LIBRARY op THE Theological Seminary, PRINCETON, N. J. UY sn37 .T67 1837 Topiady, Augustus Montague, 1740-1778. The works of Augustus Toplady, B.A., late vicar_ Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2014 https://archive.org/details/worksofaugustustOOtopl THE WORKS AUGUSTUS TOPLADY, B.A., LATE VICAR OF BROAD HEMBURY, DEVON. COMPLETE IN ONE V O L II M Iv PRINTED VERBATIM FROM THE FIRST EDITION OF HIS WORKS. 1 7!)4. LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. CHIDLEY, 12:3, ALDERSGATE STRKET MDCCCXXXVIt. PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION OF THE WORK. Soon after the decease of Mr. Toplady, many persons, who loved his principles and revered his memory, expressed an earnest desire to have a complete edition of his works. Nothing- of the kind was, however, attempted, until the year 1792, when the undertaking- was finally determined upon. Materials were accordingly collected, and application was made to some gentlemen of literary character, whose principles coincided with the Author's, to undertake the arrangement for publication. Their assistance was promised, but the conditions were afterwards found to be such as could not be assented to, without proving- injurious to the work, and probably giving it the appearance of an imposition on the public. Apprehensive that the world would thus be deprived of a considerable part of the writings of a justly admired author, the proprietors determined to proceed in the under- taking, and the superintendence devolved on one whose abilities (in his own estimation) were disproportioned to the task. He is satisfied with having- secured from oblivion so large a portion of valuable com- positions, and throws himself upon the candour of the public, without any studied or aflected apologies. The peculiar object in the writing-s of Mr. Toplady was to bring- vital Christianity to vievv, and to display its principles, defended with arguments drawn from the same source. His admirable pages are a masterly and consistent defence of the Divine Attributes, in unison with the writings of the Old and New Testament.. For it will be self- evident, to those who will only consider, that the perennial opposition made to the doctrines ot discriminating grace, in the absolute love of the everlasting Father, proceeding forth from Him in His beloved Son, and communicated to a peculiar people by the Holy Spirit, are the identical objections reiterated against the purposes of the Almighty, respecting the restriction of the volume of Revelation. It must be perceivable that the very reception of the Scriptures, among any people, cannot be supported but on the principles of our Author. For the question has been asked, and often repeated, If the Divine records are acknowledged to be " A light to them who sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death," and a directory " To guide their feet in the paths of peace," how is it to be accounted for, that millions of the inhabitants of the globe are without its saving and salutary influence ? Taking a survey of human nature, what reason can be given that so many of our fellow creatures are worshipping the idols of their imagination with obscene and barbarous rites, and viii PREFACE. others sunk in the very dregs of brutal voluptuousness? Why are the Vedam, the Zend-Avesta, the Sadder, and the Alcoran, received and acknowledged with all their fanciful conjectures and chronological chimeras, and the deposit of sacred writ not so much as heard of in the midst of the rubbish of those absurdities ? and where the vivifying beams of revelation are displayed, as thfey are in this country, and at this period of time, how is it that the intellectual darkness of the mind is not dissipated so as to perceive its radiance ? Who upon earth can give a satisfactory reason for these facts, or develope to the human mind the various dispensations of God, in denying or withholding the light of rcA'Clation, without resolving it into the divine will, and ul- timately taking up the words of Him who spake as never man did, " Even so, Father, for so it seemeth good in thy sight." These weighty investigations, which the importance of the subject brings under consideration, were some of the principal topics which employed the abilities of our Author. From those who are not influenced by a saving knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus no- thing is to be expected, in the perusal of these writings, but the most inveterate opposition, hasty censure, and unbridled license of decla- mation ; while those who are taught from above cannot be brought to abandon a belief so full of enlivening consolations, and attested to their consciences by irrefragable documents; they will be induced to contemplate the inconceivable greatness, the inaccessible height, the unfathomable researches, and immeasurable extent of these heavenly excellencies, and exclaim, with the apostle Paul, " O the depth ol" the riches, both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out !" While meditating on this preliminary state of things, the thoughts will expand with an earnest desire to that eventful period when a far nobler scene shall be opened, when this faint twilight shall be preceded with the blaze of an eternal day ; and when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. NOTE. The Proprietors desire to acknowledge publicly, in terms of the warmest and most sincere gratitude, their obligations to the promoters of the work, and particularly to Mr. Hussey, for the many marks he has shown of his disinterested attention, as well as for his cheerful communication of the remain- ing manuscripts of his dear deceased friend. CONTENTS. . lAOK An Account of the Life and Writings of the Author . 1 Last Will . . . . . . 41 Elegiac Poem on the death of the Author . . 42 INTRODVCTION. I Occasion of the present undertaking. Free-willers | punished with imprisonment by king Edward VL and our first reformers. Harmony between Popery and Arminianism. Remarkable particulars con- cerning .(ohn Goodwin the Filih-raonarchy man. Case of departed infants considered . .46 SECTIOM I. Free-willers the first dissenters of the reformed church of England. Calvinism of King Edward, and of the Lord Protector Somerset. That king a prodigy of parts, piety, and learning. Vindica- tion of his character from the nibbling of Papists and Arminians . . . .59 SECTION II. Modern Geneva arminianized, through the abolition of ministerial subscriptions. Some particulars respecting Dr. Christopher Potter. Arminianism proved on the church of Rome. Pope Leo X. anathematizes Luther for denying the doctrines of free-will and perfection. Luther's undaunted behaviour on that occasion . . .64 , SECTIO.V III. The council of Trent called, with a view to stem the progress of the Calvinistic doctrines. The decisions of that council, and therein of the Ro- mish church at large, in favour of free-will, con- ditional predestination, merit, and justification by works . . . . .69 SECTION IV. The Arminianism of the church of Rome farther evinced in her treatment of Jansenius and Ques- nel. Concise history of Jansenius and Quesnel. Conc'se history of Jansenius, and of the cele- brated five propositions. Extracts from the hun- dred and one propositions of Quesnel. Bull Unigenitus . . . . , .71 SECTION V. The supposed Calvinism of Thomas Aquinas con- sidered. Summary of St. Austin's doctrine con- cerning grace . . . . . . 75 SECTION VI. Some account of the Ranters, and their principles. Doctrinal agreement between that sect and many of the modem Arminians . . . . SECTION VII. Arminianism not the doctrine of the four first cen- turies. The judgment of Barnabas, of Clement, of Ignatius, and of Polycarp, concerning those articles of faith which stand between Calvinists and Arminians . . . , W SECTION VIII. Judgment of some eminent i>ersons, who flourished antecedently to the Reformation, concerning those points. The Albigenses and Waldenses. Sketch of Gotteschalcus' doctrines and sufferings. Remigius of Lyons. Florus Magister ... 88 SECTION IX. Judgment of eminent persons before the Reforma- tion, continued. John Huss, Jerom of Prague, John de Wesalii . . . .95 SECTION X. Judgment of several eminent persons in England, previous to the Reformation. Bede, Bishop Grosthead, Dr. John Wickliff, Archbishop Brad- wardin. Lord Cobham . . . .99 SECTION XI. The charge of Mahometanism refuted and retorted 1 14 SECTION XII. Judgment of eminent English Martyrs, prior to the settlement of the Reformation. Sawtree, Clay- don, Bilney, Bainham, Tyndal, Lambert, As- cough, Barnes, Hamelton, Frith, Wishart . . 116 SECTION XIII. The judgment of our English reformers. Arch- bishop Cranmer, Bishop Ridley, Bishop Latimer 124 SECTION XIV. Judgment of the English Reformers continued. Bishop Hooper, Bishop Peter Martyr, Doctor Bucer 1« SECTION XV. Of Calvin's share in the Reformation of the church of England. Honours paid to his name by our old bishops and divines. His cordial approbation of episcopacy . ..... 169 SECTION XVI. Thejudgment of the most eminent English Martyrs and Confessors who suffered death, or persecu- tion, after the overthrow of the Reformation, by Queen Mary I 163 SECTION XVII. The judgment of the Martyrs concluded . . 178 SECTION XVIII. The re-establishment of the Church of England by Queen Elizabeth 191 SECTION XIX. State of the Calvinistic Doctrines in England, from the death of Elizabeth, to that of King James 1. 227 SECTION XX. The introduction of Arminianism by Archbishop Laud. Short review of the Calvinism of our Bi- shops and Universities, antecedeiuly to that a^ra. Objections answered; and the whole concluded . 251 A word concerning the Bathing-tub Baptism . 279 Chronology of England, from Egbert to Henry the Eighth. . . . . . 28« Free Thoughts on the projected application to Par- liament in the year 1771, for the abolition of Ec- clesiastical Subscription - . . . 300 SERMON I. A caveat against Unsound Doctrine .... 307 Postcript 324 SERMON II. Jesus seen of Angels 325 SERMON IV. God's mindfulness of man 333 SERMON V. Clerical Subscription no Grievance; or the Doc- trines of the Church of F'.ngland iiro\ cd lo be the Doctrines of Christ 340 ii CONTENTS. PAGE BKBMOIf VI. Frfe-will and Merit fairly Examined; or, Men not their own Saviours. ..... 352 SERMON VII. Good news from from Heaven ; or, the Gospel a joyful sound ...... 362 SERMON VIII. Joy in Heaven over one Repenting Sinner . . 374 SERMON IX. The Existence and the Creed of Devils considered ; with a Word concerning Apparitions . . . 384 SERMON X. Moral and Political Moderation Recommended . 392 ESSAYS. Reflections ou the Conversion of Matthew . . 3!)S Life a journey ...... 4(I2 A short Essay on Original Sin . . . 4UU An Essay on the various Fears to which God's peo- ple are liable ...... 413 Christmas meditations ..... 424 A meditation for New Year's Day . . . 427 A Description of Antinomianism .... 430 Thoughts on Rev. vii. 14. 15 . . . . 432 Considerations on Heb. vi. 4, 5, 6 . . . 433 Remarks on Eccles. vii. 16 . . . . . 434 Observations on 1 Cor. xv. 28 ... . ibid Explication of Rom. viii. 4 .... 435 An explication of that remarkable passage Rom. ix. 3 . . . . . . 4.36 An illustration concerning 1 Cor. xv. 23 . . ibid Explanation of that Declaration of the Apostle, 1 Cor. XV. 5. . . . . . ibid A Sacramental Meditation on Cant. viii. 14 . . 437 Meditations on the Collect for the first Sunday in Advent ...... ibid Concise history of the Apostle's Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed, and the Te Deum 438 Query, concerning a passage in the marriage cere- mony stated and resolved . . . 439 A cursory review of valour, patriotism, and friend- ship, occasioned by a late celebrated author ex- excluding them from the list of virtues . . ibid On sacred poetry ..... 440 Reflections for the beginning of the year 1776 . 441 Thoughts on the assurance of faith . . ibid Spetch delivered at the Queen's Arras, Newgate- street, on the following ([uestion, Whether the world is to be destroyed ? and what are the ap- proaching symptoms of its dissolution ?" . . 443 Speech delivered at the Queen's Arms, Newgate- street, on the following question, ''Whether un- necessary cruelty to the brute creation is not criminal ?" . . . . . ibid Speech delivered at the Queen's Arms, Newgate- street, on the following question, " Whether our good works will add to our degree of future glory ?"..... 446 Questions and answers relative to the National Debt, written in the year 1775 . . . 443 The manner of stonmg a criminal to death, among the ancient Jews .... 450 The manner of whipping among the ancient Jews . ibid Remarkable description of St. Paul's person . ibid Some account of Mr. John Knox, translated from the Latin of Melchior Adams . . . 451 Life of .Mr. Fox, the Martyn.logist . . 454 Life of Dr. Jewel, Bishop of Salisbury . . 46U Some account of Dr. Carleton, Bishop of Chichester 467 Memoirs of Lord Harington, Baron of Exton > 469 Some account of the life of Herman Witsius, D.D, translated from the Latin Oration which Mar- kius delivered before the University of Leyden, at his interment . . . .470 PAGE Some account of the Rev. Mr. AIsop . . 479 Some account of the Rev. Dr. Thomas Wilson, late Bishop of Sodor and Man . . . 481 Some outlines of the life of Dr. Isaac Watts . 484 Some account of Mrs. Elizabeth Rowe . . 483 .\n attempt towards a concise character of the late Rev. Mr. Whitefleld . . . .494 Anecdotes, Incidents, and Historic Passages . 495 Sketch of Natural History, with a few particulars respecting Birds, Meteors, Sagacity of Brutes, and the solar system .... 518 Observations and reflections . . . 539 Excellent passages from eminent persons . . 556 Christianity reversed . , . . 607 A sketch of modern Female Education . . 608 Important remarks .... 609 The Church of England vindicated from the charge of Armiiiianism .... 810 Doctrine of absolute predestination stated and a.s- serted . . . . .663 Preface. General observations concerning Predesti- nation, Providence and fate . . . ibid Life of Zanchy ..... 6(i9 Introductory view of the Divine Attributes . 675 CHAPTER I. Explanation of terms ..... 687 CHAPTER II. of predestination at large . . . - . 690 CHAPTER III. Of election in particular ... . 693 CHAPTER IV. of reprobation 697 CHAPTER V. On the preaching of these doctrines . . ,7^'^ Short dissertation concerning fate . . . 716 Letter to the Rev. Mr. Wesley, relative to his abridg- ment of Zanchius on predestination . . . 719 More work for Mr. Wesley, or, a vindication of the decrees and providences of God . . . 729 An old fox tarred and feathered, occasioned by Mr. Wesley's calm address to the American colonies . 762 Particulars of Pope Joan ..... 7 ibid 8.17 ibid 8.3J) «.•)!) ibid ibid 840 844 84.5 84B ibid (148 ibid 841) ibid H-HI ibid 8.51 8.-,2 ibid 8.53 8.54 ibid XXXVII. XXXVIII. XXXIX. XL. XLI. XLII. XLIII. XLIV. XLV. XLVI. XLVII. XLVIII. XLIX, L. LI. LII. LIII. LIV. LV. LVI. LVII. LVIH. LIX. LX. LXI. LXH. LXIII. LXIV. LXV. LXVI. L.WII. LXVIII. LXIX. LXX. LXXI. LXXII. LXXIII. LXX IV. LXXV. LXXVI. LXXVII. LXXVI I L PAOB Mr. Toplady to Mrs. Macaulay . . 8.53 Rev. Mr. De Coetlogon ibid Mr. G. F. . Mr. H. . . . Mrs. Macaulay . Rev. Mr. Madan Rev. Mr. Romaine Ambrose Serle, Esq. . Mr.O. Mr. . Mrs. B. . . . Rev. Dr. B. Countess Huntingdon Rev. Dr. Priestley Mr. . Rev. Mr. Ryland Ambrose Serle, Esq. . Mrs. Macaulay . Mr. L. C. Mr. Francis Toplady . Rev. Mr. . Rev. Dr. Gilford Messrs. Vallance & Co. Lady Huntingdon Mr. L. . . . Mr. N. . . . Mr. Dodd . R •!". Mr. Bcrridge Mr. T. . Mr. Hussey Mr. . •• A.B. ■ • Rev. Dr. B. . • Mrs. A. G. • • Mr. E. K. • • Mr. F. . • ■ Mr. Vallance . • . • Mr. T. W. • • Rev. Dr. Priestley . • Mrs. Fowler • - Mr. Hussey ■ • Mr. Hussey An answer to a question, whether popular applause can yield solid satisfaction to a truly great mind An answer to a question, whether a highwayman or a cheating tradesman is the honester person Juvenile poems on sacred subjects Preface ...... Petitionary hymns .... Euchaiis'.ic hymns .... Paraphrases on select parts of holy writ Occ." ional pieces on the death of friends 8^ ibid 8.57 858 ibid 8,59 ibid 800 ibid SGI 8fi2 8G3 8(» Hia ibid 007 ibid 81,9 870 ibid 872 873 ibid ibid 874 ibid ibid ibid 876 877 ibid 878 i6id ibid 880 ibid ibid 881 ibid 882 884 885 ibid 886 8!>4 perly reducible to any of the preceding heads . 905 Poetical compositions written in mature years . 905 I. To the Holy Spirit . . 900 n. A contemplation suggested by Rev. ' •. 19 ibid III. Happiness found . 90!) IV. Affliction .... . ibid V. The method of salvation . . ibid VI. The evil heart . ibid VII. Thy kingdom come . . ibid VIII. The propitiation . ibid IX. Assurance of faith . . 910 X. To Ihe Blessed Spirit . ibid XL Divine breathings . . ibid XIL Psalm cxlvii. 1. . . , . ibid XIII. Hebrews x. 1!). We have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus .... . ibid XIV. A propitious g.ile longed for . .011 XV. All in all .... . ibid XVI. Weak believers encouraged . ibid XVII. Christ the light of his people . . ibid XVIII. Leaning on the Beloved . 912 XIX. Before hearing . , , . I ibid XX. A morning hymn ... . iHkt CONTENTS PACK PAnB XXI A c^i&inbcr hymn .... ibid X aV. He hath borne our griefs, oic. XXII A prayer, living and dying . . ibid XX V J. Faith in the promises XXIII. To the Trinity . • . ■ 913 XX VI r. Divine aid * * • ■ ibid XXIV S Tim i. 9. Who bath saved us and XX VIII. Almighty power • . ■ ibid called us with a holy calling; not ac- XXIX. Mercy experienced . • • 914 cording to OUT works, bur accord- XXX. Kervent desire • ■ . ibid ing to his own purpose and grace, XXXI. Written in illness. Psalm civ. 34. My which was given us before the world meditation of him shall be sweet . ibid b^an .... ibid XXXII. The dying believer to his soul • . ibid » M E M O I RJS Rev. AUGUSTUS MONTAGUE TOPLADY, A. B. On perusing the pages of biography, we find therein delineated the achievements of vari- ous persons exhibited to the world, according to the caprice and mutability of human opi- nion. fJut when we turn our views to the infallible leaves of inspiration, we discover a just discrimination of characters, with that mark of distinction stamped upon them from heaven, that stands in everlasting force, and admits of no exception. According to Scrip- ture testimony, the righteous and the wicked are the only two classes that mankind are divided into; whatever becomes of the ungod- ly, the sacred records inform us, that it shall be well respecting the present and eternal prosperity of believers. For, " the foundation of the Lord," or his immoveable purpose re- specting his people, " standeth sure, having this seal," this authentic and inviolable sanc- tion, "The Lord knoweth," the Lord loves, and will ever continue to take care of, " them that are his." We have many striking illustrations of the wonderful preservations experienced by the worthies of the Old and New Testaments, their whole history presents us with little else but a continued chain of miraculous provi- dences. When God has had any particular employment for them to be engaged in, how suitably has he prepared and equipped his work- men for the work he has appointed them for! If, for example, we look at Elijah, we shall per- ceive a plain, blunt, honest prophet: a stran- ger to refinement, and to the blandishments of the world, but formed to speak of God's testimonies before princes, without being ashamed. It was Elijah against all Israel, and all Israel against Elijah. " But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong, by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob." How eminently is this ex- emplified in the history of Isaiah, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, and the apostle Paul, who were copiously furnished for that sphere of action unto which they were appointed ! If we descend from Jewish to modern times, many peculiar instances will occur to eluci- date this remark. Luther had inflexible ene- mies to withstand, and he strove with them roughly. His nerves were like steel, his bow like iron ; his voice like thunder, and the force of his pen has been compared to the weight of Hercules' club. He was destined to en- gage with dangers and fierce persecutions ; and God armed him for the war accordingly. Calvin was a complete gentleman, and a polite scholar, his feelings were fine, and his nerves delicate. He was not appointed of God for such hard public work as Luther : and, com- paratively speaking, he met with little violent persecution during the course of his life. In our own country, Mr. Whitefield was designed of God to be the grand and honour- ed instrument of restoring the truths and the power of the gospel in England. He was therefore fitted for his employ. He feared the face neither of men nor devils. Like an eagle, he flew from country to country, sounding intrepidly the gospel trumpet as he flew. Mr. Hervey was not prepared, neither was he called to, the same dangerous and difficult department. The holy rector of Weston was formed more for study than for public action ; it was his delight to cultivate the elegant parts of learning in retirement and obscurity ; and to speak for Christ rather by his pen, than as an apostolic itinerant. Mr. Toplady was peculiarly set apart to ex- hibit and defend the prominent features of revelation. He has pushed his adversaries with more inflexibility, intrepidity and vigour, than was ever done by any preceding cham- pions. His animated warmth was justly pro- portioned to the cause he had espoused. The objections that have been reiterated against the doctrines of grace appeared to have been collected into one focus, and held up to his view with an air of triumph, and with the confidence of certain victory, but under the divine auspices, and in the spirit of sincerity B 2 MEMOIRS OF THR and truth, he was enabled to repel those attacks, that were made aijainst the bulwark of (]hiistiai>.ity, in such a manner as almost to supersede any eulotfium that can be passed upon his uncommon abilities. The last illustrious character, who is the subject of these memoirs, was son of Richard Toplady, a major, who died at the siege of C'arthayeiia, soon alter his birth. His mother's maiden name was Catharine Bate. She was sister to the late Rev. Mr. Julia Bate, and the Rev. Mr. Bate, rector of St. Paul's, Deptford ; by whom they were married at the above church, December 21, 1737. They had issue one son named Francis, who died in his infan- cy, and afterwards our author. He drew his first breath at Farnham, in Surrey, November the 4th, 1740 His godfathers were Augustus Middleton, and Adolphus Montague, Esquires; in honour to whom he bore the Christian name of the one, and the surname of the other. He received the first rudiments of his education at Westminster-school, where he early evinced and increased a peculiar genius. From his studies al that place, he accompanied his honoured parent in a journey to Ireland, to pursue claims to an estate which she had in that kingdom. Notwithstanding the solitary state in which his mother was left, she anxi- ously watched over him, with the deepest sympathy of affection, and persevered in a plan for his education and future views in life, which were the principal concerns of her maternal solicitude. The son returned her tender care with the utmost affection. Indeed, so great was the obligation which he always conceived lie owed her, that he never menti- oned her but in words expressive of sensibi- lity and giatitude. As this son of the prophets was improving those natural talents he was so eminently en- dowed with, it pleased God in his providence, when he was about the age of sixteen, to direct his steps into a barn, at a place called Codymain, in Ireland, where a layman was preaching. The wurd of God, then deliver- ing, was fixed upon his conscience, " in de- monstration of the Spirit and with power." Let it not rashly be deemed the enthusiasm of a visionist, or the igitus fatiuis of religious distraction, when we assert, '• That his faith did not stand in tlie wisdom of men, but in the power of God." There was nothing pecu- liar in the place, nor instrument, to work upon the fancy or passions : therefore, to attempt to explain the effect, by any logical or meta- physical investigation, would be ridiculous, while we hd^e the Scriptures in congeniality with facts, to inlorm us that " it pleaseth God, by the fooii^hiiess of preactiing, to save them that believe." A few years after the above memorable cir- cumstance, Mr. Topiady reflects upon it in the following words: "February 2!), 1768, at night, after my return from Exeter, my desires weie strongly drawn out, and drawn up to God. I could, indeed, say, that I groaned with the groans of love, joy, and peace ; but so it was, even with comfortable groans tliat cannot be uttered. That sweet text, Ephe- sians ii. \3, "Ye, who sometimes were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ," was particularly delightful and refreshing to my soul ; and the more so, as it reminded me if the days and months that are past, even the day of my sensible espousals to the Biide- groom of the elect. It was from t,hat passage that Mr. Morris preached on the memorable evening of my effectual call ; by the grace of God, under the ministry of that dear messen. ger, and under that sermon, I was, I trust brought nigh by the blood of Christ, in August, 1756. " Strange that I, who had solcngsatundei the means of grace in England, should be brought nigh to God in an obscure part of Ireland, amidst a handful of God's people met together in a barn, and under the minis- try of one who could hardly spell hi.