The English Church in the Eighteenth Century

By

Charles J. Abbey and John H. Overton

 

 

 

 

THE ENGLISH CHURCH IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY

BY

CHARLES J. ABBEY

RECTOR OF CHECKENDON: FORMERLY FELLOW OF UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, OXFORD

AND

JOHN H. OVERTON

CANON OF LINCOLN AND RECTOR OF EPWORTH

REVISED AND ABRIDGED

NEW EDITION

LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.

LONDON, NEW YORK, AND BOMBAY

1896

PREFACE

TO

THE SECOND EDITION

Although this edition has been shortened to about half the length of the original one, it is essentially the same work. The reduction has been effected, partly by the omission of some whole chapters, partly by excisions. The chapters omitted are those upon the Jacobites, the Essayists, Church Cries, and Sacred Poetry—subjects which have only a more or less incidental bearing on the Church history of the period. The passages excised are, for the most part, quotations, discursive reflections, explanatory notes, occasional repetitions, and, speaking generally, whatever could be removed without injury to the general purpose of the narrative. There has been no attempt at abridgment in any other form.

The authors are indebted to their reviewers for many kind remarks and much careful criticism. They have endeavoured to correct all errors which have been thus pointed out to them.

As the nature of this work has sometimes been a little misapprehended, it should be added that its authors at no time intended it to be a regular history. When they first mapped out their respective shares in the joint undertaking, their design had been to write a number of short essays relating to many different features in the religion and Church history of England in the Eighteenth Century. This general purpose was adhered to; and it was only after much deliberation that the word 'Chapters' was substituted for 'Essays.' There was, however, one important modification. Fewer subjects were, in the issue, specifically discussed, but these more in detail; while some questions—such, for instance, as that of the Church in the Colonies—were scarcely touched upon. Hence a certain disproportion of treatment, which a general introductory chapter could but partially remedy.

PREFACE

TO

THE FIRST EDITION

Some years have elapsed since the authors of this work first entertained the idea of writing upon certain aspects of religious life and thought in the Eighteenth Century. If the ground is no longer so unoccupied as it was then, it appears to them that there is still abundant room for the book which they now lay before the public. Their main subject is expressly the English Church, and they write as English Churchmen, taking, however, no narrower basis than that of the National Church itself.

They desire to be responsible each for his own opinions only, and therefore the initials of the writer are attached to each chapter he has written.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTORY.

(C.J. Abbey.)

  • Revived interest in the religious life of the eighteenth century 1
  • Lowered tone prevalent during a great part of the period 2
  • Loss of strength in the Puritan and Nonjuring ejections 3
  • Absorbing speculations connected with the Deistical controversy 4
  • Development of the ground principles of the Reformation 5
  • Fruits of the Deistical controversy 6
  • Its relation to the Methodist and Evangelical revivals 7
  • Impetus to Protestant feeling in the Revolution of 1689 8
  • Projects of Church comprehension 8
  • Methodism and the Church 9
  • The French Revolution 10
  • Passive Obedience and Divine Right 10
  • Jacobitism 11
  • Loss of the Nonjuring type of High Churchmen 12
  • Toleration 13
  • Church and State 15
  • Respect for the Church 16
  • Early part of the century richest in incident 17
  • Religious societies 17
  • The Sacheverell trial 18
  • Convocation 19
  • The later Nonjurors 19
  • The Essayists 20
  • Hoadly and the Bangorian controversy 21
  • The Methodist and Evangelical movements 21
  • Evidence writers 22
  • Results of the Evidential theology 23
  • Revival of practical activity at the end of the century 24
  • The Episcopate 24
  • General condition of religion and morality 25
  • Clergy and people 25

CHAPTER II.

ROBERT NELSON: HIS FRIENDS AND CHURCH PRINCIPLES.

(C.J. Abbey.)

  • Contrast with the coarser forms of High Churchmanship in that age 26
  • Robert Nelson: general sketch of his life and doings 27
  • His Nonjuring friends 31
    • Ken 31
    • Bancroft and Frampton 32
    • Kettlewell 33
    • Dodwell 34
    • Hickes 36
    • Lee 38
    • Brokesby, Jeremy Collier, &c. 39
    • Exclusiveness among many Nonjurors 39
  • His friends in the National Church 40
    • Bull 40
    • Beveridge 42
    • Sharp 44
    • Smalridge 46
    • Grabe 47
    • Bray 48
    • Oglethorpe, Mapletoft, &c. 49
  • R. Nelson a High Churchman of wide sympathies 50
  • Deterioration of the later type of eighteenth century Anglicanism 51
  • Harm done to the English Church from the Nonjuring secession 51
  • Coincidence at that time of political and theological parties 52
  • Passive obedience as 'a doctrine of the Cross' 53
  • Decline of the doctrine 55
  • Loyalty 56
  • The State prayers 57
  • Temporary difficulties and permanent principles 58
  • Nonjuring Church principles scarcely separable from those of most High Churchmen of that age in the National Church 60
  • Nonjuror usages 61
  • Nonjuror Protestantism 63
  • Isolated position of the Nonjurors 64
  • Communications with the Eastern Church 65
  • General type of the Nonjuring theology and type of piety 68
  • Important function of this party in a Church 73
  • Religious promise of the early years of the century 74
  • Disappointment in the main of these hopes 75

CHAPTER III.

THE DEISTS.

(J.H. Overton.)

  • Points at issue in the Deistical controversy 75-6
  • Deists not properly a sect 76
  • Some negative tenets of the Deists 77
  • Excitement caused by the subject of Deism 78
  • Toland's 'Christianity not mysterious' 79
  • Shaftesbury's 'Characteristics' 80-2
  • His protest against the Utilitarian view of Christianity 81
  • Collins's 'Discourse of Freethinking' 82-3
  • Bentley's 'Remarks' on Collins' 83-4
  • Collins's 'Discourse on the Grounds and Reasons of the Christian Religion' 84-5
  • Woolston's 'Six Discourses on the Miracles' 85
  • Sherlock's 'Tryal of the Witnesses' 86
  • Annet's 'Resurrection of Jesus Considered' 86
  • Tindal's 'Christianity as old as the Creation' 86-7
  • Conybeare's 'Defence of Revealed Religion' 87
  • Tindal the chief exponent of Deism 88
  • Morgan's 'Moral Philosopher' 89
  • Chubbs's works 90-1
  • 'Christianity not founded on argument' 92-3
  • Bolingbroke's 'Philosophical Works' 93-6
  • Butler<