Thomas Lathbury

“ I don't know whether he would be a martyr, but no man is a greater enthusiast in religion than he is in the Jacobite cause. Hereditary right and passive obedience are the chief articles of his creed. And this is the doctrine which he teaches in his little congregation, over which he presides as a pastor: where, while he boasts of the purity of his religion, and a steady adherence to his political system, he departs from every principle of humanity, and devotes his country to ruin. ”

“ If those who are called the remains of the primitive orthodoxy, out of any particular affection of piety to the holy and Apostolical throne of Jerusalem, would prefer and esteem it above the rest, we have no objection to it: for we ourselves,, though for order's sake we number it in the 4th place, yet pay it the utmost reverence and respect, and honour it as the place where the light of religion and salvation arose, where the redemption of man and the preaching of the Gospel shone out into all the world, and because there our Lord suffered for us, and there shed his precious blood. ”

“ I declare that I renounce that communion, and that I die a dutiful and faithful member of the Nonjuring Church, which has kept itself free from rebellion and schism: and I desire the Clergy, and all members of the Revolution Church, to consider what bottom they stand upon, when their succession is grounded upon an unlawful and invalid deprivation of Catholic Bishops: the only foundation of which deprivation is a pretended Act of Parliament." He added: "the Revolution, instead of keeping out Popery, has let in Atheism." ”

“ As for those called Whigs, who were the warmest supporters of the Revolution, and are supposed more than others to have acted in it upon the motive of securing our religion,—I will make bold to say of many of them, and that both with truth and justice, that they have no religion but their interest, nor sacrifice to any deity but themselves. The Whig party is, generally speaking, a compound of the atheistical of all opinions and persuasions whatsoever: and they can be of any religion because they are really of none. ”

“ The Bishop says, "It has long been my opinion, and very well known, I believe, to be my opinion, that the laity in Scotland of the Episcopal persuasion, if they understand the genuine principles of Episcopacy which they profess, ought, in the present state of things, to resort to the ministry of their indigenous pastors. And the clergymen, of English or of Irish Ordination, exercising their functions in Scotland without uniting with the Scottish Bishops, are, in my judgment, doing nothing better than keeping alive a schism." ”

“ What shall I say to those of my brethren who have formed a new separation. I cannot with the Bishop of Bangor admire the long and extraordinary lenity of the government to them: much less can I think that he (though he has plundered Hobbes, and Locke, and Sydney, and the authors of the rights of the Christian Church) has said any thing that may convince men of the Christian nature of revolution principles. ”

“ Whenever a Sovereign De Facto is universally submitted to, and recognized by all the three estates, I must believe that person to be lawful and rightful monarch of this kingdom: who alone has a just title to my allegiance, and to whom only I owe an oath of fealty. ”

“ Though my sympathies are with the deprived Bishops on many points, yet I cannot refrain from expressing my opinion in this place, that they were not justified in attempting to perpetuate the schism by continuing the succession. They might have remained quiescent, having delivered their own consciences by not taking the Oath. Every one must revere them for their scruples, and for their adherence to principles, which enabled them to endure suffering and privation; but I cannot think, that they were called upon, even by their own views, to take so strong a step as that of new consecrations. ”

“ It is utterly impossible for a man, who really maintains the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England, to act as those gentlemen have done who have withdrawn from their allegiance to the Scottish Bishops. ”

“ I do not think this a sufficient reason: because the people may change their opinions without reason: but when this is joined with other circumstances, of an injured prince, a just war, unexpected success, a public design against religion and liberties, no means left for any farther securing of them, but a wilful leaving the nation and government to shift for themselves, then the free consent of the people in such a way as it can be had, is of very great moment and consideration. ”

“ Unable to shew that the Dissenters took any part in the great struggle, and unwilling to award any merit to the Bishops and Clergy, Dissenting writers frequently labour to find out something, on which they may rest a charge against the members of the Anglican Church. They pretend, therefore, that the Clergy opposed the King merely because he favoured the Dissenters, and not from any love of liberty. They claim the Revolution as the offspring of their own principles, though Dissenters really supported the King in his unconstitutional course. ”

“ Waterland was a man of genius and of great learning: and the Nonjurors were always ready to acknowledge his merits. He was moreover a man of candour; so that none of his opponents were in danger of being misrepresented. He opposed some of their views, but he did not, as was too frequently the case, impute to them opinions which they repudiated. Thus the charge of Popery, which was founded on the Nonjurors' Views of the Christian Sacrifice, was shewn by this eminent and candid man to be most unjust. ”

“ With the exception of Burnet and some few Whigs, none of the Clergy and people of England had the most distant idea of setting aside King James, though they wished to see a Regency established. Nor could the Whigs of this time have expected more than a Regency, whatever may have been their wishes. "Nay," says a writer, "the Prince of Orange himself, by disclaiming all pretensions to the crown in the Declaration, seems to have been thoroughly persuaded that the people in general had no design, nay, were abhorrent from the thoughts of dispossessing their sovereign." ”

