of wrath, it is an excellent, a salutary oil, shed upon the head: it shall revive our brother, and refresh him! Faithfulness and affection are intermingled. Reproof must be faithful; and thus address the conscience, advert to circumstances, and attach to definite character. Then it will come in the language of Nathan, • Thou art the man!'- but it need not be harsh, censorious, and unfeeling. Should these diabolical principles be unfortunately intermingled, they will irritate the passions, close the avenues of access, and harden the heart. You cannot delight to wound ;you probe, but it is to heal; - you pour the balm of compassion, and you point him to the blood of Jesus. This is God-like for thus does Jehovah, when, by the cords of love, he draws sinners to himself. This is the way in which he conquers their hearts, subdues their rebellion, and makes them the voluntary subjects of the Lord Jesus. Let us do likewise with our brethren. If one be overtaken in a fault, those who are spiritual shall restore him, in the spirit of love and meekness. So Paul did to the poor backslider at Corinth he had grievously sinned, — he was justly smitten; but it was with affliction, with anguish of heart, and with many tears. The tender, the amiable Paul, wrote again, 'Give him not up to utter despair; forgive him, console him, receive him!'-Let us admire, let us imitate this! They will gratefully receive it; and their prayer shall be for us in our calamity, when we are in similar circumstances, when we are in spiritual darkness, in providential adversity, in calamity. Let us also petition the guardian watchfulness of the righteous let us sing Cornwall. O may the righteous, when I stray, ELFRIDA. QUERY. To the Editor. Sir, I SHOULD be much obliged if any of your Correspondents would give their thoughts on Job iv. 8( Angels he charged with folly') I having often heard ministers in prayer say, 'He chargeth his angels with folly ;' and others, who seem to soften the words, have prayed thus: Thou chargest thy angels with comparative folly.' Now, as the words are spoken in the past tense, I think Job must mean the fallen angels or devils; and, therefore, I can. not join in prayer with those who use the words in the present tense.-A few thoughts on the above will oblige your constant reader, 3 F J. D. OBSERVATIONS ON The Toleration Act, and other Statutes relating to Protestant Dissenters. INTIMATION having been given in Parliament, of an inten tion to make some Regulations, in order to prevent the abuse of the Toleration Act; and also, as it is understood, to restrain Itinerant Preachers, we apprehend that a full statement of the privi leges now enjoyed under that and some subsequent acts, will be acceptable to our readers. That the high degree of religious liberty at present possessed may be duly valued, it may be proper to take a retrospective view of the sufferings of the Paritans and Nonconformists previ ous to the Revolution. Very soon after the Reformation from Popery, a difference of opinion began to discover itself among good men, concerning lesser matters, which ought always to have been held as nonessential. Bishop Hooper objected to the Episcopal habits; but the Bishops Cranmer and Ridley refused to consecrate him, unless he would wear them. Some wished to retain various observances used in the Roman church, for the sake of gaining the Papists; while others thought that the church ought to be reformed fully, according to the Scriptures. The latter party obtained the name of Puritans. When the Act of Uniformity took place, in the reign of Charles II. they were called Nonconformists; and when the Toleration Act was passed, they were styled Dissenters. In the early days of the Reformation, the true principles of religious liberty were not understood by any party of Christians. They all aimed at an impossibility, exact uniformity; whereas the unity of the Spirit, in the bond of peace,' is all that we have a right to expect in this. state of imperfection; but, for many years after the Reformation, the ruling party thought they ought to make their own practice the standard for all others. Hence, when Queen Elizabeth ascended the throne, she assumed to herself all that ecclesiastical authority which her father, Henry the Eighth, wrested from the Pope; and though she was determined to maintain the Reformation, yet she was too much afraid of offending the Papists, was too fond of Popish pageantry, and very jealous of her authority in church affairs. She made the terms of conformity so narrow, that many excellent men, among whom were Fox and Coverdale, could not comply with them; and the church was deprived of the labours of some of the best preachers in England, when there were 8000 parishes without preaching ministers. Out of 100 of the London clergy, nearly 40 refused to subscribe to the Regulations of the Convo cation; and chose rather to starve than to wound their consciences. At length, about a fourth part of the ministers were suspended as Puritans, when their services were essential to the welfare of the church; for, at that time, many of the officiating clergy were men of notorious character; and Bishop Sandys says, That" many people could not hear a sermon for seven years; and while they perished for lack of knowledge, their blood would lie at somebody's door." During this reign the Puritans were treated with great severity. An act was passed, which subjected all who did not conform, to banishment and in case of refusal or return, to death! The High Commission Court, which may be called The English Inquisition, was established; and the court of the Star Chamber constantly sat, and was extremely severe and cruel in its censures and punishments*. Elizabeth was succeeded by James, who had been educated in the Presbyterian church of Scotland, and professed a strong re gard to it; but he no sooner began to reign than he discovered his hypocrisy. A petition for a further reformation was presented to him, signed by a thousand ministers; but, instead of listening to their desires, the terms of conformity were rendered stricter than ever by the book of Canons. A proclamation, drawn up by Bishop Morley, recommending Sunday Sports, such as dancing, archery, leaping, &c. was ordered to be read in all the churches; and many conscientious ministers were punished for not reading it. When Bancroft was exalted to the see of Canterbury, he persecuted the Puritans with such fury, that, in one year, 300 ministers were suspended, deprived, excommunicated, imprisoned, or obliged to leave the country. Many of them fled to Holland, and afterwards to America, where their sentiments and manner of worship have continued ever since. When Charles I. succeeded to the throne, he married a bigotted Papist; 'whose entrance into the kingdom,' says Bishop Kennet, was more fatal than the plague. Unhappily too, Laud, who was much attached (o Popish ceremonies, was created Archbishop of Canterbury. Profaneness was now encouraged, by the suppression of afternoon sermons, and the republication of the Book of Sports. Many worthy men were cruelly treated Dr. Leighton, particularly, whose ears were cut off, bis nose slit, his face branded with burning irons, and then imprisoned for 11 years, till he could neither hear, nor see, nor walk! In 12 years of Laud's administration, 4000 emigrants became planters in America; and Neale affirms, That 77 Divines, ordained in the Church of England, became pastors of emigrant churches in For these facts, see Neale's History of the Puritans, Warner's History, Palmer's Protestant Dissenters' Catechism, and the History of Dissenters Lately published by Bogue and Bennet. 