religion, Protestants, whether episcopalian or nonconformists, were subject to the ecclesiastical penalties of this reign. It has been seen, that even in the days of the pious Edward persecution did not sleep; and reviewing the illustrious era of Elizabeth, so often referred to with distinction, it appears that those who were conformists to the national religion under her sister Mary suffered as nonconformists under her; from which it will be evident, that if a man desired to go smoothly down the current of opinion in the course of two or three reigns, he must have become a professor of as many religions, alternating from Popery to Protestantism, and from Protestantism to Popery. This is not the place to refer to distinguished characters, whose names might be mentioned, who found these alternations not inconvenient. The Act of Toleration of William III. laid aside the necessity for such equivocal professions. It put a legal termination to persecution, and respect was, for the first time, shewn to the rights of conscience. The Catholics had liberty to worship, on an equal footing, with the Protestant; and all Dissenters enjoyed the same advantage, without ·being any longer exposed to cruel penalties, as under previous religious dynasties. Thus far was a great advance made in evangelical civilization. This Act of Toleration, which was passed after the ascension of William and Mary, gave confidence to those who had dissented from the established religion in the previous reigns. Baptists, who remained silent, now appeared as the strenuous defenders and advocates of their despised principles. Those who had been exiled returned to their native country, and a comparatively moral verdure was presented on the surface of society. Those who had previously held their religious meetings only in secret could now openly meet for worship, and enjoy the sacred ordinances of religion according to the dictates of conscience, “none daring to make them afraid.” Scattered Christians formed themselves into respective distinct communities, and appointed their pastors and ministers; and it may be observed, that in one year after the flight of James II., under the mild and tolerant sway of William and Mary, it will be seen that above one hundred Baptist churches, by their pastors, ministers, and messengers, in their representative capacity, met in London, for the best and holiest of purposes,-the glory of God, and the highest interests of man. More decided reference will be made to this important gathering. In his answer to the address of his loyal Dissenting subjects, King William said, "MY GREAT END WAS THE PRESERVATION OF THE PROTESTANT RELIGION; AND WITH THE ALMIGHTY'S ASSISTANCE AND PERMISSION SO TO Defend and sUPPORT THE SAME, as may give it strength and reputation throughout the world, sufficient to preserve it from the insults and oppression of its most implacable enemies; and that more immediately in these kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland; AND I WILL USE MY UTMOST ENDEAVOURS SO TO SETTLE AND CEMENT ALL DIFFERENT PERSUASIONS OF PROTESTANTS IN SUCH A BOND OF LOVE AND COMMUNITY, AS MAY CONTRIBUTE ΤΟ THE LASTING SECURITY AND ENJOYMENT OP SPIRITUALS AND TEMPORALS TO ALL SINCERE PROFESSORS OF THAT HOLY RELIGION." The reign of William was indeed but brief, during which the King manifested his good will towards Protestant Dissenters, but this excited the jealousy and envy of their enemies, who by their influence in Parliament contrived TO PREVENT THE GOOD INTENTIONS OF THE KING TOWARD THEM FROM BEING CARRIED INTO EFFECT, viz., that the Dissenters should, in common with all his Protestant subjects, BE RENDERED ELIGIBLE TO EVERY POST OF HONOUR AND IMMUNITY IN THE STATE. It was the King's wish that THE TEST AND CORPORATION ACTS, so far as they related to Dissenters, SHOULD BE REMOVED. Upon this question ecclesiastical power interposed its influence against that desire. His Majesty was in advance of that age. Even the Act of Toleration was NOT OBTAINED WITHOUT CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTY. The liberal policy of William III. excited the malignity of the enemies of truth and freedom, and in 1696 his murder by the hand of the assassin was contemplated. On the occasion of King William being preserved from that assassination plot, "planned by the Tories and Jacobites, and encouraged by Louis XIV.," the Baptists were amongst the earliest of his Majesty's subjects to present their address of loyalty and affection. It was on April 9, 1696, that Mr. Stennett, of Pinner's Hall, (whọ prepared the address,) was introduced to the King by the Right Honourable Charles Mordaunt, the third Earl of Peterborough, and the first Earl of Monmouth. This address excited a great deal of public attention, and was, doubtless, calculated to raise the Baptists in the estimation of his Majesty and the Court, who knew how to appreciate the unbought suffrages of men that had always steadily opposed the measures of the Tory and Jacobite party. As the address was a BAPTIST ADDRESS, and as "it had excited a great deal of public attention," and evinced that loyalty of feeling for which, AS A BODY OF PROFESSING CHRISTIANS, BAPTISTS Have BEEN EVER DISTINGUISHED, it is given entire, and will be perused with satisfaction by every friend to Protestantism and religious freedom: : "TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. "The Humble Address of the Ministers of the Baptist Denomination in and about the city of London, in behalf of themselves and their respective congregations. "May it please your Majesty. "After having paid the grateful tribute of our humble thanks at the throne of the King of Kings, for that signal favour wherewith his Providence has blessed your Majesty, these your kingdoms, and the whole Protestant interest abroad, in the seasonable discovery and defeat of the late barbarous conspiracy of the bloodthirsty enemies of your Majesty's government and life-a life highly endeared to us by the many successive dangers to which your Majesty has so generously exposed it in the defence of all that is valuable to us, and by those remarkable instances of the Divine protection by which it has been so often guarded, we, your Majesty's most loyal and obedient subjects, with all becoming respect, beg leave to congratulate your Majesty on this so eminent and happy deliverance. move. "And we gladly embrace this occasion to assure your Majesty, that as we have enjoyed a share of the benign influences of your government, whereby both our civil and religious liberties have been so happily preserved and vindicated, so we shall make it our glory (as we account it our duty) to