C. How do you like my lord's book of articles.

A. Some of the articles approach near to the institution of the apostles, but the best of them appear to be very little practised.

B. I admit none to the ministry but those who have a recommendation from some nobleman or gentleman.

A. You had need beware of breaking the institution of God. This door being opened, will admit thieves and robbers. The Lord give you a sound conscience to keep hirelings out of the church of God.

B. Well, Mr. Axton, you must yield in some things to me, and I will yield in some things to you. I will not trouble you about the cross in baptism, if you will sometimes wear the surplice.

A. I cannot consent to wear the surplice: it is against my conscience. I trust, by the help of God, I shall never put on that sleeve which is the mark of the beast.

B. Will you leave your flock for the surplice?

A. Nay: Will you persecute me from my flock for the surplice? I love my flock in Jesus Christ, and had rather have my right arm cut off than be removed from them.

B. Well, I will not deprive you at this time.

A. I beseech you consider what you do in removing me from my flock, seeing I am not come in at the window, nor by simony, but according to the institution of Jesus Christ.*

The second day's conference concluded as above, when Mr. Axton was taken away, the bishop requiring his future attendance. Accordingly, upon his appearance at the time appointed, he underwent a third examination concerning the use of instrumental music in the public worship of God, and obedience to the queen's laws, with some other things. Being questioned about the use of organs in public worship, he replied as follows:

A. They are Jewish, and not to be used in christian congregations.

Bickley. Did not David command organs and cymbals to be used?

A. That command was ceremonial, and is abrogated. Bickley. You will then abrogate singing in the church, because David and the Jews sung.

A. Piping with instruments is abolished.
Bickley. How do you prove that?

A. Because our joy in public worship must be more

* MS. Register, p. 37-50.

spiritual than that of the Jews; and it is said, that in the time of the gospel, all shall sing praises unto God. Bickley. The organs are used before the prince. A. That does not prove them to be lawful.

Bickley. The organs are used before the prince, and therefore they are lawful. The argument is good.

A. Do you then reason, that the cross in churches is lawful, because it used to stand before the prince?

Bickley. As it stood before the prince, it might have been lawfully used.

A. From what you say, tapers, and lights, and nearly all the trash of popery, may still be lawfully used.

Bickley. If you had the cross on which Christ died, would you say it was of no use?

1

A. After the crucifixion of Christ, as well as before, the cross on which he died was the same as any other piece of wood.

B. But, in refusing the surplice, you are disloyal to the queen, and shew your contempt of her laws.

A. In charging me with disloyalty, you do me great injury; and especially when you call me and my brethren traitors, and say, that we are more troublesome subjects than papists.

B. I say the same still. The papists are afraid to stir; but you are presumptuous, and disquiet the state more than papists.

A. If I, or any others who fear God, speak the truth, doth this disquiet the state? The papists for twelve years have been plotting treason against the queen and the gospel, yet this doth not grieve you. But I protest in the presence of God and you all, that I am a true and faithful subject to her majesty. I pray daily, both in public and private, for her safety, for her long and prosperous reign, and for the overthrow of all her enemies, especially the papists. I do profess myself an enemy to her enemies, and a friend to her friends. If, therefore, you have any conscience, cease to charge me with disloyalty to my prince.

B. Seeing you refuse to wear the surplice, which her majesty hath commanded, you do in effect deny her to be supreme governess in all causes ecclesiastical and temporal.

A. I do so far admit her majesty's supremacy, that if there be any error among the governors of the church, she has power to reform it: but I do not admit her to be an ecclesiastical elder, or church governor.

B. Yes, but she is, and hath full power and authority all

manner of ways. Indeed, she doth not administer the sacra ments and preach, but leaveth those things to us. But if she were a man, as she is a woman, why might she not preach the word, as well as ourselves?

A. Might she preach the word of God, if she were a man? Then she might also administer the sacraments.

B. That does not follow. For you know Paul preached, but did not baptize.

A. Paul confesseth that he did baptize, though he was sent especially to preach.

B. Did not Moses teach the people, and yet he was a civil governor.

A. The calling of Moses was extraordinary. Remember the king of Judah, how he would have sacrificed in the temple of God. Take heed' how you confound those offices which God hath distinguished.

B. You see how he runneth.

Bickley. He speaketh very confidently and rashly.
B. This is his arrogant spirit.

Sale. Why should you refuse the surplice, seeing the queen hath commanded it?

Bickley. The queen hath authority to command all things indifferent.

A. If those things be decent, tend to edification, and promote God's glory; but the surplice does none of these. Bickley. Has not the church liberty to command the surplice to be used, as well as any other garment ?

A. No: because the surplice hath been abused, and is still abused, by the papists, in their superstition and idolatry. Bickley. I deny your reasons.

A. I prove what I said thus: God will not allow his church to borrow ceremonies from idolators, or to imitate them in their ceremonies, as is evident from Ezekiel xliv. But the papists are idolators. Therefore, God will not allow us to borrow our ceremonies, as garments and other things, from the papists.

