had opportunity, and could be dispensed with for the habits, though they were excluded all parochial preferment.

But there were great numbers of the common people, who abhorred the habits as much as the ministers, and would not frequent the churches where they were used, thinking it as unlawful to countenance such superstitions with their presence, as if they themselves were to put on the garments. These were distressed where to hear; some staid without the church till service was over, and the minister was entering upon his prayer before sermon; others flocked after father Coverdale, who preached without the habits; but being turned out of his church at St. Magnus, London-Bridge, they were obliged to send to his house on Saturdays, to know where they might hear him the next day: The government took umbrage at this, insomuch that the good old man was obliged to tell his friends, that he durst not inform them any more of his preaching for fear of offending his superiors, At length, after having waited about eight weeks to see if the Queen would have compassion on them, several of the deprived ministers had a solemn consultation with their friends, in which, after prayer, and a serious debate about the lawfulness and necessity of separating from the established church, they came to this agreement, that since they could not have the word of God preached, nor the sacraments administered without IDOLATROUS GEARE, (as they called it) and since there had been a separate congregation in London, and another at Geneva in Queen Mary's time, which used a book and order of preaching, administration of sacraments, and discipline, that the great Mr. Calvin had approved of, and which was free from the superstitions of the English service; that therefore it was their duty, in their present circumstances, to break off from the public churches, and to assemble, as they had opportunity, in private houses, or elsewhere, to worship GoD in a manner that might not offend against the light of their consciences. Had the use of habits and a few ceremonies been left discretionary, both ministers and people had been easy; but it was the compelling these things by law, (as they told the archbishop) that made them separate,

Life of Parker, p. 241.

It was debated among them, whether they should use as much of the common prayer and service of the church as was not offensive, or resolve at once, since they were cut off from the church of England, to set up the purest and best form of worship, most consonant to the holy scriptures, and to the practice of the foreign reformers; the latter of these was concluded upon, and accordingly they laid aside the English liturgy, and made use of the Geneva servicebook.

Here was the ERA or date of the SEPARATION, a most unhappy event (says Mr. Strype) whereby "people of the "same country, of the same religion, and of the same judg "ment in doctrine, parted communions; one part being o"bliged to go aside into secret houses, and chambers, to "serve GOD by themselves, which begat strangeness be"tween neighbors, christians, and protestants." And not

only strangeness, but unspeakable mischiefs to the nation in this and the following reigns. The breach might easily have been made up at first, but it widened by degrees; the passions of the contending parties increased, till the fire, which for some years was burning under ground, broke out into a civil war, and with unspeakable fury destroyed the constitution both of church and state.

I leave the reader to judge at whose door the beginnings of these sorrows are to be laid, each party casting the blame on the other. The conformists charged the deprived ministers with disobedience to the Queen, and obstinacy, preciseness, and with breaking the peace of the church for matters of no consequence to salvation. The ministers, on the other hand, thought it cruel usage to be turned out of the church for things which their adversaries acknowledged to be of mere indifference; whereas they took it upon their consciences,and were ready to aver in the most solemn manner, that they deemed them unlawful. They complied as far as they could with the establishment while they were within it, by using as much of the liturgy as was not offensive, and by taking the oath of supremacy; they were as dutiful subjects to the Queen as the bishops, and declared themselves ready to obey their sovereign in all things lawful; and when they could not obey, patiently to suffer her

