quently disconcerted the warmer presbyterians, whose plan of discipline they had no mind should receive the stamp of an apostolic sanction, in the church of England.† It was undoubtedly a capital mistake in the proceedings of parliament, to distroy one building before they were agreed upon another. The ancient order of worship and discipline in the church of England was set aside above twelve months before any other form was appointed; during which time, no wonder sects and divisions arrived to such a pitch, that it was not in their power afterwards to destroy them. Committees indeed were appointed to prepare materials for the debate of the assembly, some for discipline, and others for worship, which were debated in order, and then laid aside without being perfected, or sent up to parliament to be framed into a law. Nothing can be alledged in excuse of this, but their backwardness to unite with the Scots, or the prospect the parliament might yet have of an agreement with the king. The first point that came upon the carpet was the ordination of ministers; which was the more necessary, because the bishops refused to ordain any who were not in the interest of the crown:* this gave occasion to enquire into the antient right of presbyters to ordain without a bishop, which meeting with some opposition, the committee proposed a temporary provision till the matter could be settled, and offered these two queries: First, "Whether in extraordinary cases, something extraordinary may not be admitted, till a settled order can 'be fixed, yet keeping as near to the rule as possible? Secondly, "Whether certain ministers of this city may 'not be appointed to ordain ministers in the city and neighborhood, for a certain time, jure fraternitatis ?" To the last of which, the independents entered their dissent, unless the ordination was attended with the previous election of some church. New difficulties being continually + Lightfoot's Remains, in pref. p. 8. *Bishop Hall complained, that he was violently restrained in his power of ordination. On this single instance Dr. Grey grounds a general assertion, that the bishops were prevented from ordaining by the rabble. Ed. started, upon this and some other heads, the Scots commissioners were out of all patience, and applied to the city ministers to petition the parliament to call for the advice of the assembly. The petition was presented Sept. 18, 1644, in which, having reminded the commons of their remonstrance, wherein they declare, it was not their intention to let loose the golden reins of discipline; and of their national covenant, wherein they had engaged to the most high God, to settle an uniformity in the church; they add, "give us leave, we beseech you, in pursuance of our na'tional covenant, to sigh out our sorrows at the foot of this 'honorable senate. Through many erroneous opinions, 'ruinating schisms, and damnable heresies, unhappily fo'mented in this city and country, the orthodox ministry is 'neglected, the people are seduced, congregations torn asunder, families distracted, rights and duties of relations, 'national, civil, and spiritual, scandalously violated, the 'power of godliness decayed, parliamentary authority undermined, fearful confusions introduced, imminent de'struction threatened, and in part inflicted upon us lately in the west. May it therefore please your wisdoms, as a 'sovereign remedy for the removal of our present miseries, and preventing their further progress, to expedite a directory for public worship, to accelerate the establishment of a pure discipline and government, according to the word of God, and the example of the best reformed 'churches, and to take away all obstructions that may im'pede and retard our humble desires."§ Upon this the assembly were ordered to send up the humble advice upon this head; which was to the following effect, [Sept. 22,] viz. That in this present exigency, while there were no presbyterians, yet it being necessary that ministers should be ordained for the army and navy, and for the service of many destitute congregations, by some who, having been ordained themselves, have power to join in the setting apart of others they advise, (1.) That an association of some godly ministers in and about the city of London be appointed by public authori § Rushworth, vol. v. p. 8o. ty, to ordain ministers for the city and the neighboring parts, keeping as near to the rule as may be. (2.) That the like associations be made by the same. authority in great towns and neighboring parishes in the several counties, which are at present quiet & undisturbed. (3.) That such as are chosen, or appointed for the service of the army or navy, being well recommended, be ordained as aforesaid, by the associated ministers of London, or some others in the country; and the like for any other congregations that want a minister.