The English Church And Its Bishops 1700-1800 (Volume 1)

Book Summary

The publisher of this book utilises modern printing technologies as well as photocopying processes for reprinting and preserving rare works of literature that are out-of-print or on the verge of becoming lost. This book is one such reprint. Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: and many others besides, in just the ferment which Jacobites could most desire, but which was very unfavourable to the tranquil performance of their spiritual duties. It is probable that, for twenty years after the Revolution, Tories and High Churchmen were in most cases really friends, though in a somewhat cold and listless way, to the new dynasty and the Act of Succession. But when the reaction had at last fairly set in, when the prospect was already near of a German and a Lutheran on the English throne, the temporal head of the English Church ; when the prosecution of Sacheverell had excited Tory passion to a frenzied pitch -- it is quite likely that Hickes was right in his assertion that ' the main body of the clergy were Jacobites in heart.'1 Indeed, the whole country was at that crisis so nearly divided in opinion, that it was only the sudden death of Anne, and the unprepared condition of the Jacobites, which, under Providence, enabled George the First to assume his place without the expected struggle. In speaking of the relations between the bishops of Queen Anne's reign and their clergy, there will be occasion to make some mention of the extreme violence of party. The Revolution had, indeed, been almost bloodless, but it might seem that the passions which had not been expended in civil warfare could not rest without finding some sufficient vent in violent animosities, bitter recriminations, and party cries which rang through the nation like battle shouts. Moderate men might protest. But, unfortunately,' moderation' was itself one of the foremost passwords in the strife. The one party held the word in more abhorrence than any other in the language ; while, on the other hand, it was as likely as not that the ' moderate' man was among the very ringleaders of his factio...

Book Details