render your Majesty the utmost service we are capable of, in that sphere wherein the law allows us to And as a further testimony of our fidelity and affection to your Majesty's personal government, we cheerfully follow the pattern of the Honourable the House of Commons, in subscribing the association subjoined to this our humble address. Nor shall we cease to offer our fervent supplications to Heaven that the spirit of wisdom may continue to direct all your Majesty's councils; that the Lord of hosts may still succeed your army; that troops of associate angels may always guard your royal person; that your Majesty may have a long and prosperous reign on earth, and at length wear a crown of immortal glory in the Kingdom of Heaven. "Great Sir, "Your Majesty's most loyal, "And most dutiful Subjects and Servants." The last speech of King William, delivered in 1701, breathes sentiments which shew the loss sustained by the nation, and most especially by Protestant Dissenters. The King had recommended to his Parliament, in his last speech from the throne, what he had always much at heart-the union of all his Protestant subjects. "Let me conjure you," said his Majesty, "to disappoint the only hopes of our enemies, by your unanimity. I have shewn, and will always shew, how desirous I am TO BE THE COMMON FATHER OF ALL MY PEOPLE. Do you in like manner lay aside all parties and divisions; let there be no other distinction heard of among us for the future, BUT OF THOSE WHO ARE FOR THE PROTESTANT RELIGION, and the present Establishment, and of those who mean a Popish Prince and a French Government."* "It was in this Parliament that WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY an act passed, which secured the Crown IN THE PROTESTANT LINE OF THE HOUSE OF HANOVER. God remarkably appeared on this occasion, in confounding the adherents of the Popish Princes of the House of Stuart. These were so numerous in the House of Commons that the bill passed in one of its stages BY A MAJORITY OF ONLY ONE! and it received the King's signature, and that by commission, BUT A FEW HOURS BEFORE THE MONARCH'S LAMENTED DEATH. To these apparently fortuitous circumstances the English are indebted for the Protestant government of the House of Brunswick, AND THE ProTESTANT DISSENTERS for all the blessings which they have uninterruptedly enjoyed since the accession of that illustrious family to the Crown of Great Britain."+ The just estimation of the character of William III., as given by Ivimey, must not be omitted, "The reign of the illustrious William, and his no less illustrious Queen, who had secured to Protestant Dissenters the palladium of their rights, and protected them in the free and uninterrupted exercise of their privileges, was, alas! but of short continuance. The pious Queen died Dec. 28, 1694, of the small-pox, universally lamented. And the eighteenth century had not long commenced, when this excellent Prince, who had felt an equal regard for all genuine Protestants among his subjects, was hurried by accident to a premature grave. He died March 8, 1702, in the 52d year of his age, and the 14th of his reign. None but persons of Jacobite and Popish principles have attempted to traduce his noble character. He will always be reckoned among the most enlightened and beneficent Princes that have ever filled the Throne of England." That distinguished statesman, Sir William Temple, in his history of the Netherlands, gives the following interesting character of William III. when he was Prince of Orange, and 22 years old :— * Chandler's Parliamentary Debates, vol. 3, p. 185. † Ivimey, vol. 3, pp. 30, 31. "A Prince who joined to the great qualities of his royal blood the popular virtues of his country; silent and thoughtful; given to learn and to inquire; of a sound and steady understanding; much firmness in what he once resolves, or once denies; great industry and application to his business, little to his pleasures; piety in the religion of his country, but with charity to others; temperance unusual to his youth and to the climate; frugal in the common management of his fortune, and yet magnificent upon occasion; of great spirit, and heart aspiring to the glory of military actions, with strong ambition to become great, but rather by the service than the servitude of his country; in short, a Prince of many virtues, without any appearing mixture of vice." The death of William III, cast a gloom over the nation. The thirteen years of his reign presented a remarkable contrast to preceding times oF RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE AND PERSECUTION; and Baptists were amongst those who felt most deeply the protecting influence of his benign and liberal sway. The name of William III., of "glorious and immortal memory," is endeared to every true friend of civil and religious liberty.* A brief reference has been made to the meeting of the General Assembly in London, in 1689. It will now be in order more particularly to advert to its proceedings regarding the Confession of Faith, which was adopted at that Assembly, which it is said was held at the meeting-house, at Broken Wharf, Thames Street, where * "Mr. Samuel Burch, many years an eminent deacon in the church of Little Wild Street, had such a lively recollection of the almost miraculous rescue of our religion and liberties at the Revolution, that nearly 40 years afterwards, about the year 1730, he endeavoured to obtain public honour to the great and good King William. By his own industrious application alone Mr. Burch obtained a petition to the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council, signed by several hundred gentlemen, merchants, and others of the city, praying for a small piece of ground where Cheapside Conduit as lately stood, on which they proposed, at their own expense, to erect an equestrian statue to that great deliverer of these nations, King William III. But on this petition being presented, one of the gentlemen of the Common Council said, 'That as the Conduit, which was a public nuisance, had been removed, he hoped that Court would not permit another to be set up in the room of it.' And so on a debate the petition was rejected. Whatever shade those who disappointed so good a design drew on the gratitude of the British metropolis, yet as this honest and loyal attempt of Mr. Burch met with the approbation of all true Englishmen and good citizens, it ought to be recorded as a lasting monument to his own memory."-Funeral Sermon for Mr. Samuel Burch, by Dr. Joseph Stennett, p. 48, 1741. + Crosby, in the Appendix of his 3rd vol. of the History of the Baptists, has given this Confession of Faith at length. |