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A. C. brought in the Lord Prefton Guilty of a High Mif 1689. demeanour, for which he was committed to the Tower. Not long after his Lordfhip acknowledg'd, and begg'd Pardon for, his Fault by a Petition to the Lords, which was rejected, upon his Subfcribing himself, Viscount Prefton, without expreffing of what Kingdom; the next Day he prefented another, wherein he ftiled himfelf Viscount of Scotland and moreover it being alledg'd in his behalf, that by accepting a Patent from King James, he never meant an Afront to King William, but only to fecure his own Perfon from Imprifonment, (being at that time profecuted at Law by the Lord Montague for a confiderable Sum of Money) he was releas'd from his Confinement without giving Bail

ocation.

Proceedings The Convocation of the Clergy being met at of the Con Paul's about the beginning of November, the only thing they did was to Read the Commiflion by which they were Summon'd, and then Adjourn'd themfelves to the 21ft of the fame Month; in the mean time the Commiffioners appointed by His Majefty to prepare Matters, debated an Important Point among themfelves, to wit, the Re-ordaining of Diffenting Minifters, which has ever been the greatest Obstacle to the Reconciling the Presbyterians of England to the National Church. Some of the Commitlioners were enclin'd not to infift upon that Ceremony, alledging, They ought not to fhew lefs Regard to the Vocation of Presbyterian Miniiters, than to that of Roman Catholick Pricfts, whofe Ordination was never Question'd, upon their joining in Communion with the Church of England. But the Majority thought it more proper to keep a middle Courfe, which was, Firt, with Refpect to Remifh Priefts, to leave it undecided whether their Ordination was good or no; but becaufe they were not oblig'd to give Credit to their Certificates, that therefore fuch of them, as for the future, fhould turn Proteftants. fhould be bound to be Re ordain'd in order to Officiate in the Church of England; and Secondly, That tho' they did not determine the Ordination of Presbyterians to be al

together

155 together infignificant, yet they thought it neceflary A. C. for their Minifters to receive Orders from a Bí- 1689. fhop, who in Conferring the fame might add thefe Words to the Common Form, by way of Lenitive: In Cafe the Ordination you have already receiv'd be any way Defective. During this interval the Difcontented printed feveral Papers wherein the Legality of the Convocation was call'd in Queftion; alledging, it ought to be Summon'd by the King and Parliament, whereas it was now Affernbled by the King's fingle Authority.

On the 21ft of November both Houfes of the Convocation being Affembled at Westminster, the Upper chofe the Bifhop of London, and the Lower Dr. Jones to be their Refpective Prolocutors or Speakers. On the 25th Dr. Jones's Election being approv'd by the Bifhops, he made a Speech in Latin, wherein he extoll'd the Excellency of the Church of England, as eftablish'd by Law, above all Chriftian Communities, and ended with a Caution; not to change the Laws and Conftitutions of England. The Bilhop of London made likewife a Speech in the fame Language. tho' oppofite in the Drift of it to that of the Doctor: He told the Af fembly, They ought to endeavour a Temper in those things that are not Effential in Religion, thereby to open the Door of Salvation to abundance of fraying Chriftians; that it was their Duty to flew the Jame indulgence, and Charity to the Diffenters under King William, which fome of the Bishops and Clergy had promifed to them in their Addreffes to King James; and clofed his Difcourfe with an Exhortation to Unanimity and Concord. Many of the Members being abfent, the Convocation Adjourn'd to the next Day, without debating any thing of Mo

ment.

The Bifhop of London being fenfible that the Majority of the Lower Houfe, were refolv'd to oppofe the intended Union with the Diffenters acquainted the Convocation, that having communicated the Commitlion, by which they were Affmbled to an eminent Civilian, he had found it d fective, in not having the Great Seal, and there

fore

A. C. fore they muft Adjourn till that was procur'd. 1689. During this interval the most prevailing Arguments

were employ'd to bring the moft ftiff of the inferior Clergy to a charitable Condefcention with the Presbyterians, but even the Promifes of great Preferments prov'd ineffectual. Indeed fome of them were contented to take away the ufe of the Surplice, of the Sign of the Crofs in Baptifm, of the Bowing to the Altar, of fome Repetitions in the Common Prayers, and fome other infignificant tho' innocent Ceremonies, at which the Presbyterians were offended; but as to the Difpenfing with their Re-ordination, they thought it Derogatory to the Dignity of the Church of England; and that a step of fo great Confequence ought not be made before they were affured of their fincere defire of a Reconcilement. 'Twas not long before the Great Seal was affixt to the Commiffion, which the Earl of Nottingham deliver'd to the Convocation, with a LetK.Wil- ter from His Majefty, Importing, "That His MaJiam's Ler- jefty had Summon'd this Convocation, not only ter to the "becaufe 'tis ufual upon holding of a Parliament, but out of a Pious Zeal to do every thing that might tend to the best Establishment of the Church of England, which is fo eminent a Part of the Reformation, and is certainly the beft fuited to the Conftitution of the Government; and therefore did moft fignally deferve, and fhould always have $ both his Favour and Protection. That he doubted not but they would affift him in promoting the Welfare of it, fo that no Prejudices, with which fome Men might have labour'd to Poffefs them, 'fhould difappoint his good Intentions, or deprive the Church of any Benefit from their Confultations. That His Majefty therefore expected that the things that fhould be propos d, fhould be calmly and impartially confider'd by them; and affur'd them, That he would offer nothing to them, but what fhould be for the Honour, Peace, and Advantage, both of the Proteftant Religion in General,and particularly of the Church of England. At the fame time the Earl of Nottingham made an Eloquent Speech to the Aflembly, exhorting

