King James his letter and directions to the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury concerning preaching and preachers with the Bishop of Canterburies letter to the Bishop of Lincolne, Lord Keeper, desiring him to put in practise the Kings desires that none should preach but in a religious forme : and not that every young man should take to himselfe an exorbitant liberty to preach what he listeth to the offence of His Majesty and the disturbance and disquiet of the church and common-wealth.

King James his letter and directions to the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury concerning preaching and preachers with the Bishop of Canterburies letter to the Bishop of Lincolne, Lord Keeper, desiring him to put in practise the Kings desires that none should preach but in a religious forme : and not that every young man should take to himselfe an exorbitant liberty to preach what he listeth to the offence of His Majesty and the disturbance and disquiet of the church and common-wealth.

Table of contents

Title page

KING IAMES HIS LETTER And Directions to the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, concerning Preaching and Preachers.

His Majesties Orders and Directions, concerning Preaching and Preachers.

The Arch-Bishop of Canterburies Letter, to the Arch-bishop of Yorke.

The Lord Arch-Bishops Letter, to the Lord Keeper.

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§

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KING JAMES HIS LETTER AND DIRECTIONS TO THE LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY; Concerning Preaching and Preachers; With the Bishop of Canterburies Letter to the Bishop of Lincolne, Lord Keeper, desiring him to put in practise the Kings desires, that none should preach but in a Religious forme.

And not that every young man should take to himselfe an exorbitant Liberty, to preach what he listeth, to the offence of his Majesty, and the disturbance and disquiet of the Church and Common-wealth.

Printed for Thomas Walkeley, 1642.

KING IAMES HIS LETTER And Directions to the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, concerning Preaching and Preachers.

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MOst reverend Father in God, right trusty, and right entirely beloved Councellour, wee greet you well;

for as much, as the abuses and extravagancies of Preachers in the Pulpit, have beene at all times redressed in this Realme by some act of Councell, or State, with the advise, and resolution of Grave and learned Prelates, insomuch, as the very licensing of Preachers had a beginning by an order of Starchamber, the 8. day of Iuly, in the 19 yeare of the Raigne of King Henry the eight our Noble Predecessour. And whereas at this present divers young Students, by reading of late Writers and ungrounded Divines, doe broach many times unprofitable, unsound, seditious and dangerous Doctrines to the scandall of this Church, and disquieting of the State, and present Government. Wee upon the humble representation unto us of these inconveniences, by sundry Grave, and reverend, [Page] Prelates of this Church, as also of our Princely care and zeale for the extirpation of Schisme, and discension, growing from these Seeds, and for the setling of a Religious and peaceable Government, both of the Church and State; doe by these our speciall Letters streightly charge and command you to use all possible care and diligence, that these limitations and cautions herewith sent unto you, concerning Preachers, bee duely and strictly from henceforth observed, and put in practise by the severall Bishops, of their severall Diocesses within your Iurisdiction. And to this end our pleasure is, that you send them forth Coppies of these directions; to bee by them speedily sent and communicated to every Parson, Vicar, Curate, and Lecturer in every Cathedrall and Parish Church, within their severall Diocesses, and that you earnestly require them to employ their uttermost endeavours in the performance of this so important a businesse, letting them know, that wee have a speciall eye to their proceedings, and expect a strict accompt both of you, and every of them. And these our Letters shall bee your sufficient warrant in this behalfe.

Given under our Signet at our Castle of Windsor the 4. day of August, in the 20. yeare of our Raigne, of England, France, and Ireland, and of Scotland, the six and fiftieth, 1622.

His Majesties Orders and Directions, concerning Preaching and Preachers.

1 THat no Preacher under the degree and calling of a Bishop, or Deane of a Cathedrall or Collegiate Church, (and they upon the Kings dayes onely, and set Festivals,) doe take occasion by the expounding of any Text of Scripture whatsoever, to fall into any set course or Common place, otherwise then by opening the coherence and division of his Text, which shall not bee comprehended and warranted in essence, substance, [Page] effect, or naturall inference, within some one of the Articles of Religion set forth, 1562. Or in some, one of the Homilies set forth by authority in the Church of England, not onely for a helpe of none preaching, but withall for a Paterne, as it were, for the preaching Ministers, and for their further instruction for the performance thereof: that they forthwith read over and peruse diligently the said Booke of Articles, and the two Bookes of Homilies.

2 THat no Person, Vicar, Curate, or Lecturer shall preach any Sermon or collation hereafter upon Sun-dayes and Holy-dayes in the after noones in any Cathedrall or Parish Church throughout the Kingdome. But upon some part of the Catechisme, or some Text taken out of the Creed and Commandements, or the Lords prayer, (Funerall Sermons onely excepted,) and that those Preachers bee most incouraged, and approved off, who spend their afternones exercise in the examination of Children in their Catechismes, and in the expounding of the severall points and heads of the Catechisme, which is the most ancient and laudable custome of teaching in the Church of England.