7 America before the year 1640. Multitudes more were about to emigrate (among whom were Hampden and Cromwell) but were forbidden. During the Interregnum Presbyterianism was established, and the penal laws against the Dissenters were abolished; but it must be admitted, that the Presbyterians were too eager to establish their own system, and too severe on the Episcopal clergy. The rights of conscience were not yet fully understood; but the intolerance of those times is not now defended by any class of Dissenters. The Commonwealth lasted but little more than four years; and when Cromwell assumed the government, he declared for a general toleration, saying, That 'all men should be left to the liberty of their own consciences; and that the magistrate could not interfere without ensnaring himself in the guilt of persecution.' In the year 1660, Charles II. commenced his reign; and, though he made fair promises to the Presbyterians, and published a liberal declaration concerning religion, he took care that it should not pass into a law. To get rid of them with a good grace, a conference was appointed; but it was purposely so managed, as only to place the two parties at a greater distance than ever. The Corporation Act was introduced, which incapacitated all persons from bearing office who had not received the Lord's Supper according to the rites of the Church of England, within a year before their election; but the most remarkable measure was the passing the Act of Uniformity, in 1662. This was intended for the purpose of sweeping out of the church her most pious ministers; for when the Earl of Manchester, speaking of This act to the king, said, 'The terms are so hard, I am afraid the Presbyterians will not conform,' Bishop Sheldon, who was present, said, "I am afraid they will; but now we know their minds, we will make them all knaves if they do." On the 24th of August, 1662, two thousand ministers, among whom were many of the most learned and ablé divines the world ever knew, resigned their livings, and exposed themselves to the loss of all things; for no portion of their former livings was reserved for their use. Perhaps no history can furnish an equal example of disinterested piety; for whether they be judged right or wrong in their views of Nonconformity, it must be admitted that they made a great sacrifice to principle and conscience, and afforded a striking proof to the world, as a liberal Conformist ob served, that some men are sincere in their religious professions." It was acquired by this act, That every minister should publicly * It was, however, to the honour of this party, that some provision was made for the displaced ministers. The money raised by the sale of cathedral lands was vested in the hands of trustees, and a part of it appropriated to the support of those bishops, deans, and other clergymen who had been deprived. Their example was not imitated after the Act of Uniformity, by the Episcopal party. many declare his assent and consent to every thing contained in a new edition of the book of Common Prayer, which of them could have no opportunity of seeing within the time! The Church of England received a blow by this act, from which it has never recovered to this day; we rejoice, however, most sincerely, that the number of evangelical clergymen has been increasing for many years past, and that there are many hundreds who can conscientiously conform, who preach the gospel faithfully, and with great usefulness. May they increase in number continually! The Nonconformists (as they were then called) petitioned for a toleration; but in vain. A new scourge was prepared for them. By the Oxford, or Five Mile Act, passed during the horrors of the plague in 1665, all ministers who would not take a most unreasonable oath, were prophibited, under the penalty of £. 40 from coming within five miles of any corporate town, borough, or place, where they had exercised their ministry. The Conventicle Act was also revived, with additional severity; which empowered constables to break open any place suspected of being a conventicle. This act denied to Dissenters the rights of Englishmen, a trial by jury, exposing them to conviction on the oath of a single informer! About this time the Test Act was passed. This act requires all persons taking any office under government, to receive the Lord's Supper, according to usage of the Church of England, within three months after their appointment. The design of the Commons in bringing in this bill, was to exclude the Papists from places of trust and profit; but it was so expressed, as to exclude Protestant Dissenters also. The court endeavoured to prevent this bill from passing; but the Dissenters added their weight to the scale in its favour, though to their own exclusion; 'choosing rather,' as Alderman Love said in the house, to lie under the severity of the laws for a time, than clog a more necessary work.' This dreadful prostitution of a holy ordinance, continues to be the disgrace of a Protestant country to this day!!! During this reign (notwithstanding some years of indulgence granted by the king, in order to favour the Papists) the sufferings of the Nonconformists were unspeakably great. Their pecuniary losses were computed at two millions; and eight thousand persons are said to have perished in prisons; but the cause of Nonconformity was advanced by the patience of the sufferers, and the infamous characters of the persecutors. Charles II. died a Pap'st; and his brother, James II. immediately on ascending the throne, avowed his partiality for Popery. The penal laws against the Dissenters were enforced with the almost rigour; and many forsook this persecuting country for the American colomics. Multitudes of Dissenters were treated " Bartholomew-Day was fatal to our church and religion, in throwing out a very great number of worthy, learned, pious, and orthodox divines. LOSKE. |