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them to lay afide all partial Prepoffeffions and Ani- A. C. molities in their Proceedings. Thereupon the Con- 1689. vocation refolv'd to return His Majefty Thanks for his Gracious Meffage, by an Addrefs, which was drawn up by the Bifhops, and wherein they acknowledg'd, Firft, His Majefty's Favour towards the Church of England; and Secondly, His Affembling them to endeavour the Reconciling of the Diffenters. This fecond Part of the Addrefs being difagreed to by the inferior Clergy, another was drawn up by a Committee of both Houses, which was deliver'd to the King by the Bishop of London, The Consa accompanied by Six or Seven Bishops, and feveral cation's Doctors of Divinity, being folemnly introduced to Addrefs to His Majefty, fitting on his Throne in the Ban- the King quetting-Houfe, by the Lord Chamberlain : This Addrefs contain'd in Subftance, That the Bishops and Clergy of the Province of Canterbury in Convocation Affembled, having receiv'd a moft Gracious Meflage from His Majefty, held themfelves bound in Duty and Gratitude to return their moft humble Acknowledgments for the fame : And for the Pious Zeal and Care His Majefty expreft in it for the Honour, Peace, Advantage and Establishment of the Church of England; whereby, they doubted not, the Intereft of the Proteftant Religion in all other Proteftant Churches, which was Dear to them, would be the better fecur'd under the influence of His Maje'fties Government and Protection. And they af fur'd His Majefty, that in purfuance of that Truk and Confidence he repos'd in them; they would Confider whatfoever fhould be offer'd to them from his Majefty, without Prejudice, and with all Calmnefs and Impartiality; and that they would conftantly pay the Fidelity and Allegiance, which they had all Sworn to His Majefty and the Queen. The King Addretting himfelf to the Bifhops, told them, He took this Addrefs very kindly from the Convocation; that they might depend upon it, that he would do all he had promis'd, and all he could do for the Church of England, and that he gave them this new Affurance, that he would im

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prove all Occafions and Opportunities for its Service. However the King perceiving that this Addrefs, of the Convocation was meerly Complimental, and that by their Expreffions of Tendernefs for the Intereft of the Proteftant Religion in all other Proteftant Churches, they had the Reformed abroad more in view, than the Diffenters at Home, His Majesty thought fit to Adjourn them to the 24th of January next. It must be confefs'd that the The Pres- Presbyterians did not a little Contribute to exaf byterians perate the Convocation against them, having at this very time given Orders to near fifty Young their Uni-Students, and Mr. Baxter, the Head of their Party, having publifh'd a Book reflecting on the Church of England. 'Twas alfo reported that the Presbyterians of Scotland, were the Authors of a ShamPlot, which they Father'd upon the Proteftants of Glafcow, that they might have a Pretence to Dif arm them, as they did in Effect.

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the Church of England defperate.

Hitherto both Houfes of Parliament had acted with tolerable Unanimity and Difpatch, but they at laft relaps'd into thofe hot Debates and Animofitics, which had drawn into length the Proceedings of the firft Seffion; and which were principally occafion'd by the Mifcarriages of Ireland, the ill Succefs of the Flect, and the Bill of Indemnity. The House of Commons being inform'd, that the Duke Schomberg's Army was hardly Fourteen Thoufand Men ftrong, tho' there were 23000 upon the Irish Establishment, They defir'd His Majefty to appoint Commiffioners to inquire into the Condition of the Army in Ireland. Tho' the King affur'd the Houfe he would comply with their Addrefs, yet fome Members mov'd that the Commons hould fend Commiflioners of their own naming, both to look into the Expence, and to prevent falfe Mufters; which feem'd to be an Encroachment on the King's Prerogative. Others faid the Duke of Schomberg would have done well to have come himfelf in Perfon to acquaint the Houfe with the Caufes of the Weaknefs of his Army, in order to fecure his own Reputation; and others went further, reflecting on that General for not fighting

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