DISSENTERS. 
years, at leak two millions; 
and a hit of 69,000 perfons 
was taken, who had {uffere 
na relizio: 1g account, betwixt 
N ift, Purit. 
1 Pp. 759) . 
cities - difgrace ental 
&s; and alfo of the temporary injury 
oak they (fierce from the Schifm ce Occafional Con- 
formity a 
Diffenter 3, in the molt general fenfe of the term, as com- 
prehending thofe who difapproved the doGrines and forms 
of worfhip fan&ioned by the authority of the- someon 
for, independently of h 
the church of Rome, then the eftablifhe d church of England, 
he maintained moft of 
‘wards occafioned a epee from the church. is cons 
troverfy arofe from bifhop Hooper’s refufing to be confe- 
erated in the popifh ‘habive This outa: cielueed a 
divifion among the reformers, and gave rife to the two par- 
“ Conformifts’? and «* Non ae ;”? archbifhop 
Cranmer and Ridley being at the head of the former, and 
oe 
Hooper, Rogers, and the foreign vines, clpouting 
Under 
nek 
able that conteft and ha began, which, in 1556, gave 
nat feparation ies ah church 
of England, nck coatinnce to this da RITANS. ) 
Soon after cy acce of queen Eliza th VIS in the yea 
1559s “ for Prayer an 
Sz 
ments’? was vf ; and io this fatal rock of uniformity 
in things mercly indifferent, in the opinion of the impofers, 
was the peace of tue church of England {plit. The court 
reformers and the puritans were divided in opinion, with 
regard to a ahaa : a: ae that engeged their cap 
The pri que wever, concerning Ww they 
Bae, outa to le "obligation and enforcement of things 
indifferent in their own nature the reformers 
left indifferent, ought not to 
human laws; and that-fuch rites and ceremonies as had 
been abufed to idolatry, and manifeftiy tended to lead men 
back to popery and fuperltition, were no longer indifferent, 
put were to be rejected asunlawful. It is to be regretted, that 
both parties were too well agreed, in afferting the neceffity 
of uniformity in public worfhip, and o e {word o 
° 
a. 
Sy F 
fe) 
-_— 
-2 
y the civil pa eee 3 
but neither party was for ate that liberty of con- 
{cience, and freedom of profeffion, which is every man’s 
Sight, as far as is confiftent with the peace of the civil 
government under which he lives. The terms of minilterial 
conformity at th’s time, we. in 1368, wete the oath of Tye 
remacy, compliance with the 2a of uniformity, and a 
doétrine, &c. any of the learned exiles, who were now ree 
turning Shane and Aa difapproved of the fecond article, 
and refuled . accept of Pay in the church, according to 
nifo ormity, The 
antics sho habits 
cnffion of it pr 
A 
n 1566, the i impolition of fe h abite, fe! fome 
eouenier which the puritans were compelled b 
law to adopt, produced a feparation. In the following year, 
there was no foundation in ea or eae antiquity 3 
and ae — as they 
c 
of the Fa ne were be oe ced perfons within the diocefe 
e had their fliower Ss Aaa 
Many fevere meafures were ad 
them to fubmit; but they were incfteCtual ; 
efforts for aarlamenar relief, on the part of the puritangy 
prove of any avail. See Purirans. 
The reftoration of Charles II. in 1669, was accomplifhed 
at a period wheri the prefbyterians, one clafs of proteftant 
The king was ungratcful ; 
forgot his promifes of kindnefs ; and in the year 166%, the 
corporation a€t was pafled. (See Corporation his 
was foon followed by the Savoy conference, which termi- 
nated without sera as no alterations wene made inthe come 
mon-prayer boo t were favourable to the prefbyterians, 
for it was refolved to gratily them ih not ing. Indeed, the 
common-pra ook was made more exceptionable, and t @ 
terms of peti eae harder than before the civil war, 
See CONFERENCE. 
of 1662, “the ad of uniformity”? was 
ide 
which occurred, that which the diffenters, of ail 
tions, refufed, was giving “ their eflent poe eee a to all 
and every thing contained in the book of common prayer 
This, they ol aaa to be more than was due to o any 
uman compoliti me of the 
their uae in ane ae be 
when the fatal St. Bartholomew came, 
the non e 
fore the oath at Dona and 
about 2000 ae 
nd opportunities of ufefulne 
necefiity, wiuch both their principles and their circum. 
ftance 
