he was against all abatements. He frequently | p. 249. See also 4 Cobb. Parl. Hist. 413, et interrupted Mr. Baxter; and when Dr. Bates said, Pray my lord, give me leave to speak, he could not obtain it. Bishop Cosins was there constantly, and though he was inclined to moderate measures, said some very severe things. When the ministers prayed the bishops to have some compassion on their brethren, and not cast such great numbers unnecessarily out of the ministry, he replied, "What, do you threaten us with numbers? For my part I think the king would do well to make you name them all." Again, when the ministers complained, that after so many years calamity the bishops would not yield to that which their predecessors of fered before the war, bishop Cosins replied, "Do you threaten as then with a new war? Tis time for the king to look to you." seq. and 4 Neal's History of the Puritans 340. An attempt of the same nature in favour of the sectaries was made about the same time in Scotland. Laing thus speaks of it: "The humane design to relieve the Presbyterians, was retarded, not discouraged by the attempt on Sharp. The scandalous lives, and the ignorance of the western clergy were notorious, and the people were agitated and inflamed by a hot, itinerant race of youthful preachers, whose fiery polemics required a present remedy, more efficacious than persecution could afford. An accommodation with the presbyterians was attempted by Leighton, while the situation of the church might admit of an easy comprehension of sects. The prelates, intent on the acquisition of power, had introduced no material innovation in its worship or its rites: Bishop Gauden often took part with the Its worship was still extemporary, or in some presbyterian divines, and was the only mode- congregations was exchanged for a portion of rator among the bishops, except bishop Rey- the Liturgy; the sacramental rites were adnolds, who spoke much the first day for abate-ministered without kneeling, or the sign of the ments and moderation; but afterwards sitting among the bishops he only spoke now and then a qualifying word, but was heartily grieved for the fruitless issue of the Conference. Of the disputants, 'tis said, Dr. Pearson, afterwards bishop of Chester, disputed accurately, soberly, and calmly, the presbyterian ministers had a great regard for him, and believed, that if he had been an umpire in the controversy his concessions would have gone a great way. Dr. Gunning was the most forward speaker, and stuck at nothing. Bishop Burnet says, that all the arts of sophistry were used by him in as confident a manner as if they had been sound reasoning; that he was unweariedly active to very little purpose, and being very fond of the popish ritual and ceremonies, he was much set upon reconciling the church of England to Rome. On the side of the presbyterians, Dr. Bates and Manton behaved with great modesty: the most active disputant was Mr. Baxter, who had a very metaphysical head and fertile invention, | and was one of the most ready men of his time for an argument, but too tenacious of his own opinions. Next to him was Mr. Calamy, who had a great interest among the presbyterian ministers in the city and country, and for his age and gravity was respected as their fa ther. Among the auditors Mr. Baxter observes there was with the bishops a crowd of young divines who behaved indecently; but mentions only two or three scholars and laymen, who, as auditors, came in with the Presbyterians, as Mr. Miles, Mr. Tillotson, and others. After the removal of lord Clarendon, an attempt for a Comprehension of the Protestant Dissenters was set on foot in the year 1668, by Lord-Keeper Bridgman, Hale, Wilkins and others; an account of its failure is given by Burnet in the History of his own Times, Vol. 1. cross; and as the surplice, the altar, and the offensive ceremonies of the preceding reign were not generally revived, an uniform mode of worship was not difficult to be restored. The chief obstacle, and almost the only source of defection, was the government of the church, which, according to Leighton's scheme of comprehension, was to be restored to its former situation in the reign of James. The bishops were to relinquish their negative, and not to or dain without the concurrence of the presbytery, and their authority was to be reduced to little more than a right to preside in ecclesiastical courts. The presbyterian clergy were to be replaced and relieved from canonical eaths, and permitted, on their ordination or return to their Presbyteries, to exonerate their conscience by a Protestation against the precedence of the bishops, to which they submitted only for the sake of peace. Leighton, whose proposals were moderate, yet artful to an extreme, expected that the protestations would soon be forgotten, and represented to his own order, that their authority would easily be recovered, without the danger of a schism, when' the present generation had sunk into the grave. But the prelates were not more unwilling to unlock the gates, than the Presbyterians to enter within the pale of the established church.. The latter were apprehensive of the same consequences which Leighton