Unpretentious workers began to tire of the everlasting quarreling, and
to long for a religion simple and quiet. These soon met trouble, for
the rulers had decided that salvation was by the Church of England, as
the sovereign, its head, should order. Dissent was the two-fold guilt
of heresy and revolution--sin against God and crime against the king
and English law. They were forbidden to preach at all if they would
not wear a gown during service, and the people who went to hear them
were punished. This treatment caused serious thought among the
"non-conformists," as they were called, and, once thinking, they soon
concluded that the king had no such supreme right to order the church,
and the church had over its ministers no such right of absolute
dictation.
5. Various sects sprang up, called by various names, differing among
themselves upon minor points, but agreeing more or less in dissent
from the full, unquestioned rule and service of the Episcopal Church.
Against all these dissenters the laws acted as against the Catholics.
Not only must Englishmen be Protestants, they must be Protestants of
the Church of England. Bodies were organized to keep strict watch of
the non-conformists. They were forbidden their simpler church worship
and fined if they did not attend that of the English Church. They were
"scoffed and scorned by the profane multitude, and so vexed, as truly
their affliction was not small.
Pages:
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222