CHAPTER X.

THE REIGN OF CHARLES I, TO THE BREAKING OUT OF THE CIVIL WAR,

Contents.

I. Wisdom of the early Reformers: Observations on Sects.--II. State of Parties: Arminians and Calvinists.-III. Proceedings against Montague, for his Arminian Book.-IV. Encroachments of the Commons. -V. The Doctrine of passive Obedience.-VI. Po licy of the King's Arminian Predilections; Advancement of Laud.-VII. Fund for the Establishment of Lectureships. VIII. Temper of the Commons.-IX. Laud enforces Ceremonies.-X. Removal of Communion-tables; and bowing to them.-XI. Puritan Preachers in Oxford.-XII. Death of Abbot: Laud Primate.-XIII. Laud promotes Juxon, and opposes the Puritans.-XIV. Prynne's Histrio-Mastyx,-XV. The Libels of Burton and Bastwicke.—XVI. Irish, Dutch, and Scotch Churches.-XVII. Church-ales.XVIII. The Book of Sports.-XIX. New Grounds of Offence: Bishops' Courts.-XX. Prosecution of Bishop Williams.-XXI. Attempts of Puritans to leave the Kingdom.-XXII. Laud opposes Popery.XXIII. Bishop Hall's Treatise on Episcopacy.XXIV. Canons passed in Convocation-XXV. The

Long Parliament condemns the Canons.XXVĮ. Laud impeached.-XXVII. Violence of the Commons, and Progress of Fanaticism.-XXVIII. Root and Branch Petition, &c. and Bill to deprive Bishops of Votes in the House of Lords.-XXIX. Committee of Scandalous Ministers.-XXX. Unjust Charge of Popery levelled at the King-XXXI. Star Chamber and High Commission Court abolished.-XXXII, Thirteen Bishops impeached on account of the Canons.

XXXIII. The Bishops are assaulted: their Protest: they are deprived of their Votes.-XXXIV. Question-Did the Bishops presume themselves to be a third Estate?-XXXV. The Scots are engaged for the Parliament.-XXXVI. Characters of the opposed Armies.-XXXVII. Their Attendants the Preachers.-XXXVIII. State of the Metropolis,

1. MAN, by some unhappy fatality, as it would appear, in escaping from abuses, and in seeking the improvement of his moral or political condi tion, is ever apt to transgress the line of real melioration, and to rush into the opposite extreme. The spirit of reform, having once received its propulsion, admits, in few instances, of being regulated or checked by the cold and cautious hand of prudence. Thus, when the Papal authority was abolished in this country, an aversion from the corruptions of the Romish church hurried many well-disposed but intemperate men into a hatred and hostility towards every establishment, which retained even the remotest similitude to that superstition. Correction of abuses with

out violent or needless innovation was, on the other hand, the golden rule of the early English reformers. In pursuance of this wise maxim, it was not deemed expedient to relinquish the hierarchical government, or many simple and harmless ceremonies incorporated with the Popish worship. When the Puritans then were declaiming against the ceremonies retained, as relics and rags of Popery; and when the Brownists, Presbyterians, and Independents, with united strength, assailed the form of ecclesiastical discipline, as still too nearly assimilated to the abhorred government of Rome, the English church maintained its dignified moderation, unmoved by unreasonable clamours, and deaf to imprudent proposals of further innovation. Experience has amply manifested the wisdom of this conduct. For though the spirit of liberty has raised sects around the church, it still flourishes, and promises to flourish, in a high and palmy respectability. This must doubtless be mainly owing to the excellence of its constitution, which all the arguments of separatists have failed to overthrow or to depreciate. The Methodists, indeed, the only formidable opponents who are ranged against our establishment in the present times, acknowledge it as the true church, and, in many cases, join with it in com-. munion; admitting its inherent excellence, and censuring it only, for its alleged vitiation in doctrine. Its ceremonies and government, once

so formidable a stumbling-block, would to most sects hardly present an obstacle to union.

II. Laud, Bishop of St. David's, who was pafronized by Buckingham, prepared, agreeably to the royal instructions, a list of divines, whom he deemed fit to be appointed chaplains to the King the letter O distinguishing the orthodox, and P the Puritans or Calvinists. He at the same time conferred with Bishop Andrews on the expedience of reviving the quinquarticular controversy in the ensuing convocation: a measure which Andrews earnestly, and it appears successfully, deprecated.

In this reign, religious disputes were blended with political animosities: and an elective attraction seemed to subsist universally, betwixt the terms Calvinist and Whig, as betwixt Arminian and Tory. They who contested with Charles the right of raising money, were for the most part those who clamoured for a change of government in the church, and a Genevan interpretation of the doctrines. Nor can any one wonder at these affinities, who recollects that Presbyterianism is simple and republican in its forms, and was at that time, like civil republicanism, a novelty; while the, genius of the hierarchy is allied to monarchy, in Its splendour, antiquity, and gradation of power. For similar reasons the aristocracy and church party were combined. The violence of religious parties, thus greatly heightened by contrariety of opinions respecting secular affairs, could not fail

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to afford the luxury of secret satisfaction and resentful triumph to the Catholics, the common enemy of all.

III. 1625. Another remarkable feature in the history of the present reign, is the artifice with which the Puritans brought the opposite party into discredit, by invariably coupling the terms Arminianism and Popery. In petitions, acts of par liament, and other documents, in which the antiarminians took the lead, the one never appears unaccompanied with the other. This was singularly manifested in the first parliament of Charles, wherein the Commons assumed the authority of reprimanding Montague, one of the King's chaplains, for having written a book in favour of Arminianism, in which, as they alleged, an attempt had been made to reconcile the English with the Roman church, and to stretch the royal prerogative beyond the law. They complained at the same time of the increase of Popery, which they attributed to the countenance afforded to priests, and to similar measures of encouragement. As remedies for these abuses, a variety of proposals were stated, to the greater number of which the King signified his assent; promising to disperse able and religious schoolmasters throughout the country, to amend the discipline of the universities; to moderate the evils of non-residence, pluralities, and commendams; to prevent the education of British subjects in foreign seminaries;