* name I Surely it was the Lord's doing, and is mar- vellous! The excellency of such power must be of God, and cannot be of man • the rege- nerating Spirit breathes not only on whom, but likewise when, where, and as he listeth." On the perusal of this event, no doubt but the sceptic will rage, the deist sneei, and the person who assumes the character of a rati- onal Christian will contumaciously ask, How can these things be ? Rather let such in a spirit of humility fall prostrate before God, and intreat him to make them recipients of the grace of conversion, which bringeth sal- vation. For, without this experience, l eal vital Christianity will appear futile and fallacious, and the Divine Records seem as volatile as the sybil leaves. Our author early made it appear, that he was not afraid of literary labour ; the valuable years of his youth were devoted to useful and honourable studies, rather than to frivolous oc- cupations, such as too often engross the minds of young men at his age. He laid a solid basis for future years, and the superstructure was beautiful. Between the age of fifteen and eigh- teen, by way of relaxation from his studies, he employed himself in writing little poetic pieces, which were printed in a 1 2mo. volume at Dublin, in the year 1759. They are by nn means deficient in spirit and force ; some of the verses are truly poetical, and many of the thoughts new. Amidst the small inaccuracies of these juvenile compositions, there are indu- bitable marks of genius. The youth and in- experience of the writer must be looked upon as an extenuation, so as to preclude every idea of criticism. The ardour of piety and religion, which irradiated the morning of his life, was increased with lustre in his maturer years REV. AUGUSTUS TOPLADY. Richly replete with a variety of gifts, and divinely instructed into those doctrines re- quisite for a Christian and a minister, he received imposition of hands on Trinity Sun- day, the 6th of June, 17()2. He entered upon the ministerial function, not only as a scholar, and as one professing religion, but as an honest man. He mentions, that he subscribed to the articles, homilies, and liturgy, five separate times, from principle ; he did not believe them because he subscribed them, but sub- scribed them because he believed them. He was well persuaded, that after such an awful declaration made by every candidate for holy orders, the man that can draw back, or pal- liate, for any sinister purpose, the doctrines he has subscribed, so as to insinuate himself into the favour of men, to avoid persecution, or for any aggrandisement, must be devoid of every upright principle, and openly prove him- self an apostate from the Church, a traitor to the cause he once avowed, and a liar to the Holy Ghost. Shortly after his initiation into the ministry, he was inducted into the living of Blagdon, in Somersetshire, which was procured by friends, in a n)anner very usual ; but so scrupulous was he, when acquainted with the circumstance, that he was not easy until he had resigned it. In the year l/^'H, he took possession of the vicarship of Broad-Hembury, near Honiton, in Devonshire, which he held until his death. Ky the love and lenity he had to his people, the whole produce of the living did not amount to 80/. per annum. — He was by no means sedu- lous after temporal profits, or desirous of pur- suing ecclesiastical preferments. It was his pre-eminence to merit the highest, and to be content with the lovvest. In this situation he composed the greatest part of those writings, tvhich will be esteemed and valued, while the genuine principles of Christianity continue to be revered. lo bring the reader more intimately ac- quainted with this excellent character, we shall insert a Diary found in his manuscript papers, entitled " Short Memorials of God's gracious Dealings with my Soul, in a Wav of spiritual Experience, from Dec. G, 1 767," with this motto, " Bethel visits ought to be remembered." They contain an intense union of the most exalted sentiments in the engage- ment he was dedicated unto, and display the feelings of a soul in devout and ardent desires towards the Father of Spirits, unconnected with a heated imagination, or a stupid stoicism of devotion. Snndny, Dec. 6, 1767. In the morning, •;ead prayers and preached, here at Fen-Ottery, to a very attentive congregation. In the efternoon, the congregation at Harpford was exceedingly numerous ; and God enabled me to pi-each with great enlargement of mind and lervour. The doctrine did indeed seem to descend as the dew, and to be welcome as refreshing showers to the grass. O, my Lord, let not my ministry be approved only, or tend to no more than conciliating the esteem and affections of my people to thy unworthy mes- senger ; but do the work of thy grace upon their hearts : call in thy chosen ; seal and edify thy regenerate ; and command thy ever- lasting blessing on their souls ! Save me from self-opinion, and from self-seeking ; and may they cease from man, and look solely to thee ! Monday, 7- Received a letter from Mr. Luce, and answered it. Gracious God, dispose of the event, to which it relates, as seemeth best to thee ! Choose thou my heritage and my lot ! Let it be thy doing, not mine ! This afternoon, I received a letter from my honoured mother, and my chest from London. It is a satisfaction to receive these presents and pledges of an earthly parent's love : but all the relations, and all the good things of this life, are less than nothing, and vanity, when compared with the love of Christ that passeth knowledge, and with one glimpse of thy special favour, O thou gracious Father of spirits- Tuesday, 8. Was much refreshed, and sensibly comforted, in the evening, while read- ing Dr. Gill's sermon on the Death of Mr. Fall. Jf'ednesday, 9. A good deal of company dined here. How unprofitable are worldly interviews ! Spent the evening much more advantageously in reading Dr. Gill's sermon on " The Watchman's Answer," and that great man's tract on final perseverance. Lord, grant me more and clearer evidences of my interest in that everlasting covenant, which is ordered in all things, and sure ! Thursday, 10. Heard that Mr. Duke has had a relapse into his fever. Pity, that so amiable a person in other respects should want the one thing needful ! How much has he suffered, since 1 knew him, by drinking too freely ; and how many narrow escapes has he had of his life ! Yet, I fear, he goes on .t in thy truths. Let me but go on experimentally and sensibly to know thee ; and then it will be absolutely impossible for me to depart from the preciKUS doctrines of grace ; my early insight into which I look upon as one of the distin- guishing blessings of my life. In the evening, received a letter from Mr. Andrew Lacam, of London, wherein he gives me this account of his late sister, Mrs. Carter, who died last month: "She had, for some time, left the fountain of living waters. I had two different conferences with her during her illness. I assured her, that I did not come to lord it over her; but, in love to her soul, put the question. How stand matters between God and you Her attestation was, vvith sighs and tears, as follows: 'I am truly sensible that I have run away from God., and it is my heart's burden. But it is written in God's word, " Whoso cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out." I will, therefore, upon his promise, ven- ture to cast my soul, without resei ve, upon Jesus Christ ; and there I am sure I can never perish.' Upon this, we went to prayer," &c. I could not forbear answering my friend's letter almost as soon as I received it ; and, among other things, observed to him as follows : " The account yr u give of dear Mrs. Carter's decease, is a ground for hoj)e in Israel concerning her. It is a great and blessed thing when we are enabled to cast ourselves on the promises. It cannot possibly be done without faith : and he that believeth shall be saved. Adored be the free grace of God, which, I trust, healed the backslidings of your sister, and brought her again within the bond of the covenant. His Spirit alone can drive the plough share of penitential con- viction through a sinner's heart, and give us to mourn at the spiritual sight of him whom our sins have pierced. The Lord give us to mourn more and more, until we have mourned away our unbelief, our carelessness, and hard- ness of heart! The soul, I verily believe, is never safer than when, with returning Mary, we stand at the feet of Christ, behind him, weeping. I read lately of a minister in the last century, whose departing words were, "A broken and a contrite bean, () God, thou wilt not despise." Nor can I think such a state to be at all inferior, in point of real safety, to that of a good man who died a few years ago in London, with these triumphant words in his mouth, " Now, angels, do your office." Of some it is written, "They shall come vvith weeping, and with supplications will I lead them ;" while otheis of the Lord's people enter the haven . f everlasting life, as it were, with full sails and Hying colours : they "return with singing unto Zion." But this is our comfort, that of all whom the Father gave to Christ, he will not 8 MEMOIRS OF THE lose one. However the joy of faith may decline, the grace itself shall never totally fail; having, for its security, the Father's covenant-love, which is from everlasting to everlasting ; the blessed Mediator's intercession, which is per- petual and all prevailing; and the faithfulness of the Holy Ghost, who, when once given, is a fountain of living water, springing up in the believer's heart to life eternal. May he, in all his plentitude of saving grace and heavenly love, descend upon our souls as dew, and make us glad with the light of his countenance ! — ■ When I consider the goodness of God to me, the chief of sinners, I am astonished at the coldness of my gratitude and the smallness of my love. Yet, httleand cold as it is, even that is his gift, and the work of his Spirit. An earn- est, 1 cannot doubt, of more and greater. The Lord Jesus increase the spark to a flame, and make the little one become a thousand ! My health, after which you are so kind as to enquire, was never better. And, vvhich is greater still, I often experience the peace that passeth all understanding, and the joy that is unspeakable and full of glory. Not that I am always upon the mount. There are seasons, in which my Lord is " as one that hideth himself." But he only hides himself. He never forsakes the sinner he has loved. And, blessed be his name, he has engaged that the regenerate soul shall never totally forsake him ; else, there would never be a saint in heaven. I rejoice to hear of Mrs. W.'s temporal welfare ; and pray God to make her, spiritually, such as he would have her to be. She and I have much chaff to be burnt up ; much tin to be consumed ; may the blood of the Lamb be upon us both, for pardon ; and the sacred Spirit be to us as a refining fire, forsanctification. If you write to her, do present the ciptainand her with my christian respects : and let her know from me, that except she comes to Christ as a poor sinner, with the h dter of self-abase- ment round her neck, and t'le empty vessel of faith in her hand ; as a condemned criminal, who has nothing to plead; and as an insolvent debtor, who has nothing to pay ; she is stout- hearted, and far from righteousness. The way to be filled with the fulness of God, is to bring no money in our sack's mouth. If you see my old friend, Mr. I. tell him, that he will not be able to find any rest for the sole of his foot, until he returns to the doctrines of grace, and flies back to the ark of God's election." Tuesday, 29. At night, before I betook my- self to rest, I was enabled to act faith very strongly on the promises. It was as if I had held a conversation with God. He assured me of his faithfulness, and I trusted him. It was whispered to my soul, "Thou shall find me faithful:" my soul answered, "Lord, I believe it : I take thee at thy word." This, I am cer- tain, was more than fancy. It was too sweet, too clear, and too powerful, to be the daughter of imagination. There was a nescio quiddtvin't, attended with joy unspeaTfable, as much supe- rior to all the sensations excited by earthly com- forts, as the heavens are higher than the earth. Besides, in my experience of this kind, when under the immediate light of God's presence within, my soul is, in great measure, passive ; and lies open to the beams of the Sun of righte- ousness. These acts of faith, love, and spiritual aspiration, are subsequent to, and occasioned by, this unutterable reception of divine influ- ence. I bless my God, I know his inward voice ; the still, small whisper of his good Spirit : and can distinguish it from every other suggestion whatever. Lord, evermore give me this bread to eat, which the world knoweth not of 1 JFednesday, 30. Held my tithe dinner at Harpford. The greater part of both parishes attended : they seemed greatly satisfied ; I had as much reason to be satisfied with them. Busy as I was myself, in receiving my dues, and numerous as the company was, Mr. Powell, of Ottery (who made one), and myself, had several opportunities of conversing on the best subjects, particularly the decrees of God, and the spiritual impotence of man's will. Paid farmer Carter for four bushels of wheat, to be distributed among the poor, as follows JoUn Churchill, Robert Bishop, Henry Wilson, James Bedford, jun., Joseph Wescoat, James Wey, Saiah Hare, John Churchill of Souther- town, Charles Redwood, Patience Hall, William Perry, William May, jun., Elias Tews, Richard Haddon, and Richard House, one peck each ; and half a peck each, to Eliiiabeth Critchard, and William May, sen. Before I went to bed, God gave me such sense of his love as came but little short of full assur- ance. Who am I, O Lord? The weakest and ;he vilest of all thy called ones : not only the least of saints, but the chief of sinners. But though a sinner, yet sanctified, in part, by the Holy Ghost given unto me. I should wrong the work of his grace upon my heart, were I to deny my regeneration : but, Lord, I wi->h for a nearer conformity to thy image. My short-comings and my mis-doings, my unbelief and want of love, would sink me into the nethermost hell, was not Jesus my righteousness and my redemp- tion. There is no sin which I should not com- mit, were not Jesus, by the power of his Spirit, my sanctification. O when shall I resemble him quite, and have all the mind that was in him? When I see him face to face ; which God will hasten in hi? time. Thursday, All day within, reading. The thought of how many acquaintances I have lost by death, within the course of this year, dwelt with great weiglit upon my mind. The following persons are some of them : Rev. Mr. Piers, (rector of Killishee, in Ireland), Sir Robert Long, Lord Tavistock, Rev. Mr. William Anderson, Mr. Davis, of Hatton-garden, my aunt Bate, at Dcptford, Arch-deacon Potter^ Mrs. Cox, Mrs. Carter, Mr. Warner, Mr. Ben- REV. AUGUSTUS TOPLADY. 9 jamin Jones, Mrs. Weare, Mr. Powell, jiin. of Dublin, Mr. Unwin. And yet I am spared 1 Lord, may it be tor good, and not for evil ! There are, that I know of, but two things worth living for : 1 . To further the cause of God, and thereby glorify him before the world : 2. To do good to the souls and bodies of men. Upon a review of the past year, I desire to confess, that my unfruitfulness has been ex- ceeding great ; my sins still greater; and God's mercies greater than both. It is now between eleven and twelve at night ; nor can I conclude the year more suitably, to the present frame of my own mind, than with the following verse from one of my hymns, which expi-esses both my sense of past, and my humble dependance on divine goodness for future, favours : Kind Author, and Ground, of my hope. Thee, thee for my Goii 1 ovow ; My plad Hbenezer set up. And own thou hast help'd me 'till DOW . i muse on the years that are pnst, Wherein my defence thou hast prov'd } Nor wilt thou aUanduti at last A sinner bo signally lov'd. Saturday, January 2, 1768. In the after- noon, called on William Perry, of Souihertown. Our discourse happened to take a serious turn. Among other subjects, we spoke concerning the divinity of the ever blessed Son of God. I could scarce help smiling, at the same time that I heartily applauded the honest zeal of my well meaning parishioner : " Let any man," said he, " but search the Scriptures, and if he does not find that Christ, as a divine person, subsisted, not only previous to his birth of the Virgin Mary, but from everlasting, I will lose my head." This brought to my mind that just observation of the late excellent Mr. Her- vey; who, speaking of Christ's atonement, says: " Ask any of your serious tenants, what ideas arise in their minds, upon a perusal of the forementioned texts ? I dare venture that, art- less and unimproved as their understandings are, they will not hesitate for an answer. They will neither complain of obscurity, nor asK the assistance of learning ; but will immediately discern, in all these pass;iges, a gracious Re- deemer suffering in their stead ; and by his bitter, but expiatory passion, procuring the pardon of their sins. Nay, farther, as they are not accustomed to the finesses of criticism, I apprehend they will be at a loss to conceive how it i.s possible to understand such passages in any other sense." Sunday, 3. Read prayers and preached, in the morning, here at Fen-Ottery ; and in the afternoon, at Hai pford, to a very large con- gregation, considering the quantity of snow that lies on the ground, and the intensenes.s of the frost, whicli render it almost equally un- safe to walk or ride. I opened the ministra- tions of this year, with that grateful acknow- ledgment of the apostle, 1 Cor. xv. 10. " By the grace of God I am what I am :" which was my thesis both parts of the day. My liberty, both of spirit and utterance, was very great in the afternoon. Looking on my watch, I was surprised to find that I had detained my dear people three quarters of an hour and yet, when I concluded, they seemed un- willing to rise from their seats ; notwithstand- ing the unusual intenseness of the cold. Lord of hosts, who hast all hearts in thy hantl work in my hearers both to be, to will, and to do, of thy good pleasure ! This dreadfully-severe weather continuing, I ordered two more bushels of wheat to be distributed as follows: to — Hooper, James Biackmore, John Sanford, Elizabeth Wood- row, Grace Mitchell, and Martha Ham, one peck each ; and to John Trimlett, two pecks. Saturday, 9. This evening I felt unusual diffidence in myself, about the performance of to-morrow's duty. Free (blessed be God from fightings without, I yet had fears within I besought the Lord to manifest his strength in my weakness ; and these precious words were returned, with unutterable power and sweetness, to my soul: "Trust in the Lord Jehovah, for in him is everlasting strength." I was instantly enabled to cast myself, with perfect acquiescence, on the message from heaven ; which, though delivered as an exhor- tation, is, in effect, a most glorious and com- fortable promise. My doubts ceased ; my misgivings vanished away; and I was assured that God would certainly give me a supply of sabbath-day strength, for a sabbath-day's work. Sunday, 10. Found God faithful to his word. Gieat was my strength, both moining and atlei noon; nor less the liveliness of my soul in preaching. Received a letter from my honoured mother. The same person who brought it brought me likewise two London newspapers; which I hope to read to-morrow ; but dare not do on God's day. After evening service, visited and jirayed with William May, sen. His cry was, " What shall I do to be saved?" But I could not, on close conversation with him, discover the least sign of evangelical repentance. He neither sees the vileness of his heart, nor knows his need of Christ. Lord, bless what I was enabled to speak, and do that work upon his soul which man cannot! One of the most difficult and discouraging parts of the ministry, I have long found, is visiting the ignorant and unawakened sick. But nothing is too hard for God. He, whose grace wrought on me, is able to work on the sinner I have been with to-day ; and will assuredly, it his name is in the Book of Life. Amidst ;dl our discouratjements, in ministering to others ; and amidst all our doubts respecting ourselves ; there is yet a foundation both sure and steadfast, even the rock of God'a eternal election. Was it not for this, how would my hands hang down I and what hope could I have for myself or others ? But this sets all to rights. The unchangeable Jehovah 10 MEMOIRS OF THE knows his own people by name, and will, at the appointed season, lead them, out of a state of nature into a state of grace, by effectual vocation : for " whom he did predestinate, them he also called." This is all my salvation, and all my desire : the ground of the former, and the object of the latter. At night, God was very gi acious to me in secret prayer. Great Was my joy in the Lord ; sweet my communion, and free my access. O that I had but some- thing to render him for all his benefits! Just before I went to bed, that blessed promise was whispered powerfully to my soul, and sensibly sealed upon my heart, " I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Amen, Lord Jesus. Tuesday, 12. In the afternoon, read Dr. Calamy's Account of the Ejected Ministers. What a blow to vital religion, to the Protestant interest in general, and to the Church of Eng- land herself, was the fatal extinguishment of so many burning and shining lights ! But they are now where the wicked cease from troubling, and wnere the weary are at rest. Tliursdai/, 14. Was greatly edified and com- forted in reading Mr. Lee's choice sermon on " Secret Prayer," from Matth. vi. 6. in the Sup- plement to the Morning Exercise at Cripple- gate; sermon 14. How sweet are the following remarks, among many others! "At the great day secret prayers shall have open and public answers.'' We halt, like Jacob, both in and after our strongest wrestlings. " I may term secret prayer, the invisible light of the soul in the bosom of God. Out of this heavenly closet rises Jacob's ladder, whose rounds are all of light : its foot stands upon the basis of the covenant in thy heart; its top reaches the throne of grace. " A weeping countenance, and a wounded spirit, are most beautiful prospects to the eye of heaven ; when a broken heart pours out repenting tears, like streams from the rock, smitten by the rod of Moses's law in the hand of a mediator. " It was an ingenious passage of Chry- sostom, concerning the woman of Canaan, ipiXoToffL y) yvv7], the poor distressed creature was turned an acute philosopher with Christ, and disputed the mercy from him. O, it is a blessed thing to attain to this heavenly philo- sophy of prayer, and to argue blessings out of the hand of God. The soul, like Jacob, does in arenam descent/ere, enter the lists with omnipo- tency, and, by holy force, obtain the blessing. " When the sweet incense of Christ's prayer fiscends before the Father, our prayers become sweet and amiable, and cause a savour of rest with God. This I take to be one reason why the prevalency of prayer is so often assigned lo the time of the evening sacrifice; as point- ing at the death of Christ, which was about the ninth Lour of the day, near the time of the evening oblation. Hem e Abraham's sacrifice received a gracious answer, being offered about the going down of the sun ; Isaac went out to pray at eventide; Elijah, at Mount Cai mel, prayed and offered at the time of the evening sacrifice; Ezra fell on his knees, and spread out his hands, at the evening sacrifice ; David begs that his prayer might avail, by the power of the evening saciifice; Daniel, in prayer, was touched by the angel, about the time of the evening oblation. All, to show the prevalency of our access to the throne of grace, by the powerful merit of Christ's intercession, who was the acceptable evening sacrifice. " The holy motions upon the hearts of saints, in prayer, are the fruits of God's unchange- able decrees of love to them, and the appoint- ed ushers of mercy : he graciously determines to give a praying, arguing, warm, affectionate frame, as the prodromun, or forerunner of some decreed mercy. " Prayer is that intelligible chain, that draws the soul up to God, and draws mercy down to us ; or like the cable which draws the ship to land, though the shore itself remain immove- able :" intimating, that the saints do not pray, with a view to make God, who is unchange- able, reverse any of his decrees; but, 1. To draw their own souls into near communion with him; and, 2. As one appointed means, in and through which God is pleased to bestow the blessings to which his people are predes- tinated. The excellent man goes on : " We must gradually be acquainted with all the Three [persons of the Trinity] : first with the Spirit; then, with Christ; and, last, with the Father. First, God sends the Spirit of his Son into our hearts ; and, then, through the Son, we cry, Abba, Father. The Father chose us in Christ, and sends his Spirit to draw us to Christ ; and, by Christ, to himself. Have ye this access to God, by the Spirit? Bosom- communion flows from bosom-affection. " A godly man prays in finding seasons. There are special seasons of drawing nigh to God ; whan he draws nigh to us : when the beloved looks forth at the window, and shews himself through the lattice. Cant. ii. 9. That is a time of grace v/hen he knocks at the door of thy heart, by his Spirit. Motions of the heart [toward Christ] are like the doves of the east, sent with letters about their necks. It was said of Burnard, Ex motu cordis, spiritus sancti prwsentiam agnoscebat ; he knew when the Holy Spirit was present with him, by the motion of his heart. " When thou canst discern the print of the broad seal of the covenant upon thy heart ; and the privy seal of the Spirit upon thy prayers ; and canst look upon the Son in a sacerdotal re- lation to thee ; thou mayest come boldly, &c. "As Gerson says, Seqidtur lachrymosadevotio fiante Spiritu sancto : devout tears drop down from the Spirit's influence : melting supplica- tions follow the Holy Spirit's gracious infusions. REV. AUGUSTUS TOPLADY. il " As the seaman, when he has set sail, goes to the helm and the compass, and sits still, and observes the sun, or the polar star, and how the ship works, and whether the land-marks form themselves arisjlit according to his chart ; so do Vou, when you have been at prayer, mark your ship, how it makes the port ; and what rich goods are laden back again from heaven. Most people lose their prayeis in the mist and fog of non observation. "David gave himself to prayer; in the Hebrew, it is, but I prayer; a Christian is aU over prayer: he prays at rising, at lying down, and as he walks : like a prime favourite at coui t, who has the key to the privy stairs, and can wake his prince by night. " We find David at prayer in the morning ; and our blessed Lord, early in the morning, before day. Chrysostom advises, 'Snpov, irpo TH uuifiarog rtv ^vxrjv: wash thy soul, before thou washestthy body." A direction which I trust to observe inviolably, from this day for- ward ; during my pilgrimage below. The good man observes, page 292, that such as are truly converted have no need to pray by a prescribed form : " they have the Spirit of God to assist and enable them; and they need not drink of another's bucket, who have the fountain.'' This certainly holds good, for the most part at least, with regard to secret prayer: but not always, I apprehend, in open devotions, whether of a public or a domestic kind. Grace and gifts do not always go together. A person may have true grace, and great grace, without gifts ; and may, on the other hand, have shin- ing gifts, without a spark of real grace; wit- ness the parable of the talents. All prayer is formal, in the worst sense, which does not as- cend from the heart, by the Holy Ghost : and all prayer is spiritual which does ; be it pre- scribed, or extemporary. Mr. Lee adds, p. 29()., "God hath declared himself graciously pleased with secret prayer, so as to send an angel into Daniel's chauiber ; and he was weary with flying, volans in las.situdine, he moved so swiftly; as the original text ex|)resses it; Dan. ix. 21. c)'^^ c)m. What a high ex- pression [and strong figure] is this ! Even angels are represented as weary with hasty flights to bring saints their answers ! Of what great account does the Lord esteem his praying people, chat angels aie expressed to be tired in bringing tidings of mercy! Sundaij, 1 7- God gave me strength to go through the public duties of the day in a comfortable and becoming manner. In the morning, read prayers, and preached, here at Fen-Ottery, to a large congregation ; and, in the afternoon, at Harpford, to an exceedingly numerous one. Baptized a daughter of farmer John Carter's. Between morning and after- noon service read the first epistle to the Thessalonians in the Greek. In the evening, lead the Cripplegate Lectures. Though my joy in the Lord has not been great to-day, yet this has been a profitable sabljath to my own soul : O God, make it so to the attentive people who sat under my unworthy ministry ! Friday, 22. In the morning rode to Exeter, by appointment, to meet Mr. Luce. Put up at the Swan. Bought Cave's Historia Literaria, Brook's Dispensatory, and Erskine's Sermons, in three vols. At night, I spent three or tour hours, reading Erskine's Sermons : particu- larly the following ones : " The rent Vail of the Temple;" — "The Harmony of Divine Attributes ;" — " The Believer exalted in im- puted Righteousness ;" — and, " Faith's Plea upon God's Word and Covenant." The read- ing of these sweet discourses was wonderfully blessed to my soul. Great was my rejoicing and triumph in Christ. The Lord was with me of a truth, and his gracious visitation revived my spirit. One moment's communion with Christ, one moment's sense of union with him, one mo- ment's view of interest in him, is inefTable, inestimable ! Saturday, 2'i. Continued at Exeter until the afternoon. Before dinner, Mr. Luce and I made a formal resignation of our respective livings, before Mr. Geare and two other wit- nesses. Having signed and sealed the instru- ments of resignation, we left them with Mr. Geare, to be transmitted to the bishop. Pros- per thou our handy work. Supreme Disposer of all things ! May thy glorious Majesty, and thy gracious blessing, be upon us, for thy mercies sake in Jesus Christ! Amen. After dinner, left Exeter and returned to Fen-Ottery. The ride was far from a com- fortable one. Hail, rain, or snow, almost the whole way. I think this has been the most remarkable day, in point of weather, I ever knew. Be- tween the time of my rising in the morning, and retuning home at night, we have had frost and thaw, snow, rain, hail, thunder and light- ening, calm, high wind, and sunshine : a mix- ture of almost all weathers, from sun-rise to sun-set. Before I retired to ray chamber, I read Erskine's Sermon (and a matchless one it is,) entitled, " The Promising God a Performing God :'' and the Lord set the seal of his Spirit on my heart. I was enabled to mix faith with what 1 read ; and God made it a time of love, joy, peace, and spiritual refreshment to my soul. I could look and pray to hini as my co- venant God in Jesus Christ, who loved me from everlasting, and will love me without end. Sniiflay, 24. A day of almost perpetua. rain. Read prayers and preached, in tne morning, at Harpford, and here in the after- noon, to large congregations, considering the weather. God was with me in a way of bodily strength : but 1 cannot say I haa much spirit- ual communion with him in a way of sensible intercourse. But though my fleece was not 12 MEMOIRS OF THE watered, 1 trust the dew of heaven fell around. Between the nioi iiint; and afrerooon service, I read Erskine's Sermon, entitled, "The King held in the Galleries :" not without much com- fort and confirmation in Christ. In the evening farmer Roberts came here to settle his tithe. 1 told hiui, I never transacted business on the Lord's Day, and desired him to defer paying me till some other time. At night lead Erskine's Sermon, entitled, " The humble Soul the peculiar Favourite of Heaven." Sunday, 31. Read prayeis and preached in the morning here at Fen-Ottery : and, in the afternoon, to an exceedingly large congregation at Harpford. Between morning and afternoon service, I made some very important additions to my sermon (wrote last Monday) on Ezek. x.Kxvi. 25 — 27. In delivering it at Harp- ford, to-day, God was with me of a truth. His word was eagerly received, and seemed to be deeply felt, by very many. I think I have seldom, if ever, seen such an appearance of usefulness among my Harpford people, since I knew them, as this afternoon. Ur. P. of Ottery, seemed to be touched from above : Lord, bring him sensibly and experimentally within the bond of the covenant, if it please thee ; and likewise all the elect souls who have heard me this day. How sweet is the work of the ministry, when attended with the unction and power of the Holy One ! My soul has been verv barren, ever since last Lord's Day ; but this sabbath has been a sabbath indeed. Spent the evening, both agreeably and profitably, in reading the confession of faith, chaige, and sermon, delivered at Bristol lust August, at the ordination of Mr. Evans, jun. Blessed be God for the advancement of his in- terest among us, under whatever form. Lord, increase the number of thy faithful witnesses, every where, and in every denomination of Protestants ! Monday, February 1. Before I went to bed this night, the Lord favoured me with some sweet intimations of his love. Sunday,^. In the morning, at Harpford, an^l here, at J>n-Ottery, in the afternoon, I read prayers and preached to a very full congrega- tion each time; and, I trust, the word was blessed to some. My strength and enlargement of soul (especially in the afternoon) were very con- siderable. Bless the Lord, O my soul ; and lenrn to trust h:m who is faithfulness itself. — In the evening, read Bunyan's Pilgrim. What a stilf, sapless, tedious piece of work is that written by bishop Patrick I How does the unlearned tinker of Bedford outshine the bishop of Ely! I have heard, that his lordship wrote his pil- giim, by way of antidote against what he deemed the fanaticism of John Bunyan's i'ilgrim. But what a rich fund of heavenly experience, life, and sweetness, does the latter contain ! How heavy, lifeless, and unevangeli- cal, is the former ! Such is the difTerence be- tween writing frum a wordly spirit, and under the influence of the Spirit of God. IFednefday, 10. The Lord was very gracious to my soul this afternoon. His Spirit was the comforter, and Mr. Erskine's two sermons, on " The Rainbow of the Covenant," were the channel through which that comfort was conveyed. Amid my many seasons, and long intervals, of barrenness and want ot joy, God sometimes makes me glad with the light of his countenance ; but, alas ! I can too often say, with him of old, concerning such sweet seasons, "Rara hora, brei'ts mora." Yet I can, through grace, say likewise, A moment's intercourse with theo Is worth a year'a delay. Surely, O God, I could not long after thy presence, if I did not knovv' the sweetness of it, and love thee in some measure : and I could not know that, but by the revelation of thy Spirit in my heart ; nor love thee at all, if thou hadst not first loved me. We grieve at the absence of those we love, and of none else : blessed be God for this evidence of true (however weak) grace I Thursday, 11. Began to compose "A Course of Family- Prayer-" Lord, prosper the work of my hands upon me, and make it useful ! Friday, 12. A little before bed-time, I darted up an ejaculation, that God would be pleased to strengthen me, and give me faithful- ness, in the discharge of my duty toward the parishioners of Broad-Hembury, whither I e-';pect soon to remove. My God gave me this sweet answer immediately, " I will en- able thee, and bless thee." Behold the servant of the Lord ; be it unto me according to thy word ! I desire to remember, with grief and shame, that, soon after the above manifestation of God's favour to my soul, I was tempted, be- fore I could get to sleep, with high thoughts of my own righteousness, both as a man and as a minister. The enemy plied his fiery darts very thick, and came in as a flood ; but the Spirit of the Lord lifted up a standard against him. I was enabled (glory to divine grace) to reject the cursed insinuations as I would hell- f^re. Oh, that ever such a wretch as I should be tempted to think highly of himself ! I that am, of myself, nothing but sin and weakness ; I, in whose flesh naturally dwells no good thing ; I, who deserve damnation for the best v/ork I ever performed ! Lord Jesus, humble me to the dust, yea to the very centre of abasement, in thy presence. Root out and tear up this most poisonous, this most accursed weed, from the unworthiest heart that ever was. Shew me my utter nothingness. Keep- me sensible of my sinnership. Sink me down deeper and deeper, into penitence and self- abhorrence. Break the Dagon of pride in REV. AUGUSTUS TOPLADY. 13 pieces before the ark of tliy merits. Demolish, by the breath of thy Spirit, the walls, the Babel of self-ritjhteousness and seU-opinion ; level them with the trodden soil, s^rind them to powder, annihilate them for ever and ever. Grace, grace, be all my experience, and all my cry ! Amen. Amen. Simday, 14. In the morninsr, read prayers and preached here at Fen-Ottery, to a pretty full auditory. In the afternoon, read prayers at Harpford, and preached Mrs. Mary Wheaton's funeral sermon, to an exceedingly ffreat congre- gation indeed. T c.o\\\d not forbear observing, " that God had spared her to a good old age ; that she was born in the year H)75, ten years before the death of Charles II. and about fourteen before the coming in of king William III.; that she lived in the reigns of seven monarchs, and died last Tuesday, aged ninety-three." Great was my fervour and enlargement of soul ; nor less, to appearance, the attention of them that heard. Nay, they seemed to do more than attend ; the word, I verily believe, came, with power and weight, to their hearts. I never yet saw my Church so full (insomuch that there was hardly any standing) and, I think, seldom, if ever, beheld a people that seemed to relish the gospel better. Neither they nor myself were weary, though I detained them much longer than usual. Since my intention of changing livings with Mr. Luce has been publicly known, a spirit of great earnestness and life appears to have been poured out on my people. And yet, I trust, I see my way plainly pointed out, and that it is the will of God I should leave them. A wonder- ful combination of providential circumstances leaves me scarcely any room to doubt of my call to Broad Hembury. Lord, bring me not up thither unless thy presence goes with me ! Take care of thy own elect (and so thou as- suredly wilt) here and in this neighbourhood ! And give us, O give us, some more parting blessings ! — Mr. Holmes, of Exeter, came thence this morning to hear the unworthiest of God's messengers. This gentleman was at my churches both parts of the day ; and, from what conversation I had with him, appears to be one who knows and loves the truth as it is in Jesus. IVadnesday, 17. In my chamber, this even- ing, those words, 2 Tim. i. 7, " God halh not given \ui to us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind," were im- pressed much upon my heart, and my medita- tion on them was attended, not only with great peace and sweetness, but with joy in the Holy Ghost. My sense of union and communion with God was very clear: and I was enabled to see myself one of God's regenerate people, by finding within myself (through the riches of grace alone) those three intallible evidences of conversion, which that delightful text lays down. The spirit of Christ was to me a spirit of power, when he effectually called me to the knowledge of himself in the year 175(), at Codymain, in Ireland, under the ministry of Mr. James Morris : he has been, and is, a spirit of love, in my soul, to all the divine persons ; and, as such, the principle of sancti- fication : and he has been to me a spirit of a sound mind, by leading me into, and confirm- ing me in, the light of gospel truth, in its full harmony and consistency ; which I verily be- lieve, for my own part, to be a branch, at least of that (TMADY. 1.5 nine in the evening, and put up at Mr. Lathbury's Heini; fatij^ued with my hasty ride, I thought it best to apprise Mr. Gearing (agent for the London Insurance Office) by a note of what had happened ; who, in his an- swer, desired to see ine the next morning. What I chiefly enter down this account in my diary for, is this : namely, as a memento of God's great goodness to me, both in a way of providence and grace. Though I was not certain whether the expense (I mean, all above the insurance") of rebuilding the vicar- house, with its appendages, might not even- tually fall on me (notwithstanding my resigna- tion of the living last January 23,) by Mr. Luce probably refusing, in consequence of this misfortune, to complete our projected ex- change ; yet neither the report, nor the sight, of this alanning visitation, made me so much as change countenance, or feel the least de- jection. This could not proceed from nature ; for, my nerves are naturally so weak, that, in general, the least discomposing accident bversets me quite, for a time It was there- fore owing to the supporting goodness of God, who made me experience the truth of that promise, " Thy shoes shall be iron and brass ; and as is thy day, so shall thy strength he." Surely, we can both do, and endure, all things, through Christ enabling us. Had any one told me beforehand, " You will see the vicarage all in flames, without the least emo- tion of mind," I should have thought it im- possible. But the strength of God was made perfect in my weakness ; and therefore it was that my heart stood fast, believing in the Lord. (_), may thy grace be ever sufficient for me ! Spent the evening not only in a comfort- able, but even in a rejoicing frame of mind ; and never rested better afterwards. Thou, Lord, canst make the feeble, as David. Thus, the 8th of March was a day to be partii ularly noted, not in my book only, but in my latest remembrance ; on account of that wonderful support with which 1 was favoured : which not only made my feet as hind's feet, and caused me to walk on the high ])i,ices of Jacob; but which even bore me up, as on eagle's wings, above the reach of grief, fear, and weakness ; and, as it were, laid me at rest on *he bosom of Christ, and within the arms of God. TV edncsday, 9. Continued at Exeter until after dinner. Called on Mr. Gearing, and Mr. Geare. Found, upon inquiry, that, the fire at Ilarpford happening after the living was vacated by my resignation of it, the ex- change will certainly stand good, and the me- lancholy event there cannot possibly affect me. Who would not trust in the Loid, and wait until a cloudy dispensation is cleared up ? Through grace, I was enabled to do this ; and the result of things has proved that it would not only have been wicked, but foolish, to have done otherwise. O, that I may always be as well enabled to adopt Rnd realize that divine apothei;m, " He that believeth, shall not make haste." Spent about an hour and a half with good Mr. Holmes, whom I found in great distress of mind, on account of his only surviving son being given over in a fever. During our in- terview, God so opened my mouth, and so enlarged my heart, that, I trust, both my friend and myself found our spiritual strength renewed, and were sensibly and powerfully comforted from above. In the evening, re- turned to Fen-Ottery. Thursday, 10. Drinking tea, this afternoon, at Farmer Carter's, I had an opportunity of seeing more leisurely, the devastation at Harpford. The whole vicarage is one large mass of ruins. What a providential mercy was it, that I resigned the living before this misfortune happened ! O God, how wise, and how gracious, art thou, in all thy ways I Friday, 1 1. After breakfast, rode to Broad- Hembury, where 1 dined with Mr. Luce ; who bears the late afflictive providence at Harpford better than I could have expected. Sunday, 13. In the morning read pra)'ers and preached here at Fen-Ottery ; and, in the afternoon, at Harpford (from Rom. viii. 28.) to an exceeding large congregation. I ha\e much reason to bless God, for the great measure of bodily streni^th, vouchsafed me to-day : yet my soul was by no means in a lively frame. Neither triumphant, nor de- pressed, my mind seemed to resemble the time mentioned by the prophet, in which the day will be neither clear nor dark. Zech. xiv. 6. At night, before I went to bed, was much troubled with coldness and wanderings in secret prayer. Monday, \4. Looking over one of my journals this morning, I could not hel|. bless- ing God for such a series of mercies as my life has been made up of ; upon which, these words were instantaneously and sweetly sug- gested to my soul, " 1 will carry thee on." Amen, gracious Lord ! Sunday, 2 ). In the morning, read prayers, and preached, at Harpford, to a very full con- gregation : but without any ray of sweetness or enlargement ; at least, to myself. Between morning and afternoon service, I was much dejected and bowed down in spirit. I was so far left to thedoubtings and evil surmisings of my own unbelieving heart, as even to drearf the remaining public duties that lay befoie me. But the glorious Lord was better to me than my fears, and graciously disappointed my ungracious misgivings : for, in the after- noon, he was with me, both in a way of stiength, and in a way of consolation. I read prayers and preached here at Fen-Ottery, with great freedom, and considerable live- liness to a crowded Church. If. MEMOIRS OF THE About six in the eveninc;, l)ein^ alone in my chiiniber, I was still more sensibly led forth beside the waters of comfort. I tasted some sweet drop|>ings of the honeycomb, and could say, " My Lord, and my God." The emliers were blown aside, by the breath of the Holy Spirit ; the veil of unbelief was rent ; and the shadows fled away. Light sprang up, and the fire kindled ; even the light of God's countenance, and the fiie of his love. Yet my comforts did not amount to the full triumph and ecstatic bliss I have sometimes experienced ; but were gentle, peaceful, and serene; attended with a mild, refreshing, lenient warmth ; which melted me into conscious nothingness before God, and made me feel him and rest upon him as my all in all. The very state this, in which, if it be his will, I could wish both to live and die : for I look upon such a placid reception of his gently-pervading influence, where all is soft and sweet and still, to be the most desir- able frame of soul on this side heaven. But I desire to leave all to the disposal of Him who best knows how to deal v/ith his militant people ; and who will be sure to lead them to heaven by the right way, and me among the rest. Monday, 21. Betv.