Bishop. He is correct in saying, that the former cannot be taken away by the civil power. He meets Stillingfleet's statements by asserting, that they were forced into the schism: "I cannot," says he, "see how a schism in the Church of England can be avoided, if these Oaths be imposed:" so that it is evident, that the Nonjurors would have remained at their posts in the Church, if the government had been content with their silent acquiescence. In all probability their uncomfortable feelings would soon have subsided, if the Oaths had not been imposed.[1]
Grascome was answered by Williams, subsequently Bishop of Chichester, in "A Vindication of a Discourse Concerning the Unreasonableness of a New Separation." Williams charges Grascome with a mistake in confounding deprivation with degradation. "All that the civil power here pretends to is to secure itself against the practices of dissatisfied persons; and to try who are such, it requires an Oath of Allegiance to be taken by all in office: and in case of refusal, by deprivation to disable such, as far as they can, from endangering the publick safety. But if the Clergy so deprived think fit to take the Oaths, they are in statu quo, without any new consecration or reordination."[2]
Grascome answered Williams in another work, in which are some things relative to the substitution of King William's name for that of King James's in the Liturgy. Williams had argued, that the Bishops, though they could not take the Oaths, might still join in communion with the Church, and avoid a
