have any general effect. The alarm and danger which the Church of England felt during the reign of King James II., arifing in a great measure from his precipitate and violent attempts to introduce Popery, contributed much to prepare the way for the Act of Toleration; by difpofing the Members and the Clergy of the Establishment to make a common cause with the Diffenters, as against a common enemy. "The Prince of Orange, in his own opinion, always "thought, that confcience was God's province; "and that it ought not to be impofed on: and his "experience in Holland made him look on tolera"tion as one of the wifeft meafures of govern

ment." The neceffities of the times demanded it ; as a bond of union, as a termination of calamitous fcenes, as a fecurity to the new civil establishment, it became neceffary. It reflected a glory on the æra to which it gave a date; and in the following hiftory it will appear, that the most favourable confequences, an enlargement of toleration by new Acts of Legislature, freedom of enquiry, and the progress of knowledge, followed from it. After many years of religious contention, it was a general act of pacification. It put an end to the restraints, fines, imprisonments, and cruelties, which had haraffed the confcientious. Though it was partial and limited, and left much to be done, yet it was a moft valuable advantage gained to the interefts of truth; and it gave to a numerous body of citizens a weight in the

Burnet's "Hiftory of his own Times,” vol. iv. p. 16. 12mo. Edinburgh.

political scale, which, though it was their birth-right, and highly beneficial to the community, the illiberality and injustice of former times and former reigns had denied them. Notwithstanding the oppreffions fuffered during thofe periods, the Diffenters had increased in numbers; and now confifted of several parties, who had not the fame views on all points of religious enquiry and practice. They ranked under the different denominations of Independents, Presbyterians, Baptifts, and Quakers. With respect to the state, indeed, they generally formed but one body: each of these denominations, nevertheless, claims a particular and specific notice, and has its own history; they all participate in the national events and measures. The fpirit of enquiry, to which the Act of Toleration gave existence, embraced various subjects that had not before fallen under investigation; and diffused its influence through the members of the Establishment itself. The human mind began vigorously to exert its native powers, and to range with delight through the wide field of religious knowledge. The facts which the following pages will detail, will illuftrate and confirm this general statement.

CHAPTER I.

THE GENERAL HISTORY.

HE acceffion of William Prince of Orange to

THE

the English throne diffufed joy through these nations, and all the neighbouring states and king. doms. It relieved the fears of those who were ready to defpair, as to the existence of the Proteftant Religion and the liberties of Europe: and great hopes were entertained that the religious diffentions with which Great-Britain had been for many years distracted, would fubfide into harmony and peace. The Prince, in his declaration, published at the time of his expedition into England, promised his best efforts to promote a good agreement between the Church of England and all Protestant Diffenters; and to protect and fecure all those who would live peaceably under the government, from every kind of perfecution upon the account of their religion. The

Diffenters, in their addreffes to the throne,* expreffed an ardent hope that their Majefties would, by their wisdom and authority, establish a firm union among their Proteftant fubjects in matters of religion; and compofe the differences between them, by making the rule of Christianity the rule of conformity. Though the government was invefted in two royal perfonages, the Queen's difpofitions and principles gave no reafon to apprehend divided. counfels. Previously to the Revolution, the bishops and clergy, with great unanimity, had acknowledged the neceffity of widening the ecclefiaftical foundation, and of forming a clofer correfpondence with the foreign Proteftants. The behaviour of the Proteftant Diffenters at that critical juncture, it was confeffed, was fo wife and generous, that it juftly entitled them to the friendship of the Church; which, unless it were refolved to fet all the world against it," as Bishop Burnet expreffes himself, could not decline all the returns of ease and favour which were in its power. It also augured well, that the Act of Toleration, exempting Diffenters from all penalties for not going to church, and for holding separate meetings, on condition of taking out warrants for the houfes in which they affembled, and including an obligation on the justices to grant fuch warrants, paffed eafily. It was propofed by fome, that this

See my

edition of Neal's "Hiftory of the Puritans," b. v. p. 78, 79, 80.

Dr. Calamy's Abridgement of Baxter's Life, vol. ii. p. 427.

A&t should be in force only for a limited time, as a temporary indulgence, that it might be an inducement with the Diffenters to demean themselves in a manner which would merit the renewal of it, when the ftipulated term of years fhould expire; but this amendment was rejected, from obferving the general difpofition in favour of the Act, and from an apprehenfion that no future time might prove fo favourable to its being enacted. The party of Chriftians called Socinians were excepted from the benefit of this Act: but it afforded protection to the Quakers; and indulged them with a permiffion to give security for their allegiance to government by a folemn declaration, in lieu of the oaths required from other diffenters.

In these respects the afpect of the times was promifing; but darkness and clouds, portending future ftorms, foon gathered. New animofities arose;

different fenfations, both as to political and ecclefiaftical matters, agitated the public mind. Some, fince King James, to whom they had fworn allegiance, was still alive, scrupled taking the oaths to the new government. While many, from a wife and liberal defign of ftrengthening the foundations of the new ftate of things, propofed alterations and amendments in the constitution, worship, and difcipline of the Church others ftrenuously oppofed any change. Thefe controverfies were managed with great warmth and eagerness. The Diffenters, hoping that they fhould, in the iffue, be no lofers by fuch debates,