COMPRE AND TOLE APPENDIX Historical Notices connected with the Book of Common SECT. I.-Attempted Revision in the Reign of William III. SINCE the year 1662 the Book of Common Prayer has remained HENSION in the state to which it was then brought; the Sealed Books RATION. being preserved, and presenting the exact form of words in which it was signed by the Members of Convocation, and ratified by Parliament. Attempts have been made to introduce changes in its language; but hitherto it has resisted the efforts both of latitudinarian and of Romanizing innovators. In 1668, Tillotson and Stillingfleet united with Bates, Manton, and Baxter, in preparing the terms, in which a Bill for the Comprehension of Dissenters might be proposed to Parliament, upon the model of the King's Declaration from Breda. But although recommended in the speech from the throne, the Commons utterly refused the project1. In 1673, and again in 1675, motions were made for the relief of dissenters; and then Tillotson declined making further efforts, which would be a prejudice to himself, and could not effect the object desired. These efforts were, howProposals of ever, continued by Stillingfleet, who, in 1681, when bishop of Bishop StilWorcester, proposed to allow an alteration, or freedom of choice, in such particulars as the surplice, the sign of the cross and sponsors in baptism, kneeling at Communion, Apocryphal lessons, and subscription to thirty-six only of the Articles. But the temper of the times would not allow the dissenters to accept these condescensions: even toleration in the later years of Charles II., and throughout the short reign of James II., was suspected, not indeed without reason, of bringing with it an equal toleration of Popery. lingfleet. The declaration issued by William Prince of Orange promised to endeavour a good agreement between the Church of England and Protestant dissenters, and to cover and secure all who 3 Long's Vox Cleri, p. 3, ibid. note. 1 Cardwell, Conferences, p. 394. 2 Tillotson, Letter to Baxter (April 11, 1675), Cardwell, p. 396. COMPRE AND TOLE tion of Wil the Presby would live peaceably under the government, from all persecution upon the account of their religion'. It was natural that he should HENSION desire to repay with his favour those classes of his new subjects RATION. who had most readily received him; and the disabilities of dis- The Declara senters, arising from the sacramental test, which was originally liam 111. falevelled against papists, were mentioned in the royal speech to the vourable to Parliament (March 16th, 1689), in which the King said, 'As I terians. doubt not but you will sufficiently provide against papists, so I hope you will leave room for the admission of all protestants, that are willing and able to serve. The proposal, however, for the comprehension of dissenters was rejected, although toleration was allowed; and finding that ecclesiastical questions were under dis- Parliament cussion, while the King had not yet summoned the Convocation, summoning both houses concurred in an address (April 16th), praying that, of Convoca' according to the ancient practice and usage of the kingdom, his Majesty would be graciously pleased to issue forth his writs, as soon as conveniently might be, for calling a Convocation of the Clergy to be advised with in ecclesiastical matters". desire the tion. to revise the Arrangements were made for the meeting of Convocation by a commission commission issued (Sept. 13th, 1689) to ten bishops and twenty Prayerdivines, to 'prepare such alterations of the Liturgy and Canons Book. and such proposals for the reformation of ecclesiastical courts, and to consider such other matters as might most conduce to the good order, and edification, and unity of the Church of England, and to the reconciling as much as possible of all differences. On the same day Tillotson drew up a paper of 'Concessions which would probably be made by the Church of England for the union of protestants". The Commissioners began their labours on the 3rd of 1 Cardwell, Conferences, p. 405. 2 Ibid. p. 406. 3 Ibid. p. 410. With the Convention Parliament, by whom William and Mary were seated on the throne, the Convocation did not assemble. It was the second parliament, in the first year of the new reign, which petitioned the throne to summon the Convocation. Lathbury, Hist. of Convoc. p. 320. 4 The commission included some well-known names: Stillingfleet, Patrick, Tillotson, Sharp, Hall, Beveridge, Tenison, Fowler, Grove, and Williams were subsequently 5 Cardwell, p. 412, and Appen- 6 Ibid. p. 413. The following ED REVI ATTEMPT October', having before them all the objections and demands SION. which had at various times been offered by opponents of the Prayer-Book 2: and, besides many verbal alterations, they prepared the following proposals, in the shape of a Report, to be laid before Convocation. Proposals of the Commissioners. Certain select psalms to be read on Sundays; but the daily course not to be altered. The omission of the Apocryphal lessons, and of some from the Old Testament. A rubric on the usefulness of the sign of the Cross in baptism. The use of it may be omitted altogether when desired. The sacramental elements to be administered in pews to those who might object to kneeling. A rubric declaring the Lent fasts consisted in extraordinary acts of devotion, not in distinction of meats; and another to explain the meaning of Ember-weeks. The rubric enjoining the daily reading or hearing of Common