anticipated, that if the people were once accustomed to the name of prelates, Presbytery would expire with the present generation, and therefore they prefer red a separate, precarious existence, as a persecuted sect, to a secure and honourable, but obscure asylum, during the remainder of their lives. The people were industriously impressed with their fears; Touch not, taste not, handle not, was their favourable text against religious communion with an hostile sect. The accommodation was protracted by fruitless conferences, in which their scrupulous obstinacy was generally blamed; but when their church had been deprived so lately of a legal establishment, it is not surprising that in the true spirit of sectaries, they declined a comprehension which must have soon extinguished their religion and their name. "A partial indulgence proposed at the same time by Tweedale, would have proved a more efficacious remedy, had it been extensively adopted, or even steadily pursued. A part of the ejected clergy was permitted to officiate in vacant churches, and a small salary was promised to others who remained unprovided. The wages of silence were rejected, or rather were never paid; but the indulgence was at first so acceptable, that at different times above forty ministers were restored to their churches; and their labours were at first so successful, that the people endeavoured, in other parishes, to purchase the resignation of the episcopal incumbents. But the exiled and ejected clergy inveighed at an indulgence from which they were excluded themselves. In a few years, their publications and sermons against an Erastian dependance on the, civil magistrate, estranged and separated the people from the indulged. When the latter ceased to preach to the times, the salt of their doctrine lost its relish, and it was visible to the people that the divine grace with which they were endued in conventicles, had departed on their submission to the injunctions of the civil power. The kings curates, as they were contumeliously denominated, were compared to dumb dogs, unable or afraid to bark. The controversy continued burning for many years. The people returned to their Conventicles with an increase of appetite, the temporising clergy relapsed into those popular doctrines which they had been forbidden to preach. But the severity of government was soon awakened by the rapid growth and increase of conventicles, for which the indulgence was supposed to leave no pretext." 4 Hist. of Scotland, 53. For the Proceedings at the Hampton Court Conference in 1604, see vol. 2, p. 69, of this Collection. Shortly after the Revolution king William was very desirous of an accommodation between the Church and the Protestant Dissenters, and some steps were taken, but unsuccessfully, to effect that purpose. The following is bishop Kennett's Account: and others of the clergy; and it being propos Whether some of the laity should be adde The Votes were again equal on both sides, a so it was again carried in the Negative; b some peers entered their dissents for the reasons. "First; Because the act itself being, as t preamble sets forth, designed for the Peace the State; the putting the clergy into comm sion, with a total exclusion of the laity, la this humiliation on the laity, as if the clergy the Church of England were alone friends the Peace of the State, and the laity less abl or less concerned to provide for it. "2. Because the matter to be considere being barely of human constitution, viz. t Liturgy and Ceremonies of the Church of En land, which had their establishment from Kin Lords spiritual and temporal, and Commo assembled in parliament, there can be no reaso why the Commissioners, for altering any thi in that civil-constitution, should consist only men of one sort of them, unless it be suppose that human reason is to be quitted in this a fair, and the inspiration of spiritual men to b alone depended on. "S. Because though upon Romish principle the clergy may have the title to meddle alon in matters of religion, yet with us they canno where the Church is acknowledged and define to consist of clergy and laity; and so thos matters of religion which fall under huma determination, being properly the business o the Church, belong equally to both; for it what is of divine institution, neither clergy no laity can make any alteration at all. "4. Because the pretending, That diffe rences and delays may arise, by mixing lay me with ecclesiastics, to the frustrating the desig of the Commission, is vain and out-of-doors unless those that make use of this pretence suppose that the clergy-part of the Churc have distinct interests or designs from the lay part of the same Church; and will be a reason if good, why one or other of them should qui this house, for fear of obstructing the busines of it. 5. "Because the Commission being intende for the satisfaction of Dissenters, it would b convenient, that lay-men of different ranks nay, perhaps of different opinions too, shoul be mixed in it, the better to find expedients to that end; rather than clergy-men alone of ou Church, who are generally observed to have al very much the same way of reasoning am thinking. "On