Editing John Wilkins (section)

==Bishop==
Wilkins became vicar of [[Polebrook]], Northamptonshire, in 1666; [[prebendary]] of [[Exeter Cathedral|Exeter]] in 1667; and in the following year, prebendary of [[St Paul's Cathedral|St Paul's]] and bishop of [[Chester]]. He owed his position as bishop to the influence of [[George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham]]. Buckingham's approach to the religious problem of the day was [[comprehension (Church of England)|comprehension]], something less than [[religious tolerance]] but aimed at least at bringing in the [[Presbyterians]] among the nonconformists to the [[Church of England]] by some peaceful form of negotiation and arrangement. Wilkins too thought along these lines.<ref>{{Citation|first=NH|last=Keeble|title=The Restoration: England in the 1660s|year=2002|page=123}}.</ref> He had been a sympathetic reader of [[John Humfrey]]'s 1661 justification of his acceptance of re-ordination by [[William Piers (bishop)|William Piers]], having already once been ordained in the Presbyterian style by a [[classis (religion)|classis]].<ref>{{Citation|title=Dictionary of National Biography|contribution=Humfrey, John}}</ref>

As Wilkins was ordained, he spoke out against the use of penal laws, and immediately tried to gather support from other moderate bishops to see what concessions to the nonconformists could be made.<ref>{{Citation|first=John|last=Marshall|contribution=Locke and Latitudinarianism|page=257|editor1-first=Richard W.F.|editor1-last=Kroll|editor2-first=Richard|editor2-last=Ashcraft|editor3-first=Perez|editor3-last=Zagorin|title=Philosophy, Science, and Religion in England, 1640–1700|year=1991}}.</ref>

A serious effort was made in 1668 to secure a scheme of comprehension, with [[William Bates (1625-1699)|William Bates]], [[Richard Baxter]] and [[Thomas Manton]] for the dissenters meeting Wilkins and [[Hezekiah Burton]]. Wilkins felt the Presbyterians could be brought within the Church of England, while the Independent separatists were left outside. It fell through by late summer, with Manton blaming [[John Owen (theologian)|John Owen]] for independent scheming for general toleration with Buckingham, and Baxter pointing the finger at the House of Lords.<ref>{{Citation|first=William M.|last=Lamont|title=Richard Baxter and the Millennium|year=1979|page=220}}</ref>