THe day appointed was , as by his Maiesties Proclamation we all know , Thursday the 12. of Ianuary , on which there met at Hampton Court , by 9. of the Clocke , all the Bishops and Deanes , summoned by letters , namely , the Archbishop of Canterbury , the Bishops of London , Durham , Winchester , Worcester , S. Dauids , Chichester , Carlell and Peterborow : the Deanes of the Chappell , Christ-Church , Worcester , Westminster , Paules , Chester , Windsor ; with Doctor , Field , and Doctor King , Archdeacon of Nottingham : who , though the night before , they heard a rumor that it was deferred till the 14. day , yet according to the first summons , thought it their dutie to offer themselues to the Kinges presence , which they did : at which time it pleased his Highnes to signifie vnto the Bishops , that the day hauing preuented , or deceiued him , he would haue them returne on Saturday next following : On which day , all the Deanes and Doctors , attending my Lordes the Bishops into the Presence-Chamber , there wee found fitting vpon a forme , D. Reynoldes , D. Sparkes ; M. Knewstubs , and M. Chaderton , Agentes for the Millene Plaintiffes . The Bishoppes entring the Priuy-Chamber , stayed there , till commaundement came from his Maiestie that none of any sort should bee present , but onely the Lordes of the Priuie-Councell , and the Bishoppes with fiue Deanes , viz. of the Chappell , Westminster , Powles , Westchester , Salisburie , who beeing called in , the doore was close shut by my Lord Chamberlaine .

After a while , his excellent Maiestie came in , and hauing passed a fewe pleasant gratulations with some of the Lords , he sate downe in his chaire , remoued forward from the cloth of State a prettie distance ; where , beginning with a most graue and princely declaration of his generall drift in calling this assembly , no nouell deuise , but according to the example of all Christian Princes , who , in the commencement of their raigne , vsually take the first course for the establishing of the Church , both for doctrine and policie , to which the verie Heathens themselues had relation in their prouerbe , A Ioue Principium , and particularly , in this land King Henry the eight , toward the ende of his raigne ; after him King Edward the 6 who altered more , after him Queene Marie , who reuersed all ; and the last Queene of famous memory , so his highnesse added ( for it is worth the noting , that his Maiestie neuer remembreth her , but with some honourable addition ) who setled it as now it standeth : wherein , hee sayd , that he was happier then they , in this , because they were faine to alter all thinges they found established , but he saw yet , no cause so much to alter , and chaunge any thing , as to confirme that which he found well setled already : which state , as it seemed , so affected his royal hart , that it pleased him both to enter into a gratulation to almightie God , ( at which wordes hee put off his hat ) for bringing him into the promised land , where Religion was purely professed ; where he sate among graue , learned and reuerend men ; not , as before , else where , a King without state , without honor , without order ; where beardlesse boyes would braue him to his face : and to assure vs , that he called not this assembly for any Innouation , acknowledging the gouernement Ecclesiasticall , as now it is , to haue beene approued by manifold blessings from God himselfe , both for the encrease of the Gospell , and with a most happie and glorious peace . Yet , because nothing could be so absolutely ordered , but something might bee added afterward thereunto , and in any state , as in the body of man , corruptions might insensibly grow , either through time or persons ; and , in that hee had receiued many complaintes since his first entrance into the kingdome , especially , through the dissentions in the Church , of many disorders , as he heard , and much disobedience to the lawes , with a great falling away to Popery : his purpose therefore was , like a good Physition , to examine & trie the complaintes , and fully to remoue the occasions thereof , if they proue scandalous , or to cure them , if they were daungerous , or , if but friuolous , yet to take knowledge of them , thereby to cast a sop into Cerberus his mouth , that hee may neuer barke againe : his meaning beeing , as hee pleased to professe , to giue factious spirites , no occasion , hereby , of boasting or glory ; for , which cause hee had called the Bishops in , seuerally by themselues , not to be confronted by the contrary opponents , that if any thing should be found meete to be redressed , it might be done ( which his Maiestie twise or thrise , as occasion serued , reiterated ) without any visible alteration .

And this was the summe , so farre as my dull head could conceiue , and carry it , of his Maiesties generall speech . In particular , he signified vnto them the principall matters why hee called them alone , with whome hee would consult about some speciall pointes , wherein himselfe desired to bee satisfied ; these hee reduced to three heades : First , concerning the Booke of Common Prayer , and Diuine Seruice vsed in this Church . Second , Excommunication in the Ecclesiasticall Courtes ▪ Third , the Prouiding of fit and able Minister ˢ for Ireland .