April 4, 1689, the House of Lords entered into a consideration of the Report of the Amendments in the Bill For Uniting their 'majesty's Protestant Subjects:' And, upon 6. "Because it is the most ready way debate, the question was put, "Whether to facilitate the passing the alterations into a law agree with the Committee in leaving out the That lay-lords and commoners should be joine clause, about the indifferency of the posture at in the Commission, who may be able to satisf receiving the Sacrament." The Votes were both Houses of the reasons upon which the equal, and therefore according to the ancient were made, and thereby remove all fears an rule in the like cases it was carried in the Ne-jealousies ill men may raise up against th gative. The next day the Lords resumed the clergy, of their endeavouring to keep up, with debate of the Report of the said Amendments, out grounds, a distinct interest from that of th particularly of the clause concerning a Commis-laity, whom they so carefully exclude from bein sion to be given out by the king, to some bishops joined with them, in consultations of comme concernment, that they will not have those have any part in the deliberation, who must have the greatest in determining. 7. "Because such a restrained Commission lies liable to this great objection, That it might be made use of to elude repeated promises, and the present general expectation of compliance with tender-consciences, when the providing for it, is taken out of the ordinary course of parliament, to be put into the hands of those alone, who were latest in admitting any need of it, and who may be thought to be the more unfit to be the sole composers of our differences, when they are looked upon, by some, as parties. Lastly, "Because, after all, this carries a dangerous supposition along with it, as if the laity were not a part of the Church, nor had any power to meddle in matters of religion; a supposition directly opposite to the constitution both of Church and State: which will make all alterations utterly impossible, unless the clergy alone be allowed to have power to make laws in matters of religion; since what is established by law, cannot be taken away, but by consent of lay-men in parliament; the clergy themselves having no authority to meddle in this very case, in which the laity are excluded by this Vote, but what they derive from lay-hands. (Subscribed) "WINCHESTER, office, he shall or may execute such office or 6 "I dissent, for this and other reasons; because it is contrary to three statutes, made in the reign of king Henry 8, and one in king Edward 6, which impower 32 Commissioners, to alter the canon and ecclesiastical-law, &c. whereof sixteen to be of the laity, and sixteen of the clergy. STAMFORD." On May 24th, the Act of Toleration, or Liberty of Conscience, received the royal assent, intituled, 'An Act for exempting their majesty's Protestant-Subjects, dissenting from the Church of England, from the penalties of certain laws.' The reason of it was thus given, in the preamble: Forasmuch as some ease to scrupulous consciences, in the exercise of religion, may be Old and New Testament, to be given by an effectual means to unite their majesty's pro- 'divine inspiration.' "Provided, That all the testant-subjects in interest and affection; it laws made for the frequenting Divine Service was therefore enacted, "That none of the on the Lord's Day, shall be still in force and penal-laws shall be construed to extend to any executed against all persons that offend against person or persons dissenting from the Church the said laws, except such persons come to some of England, that shall take the oaths to the pre- congregation permitted by this act. Provided, sent government, and subscribe the declaration That if any person shall maliciously or conmentioned in Stat. 30 Car. 2. cap. 1. Pro- temptuously come into any cathedral or parishvided, That no assembly of persons so dissent-church, or other congregation, and disquiet or ing, should be had in any place for religious worship with the doors locked, barred or bolted, during the time of such meeting together; and provided, That nothing should be construed to exempt any of the persons aforesaid from paying of tythes, or other parochial duties: If any Dissenter should be chosen or appointed to bear the office of constable, church warden, overseer, &c. and should scruple the oaths required by law to be taken, in respect of such YOL. VI. disturb the same, or misuse any preacher, or teacher, he shall, upon conviction, suffer the penalty of twenty pounds. And finally, Provided, That no congregation or assembly for religious worship, shall be permitted or allowed by this act, until the place of such meeting shall be certified to the bishop of the diocese, or to the arch-deacon of that arch-deaconry, or to the justices of the peace at the general or quar ter-sessions, and registered in the said bishop's E or arch-deacon's Court, or recorded at the said general or quarter-sessions." Though the body of Dissenters were contented with this liberty, yet the more moderate and wiser part of them would be glad to be taken into the national establishment; and there