-een ten and eleven at night, in my chamber, a little before I betook myself to rest, the Lord favoured me with some gracious outgoings of affection toward himself. My meditation of him, and com- munion with him, were sweet ; and the intimations of his love to me drew forth my love to him. The cherishing south \rind of his loving Spirit breathed upon the garden Oi mv soul, and the spices thereof flowed out. I could say, and still can, " Whom have I in heaven, but thee ? and there is none upon earth that I desire in comparison of thee. Come, O my beloved, into thy garden, and eat thy pleasant fruits ! " Thus, though affected, ever since the afternoon, with a slight head-ach, my bodily indisposition was more than compensated with the peace that passeth all understanding; and I could rejoice in the sense of union with Christ, my exalted head ; a head that is never out of order. Thursday, 24. In the afternoon, the Lord gave me this word of comfort, " I have put away thy sin." It came with power, and I was enabled to believe the testimony of the Holy Spirit. Towards evening, I was in a very comfortable frame of soul, while making some considerable additions to my sermon on John ii. 19. How greatly do these occasional visits from above cheer and strengthen a sin- ner on his way to Zion ! Surely, there is a river, and not only the streams, but even a few drops of it, make glad tlie city of God. Friday, 25. This afternoon and evening, but especially at night, the Lord has been very gracious to my soul. 1 could see myself loved with an everlasting love, and clothed with Christ's everlasting righteousness. My peace flowed as a river ; and I found the comforts of the Holy Spirit to be neither few nor small. My sense of justification was unclouded, as when the clear shining of the sun giveth light. " My beloved is mine, and I am his." Under these sweet, unutterable manifestations, I have scarce any thing to pray for ; suppli- cation is swallowed up in wonder, love, and praise ; Jesus smiles, and more than a ray of heaven is shed upon my soul. " I will greatly rejoice in the Loi d ; my soul shall be joyful in my God ; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bride- groom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." My harp is taken down from the willows, and 1 can sing the Lord's song in a strange land. Touch "(i bv the finger of thy love, Sm uot melody of praise I brine ; Join tlie eiitiptnr'd choirs above. And feel llie bliss which makes them sinf Saturday, 26. A letter from London in- forms me, that poor old lady Goring is lately turned Papist. Surely, it is a debt I owe to God, to truth, my own conscience, and to the friendship with which that unhappy lady formerly honoured me, to write to her on this sad occasion. Lord, keep me steadfast in the purity of thy blessed gospel, and, if it please thee, recover her from this snare of the devil ! Was indisposed, great part of this day, with the head-ach ; but enjoyed, toward even- ing, a measure of the peace of God. At night, a little before I went to bed, the Lord M'us pleased to give me a full assurance of his being with me in a way of grace and strength, and carrying me comfortably through the duties of the ensuing sabbath. I could no more doubt of his giving me a sabbath- day's blessing, than if the sabbath had been passed, and the blessing actually received. Sunday, 2J. Palm-Sunday. Between eight and nine this morning, the Lord visited my soul with a lively sense of his salvation. My comfort, joy and triumph were unutterable for some minutes ; and the savour of his precious ointment, thus divinely shed abroad in my heart, abode with me, more or less, through the course of the whole day. In the morning, my congregation here at Fen-Ottery was very full ; and I was enabled to read prayers, and to preach, with more inward liberty, and consolation of spirit, than I have done for some Sundays back. The gospel ordinances were sweet to my taste, and I experienced that animating promise, " He that watereth, shall be watered also himself." In the afternoon, read prayers, and preached at Harpford, to a congregation indeed. " Behold the Lamb of God," was my sub- ject : O Lamb of God, caus'» me, and REV. AUGUSTUS TOPLADY. those who heard me this day, to behold thee, here, in the light of special faith ; and here- after, in tne light of endless glory ! Though I have a violent cold upon me, with a tendency to a sore throat, yet I was carried through my duties, not only with great comfort, but with unusual strength of body and voice. A worse church to speak in I never knew, tnan Harpford ; yet I ara con- fident I was well heard by all present ; whose number, 1 apprehend, was at least seven hundred ; which, I dare believe, I should not have been, considering my hoarseness to-day, had not my soul been particularly happy in the Lord. The sense of his presence giveth power to the faint, and makes men act beyond themselves. Under the influence of his Spirit, the meanest believer becomes like the chariots of Amminadib, and goes forth like a giant refreshed with wine : the places of God's worship are, each, a banqueting house ; and the means of gi ace are so many mountainsof spices. Tuesday, 29. That sweet text, " This God is our God for ever and ever ; he shall be our guide, even unto death :" proved a cordial to my soul this morning. Blessed be his name, I could adopt those words of triumph, and still can, in the assurance of faith. I am, through grace, as clearly satisfied of my interest in the blessing they contain as if they were addressed to me by name. 1 remember a delightful paraphrase of this golden passage, written by Mr. Hart ; which 1 cannot help putting down here ; and the rather, as it is the very language of my soul at present : This God is the God we adore. Our faithful, iiiicbanycable friend; Whose love is as ^reat us his pov/'r, And knows neither measure nor end. Tis Jesus, the first and the last. Whose Spirit shall guide us safe home ] We'll praise him, for all that is past. And trust him, for all that's to come. In the afternoon, began, and abouT; half finished, a sermon on Phil. ii. 8. which, if the Lord please, I hope to deliver from the pulpit next Friday. The Lord has already, while writing it, made it a means of grace to myself ; and gave me to experience the I)()wer of that dying love which the text and the preceding context so sweetly cele- brate. O Lamb of God, slain for me! Thy blood is balm ; thy presence is bliss ; thy smile is heaven. Through thy precious righteous- ness, sinners and salvation meet together. Thou hast knit me to thyself in the bonds of an everlasting covenant which shall not be forgotten and cannot be annulled. Thou hast set me as a seal upon thine arm, and hast set the seal of thy Spirit upon my heart. I can sing, with one of thv saints, now in heaven Love mnv'd thee to die l And c^n this I rely, Mf Saviour hath lov'd mp, I cannot tell why : But this 1 can find, We two arc so join 'd He'll nut be in glory and leave me behind. April 1. Good- Friday. In the morninjT, read prayers, preached, and administered the blessed Sacrament, at Harpford. Both in the pulpit, and at the Lord's table, my joy, con- solation, and enlargement of soul, were great : and, I think, I never saw communicants more humble, serious, and devout. God's presence seemed to be manifested among us in a vei y uncommon manner. In the afternoon, read prayers and preached here at Fen-Ottery : and the glorious majesty of the Lord our God was evidently upon speaker and hearers. This has been a Good Friday indeed to my soul ; and, I dare believe, to the souls of many beside. Lord, make the sensible unction of thy Spirit not only to descend upon us, but to abide with us ! Saturday, 2. After breakfast, rode to Exeter ; where I dined at ^fr. Holmes's. Found that dear and excellent man not only more resigned to the will of God, but even more cheerful than I could well have con- ceived. Mrs. Paul, of Topsham, and Mr. Lewis, a worthy Baptist minister, dined with us. Our conversation at table was on the best subjects ; and I found our Christian dis- cussions sensibly blest to my soul. After tea, myself and four more followed the remains of master Holmes to Eade, about two miles out of the city, where they were interred- Mr. Cole, curate of the parish, read the funeral service ; and I preached a sermon, suitable to the solemn occasion, to a large auditory, and one of the most attentive ones I ever saw. I had a violent hoarseness upon me all the afternoon, which made me apprehensive I should both speak and be heaid with difficulty. But, upon my entrance into the pulpit, while the first psalm was singing, I lifted up my heart to God, and prayed, " Lord, help me, this once." Nor was my supplication lost. I was helped indeed. I preached forty minutes, with great ease to myself, and with great strength, readiness, and distinctness. It was a blessed season to my own heart ; and, I earnestly trust, to the souls of many that heard. The word did indeed seem to come with the demonstration of the Spirit, and with power Returning to Exon, I supped with Mr. Holmes and the company ; and thence, between eleven and twelve at night, returned home to Fen-Ottery Sunday, 3. Easter-Sunday. Rose this morning, with such a cold, and hoarseness on my voice, that I could hardly speak either audibly or intelligibly. Read prayers, how- ever (if it might be called reading) here at Fen-Ottery, and administered the blessed Sacrament ; but, knowing it would be in vain to attempt preaching, ordered the clerk to make an apology to the congregation. At the table of the Lord, the Lord of the table was with me of a truth ; and made my soul rejoice, amid all the weakness of my body. C 18 MEMOIRS OF THE III the afternoon, rode to Harpford ; where, after reading prayers to a very great congregation, as well as 1 could, which was very badly, I was in some doubt whether I should attempt to preach or not. Considering, however, that, if I found I could not make myself heard, I could but cease ; and grieving at the thought of sending away such a multitude, without even endeavouring to break to them the word of life ; I went up into the pulpit, and besought the Lord to manifest his strength in niy weakness : and he graciously did. I preached three quarters of an hour, with wonderful strength and unusual enlargement of soul. Awe and attention were visible on every face. I was enabled to exert myself greatly, and to pour out my whole soul in the ministry of the word. The sense of God's presence, together with the sweetness and dignity of the subject I was upon, melted me so, that, I think, I was never more strongly carried out. Once in particular, I could scarce refrain from bursting into tears. Hoarse and disagreeable as my voice sounded, yet, I am convinced, the voice of the Holy Spirit made its way to many hearts. Indeed all were struck, if there is any judgment to be formed by appearances. My wonder, at the ability with which I was endued, and my gratitude to the blessed God, for the comforts that were experienced, will hardly sufi'er me to desist from saying more of this memorable oppor- tunity. Lord, who would not trust thee ? Who would not love thee ? The work, O God, was thine ; and thine be all the glory ! Amen, Amen. Tuesday, 5. My hoarseness, blessed be God, begins to go off Drinking tea, to-day, at Mr. Leigh's, at Hayne, the company went away early, and Mr. Leigh and I had the remainder of the afternoon to ourselves. Our conversation took a very improving turn. We talked much of death, the assurance of faith, and the invincibility of converting grace. My conversation on the latter subject never seemed to come to him with so much con- viction and power, as now. He almost gave up his Arminianism, and drank in what I was enabled to say, with a seriousness and sensibility I never saw in him before. He even appeared to relish the doctrine of grace, and to feel some of its power. Lord, let not thy Spirit leave him, until thou hast made him cry, from the depth of his heart, " O, sovereign grace ! lam nothing! thou art all!" On my way home to Fen-Ottery, especially as I was riding over Tipton-bridge, my soul was in a very comfortable frame. O, the unutterable sweetness of sensible interest in God's election, the covenant of grace, and righteousness of Christ ! I trust, I can say, they are all mine. IFednesday, G. {t^ This afternoon, about two o'clock, I received institution, at Exeter, to the living of Broad-Hembury. While on my knees, the chancellor was committing the souls of that parish to my care, my own soul was secretly lifted up to God for a blessing ; which, 1 humbly trust, will be given, for his mercy's sake in Jesus Christ. Immediately after I was instituted toBroad- Hembuiy, Mr. Luce was instituted to Harpford. Thursday, 7. That gracious promise was given me to-day, " I will inform thee and teach thee in the way wherein thou shalt go ; and I will guide thee with mine eye." 1 had been, previously, much dejected in spirit, and exercised with various doubts ; but that v/ord of comfort came with such power and effect, that I was soon set to rights again. Friday, 8. Mr. Luce dined here to-day, we walked, in the afternoon, to Harpford ; where I inducted him into that living. In the course of this day, I was favoured with some comfortable glimpses of my heavenly Father's countenance. O, that 1 could ever have a heart warm with love ! But it is better to catch fire now-and-then, than to be always cold. Blessed be the Comforter of God's elect, a live coal, from the golden altar which is before the throne, is sometimes dropt into my heart; and then I can sing, Lov'd of my God, for him ngaill With love intense I burn : Chosen of thee ere time began, 1 choose thee iu return. To have a part and lot in God's salvation, is the main thing ; but to have the joy of it is an additional blessing, which makes our way to the kingdom smooth and sweet. Saturday, 9. In the evening, while return- ing from Broad-Hembury (where I dined to-day) ; and at night after my return hither to Fen-Ottery ; I had the comfort of sweet communion with God, and not only enjoyed that peace which the world cannot give, but was favoured with some delightful assurances of God's everlasting love to me a sinner. I was, like what is said of Naphthali, " satisfied with favour;" even with the favour of him, whose name is as ointment poured forth ; whom to know, is life eternal ; and whom to converse with, is heaven. The Spirit himself bore witness to my spirit, that I am a child of God, and a joint heir with Christ. Lord, doubtless thou art my Father ; O enable me to love thee as such, and to walk worthy of my heavenly pedigree ! Sunday, 10. Did duty, this day, at the churches here, for, I suppose, the last time. In the morning, read prayers and preached at Fen-Ottery ; and, in the afternoon, read prayers and preached at Harpford, to a veiy great congregation. At the latter church, God did indeed open to me a door both of knowledge and of utterance ; insomuch that I could not possibly confine myself to my notes ; but was carried out with extraordinary enlargement, readiness, and presence of mind ; especially REV. AUGUSTUS TOPLADY, 19 while speaking of the certain perseverance of God's regenerate people, and of the utter im- possibility of being justified by works. I did not take any leave of my dear people. Fare- well-sermons, in my opinion, carry in thera such an air of self-importance, that I have long resolved never to preach one again. — Let me rather close my ministry in this place, with, 1. Secretly begging pardon of God to- night, for my manifold sins, omissions, and infirmities, hoth as a man, and as a minister. 2. I earnestly intreat my gracious Lord to make me thankful for the innumerable mercies I have experienced, since I had the care of these parishes upon me. 3. I pray God to command his efficacious blessing on my weak, sinful, and unworthy labours here ; most humbly beseeching him to own the messages of salvation 1 have delivered from time to time, and to grant that the seed he has enabled me to sow, may be found after many days. 4. 1 beg him to stay with these that stay, and to go with me when I go from them : that his presence and his blessing may be their portion, my portion, and the portion of those among whom I expect shortly to minister. O thou God of power and of grace ! all hearts are in thy hand, and all events are at thy disposal! Set, O set, the seal of thy almighty fiat upon each of these petitions! And supply all our need, according to thy riches in glory by Christ Jesus! Amen, Amen. Tuesday, 12. At night, the Lord gave me to experience some gracious meltings of heart. How sweet are the humiliations of penitential love ! I desire no greater bliss, than to lie at my heavenly Master's foot-stool, dissolved in wonder, gratitude, and self-abasement. Friday, 15. Several words of comfort were, this day, at different times, spoken to and sealed upon my heart : particularly these tliree, "Fear not; I will be with thee." — " Trust me." — " I will uphold thee with the right-hand of my righteousness." At another lime these were powerfully suggested to my soul, " Be joyfui in the Lord." To many, all this would appear as the most palpable enthusiasm ; and there was a time, when I myself should have thought so too. But blessed be God the comforter, I know what it is to enjoy some degree of communion with the Father, and the Son by him. And, ex- clusively of this inward fXty^^of, which is, to myself, equivalent, in point of mental satis- faction, to ten thousand demonstrations; my experiences of this kind, considered even in the most rational view, cannot, I am well persuaded, be justly counted enthusiastic, or the offspring of a heated imagination ; for, 1. They are attended with such a powerful sweetness, and such commanding weight, such satisfactory clearness, and such a perfect con- sistency with the promises of Scripture, as leave me no cause to doubt of its being indeed the voice of Goo to my soul. 2. My mind, on these occasions, is as absolutely passive as my body can at any time be on hearing any person speak with whom I converse. 3. I argue from events. I can, to the best of my remembrance and belief, truly say, that I never yet have had one promise, nor assurance, con- cerning temporal things, impressed on me beforehand in a way of communion with God, which the event did not real ize ; I never, that I know of, knew it fail in any one single in- stance. I do not say, that a particular as- surance, concerning any particular futurity, is always given me beforehand : far from it : but when it has, two unisons never harmonized more exactly than my assurance and the subsequent providence. And, if this has, hitherto, been the case with me in temporal concerns, and matters of Providence ; why should similar indulgences from above, re- specting spiritual things, and matters of grace, be treated as fanciful ? At night, in my chamber, the Lord gave me several solid assurances of his future pro- vidential goodness to me. I was enabled to know the voice of Him that spake within, and to cast the anchor of faith on what he said. My complacency and satisfaction of soul were equally comfortable and unutterable. O my God, that, which thou hast promised, thou art able also to perform. Saturday, Ki. In the evening, rode to Broad-Hemhury ; where, at night, before I went to bed, the Lord gave me some comfort- able assurances in secret prayer. Sunday, 17- In the morning, read prayers and preached, at Broad-Hembury, to a large congregation. I opened (if I may so speak) my spiritual commission, by discoursing from those words, 2 Cor. iv. 5. " We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord." In the afternoon, read prayers and preached, ibid, to a very numerous congregation, from Jude 3 ; and baptized two infants. Great was my reason for gratitude and thankfulness to the gracious Author of all good. I was enabled, both parts of the day, to go through the duties of it with much satisfaction and presence of mind ; and the word preached seemed to be relished by many, and to be well received by all. In the evening, returned to Fen-Ottery; where 1 read, with great comfort and joy in the Holy Ghost, Mr. Hervey's sermon on " The Way of Holiness." In secret prayer, too, before I went to bed, the channel of comfortable intercourse was opened between God and my soul. All weakness and all unworthiness as I am, I have, in Christ, both righteousness and strength : and God, through him, is my portion for ever. In his favour is life : and that life is mine. Monday, 18. Late to-night, when the rest of the family were retired to rest, the leading of Jenks's Meditations was much blessed C 2 20 MEMOIRS OF THE to my soul. Truly, my fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ, whose precious hlood, in away of expiation, cleanseth me from all sin. T/mr.tdai/,2] . Riding home, to-night, from Exeter, the Lord was with me in a way of spi- ritual communion. Applying to him for a blessing on my intended removal to Broad- lleuibury, this answer was given me, " Go, and I will be with thee :" and, a little while after, " Thou shall shake off every weight.'' Friday, 22. Before I left my chamber, this morning, I was enabled to hold sweet inter- course with the Father of spirits in secret pr lyer. For a minute or two, my comforts, not to say raptures, were of a very exalted kind. Yet, within an hour after, I was grieved with the bubblings up of indwelling sin ; and was, for some time, in a very uncomfortable state of inward temptation ; but the Lord kept me from mine ininuity, and withheld me from actually falling. Towards evening, while finishing a sermon on Fsalm xxxii. 1, I experienced some gracious meltings of soul, and sensibly enjoyed the ravs of my heavenly Father's presence. Snturdrnj, 2.^. After dinner, rode to Broad- Hf-mbury; where, at night, in my chamber, a little before I went to bed, my soul was ha- rassed, in a sad and very unusual manner, with doubts and fears and unbelief. I was in spiritual darkness, even darkness that might be felt. I do not know that I ever was so much given up to the evil surmisings of my own heart, since I have been in orders. I could hardly act faith at all. Had it not been for fear of exposing myself and disturbing the family, I should have roared for the disquietness of my heart. My heavenly Pilot disappeared; I seemed to have C|uite lost my hold on the rock of ages ; I sunk in the deep mire ; and the waves and storms went over me. Yet, at last, in prayer, I was enabled, I know not how, to throw myself, absolutely and at large, on God, at all events, for better for worse : yet without comfort, and almost without hope. I was, in .-hort, almost in a state of despair. My horror and distress were unutterable. And in this condition I remained, until it pleased (iod to give nie some sleep. Sinulu]!, 24. When I awaked this naorning, I had pence ct soul, and a considerable measure of confidence in God. — Read prayers, and preached with strength of body and enlarge- ment of mind. — After my return from public morning service, my consolations from above were inexpressible. Heaviness did indeed endure for a night ; but joy came in the morning. My soul could magnify the Lord ; and mv spirit rejoiced ir God my Saviour. — Head Bishop Wilkins' Preacher, with great ap- probation and pleasure, and not without im- provement.— In the afternoon, read prayers, ;ind preached to a very large c ingregation : and God vvas with me of a truth. My own soul was richly watered, and there seemed to be showers of blessing all around. I never preached so much extempore, in my life before. My whole introduction was off-hand ; nor did I evei express myself more freely, pertinently, and to my own satisfaction. My text, both par ts of the day. Psalm xxxii. 1. O, what in- finite amends has God made nie for the dis- tresses of last night! Might I choose for myself (which, however, I am not qualified for, nor yet desirous of doing,) 1 should hardly, I think, care how much God humbled me in private before him, so I might but enjoy his presence and blessing in the discharge of my public duties. What a day has this been ! A sabbath-day indeed ; a day of feasting to ray soul ; a day of triumph and rejoicing. He brought me into his bai'.queting-house, and his banner over me was love, 1 never wa? more assisted from above, thrn this afternoon; very seldom so much. Lord, bless the people as tbou hast blessed me ! Here let me leave it on thankful record, for my comfort and support (if it please God) in future times of trial and desertion, that I never was lower in the valley than last night ; nor higher on the mount than to-day. The Loi d chastened me, but did not give me over unto death. And he never v^ ill. He may, indeed, for a small moment, hide his face from me ; but with everlasting kindness will he have mercy on me. Saturdaij, 30. After dinner, rode to Broad- Hembury ; where I spent the evening, and lay at Mrs. Pynsent's. Very different, through the tender mercy of God, was my frame of mind, to- night, from what it was the Saturday before. I was now enabled to rest, with comfortable complacency, on the power, faithfulness, and grace of my heavenly Father. \V hat a poor, feeble creature is a believer, when faith is not in exercise ! He is like an eagle, whose wings are pinioned. But, when the south-wind of the Holy Spirit breathes upon the soul, and fans the smoking flax, the Christian grows as the lily, and casteth forth the root as Lebanon. He is, for the time being, almost tempted to sing that requiem which David, in similar cir- cumstances, sang to his soul, "I shall never be removed ; thou. Lord, of thy goodness, hast m. de my hill so strong." May 1. Sunday. Read prayers, and preached, morning and afternoon, at Broad-Hembury. The Lord was with me both parts of the day. — In private, spent several hours in reading Seed's Sermons. Elegant, and masterly, is the composition ; nervous, and refined, the reasoning: but the main thing, I apprehend, is wanting; even that spiritual unction, that vital vein of gospel experience, without which, the correctest performances of this kind are, to me, powerless and tasteless. — Read also Wall's Critical Note^ on the New Testament ; in which are many things useful and ingenious: yet I cannot help thinking that the alterations (improperly styled, amendments,) which the REV. AUGUSTUS TOPLADY. 