other benefits of his passion." We have been instructed in all these great and consolatory truths, and we have professed to believe them. If we have herein "witnessed a good confession," we may entertain a good hope of this salvation through the promised mercy of a gracious God.

"So we preach, and so ye have believed;" or else, "he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God: but he that believeth on him is not condemned." It will little avail you to receive the best instructions, and in your judgment to be convinced of the certainty of them, unless with the heart ye "believe unto righteousness, make confession with the mouth unto salvation, and adorn the doctrine of

God your Saviour in all things." "Wherefore give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things,-if ye add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity: if these things be in you, and abound, they shall make you, that ye be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ; and so ye shall never fall, but an entrance be administered to you abundantly into his everlasting kingdom." And soon will he accomplish that prayer, which we offer when we assemble round the opened grave, soon will he "accomplish the number of his elect, and hasten his kingdom." Soon will the time of his second coming be fulfilled. Soon will each of us be consigned to the tomb, where we must await the summons of that day. "The kingdom of God," with which our final redemption shall draw nigh, near at hand. Repent ye, therefore, and believe the Gospel."

T.

66 IS

MISCELLANEOUS.

AN EXACT ACCOUNT of the whole PROCEEDINGS against the Right Rev. Father in God, HENRY, LORD BISHOP OF LONDON, before the LORD CHANCELLOR, and the other Ecclesiastical Commissioners. London, 1688.

THE KING'S ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION.

JAMES the Second, by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. to the Most Reverend Father in God, our right trusty and right well-beloved councellor, William, Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of all England, and Metropolitan. And to our right trusty and right well-beloved councellor George Lord Jefferyes, Lord Chancellor of England. And to our right trusty, and right well-beloved cousin and councellor, Lawrence, Earl of Rochester, Lord High Treasurer of England. And to our right trusty and right well-beloved cousin and councellor, Robert Earl of Sunderland, President of our Council, and our principal Secretary of State. And to the Right Reverend Father in God, our right trusty and well-beloved councellor, Nathanael Lord Bishop of Duresme.

And to the Right Reverend Father in God, our right trusty and wellbeloved Thomas Lord Bishop of Rochester. And to our right trusty and well-beloved councellor, Sir Edward Herbert, Knight, Lord Chief Justice of the Pleas, before us to be holden, assigned, greeting. We for divers good weighty and necessary causes and considerations, us hereunto especially moving, of our meer motion and certain knowledge, by force and virtue of our supream authority and prerogative royal, do assign, name, and authorize by these our letters patent, under the great seal of England, you the said Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Chancellour of England, Lord High Treasurer of England, Lord President of our Council, Lord Bishop of Duresme, Lord Bishop of Rochester, and our Chief Justice aforesaid, or any three or more of you, whereof you the said Lord Chancellour to be one, from time to time, and at all times during our pleasure, to exercise, use, occupy and execute under us all manner of jurisdictions, privileges, and pre-eminencies in any wise touching or concerning any spiritual or ecclesiastical jurisdictions, within this our realm of England, and dominion of Wales, and to visit, reform, redress, order, correct, and amend all such abuses, offences, contempts, and enormities whatsoever, which by the spiritual or ecclesiastical laws of this our realm can or may lawfully be reformed, redressed, corrected, restrained, or amended, to the pleasure of Almighty God, and increase of virtue, and the conservation of the peace and unity of this realm. And we do hereby give and grant unto you, or any three or more of you, as is aforesaid, whereof you the said Lord Chancellour to be one, thus by us named, assigned, authorised and appointed, by force of our supream authority and prerogative royal, full power and authority, from time to time, and at all times during our pleasure, under us to exercise, use and execute all the premises, according to the tenor and effect of these our letters-patents, any matter or cause to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding. And we do by these presents give full power and authority unto you, or any three or more of you, as is aforesaid, whereof you the said Lord Chancellour to be one, by all lawful ways or means from time to time hereafter during our pleasure, to enquire of all offences, contempts, transgressions, and misdemeanours done and committed, and hereafter done and to be committed, contrary to the ecclesiastical laws of this our realm, in any county, city, borough, or other place or places exempt or not exempted, within this our realm of England, and dominion of Wales; and of all and every offender or offenders therein, and them, and every of them, to order, correct, reform, and punish, by censure of the Church. And also we do give and grant full power and authority unto you, or any three or more of you, as is aforesaid, whereof you the said Lord Chancellor to be one, in like manner as is aforesaid, from time to time, and at all times during our pleasure, to enquire of, search out, and call before you all and every ecclesiastical person or persons, of what degree or dignity soever, as shall offend in any of the particulars before mentioned, and them and every of them to correct, and punish for such their misbehaviours and misdemeanours, by suspending or depriving them from all promotions ecclesiastical, and from all functions in the church, and to inflict such other punishments or censures upon them,

