respecting her safety in that Church. His reply was "For that, child, my soul be with yours." Marshall's object is to prove an inconsistency between their former practice, and the charge of schism, which was now generally alleged by the Nonjurors against the National Church.[1]
Marshall seems to intimate, that Sancroft acted inconsistently in appointing a commission to act in his name before his suspension; but a most ample defence may be set up for the Archbishop. This was indeed well done by Barbery, who thus meets the case: "I cannot see that the Archbishop acted inconsistently in this commission, his seeming to acquiesce in the Prince of Orange's making use of the regale was justifiable, provided he looked upon him as an usurper: because it did not imply an acknowledgment of the Prince of Orange's title, but only a tacit concordate made to let him enjoy the privilege of nominating to sees, provided he offered no injury to the rights of the Church: 'tis no necessary consequence that the Church should be overturned with the state. Archbishop Sancroft, if prayers had not been forced into Churches, which he could not comply with, and if no state deprivations had followed, in all probability would have acquiesced with having even Dr. Burnet imposed upon the Church, if it would have prevented the schism."[2] It is clear, as has been remarked repeatedly in the course of our narrative, that if the Oath had not been enforced, no
- ↑ Marshall's Defence, 162, 163.
- ↑ A serious Admonition to Dr. Kennet in order to persuade him to forbear the Character of an impartial Historian, &c. To which is added, A short but compleat Answer to Mr. Marshall's late Treatise called "A Defence," &c. By Matthias Earbery, Presbyter of the Church of England, p. 122.
