laudable Practice

The young George Bull, having completed his studies with the Puritan Mr. Thomas - and having read those books by "Hooker, Hammond, Taylor, Grotius, Episcopius, &c" provided by the younger Thomas -  now sought ordination. According to Nelson's The Life of Dr. George Bull , this was a moment when Bull's theological allegiances were demonstrated: Soon after that he left Mr. Thomas, he entertained Thoughts of going into Holy Orders; he had read enough to convince him, that meer Presbyters had no Power to give him a Commission to exercise the Sacred Function, especially when the plausible Plea of Necessity could not be urged. In this Case Mr. Bull fought out for an unexceptionable Hand, that his Mission might be valid, according to the Practice of the Christian Church for Fifteen hundred Years, which affordeth not one Instance of Presbyterian Ordination, but what was condemned by the universal Voice of the Catholick Church.  This, of course, was in a context in which e...

There is a great deal of flaming Heat about Matters, in which more Gentleness and a milder Temper would both look better , and more effectually compass that which is designed by it;  I mean the bringing the Dissenters into our Communion. Bitter Railings, and a rough Behaviour, cannot make many Converts.  Gilbert Burnett's words from the Preface to the 1712 edition of his Discourse of Pastoral Care came to mind when reading William Gibson's excellent Samuel Wesley & the Crisis of Tory Piety, 1685-1720 (2021). Gibson addresses how the High Church and Tory Wesley differed from his Whig and Latitudinarian diocesan, William Wake, during the 'Lay Baptism' controversy of 1708-1712. The controversy commenced when an Anglican convert from Dissent, Roger Laurence (who had been re-baptised according to Anglican rites in 1708), wrote an inflammatory tract entitled  Lay Baptism Invalid, or an Essay to prove that such Baptism is Null and Void when administer'd in opposition...