cryphal lessons they could not consent, not entertaining for them that respect as to place them in the room of Scripture. To the creed of St. Athanasius they could not "assent;" for though they approved of it generally, one expression, "which faith, except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly," was very repugnant. Several other things also appeared highly exceptionable in the canons according to which obedience was to be performed. to order and friends to anarchy and confusion, "knew not the men or their communication." Thus cast upon the world, by an invisible hand they were supplied with all things necessary to life and godliness. One eminent man of their number has left it on record, that within a few miles of his own estate there were above a hundred supported entirely by Providence ; concerning them he says, "Though they were frequently in difficulty, they were never forsaken; though they were brought very low, and greatly harassed by persecution, had for earthly friends generally only those who were very poor and unable to support them, I never yet heard of one Nonconformist minister being in prison for debt, for Providence was instead of livings to those who left their livings for conscience' sake. They were drawn first out of their freeholds, and afterwards from all corporations, on purpose that they should be separated from all disposed to show them any kindness: cautions were entered against them to prevent their obtaining any kind of livelihood, and yet they lived comfortably and maintained their families creditably; and many of them brought up their sons to the ministry, in which they were very useful, and at last died in peace." At length the decisive day arrived, and an example was presented scarcely to be paralleled in the Christian world: 2000 "Bartholomew divines" were ejected, or resigned their livings, rather than desert the cause of civil and religious liberty, and silence the voice of conscience. It was an action without precedent, and their succeeding hardships were indeed great: they were not only silenced, but driven from their spheres of usefulness and oppressed by those of their brethren who professed the same faith. Not only were they excluded preferments, but, without visible means of support, turned on the world-not so much as a poor vicarage, not even a school was left them; nay, more than this, though some offered to preach without remuneration, it was not allowed, but laws were enacted against them, which exposed them to fines and imprisonment for discharging any part of ministerial duty, or coming near the place where they had formerly so done: this, too, occurred at a time when their services were greatly needed, as many large congregations were destitute of ministers, and the land was o'ershadowed with ignorance and profaneness; and those writers who have charged deemed a seditious conventicle. The the ejected ministers as being enemies | excellent Mr. Baxter and Dr. Bates For ten years things continued in this state, the ejected ministers being in obscurity, for though their endeavour was to be found in the path of duty, they were not suffered to live in peace. The silenced ministers were not only forbidden to preach in public, but so carefully watched in private, that, if they met together for prayer, it was sons in the city of London. The ejected ministers had preached very privately, and, comparatively, to few hearers; but now, (seeing the city churches and the flocks left in the time of extremity, when about ten thousand were dying weekly, without having any pastor near who cared for their souls, or to afford consolation under their terrors,) several who pitied the distressed and dying people were convinced that no obedience to human laws could justify their neglecting the souls of men. They resolved, therefore, to stay with them, enter the forsaken pulpits, and render them the assistance they were able under such an alarming providence. Amongst those who engaged in this work were Franklyn, Grimes, Turner, Chester, Janeway, and Vincent. The face of death so awakened preachers and hearers, that the former showed fervent zeal and the latter peculiar attention, and, through the blessing of God attending these labours, many were converted. But while God, by this heavy judgment, was consuming the people, and the Nonconformists were labouring to save souls, the Parliament, which sat at Oxford, was endeavouring to render their case incom were invited to the house of Mr. Beale, in Hatton-garden, to pray for his wife, who was dangerously ill; but having some other necessary engagements, they were unable to comply with the request; and, had they been there, they would have been apprehended, for two justices of the peace came with a serjeant-at-arms to seize them, searched the house, and even the chamber of the sick woman. Many ministers soon after were imprisoned in several counties for the heavy crime of preaching and praying: and on the 30th of June, 1663, the Act against private meetings (called the Conventicle Act) passed the House of Commons, and soon became a law. The terms of it were these: "That every person above sixteen years of age, present at any meeting, under pretence of any exercise of religion in other manner than is the practice of the Church of England, where there are five persons more than the household, shall, for the first