Ecclesiastical History of England, Volume 3—The Church of the Restoration [part 1]Stoughton, John
History
Ecclesiastical History of England, Volume 3—The Church of the Restoration [part 1]
Stoughton, John
Great Britain -- Church history
Meetings were accordingly held immediately afterwards at Sion
College--meetings prolonged from day to day. By general invitation
both city and country ministers attended, including Dr. Worth,
afterwards made an Irish Bishop, and Mr. Fulwood, subsequently
appointed Archdeacon of Totness.[128]
Difficulties arose of a nature necessarily accompanying all debates;
for, as Baxter says, that which seemed the most convenient expression
to one, seemed inconvenient to another, and those who agreed as to
matter had much ado in agreeing as to words. The latter might be true
to some extent, but in all probability the discussions at Sion College
resembled others elsewhere, in which men have agreed as to words, in
order to cover some very important difference as to things. At last the
brethren resolved to make the following proposals:--
That their flocks should have liberty of worship; that they should have
godly pastors; that no persons should be admitted to the Lord's table
except upon a credible profession of faith; and that care should be
taken to secure the sanctification of the Lord's Day. For "matters in
difference, viz., Church government, Liturgy, and ceremonies"--they
professed not to dislike Episcopacy, or the true ancient primitive
presidency, as it was balanced and managed, with a due commixture
of Presbyters; yet they omitted not to state what they conceived to
be amiss in the Episcopal government, as practised before the year
1640--specifying the too great extent of the Bishop's diocese, their
employment of officials instead of personal oversight, the absorption
by prelates of the functions of ordination and government, and the
exercise of arbitrary power in spiritual rule. They proposed, as a
remedy, Ussher's scheme of suffragan Bishops and diocesan synods,
the associations not to "be so large as to make the discipline
impossible;" and they requested that no oaths of obedience to Bishops
should be necessary for ordination; and that Bishops should not
exercise authority at their pleasure, but only according to such rules
and canons as should be established by Act of Parliament. They were
satisfied concerning the lawfulness of a Liturgy, but they objected
to the Prayer Book, as having in it many things justly offensive and
needing amendment.
[Sidenote: 1660.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account