21 learned author would make in the orisjinal text, are, for the far greater part, extremely fliijhty and conjectural ; often quite injudicious ; and, sometimes, astonishin<;ly darins^. Besides, the dead fly of Arminianism mars and taints the whole pot of ointment. Thursday, 5. My honoured and most dear mother's birth-day. Gracious God, crown her inestimable life with many years to come ; and crown each year with additional grace and re- doubled happiness ! — After dinner, removed, for good, from Fen-Ottery to Broad Hembury: where, being arrived, I spent the evening in a comfortable frame of soul ; liumbly trusting, that the God and guide of my life, who fixeth the bounds of our habitations below, will, himself, vouchsafe to be the dwelling place of my soul, here and ever. At night, there was some thunder; during which especially, I was favoured with a sweetly awful sense of God's majesty and love. How happy, O Lord, is the soul which is enabled to wrap itself in thee ! Friday, (i. Enjoyed the peace of God to-day: particularly at night, before bed-time ; when my communion with the Father of spiiits was near and sweet. I could indeed say, " My Lord, my love, my all !" Saturday, 7- Was occasionally comforted from above. Blessed, O God, unutterably blessed, is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee ! Thy secret is with me ; and thou hast shewn me thy covenant. Sunday, 8. In the morning, read prayers, and read the Thirty-nine Articles, and the De- claration of Conformity. In the afternoon, read prayers, and preached, to a very large congregation. Between morning and afternoon service, I experienced much of God's presence, alone in my study, while revising the sermon 1 intended to preach. My comforts and joys did not only flow as a river, but rose like the waves of the sea. — In the evening read Tur- retin's Theolugia ; true is that great author's observation, and most happily expiessed, " (tOavaaiac, fides est fuiidamentum (vOavaaiac;." Read also Dr. Sibbes's " Soul's Conflict :" in which the following observations are equally important, certain, and comfortable : " The angel troubled the waters, which then cured tiiose that stept in : it is also Christ's manner to trouble our souls first, and then to come with healing in his wings. — As for crosses, he doth but cast us down, to raise us up ; and empty us, that he may fill us ; and melt us, that we may be vessels of glory : loving us as well, in the furnace, as when we are out ; and standing by us all the while. — In the worst condition, the church hath two faces : one towards heaven and Christ, which is always constant and glorious ; another towards the world, which is, in appearance, contemptible and changeable. — In all storms, there is sea- room enough, in the infinite goodness of God, for faith to be carried with full sail. — Places and conditions are happy or miserable, as God vouchsafeth his gracious presence more or less. — God is nearest to his children, when he seems farthest off. — It is as natural for sin to raise doubts and fears in the conscience, as for rotten flesh and wood to breed worms. Sin, like Achan in the camp, or Jonas in the ship, is that which causeth storms within and with- out.— Of all troubles, the trouble of a proud heart is the greatest. — The greater part of our troubles we pull upon ourselves, by nut parting our care so, as to take upon us only the care of duty, and leave the rest to God ; and by ming- ling our passions with our crosses ; and, like a foolish patient, chewing the pills whicli we should swallow down." Tuesday, 10. Whilst taking my evening walk, by myself, on the hill that overlooks tlTis village, and surveying the lovely vales, that lie beneath on either hand, the Lord melted me into gratitude and praise. 1 was not alone ; for the great Father of all was with me. — On my return, wrote part of a sermon, after sup- per, on 2 Cor. V. 8. and my peace and joy in believing were great. Sunday, 15. In the morning rode to Sheldon ; where I read prayers and preached to a very attentive congregation; a sn;:ill church, but well filled. After service, returmd home to Broad-Hembury ; where, ii\ the ulter- noon, i read prayers and preached to a great auditory ; and the Lord was with me in an especial manner. Spent the evening v^ ry com- fortably and profitably, in writing part of a sermon. At night, those words dwelt nuich upon my mind, and were greatly blest to me, "TheLord is my portion, saith my soul :" throiigli the influence of his good Spirit, 1 could see and rejoice in God as my portion indeed. Sunday, 22. Jf'hitmnday. In the morn- ing, read prayers, preached, and adminislered the holy sacrament to thirty-:>ix conmmnicants. In the afternoon, read prayers, and prcaclkd, to a very large congregation. I trust the ordinances were blest to some : but, as to myself, I can only say, that I went through the duties of the day with stiength, ease, and presence of mind. 1 desire to be thankful lor this ; yet am grieved, that I was not moie fervent in spirit, and higher on the mount of divine love. I could ever wish to be Like the rapt seraph that adores and bums. Fain would I mount ; fain wotild I glow ; j And loose mj caiilc from below : But 1 f.m only spread niy sail ; Tbuu, thou must breathe th' auspic-ious g.ilc ! Friday, 27- Notwithstanding my aggTr^- vated sinfulness and my absolute unworthine^^, God gave me, this night, to drink of his con- solations, as from a river. " Pardon and sanc- tification," was my prayer : " Mercy, pardon and salvation," was the gracious answer. Sunday, 28. This evening, I was enabled to rejoice in spirit. God gave me not only a good hope in his grace, but the assuranc of 22 MEMOIRS OF THE faith. Finished a sermon on Rev. ii. ] 7. I do tliink and trust that I can say, tiiat text is verified in me, even me, a sinner. Through the blood of the Lamb, I believe that I shall overcome ; I am often fed with the hidden manna of communion with God ; there are times when I can set to my seal, that the white stone of absolution and justification is mine ; and that I have the new name, the pri- vilege of adoption into the invisible family of God; the consciousness of which is attended with such comfort as is only known to those that receive it. To Father, Son, and Spirit, be all the glory ! Sunday, 29. Read prayers, and preaclied, morning and afternoon, to a much larger con- gregation, both times, than I expected, con- sidering the wetness of the weather. God has watered the earth, to-day, with his rain, which has been, for some time, greatly wanted : but the spiritual shower of divine love did not de- scend upon my soul, until I retired to my study, this evening, after family prayer. I had then some short, but comfortable intercourse with God. An observation which I met with to-day, in reading Downame's " Christian Warfare," struck me much ; speaking of the Holy Spirit as the sealer of the elect, he asks, " How is it possible to receive the seal, without feeling the impression ?" 0 that I might feel it, more and more ! June 5. Sunday. This morning, I read prayers, and preached, to a large congrega- tion ; and, in the afternoon, to a very large *ne. My God was present with me, both times ; and, I trust, I have reason to hope, that my labour was not in vain in the Lord. Visited and prayed with farmer William Taylor, twice to- day. The first time, particularly, I had great freedom of speech, in conversing with him on spiritual matters. He has, probably, not many days to live ; and, I would hope, is not without some sense of divine things. Visited also, and prayed with Edward Granger : a very ignorant person, and full of what are called good resolutions, if God should restore him again to health. It is a melancholy thing, that, in a Protestant country, a minister should have so much ignorance to combat with, in most of the common people. I thank thee. Holy Father, if I am, in any measure, enlight- ened into the knowledge of thee ; and beseech thee to make me an instrument, in thy hand, of giving light to others, so far as my little sphere extends. Was, through grace, very comfortable in my own soul, several times this day. Thursday, 9. In the morning, visited and prayed with farmer William Taylor. One thing, which he said, I took notice of with sa- tisfaction : his words were, "My pains are nothing to my hopes." Dined and drank tea at Grange. At night, after my return thence, I was happy ia the Lord. I was enabled. from a sense of interest in Christ, to sing those sweet lines, JesU3. thou art my ligbtcouauess. For all my aiiis were thine, &c. Sunday, 12. Read prayers, and preached, morning and afternoon. Might 1 judge of what others felt, by the comfortable enlarge- ment I experienced myself, both parts of the day, I should trust that the arm of the Lord was revealed. The afternoon audience was very great ; and God was with me of a truth. A door of knowledge, and of utterance, was opened to me : and I humbly hope, God opened to himself a door into the hearts of some that heard. I cannot forbear observing, that last night, and to-day, the Lord gave me some special assurances of his being with me in the discharge of the public duties of this sabbath : and his gracious intimations were verified indeed. The promises of man fre- quently exceed the performance ; but God's performance exceeds even his promises. Saturday, 18. All day at home. Wrote several hymns ; and, while writing that which begins thus : " When faith 's alert, and hope shines clear," &c. I was, through grace, very comfortable in my soul ; so, indeed, I have been the whole day. Read bishop Hopkins's Works, which were sent me from Exeter yesterday, with much spiritual improvement. From morning until now, i. e. until eleven at night, I have enjoyed a continual feast within. Christ has been unspeakably precious to my heart, and the blessed Spirit of God has visited me with sweet and reviving manifestations. Temptations, of a particular kind, beset me more than once ; but the Lord hfted up his standard, and I fell not ; the gates of hell at- tacked me, but did not prevail against the grace of God which was with me. Glory be to God on high, who spreads a table for me in the wilderness, making me to banquet on his love ; and who has caused my cup of joy to overflow this day. Yea, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord, and be myself his house, for ever. Sunday, 19. Though somewhat out of order in the morning, God carried me well through the duties of the day. Read prayers and preached, twice, as usual. In the after- noon, the congregation was very large. This has not been such a rejoicing day to my own soul, as yesterday was ; but, I trust, the word preached was not powerless altogether. Yet this, I fear, I can truly say, that my lot has never hitherto been cast among a people so generally ignorant of divine things, and so totally dead to God. I know of but three per- sons, in all this large and populous parish, on whom, I have solid reason to trust, a work of saving grace is begun : and these are, Mrs. Hutchins, farmer William Taylor, and Joan » Venn. But this I verily believe, that, if God had not some elect souls to call, he would not REV. AUGUSTUS TOPLADY. 23 have sent me hither. When vicar of Ilarpford, 1 laboured among that people for a great part of two years, before i could perceive a sensible out-pouring of God's Holy Spirit upon them : and yet, before I left them, God seemed to have owned my ministry in a very great and un- expected manner. Lord, grant, if it please thee, that I may have the same consolation here ! U'ednesdaii, '22. Calling on Mrs. Hutchins this evening, I found Joan Venn there, from whom I had the comfort of hearing that my unworthy ministry has, in general, been at- tended with gieat power to her soul: but, above all, on the 24th of last April, in the afternoon, under that sermon from Psalm xxxii. 1. Lord, carry on thy work in her^oul and mine, to the day of Christ! Friday, 24. Visited and prayed with Sarah Granger. In the evening, had a very comfort- able interview with old farmer VVilliam Taylor, who, though better than I ever expected to see him, is not, in all probability, far from the in- visible world. God enabled me to pray with him extempore ; and I never yet saw him so affected. If the Lord gives ability, I think to lay aside forms of prayer, in my future attend- ance on the sick. 1 generally find, that prayer, on these occasions, offered up as God gives utterance, is more blest to the souls I attend upon, as well as to my own. Lord, may thy good Spirit, which maketh intercession in thy saints, be ever present with me, to help my infirmities, and teach me to pray as I ought. There are, certainly, particular exigencies, ana cases, which few, if any, prescribed forms can reach. With regard to this, and every other part of my duty as a minister, my help stand- eth in the name of the Lord, who hath made heaven and earth. I only wish that my natural diffidence was less, and my faith greater! Sunday, A sabbath of joy and blessing. Was somewhat cast down, last night, and early this morning, at the prospectof the public duties lying before me, as I have been, for some days past, troubled with a cough, which grows upon me more and more. But God heard my petitions, and was better to me than my expectations. I read prayers, and preached, in the morning, to a large congregation ; and, in the afternoon, to an exceedingly full one ; with unusual freedom of utterance, and strength of body, both times. After morning service, visited and prayed with Sarah Granger. In prayer, she was quite melt- ed down, and wept greatly. God gave me both words and matter, suitable to her case. In the evening, visited and prayed with farmer William Taylor ; and, oti this occasion too, I was enabled to pray with much liberty of speech, and comfort to myself. In the course of our conversation, he told me, that " Being alone yesterday evening, and oegging of God to hearken to his supplications, he thoutrht he heard a voice say, 'I will hear thy prayers:' and that his hope of acceptance has been ever since, greater than usual." How this really was, I dare not say ; but would choose to sus- pend my judgment about it. This, however I am glad to observe in him, namely, that he is most earnestly desirous of gaining the assu- rance of his justification. Surely, if the foun- dation of true faith were not laid in his soul, he would hardly be so desirous of having the top-stone brought forth with joy. At night, finished a short morning sermon, which I began yesterday, on 1 Kings xvii. 21. Tuesday, 28. In my way to Grange (where I dined and spent the evening), visited Sarah Granger. I found her surrounded with weep- ing friends and relatives, and herself little more than alive, in point of bodily strength, but perfectly sensible. My mouth was opened to speak much and pertinently to her case ; and the Lord gave me very great freedom, enlarge- ment, and warmth in prayer. I hope it was made a season of blessing both to her and to those who were present, as, though grace, it was to myself. She, strongly, and in a most affecting manner, requested me to have an eye over her children when she was dead and gone, and to do what I could in furthering them in the way to the kingdom of God. I assured her, that nothing in my power should be wanting, if I lived, which might conduce to their spiri tual or temporal welfare. Friday, July 1. Drinking tea, this after- noon, at Priory, we were surprised with a vesy unexpected storm of rain, thunder, and light- ning. The flashes wete so frequent, and so very violent, that Mrs. Sydenham proposed shutting the windows, letting down the cur- tains, and having candles brought in; which was done accordingly. I dropt an intimation of my readiness to go to prayer ; but the hint was not accepted. After about two hours, the weather being fair again, I took that oppor- tunity of returning home to Broad-Hemlniiy. On my vvay, the thunder and lightning were renewed; but there being no rain, I kept on, and, blessed be God's good providence, arrived safe at the vicarage. The Lord preserved me from a slavish fear ; but I felt a very desirable awe on my mind, even such as I would always wish to feel, on such a commanding occasion. I conversed much with God in mental prayer, and desire to bless his name, that the awful manifestations of his power were not comnjis- sioned either to hurt or destroy. I have heai d much louder thunder; but never, I believe, saw such prodigious lightning ; unless my being more exposed to it, than I ever was before, makes me think so. Thou, O Lord, command- est the waters ; it is the glorious God who maketh the thunder: and (adored be the riches of thy mercy) it was Thou who didst bid the lightnings alarm, but prohibit them to strike. O take me, and seal me thine for ever ! Saturday, 2. God gave me, this night, some very express and comfortable assurances of his 24 MEMOIRS OF THE blessing me In the course of the public duties to-moiio\v. Lord, I humbly say. Amen: I beg that it may be so ; I believe that it will be so. Sundarj, 3. Early this morning, took horse for Fen-Ottery; where, being arrived, I went to captain Penney's. After being with him about half an hour, we walked to church. As we were going, the captain suddenly took hold of my lefc-urm : I, imagining he might have something particular to say to me, went closer to him ; when he fell on me, with all his weight. At first, I supposed he might have stumbled, and lost his footing; but was alarm- ed when I found him continue motionless in my arms. In less than half a minute, became to himself; and was as well fis ever. It seems, he has, several times before, been struck in a similar manner: and, had I not been by his side, he must have fallen prostrate. O, that he may, in this his day, know the things that be- long to his everlasting peace, before they are liid froni his eyes ! Being come to the church, I read prayers, and then preached, with very great enlargement and liberty both of mind and utterance If I might judge by the tears, which some shed, under the word preached (and, indeed, I myself did with great difficulty refrain from weeping, toward the conclusion), the message of salvation seemed to be attend- ed with power. After dinner, rode to Harp- furd ; where I read prayers, and preached, to a very great congregation. Though my cough was somewhat troublesome, at intervals, I detained my old audience for fifty minutes, and great was my strength of voice and fer- voui- of spirit; nor less their attention. After drinking tea at farmer Carter's, I returned to Fen-Ottery; where I lay at captain Penney's. Upon a retrospective view of this Lord's- day, I tind abundant reason to adore, admire, and praise the goodness of God. Mr. Luce's being at Plymouth, rendered it necessary for me, as a friend, to assist him, by officiating at his churches ; and the Lord has been very gra- cious to me in my unworthy ministrations. 1 have had also, the additional satisfaction of delivering the tidings of peace and salvation to a people of whom 1 had, lately, the charge, and whom I affectionately love in the Lord. Thou God of all grace,command thy omnipotent bless- ing on what they have heard ! Tuesday, 5. Laying at Otterton last night, I took an airing, this morning, with Mr. Duke, in his coach, to Budleigh, Knowle, Tidwell, and Salterton ; and the Lord enabled me, at times, to hold comfortable communion with himself by the way. Satnrduy, 9. The merciful and gracious Lord wa* sensibly with me, the latter part of to-day. — "Awake and sing," and, presently after, " Arise and shine," were spoken to my soul, from above, with power and sweetness. Late at night, God was again pleased to give me the knowledge of asabbaih-day's bless- ing to-morrow. Such comfortable and peremp- tory convictions of God's future presence and support on a succeeding Sunday (with which I have been so often favoured before-hand) I in- tend, henceforth, as often as God is pleased to grant them, to distinguish by the name of Satur- day-Assurances. Assurances they are indeed ; so clear, positive, and satisfactory. I never knew them once fail, nor deceive my trust. I have often been dejected and fearful, at the ap- proached of a sabbath on which I was to minis- ter publicly; and God has frequently, not to say generally, been better to me than my unbe- lieving fears ; but, on those happy days (and, blessed be his name, they have, of late especi- ally, been very many) when previous assurances have been given me of his help and presence on the Sunday following, those assurances have always been made good. The Lord has often disappointed my doubts, and the evil surmis- ings of unbelief; but he never once disappoint- ed my hope, when he has said, previously, to my soul, "I will be with thee." Sunday, 10. God has made this a comfort- able sabbath indeed. In the morning, read prayers and preached to a considerable congi e- gation ; and, in the afternoon, to an e.xceeding great one, with great readiness, strength, and presence of mind, each time In the evening, God delivered me out of a grievous temptation, and saved me from falling by it. Visited and prayed with Sarah Granger. I was heartily glad to find that the Lord has made her sensible of the deceitfulness of her heart. Her fears that she is not sincerely earnest in seeking (iud, and, to use her own expression, in her "lonj;- ings after the Lord Jesus;'" are to me, favour- able signs of her being so. In praying with her, God gave me enlargement of mind, and great freedom of speech. Visited old Mrs. Hutchins, who longs for the assurance of faith ; but whose fear of death rather increases than abates : I was enabled to speak a word in season; and trust it was not wholly in vain in the Lord. At night read PolhilTs Treatise (late the property of the excellent Mr. Pearsall), entitled, '* Pre- cious Faith." It is a precious book, and on a precious subject. Friday, 1 5. God shone upon my soul greatly this evening. Sunday, 17- In the morning, read prayers and preached ; but not with that sensible coni- fort which I sometimes enjoy. In the afternoon, Mr. Savery was so kind as to read pra\-ers and preach in my stead. My cough was rather troublesome to-day. After evening service, I was much cheered and refreshed in soul, whi'e reading Mr. Erskine's sermon, entitled, "Faitli's Plea on God's Word and Covenant." Sunday, 24. In the mornmg, rode to Shel- don ; where I read prayers and preached. Re- turning thence, I read prayers and preached here, at Broad-IIembury, in the afternoon, with uncommon strength and liveliness, and to the REV. AUGUSTUS TOPLADY. 