Page:Church and State under the Tudors.djvu/235

 same time placed under the special care of the bishops of the dioceses in which they settled, who, in some cases at least, as we have seen in the instance of Grindal, became their official superintendents. By this means they became amenable to the authority of the Ecclesiastical Commission; and at this time this authority took occasion to redress certain disorders among the Dutch Protestants in London, to compel certain members who had revolted from it to return, and to decree ' that the said Dutch Church should continue in its lirst constitution, under its own discipline hitherto accustomed, and in its conformity with other the Reformed Churches, confirming the ministers, elders, and deacons of the same Church in their ministries and administrations.' It then exhorted all strangers abiding in the City of London who professed Christ and His Gospel, to join themselves to that Church and submit to its holy appointments; and further declared all such as had made a defection from this Church, and had caused the late disturbance in it, to be unquiet and stubborn persons, until by repentance they had returned and gave satisfaction to God and His Church—reserving to themselves the further restraint and correction of them.