In the booke he required satisfaction about three thinges . First , about Confirmation ; first , for the name , if arguing a confirming of Baptisme , as if this Sacrament without it , were of no validity , then were it blasphemous : Secondly , for the vse , first brought vpon this occasion ; Infants being baptized , and aunswering by their Patrini , it was necessarie they should bee examined , when they came to yeares of discretion , and after their profession made by themselues , to be confirmed with a blessing or prayer of the Bishop , laying his handes vpon their heades , abhorring the abuse in Popery , where it was made a sacrament and a corroboration to Baptisme .

The second was for Absolution , which how we vsed it in our Church hee knewe not , hee had heard it likened to the Popes pardons , but his Maiesties opinion was , that , there being onely two kindes thereof from God , the one generall , the other particular : for the first , all prayers and preaching do import an Absolution : for the second , it is to bee applied to speciall parties , who hauing committed a scandall , and repenting , are absolued : otherwise , where there precedes not either excommunication or pennance , there needs no absolution .

The third was Priuate Baptisme : if priuate for place , his Maiestie thought it agreed with the vse of the primitiue church : if for persons , that any but a Lawfull Minister might baptize any where , he vtterly disliked : and in this point his Highnesse grew somewhat earnest against the baptizing by women and Laikes .

The second head was Excommunication , wherein hee offered two thinges to bee considered of , first , the matter , second the person . In the matter , first , whether it were executed , ( as it is complained ) in light causes ; second , whether it were not vsed too often . In the Persons , first , why Lay men , as Chancelors & Commissaries should do it ? second , why the Bishops themselues , for the more dignitie to so high and waightie a censure , should not take vpon them , for their assistantes , the Deane and Chapter , or other ministers and Chaplaines of grauitie and account : and so likewise , in other Censures , and giuing of orders , &c.

The last , for Ireland , his Maiestie referred , as you shall in the last daies conference heare , to a consulation . His Highnesse , ( to whome I offer great wrong , in beeing , as Phocion to Demosthenes , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hatchet to cut short so admirable a speech ) hauing ended , the Lord Archbishop , after that , on his knee , he had signified howe much this Whole land was bound to God for setting ouer vs a King so wise , learned and iudicious , addressed himselfe to enforme his Maiestie of all these pointes in their seuerall order .

And first , as touching Confirmation , hee shewed at large , the antiquitie of it , as being vsed in the Catholike Church euer since the Apostles time , till that , of late some particular Churches had vnaduisedly reiected it . Then hee declared the lawfull vse of it , agreeable to his Maiesties former speech , affirming it to bee a meere calumniation , and a very vntrue suggestion , if any had informed his Highnesse , that the Church of England did holde or teach , that , without Confirmation , Baptisme was vnperfect , or that it did adde any thing to the vertue and strength thereof . And this hee made manifest by the Rubrikes in the Communion booke set before Confirmation , which were there read .

My Lord of London succeeded , saying that the authoritie of Confirmation , did not depend , onely , vpon the Antiquitie and practise of the Primitiue Church , which out of Cyprian Ep. 73. and Hierom. aduersus Luciferian : hee shewed , but that it was an Institution Apostolicall , and one of the particular pointes of the Apostles Catechisme , set downe and named in expresse wordes , Hebr. 6. 2. and so did M. Caluin expound that very place , who wished earnestly the restitution thereof in those reformed Churches , where it had beene abolished . Vpon which place the Bishop of Carlell also insisted , and vrged it both grauely and learnedly . His Maiestie called for the Bible , read the place of the Hebrewes , and approued the exposition .

Something also the Bishop of Durham noted , out of the Gospell of S. Mathew , for the imposition of handes vppon children . The conclusion was , for the fuller explanation , ( that wee make it not a Sacrament or a corroboration to a former Sacrament , ) that it should bee considered of by their Lordshippes , whether it might not , without alteration , whereof his Maiestie was still very wary ) bee intituled an Examination with a Confirmation .