26 largest congregation I have yet seen in thi8 place. Blessed be the God of all comfort, for the distinguished mercies of this delightful sabbath. I was carried, through the duties of it, as on eagles' wings ; and, amidst the vast auditory, the word preached seemed to reach some hearts with power anc the demonstration of the Spirit. May it be fastened as a nail in a sure place, and be found after many days ! Siindai/, 31. Read prayers, and preached, both morning and afternoon, with strength and some liveliness, but with little spiritual joy. At night, was visited with some taste;, of comfort, and with the sweet rays of my heaven- ly Father's countenance, in reading Erskine's sermons. Read likewise, not without sensible improvement, some part of the acts of the synod of Dort ; particularly the judgment of the British divines, "De Perseverantid Sanctorum." Saturday/, August 6. Was much dejected in soul to-night ; but, in seeking the Lord, re- ceived some comfortable intimations. Sunday, 7. In the morning rode to Plym- tree ; where 1 read prayers, and preached, with very great freedom, strength, and enlargement, to a serious, attentive congregation ; some of whom seemed to experience as much of the Holy Spirit's power as I did. After dining at Mr. Harward's, I returned to Broad-Hembury : where I read prayers, and preached, to a pro- digiously full church, with equal fervour and liberty both of mind and utterance, as in the morning. I can never enough adore thy good- ness, O thou God of all grace 1 Moudaij, 8. I cannot help noting, to my shame, and as a mark of my exceeding depra- vity, that, after all the Lord's sabbath-day's mercies to me yesterday, I was never, that I know of, more cold, lifeless, and wandering, than I was in secret prayer last night, just before going to bed. Pardon, dearest Lord, my want of love ! Alas, if I loved thee more, I should serve thee better. During the course of ihe present day, God gave me some very humbling and instructing views of myself. Ab- stracted from special, efficacious grace, nothing- ness (or, if any thing, utter sinfulness; may be written on all I have, and am, and do. Blessed be God, that I have some ground to hope myself interested in a better righteousness than my own ! Sunday, 14. Read prayers, and preached, morning and afternoon. Was, in general, great- ly depressed in soul this day ; but not so much during the seasons of public worship, as before and after. In the evening, and at night, my heart aspired to God with groanings that cannot be uttered. yet,whil9 reading Whitty's Sermons, I experienced a great degree of divine power, and, now and then, some sweetness ; but I could not rejoice in the Lord; nor is it fit that such a sinner always should. Deal with me,()God, as thou wilt : but, O, seal me to the day of redemp- tion, and make me be found in the number of thine at last! Thursday, 18. At Exeter, to-day, I spent some time with that excellent Christian, good old Mr. Brewer ; and, in the course of our conversation, I experienced much of the divine presence. Among other matters, he mentioned some particulars, spoken in a charge lately given at the ordination of a young dissenting minister, which I put down here, as they are too good to be lost. " I cannot conclude," said the old ambassador of Christ, " without reminding you, my young brother, of some things that may be of use to you, in the course of your ministry. I. Preach Christ crucified, and dwell chiefly on the blessings resulting from his righteousness, atonement, and inter- cession. '2. Avoid all needless controversies, in the pulpit ; except it be, when your subject necessarily requires it ; or when the truths of God are likely to suffer by your silence. 3. When you ascend the pulpit, leave your learn- ing behind you : endeavour to preach more to the hearts of your people, than to their heads. 4. Do not affect too much oratory. Seek father to profit, than to be admired." In the after- noon, returned to Broad-Hembury. Sunday, 21. In the morning, attended my friend, Mr. Savery, to Sheldon ; where he read prayers and preached. Returned, by dinner, to Broad-Hembury, where I read prayers, and preached, in the afternoon, to a large con- gregation, with a spirit and life that seemed to reach the hearts of most present. It was a Sabbath-day's blessing indeed. Surely, nothihg but heaven itself can exceed such a golden opportunity! " Bless the Lord, O my soul ; and all that is within me praise his holy name." Saturday, 27. In secret prayer, to-night, God gave me a Saturday-assurance of a blessing to- morrow ; and 1 was enabled to believe that it would be unto me even as the Lord had said. Sunday;, 28. Read prayers, and preached, both parts of the day, with uncommon strength of body, and with vast enlargement of soul. Between morning and afternoon service, being in my study, and comfortably engaged in secret prayer, the Lord visited me with a refreshing shower of divine love : so that my soul was like a watered garden. I never felt so intense a desire to be useful to the souls of my people ; my heart was expanded, and burnt with zeal, fi)r the glory of God, and for the spiritual wel- fare of my flock. I wished to spend and be spent in the ministry of the word ; and had some gracious assurances from on high that God would make use of me to difluse his gospel, and call in some of his chosen that are yet unconverted. — In the afternoon, the congregation was exceedingly great in- deed. I was all on fire for God ; and the fire, I verily believe, caught from heart to heart. — I am astonished, when I review the blessings of this Lord's day. That a sinner so vile, so feeble, so ill, and so hell-deserving, should be thus powerfully carried beyond 26 MEMOIRS OF THE himself, and be enabled to preach with such demonstration of the Spirit. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach, among the gentiles, the unsearchable riches of Christ. Lord, let thy word run, and be glorified ! Out of weakness, I am made strong ; to thy name alone be the entire praise! And goon, O, go on, to own the counsel of thy unworthiest messenger, and to make the feet of him that sent me sound behind me ! Thy mercies to me, both as a man, as a believer, and as a minister, have already been so wonderful, that there is hardly any thing too great for me to hope for at thy hands. Monday, 29. This evening, after my return from Grange, God was very gracious to my soul. My meditation of him was sweet, and he gave me songs in the night season. 1 had sweet, melt- ing views of his special goodness, and of my own utter unworthiness. The united sense of these two keeps the soul in an even balance. I am then happiest, as well as safest, when my very exultations lay me lowest. Wednesday, 31. Writing, this afternoon, to Mrs. Browne, of Bath, I could not help enu- merating some of God's chief mercies to me, both in a way of providence and grace, since I saw her last. Among other things, I ob- served as follows : " God has also given me, in general, a much greater portion of health and strength than usual ; and crowned his other mercies, by enabling me to dispense his gos- pel, for the most part, with a liveliness and fervour which I have seldom experienced for so long a time together.^ — — - — I sing, and ought to sing, of mercy and loving kindness. I can indeed set up my Ebenezer, erect a monument of thankfulness, and inscribe every separate blessing with David's motto. This hath God done. May his grace lay me low at his footstool, as a Christian ; and his al- mighty Spirit command success on n.y unworthy labours, as a minister! The Lord go on to make you, madam, happy in his love, and an instrument of extensive good to his people below. In the exercise of the grace he has given you, and in the discharge of the duties he has allotted to you, may your joy and peace flourish as the lily, and your comforts cast forth the root as Lebanon. Amid all your bodily complaints, may his strength be perfected in your weakness, and his right hand sustain you ; until, by the blood of atonement, and the faithful guid- ance of his Spirit, he has brought you to that land of light and rest and joy, where the glorified inhabitant shall no more, in any sense whatever, say, I am sick. I propose, if Providence permit, to set out for London, the latter end of September ; where I hope to spend the ensuing winter with my honoured mother •. happy should I be, in the mean while, to hear, that your health is at least no worse than usual. — I rejoice to find, from several gentlemen of Dorsetshire, that Mr. 's health is greatly improved. I have not taken the liberty of writing to him since last March was twelve-month ; one reason of which is, lest he should think I had any interested views to serve : which I am sure, is very far from being the case ; my present living being vastly more eligible, than any, of which my honoured friend is patron. When you send next to Frampton, you will oblige me in condescend- ing to mention my name, and tendering my most respectful compliments. My affectionate remembrance, and best wishes, attend the three young gentlemen, your nephews ; nor can I give a sincerer proof of both, than by praying that they may flourish as olive branches in the courts of the Lord's house ; be made wise unto salvation, by his Spirit ; and increase with the increase of God. Mr. and Mrs. Derham have my affectionate compliments : they may wonder, perhaps, that I have not done myself the pleasure of writing to them ; but dear Mrs. D. deserves only a scolding letter (if 1 could find in my heart to send her such an one), for leaving London, last autumn, witliout seeing me, though she knew I was then in town ; and the friend, at whose house she was, and who informed me afterwards of these par- ticulars, was engaged to drink tea with me the very day Mrs. Derham set out for Bath." Friday, September 2. Received, this morn- ing, a letter from a gospel friend ; informing me, that Mr- Morris, of the county of Wex- ford, in Ireland, whose ministry was, a little turned of twelve years ago, blest to my con- version, is waxing cold in the work of the Lord. Upon which, I thought it a debt due to friendship, and to the cause of God, to write him a letter. Saturday, 3. God was graciously pleased, this night, to give me an assurance of his bless- ing on the public work of to-morrow. How tenderly and bountifully does the Father of consolations deal with his sinful messengers ! Surely, doubting is doubly a sin in me! Sunday, 4. In the morning rode to Sheldon; where I was enabled to read prayers, and preach, with great comfort to myself, and, I have reason to hope, with power to them that heard. On my return, being part of the way over Hembercombe (more properly, Hembury Common), a most violent storm of rain obliged me to turn back, and take shelter at Richard Lane's. After half an hour's stop there, I re- turned to Broad-Hembury ; where, in the afternoon, 1 read prayers, and preached, with the greatest freedom and fervour, to a most attentive and (in appearance) affected congre- gation. Wet as the afternoon has proved, a great number of strangers were at church ; and, I verily think, the presence and power of God was amongst us.- — After service good old Mrs. Hatchings, and Joan Venn, drank coffee REV. AUGUS'^US TOPLADY. 27 with me at the vicarage. Our conversation was, for the most part, savoury and comfort- able. Was rejoiced to hear, that the word of God from my lips has been greatly blessed of late, to those two persons ; to farmer Copp, and his eldest son ; to old Mr. Thomas Granger, faimer Smith, and several other of my parish- oners. — Since I came down last into Devonshire from London (i. e. not quite a twelvemonth ago), God has owned my ministry more than ever ; particularly, at Harpford, and here. Blessed Lord, the work is thine alone : go on, I most humbly beseech thee, to speak to the hearts of sinners, by the meanest mouth that ever blew the trumpet in Zion ! At night, 1 was much comforted in spirit, in reading bishop Beveridge's Private Thoughts. Monday, 5. Had some sweet, refreshing in- tercourse with God, several times to-day. Upon a review of my experience durirg the former part of last year, and occasionally in the course of the presetit, I cannot help observing, that great humiliations are, often, the best pre- pai atives for ministerial usefulness. Saturday, 10. God refreshed and satisfied my soul to-night, with a Saturday's-assurance. " [ have blessed thee, and will bless thee again." was the answer I received. Sunday, 11. In reading prayers, and in preachmg, the Lord was signally with me, both parts of the day. In the afternoon, especially, the word, I verily trust, went forth with power and was glorified. Saturday, 1 7- Received some satisfactory and comfortable intimations of a Sabbath-day's blessing to-morrow. Surely, the Loid is in- deed good to those that wait for him, and to the soul that seeketh him ! Sunday, 18. Read prayers, and preached, morning and afternoon, with very great fervour, strength, and enlargement. That God is doing his work of grace upon the hearts of some, I have all the proof, both public and private, tliat the nature of the case will admit of. The Lord hath been to my soul, this day, both in my study, and in the temple, a place of broad rivers and streams. This evening, I met with a paragraph from archbishop Usher, which well deserves to be entered here: — " I must tell you," says the ex- cellent prelate, as my author relates it, " that we do not well understand what sanctification and the new creature are : it is no less than for a man to be brought to an entire resignation of his will to the will of God ; and to live in the offering up of his soul continually, in the flames of love, as a whole burnt-offering to Christ." I trust, I have experienced and do frequently experience, something of this blessed work, in myself : Lord, make the little one become a thousand ! Saturday, 24. Dined at Ottery, to day, at Mr Dare's. Our conversation turned partly on historical, partly on religious subjects. We talked, particularly, on the nature of rege- neration : and I took occasion, among other things, to observe that the whole process of the new-birth seems included in that three- fold conviction, mentioned by our Lord, and declared by him to be the olBce of the Holy Ghost : namely. Conviction of sin, or of our total depravity by nature and practice ; of the impossibility of our being justified by works ; of our liableness to the whole curse of the law ; and our absolute inability to help, save, or re- cover ourselves, whether in whole or in part : 2. Conviction of righteousness, i. e. of the perfection, necessity, and efficacy of Christ's righteousness, in order to justification before God : 3. Conviction of judgment, or that act of the Holy Spirit on the soul, whereby " the prince of this world is judged ;" brought, as it were, to the bar ; found guilty of usurpation ; and dethroned : from which happy moment, the sinner is brought into sweet subjection to God, his lawful sovereign, sin is weakened as to its dominion (in order to its final extii- pation), and the regenerate soul is more and more conformed to the image of God's holi- ness. So that, I suppose, conviction of sin is only another name for evangelical repentance ; conviction of righteousness, for true faith in Christ ; and conviction of judgment, a peri- phrasis for sanctification : which three capital graces are the constituents of regeneration. — Toward evening returned to Broad-Hembury. Sunday, 25. In the morning, I'ead prayers, and preached ; and the power of God appeared to accompany the word spoken. Young Mr. Minifie, in particular, was, I am informed, greatly affected from above. In the afternoon, the congregation was by far the greatest 1 ever yet saw here ; the people flocked like doves to the windows ; and such an auditory, and that auditory so solemn and attentive, was a most awfully affecting sight. I read prayers, and preached, with a fervour, strength, and live- liness, which only God could give. His word seems to run like fire which none can quench. Lord, pardon my unworthiness, and accom- plish the work of tliy grace upon the hearts of them that hear, and on tlie base, sinful heart of me the feeblest and most undeserving of thy messengers ! After evening service, Mary Ellis called on me. If ever a soul was truly convinced of sin, I believe she is so. I endeavoured to administer balm to her wounded spirit, by opening up the promises, and un- folding a little of the unsearchable riches of Christ. This morning, as I was going to chuicli, Joan Venn put a paper into my hands. Last Tuesday, she gave me an account of God's past dealings with her soul ; and I have seldom seen a person, of the truth of whose conversion 1 had so little cause to doubt. In consequence of our interview that day, she has had some exercises of mind, as I find from this paper, which, omitting what relates tu 28 MEMOIRS OF THE iny unworthy self, runs Huis : " I have had very deep thou«(hts, and very great trouble, since my last discourse with you. I have looked into niy life past ; 1 have ransacked my soul, and called to mind the sinful failinf^s of my youth : and I find it very hard and difficult, to make my calling and election sure. I have earnestly desired to leave no corner of my soul unsearched ; and 1 find myself a very grievous and wretched sinner. I have com- mitted grievous sins, very grievous sins, such sins as are not fit to be named before God's saints. I have examined my soul by each par- ticular commandment, and find myself frailty of the breach of all, and that in a high de- gree. And now, when I look upon the glass of the law, and there see my own vileness, I find God's justice and my own deserts even ready to surprise me and cast me down into the nethermost hell, and that most righteously: but O, see the goodness of a gracious God, in that he hath given me a sight of my sins ! And I am inclined to think, that, if God did not work with me, this sorrow could not be. O, sir, I cannot but let you know, that some- times 1 have some blessed thoughts of God ; and O, how sweet are they to my soul ! they are so ravishing, that I cannot possibly declare it; but they are like the morning cloud and early dew, soon gone, and then I am afraid. I have had abundunce of trials and temptations in these three years almost ; but if I could think that my dear Lord had shed his blood for me, I should not be so much shaken ; and, because I cannot apply these things to myself, my heart doth mourn within me. I am greatly afraid of the deceitfulness of my heart, lest that should deceive me. But let the righteous smite me, and it shall be a kindness ; and let him reprove me, and it shall be excellent oil which shall not bieak my head. O, that the Lord Jesus Christ would but sprinkle what I have said with his precious blood! And, now I have opened my soul to you, I most humbly beg and desire your advice concerning these weighty matters ; for they are matters which concern iny never dying soul. — And I have a high esteem for you : but what is my esteem ? The esteem of a poor worm, of a poor sinful creature. O that the Lord would let me see, more and more, my own vileness 1 Now I liave declared to you what the Lord, through grace, hath revealed to me ; though I am unworthy to write to such," &c. O, that all my parishioners vvere, not only almost, but altogether such, in spirit, as this woman ! Illiterate she is, and, I believe, chiefly supports herself by spinning : but, when God teaches, souls are taught indeed. October 2. Sunday. In the morning read prayers, and preached, to a large and affected auditory : afterwards, I admi iistered the blessed sacrament Last Whitsunday, I had but thirty- six communicants : to-day, 1 had the comfort of counting sixty-one. It was a season of spiritual joy and refreshment. Duty is plea- sant, when God is present. — In the afternoon, read prayers, and preached, to a sMil more crowded church than ever. Great were mv strength and joy in the Lord ; and the word, I verily trust, was armed with divine power. Mr. Pratt, of Dalwood, in Dorsetshire, with two other gentlemen of the same place, were here, both parts of the day. — I know not that I ever spent a more comfortable and tri- umphant sabbath. How is it, O thou God of love, that thy tender mercies should thus accompany and follow the vilest sinner out of hell ! That, to me, who am less than the least of all saints, this grace should be given, that I should both experience and preach the un- searchable riches of Christ 1 Monday, 3. Good Mr. liampfield, of Shel- don, called on me this morning ; and our con- versation, though short, was chiefly on the best subjects. Having been informed, yes- terday, that Mr. Rutter, a worthy dissenting minister in Honiton, was seized, a few davs ago, with the palsy, and disabled from the work of the ministry, I wrote him a letter. December 3. Saturday. Mr. Bottomley, a worthy person, for whom I have a very great esteem, but who has long been an Anninian, put a paper into my hands, last night, at the Queen's Arms, after the club broke up, con- tpining some of his chief objections to tlie Calvinistic scheme. It is a copy of a letter, sent by him, some time ago, to Mr. Roniaiiie ; and runs in an humble, modest style ; very different from the bigotry and fury, the abuse and wilful misrepresentations, too usually found in the productions of those who pretend, amidst all, to be advocates for universal love in the Deity ; but of which they seldom shew any traces in themselves. I gave my friend the substance of my thoughts in a letter. We have now to take notice of Mr. Top- lady, as entering the polemic field ; and cannot help viewing him with a mixture of love and admiration. As a writer of true genius he has given scope to his own abilities, and thought as well as read. He has carried a classical taste into subjects which have been too often treated in a dry, jejune, and insipid manner. Though the track has been beaten, he has brought out something new on every subject he has entered upon. His style was chaste, animated, simple and grand, and so varied as to suit the different topics he canvassed. He had the peculiarity of spirit to strike off glow- ing images, and to seize the ridicule of cha- racter. The union of strength with elegance and precision characterises his diction, and en- titles him to a distinguished rank amongst the- ological writers. There was a singular unhappiness attending REV. AUGUSTUS TOPLADY. 