Nonconformist sufferers in London ... Macaulay's statement of the condition of the Puritans at this time The church of England looks coldly on ... ... James makes preparations for bringing about a Roman ... ... His proclamation for liberty of conscience in Scotland... ... ... ... Opposed by the church of England; the king endeavours to obtain the support of the nonconformists Difficult to determine what the dissenters ought to have done 247 The conduct of Alsop, Penn, Lobb, and others not deserving the censure passed upon it 248 Stephen Lobb vindicated from the charges of Mr. Macaulay 249 "A Letter to a Dissenter;" its character and influence ... 251 Baxter, Howe, Bunyan, and others, oppose the dispensing Both parties may have been right on their respective grounds 253 The course of events favored the latter The contingency of failure in the attempt of the Prince of Orange should be taken into account 254 255 The conduct of James leads to his ruin ... INDEPENDENCY AND THE REVOLUTION; OR, DURING THE REIGNS OF WILLIAM THE THIRD AND QUEEN ANNE. 1688-1714. The accession of William, and the general character of his Neither William nor the majority of the nonconformists thoroughly enlightened with respect to the rights of William's attempts to better the condition of the dissenters... 263 De Foe's "Shortest Way with the Dissenters" His prosecution and sentence His character... ... ... ... The perilous position of the dissenters in 1708 The trial of Sacheverell in 1710 ... ... ... The sufferings of the dissenters from mobs, and from an unre pealed clause in the "Five Mile Act" The "Occasional Conformity Bill" passed in 1711. The "Memorial of the Dissenters" without effect ... ... ... 264 265 ... 266 ib. ... ... ... 268 INDEPENDENCY UNDER THE HOUSE OF BRUNSWICK; or, FROM THE ACCESSION OF GEORGE THE FIRST TO THE REIGN OF The accession of George the First prevents a counter-revolution 277 The dissenters seek the repeal of the Occasional Conformity, Schism, and Test Acts ... George the Second ascends the throne, and promises protection The three denominations unite in the same year ... ... ib. ... ... ...... Attempts to revive the power of the convocation frustrated ation Act Unsuccessful attempts to procure relief from subscription... the terms of subscription altered, in 1779 Attempt to repeal the Corporation and Test Acts in 1786... 294 Lord Sidmouth's Bill in 1811 successfully resisted The Corporation and Test Acts repealed in 1828 CHAPTER I. THE INDEPENDENTS DURING THE PERIOD OF THE WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 1643-1649. WHILE civil war wasted the land, and the councils of the State were distracted by conflicting interests, the advocates of scriptural liberty and order were not uninterested spectators of the general scene. Their patriotism was nurtured by their religion. Their principles, or principles akin to theirs, lay, as they thought, at the basis of all those living influences by which society was to be regenerated. They shrank not from the lofty responsibilities to which providence was apparently calling them. Too much in advance of the age, in many respects, to be altogether successful, the Independents became, nevertheless, the nucleus of a party unmatched in history for attachment to the cause of just, impartial, and progressive liberty, for skill in controversy, heroism in war, and sagacity in statesmanship. A rapid sketch of the general course of events will prepare the way for the details of our subject, during the period embraced by this chapter. After the battle of Edgehill, the war was carried on with little vigour on the side of the parliamentary troops, mainly in consequence of the undefined purposes of the Earl of Essex, commander in chief, and of those who acted in concert with him. He had enVOL. IV. B |