offence, by a justice of the peace, be recorded and sent to jail three months, till he pay 57.; and for the second offence, six months, till he pay 10.; and the third time, being convicted by a jury, shall be banished to some of the American plantations, ex-parably more severe, by enjoining an cepting New England or Virginia." The severity of this act consisted in its giving to the justices of the peace power to record a man an offender without a jury; and if they did it without cause, there was no remedy, seeing every justice was made a judge. Previously the ministers were the only sufferers; now, the people shared largely with them. Thus matters proceeded until 1665, when the plague broke out, which carried off about a hundred thousand per oath, which, if they refused, they must not come within five miles of any city or corporation, any place that sent burgesses to Parliament, any place where they had been ministers or had preached, after the Act of Oblivion. When this Act came in force, those ministers who had any maintenance of their own found out dwellings in obscure villages, or in those market-towns that were not corporations; some, who had nothing. left their families, and hid themselves abroad in the day, coming home some times secretly by night; but the generality resolved to preach more freely in cities, &c., until sent to prison. Their difficulties were very great, the country being so impoverished that those who were willing to relieve them had generally little ability. However, God very mercifully provided some supplies for them, so that very few perished through want, or were exposed to direct beggary; though a few, by these straits, were induced, against their former and better judgments, to conform. But the fire of London, which happened the next year, made their path plainer, for the churches being burnt, and the parish ministers being gone, for want of places and maintenance, the necessities of the people were unquestionable. Accordingly, the Nonconformists opened public meeting-houses, which were very well attended; and in the year 1667, the lord-chancellor Hyde (who had been the grand instrument of state in these proceedings, and had dealt so severely with the Nonconformists,) was impeached and discarded, cast out by his friends, and banished. The duke of Buckingham succeeded him as chief favourite, under whom the Nonconformists were connived at, so that persons attended the chapels without fear. This encouraged the country ministers to do the same in many parts of England, and crowds attended to hear the gospel. In January, 1668, Bridgman, the lord-keeper, sent for Baxter and Dr. Manton, and treated them with toleration: a few days after, he sent them his proposals, and they met, with Dr. Wilkins and Burton, to confer about them. After some debate, a bill was drawn up by judge Hale, to be presented to Parliament: but they no sooner sat, than the high-church party made such an interest, that, when it was put to the vote, it was carried, that no man should bring an Act of this kind into the house. In 1670, the Act against conventicles was renewed, and made more severe than ever. Mr. Baxter was apprehended at Acton, and committed to Clerkenwell prison for six months. Dr. Manton was sent prisoner to the Gatehouse for preaching in his own house in the parish where he had been minister, and the meetings in London were disturbed by bands of soldiers. But in 1672, when the Dutch war began, the court thought it necessary to grant indulgence to the Dissenters, and publicly avowed that very little had been gained by the forcible methods used to reduce dissent; his Majesty, therefore, by virtue of his supreme power in ecclesiastical matters, suspended all penal laws against them, declaring that he would grant a convenient number of public meeting-places to men of all views, provided they took out licenses. This, by some of the Nonconformists, was applauded; but others! feared the consequences, seeing the toleration was not chiefly for their sakes, but for the Papists, and that they should secure it no longer than their interests would permit. However, a moderate address of thanks was returned, and the ministers of London were now generally settled in their meeting-houses. Though this privilege was not long continued without interruption, until the glorious Revolution of 1688, an event in which none had a greater share of joy than the Dissenters, who considered it as the era of their liberty, which was secured by law in the beginning of this reign, (William and Mary,) by passing the Act of Tolera- to worldly interests, and prostituted its tion; which, through a kind Provi- privileges to ungodly men. dence, has remained inviolate to this day. ECCLESIASTICAL QUESTIONS. Nature of Christ's Kingdom. 6. Is this alliance, then, without scriptural authority ?—Yes; there is not a single passage in the New Testament that can be brought to its support: it was altogether unknown in the age of the apostles, and for three centuries afterwards. 7. Can any arguments in support of it be adduced from the constitution of the kingdom of Israel ?-No; such ar 1. WHAT is meant by the declaration of Christ, that his "kingdom is not of this world?" John xviii. 36.-That it is not of worldly origin, Dan. ii. 44-guments must be ever opposed to the that it does not consist of worldly men, John iii. 5—that it is not governed on worldly principles, Matt. xx. 25, 26and that it is not supported or promoted by worldly measures, 2 Cor. x. 4; John xviii. 