Next in order , was the point of Absolution , which the Lord Archbishop cleared from all abuse , or superstition , as it is vsed in our Church of England : reading vnto his Maiestie , both the Confession in the beginning of the Communion book , and the Absolution following it , wherein , ( saith he ) the Minister doth nothing else but pronounce an Absolution in generall . His Highnesse perused them both in the booke it selfe , liking and approuing them , finding it to be very true which my Lord Archbishop said : but the Bishop of London , stepping forward , added ; it becommeth vs to deale plainely with your Maiestie : there is also , in the Communion booke , another more particular and personall forme of Absolution , prescribed to be vsed in the order for the Visitation of the sicke : this the King required to see , and whilest Maister Deane of the Chappell was turning to it , the sayd Bishop aledged , that not onely the confessions of Augustia , Boheme , Saxon , which he there cited , doe retaine and allow it , but that Maister Caluin did also approue such a generall kinde of Confession , and Absolution , as the Church of England vseth ; and withall did very well like of those which are priuate , for so hee termes them : The sayd particular Absolution in the Common prayer booke beeing read , his Maiestie exceedingly well approued it , adding , that it was Apostolicall , and a very godly ordinance , in that it was giuen , in the name of Christ , to one that desired it , and vpon the clearing of his conscience .

The conclusion was , that it should be consulted of by the Bishops , whether vnto the Rubrike of the generall Absolution , these wordes , Remission of sinnes , might not be added for explanation sake .

In the third place , the Lord Archbishop proceeded to speake of Priuate Baptisme , shewing his Maiestie , that the administration of Baptisme , by women , and Lay-persons , was not allowed in the practise of the Church , but enquired of , by Bishoppes , in their Visitations , and censured ; neither doe the wordes in the booke inferre any such meaning : whereunto the King excepted , vrging and pressing the wordes of the Booke , that they could not but intend a permission , and suffering of women , and priuate persons to baptize . Here the Bishoppe of Worcester said , that , indeed , the wordes were doubtfull , and might bee pressed to that meaning , but yet it seemed by the contrarie practise of our Church , ( censuring women in this case ) that the compilers of the Booke , did not so intend them , and yet propounded them ambiguously , because otherwise , perhaps , the Booke would not haue then passed in the Parliament , ( and for this coniecture , as I remember , he cited the testimony of my Lord Archbishoppe of Yorke : ) whereunto the Bishop of London replyed , that those learned and reuerend men , who framed the Booke of Common Prayer , entended not by ambiguous termes to deceiue any , but did , indeede , by those wordes entend a permission of priuate persons , to baptize in case of necessitie , whereof their letters were witnesses , some partes whereof hee then read , and withall declared that the same was agreeable to the practise of the auncient Church ; vrging to that purpose , both Actes 2. where 3000. were baptized in one day , which for the Apostles alone to doe , was impossible , at least improbable ; and , besides the Apostles , there were then no Bishoppes or Priestes : And also thee authoritie of Tertullian , and Saint Ambrose in the fourth to the Ephesians , plaine in that point ; laying also open the absurdities , and impieties of their opinion , who thinke there is no necessitie of Baptisme ; which word , Necessitie , he , so , pressed not , as if God , without Baptisme could not saue the child ; but the case put , that the state of the Infant , dying vnbaptized , being vncertaine , and to God only known ; but if it dye baptized , there is an euident assurance , that it is saued ; who is hee , that hauing any Religion in him , would not speedily , by any meanes , procure his Child to be baptized , and rather ground his action vpon Christs promise , then his omission thereof vppon Gods secret iudgement ?

His Maiestie replied ; first to that place of the Actes , that it was an Acte extraordinary ; neither is it sound reasoning from thinges done before a Church bee setled and grounded , vnto those which are to be performed in a Church stablished and flourishing : That hee also maintained the necessitie of Baptisme , and alwayes thought that the place of Saint Iohn , Nisi Iohn . 1. 5. quis renatus fuerit ex aqua &c. was ment of the Sacrament of Baptisme ; and that hee had so defenced it against some Ministers in Scotland ; and it may seeme strange to you , my Lords , saith his Maiestie , that I , who now think you in England giue too much to Baptism , did 14. moneths ago in Scotland , argue with my Diuines there , for ascribing too litle to that holy Sacrament . In somuch that a pert Minister asked me , if I thought Baptism so necessary , that if it were omitted , the child should be damned ? I answered him no : but if you , being called to baptize the child , though priuately , should refuse to come , I think you shall be damned .

But this necessitie of Baptisme his Maiestie so expounded , that it was necessarie to be had where it might be lawfully had : id est , ministred by lawfull Ministers , by whom alone , & by no priuate person , hee thought it might not , in any case be administred : and yet vtterly disliked all rebaptization , although either women or Laikes had baptized .