according to the ecclesiastical laws of this realm. And further we do give full power and authority unto you, or any three or more of you, as is aforesaid, whereof you the said Lord Chancellour to be one, by virtue hereof, and in like manner and form as is aforesaid, to enquire, hear, determine, and punish all incest, adulteries, fornications, outrages, misbehaviours, and disorders in marriage, and all other grievances, great crimes or offences which are punishable, or reformable by the ecclesiastical laws of this our realm, committed or done, or hereafter to be committed or done, in any place exempt or not exempt, within this our realm, according to the tenor of the ecclesiastical laws in that behalf: granting you, or any three or more of you as is aforesaid, whereof you the said Lord Chancellour to be one, full power and authority to order and award such punishment to every such offender, by censures of the Church, or other lawful ways as is aforesaid; and further we do give full power and authority unto you, or any three or more of you, as is aforesaid, whereof you the said Lord Chancellour to be one, all and every offender and offenders in any of the premises, and also all such, as by you, or any three or more of you as is aforesaid, whereof you the said Lord Chancellour to be one, shall seem to be suspected persons in any of the premises, and them to examine, touching every or any of the premises which you shall object against them; and to proceed against them, and every of them, as the nature and quality of the offence, or suspicion in that behalf shall require. And also to call all such witnesses, or any other person or persons that can inform you concerning any of the premises, as you, or any three or more of you as is aforesaid, whereof you the said Lord Chancellour to be one, and them, and every of them, to examine upon their corporal oaths, for the better tryal and opening of the truth of the premises, or any part thereof. And if you, or any three or more of you, as is aforesaid, whereof you the said Lord Chancellour to be one, shall find any person or persons whatsoever obstinate or disobedient in their appearance before you, or any three or more of you as is aforesaid, whereof you the said Lord Chancellour to be one, at your calling and commandment, or else not in obeying, or in not accomplishing your orders, decrees, and commandments, or any thing touching the premises or any part thereof, or any other branch or clause contained in this commission, that then you, or any three or more of you, as is aforesaid, whereof you the said Lord Chancellour to be one, shall have full power and authority to punish the same person and persons so offending, by excommunication, suspension, deprivation, or other censures ecclesiastical; and when any person shall be convented or prosecuted before you as aforesaid, for any of the causes above expressed, at the instance and suit of any person prosecuting the offence in that behalf, that then you, or any three or more of you as is aforesaid, whereof you the said Lord Chancellour to be one, shall have full power and authority to award such costs and expenses of the suit, as well to and against the party, as shall prefer or prosecute the said offence, as to and against any party or parties that shall be convented according as their causes shall require, and to you in justice shall be thought reasonable. And further our will and pleasure is, that you assume our well-beloved