3 THat no Preacher of what title soever, under the Degree of a Bishop or Deane, at the least, doe from hence forth presume to preach in any popular auditory, the deepe points of Predestination, Election, Reprobation, or of the universality, efficacity, restibility or irrestibility of Gods grace, but rather leave those theames to bee handled by learned men, and that modestly and moderately by use and application, rather then by way of positive Doctrine, as being fitter for Schooles and Vniversities then for simple auditories.

4 THat no Preacher, of what title or denomination soever shall presume from henceforth in any auditory [Page] within this Kingdome to declare limit or bound out by way of positive Doctrine in any Lecture or Sermon, the Power, Prerogative, Iurisdiction, Authority, or Duty of Soveraigne Princes, or therein meddle with these matters of State and the reference betweene Princes and the People; then as they are instructed in the Homily of obedience, and in the rest of the Homilies and articles of Religion set forth, as before is mentioned by publique authority; but rather confine themselves wholly to these two heads of faith and good life, which are all the Subject of the ancient Sermons and Homilies.

5 THat no Preacher, of what title or denomination soever shall causelesly, and without any invitation from the Text, fall into any bitter invective and undecent rayling speeches against the Papists or Puritans, but wisely and gravely, when they are occasioned thereunto by the Text of Scripture, free both the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England from the aspersions of either adversary, especially, where the auditory is suspected to bee tainted with the one or the other infection.

6 LAstly, that the Archbishop and Bishops of the Kingdome, (whom his Majesty hath good cause to blame for their former remisnesse) bee more wary, and chose in licensing of Preachers; and revoke all grants, made to any Chancellour, Officiall, or Commissary, to passe licences in this kind: and that all the Lectures throughout the Kingdome; (a new body severed from the ancient Clergy of England, as being neither Parson, Vicar, nor Curate,) bee licensed hence forward in the Court of Faculties, onely upon recommendation of the party from the Bishop of the Diocesse under his Hand and Seale, with a fiat from the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, and a Confirmation under the great Seale of England, and that such, as transgresse any one of these directions bee [Page] suspended by the Bishop of the Diocesse, or in his default by the Lord Archbishop of the Province, Ab officio & beneficio, for a yeare and a day, untill his Majesty by the advise of the next convocation prescribe some further punishment.

The Arch-Bishop of Canterburies Letter, to the Arch-bishop of Yorke.

MY very good Lord,

I doubt not, but before this time, you have received from mee the Directions of his most excellent Majesty, concerning Preaching and Preachers, which are so graciously set downe, that no godly or discreet man can otherwise then acknowledge, that they doe much tend to edification, if hee doe not take them up upon report, but doe punctually consider the tenure of the words as they lye, and doe not give an ill construction to that, which may receive a faire interpretation. Notwithstanding, because some few Churchmen, and many of the people, have sinisterly conceived as wee here find, that those instructions doe tend to the restraint of the exercise of preaching, and doe in some sort abate the number of Sermons and so consequently, by degrees doe make a breach to ignorance and superstition; His Majesty in his Princely wisedome, hath thought fit, that I should advertise your Lordship of the grave and weighty reasons, which induced his Highnesse to prescribe that which is done.

You are therefore to know, that his Majesty being much troubled and grieved at the heart, to heare every day of so many defections from our Religion, both to Popery [Page] and Anabaptisme, or other points of Seperation in some parts of this Kingdome; and considering with much admiration; what might bee the cause thereof, especially in the Raigne of such a King, who doth so constantly professe himselfe an open Adversary to the Superstition of the one, and madnesse of the other; his Princely wisedome could fall upon no one greater probability, then the lightnesse, affectednesse, and unprofitablenesse of that kind of preaching, which hath beene of late yeares too much taken up in Court, Vniversity, City, and Countrey.

The usuall scope of very many Preachers, is noted to bee soringe[?] up in points of Divinty, too deepe for the cap [...] city of the people, or a mustring up of much reading, or a displaying of their owne wit, or an ignorant medling with civill matters, as well in the private of severall Parishes and Corporations, as in the publike of the Kingdome; or a venting of their owne distast, or a smoothing up of those idle fancies, which in this blessed time of so long a peace, doe boile in the braines of an unadvised people, or lastly, a rude or undecent rayling not against the Doctrines (which when the Text shall occasion the same, is not onely improved, but much commended by his Royall Majesty;) but against the Persons of Papists and Puritans. Now the people bred up with this kind of teaching, and never instructed in the Catechisme and fundamentall grounds of Religion, are for all this Ayry nourishment, no better then (abrajae tabulae;) new table bookes ready to bee filled up, either with the Manuals and Catechismes of the Popish Priests, or the Papers and Pamphlets of Anabaptists, Brownists, and Puritans.