37. 2. When did corruption in its principles, constitution, and worship, begin to operate? So early as the days of the apostles, 2 Thess. ii. 7; 1 John ii. 18. 3. What did this corruption prepare for and lead to ?-To an alliance between the kingdom or church of Christ and the kingdoms of this world. 4. When was this destructive union completed?-Early in the fourth century, when Constantine, the Roman emperor, established the religion of Christ as that of the empire, and bestowed peculiar privileges on its professors, and wealth and dignities on its pastors, which induced multitudes to make an insincere profession of Christianity. 5. What was the immediate result of this alliance between the church of Christ and the kingdoms of this world? -By setting up human authority as superior to that of Christ, it compromised his prerogative as the sole Lawgiver of his church, sacrificed its purity express declarations of Christ and his apostles respecting the entire abrogation of the Jewish dispensation, Heb. vii. 12, 18, 19; Gal. iv. 9-11. 8. Does prophecy furnish any argument against this alliance between the church of Christ and the kingdoms of the world?—Yes; prophecy represents it only as a corruption, as a commission of fornication with the kings of the earth, and as placing the people of God in a state of bondage. 9. What does prophecy further state concerning this union ?-That it is one of the great pillars of that system which is denominated a mystery of iniquity, 2 Thess. ii. 10-the man of sin, the son of perdition, 2 Thess. ii. 8—Antichrist, Babylon, the mother of harlots, &c. 10. In what part of Scripture are such prophecies to be found?-In the book of Revelation, from chap. vi. to chap. xvi. 11. How has this union generally affected the civil rights of mankind ?—— It has not only made invidious and unjust political distinctions among men, but has likewise been the source of most of the persecutions that have afflicted the godly and disgraced the Christian name. 12. How could the persecution of the righteous by the wicked disgrace the Christian name ?-Because this was done under the pretended sanction of the union of church and state has never, in any country, tended to promote the true interests of the kingdom of Christ? Christianity, and from feigned regard-Yes; the friendship and patronage to the honour and glory of Christ. 18. How does the union of church and state affect obedience to Christ as the Head and King of his church ?-It destroys the discipline of his kingdom, of earthly governments have generally proved much more pernicious to the real church of Christ than their hostility and persecution. 20. Is this view borne out by facts? or church, violates his law, and abro--Yes; before the church was patrongates his authority. ized by the civil powers, it not only 14. In what way is that brought subsisted in the midst of their most about?-By rendering it impracticable violent opposition, but extended itself to separate the precious from the vile, in the world, through the presence of and confounding the distinctions be- Christ and the power of his Spirit on tween good and bad men in conferring its own exertions and resources, overon both the same name, rights, and coming every obstacle through the faith privileges, Jer. xv. 19; Ezek. xxii. 36. and patience of its sanctified subjects. 15. How does it affect the pastoral 21. Did this prosperity continue to office? It deprives the people of God advance after persecution ceased and of their inalienable right and all-im-kings became the patrons of the church? portant privilege of choosing their own-No; its spiritual prosperity soon came pastors. to an end, while it went on increasing in wealth, splendour, superstition, pride ignorance, and immorality. 16. Does this union interfere with the scriptural support of Christian ministers ?—Yes; it renders them independent of the people, and raises provision for them by means which the law of Christ utterly rejects, Gal. vi. 6. 17. How does it affect the reformation of evil and the promotion of truth? -It obstructs both, since no change can be made in a community so incorporated without the concurrence and enactment of the civil power, which is never readily obtained for such ends. 22. Notwithstanding all that you have said against this union of church and state because of the evils which arise from it, have there not been multitudes of ministers and people in churches so united distinguished by the possession of every excellence that can adorn human nature ?—Yes; in various ages and countries there have been and there are such multitudes; but this proves not the excellence of such union, but the power and grace of Jesus Christ. 23. Has not the Holy Spirit ofttimes wrought mightily by the ministry of men who belonged to such churches? 18. Does it tend to corrupt the ministry of the gospel ?—Yes; by the honours and emoluments which it provides, it holds forth a strong temptation to ungodly men to enter the ministry, and in this way alone it has from age-Yes; but this proves the Divine apto age inflicted a deadly wound on the probation not of such a union, but of s cause of God. faithful and holy ministration of his 19. Do you, then, infer or affirm that own word. |