“ And whereas that religion of the Church of England taught me the doctrine of nonresistance and passive obedience, which 'I have accordingly inculcated upon others, and which I took to be the distinguishing character of the Church of England, I adhere no less firmly and steadfastly to that, and in consequence of it, have incurred a suspension from the exercise of my office and expected a deprivation. I find in so doing much inward satisfaction, and if the Oath had been tendered at the peril of my life, I could only have obeyed by suffering. ”

“ I do not see how such an oath continues to oblige." He clearly alludes here to the proceedings of King James: and then he shews, that if parents design the ruin of their children, obedience is not to be expected. "But that the public good is the true and just measure of the obligation in these Oaths doth further appear, in that the Oaths are reciprocal. Whereas, if only the good of the persons to whom Oaths of Allegiance are made, were to be our rule, then there would be no mutual oaths." ”

“ I quote this Article, because in the present day, when it cannot be pleaded, that the danger of the introduction of Popery is so great as at the period of the Revolution, there are persons, who look upon a compliance with the Rubrics and Canons as a symptom of Popery, and who cannot oppose Romanism without opposing their own Church at the same time. These individuals have never done so much against Popery, or suffered so much for the sake of the truth, as Archbishop Sancroft: and it is evident, that the most consistent Churchmen are the most effective opponents of Rome. ”

“ Nor are we less obliged to you, for your purpose to recommend our letter and our cause to the protection of His Imperial Majesty, and to incline the heart of that great Emperor to be favourable to us. We assure you, that we are not discouraged by the distance of place, or any other obstacle that may occur to obstruct an union between us, but with most earnest and sincere desires hope for an agreement, to obtain which we shall leave nothing undone, that may be done with a good conscience. ”

“ We have seen, that the Nonjurors, both Bishops and Clergy, suffered the loss of all things, rather than act against their consciences. Worldly substance, honours, station—all were given up by these truly devoted men. Their conduct, throughout their whole career, is a triumphant answer to the flippant charge of a popish leaning. Had such been the case they would have taken the Oath, in order that they might secretly promote their own designs. But they resorted to no unworthy arts. They were content to suffer in what they deemed a righteous cause. ”

“ The attempt to introduce any thing of an authorized Political Episcopacy in Scotland would be a direct infringement of the Union. As to the notion, that Clergymen should be originally ordained by us to the ministry in Scotland, the thing would be contrary to all rule and order. No Bishop, who knows what he does, ordains without a title, and a title must be a nomination to something in the diocese of the Bishop that ordains. An appointment to an Episcopal congregation in Scotland is no more a title to me, or any Bishop of the Irish Bench, than an appointment to a Church in Mesopotamia. ”

“ If there ever be such a revolution as can unsettle what this hath done, God be merciful to this miserable nation." It is strange, that Stillingfleet should use such language, as if the commonwealth could in any way be compared to the lawful government which existed previous to 1688. "Whatever," he proceeds, "may be pretended, the world will not believe that Doctor B— refused a Bishopric, but either out of fear or conscience: the first calls in question the stability or continuance of the present government: the second the authority of it. ”

“ If then it were criminal in the Tory section to favour the Pretender, it was equally criminal in the Whigs, no matter from what motives, to hold a secret correspondence with him, and thereby endanger that Protestant succession, respecting which they were always declaiming in their speeches in Parliament, and in their addresses to the people. Under such circumstances, it was not strange that Swift, Harley, and other Whigs, who were the warm supporters of the Church of England, should unite, in the latter part of this reign, with the Tories. ”

“ Though such a conclusion is unfavourable to the character of King William, yet it can, I think, scarcely be denied that ambitious views did very materially influence the Prince of Orange. "Whether the Prince intended by his enterprise only to inquire into the legitimacy of the Prince of Wales, to reconcile the King to his people, and to engage both in a war against France, or to dethrone him and take the direction of that war to himself, is only known to that God who is the searcher of hearts. It is probable he resolved to direct himself by events, according as they should present themselves. ”

“ But if one common Liturgy could be on both sides agreed on, which should be unexceptionable, being compiled out of the ancient Greek Liturgies, some passages and rites only omitted, which are not of the substance, and which may give offence to one side, it is thought that nothing can more conduce to the establishing a union and communion betwixt both parties on catholic terms, would but the Patriarchs of the Oriental Church graciously condescend, that the same common Liturgy should be used in Great Britain, both by the Greeks themselves here residing, and by the united British Catholics. ”

“ Of the ill news you have sent me, none sits so close upon me as the news of a new Primate and new Bishops: the old ones being living, and neither canonically heard, nor judicially deprived: a project utterly dissonant to all primitive practice, to the ancient constitutions and canons of the Church: and which if not timely compromised, must necessarily beget and perhaps unavoidably propagate a lasting schism among us. ”