Prayer on the clergy to be changed into an exhortation. The absolution to be read by deacons; the word minister being substituted for priest; and the words 'remission of sins' omitted, as not very intelligible. The Gloria Patri not to be repeated at the end of every psalm. In the Te Deum, the words only-begotten Son substituted for thine honourable, true, and only Son. The 128th psalm to be substituted for the Benedicite; and other psalms for the Benedictus and Nunc dimittis. The versicles after the Lord's prayer to be read kneeling; and after the words 'Give peace,' &c., an answer promissory, on the part of the people, of keeping God's law, the old response being submission to the doctrine, disci- church; (7) but none to be capable of ecclesiastical preferment that shall be ordained in England otherwise than by bishops. An account of the proceedings is given by Bp Patrick in the Narrative of his Own Life, p. 149, ed. Oxf. 1839; Cardwell, Conferences, pp. 416 sq. 31. 2 Burnet, Hist. of Own Time, II. supposed by the Commissioners to savour of too strong a view of ATTEMPT predestination. All titles of the king and queen to be omitted, and the word 'Sovereign' only used. In the prayer for the King, the clause, 'grant that he may vanquish,' &c., changed into 'prosper all his righteous undertakings against thy enemies.' 6 6 The words, who worketh great marvels,' changed into 'who alone art the author of all good gifts;' and the words, 'the Holy Spirit of thy grace,' substituted for the healthful spirit of thy grace.' The reason assigned for the latter was this, that the word healthful was obsolete. The prayer, 'O God, whose nature and property,' to be omitted, as full of strange and impertinent expressions. The Collects to be revised by the Bishop of Chichester, [Patrick.] If a minister refuse the surplice, and the people desire it, the bishop to be at liberty to appoint another, provided the living would bear it. Sponsors to be disused, and children to be presented in the name of their parents, if desired. A rubric to declare that the curses in the Athanasian Creed are confined to those who deny the substance of the Christian religion. Certain alterations to be made in the Litany, the Communionservice, and the Canons'.' ED REVI SION. Commis ion These numerous and important alterations were, however, not Report of offered to Convocation, it being quite certain that they would be ers not pubrejected by the lower house, who in the appointment of their prolocutor, and in the debate on the address?, evinced that they 1 Lathbury, Hist. of Convoc. pp. 323 sq. The original document was never made public: it was left with Tenison, and is lost. A copy was communicated to Calamy, who thought that the scheme would have brought in two-thirds of the Dissenters; but his copy was lost by lending (see Lathbury, p. 325, note); an abstract was published in his Life of Baxter, p. 452; Cardwell, Conferences, p. 429. It is remarkable that no notice is taken in this account of the ques- 2 See Lathbury, p. 325. Card- lished. ATTEMPT were opposed to the attempts now made by the Court and bishops SION. for the comprehension of dissenters, as brethren in the Protestant ED REVI faith. The house of bishops also, lacking nine of its ablest members, was powerless to control the clergy, who were disposed to sympathize with Sancroft and his nonjuring brethren'. Hence, although Convocation was authorised to proceed to the business of considering alterations in the Prayer-Book and the Canons, and a scheme had been prepared for the purpose, no actual step was taken; Convocation and disputes between the two houses were prevented by successive prorogued. prorogations from Dec. 13th until the close of the Session 2. Nonjurors. It is probable, indeed, that many concessions would have been made to dissenters in England, but for the downfall of Episcopacy in Scotland, and the violence of the Presbyterians in that country, where they had no ground of complaint, and where even the Episcopalians had no stated Liturgy, and allowed the validity of Presbyterian orders3. Moreover, the toleration, which had now been granted, rendered fresh concessions needless; since dissenters might conduct their worship after their own fashion. Another circumstance of the times might hinder changes in the PrayerBook, viz. a fear of supplying the Nonjurors with the plea, that 'they still stuck to the ancient Church of England, in opposition to those who were altering it*.' SECT. II.-Offices of the Nonjurors, and of the Scottish Episcopal Church. One result of the conscientiousness of some ecclesiastics, who considered that they were so bound by their allegiance to James II., that after his deposition they could not take the oath of allegiance to William and Mary, was that Archbishop Sancroft, with eight The deprived Bishops, and four hundred clergymen, were all ejected from their benefices. These Nonjurors denied the Episcopal Commission Ministers. 1 Lathbury, p. 332. 2 Ibid. Several other measures were in contemplation by various members, and among others a book of family prayers, probably compiled by Tenison. Life of Prideaux, p. 61; Cardwell, p. 425, note. 3 Lathbury, p. 335; Cardwell, p. 421. 4 Burnet, Own Time, II. 34. 5 These were Ken, Bishop of Bath and Wells, Turner of Ely, Frampton of Gloucester, Lloyd of Norwich, White of Peterborough, Thomas of Worcester, Lake of Chichester, and Cartwright of Chester. D'Oyly's Life of Sancroft, I. 437. 6 See Lathbury, Hist. of the Nonjurors, passim. |