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CHURCH TRADITIONS.

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as an heathen and publican, until he be openly reconciled by penance, and received into the Church by a judge that hath authority thereto.

XXXIV. Of the Traditions of the Church.

It is not necessary that traditions and ceremonies be in all places one, or utterly like; for at all times they have been diverse, and may be changed according to the diversity of countries, times, and men's manners, so that nothing be ordained against God's Word. Whosoever, through his private judgment, willingly and purposely doth openly break the traditions and ceremonies of the Church, which be not repugnant to the Word of God, and be ordained and approved by common authority, ought to be rebuked openly, (that others may fear to do the like,) as he that offendeth against the common order of the Church, and hurteth the authority of the Magistrate, and woundeth the consciences of the weak brethren.

Every particular or national Church hath authority to ordain, change, and abolish ceremonies or rites of the Church, ordained only by man's authority, so that all things be done to edifying.

XXXV. Of the Homilies.

The second Book of Homilies, the several titles whereof we have joined under this Article, doth contain a godly and wholesome doctrine, and necessary for these times, as doth the former Book of Homilies, which were set forth in the time of Edward the Sixth; and therefore we judge them to be read in Churches by the Ministers, diligently and distinctly, that they may be understanded of the people.

Of the Names of the Homilies.

1. Of the Right Use of the Church.

2. Against Peril of Idolatry.

3. Of repairing and keeping clean of Churches.

4. Of good Works; first of Fasting.

5. Against Gluttony and Drunkenness. 6. Against Excess of Apparel.

7. Of Prayer.

8. Of the Place and Time of Prayer.

9. That Common Prayer and Sacraments ought to be minis

tered in a known Tongue.

10. Of the reverend Estimation of God's Word.

11. Of Alms-doing.

12. Of the Nativity of Christ.

13. Of the Passion of Christ.

14. Of the Resurrection of Christ.

15. Of the worthy receiving of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ.

16. Of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost.

17. For Rogation-days.

18. Of the State of Matrimony.

19. Of Repentance.

20. Against Idleness.

21. Against Rebellion.

XXXVI. Of Consecration of Bishops and Ministers.

The Book of Consecration of Archbishops and Bishops, and Ordering of Priests and Deacons, lately set forth in the time of Edward the Sixth, and confirmed at the same time by authority of Parliament, doth contain all things necessary to such consecration and ordering; neither hath it any thing that of itself is superstitious and ungodly. And therefore whosoever are consecrated or ordered according to the rites of that book, since the second year of the forenamed King Edward, unto this time, or hereafter shall be consecrated or ordered according to the same rites, we decree all such to be rightly, orderly, and lawfully consecrated and ordered.

XXXVII. Of the Civil Magistrates.

The King's Majesty hath the chief power in this realm of England, and other his dominions, unto whom the chief government of all estates of this realm, whether they be ecclesiastical or civil, in all causes doth appertain, and is not, nor ought to be, subject to any foreign jurisdiction.

Where we attribute to the King's Majesty the chief government, by which titles we understand the minds of some slanderous folks to be offended, we give not to our Princes the ministering either of God's Word or of the Sacraments, the which thing the Injunctions also lately set forth by Elizabeth our Queen do most plainly testify; but that only prerogative which we see to have been given always to all godly Princes in Holy Scriptures by God himself; that is, that they should rule all estates and degrees

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committed to their charge by God, whether they be ecclesiastical or temporal, and restrain with the civil sword the stubborn and evil doers.

The Bishop of Rome hath no jurisdiction in this realm of England.

The laws of the realm may punish Christian men with death for heinous and grievous offences.

It is lawful for Christian men, at the commandment of the Magistrate, to wear weapons, and serve in the wars.

XXXVIII. of Christian Men's Goods, which are not

common.

The riches and goods of Christians are not common, as touching the right, title, and possession of the same, as certain Anabaptists do falsely boast. Notwithstanding every man ought, of such things as he possesseth, liberally to give alms to the poor, according to his ability.