“ Though they believe that both saints and angels have joy in the conversion of one sinner, and in the progress of a Christian, and do unite with us in our prayers and thanksgivings, when rightly offered to God in the communion of the Church: yet are they jealous of detracting from the mediation of Jesus Christ, and therefore cannot use a direct invocation to any of them, the ever blessed Virgin herself not excepted, while we desire nevertheless to join with them in spirit, and to communicate with them in perfect charity. ”

“ At all events, no one can deny, that their sincerity was put to a very severe test. By complying, the Archbishop, Bishops and Clergy might have retained their posts: the Bishops would have ended their days in affluence and surrounded with worldly honours: and the Clergy would have lived in comfort and in most cases in plenty. But by adopting the opposite course, they spent the remainder of their days in poverty and seclusion. There was no worldly inducement to such a course. It is not in human nature to choose poverty for its own sake. ”

“ One is important, as shewing the Archbishop's consistency in opposing Popery, and yet adhering strictly to the order of the Church of England: "That they perform the daily office publicly in all market and other great towns, and even in villages and less populous places bring people to public prayers as frequently as may be: especially on such days and at such times as the Rubrics and Canons appoint, on Holy Days, and their Eves, on Ember and Rogation Days, on Wednesdays and Fridays in each week, and especially in Advent and Lent." ”

“ In short, we must first find our rule of faith, before we apply any thing to it or it to any thing; if it be Scripture, we know where we are, but if it be tradition, we launch into an ocean which has neither shore nor bottom, nor we any compass to steer by, where we must be driven about with every wind of doctrine. ”

“ Sancroft's greatest enemies, that he acted on this occasion from principle, and on a thorough conviction, that it was not lawful to acknowledge any person as king during the life of James II. It was so manifestly against his interest, that a firm persuasion of its being his duty could alone have induced him to make so great a sacrifice. ”

“ Proto-Cyncellus in our names: his works and labours of love are, and always shall be, written in our hearts. But you, most Reverend, go on to perfect these your offices of love. Send our answers to the most holy Patriarchs, and believe us to be exceedingly indebted to you for this. May you live prosperously and enjoy your health, may the most gracious God prosper your undertaking and grant you a long continuance here, for His Church's sake. ”

“ It is remarkable, that the men, who deprecated any changes in 1689, should have been the first to alter the Communion Service. They actually split upon the very rock, that of alterations, which by the good Providence of God, the Church had avoided—and avoided too by the opposition of the very men, who now advocated the change. Any material alterations at the Revolution might have endangered the Church: and the changes made by some of the Nonjurors weakened them so much, as a party, that they never assumed so compact a form after this period. ”

“ They agree, that there is no proper purgatorial fire in the future state, for the purgation of souls, nor consequently any redemption of souls out of the fire of purgatory by the suffrages of the living: but that notwithstanding none do immediately ascend into the heaven of heavens, but do remain until the resurrection in certain inferior mansions, appropriated to them, waiting in hope for the revelation of that day, and joining in the prayers and praises of the militant church upon earth, offered up in faith. ”

“ Thus Ralph, a Tory, but an impartial historian, remarks: "The state of the kingdom, in consequence of the arbitrary proceedings of the Stuart-family, and of the particular phrenzies and violences of King James was certainly such as required some extraordinary assistance; and the extraordinary assistance then vouchsafed by the Prince of Orange, from what motive soever, certainly deserved the highest acknowledgments a kingdom so happily rescued could make. ”

“ It would have been well to have prevented the deprivation of so many Bishops and Clergy, at almost any sacrifice.
Many who took the Oath were in a most uncomfortable state of doubt and uncertainty. The question to decide was one of great difficulty: could the men who had sworn allegiance to King James transfer that allegiance to William and Mary? It may appear an unimportant question in the present day: but at that time it presented difficulties of no ordinary magnitude to the minds of all conscientious men. ”

“ That the orthodox oriental Church and the Catholic remnant in Britain, may at last join in the solemnities of religion, and be made more intimately one fold under our Shepherd Jesus Christ, our blessed Lord and Saviour, to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen."
"This reply was concluded and delivered to some Greeks in London, to be by them transmitted to the Four Eastern Patriarchs. ”

“ However Stillingfleet urges the point: "If it be unlawful to succeed a deprived Bishop, then he is the Bishop of the Diocese still: and then the law that deprives him is no law, and consequently the King and Parliament that made that law, no King nor Parliament: and how can this be reconciled with the Oath of Allegiance, unless the Dr. can swear allegiance to him who is no King, and hath no authority to govern." He argues that on such a supposition the Church of England was schismatical, and Beveridge himself a schismatic. ”