29 our author in meetino^ with an opponent who should have been passed by in silent pity. The person alluded to was the Rev. Mr. John We.sley, a cleri^yman ordained in the church of England, but whose eccentric principles, and palpable deviations from his ecclesiastical parent, and from what has been received as sound principle in Protestant churches, was a peculiar trait in his character. His popularity as an itinerant preacher, by an assiduous per- severance, procured him a considerable number of votaries, who attached themselves to him as their leader. He published several books extracted from the writings of other men, which also conduced to render him conspi- cuous. His understanding, strictly speaking, was but ordinary. His imagination was fertile in littleness. The reader is disturbed and dis- gusted by the indistinctness of his ideas, and the inconclusiveness of his reasonings, the glaring misrepresentations and the plagiarisms of his pages. His arguments have been made up of undigested materials, heterogeneous and repugnant, without either shape or form, the frivolousness of their design and application have been completely destroyed by being only set in array against each other If a prize had been given to duhiess and the most superlative conceit, this gentleman might have started with the certainty of triumph. His resent- ment towards those who diSered from him was intense. His self-importance was asto- nishing, so that no reprehension given, in ever so mild a way, could instruct him. Those who have taken a cursory review, and were unacquainted with the parties, have taken our author's energy for indignation, his spirit fur invective, and his retorts for passion and outrage. We pretend not that he was innpec- cable, we acknowledge the ebullitions of a little subacid humour now and then, and that we And him sometimes indulging himself in a flow of witticism, which may appear to the fastidious as bordering upon levity — but what is this but light and shade reciprocally setting off each other ? It should be remembered, that those small faults, if they may be called such, are more than compensated by that great solidity and depth of thought, which, like a golden vein, runs through the whole of his writings. Controversial divinity has been held in much disrepute, by the ill informed zeal with which it has been managed by various dis- pntants. It has often produced a spirit of opposition and rivalship. The setting up of a party, as also bigoted attachments to certain ceiemonies, or particular modes of thinking. The naked simplicity of truth has been covered under the shreds and patches of declamation. The result of which has been, that the demon of discord has too often found a ^.lace in the vei-y sacred sanctuary, so as to break that cement that unites professing Christians to one another. It has had such a disagreeable aspect to those who have been making a serious inquiry after divine knowledge, as to promote a lassitude and indifterence towards the inves- tigation of subjects that are of everlasting im- portance. Therefore, while on the one hand we reprobate every idea of an unbecoming asperity in things truly trifling, and of no con- sequence, let it not be supposed that, because strong truths prove offensive to vveak eyes, a minister ought in any degree, by a wretched, dastardly, pusillanimity, to be so disingenous as to make any apology, for not contending earnestly for that faith once delivered to the saints, though it should expose him to the uncan- did virulence of habitual dissention. Mr Toplady, though so strenuous an advocate for the essentials of Christianity, so as not to recede an iota from his principles, was notwithstanding possessed of enlarged and expanded views. His intimacy and friendship with several valuable characters in the dis- senting communion, evidently evinced the generous and liberal sentiments of his breast. He expressed great esteem for those who were engaged in promoting the Redeemer's interest among mankind : how much soever they may have differed on unimportant topics, they uni- formly found in him the urbanity of agentleman, accompanied with that suavity of disposition which rendered him agreeable to all who had the happiness of his acquaintance. It was his intention, had his health permitted, to employ his pen in endeavouring to refute opinions ad- vanced by Dr. Priestley, in his book, entitled, " Disquisitions on Matter and Spirit." Though the doctor's theological principles and his were as opposite as it were possible to con- ceive, we cannot help anticipating, that if such an intellectual feast had taken place, from the specimen of their correspondence, we should have seen the truest respect given, by Mr. Toplady, to a great genius, and the moral in- tegrity of the man, without sacriticing truth, by a fulsome adulation, or for one moment countenancing those destructive tenets which degrade the person, and aiuiihilate the work of Christ in the redemption of sinners. In the year 17^''^, six students were expelled the University of Oxford ; much investigation relative to the cause took place, and several pamphlets were written on the occasion. It was in some degree the means of reviving an enquiry respecting the Calvinism or Armi- nianism of the church of England. Had some of the ])ersons concerned in the dispute adhered to observations and facts, it would have saved much superfluous time, in repeating what others have said again and again before them. For it is undeniable, that to be zealously attached to the Articles, Homilies, and Liturgy of the establishment, the epithet of Calvinist is certain to be prefixed to the character who espouses those doctrines. The name of any man, how- ever highly sanctioned, should be of rj avail, 30 MEMOIRS OF THE in enforcing or determining the belief of any one. We know of no infallible spiritual optimist : it is to the Scriptures every appeal must be made : nevertheless, so far as Calvin, or any other venerable character appear to embrace, and ardently stand forth to maintain the unadulterated system of the gospel, we have no objection to arrange ourselves under their banners, and to follow them so far as they followed Christ. Dr. Nowel peremptorily asserted the Ar- minianism of the church of England in answer to Pietas Oxonictisis. This called forth the pen of our author, in a treatise published in the year 1 769, with the following title: "The Church of England \'indicated from the Charge of Armi- nianism, in a Letter addressed to Dr. Nowel." He has therein shewn, by the clearest deduction of argument, unconnected with laboured so- phistry, or the studied distictions of thesubtilties of the declaimer, on which side the church leans. In the same year our author published a tract in English, from the Latin of Jerotu Zanchius, with this inscription, "The Doctrine of absolute Predestination stated and asserted, with a Preliminaiy Discourse on the Divine Attributes, accompanied with the Life of Zan- chius." This piece was finished by Mr. Top- lady when he was about twenty years of age, but by a modesty of disposition, bordering upon timidity, it was not announced to the public until nine years after. The translation was undertaken with a view to illustrate the prin- ciples of the reformation, and obviate objections that have been urged, that the doctrine of predestination was but partially received by those eminent men, who had then lately left the church of Rome, at the same time the principles are discussed upon Scripture pre- mises, and in analogy with the divine attributes. Mr. John Wesley, in a printed sheet of paper, that it might be distributed with the greater facility, endeavoured to impose on the public a few mutilated extracts from the last mentioned pamphlet, signed with the initials of our author's name ; the notoriety of such a weak procedure, if it had been left unregarded, would, in time, have shewn the imbecility of the attempt, and proved that uprightness had nothing to do with Mr. Wesley or his prin- ciples. It however appeared to Mr. Toplady of consequence enough to call forth his pen on the occasion, in a letter from the press, in the year 1770, "To the reverend Mr. John Wes- ley, relative to his pretended Abridgment of Zanchius." A few months after, a second edi- tion was called for, which was enlarged with a postscript to the reverend Mr. Sellon. His sentiments were manly and spirited, conveyed in a close and nervous style. This publication was succeeded by a dis- course preached at St. Ann's church, Black- fi'iars, entitled, " A Caveat against Unsound Doctrines." Mr. Toplady in this sermon asserts a few of the essential doctrines of le- velation that were stigmatised with evei-y op- probrium, he appeals, and avows his principles, from the confession of faith asserted in that church, of which he was a minister. To those who depreciate every system, as the compo- sition of men, liable to prejudice and error, and may therefore advance propositions which the Bible will by no means support, he places the Scripture as the grand object, and enforces the doctrines by arguments, solid and incom- pressible. Mr. Toplady here presents himself before us as a public speaker, in which situation he stood eminently distinguished. A specimtn of his judgment and perspicuity, accompanitd with a nobleness of sentiment and sublimity of expression, are now before the public. Never did we see a man ascend the pulpit with a more serious air, conscious of the momentous work that he was engaged in. His discourses weie extemporary, delivered in the strains of true unadulterated oratory. lie had a great variety of talents, such as are seldom seen united in one person : his voice was melodious and affecting ; his manner of delivery and action were engaging, elegant, and easy, so as to captivate and fix the attention of every hearer. His explanations were distinct and clear ; his arguments strong and forcible ; and his ex- hoi tations warm and animating ; his feelings were so intensely poignant, as to occasion, in some of his addresses, a flow of tears ; which, as it were by a sympathetical attraction, have drawn forth a reciprocal sensibility in his auditoiy. He despised those rhetorical tricks, that captivate and allure the multitude, and yet so numerous have been his assemblies, that the churches where he preached in the metropolis could not contain the hearers. He had an extensive knowledge of the several avenues to the human mind, so as by a subli- mity of reasoning to astonish his adversaries. He was no servile imitator of any one, a pleasing originality in his manner was peculiar to him- self, and had the appearance of an immediate perception. For to discourse well, something more than learning is wanting; the happy art of expressing with facility and elegance must, in a great degree, be born with the speaker, and is the immediate gift of heaven. A man may be unacquainted with the Grecian and Roman orators, or any preceptive treatise on the subject, and yet enter into the spirit of those great originals. Notwithstanding he was possessed of whatever study and application could impart, or learning, judgment, and genius could combine, we find him estimating all human attainments as of little consequence in divine things, without the effectual agency of the Holy Spirit. It was this that cast a lustre upon his abilities, and peculiarly charac- terized him a minister of the New Testament. He had the pleasure to see the work of the REV. AUGUSTUS TOPLADY. 31 Lord prosper in his hands, and many souls given him, which will be his crown of rejoic- ing in the day of the appearance of the Lord Jesus. In the year 1771> were published, three sermons, by Mr. Toplady, preached in his church, at Broad-Hembury, Dec. 25, \77^, two of wliich were entitled, " Jesus seen of Anj^els," and the third, " God's Mindfulness of Man." In these elegant compositions, there is a novetly of sentiment in matters of the most common discussion : the beautiful pathos with which they abound, must at once excite the notice of the most cursory reader. The publication of these discourses was succeeded by a pamphlet, entitled, " Free Thoughts on the projected Application to Parliament, in the year 1771, for the Abolition of Ecclesiastical Subscription." Our author therein acknowledges himself a defender of subscriptions to articles of faith, and that a community has a right to demand it from those whom they invest with any office in religious concerns, as a fence for keeping principles inimical to their views from entering among them, at the same time he enters his protest, and looks upon it as a grievance, that it should be exacted from the laity, particularly, those* who take the academical degrees in law or physic, and asserts, that no body of men what- soever has any plea to obtrude their opinions upon others. It was his uniform sentiment, that the empire of the mind is peculiar to the dominion of God, in religious concerns ; that, to exercise any authority over it, in any case, or in any degree whatever, is a sacri- legious invasion of the divine prerogative, and one of the highest oft'ences that can be com- mitted against God and man. He was a stren- uous advocate for Christian benevolence, and for the unrestrained toleration of Protestant Dissenters, with an enlargement of mind, that has a tendency to unite good men of different persuasions into one bond of union, which is the great design of the gospel of Christ. We find our author, in the year 177^, en- gaged again in vindicating the principles he patronised and avowed in his translation of Zanchius, in a publication under the title, " More Work for Mr. John Wesley, or a Vin- dication of the Decrees and Providences of God, against a Paper called the Consequence Prov- ed.'' The decrees of God, or his immanent de- termination respecting either angels or men, are so inscrutable, that all human researches must utterly fail, when attempting an investi- gation. The bounds which should circumscribe our thoughts have been most indecently leapt over, so that in endeavouring to account for the divine procedure, and to reconcile what has been supposed to carry an incongruity of prin- * By an act 19 CiiO. III. tljc Dissenters are tolerated to worship God, accordiiij; to their consciences, on «iilj8cribiiig the Scriptures instead of the Arlicleii. ciple, have lead the inquirers to canvas the in ■ defeasible prerogative of Deity. The result of which has been, they have found themselves enveloped in a maze of contradiction, and, in- stead of acknowledging the ambiguity attending human reasoning on such topics, they have substituted frivolous and vexatious objections, contradicting the analogy of divine revelation. We read, that when Christ entered decisively upon the subject, in the 6th chapter of St Jolin'.s gospel, some of his disciples peremptorily as- serted, that " It was a hard saying," and asked, " Who can bear it ?" Our Lord reiterated the doctrine to them, in the same discourse, and many of them, we are there informed, were so inveterate against him, that they left his pre- sence, " and walked no more with him.'' As it was then, so has it been in every period of time. For almost every sect, however they may have disagreed upon other subjects, have unanimously coincided to explode, with a de- grading menace, the doctrine of predestination. Persons of atheistical, and deistical principles, with those unacquainted with the Scriptures, have joined in one decisive adherency of opinion ; not considering that the counsel of God must stand, and that he will do all his pleasure, his decrees being, like nimself, immu- table. Mr. Toplady, in this tract, canvasses the objections urged against God's prescience, with that acuteness of penetration, which carries a pleasing ingenuity in his explanations, clothed with a vigour of language deserving com- mendation. On the 12th of May, 1772, our author was appointed to preach a visitation sermon before the clergy of the archdeaconry of Exeter, held at Columpton, which was published a few weeks after under the title " Clerical Subscrip- tion no Grievance, &c." This discourse is richly laden with evangelical treasure, we wish it were put into the hands of every candidate for the sacred ministry, on examination it will be found to contain a <:hoice epitome of sacred truths, enforced to the conscience, by several ap- posite texts of Scripture, shewn to comport with the fixed principles of the church of England. Animated at all times with a laudable ardour for the interest of the established church, he unremittingly endeavoured to retard its decay, and to restore it to its piimitive principles, by bringing to appearance the excellent edifice of her doctrines, as erected on marble columns, instead of posts, crumbling to putrefaction. This is particularly exemplified by refening to a work of his in two vols, octavo, published in the year 1774, inscribed "Historic Proof of the Doctrinal Calvinism of the Church of England, &c." In these volumes, he has shewn great classical taste, splendour of erudition and critical acumen, for while he is attending to the meiit of others, he is raising a monument of his own abilities. In this history he investigates the principles of many of those great wortliies who 32 MEMOIRS OF THE were the agents, under Divine Providence, of bringing^ in the dawn of the morning, into the dark abodes of barbarism and ignorance. The light they were the means of diffusing has gra- dually increased, and continued as it proceeded in the midst of intervening clouds, until we in our day have experienced something descriptive of its meridian brightness. To that keenness of understanding so necessary to form a true critic, he has added that perseverance of in- vestigation, and accuracy of research, which were essential in delineating the portraits of those great characters. In the details of the extracts, and examination of their principles, he gives an immediate transcript of the feelings of his own mind, and indisputably proves the Calvinism of the church he was so zealously espoused to In the year 1 774, were published by Mr. Top- lady, two sermons, one preached at St. Ann's Blackfriars, May 25th, with the inscription " Free Will and Merit fairly Examined, or Men not their own Saviours." The other was preach- ed at theLock Chapel, June 19, entitled, " Good News from Heaven, or the Gospel a joyful Sound," both delivered in the above year. These two discourses are a desirable acquisition to the lovers of evangelical religion and sound rea- soning. The material principles contended for are comprised in narrow limits, their connec- tion and existence are made to appear to depend on one another. The arguments are well distin- guished and arranged. The clearness and pre- cision of the definitions are such, that every thing extraneous is thrown up, and nothing redundant retained, which is not directly ad- herent to the points immediately in view. The topics introduced are prosecuted with great judgment, accuracy, and caution, so as to steer clear of Arminianism on one side, and Libertinism on the other In the beginning of the year 1774, a reli- gious pamphlet was printed, called The Gospel Magazine ; being a new series of a former v/ork under that name, which was continued statedly. The utility of such a periodical publication must be obvious, for the contents, when executed with discernment, will be various, interesting, instructive, and entertaining, and may be easily purchased by those v/ho have scarcely means to procure a number of books. The above journal was carried on with reputable distinc- tion for a few years. From December 1775, to June 1776, Mr. Toplady was the editor, which enhanced the sale considerably ; some of the anonymous parts he composed therein shine conspicuous. He often appeared under the modest characterof Minimus. Sometimes headoptedthe descriptive signature of Concionator, and a few papers with the initials of his own name. With the assistance of ingenious and learned correspond- ents, he continued for a time to enrich and diver- sify this monthly entertainment for the public. In the year 1775, Mr. Toplady published an 8vo. vol. entitled, " The Scheme of Chris- tian and Philosophical Necessity Asserted." In this work he appears not only as a respect- able divine, but as a philosopher and a man of taste ; he adopts the opinion in behalf of phy- sical and moral necessity, and rescues the doc- trine from the pretended charge of irrationality brought against it by the self-taught opinion- ist ; he combats the notion of man's determin- ing power, and analyses the two component principles with much ingenuity, and with a palatable mixture of science and pleasantry. He vindicates God's preterition of some of the fallen race, as a Scripture doctrine, at the same time gives his opinion from circumstances, that the far greater part of the human race, are made for endless happiness. To this tract is sub joined a dissertation concerning the sensible qualities of colour, illustrated from the cele- brated Mr. Locke. Our author, in his reason- ings, by a natural and easy turn, carries per- suasion into the heart of the reader without fatiguing h-m ; and though there may not be always an agreement with the peruser and writer in metaphysical or philosophical matters, he must be a very nice critic who is not much taken with many parts of it, as an uniformity of opi- nion on some speculative subjects is almost impossible. It may be remembered, that during the war between Great Britain and a large part of the inhabited globe of America, that the feuds and dissensions of party were carried to a consider- able extent, discussions began to take place on subjects which before were held too sacred to be entered upon. It was well known that Mr. Toplady was against those coercive measures that had taken place, and was of opinion that no plea could be set up in justification of the proceedings of this country against the colo- nies, which could be defended on constitutional principles. He was so explicit as to confess, that the civil rights of mankind rank next in value, dignity, and importance, to the gospel of Christ. That the good Christian, and the good Englishman, are characters perfectly compatible, and that no book is more unfavour- able to the claims of arbitrary power than the Bible. His sentiments were, that if ever Eng- lish liberty perish, its perdition must be owing to want of spirit and of virtue in the English. While they as a people are wise to understand, virtuous to love, and firm to defend the palla- dium of their own constitution, no weapon formed against it can ultimately prosper. Eng- land must be a felo de se, and fall by political suicide ; that is, she must tamely resign her throat to the knife of despotism before it be possible for her constitutional existence to fail, and that no such degenerate miscreants may ever arise to dishonour the name and betray the rights of Britain, were his fervent wishes on many public and private occasions. As an enemy to passive obedience, and unlimited sub- REV. AUGUSTUS TOPLADY. 33 jection to civil government, he was exposed to the malicious insinuations of tliose, who had an injfeiiuity in misrepresenting his motives, and traducing his character as a Republican in piinciple; indeed, so ridiculously prejudiced were some of his friends, that it occasioned a suspension of that mutual endearment that apparently subsisted between them in the paths of common amities. It happened very season- ably, that an occasion presented for him to remove the obloquy that had been thrown on his character, by his being appointed to preach at St. Mildred's Church, in the Poultry, on Friday, Dec. 13, 1776 ; being a day which was set apart for a general fast. His text was from Phil. iv. 5. The sermon was printed the begin- ning of the ensuing year. In this discourse, he unequivocally delivered his political senti- ments, suitable to the clerical character, ex- pressing a sincere attachment for the English constitution, and to legal liberty, with that subjection to a mild and equitable authority, which was the result of his good sense, pru- dence, and moderation. It was the infelicity of our much loved friend to have a capacious soaring mind, inclos- ed in a very weak and languid body ; yet, this by no means retarded his intense application to study, which was often prolonged until two and three o'clock in the morning ; this and the cold moist air that generally prevails in Devonshire, which is extremelypernicious to weak lungs, it is more than probable laid the foundation of a consumption, which terminated in his death. He endeavoured to exchange his living for one in a southern part of the island, but could not obtain it. As his strength and health were greatly impaired, he was advised by the faculty to remove to London, which he accordingly did in the year 1 775, and notwithstanding his debi- litated frame, he continued to preach a number of sermons in the churches, for the benefit of public charitable institutions. Having no settled situation in the metro- polis to preach in, and many of his friends being desirous of receiving the advantages of his ministry, they procured, by an engagement with the trustees of the French Calvinist reformed Church, in Orange-street, Leicester Fields, their chapel for divine service, on Sunday and Wednesday evenings. Mr. Toplady accord- ingly preached his first lecture there on Sunday, April 1 Ith, 1 776, fi *om the 44th of Isaiah, verse the 22d. It was on that spot where he closed his ministerial labours, which continued there for the term of two years and three months. In his addresses from the pulpit in that chapel, he appeared often, as it were, divested of the body, and to be in the participation of the happiness that Hppertains to the invisible state. It was not the mechanical process of preaching, regu- lated by the caprice of the moment ; what he delivered lie felt, and his feelings proceeded from thoughtfulness, meditation, and experi- ence; an experience illuminated by divine know- ledge, which continued copiously increasing the nearer he approached his iieavenly inheritance. During the time of his residence at Orange- street chapel he published, in the year 1776, a collection of Psalms and Hymns, for public and private worship. The compositions are four hundred and nineteen in number ; they are ju- diciously selected, and some of them altered, where the phraseology is exceptionable. The whole tenour of them is truly evangelical. In an excellent and sensible preface, prefixed to this manual of sacred poetry, Mr. Toplady ob- serves, that, " with regard to the collection, he could only say, that (excepting the very few hymns of his own, which he was pi evailed upon to insert), it ought to be the best that has ap- peared, considering the great number of volumes (no fewei' than between forty and fifty), which had, more or less, contributed to the compila- tion." A spurious edition has been printed, but so retrenched and augmented, as to leave no resemblance to the valuable original, which is replete with the richest odours of gospel truth. The apprehensions entertained, for some time past, by those who loved him, that his health was on the decline, began now to be confirmed. For, on Easter Sunday, the Ifth of April, \77S, as he attempted to speak from Isaiah xxvi. 19. " Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they a;ise,'' &c. his hoarseness was so violent, that he was obliged, after naming the text, to descend from the pulpit. Rut so ardently abounding was he in the ministry of the word, that when the least abatement in his disorder gave hiui a little strength, he entered upon his deliglittul work with that alacrity of spu'it, as if he was in a state of convalescence : when done preach- ing, he