displeasure. After all this, to impute the behavior of the non-conformists to obstinacy and peevishness, was very uncharitable. What could move them to part with their livings, or support them under the loss, but the testimony of a good conscience? When they could not but be sensible their NON-CONFORMITY would be followed with poverty and disgrace, with the loss of their characters and usefulness in the church; and with numberless unforeseen calamities to themselves and families, unless it should please God in his allwise providence, to soften the Queen's heart in their favor. In Scotland all things were in confusion. The young Queen Mary, after the death of her husband Francis II. returned into her own country, August 21, 1561, upon ill terms with Queen Elizabeth, who could not brook her assuming the arms of England, and putting in her claim to the crown, on the pretence of her bastardy, which most of the popish powers maintained, because she was born during the life of Queen Katherine, whose marriage had been declared valid by the pope. Elizabeth offered her a safe conduct, if she would ratify the treaty of Edinburgh; but she chose rather to run all risks than submit. MARY was a bigotted papist, and her juvenile amours and follies soon entangled her government, and lost her crown. As soon as she arrived in Scotland she had the mortification to see the whole nation turned protestant, and the reformation established by laws so secure and strict, that only herself was allowed the liberty of mass in her own chapel, and that without pomp or ostentation. The protestants of Scotland, by the preaching of Mr. Knox and others, having imbibed the strongest aversion to popery, were for removing at the greatest distance from its superstitions. The general assembly petitioned her majesty, to ratify the acts of parliament for abolishing the mass, and for obliging all her subjects to frequent the reformed worship. But she replied, that she saw no impiety in the mass, and was determined not to quit the religion in which she was educated,being satisfied it was founded on the word of God. To which the general assembly answered a little coarsely, that Turcism stood upon as good ground as Popery; and then required her, in the name of the eternal God, to inform herself better, by frequenting sermons, and

conferring with learned men: But her majesty gave no ear to their counsels.

In the year 1564, the Queen married Henry Stuart, Lord Darnly, who was joined with her in the government. By him she was brought to bed of a son June 15, 1566, afterwards James I. King of England; and while she was with child of him, she received a fright by her husband's coming into her chamber with his servants, and putting to death her favorite David Rizzo an Italian musician, who was sitting with her at table. This was thought to have such an influence upon the prince that was born of her, that he never loved the sight of a sword. Soon after this the King himself was found murdered in a garden, the house in which the murder was committed being blown up with gunpowder, to prevent the discovery. Upon the King's death the Earl of Bothwel became the Queen's favorite, and as soon as he had obtained a divorce from his lawful wife, she took him into her marriage-bed, to her very great infamy, and the regret of the whole Scots nation, who took up arms to revenge the late King's murder, and dissolve the present incestuous marriage. When the two armies were ready to engage, Bothwel fled to Dunbar; and the Queen being apprehensive her soldiers would not fight in such an infamous cause, surrendered herself to the confederates, who shut her up in the castle of Lock-Levin, and obliged her to resign the crown to her young son, under the regency of the Earl of Murray. From hence she made her escape into England in the year 1568, where she was detained prisoner by Queen Elizabeth almost 18 years, and then put to death. Bothwel turned pirate, and being taken by the Danes, was shut up for ten years in a noisome prison in Denmark till he lost his senses and died mad.

The Earl of Murray being regent of Scotland convened a parliament and assembly at Edinburgh, in which the pope's authority was again discharged, and the act of parliament of the year 1560, for renouncing the jurisdiction of the court of Rome was confirmed, and all acts passed in former reigns, for the support of popish idolatry, were an

*Rapin, p. 857.

nulled. The new confession of faith was ratified, and the protestant ministers, and those of their communion, declared to be the only true and holy kirk within that realm. The examination and admission of ministers, is declared to be only in the power and disposition of the church; with a saving clause for lay-patrons. By another act, the Kings at their coronation, for the future, are to take an oath to maintain the reformed religion then professed: And by another, none but such as profess the reformed religion are capable of being judges or proctors, or of practising in any of the courts of justice; except those who held offices he reditary, or for life.

The general assembly declared their approbation of the discipline of the reformed churches of Geneva and Switzerland; and for a parity among ministers, in opposition to the claim of the bishops, as a superior order. All churchaffairs were managed by provincial, classical, and national assemblies; but these acts of the general assembly not being confirmed by parliament, episcopal government was not legally abolished, but tacitly suspended till the King came of age. However, the general assembly shewed their power of the keys at this time, by deposing the bishop of Orkney for marrying the Queen to Bothwel, who was supposed to have murdered the late King; and by making the Countess of Argyle do penance for assisting at the cere

mony.