An Essay on High Church Principles

Introduction

There is sometimes Fallacy in the Use of a Word. It is common this Country, to apply the Term High Churchman, when the Meaning is, simply that the designated Person is a zealous & consistent Member of the Episcopal Church. In this Essay, the Term is understood as begun to be used in England under the Stuart Line; & as it has continued to be used in the same Country at least until lately. The discriminating Marks are to be perceived in the History of it's Church; in which there have been a Proportion of her Divines attached to some Points, thought by others of them to be a retrograde Movement towards Popery; & not to be gathered from her Formularies of Faith & Worship. It is not intended, to charge those Divines with entertaining an Affection for Popery; but it is apprehended, that these Principles have an undesigned Tendency to so bad an Issue; which is the Point intended to be established in this Essay. It was be written, with the Hope of giving to those to whom it may be presented for Perusal, a Caution against an Evil occasionally shewing it's Head in our Church. It has been long since put down from the Seats of Power in England; for, ever since the Revolution in 1688, the Bishops have been of a different Description of Clergy. It would be a Pity, if there should be acquired by it an Influence over our Counsels & Administrations, for, there may be foreseen serious Dissentions as the Consequence.

The Subject shall be considered as it affects — the Constitution of the Christian Church — it's Doctrines — it's Worship, & — Civil Government, in it's Bearings on the other Points.

To read Bishop William White's entire essay, with explanatory introduction and notes by Cynthia McFarland, click here.

At the time Bishop White wrote this essay, the term "Low Church" was used perjoratively to refer to the Latitudinarians. The Oxford Tractarian movement would subsequently apply it to the Evangelicals.