Heere the Bishop of Winchester spake , very learnedly and earnestly , in that point , affirming that the denying of priuate persons in cases of necessitie , to baptize , were to crosse all antiquitie , seeing that it had bene the ancient and common practize of the Church , When Ministers at such times could not be got : and that it was also a rule agreed vpon among Diuines , that the Minister is not of the Essence of the Sacrament . His Maiestie answered , though hee be not of the Essence of the Sacrament , yet is he of the Essence of the right and lawfull ministrie of the Sacrament ; taking for his ground the commission of Christ to his Disciples , Mat. 28. 20. Go preach and baptize .

The issue was a consultation whether into the Rubrike of Priuate Baptisme , which leaues it indifferently to all , Laikes , or Clergie , the wordes , Curate or lawfull Minister , might not bee inserted ? which was not so much stuck at by the Bishops . And so his Maiestie proceeded to the next point , about Excommunication , in causes of lesser moment : first , Whether the name might not be altered , and yet the same censure be retained or secondly , whether in place of it , another Coercion equiualent thereunto , might not bee inuented and thought of . A thing very easily yeelded vnto of all sides , because it hath beene long and often desired , but could not be obtained from her Maiestie , who resolued to be still , Semper eadem , and to alter nothing which she had once setled .

And thus the Wednesday succeeding , beeing appointed for the exhibiting of their determinations in these points : and the Munday next immediately following this present day , for the Opponents to bring in their Complaintes , wee were dismissed after three houres and more spent : which were soone gone , so admirably , both for vnderstanding , speech , and iudgment , did his Maiestie handle all those points , sending vs away not with contentment only , but astonishment ; and , which is pittifull , you will say , with shame to vs all , that a King brought vp among Puritans , not the learnedst men in the world , and schooled by them : swaying a kingdome full of busines , and troubles , naturally giuen to much exercise and repast , should , in points of Diuinity shew himselfe as expedite and perfect as the greatest Schollers , and most industrious Students , there present , might not outstrip him . But this one thing I may not omit , that his Maiestie should professe , howsoeuer he liued among Puritans , and was kept , for the most part , as a Ward vnder them , yet , since hee was of the age of his Sonne , 10. years old , he euer disliked their opinions ; as the Sauiour of the world said , Though he liued among them , he was not of them .

For the first , he moued his Maiestie , 1 that the Booke of Articles of Religion , concluded , 1562. might bee explaned in places obscure ; and enlarged where some thinges were defectiue . For example , whereas Art . 16. the wordes are these : After we haue receiued the holy Ghost , we may depart from Grace : Notwithstanding , the meaning be sound , yet he desired that , because they may seeme to be contrary to the doctrine of Gods Predestination & election in the 17. Article , both those wordes might be explaned with this , or the like addition , yet neither totally , nor finally ; and also that the nine assertions Orthodoxall , as he termed them , concluded vpon at Lambeth , might be inserted into that Booke of Articles .

Secondly , where it is said in the 23. 2 Article , that it is not lawfull , for any man to take vpon him the office of Preaching or administring the Sacraments in the congregation , before hee bee lawfully called , D. Rey. tooke exception to these wordes , In the Congregation , as implying a lawfulnes for any man whosoeuer , out of the Congregation , to preach and administer the Sacraments , though he had no lawfull calling thereunto .

Thirdly , in the 25. Article , these words 3 touching Confirmation , growne partly of the corrupt following the Apostles , beeing opposite to those in the Collect of Confirmation in the Communion Booke , vpon whome after the example of the Apostles , argue , saith he , a contrarietie each to other ; the first , confessing Confirmation , to be a depraued imitation of the Apostles , the second , grounding it vpon their example , Act. 8. & 19. as if the Bishop in Confirming of Children , did , by imposing his handes , as the Apostles in those places , giue the visible graces of the holy ghost ; & therfore he desired that both the contradiction might be considered , and this ground of Confirmation examined .