Bickley. How do you prove that out of Ezekiel ?

A. I prove it thus: The Egyptian priests used to shave their heads; but God commanded his priests should not shave. The Egyptian priests used to drink wine: but God commanded his priests, that when they did sacrifice, they should not drink wine. And the Egyptian priests wore linen garments before the people: but God commanded that his priests should not sanctify the people with their garments.

B. God commanded the contrary. Do you not remember the garments of Aaron?

A. I do remember them. But if you would wear the garments of Aaron, you must attend to the other ceremonies of Aaron's priesthood.

B. Shew your place in Ezekiel. There is no such place. You are deceived.

A. I will thank you for a Bible.

B. You should have brought your own books with you. You see, I have brought my books.

A. And have you not a Bible among them? I pray you let me have a Bible.

B. Let him have the Hebrew Bible.

A. I pray you, let me have the Hebrew Bible.

Bickley. Then let us hear you read the place.

A. The place is this: "And when they go forth into the outer court, even into the outer court of the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they ministered, and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments; and they shall not sanctify the people with their garments."* Here the dispute broke off. And notwithstanding all his entreaties and supplications, though the bishop+ acknowledged him to be a divine of good learning, a strong memory, and well qualified for the pulpit, the good man was deprived of his living, and driven to seek his bread

MS. Register, p. 50-56.

+ Bishop Bentham complied with popery in the reign of Henry VIII, but afterwards repented. Upon the accession of Queen Mary, being per petual fellow of Magdalen college, Oxford, he was required to correct the junior scholars for their absence from the popish worship, but refused, saying," He had indeed but too much repented of his compliance with the popish religion already; and he esteemed it unjust to punish that in others, which he himself would willingly and knowingly do." He was one of the preachers to the protestant congregation which assembled in private places, during this queen's reign; and it is said, "that by his encouragement and constant preaching, the protestants did not only stand to their former principle, but were resolved to suffer whatever could be laid upon them, rather than forfeit a good conscience." He witnessed the sufferings of many of the martyrs; and notwithstanding the cruel proclamation, “that no man should either pray for or speak to them, or once say God bless them," Bentham seeing the fire set to some of them, turned his eyes to the people, and said, "We know they are the people of God, and therefore we cannot choose but wish them well, and say God strengthen them:" and so he boldly cried out, "Almighty God, for Christ's sake, strengthen them!" upon which all the people with one accord, cried, Amen, Amen; the noise of which was so great, from the vast crowd of people, that the officers knew not whom to seize, or against whom to bring their accusations. Bentham would have done well to have remembered these things when he became a lord bishop, and a persecutor of his fellow protestants.-Biographia Britan. vol. ii. p. 208. Edit, 1778.

in a foreign land. But, surely, such proceedings were unworthy of a protestant prelate, and too obvious an imitation of the popish severities. Do we find any such proceedings in the first ages of the church of Christ? "I am sure," says the learned Dr. Stillingfleet, "it is contrary to the primitive, practice, and the moderation then used, to suspend or deprive men of their ministerial functions, for not consenting to habits, gestures, and the like."*

THOMAS BECON.-This celebrated divine was born in Suffolk, and educated in the university of Cambridge. He afterwards became chaplain to Archbishop Cranmer, and a zealous advocate for the reformation, even from its very commencement in the reign of King Henry VIII. He endured many troubles from the persecuting prelates; and in the year 1544, was apprehended, with Mr. Robert Wisdome, another excellent reformer, by the cruel Bishop Bonner, when he was obliged to make a public recantation at Paul's cross, and burn his books. Having obtained his release, he travelled for future safety towards the north, and settled at Alsop in the Dale, in the Peak of Derbyshire, where he taught school for his subsistence. At this place, Mr. Alsop, a pious gentleman, and an avowed friend to the reformation, shewed him much civility, and afforded him seasonable relief.

The severity of the times not suffering the zealous and faithful servants of the Lord to abide long in any one place, Mr. Becon was obliged to move into Staffordshire, where he was kindly entertained in the house of Mr. John Old, a man eminently distinguished for charity and piety. Mr. Wisdome, mentioned above, was also entertained with him. Mr. Becon, in his treatise, entitled "The Jewel of Joy, published in the reign of King Edward, gives this character of Mr. Old: "He was to me and Wisdome, as Jason was to Paul and Silas: he received us joyfully into his house, and liberally, for the Lord's sake, ministered to our necessities. And as he began, so did he continue a right hearty friend, and dearly loving brother, so long as we remained in the country. Here, as in his former situation, he educated children in good literature and sound christian doctrine, continuing, at the same time, in a close application to his studies. Afterwards, he removed into Leicestershire, * Conformist's Plea, p. 14. Edit. 1681. From " Irenicum." + Fox's Martyrs, vol, ii. p. 45.

Strype's Cranmer, p. 276, 977.