subject William Bridgman, Esq. one of the clerks of our council, or his sufficient deputy or deputies in that behalf to be your register, whom we do by these presents depute to that effect, for the registring of all your acts, decrees, and proceedings, by virtue of this our commission; and that in like manner, you, or any three or more of you, whereof you the said Lord Chancellour to be one, by your discretions shall appoint one or more messenger or messengers, or other officer or officers necessary and convenient to attend upon you for any service in this behalf. Our will and express commandment also is, that there shall be two paper books invented and made, the one to remain with the said register, or his sufficient deputy or deputies, the other with such person, and in such places as you the said commissioners, or any three or more whereof you the said Lord Chancellour to be one, shall in your discretions think most fit and meet; in both which books shall be fairly entered all the acts, decrees, and proceedings made or to be made, by virtue of this our commission. And whereas our Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and divers cathedral and collegiate churches, colledges, grammar schools, and other ecclesiastical incorporations, have been erected, founded, and endowed by several of our royal progenitors, kings and queens of this realm, and some others by their charity and bounty of some of their subjects, as well within our Universities as other parts and places, the ordinances, rules and statutes whereof are either imbesled, lost, corrupted, or altogether imperfect. We do therefore give full power and authority to you, or any five or more of you, of whom we will you the forenamed the Lord Chancellour always to be one, to cause and command in our name, all and singular the ordinances, rules, and statutes of our said universities, and all and every cathedral and collegiate churches, colledges, grammar schools, and other ecclesiastical incorporations, together with their several letters-patents, and other writings, touching or in any wise concerning their several erections and foundations, to be brought and exhibited before you, or any five or more of you, as is aforesaid, whereof you the said Lord Chancellour to be one; willing, commanding, and authorizing of you, or any five or more of you, as aforesaid, whereof you the said Lord Chancellour to be one, upon the exhibitting, and upon diligent and deliberate view, search, and examination of the said statutes, rules and ordinances, letters-patents and writings as is aforesaid, the same to correct, amend and alter; and also where no statutes are extant, in all or any of the aforesaid cases, to devise and set down such good orders and statutes as you, or any five or more of you, whereof you the said Lord Chancellour to be one, shall think meet and convenient, to be by us confirmed, ratified, allowed, and set forth, for the better order and rule of the said Universities, cathedral and collegiate churches, colledges, and grammar schools, erections, and foundations, and the possessions and revenues of the same, and as may best tend to the honour of Almighty God, increase the virtue, learning and unity in the said places, and the publick weal and tranquility of this our realm. Moreover, our will, pleasure, and commandment is, that you, our said commissioners, and every of you, shall diligently and faithfully execute this our commission, and every part and branch thereof, in manner and form aforesaid,

and according to the true meaning thereof, notwithstanding any appellation, provocation, priviledge, or exemption in that behalf, to be had, made, pretended, or alledged by any person or persons resident or dwelling in any place or places exempt or not exempt, within this our realm; any law, statutes, proclamations, or grants, priviledges, or ordinances, which be or may seem contrary to the premises notwithstanding. And for the better credit, and more manifest notice of your so doing, in the execution of this our commission, our pleasure and commandment is, that to your letters missive, processes, decrees, orders and judgments, for or by you, or any three or more of you, as is aforesaid, to be awarded, sent forth, had, made, decreed, given or pronounced, at such certain publick places as shall be appointed by you, or any three or more of you, as is aforesaid, for the due execution of this our commission, you, or some three or more of you as is aforesaid, whereof you the said Lord Chancellour to be one, shall cause to be put and fixed a seal, ingraven with a rose and crown, and the letter J. and figure 2 before, and the letter R. after the same, with a ring or circumference about the same seal, containing as followeth, Sigillum Commissionariorum Regiæ Majestatis ad Causas Ecclesiasticas. nally, we will and command all and singular other our ministers and subjects in all and every place and places, exempt and not exempt, within our realm of England, and dominion of Wales, upon any knowledge or request from you, or any three or more of you as is aforesaid, to them, or any of them, given or made, to be aiding, helping and assisting unto you, and to your commandments, in and for the due executing your precepts, letters, and other processes, requisite in and for the due executing of this our commission, as they, and every of them tender our pleasure, and will answer the contrary at their utmost perils. In witness, &c.

THE KING'S LETTER,

Fi

Dated Monday, June the 14th, 1686, delivered at Fulham on Thursday, being the 17th of the same June in the afternoon, by Mr. Atterbury the Messenger. JAMES R.

Whereas we

Right Reverend Father in God, we greet you well. have been informed and are fully satisfied, that Dr. John Sharp, rector of the parish church of St. Giles in the Fields, in the county of Middlesex, and in your diocess, notwithstanding our late letter to the most Reverend Fathers in God the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, and our directions concerning preachers, given at our court at Whitehall, the 15th of March, 1685, in the second year of our reign; yet he, the said Dr. John Sharp, in contempt of the same orders, hath in some of the sermons he hath since preached, presumed to make unbecoming reflections, and to utter such expressions as were not fit or proper for him; endeavouring thereby to beget in the minds of his hearers an evil opinion of us and our government, by insinuating fears and jealousies to dispose them to discontent, and to lead them into disobedience and rebellion. These are therefore to require and command you immediately upon receipt hereof, forthwith to suspend him from further preaching in any parish church or chappel in your diocess, until he has given us satisfaction, and our further pleasure be known