Page:History of the Nonjurors.djvu/157

Rh genuous on the part of Hody not to publish the whole of the MS. The suppression led men to suppose, that there was a conviction in his own mind, that they rather opposed than supported his principle.

The Canons in question contain the rule, one God, one Christ, one Bishop. This point, indeed, was admitted by both parties, and the question was, who were the lawful Bishops. The author of the "Unity of the Priesthood" argues for the deprived Bishops, as being the first, and not canonically deprived. "The first Bishop (if canonically placed in the see) was ever accounted the true and Catholic, and the second the false and schismatical Bishop: and the Church was ever adjudged to go along with those, who by a lawful ordination were first set up in it: and the schism with those, who were afterwards superinduced and clapt upon them." According to this writer the Ordainers were the more to be censured. "Those Bishops I mean that first dressed up the ape, set him in the chair, and bad God speed unto him; hence, though submission and penance might reconcile the other Clergy, yet nothing less than utter deprivation and loss of their sacerdotal honours could atone for such." It was argued, by the supporters of the government, that the rejection of the interference of the state in this case involved also the rejection of the proceedings with the Bishops, who were deprived at the Reformation. This argument is met in the present work at considerable length. The author alludes to the Book of Common Prayer, which was duly and lawfully set forth by Parliament