A History of the Church in England by J R H Moorman

Author:J R H Moorman
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780819220950
Publisher: Church Publishing Inc.
Published: 2017-05-09T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XV

COMMONWEALTH, RESTORATION AND REVOLUTION (1649–1702)

i. Commonwealth and Protectorate

The execution of Charles I marked the triumph of the Puritans, and they were proud of it. The ‘man of blood’ had been removed to where the wicked cease from troubling, and the road lay open to the new and glorious age. Firm government, just laws, and, above all, pure religion were to be established for all generations. The Kingdom of God was at hand.

So thought the more enthusiastic of the Puritans. But the country as a whole was depressed and uneasy. ‘Who’, cried David when God had delivered Saul into his hands, ‘can stretch forth his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?’ The New Age of the Cromwellians looked very fine; but what if it were built on blood? The soldiers may have cheered when Charles’s head rolled from the block, but upon the country as a whole there settled a sense of horror, of guilt, of shame; and the consciences of many were uneasy. Consequently the little book called Eikon Basilike: the Pourtraicture of His Sacred Majestie in his Solitudes and Sufferings, which appeared almost simultaneously with his death, was eagerly bought and read.1 To the horror of the Puritans, Charles the villain rapidly became Charles the hero and martyr; and Milton’s reply to this in Eikonoklastes did nothing to stem the flood of popular feeling.

Meanwhile the religious life of the country was in a state of great confusion. Since the abolition of episcopacy there had been no proper organization or control. Most of the incumbents were Presbyterians, but a number were Anglicans at heart who conformed under protest, and a few were Independents. All that the government could do was to issue an order in 1650 to say that everyone must attend some place of worship or a place where religious exercises were held; but that meant very little. Then in 1653 was issued the Instrument of Government1 which was intended to give some measure of toleration. According to this, people were not to be compelled to any ‘public profession’ of their faith, binding them to any particular church, but were to be free to go where they liked and to worship in the way which suited them best. ‘Such as profess faith in God by Jesus Christ’, it declared, ‘though differing in judgment from the doctrine, worship or discipline publicly held forth, shall not be restrained from, but shall be protected in, the profession of the faith and exercise of their religion.’ But there was a proviso which showed that the day of general toleration was still far off, for the act continued: ‘provided this liberty be not extended to popery or prelacy’.

1 It is thought to have been compiled by John Gauden largely from the king’s own writings. It rapidly went through forty-seven editions and was translated into Latin.

Cromwell was anxious to be broad-minded and tolerant. He did not expect uniformity. ‘I meddle not with any man’s conscience’, he said.2 But there were limits beyond

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