approving their said ordinances and constitutions, provided that none be made contrary to the laws and customs of the land. That out of our princely care, that the churchmen may do the work which is proper unto them, the bi- 5 shops and clergy from time to time in convocation, upon their humble desire shall have license under our broad seal to deliberate of, and to do all such things, as being made plain by them, and assented unto by us, shall concern the settled continuance of the doctrine and discipline of the church of England now established; from which we will not endure any varying, or departing in the least degree. That for the present, though some differences have been ill raised, yet we take comfort in this, that all 15 clergymen within our realm have always most willingly abolish any religious rite or ceremony; and that in so doing she might call in the aid of her council, of a commission of divines, of a convocation or a parliament, as she judged most expedient. In the case of the Articles she considered their authority to rest upon her ratification of 20 them after they had been prepared by the synod of the clergy for her examination and approval. This doctrine was adopted by archbishops Whitgift and Bancroft, and was sanctioned by solemn decisions from the highest legal authorities. It was also asserted by king James I. who declared in his first proclamation (No. CXVI.) that he would 25 'proceed according to the laws and customs of this realm by advice of his council, or in his high court of parliament, or by convocation of his clergy, as he should find reason to lead him," and afterwards commanded alterations to be made in the Book of Common Prayer without the authority of parliament. The proper ratification of articles on the 30 part of the crown seems also from this declaration to have been maintained by king Charles I. and his advisers; but it may be inferred from the passage, in which he declares his supremacy as governor of the church, that he limited his powers more narrowly than his predecessors had done, and that he allowed the necessity of calling in the aid of the 35 clergy in their convocation, not only in deciding points of doctrine, but also in case of difference arising on matters of external policy. This change was doubtless owing to the suggestions of Laud, and to the influence, which the church had obtained in the royal counsels. subscribed to the articles established; which is an argument to us, that they all agree in the true usual literal meaning of the said articles, and that even in those curious points, in which the present differences lie, men of 5 all sorts take the articles of the church of England to be for them; which is an argument again that none of them intend any desertion of the articles established. That therefore in these both curious and unhappy differences, which have for so many hundred years, in 10 different times and places, exercised the church of Christ, we will that all further curious search be laid aside, and these disputes shut up in God's promises, as they be generally set forth to us in the holy scriptures, and the general meaning of the articles of the church of England 15 according to them. And that no man hereafter shall either print or preach to draw the article aside any way, but shall submit to it in the plain and full meaning thereof; and shall not put his own sense or comment to be the meaning of the article, but shall take it in the 20 literal and grammatical sense. That if any public reader in either of our universities, or any head or master of a college, or any other person respectively in either of them shall affix any new sense to any article, or shall publicly read, determine, or hold any 25 public disputation, or suffer any such to be held either way in either of the universities or colleges respectively; or if any divine in the universities shall preach or print any thing either way, other than is already established in convocation with our royal assent; he, or they the of 30 fenders, shall be liable to our displeasure and the church's censure in our commission ecclesiastical, as well as any other; and we will see there shall be due execution upon them. CXXXVII. Archiepisc. Cant. Anno Christi Reg. Angliæ The archbishop's letter about the ministering and receiving of the sacrament in the church of Crayford in Kent.Reg. II. Abbot, fol. 143. b. GEORGE, by the providence of God archbishop of Cant. primate and metropolitan of all England, to our well beloved in Christ the parson, churchwardens, and other the parishioners and inhabitants of the parish of Crayford in the county of Kent and deanery of Shoreham, 5 of the peculiar and immediate jurisdiction of us, and of our cathedral and metropolitical church of Christ Cant. and to all other persons whatsoever, to whom these presents shall come, or may any way concern, greeting in our Lord God everlasting. Whereas upon some dif- 10 ference arising among you about the decent and reverend ministering and receiving of the holy communion in the chancel of the said church of Crayford, we upon the petition of you the parson did refer the viewing of the said church, and examination of the said difference unto 15 The archbishop's letter] The petition that gave occasion to this letter grew out of the different interpretations of the 82nd canon, which required that at the time of the communion the table "shall be placed in so good sort within the church or chancel, as thereby the minister may be more conveniently heard of the communicants in his prayer and 20 ministration, and the communicants also more conveniently, and in more number, may communicate with the said minister." The one party desired that it should be placed in the body of the church, in order that the eucharist might be considered as a religious feast, the other wished it to be placed altar-wise at the east end of the chancel, 25 in order that it might correspond with the nature of a religious sacri sir Nathaniel Brent, knight, our vicar general, who having viewed the said church in the presence of you the said parson, churchwardens, and some others of the said parish, hath certified us what seems to him upon the said view 5 to be most decent and convenient for the most reverend and orderly receiving of the holy communion in the said chancel of the said church. Now know you that upon the relation of the said sir Nathaniel, as also upon a mature and deliberate hearing of the parties interested in 10 the said difference, in our manor house of Lambeth in the county of Surrey upon the 21st day of May, anno Domini MDCXXXIII. in the presence of our said vicar general, and divers others, and also in the presence of Thomas Tane clerk, the now incumbent parson of the 15 parish church of Crayford, and Thomas Andrewes, John Ludlowe, churchwardens, and Joseph Bingham, Thomas King, and John Kettle, parishioners of the said parish of Crayford, and others then and there present, we have ordered and decreed, and by these presents do order and 20 decree as followeth; "videlicet:" that the parishioners and inhabitants of the said parish of Crayford, and others intending hereafter to receive the holy communion there, shall repair unto the two ascents, or foot paces in the chancel before the communion table, and there mats 25 being laid upon the said two ascents, or foot paces, to kneel upon, and mats being also laid on either side above fice. Thus a difference in the position of the table was made to distinguish two opposite views in a theological dispute now reappearing in the church; and there arose in consequence another article of dissen30 sion between the two great parties, into which the whole community, whether churchmen or laymen, were divided. See No. CXL. It is worthy of notice that the decision in this instance was given by archbishop Abbot, and would be considered adverse to the wishes and sentiments of the puritanical party in the church, to which he was supposed 35 to belong. The archbishop died on the 4th of August following. Comp. Fox's Martyrs, vol. ii. p. 700. ed. 1641. the said steps to kneel upon, (if by reason of the number of communicants it seems requisite, the two ascents or foot paces being first filled,) they shall in decent and reverend manner humbly kneeling upon their knees on the said two ascents or foot paces, receive the holy com- 5 munion and sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; and after the first company hath received the same, they to return to their seats and places in the said church; and to give way for a second company to receive in like manner; and the 10 second, after they have received in like manner, to return and give way for a third company, and the third to the fourth, and so successively, until all the communicants there have received the holy communion in manner and form aforesaid. And we do require you the minister of 15 Crayford aforesaid, that upon some Sundays or holy-days, in the time of divine service, you do publish and declare this our order and decree to the parishioners of the said parish of Crayford; and we admonish you, the parishioners of Crayford, that upon notice of the premises, you be 20 obedient and conformable thereunto, as you will answer the contrary at your peril. Given under our archiepiscopal seal at Lambhith the eighth day of July, anno Domini MDCXXXI. and in the three and twentieth year of our translation. 25 |