Demand, "Whether our profession, religion, and discipline, as it standeth in opposition to your Parish-assemblies in England, and the rest of the Reformed Churches, can be of God, &c.; seeing that it hath no virtue, power, and efficacy in it,—as the Gospel preached in your Parish-assemblies, through God's blessing abundantly hath,-to win, convert, and draw unto our party and profession, atheists, papists, heretics; rude, profane, &c. ?" Euring says, "Your Demand is like as if a Canaanite should thus have demanded of Noah, Can this thy Ark-building, 'be of God, &c.,' seeing that in all this time there appeareth neither virtue, power,' nor efficacy' to win, convert, and draw unto thy party,' any at all? For thon canst hardly show any one person converted unto thee by thy preaching, or ark-building, these hundred and twenty years! .. I pray you, Sir, consider with yourself, what answer you would have made, if any of your morris-dancing papists, or profane atheists, should have demanded the like of you?

f

6

"Consider. Sir, we are a poor, weak, despised people here in England; hated and persecuted of all, or most part, in the land. And, therefore, if we have any meetings or coming together on the Lord'sday, they must be very private, for fear of such persecuting adversaries as cannot endure, and are ignorant of the truth of God's ordinances, to be taught and practised; so that' papists and atheists,' and such like 'profane,' come not at our exercises. And, how is it possible we should convert any that come not to hear us? If we should demand of you, How many Turks and Saracens have been converted in your parish-assmblies? What answer would you give us, that will not answer yourself? To let pass the Churches in this way, beyond the seas, which have their more free meetings, and able ministries, and where this blessing of God in converting men is more seen than, I think, in any of the parishes that even you yourself were minister of,— though you have been in more than a good many, or than a good pastor should or would be,-I may boldly say that we, how few or mean soever we are, do' convert,' more to our churches than you do to yours."..

a Num. xi. 1; xvi. 32, 33; xxi. 6; xiv. 45. c Exod. xii. 37. d Num. xxvi. 64, 65.

b Exod. xxxii 27.

Pages 1, 2.

f Gen. vi.