† According to this advice the two houses passed an ordinance, October 2, for the ordination of ministers pro tempore, which appoints the following ten persons, being presbyters, and members of the assembly, to examine and ordain, by imposition of hands, all those whom they shall judge qualified to be admitted into the sacred ministry, viz. Dr. Corn. Burgess, assessor, | Mr. Starkey Gower. Dr. William Gouge, Mr. John Ley, Mr. George Walker, Mr. Edmund Calamy, Mr. John Conant, Mr. Humphrey Chambers, And the following thirteen being presbyters of the city of London, but not members of the assembly, viz. The Rev. Mr.John Downham, | The Rev. Mr. Sam. Clarke, Mr. Cha Offspring, Mr. Richard Lee, Mr. Arthur Jack. son, Mr. Em. Bourne, Mr. Tim. Dod, Mr. James Cranford, Mr. Fulk Billers, Mr. Tho. Horton, Mr. Fr. Roberts, Any seven, or more, to be a quorum, and all persons so ordained to be reputed ministers of the church of England, sufficiently authorized for any office or employment therein, and capable of all advantages appertaining to the same. Their rules for examination, and trial of candidates, will be seen the next year, when this affair was fully settled. In the mean time another ordinance passed the houses, for the + Vol. Pamp. penes me, No. 68. pro benefit of the county of Lancaster, whereby the reverend M. Charles Herle, Mr. Richard Herrick, Mr. Hyet, Mr. Bradshaw, Mr. Isaac Ambrose, and others, to the number of twenty-one, had full power given them to ordain tempore in the county of Lancaster. And to obviate the reproaches of the Oxford divines, the following clause was added, "that if any person do publicly preach, or otherwise exercise any ministerial office, who shall not be or'dained, or thereunto allowed by seven of the said minis'ters, their names shall be returned to both houses of parliament, to be dealt with as they in their wis ot shall 'think fit." It was voted further, that "no mix the be al'lowed to preach, unless he has a certificate ed the ordi'nation, or at least of his being examined a approved by the assembly."* And Feb. 18, at a conference between the two houses it was agreed, that the assembly of divines be desired to admit none into their pulpits, except such whose doctrine they would be answerable for. Such was the concern of the parliament in these distracted times, to have a sober and well-regulated clergy. Next to the providing for a succession of ministers by ordination, the assembly consulted about a form of public devotion. The old liturgy being laid aside, there were no public offices in the church: a committee was therefore appointed, October 17, 1613, to agree upon certain general heads, for the direction of the minister in the discharge of his office, which, having passed through the assembly, were sent into Scotland for the approbation of the general assembly, and then established by an ordinance of parliament bearing date Jan. 3, 1644-5, under the title of a directory for public worship. The reasons which induced the parliament to discard the old liturgy, and form a new plan for the devotion of the church, I shall transcribe from their own preface. "It 'is evident, (say they) after long and sad experience, that the liturgy used in the church of England, notwithstanding all the pains and religious intentions of the compil 'ers, has proved an offence to many of the godly at home, and to the reformed churches abroad. The enjoining the *Parliamentary Chronicle, p. 152. 'reading all the prayers heightened the grievances; and the many unprofitable and burdensome ceremonies have 'occasioned much mischief, by disquieting the consciences ' of many, who could not yield to them. Sundry good 'people have by this means been kept from the Lord's table, and many faithful ministers debarred from the exer'cise of their ministry, to the ruin of them and their families. The prelates and their faction have raised their es'timation of it to such an height, as if God could be wor'shipped no other way but by the service book; in conse quensrdif which the preaching of the word has been de'prec Octo and in some places entirely neglected. ப "which mean time the papists have made their advantage tv, boasting that the common prayer book came mpliance with a great part of their service; by eans they were not a little confirmed in their idolatry and superstition, especially of late, when new cer'emonies were daily obtruded on the church. W "Besides, the liturgy has given great encouragement to 'an idle and unedifying ministry, who chose rather to confine themselves to forms made to their hands, than to exert themselves in the exercise of the gift of prayer, with which our Savior furnishes all those whom he calls to 'that office. "For these and many other weighty considerations, relating to the book in general, besides divers particulars which are a just ground of offence, it is thought adviseable to set aside the former liturgy, with the many rites and ceremonies formerly used in the worship of God, not "out of any affectation of novelty, nor with an intention to disparage our first reformers, but that we may answer in some measure the gracious providence of God, which now calls upon us for a further reformation; that we may satisfy our own consciences; answer the expectations of other reformed churches; ease the consciences of many godly persons among ourselves; and give a public testimony of our endeavors after an uniformity in divine worship, pursuant to what we had promised in our 'solemn league and covenant." It has been observed, that the directory is not an absolute form of devotion, but, agreebly to its title, contains |