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1 THat no Preacher under the degree and calling of a Bishop, or Deane of a Cathedrall or Colle∣giate 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, sub∣stance,
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 Eng∣land, 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 Homi∣lies.
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 Ca∣thedrall 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 pray∣er, (Funerall Sermons onely excepted,) and that those Preachers bee most incouraged, and approved off, who spend their afternones exercise in the examination of Chil∣dren 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 audi∣tory, the deepe points of Predestination, Election, Repro∣bation, or of the universality, efficacity, restibility or irresti∣bility of Gods grace, but rather leave those theames to bee handled by learned men, and that modestly and mode∣rately by use and application, rather then by way of posi∣tive 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 au∣ditory
within this Kingdome to declare limit or bound out by way of positive Doctrine in any Lecture or Ser∣mon, 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 Homi∣ly of obedience, and in the rest of the Homilies and arti∣cles of Religion set forth, as before is mentioned by pub∣lique 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 invita∣tion from the Text, fall into any bitter invective and un∣decent rayling speeches against the Papists or Puritans, but wisely and gravely, when they are occasioned there∣unto 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 sus∣pected to bee tainted with the one or the other infe∣ction.
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 li∣cences in this kind: and that all the Lectures through∣out the Kingdome; (a new body severed from the an∣cient 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
suspended by the Bishop of the Diocesse, or in his default by the Lord Archbishop of the Province, Ab officio & be∣neficio, for a yeare and a day, untill his Majesty by the ad∣vise of the next convocation prescribe some further pu∣nishment.