was indeed a bill of Union still depending in parliament, which passed the House of Lords, and when it came down to the House of Commons, they desired his majesty to summon a Convocation, and lay the matter before them. Accordingly a Convocation was summoned by the king's writ, to meet on Dec. 4. In the mean time his majesty thought fit to fill up the vacant sees: And therefore on Oct. 13, Dr. Edward Stillingfleet, late dean of St. Paul's, bishop elect of Worcester; Dr. Simon Patrick, late dean of Peterborough, bishop elect of Chichester; and Dr. Gilbert Ironside, late warden of Wadhamcollege in Oxford, bishop elect of Bristol, were consecrated in the chapel of Fulham-Palace by the bishops of London, St. Asaph and Rochester, by virtue of a Commission granted to them in that behalf. And because the time allowed by act of parliament for the clergy to take the oaths was expired, those who refused to qualify themselves were suspended ab officio; particularly the archbishop of Canterbury, and the bishops of Gloucester, Ely, Norwich, Bath and Wells, and Peterborough. In order to prepare matters to be considered by the Convocation, his majesty issued out this legal and reasonable Commission, to the most eminent bishops and divines. "Whereas the particular Forms of divine worship, and the Rites and Ceremonies appointed to be used therein, are things in their own nature indifferent and alterable, and so acknowledged; It is but reasonable, that upon weighty and important considerations, according to the various exigencies of times and occasions, such changes and alterations should be made therein, as to those that are in place and authority, should from time to time seem either necessary or expedient. "And whereas the book of Canons is fit to be reviewed, and made more suitable to the state of the church; And whereas there are defects and abuses in the ecclesiastical courts and jurisdiction; and particularly, there is not sufficient provision made for the removing of scandalous ministers; and for the reforming of manners either in ministers or people: And whereas it is most fit, that there should be a strict method prescribed for the examination of such persons as desire to be admitted into holy orders, both as to their learning and manners. "We therefore, out of our pious and prince ly care, for the good order, and edification, and unity of the church of England, committed to our charge and care; and for the reconciling, as much as is possible, of all differences among our good subjects, and to take away all occasions of the like for the future, have thought fit to authorise and empower you, &c. and any nine of you, whereof three to be bishops, to meet from time to time as often as shall be needful, and to prepare such alterations of the Liturgy and Canons, and such proposals for the reformation of ecclesiastical courts, and to consider of such other matters, as in your judgments may most conduce to the ends abovementioned." The NAMES of the Commissioners, A. D. 1689. Simon Patrick, late dean of Peterborough, now bishop of Chichester. John Tillotson, D. D. late dean of Canterbury, now dean of St. Paul's, London, Richard Meggot, D. D. dean of Winchester. John Sharp, D. D. late dean of Norwich, now dean of Canterbury. Richard Kidder, D. D. dean of Peterborough. Henry Aldridge, D. D. dean of Christ-Church, Oxford. William Jane, D. D. Regius-Professor of Di- dlesex. William Beveridge, D. D. arch-deacon of Colchester. John Battely, D. D. arch-deacon of Canterbury. Charles Alston, D. D. arch-deacon of Essex. Tho. Temison, D. D. arch-deacon of London. Johu Scot, D. D. prebendary of St. Paul's London. Edw. Fowler, D. D. prebendary of Gloucester. Robert Grove, D. D. prebendary of St. Paul's, London. John Williams, D. D. prebendary of St. Paul's, London. These Commissioners often met, and drew up several alterations to make conformity the more easy and acceptable to all manner of conscientious persons; but some that were named in the Commission, did either not appear, or did soon desert their other brethren upon a high notion, That either no alterations ought to be made or at least that this was not a seasonable time for the making of them; of which number were Dr. Jane, Regius Professor of Divinity in Oxford, and some others. But the better and much greater majority applied themselves to the business of accommodation, with great industry and prudence: That point which created the greatest difficulty, was about the papists drawing in the Dissenters to concur with them in their designs against the church, applied to the then prince of Orange, desiring him to make use of his interest in them for diverting them from that: And in those letters which are yet extant, assurances were given, That the church was then in such a temper, so well convinced of former errors, that if ever she got out of that distress, all those differences would be certainly made up: And to make this assurance more public, the archbishop and bishops, in that Petition, for which they were imprisoned and tried, declared, That they were ready to come to a temper in those matters, both in parliament and convocation. Upon this it was, that the prince of Orange