Ecclesiastical Laws and Supremacy of the Kings of England, Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Of former Examples for Indulgences.
HIS Majeſty's-Gracious Declaration contains not a greater Indulgence, altho it be extended to a greater number of Perſons, than what was granted by His Majeſty's Predeceſſors (which before we have mentioned) to the French and Dutch Congregations.
1. There was an uniform order of Church Government and Divine Service, to which not only His majeſty's Subjects, but all the Inhabitants in His Majeſty's Dominions were to conform, and no man to abſent himſelf. And were enjoyned not to hear or be preſent at any other Forms of Prayers and Adminiſtration of Sacraments, then what is in that Book preſcribed, under Penalties of Eccleſiaſtical Cenſures, Fines to the King, Poor of the Pariſh, &c.
2. The Diſpenſation and Exemption was by the SOLE Authority of the Sovereign, and ſtands thus; A Liberty to Separate and Abſent themſelves from the Pariſh Aſſemblies, and to gather themſelves into diſtinct particular Churches or Congregations, to chooſe and ordain their own Miniſters; alſo to eſtabliſh ſuch a Church-Government or Diſcipline, and Form of Worſhip and Divine Service as they amongſt themſelves judged to be moſt conformable to the Scriptures; Eſtabliſhed by His Majeſty's Patent, as a Corporation within it ſelf, and independent upon any Superiour Juriſd ction Spiritual but His Majeſty; all Biſhops, Mayors, Sheriffs, &c. to protect them, and ſuffer them quietly to enjoy and exerciſe theſe Liberties, with a NON OBSTANTE.
3. The Grounds and Conſiderations upon which ſuch Liberty and Exemptions were granted, were theſe,
1. The Care of Religion that ought to be in all Chriſtian Princes, and to be ſhewed forth eſpecially in the relief and encouragement of thoſe that are of the ſame Religion, in their Sufferings for Conſcience of their Duty towards God.
2. Perſons of the ſame Religion with us, and Sacraments adminiſtred by them according to the Word of God and Practice of the Apoſtles, ought to be tolerated in their way of Worſhipping of God, tho they differ from us in Ceremonies and Diſcipline.
3. The Kindneſs we found in other Proteſtant Countries, when we were forced to leave our Native Soil for preſerving our Conſciences.
4. There were alſo great Advantages in Matters of Trade from their Skill-and Industry, to the great benefit of this Nation and prejudice of their own. Lord Herbert, Hiſt. H. 8.
The Premiſes conſidered, we further ſay,
1. His Majeſty's Proteſtant Subjects to whom the gracious Indulgence is extended, are generally of the ſame Religion with others of his Subjects, and the preſent Eſtabliſhment, in reſpect to Matters of Faith and Worſhip; in external Forms and Ceremonies they are not more differing from the Church of England, then thoſe Congregations to whom the ſame Indulgence hath been granted by His Majeſty and his Predeceſſors, and is ſtill enjoyed.
And when theſe Strangers had removed their Families, and come among us, had not this gracious Indulgence been granted and continued to them, their Conſciences would have engaged them to depart hence, and ſeek Habitations where the like Liberty might be obtained. And this alſo is our Condition, Many Hundreds of His Majeſty's Subjects with their Families have left their Native Country, and diſpoſed themſelves into other Parts of the World upon the ſame account.
2. If it be ſo grateful a Charity, and deſerving ſo ſolemn an Acknowledgment, the kind Entertainment our Subjects have found in other Parts, when not ſuffered to live in their own Land upon the account of Conſcience, doubtleſs it's a greater Charity to be ſo indulgent to our own, as not by Severity to enforce them for Conſcience to become Strangers in other Countries.
And for Matters of Trade, the Advantages have been great by encouraging thoſe Strangers. But the Diſadvantages in the ſame kind far greater, from Severity, by which Native Subjects have been ſo greatly diſcouraged, and not only thoſe hands hang down that were moſt induſtrious in upholding the Staple Trade of the Nation, but by reaſon Artificers removed into other Parts for their Conſciences, the myſteries of our chiefeſt Manufactures have been made common, and others therein equalled, if not exceeded us. A great ſenſe hereof His Majeſty hath expreſſed in his Gracious Declaration.
Obj. It is ſaid theſe be Strangers, Objects of Charity, being driven out of their own Country, underſtood not our Language, they were educated and accuſtomed to other Forms of Diſcipline and Worſhip, in the exerciſe whereof their Conſciences had of a long time teſtified to them.
Anſw. 1 It's true, the firſt grant of this Liberty was to ſuch, but in proceſs of time theſe Churches were increaſed and ſpread into divers Parts of the Nation, and this Grant being confirmed by Queen Elizabeth, King James, and King Charles the Firſt. Engliſh born, and born Subjects of this Realm, they had fully the ſame Liberty granted them as formerly, inſomuch as the Perſons now enjoying theſe Priviledges, are his Majeſty's Native Subjects.
2. The greateſt number of His Majeſty's Proteſtant Subjects that have benefit by this preſent Indulgence, have (ſince they had underſtanding) been trained up in and acquainted with no other Forms of Diſcipline and Worſhip then what was found among us at His Majeſty's return, the other formerly eſtabliſhed having been for many years totally diſuſed. King James himſelf being educated under other Forms when he came into England, ſcrupled many things in our Liturgy and Rubricks. Conf. at Hampton-Court.
Finally, it is more then a Century of years wherein theſe Dutch and French Churches have enjoyed this Indulgence, and there hath been much quiet and peace among themſelves, following their Callings without Diſturbance, neighbourly and friendly converſe with thoſe that are of different Perſwaſion in Matters of Religion, no troubleſome Diſputings or Reaſonings about the ſame, no Judging or Deſpiſing others▪: Experience we have found hereof beyond denial, in London, Norwich, Canterbury, &c. where diverſity of Practices in the Forms of Religion and Worſhip are conſtantly held forth in the view of all men, for ſo many years. And why ſhould not we expect the like peaceable and inoffenſive converſe mutually between thoſe that enjoy now the like Liberty from this Gracious Declaration, and others of our Brethren, whoſe practice is otherwiſe.
And the Lord who hath put this in the King's heart, put it alſo in the hearts of our Senatours to be like minded with him. And as His Majeſty hath condeſcended to them in their way for the ſpace of theſe Twelve years (as he tells them,) ſo it is to be deſired that they, if it may ſtand with their great Prudence, would concurr with him but half ſo long in the way himſelf hath choſen for the Peace and Ʋnion of his Subjects in Matters of Religious Worſhip; or at leaſt, until there be the like evident Experiments of the ineffectualneſs of it.
THE END.
End of the text · Philip Nye, Ecclesiastical Laws and Supremacy of the Kings of England (1687)