XXXIX. Of a Christian Man's Oath.

As we confess that vain and rash swearing is forbidden Christian men by our Lord Jesus Christ, and James his Apostle; so we judge that Christian Religion doth not prohibit, but that a man may swear when the Magistrate requireth, in a cause of faith and charity, so it be done according to the Prophet's teaching, in justice, judgment, and truth.

THE RATIFICATION.

This Book of Articles before rehearsed is again approved, and allowed to be holden and executed within the realm, by the assent and consent of our Sovereign Lady Elizabeth, by the Grace of God, of England, France, and Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith, &c. Which Articles were deliberately read, and confirmed again by the subscription of the hands of the Archbishop and Bishops of the Upper House, and by the subscription of the whole Clergy of the Nether House, in their Convocation, in the year of our Lord 1571.

The Universities of Oxford and Cambridge were incorporated in 1570, by Act of Parliament (13 Eliz. cap. 29), and the three following reasons for this incorporation are stated in the preamble:

"The great love and favour that the Queen's most excel"lent Majesty bears to her Highness's Universities of "Oxford and Cambridge.

"The great zeal and care that the Lords and Commons "of this present Parliament have for the maintenance of good and godly literature, and the virtuous education of "youth within either of the said Universities.

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"That the ancient privileges, liberties, and franchises of "either of the said Universities heretofore granted, ratified, "and confirmed by the Queen's Highness, and her most "noble Progenitors, may be had in greater estimation, and "be of greater force and strength, for the better increase of learning, and the further suppressing of vice."

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The political hostility of foreign Roman Catholic powers to Queen Elizabeth increased the jealousy and suspicion with which the continuance of Romanism in the University of Oxford was regarded at Court by the leading members of the Queen's Administration.

In 1581 the Earl of Leicester, as Chancellor, sent letters to Oxford, inclosing certain proposals, in the first of which it was stated, that from the neglect of the ceremony of matriculation, many Papists had heretofore lurked, and might hereafter lurk, among the members of the University, and might be brought up by corrupt tutors; neither yielding to God, nor to her Majesty, nor to the University, their bounden duty, as had of late years too much appeared, and was evident in sundry young Students in the University, some of whom were at Rome, some in seminaries and other places, out of her Majesty's obedience; on this account the Chancellor thought it good to have various orders established with reference to matriculation, and other subjects, directing, in the first instance

"That no Scholar be admitted into any College or Hall

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MATRICULATION TEST.

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"in the University of Oxford, unless he first, before the Chancellor, subscribe to the Articles of Religion agreed upon, take the oath of the Queen's Majesty's Supremacy, "swear to observe the Statutes of the University, and have "his name registered in the matriculation-book."

Delegates were appointed at Oxford to consider the proposals, and decrees were published in accordance with them, enacting, that no Student should remain beyond the Friday week after his admission into any College or Hall, unless he had, under the Vice-Chancellor's hand for the time being, a certificate of his subscription both to the Articles of Religion, to her Majesty's Supremacy, and also to observe the orders and Statutes of the University, and that he had his name registered in the matriculation-book.

It will be observed, both in the Chancellor's proposals and in the decrees of the University, that the subscription to the Thirty-nine Articles and the Oath of Supremacy preceded the registration of the names of the Students in the matriculation book, and constituted two separate forms in addition to the ordinary ceremony of matriculation.

The next year brought another letter from the Chancellor, complaining of "secret and lurking Papists" in Oxford, and of scholars lodged and boarded in the city, who neither had their names entered in the matriculation-book, nor in any College or Hall-book, and who had no Tutor to answer for them.

Some Roman Catholic Students may perhaps still have received degrees at Oxford, for in 1588-9 it was ordered in Convocation, that no Scholar should be promoted to the degree of Bachelor, nor from that of Bachelor to be a Master, unless he could repeat from memory the Articles of faith and religion, and give a sufficient reason of them, according to the sense of the Scriptures, before the ViceChancellor for the time being, or the Proctors, or the Regent Masters.

These orders and some others of a similar kind were strictly complied with in 1589; but the Puritan members of

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