It is now pretty generally agreed, tat receiring the holy sacrament merely as a qualification for a place of civil profit or trust, is contrary to the ends of its institution, and a snare to the consciences nomen ;s for though the law is open, and they who obtain offices in the state know • beforehand the conditions of keeping them,” yet when the bread of a numerous family depends upon a qualification which a man cannot be satisfied to comply with, it is certainly a snare. And though I agree with our author, that “if the minds of such persons are wicked, the law does not make them so," yet I am afraid it hardens them, and makes them a great deal worse. How many thousands come to the sacrament of the Lord's supper with reluctance ! and, perhaps. eat and drink judgment to themselves; the guilt of which must be chargeable either upon the imposers, or receivers, or upon both. Methinks therefore charity to the souls of men, as well as a concern for the purity of our holy religion. should engage all serious christians to endeavor the removal of this grievance; and since we are told, that the appearing of the dissenters at this time is unseasonable, and wili be ineffectual, I would humbly move our right reverend fathers the bishops not to think it below their high stations and dignities, to consider of some expedient to roll away this reproach from the church and nation, and agree upon some security for i he former (if needful) of a civil nature, that may leave room (as King William expresses it in his speech to his first parliament) FOR THE ADMISSION OF ALL PROTESTANTS THAT ARE ABLE AND WILLING TO SERVE THEIR COUNTRY. The honor of Christ, and the cause of public virtue, seem to require it. And for as much as the influence of these acts affects great numbers of the laity in a very tender part, I should think it no dishonor for the several corporations in England, as well as for the "fficers of the army, navy, custums, and excise, who are more peculiarly concerned, to join their interests in pe. titioning the legislature for such relief. And I fatter myself that the wise and temperate behavior of the protestant dissenters in their late general assembly in London ; with the dutiful regard that they lave always shewn to the peace and welfare of his majesty's person, family, and government, will not fail to recommend them to the royal protection and favor; and that his most EXCELLENT MAJESTY, in imitation of his glorious predecessor King William III. will in a proper time recommend it to his parliament to strengthen his administration, by taking off those restraints which at present disable his protestant dissenting subjects from shewing their zeal in the service of their king and country. DANIEL NEAL. London, March 6, 1732-3. though not a sacramental test, that to this proposal, that “ dissenters should be exempted from all pains and penalties for not serving their couniry in offices of trust," he gave his hearty assent by adding in the margin, most certainly! Ed. $ History of the Test, p. 22. ! From the death of Queen ELIZABETH to the death of Archbishop OF the house of the Stuarts. King James's behavior in Scotland: Expectations of the paritans, and of the papists. Early application of the bishops to the king; of the Dutch and French churches. Millen- ary petition presented. Abstract of the answer of the university of Ox- ford, and of ihe university of Cambridge. Proclamation for a confer- ence. Conferenee at Hampton-court. First day's conference between the king and the bishops only. The oath of a midwife. Remarks on the first day's conference. Second day's conference with the puritans. Reformation of doetrine ; of preaching; of the service book and cere- monies. Remarks on the second day's conference ; on the third day's conference. Remarks on the whole. Proclamation to enforce non-con- formity; remarks. Mr. Cartwright's death and character. Archbish- op Whitgift's death and character. Proclamations against jesuits and puritans. The king's speech to his parliament: remarks on it. His arbitrary government. "Proceedings of parliament; of convocation. Bishop Rudd's speech in convocation about the cross in baptism. Ab- stract of the book of canons : remarks. Remainder of the canons. Rat- ification of the canons. Address of the French and Dutch churches to the bishop of London. Persecution of the puritans revived. Opinion of the star-chamber about deprivations, prohibitions and petitions ; re- marks. King James's protestation. Bancroft's letter about pressing conformity. Mr. Lad's, Maunsel's, and Fuller's sufferings. Paritans retire to Holland. History of the Brownists prosecuted. Of Mr. John- son and Mr. Ainsworth. Of Mr. Smith, the Brownist. Of Mr. Robin- son, the first independent. Of Mr. Henry Jacob. Lawfulness of sep- aration from the church of England argued. Remarks. Abp. Laud's sentiments of separation. The gunpowder plot : fathered on the puri- tans. Oath of allegiance. Puritans unwilling to separate from the chureh. Abridgement of the Lincoln minister's reasons for not sub- seribing; their arguments against the book of common prayer; against the three ceremonies; against the surplice, the cross in baptism, and kpeeling at the sacrament. Answers to the abridgment. “Remarks. Prineiples of the puritans. Ministers' protestation concerning the king's supremaey. Their bumble petition. Protestation of the ministers of Devon and Cornwall concerning their loyalty. Remarks. Islands of Guernsey and Jersey reduced to conformity. Mr. Parker's sufferings. Dr. Raynold's death and character. Death of Mr. Brightman. Ad- vances of the prerogative. Death and character of Arminius. Pro- ceedings of parliament. Speech against bishops and their courts : a- gainst grievances in the state. King's speech. Sundry petitions about grievances : in favor of the puritans. Reasons for amending the act of supremacy; and for reforming the eeclesiastical commission. Griey- ances in the execution of the ecclesiastical commission. Affairs of Seotland. Course of Scots conformity. Episcopacy restored in Scot, Ordination of their bishops. Archbishop Bancroft's death and CHAPTER II. From the death of Archbishop Bancroft to the death of King James I. Abbot made archbishop. Account of all the translations of the bible ment of King Charles II. in the year 1625. CHAPTER III. versy. Restraint of the press in favor of arminianism; complaint of the booksellers, and in favor of popery. Gentlemen, citizens, and oth- ers, imprisoned on account of the loan. Sibthorp's and Manwaring's sermous for the prerogative. Archbishop Abbot suspended for refusing to licence Sibthorp's sermon. Other reasons of the archbishop's sus- persion. Bishop of Lincoln favorable to the puritans. War with France. A new parliament. Petition of right. Manwaring's severe sentence: he is pardoned and preferred. Montague consecrated bishop of Chichester. Sibthorp preferred. Parliament's remonstrance, and the king's answer. A jesuit's letter about the growth of arininianism. State of religion in Ireland. Protestation of the Irish bishops against a toleration of popery. Proclamation of lord deputy Falkland against the papists. Bishop Bedel's account of their numbers Remarks.- Laud made bishop of London. The king's deelaration before the thir- ty-nine articles. Petition of the calvinists against it. Proceedings of the parliament. Speeches of Mr. Rouse, Mr. Pym, Sir J. Elliot, and Mr. Secretary Cook. Protestation of the commons against arminianism. Remarks opon bishop Laud's answer. Arbitrary proceedings of the eogrt with the parliament. Several members taken into custody. The king's speech at the dissolution of the parliament. Remarks.' Libels against the ministers. The king's declaration of his reasous for dissoly- ing 'he parliament. A proclamation against prescribing a time for calling parliaments for the future. Death and character of Dr. Preston. From the dissolution of the third Parliament of King Charles I. to the Arbitrary methods of government in the state. Bishop Laud's scheme for governing the church. The king's instructions about lecturers.- Character of the lecturers. Proceedings against them Mr. Bern- ard's sufferings; Mr. Charles Chauncey's; and Mr. Peter Smart's.- The rise of the Massachusett's-Bay colony in New England; their ehurch covenant; the hardships they underwent; their farewell request to the ehurch of England. The numbers of the planters that went over in the first twelve years. Bishirp Davenant, Mr. Madye, and oth- ers, censured for preaching upon predestination. Dr. Leighton writes agaiost the bishops; his sentence, sufferings, and character. Innova- tions introduced. Bishop Laud's consecration of Creed church, St. Giles's ehurch, and others. Remarks. A proclamation for repairing churehes. The Cathedral of St. Paul's repaired. Decorations and paintings of cathedrals and other churches ; viz. Canterbury, Durbam, and Lambeth chapel. Puritan preachers expelled the university for preaching against arminianism.' Hardships of Mr. Crowder. Elliot removes to New-England. Death of Mr. Arthur Hildersham and of Mr. Robert Bolton. Feoffees censured in the star-chamber, and their impropriations confiscated. Sufferings of divers ministers for preaching against church ornaments. Henry Sherfield's Esq. ; trial, defence, and sentence of the court. Mr. Workoman's sufferings. Bishop Laud's care of the press. Regulations of the English factories in Hol. land. The king's progress into Scotland. His usage of the Scots par- liament. Acts passed. Bishop Laud's behavior in Scotland. His fegulation of the king's chapel in Edinburgh. Death and character of CHAPTER V. From the death of archbishop Abbot, to the beginning of the commotions in Scotland, in the year 1637. Charch-wardens' oath. Abstract of Bishop Wren's articles. |