promised in his declaration, to use his endeavours, to heal all those divisions: In order to the performing this, he, by a special commission appointed all those bishops who owned his autho admitting of dissenting-ministers to officiate in the church, when duly reconciled to it. Some of the Commissioners were inclined not to insist on the re-ordination of them, alledging, That they ought not to shew less regard to the vocation of Presbyterian ministers, than to that of Roman Catholic priests, whose ordination was never questioned upon their joining in communion with the church of England. But the majority thought it more proper to keep a middle course, which was, first with respect to Romish priests, to leave it undecided whether their ordination was good or no: But because they were not obliged to give credit to their certificates, That therefore such of them as for the future should turn Protestants, should live in lay-communion only, unless they were re-ordained to a legal title of any church or cure: And secondly, That though they did not determine the ordination of Presbyterians to be altogether invalid; yet they thought it necessary for their minis-rity, he being then set on the throne, together ters to receive orders from a bishop, who, in conferring the same night add a clause to the common-form, as the church had already ordained in the case of uncertain baptism, to this effect, If thou art not already ordained, I ordain thee, &c. and this was the greatest concession that was made by the Commissioners. One of the chief Dissenters has given this opinion of their proceedings: "These Commissioners often met and debated matters, but were deserted by Dr. Jane* and several others. They drew up sundry alterations, a copy of which I have by me; but they having never thought fit to communicate them to the body of the convocation, or to expose them to the view of the world from the press, I know not how proper it would be for me to print them. But this much I shall venture to say that such amendments as those were, with such an allowance in the point of orders for ordination by presbyters, as is made 13 Eliz. cap. 12. would in all probability have brought in two thirds of the Dissenters in England, which being done, and at the same time a liberty continued to such as could not be comprehended, would have been greater service than can easily be imagined." One of the commissioners has more lately given this better account of it; "In the reign of king James, those of the church who saw the Dr. Jane was very averse to any concession on the part of the Church. There is a story, that when a friend expressed to him a hope that he had not given up much, the Doctor replied. "I have not given up Bel and the Dragon," See also as to Bel and the Dragon, 1 Burnet's Own Time, 184. This Dr. Jane had been the penner of the famous Oxford Decree; as to which and his conduct respecting it upon the Revolution, which gave occasion to this Epigram: Cum fronti sit nulla fides ut carmina dicunt, Cur tibi bifronti, Jane, sit ulla fides, see 3 Kennett's Compl. Hist. (1st ed.) 419, et seq. with a great many of the clergy, to draw out. the grounds upon which the Dissenters had separated from us, and to offer expedients in order to the healing our breaches. We had before us all the books and papers that they had at any time offered, setting forth their demands; together with many advices and propositions which had been made at several times, by most of the best and most learned of our divines; of which the late most learned bishop of Worcester had a great collection: So we prepared a scheme to be laid before the convocation; but did not think that we ourselves, much less that any other person, was any way limited, or bound to comply with what we resolved to propose. On the contrary, we said, if we saw better reason, we should change our minds: yet this, which was only a council, created by the king to prepare matters, was complained of as an imposing on the convocation, and as a limiting of it; and though a royal license was sent them, yet a previous resolution was taken, to admit of no alterations. When we saw that, we resolved to be quiet, and leave that matter to better times: But then the enemies of the civil government began to work on the jealousies and fears of many well minded men; and the preserving the church, was given out as the word, by those who meant France or St. Germains by it; and under this fatal delusion many are apt to be misled to this day.” The convocation met on Thursday, Nov. 21, and began in an unhappy difference about the choice of a Prolocutor. The person designed by the bishop of London and most of his brethren and the sober part of the clergy, was Dr. Tillotson, dean of Canterbury, whom the king had lately made clerk of his closet, and used to call him the honestest man and the best friend that ever he had in his life; but it was carried by a majority of votes for Dr. Jane of Oxford, who being presented on the 25th to the bishop of London as president, for his approbation, made a customary speech in Latin, wherein he extolled the excellency of the church of England as established by law, above all christian com |