His Majesty therefore calling to mind the saying of Tertullian, (Id verum quod primum;) and remembring, with what Doctrine the Church of England in her first and most happy Reformation, did drive out the one, and keepe out the other from poisoning and infecting the people of this Kingdome: doth find that the whole scope of this Doctrine, is contained in the articles of Religion, the [Page] two bookes of Homilies, the lesser and the greater Catechisme, which his Majesty doth recommend againe in these Directions as the Theames and proper Subjects of all sound and edifying preaching.

And so farre are these Directions from abating, that his Majesty doth expect at our hands, that it should increase the number of Sermons by renuing upon every Sunday in the afternone in all Parish Churches throughout the Kingdome, that Primitive, and most profitable exposition of the Catechisme, where with the people, (yea) very Children may bee timely seasoned and instructed in all the heads of Christian Religion, the which kind of teaching (to our amendment bee it spoken,) is more diligently observed in all the reformed Churches of Europe, then of late it hath beene here in England. I find his Majesty much moved with this neglect, and resolved; (if wee that are his Bishops, doe not see a Reformation hereof, which I trust wee shall) to recommend it to care of the Civill Magistrate. So farre is his Highnesse from giving the least discouragement to sollide preaching, or discreet, or religious Preachers.

To all this, I am to adde, that it is his Majesties Princely pleasure, that both the former Directions, and those reasons of the same, bee fairely written in every Registers office; to the end, that every Preacher of what denomination soever, may if hee bee so pleased take out Coppies of either of them with his owne hand (gratis;) paying nothing in the name of fee and expedition. But if hee doe use the paines of the Register, or his Clarkes, then to pay some moderate fee, to bee pronounced in open Court by the Chancellours and Commissaries of the place, taking the direction and approbation of my Lords, the Bishops. Lastly, that from hence forward a course may bee taken, that every Parson, Vicar, Curate, or Lecturer, doe make exhibite of these his Majesties Directions, and the reasons for the same at the ensuing visitation of the Bishops and Arch-Deacons, [Page] paying to the Register by way of fee, but two pence at the time of the exhibite; and so wishing, but withall, in his Majesties name, requiring your Lordship to have a speciall and extraordinary care of the premisses. I leave you to the Almighty.

From Croyden,Sept. 4. 1622.

Your Lordships very loving Brother, G. CANT.

The Lord Arch-Bishops Letter, to the Lord Keeper.

BY this you see, his Majesties Princely care, That none should preach CHRIST crucified, obedience to the Higher Powers, and Honest, and Christian conversation of life, but in a Religious forme; and not, that every young man shall take unto himselfe an exorbitant liberty to teach what he listeth, to the offence of his Majesty, and the disturbance and disquiet of the Church and Common-wealth. I can give your Lordship no better directions for the pursuance hereof, then are prescribed to you in his Majesties Letter, and the Schedule herewith sent unto you, whereof I pray your Lordship to bee very carefull, since it is the Princely pleasure of his Highnesse [Page] to require an accompt both of you and mee for the same. And so not doubting, but by your Register, or otherwise, you will cause these instructions to bee communicated to your Clergy. I leave you to the Almighty and remaine.

Your loving Brother, G. CANT.

FINI [...].

Information about this book

Title statement

King James his letter and directions to the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury concerning preaching and preachers with the Bishop of Canterburies letter to the Bishop of Lincolne, Lord Keeper, desiring him to put in practise the Kings desires that none should preach but in a religious forme : and not that every young man should take to himselfe an exorbitant liberty to preach what he listeth to the offence of His Majesty and the disturbance and disquiet of the church and common-wealth.

England and Wales. Sovereign (1603-1625 : James I)

Edition statement

1642

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Text Creation Partnership,

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Date

2003-07 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A46453

ID [STC]

Wing J139

ID [STC]

ESTC R16287

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

12655049

ID [OCLC]

ocm 12655049

ID [VID]

65330

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A46453)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 65330)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 251:E147, no 16)

Source

— King James his letter and directions to the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury concerning preaching and preachers with the Bishop of Canterburies letter to the Bishop of Lincolne, Lord Keeper, desiring him to put in practise the Kings desires that none should preach but in a religious forme : and not that every young man should take to himselfe an exorbitant liberty to preach what he listeth to the offence of His Majesty and the disturbance and disquiet of the church and common-wealth., England and Wales. Sovereign (1603-1625 : James I), Abbot, George, 1562-1633..

Extent

[2], 9 p.

Thomas Walkeley,. [London] :: 1642.. ("The Arch-bishop of Canterburies [George Abbot's] letter, to the Archbishop of Yorke [Tobias Matthew]": p. 5-8.) ("The Lord Arch-bishops letter to the Lord Keeper [John Williams].": p. 8-9.) (Reproduction of original in Thomason Collection, British Library.)

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