ftood by, making their remarks. They were much encouraged in this hope, by obferving, that in the recent difputes with the Papifts, the Divines of the Established Church had been obliged to appeal to more correct and found principles of Proteftantifin than they had before entertained; and had been led into more liberal views and more confiftent fentiments,

When the fucceffion to the throne, which James IId's abdication had left vacant, was determined and fettled, the spirit of animofity foon broke out again; and subsequent proceedings cut off all their hopes of a more perfect union with the Diffenters than was effected by the A&t of Toleration. In 1689, Bills for a comprehenfion and an indulgence were brought into Parliament; both were canvaffed; and many and warm debates took place in the Houses of Lords and Commons. Some, of confined and illiberal views, forgot their former declarations and promises, and argued for keeping the Diffenters under a bond: others expreffed more generous difpofitions, and were advocates for measures which would meet their fcruples and conciliate their minds. But Burnet fays, "that thofe who moved for the "Bill of Comprehenfion, and afterwards brought it "into the Houfe, acted a very difingenuous part; "for while they ftudied to recommend themfelves "by this fhew of moderation, they urged their "friends to oppofe it; and those who gave it their "cordial fupport, were reprefented as enemies to

"the Church, and as actuated by a fecret intention "to fubvert it.*

His

At this juncture, Mr. Howe, who had been ejected by the Act of Uniformity, from the rectory of Great Torrington in Devonshire, published a fheet of paper, in which he fairly and candidly ftated the cafe of the Diffenters, and with great ability and judgment pleaded their rights. tract proceeded on this undoubted principle, that the Diffenters were under one common obligation, with the rest of mankind, by the univerfal law of nature, to worship God in public affemblies. His reasoning is then directed and applied to exifting facts; namely, that things were annexed to the public worship of reformed Chriftianity in the Church of England, which, it was acknowledged, were neither neceffary in themselves, nor parts of Christianity. As the Diffenters judged them to be in fome part finful, they could not with a good confcience conform to the public worship which the law enjoined; and yet the law strictly forbad their affembling to worship GoD otherwife. This was as if the Legif lature fhould fay, "If you will not confent with us. " in our fupperadded rites and modes against your "confciences, you shall not worship GOD; or if you "will not accept our additions to the Chriftian "religion, you fhall not be Chriftians;" and manifeftly tended to reduce a great part of a Christian nation to Paganism. On these premises, as the

* Burnet's "Hiftory of his own Times," vol. iv. p. 15. Edinb. edit. in ramo.

Diffenters had been accustomed for many years, unlefs when restrained by violence, to hold diftin& affemblies, and to worship GoD in a way which their confciences approved; Mr. Howe enquires, whether they are to be blamed for this conduct? Whether laws enjoining additions to our religion, acknowledged by all not to be effential and neceffary, and deemed by many finful, and thus becoming exclufive terms of communion, ought to have been paffed? Whether fuch laws fhould be continued? especially when they were enacted by a Parliament, which, there was much reafon to believe, fuffered itfelf to be dealt with to enslave the nation, in feveral refpects; and which, to his honour, the noble Earl of Danby procured to be diffolved, as the first step towards the deliverance of the nation? And whether it were reasonable to exclude all that conform not in every thing to the Church of England, from any part or share of the civil power? The author difcuffed thefe queftions with much pertinence of illuftration, and force of argument. Amongst other obfervations, he fays, "It ought to be con"fidered that Christianity, wherein it fuperadds to "the law of nature, is all matter of revelation; and "it is well known, that even among Pagans, in fettling

rites and inftitutes of religion, revelation was pre"tended at least; upon an implied principle, that in "fuch matters human power could not oblige the

66

people's confciences. This appears by the conduct "of Numa, who affected to derive his pacific code of ચંદ્ર religious laws from the nymph Egeria. And the

"priests, to whom the regulation of fuch matters "was left, were believed to be infpired."

This fmall tract has been twice delivered to the public by Dr. Calamy; but as it cannot fail to gratify, we shall infert it in the Appendix.

The fentiments which Mr. Howe advanced and defended from the prefs, had the fanction of the King from the throne. In one of his fpeeches to the two Houses, March 18, 1689, he expreffed his hope," that they would leave room for the admiffion "of allProteftants who were willing and able to serve "him." This he recommended as "a meafure, "which would more clofely unite them together, and ftrengthen them against the common adversary." Purfuant hereto, when the A&t for abrogating the oaths of allegiance and fupremacy, and appointing other oaths, was read a fecond time in the Houfe of Lords, a claufe was propofed, to take away the neceffity of receiving the Sacrament at Church to make a man capable of holding any office. This clause was afterwards reported to the House, but it was rejected by a great majority. The Lords Delamere, Stamford, North, Grey, Chesterfield, Wharton, Lovelace, and Vaughan, entered their protest against the decifion of the House; a protest grounded on these principles: "That an hearty union "amongst Proteftants is a greater fecurity to the "Church and State, than any test that could be in"vented: that this obligation to receive the Sacrament,

No. I. See alfo Calamy's Abridgement of Baxter's Life, vol. ii. P. 429-439; and Life of Mr. Howe, p. 146-262.

" is a test on Proteftants rather than on Papists: that

fo long as it is continued, there could not be that "hearty and thorough union among Proteftants "which has always been wished, and is at this time

indifpenfably neceffary; and lastly, that a greater "caution ought not to be required from fuch as "were admitted into offices, than from the Members "of the two Houses of Parliament, who were not "obliged to receive the Sacrament to enable them "to fit in either Houfe."*

This claufe being loft; another modification of the Teft Laws was propofed, by a claufe of provifo, that any man should be fufficiently qualified for any office, employment, or place of truft, who, within a year before or after his admiffion or entrance thereinto, did receive the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, either according to the ufage of the Church of England, or in any other Proteftant congregation, and could produce a certificate under the hands of the Minister and two other credible persons, members of fuch a Proteftant congregation. It was a recommendation of this provifo, that while it confulted the fcruples of the moderate diffenter, it was an effectual barrier against the confcientious Papift's intrufion into office; and left the mode and circumftances of receiving the Sacrament, as an inftance of obedience to the divine inftitution, and a deliberate act of pure devotion, to the judgment and confciences of individuals. But the mild

* A complete Collection of Protefts, p. 62, 63.-Birch's Life of Tillotfon, p. 170, 171.