s to preachers, which had been promulgated by the
late king, in the beginning of his reign, when no design against the
national religion was yet formed, or at least apprehended. But in the
present delicate and interesting situation of the church, there was
little reason to expect that orders, founded on no legal authority,
would be rigidly obeyed by preachers, who saw no security to themselves
but in preserving the confidence and regard of the people. Instead of
avoiding controversy, according to the king's injunctions, the preachers
every where declaimed against Popery; and among the rest, Dr. Sharpe, a
clergyman of London, particularly distinguished himself, and affected
to throw great contempt on those who had been induced to change their
religion by such pitiful arguments as the Romish missionaries could
suggest. This topic, being supposed to reflect on the king, gave great
offence at court; and positive orders were issued to the bishop of
London, his diocesan, immediately to suspend Sharpe, till his majesty's
pleasure should be further known. The prelate replied, that he could not
possibly obey these commands; But that he was not empowered, in such
a summary manner, to inflict any punishment even upon the greatest
delinquent. But neither this obvious reason, nor the most dutiful
submissions, both of the prelate and of Sharpe himself, could appease
the court. The king was determined to proceed with violence in the
prosecution of this affair. The bishop himself he resolved to punish for
disobedience to his commands; and the expedient which he employed
for that purpose, was of a nature at once the most illegal and most
alarming.

* D'Avaux, January 10, 1687.

Among all the engines of authority formerly employed by the crown, none
had been more dangerous or even destructive to liberty, than the court
of high commission, which, together with the star chamber, had been
abolished in the reign of Charles I. by act of parliament; in which a
clause was also inserted, prohibiting the erection, in all future times,
of that court, or any of a like nature. But this law was deemed by James
no obstacle; and an ecclesiastical commission was anew issued, by which
seven commissioners[*] were vested with full and unlimited authority
over the church of England.

* The persons named were, the archbishop of Canterbury,
Sancroft; the bishop of Durham, Crew; of Rochester, Sprat;
the earl of Rochester, Sunderland, Cha