Thus farre Doctor Reyn. went on , without any interruption : but , here , as hee was proceeding , the Bishoppe of London , much moued to heare these men , who , some of them the Euening before , and the same morning , had made semblance , of ioyning with the Bishops , and that they sought for nothing but vnitie , now strike to ouerthrowe , ( if they could ) all at once ▪ cut him off , and kneeling downe ▪ most humbly desired his Maiestie first , That the auncient Canon might be remembred , which saith that , Schismatici contra Episcopos , non sunt audiendi . Secondly , that if any of these parties were in the number of the 1000. Ministers , who had once subscribed to the Communion Booke , and yet had lately exhibited a Petition to his Maiestie , against it , they might be remoued and not heard , according to the Decree of a verie auncient Councell , prouiding , that no man should be admitted to speake against that , whereunto he bad formerly subscribed ▪ Thirdly , he put D. Reynoldes and his Associates in minde , how much they were bound to his Maiesties ▪ exceeding great clemencie , in that they were permitted contrary to the Statute , I. Elizab. to speake so freely against the Leiturgie & Discipline established . Lastly , forasmuch as that hee perceiued they tooke a course tending to the vtter ouerthrowe of the orders of the Church , thus long continued , hee desired to knowe the ende which they aimed at , alledging a place out of M. Cartwright , affirming , that we ought rather to conforme our selues in orders and Ceremonies to the fashion of the Turkes , then to the Papists , which Position hee doubted they approued , because , contrary to the orders of the Vniuersities , they appeared before his Maiestie , in Turky gownes , not in their Scholasticall habites , sorting to their degrees ▪

His Maiestie , obseruing my Lord of London , to speake in some passion , saide , that there was in it , something ▪ which hee might excuse , something that hee did mislike : excuse his passion hee might , thinking he had iust cause to bee so moued , both in respect that they did thus traduce the present well setled Church gouernement ; and also , did proceede in so indirect a course contrary to their owne pretence , and the intent of that meeting also ▪ yet hee misliked his sudden interruption of D. Reyn. whome he should haue suffered to haue taken his course and libertie , concluding that there is no order , nor can be any effectuall issue of disputation , if each partie might not bee suffered , without chopping , to speake at large what hee would : And therefore willed that either the Doctors should proceed , or that the Bishoppe would frame his aunswere to these motions alreadie made ; although , saith his Maiestie , some of them are verie needlesse . It was thought fitter to aunswere , least the number of obiections encreasing , the aunsweres would proue confused .

Vpon the first motion , Concerning falling from Grace : The Bishop of London tooke occasion to signifie to his Maiestie , how very many in these dayes , neglecting holinesse of life , presumed too much of persisting in Grace , laying all their Religion vpon Predestination , If I shall bee saued , I shall be saued , which hee termed a desperate doctrine , shewing it to bee contrarie to good Diuinitie , and the true doctrine of Predestination , whereein we should reason rather ascendendo , then descendendo , thus ; I liue in obedience to God , in loue with my neighbour ; I follow my vocation , &c therefore I trust that God hath elected me , & predestinated mee to Saluation ; not thus , which is the vsuall course of argument . God hath Predestinated and chosen mee to life , therefore , though I sin , neuer so grieuously , yet I shall not be damned , for whome he once loueth , he loueth to the ende . Whereupon hee shewed his Maiestie out of the next article , what was the doctrine of the Church of England touching Predestination , in the verie last Paragraph , scilicet : We must receiue Gods promises in such wise as they be generally set forth to vs in holy scripture ; and in our doings , that will of God is to be followed , which wee haue expressely declared vnto vs in the word of God : which parte of the said Article , his Maiestie verie well approued , and after hee had , after his maner , very singularly discoursed vpon that place of Paul , worke out your saluation with feare and trembling ; he left it to bee considered , whether any thing were meete to bee added , for the clearing of the Doctor his doubt , by putting in the worde often , or the like , as thus ; We may often depart from Grace , but , in the meane time , wished that the doctrine of Predestination might bee verie tenderly handled , and with great discretion , least on the one side , Gods omnipotency might be called in question , by impeaching the doctrine of his eternall predestination ; or on the other , a desperate presumption might be arreared , by inferring the necessary certaintie of standing and persisting in grace .

To the second , it was aunswered , that it was a vaine obiection , because , by the doctrine and practise of the Church of England , none , but a licensed minister , might preach , nor either publikely or priuately administer the Eucharist , or the Lords Supper . And as for priuate Baptisme , his Maiestie answered , that hee had taken order , for that , with the Bishops already .

In the third point ) which was about Confirmation ) was obserued either a curiosity or malice , because the Article which was there presently read in those wordes : These fiue commonly called Sacraments , that is to say ; Confirmation , Pennance , Orders , &c. are not to be accounted for Sacraments of the Gospell , being such as haue growne partly of the corrupt following the Apostles , &c. insinuateth , that the making of Confirmation , to be a Sacrament , is a corrupt imitation ; but the Communion Booke , aiming at the right vse , and proper sourse thereof , makes it to bee according to the Apostles example : which his Maiestie obseruing , and reading both the places , concluded the obiection to be a meere Cauil . And this was for the pretended contradiction .