October 1766 - The Gospel Magazine

he Life of Q..UEEN ELISAB E TH. +49
Scotland that defired a reformation. The clergy in England
wer~ generally hated for their cruelty, and it was thought
eafy to bring them within the f1:atute of prcemunire. Care
was to be taken to expofe the former counfellors for the ill
conduCl: of affairs in queen Mary's time, and fo to leffen their
credit. It was alfo propofed to look well to the commif.
fions, both for the peace and the militia, and to the univerfities:
and it was thought fit to begin with the communion
in both kinds. . .
The qu~e~ corifidered that befClre a total alteration of
r.eligion could take place, the whole body of the incumbent
clergy muft be new-modelled, the univerfities purged; the
bench, the bar, the navy, and the army were to be renewed,
and as it, were regenerated.
Thofe exiles for religion, who had fled beyond (ea, now
l'CCNrned again; and fome zealous people began in many
places to break down images, and fet up king Edward's fervice
again. Upon this the queen ordered that the Litany and
other parts of the fervice lhould be faid in Englifh, and that
no elevation lhould be ufed in the mafs; but lhe required her
fubjecl:s, by proclamation, to avoid all innovations, and
ufe no other forms but thofe that lhe kept up in her chapel
till it lhould be otherwife appointed in parliament.
The majority of the exiles were for the worlhip and difci.
pline of the foreign churches, and declaimed aloud againil:
the popilh habits and' ceremonies. The new bilhops, moil:
of whom had been their companions abroad, endeavoured to
foften them for the prefent, declaring they would ufe all their
intereft at court to make them eafy in a little time. The
queen alto connived at their nonconformity, till her government
was fettted, but then declared roundly that lhe had'
fixed her ftandard, and would have all her fubjeCls conform
to it; upon which, we are told, the bi{hops ftiffned in their
behaviour1 explained away their promifes, and became too,
fevere againh: their diltenting brethren: And in the year
1564, the billiops began to lhew their authority, by urging
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