Page:The Church of England, its catholicity and continuity.djvu/128

 It made it "an offence to kneel at the reception of Holy Communion, or to use any kind of symbolism in sacred things, such as the ring in marriage; and when any person departed this life the dead body was to be interred without any kind of religious ceremony, nor were the friends allowed to sing or read or pray or kneel at the grave, although the civil pomp and pageantry in funeral processions of persons of rank or condition were not in any way restricted. Then the holy and beautiful petitions of our liturgy, though sanctified by the devotions of Christians in every clime and by every tongue for fifteen hundred years and more, gave place to long and tedious harangues from illiterate fanatics of two or three hours' duration; and the observance of Church festivals, together with all anniversaries, was strictly forbidden."

The Thirty-nine Articles of Religion were next brought under consideration, and a Confession of Faith was drawn up, consisting of Twenty-three Articles, to take their place. The Feast of Christmas Day was ordered to be observed as a fast day.

In the year 1643 the Puritans in Parliament signed the Solemn League and Covenant for the extirpation of popery and prelacy. Listen to the decision of Parliament on this point. It said: "(1) That we shall sincerely, really, and constantly, through the grace of God &hellip; endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms to the nearest conjunction and uniformity in religion, confession of faith, form of Church government, directory for worship, and