has been so enfeebled us to create the most exquisite sensibility in the breasts of those who have beheld him. After the above Sunday, he preached four times, and on each occasion his words were to the congregation as if he should never see them more, until he met them in the kingdom of heaven. While this great and invaluable Christian was waiting, and earnestly desiring a dismission from the body, and having, as himself expressed, settled all his concerns, respecting both worlds, so as to have nothing to do but die, he received a shaft from a quiver unexpected. Mr. Wesley, and some of his followers, had propagated, that Mr. Toplady had receded from his former principles, and had a desire to protest against them, in the presence of Mr. Wesley. Letters from the country were sent to him, mentioning his recantation, as also some verbal intimations from those who were present, when the intelli- gence was given. The suggestion of such a report was certainly prematurely made on the presumption that Mr. Toplady was in such a state, that it would not be communicated to him, and if it should, that his tongue and D 34 MEMOIRS OF THE pen would be so torpid, as to render him un- ;i*ile to enter his protest against the flagitious turpitude of such a procedure. When the above transactions were rehearsed to him, it lekindled the dying embers that remained. He acquainted his physician with liis intentions of going before his congregation again, and to make a solemn appeal in reference to his past and present principles, so as to counteract the baneful effects of party rage, and misrepre- sentation, concealed under the robe of virtue, or Christian purity. He was informed, that it would he dangerous in him to make the attempt; and, that probably he might die in the execu- tion of it. He replied, with his usual magna- nimify, "A good man once said, he would ra- ther wear out, than rust out ; and I would ra- ther die in the harness, than die in the stall." On Sunday, June the 14th, he came from Knightsbridge, and, after a sermon by his as- sistant, the rev. Dr. Illingworth, he went up into the pulpit, to the inexpressible surprise of his people, and made a short, but affecting ex- ortation, from the 2nd Epistle of Peter, chap. i. ver. 13, 14. "Yea, 1 think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up, by put- ting you in reinembrance : knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me." When mentioning the sensible peace he was a re- cipient of, and the joy and consolation of the Holy Spirit, that he participated of for several months past, and the desirable expectation, that in a few days he must resign his mortal part to corruption, as a prelude to his seeing the King in his beauty ; the effect this had upon his auditory cannot be described or anticipated; but must be seen and felt, to be justly related. He closed his address, respecting the purport of his coming there, in substance as follows, which was printed in a week after, entitled, " The Rev. Mr. Toplady's Dying Avowal of his Religious sentiments :" "Whereas, some time since, a wicked, scanda- lous and false report was diffused, in various parts of this kingdom, by the followers of Mr. John Wesley ; purporting, that 1 have changed some of my religious sentiments, especially such of them as relate more immediately to the doctrines of grace, I thought it my indispensi- ble duty, on the Sunday after I received this information, u hich was the 13th of June last, publicly to declare myself, from the pulpit in Orange-street Chapel, to the following effect : ' It having been industriously circulated, by some malicious and unprincipled persons, that during my present long and severe illness, I expressed a strong desire of seeing Mr. John Wesley before I die, and revoking some par- ticulars relative to him, which occur in my writ- ings : Now, I do publicly and most solemnly aver, that I have not, nor ever had, any such intention or desire ; and that I most sincerely li.ipe my last hours will be nmch better em- ployed than in conversing with such a man.' To which I added : 'so certain and so satisfied am I, of the truth of all that I have ever written; that, were I now sitting up in my dying bed, with a pen and ink in my hand, and all the re- ligious and controversial writings I ever pub- lished (more especially those relating to Mr. John Wesley, and the Arminian controversy), whether respecting facts or doctrines, could at once be displayed to my view, I should not strike out a single line relative to him or them.' " Matters rested thus, when I received a letter, dated July 17, 1778, from a friend who lives near a hundred miles from town, in which letter is the following passage: ' I cannot help feeling an uncommon emotion and surprise at the report that you have recanted all that you have written and said against John Wesley, and many like things ; and that you declared as much, to your congregation, a few weeks ago. I was told this, by two persons, who said, they were there present at the time. How am 1 amazed at such falshoods ! The party, and name, and character, that are established by lies, have no good foundation, and therefore can never stand long. "This determined me to publish the present address to the religious world. I pray God to give the perfect liars grace and repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth. And may every blessing, of the upper, and of the nether springs, be the portion of those who maintain, who experience, and adorn, the glorious gospel of the grace of God ! " Should any hostile notice be taken of this paper, 1 do not intend to make any kind of re- ply. I am every day in view of dissolution. And, in the fullest assurance of my eternal salvation (an assurance which has not been clouded by a single doubt, for near a year and a half last past) am waiting, looking, and longing for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. " I once intended subjoining to this paper, the specific outlines of my religious sentiments ; but on farther reflection, I believe it may be more expedient to refer the reader to the se- veral * writings I have published : every one of which I do hereby, as a dying man, ratify and declare to be expressive of my real religious principles, from any one of which principles I have never varied, in the least degree, since God enlightened me into the clear knowledge of his truth ; which is now within a few weeks of twenty years ago. " I was awakened in the month of August, 1755, but not, as has been falsely reported, under Mr. John Wesley, or any preacher con- nected with him. "Though awakened in 1755, 1 was not led * If the reader wishes to see a doctrinal compendium of these, lie will find it in a Bermon of mine, entitled, " A Caveat against unsound Doctrines ;" every part of which I hereby avow to be declarative of my fixed and ultimate judgnieiit. REV. AUGUSTUS TOPLADY 35 into a full and cleai" view of all the doctrines of grace, till the year 1758, when, through the great goodness of God, niyarmiuian piejudices received an effectual shock, in readiiii; Dr. Mantori's Sermons on the xviith ot St. John. " I shall remember the years 1 755, and 1 758, with gratitude and joy, in the heaven of heavens, to all eternity." A. M. Top LADY. Knightsbridge, July 22, 1778. We have followed this ambassador of Christ in his public character, and have now to behold him in the closing scene of life mmoveable and unappalled. The doctrines of the gospel which he so sweetly accented, and which were his constant theme in the house of his pilgrimage, proved his support and comfort, when his fabric was gradually falling to dissolution. His divine master was pleased to confer a peculiar honour upon him in his last hours, by sustain- ing him in that trying conflict, and by giving him a view by faith of the glory that awaited him. The Psalmist's words were veiified in him, That " light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart." How does the Insture of what men call great, and the splendid actions by which they are dazzled, ap- pear to fade, and prove to be as illusive shadows, when we view a believerin his dying moments, felicitated in the bright and unclouded prospect of eternal felicity ! We shall here introduce a few extracts from a small narrative, published a short time after his death. Some of his observations and re- marks were, by a few persons, who were present, committed to writing, that they should not be effaced from the memory, and for the satisfac- tion of others. In conversation with a gentleman of the fa- culty, not long before his death, he fiequently disclaimed, with abhorrence, the least dcpend- ance on his own righteousness, as any cause of his justification before God, and said, that he rejoiced oidyin the free, complete, and ever- lasting salvation of God's elect by Jesus Christ, through the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. We cannot satisfy the reader more than by giving this friend's own relation of intercourse and conversation. "A remarkable jealousy was apparent in his whole conduct, for fear of receiving any pai t of that honour which is due to Christ alone. He desired to be nothing, and that Jesus might be all, and in all. His feelings were so very tender upon this subject, that 1 once undesignedly put him almost in an agony, by remarking the great loss, which the church of Christ would sustain by his death, at this particular, juncture. The utmost dis- tress was immediately visible in his countenance and he exclaimed to this purpose : What ; by my death? No! By my death? No, — Jesus Christ is able, and will, by proper instruments, defend his own truths. — And with regard to what little I have been enabled to do in this way, not to me, not to me, but to his own name, and to that only, be the glory. " Conversing upon the subject of election, he said that God's everlasting love to his chosen people; his eternal, particular, most free, and immutable choice of them in Christ Jesus ; was without the least respect to any work, or works, of righteousness, wrought, or to be wrought, or that ever should be wrought, in them or by them: for God's election does not depend upon our sanctification, but our sanctification depends upon God's election and appointment of us to everlasting life. At another time he was so affected with a sense of God's evei lasting love to his soul, that he could not refrain from bursting into tears. " The more his bodily strength was im- paired, the more vigorous, lively, and rejoicing, his mind seemed to be. From the whole tenor of his conversation during our interviews, he appeared not merely placid and serene, but he evidently possessed the fullest assurance of the most triumphant faith. He repeatedly told me, that he had not had the least shadow of a doubt, respecting his eternal salvation, for near two years past. It is no wonder, therefore, that he so earnestly longed to be dissolved and to be with Christ. His soul seemed to be constantly panting heaven-ward ; and his desires increas- ed, the nearer his dissolution approached. A short time before his death, at his request, I felt his pulse ; and he desired to know what I thought of it? I told him, that his heart and arteries evidently beat (almost every day) weaker and weaker. He replied immediately with the sweetest smile upon his countenance, AVhv, that is a good sign, that my death is fast approaching ; and, blessed be God, I can add, that my heart beats every day stronger and stronger for glory. " A few days preceding his dissolution, I found him sitting up in his arm chair, and scarcely able to move or speak. I addressed him very softly, and asked, if his consolations con- tinued to abound, as they had hitherto done ? He quickly replied ; O, my dear sir, it is im- possible to describe how good God is to me. Since I have being sitting in this chair this afternoon (glory be to his name I) I have en- joyed such a season, such sweet communion with God, and such delightful manifestations of his presence with, and love to my soul, that it is impossible for words, or any language, to express them. I have had peace and joy un- utterable ; and I fear not, but that God's con- solations and support will continue. But he im- mediately recollected himself, and added. What have I said ? God may, to be sure, as a sovereign, hide his face and his smiles from me ; however, I believe he will not ; and if he should, yet still will I tiust in him : 1 know I am safe and secure ; for his love and his covenant are everlasting." To another friend, who, in a conversation 3« MEMOIRS OF THE rs'ith him upon the subject of his principles, had asked him, whether any doubt remained upon his mind respectinor the truth of them ; ne answered ; Doubt, sir, doubt ! Pray, use not that word, when speaking of me. I cannot endure the term ; at least, while God continues to shine upon my soul, in the gracious manner he does now : not (added he) but that I am sensible, that while, in the body, if left of Him, I am capable, through the power of tempta- tion, of calling into question every truth of the gospel. But, that is so far from being the case, that the comforts and manifestations of his love are so abundant, as to render my state and condition the most desirable in the world. I would not exchange my condition with any one upon earth. And, with respect to my princi- ples ; those blessed truths, which I have been enabled in my poor measure to maintain, ap- pear to me, more than ever, most gloriously indubitable. My own existence is not, to my apprehension, a greater certainty. The same friend calling upon him a day or two before his death, he said, with hands clasp- ed, and eyes lifted up and starting with tears of the most evident joy, O, my dear sir, I cannot tell you the comforts I feel in my soul : they are past expression. The consolations of God to such an unworthy wretch are so abun- dant, that he leaves me nothing to pray for, but a continuance of them. I enjoy a heaven already in my soul. My prayers are all con- verted into praise. Nevertheless, I do not forget, that I am still in the body, and liable to ail those distressing fears, which are incident to human nature, when under temptation and without any sensible divine support. But so long as the presence of God continues with me in the degree I now enjoy it, I cannot but think that such a.de.« ponding frame is impossi- ble. All this he spake with an emphasis, the most ardent that can be conceived. Speaking to another particular friend upon the subject of his " dying avowal," he ex- pressed himself thus. My dear friend, those great and glonous truths which the Lord, in rich mercv, has given me to believe, and which he has enabled me (though very feebly) to stand forth in the defence of, are not (as those, who believe not or oppose them, say) dry doctrines, or mere speculative points. No. But, being brought into practical and heart-felt experience, they are the very joy and support of my soul ; and the consolations, flowing from them, carry me far above the things of time and sense. Soon afterwards he added : So far as I know my own heart, I have no desire but to be entirely passive ; to hve, to die, to be, to do, to suffer, whatever is God's blessed will concerning me ; being perfectly satisfied, that, as he ever has, so he ever will do that which is best concerning me ; and that he deals out, in number, weight and measure, whatever will conduce most to bis own glory, and to the good of his people. Another of his friends, mentioning like- wise the report that was spread abioad of his recanting his former principles, he said, with some vehemence and emotion, 1 recant my former principles ! God forbid, that I should be so vile an apostate. To which he presently added, with great apparent humility. And yet that apostate I should soon be, if I were left to myself. To the same friend, conversing upon the subject of his sickness, he said : Sickness is no affliction ; pain no curse ; death itself no dissolution. All his conversations, as he approached nearer and nearer to his decease, seemtd more and more happy and heavenly. He frequently called himself the happiest man in the world. O ! (says he) how this soul of mine longs to be gone ! Like a bird imprisoned in a cage, it longs to take its flight. O, that I had wings like a dove, then would I flee away to the realms of bliss, and be at rest for ever ! O, that some guardian angel might be commissioned ; fori long to be absent fiom this body, and t ) be with my Lord for ever. Being asked by a friend, if he always enjoyed such manifestations! he answered : I cannot say, there are no intermis- sions ; for, if there were not, my consolations Would be more and greater than I could possi- bly bear ; but, when they abate, they leave such an abiding sense of God's goodness, and of the certainty of my being fixed upon the eter- nal rock Christ Jesus, that my soul is still filled with peace and joy. At another time, and indeed for many days together, he cried out, O, what a day of sun-shine has this been to me I I have not words to ex- press it. It is unutterable. O, my friends, how good is God ! almost without interruption, liis presence has been with me. And then, repeat- ing several passages of Scripture, he added. What a great thing it is to rejoice in death ! Speaking of Christ, he said, His love is unutter- able ! He was happy in declaring, that the viiith chapter of the epistle to the Romans, from the 'S.id to the end of the six following verses, were the joy and comfort of his soul. Upon that portion of Scripture he often des- canted with great delight, and would be fre- quently ejaculating, Lord Jesus! why tarriest thau so long! He sometimes said, I find as the bottles of heaven empty, they are filled again; meaning, probably, the continual comforts of grace, which he abundantly enjoyed. When he drew near his end, he said, waking from a slumber; O, what delights! Who can fathom the joys of the third heaven ? And, a little before his departure, he was blessing and praising God for continuing to him his under- standing in clearness ; but (added he in a rap- ture) for what is most of all, his abiding pre- sence, and the shining of his love upon luy soul. The sky (says he) is cleaj' ; there is no cloud : Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly ! REV. AUGUSTUS TOPLADY. 37 Within the hour of his death, he called his friends and his servant, and asked them, if they could tf ive him up ? upon their answering in the affirmative, since it pleased the Lord to be so gra- cious to him, he replied ; O, what a blessing it is, you are made willing to give me upintotlie hands of my dear Redeemer, and to part with me : it will not be long before God takes me ; for no mortal man can live, (bursting, while he said it, into tears of joy) after the glories, which God has manifested to my soul. Soon after this he closed his eyes, and found (as Milton finely expresses it) A de.ith like sleep, A gentle wafting to immortal life. On Tuesday August 1 1th, 1778, in the38th year of his age. While rehearsing these particulars, we can- not help laying down the pen to drop a tribu- tary tear to the revered memory of this highly respectable minister of Jesus Christ. Yet a little time and all painful lecollection and sensations of this kind will be at an end, we shall have no more occasion to mark the vicissitudes of human affairs, nor to reflect on the nature and mixture of all earthly enjoy- ments; the transient duration of mortality shall never more be experienced, for the lustre of all that is great and lovely in the human charac- ter will be absorbed in the presence and in the perfect fruition of the adorable Trinity. On Monday, August the i7th, 1778, at four o'clock in the afternoon, his remains were brought from Knightsbridge, to Tottenham Court Chapel, to be interred. Though the time was kept as private as possible, there were notwithstanding, several thousands of persons present on the solemnity. It was his particular request that no funeral sermon should be preached, he desired to slip into the tomb un- noticed and unregarded. His soul disdained to borrow posthumous fame. He had no wish to have his memory perpetuated by those little arts and finesses so often practised ; he knew that his record was on high, and that is name was written in the Lamb's Book of Life. He sought for no eulogium while living, and any panegyrics bestowed upon him when his course was run, he knew could be of no service, and that they are too often justly construed to proceed from pride, vanity, and weakness. The Rev. Mr. Rowland Hill, prior to the burial service, could not refrain from innocent- ly trespassing upon the solicitation of his de- parted friend, by addressing the multitude on the solemn occasion, and embraced the opportu- nity of affectionately declaring the love and veneration he felt for the deceased. The beau- tiful simplicity of his pathos, and the incom- parably exquisite sensibility he shewed, were more than equivalent to the most studied harangue, furnished with all the trappings of meretricious ornaments. The funeral obsequits were read by Dr. lllingworth, and concluded with a suitable hymn. The casket which held this intrinsic jewel now lies entombed in the family grave of Mr. Hussey, 13 feet deep, under the gallery opposite the pulpit in the above chapel, whereon is fixed a plain stone, with only his name and age inscribed. His clay tenement rests there until the morning of the resurrection, when the trump of God, and the voice of the archangel, shall call forth his sleeping dust to join the disembodied spirit, now in the realms of bliss and glory. The precious remains of this good man had not been long in the earth, when Mr. \\'e5ley publicly asserted that he died blaspheming, and in the horror of despair ; such unparalleled virulence of conduct undoubtedly exposed the personal enmity that rankled in Mr. Wesley's breast towards Mr. Toplady. Men have a natural propensity to divide in opinion, an aberration from the purest system may attend the path of the most cautious traveller, and no impeachment whatever may be charged upon his benignity or integrity ; but when materials, or facts of an important tendency, are acces- sible, and these are reserved or distorted by an in terested falsehood, a display of conduct so mischievous in its consequence must lose all pretensions to veracity, and be too obvious to need any comment. Sir Richard Hill, a character of eminence, who has for many years appeared as a disin- terested volunteer in behalf of evangelical religion, and whose excellent virtues have at the same time adorned his Christian profession, stood forward, unsolicited, and detected the malignant conduct of Mr. Wesley, on this oc- casion, in an anonymous letter in a morning paper, and in a few weeks after he addressed him again in a small pamphlet, signed with his own name, and acknowledged himself the writer of the former. As these particulars are of material consequence in this narration, we shall not make any circuitous apology for inserting them here verbatim, with only this observation, that Mr. Wesle made no reply in any way. Copy of a Letter addresaed to the Rev. John IVesletf, which appeared in the General Ad- vertiser on the eight day of October last. Rev. Sir, I give you this public notice, that certain persons who are your enemies, perliapf shining saints, and bear on high, To people all the skies. Gabriel. What cause for praise Hath every native of this happy land ! Happy ! thrice happy ! knew they how to prize Each precious privilege which they enjoy. Since their deliverance from th' oppressive power And purple tyranny of haughty Rome. But, cold and careless grown, they sit supine. And her ungrateful sous behold the place. Without emotion, where their fathers bled : And, fearless now, they with the serpent play. By whose deceitful wiles, and bloody rage, A world hath smarted. Michael. See, the tools of Rome With demons join'd, how cunningly they hide Tlieir base designs ! How, in the dark, they work. And on unwary and unstable minds Too much prevail ; while, like a lamb they paint Tlie papal monarch ! But if once he rear His bloody standard, this revolted land Will hear him like a dreadful lion roar : And late, by sad experience, will be taught That the old dragon has not lost his stiug. GABitlEL. And now to bring about her base designs. See, how the fraud of Rome hath undermin'd The British counsels I For the land declines In strength and glory, while the sword of war She hath, by madness urg'd, and cruel rage. In her own bowels plung'd.* Michael. But see, we stand On earthly ground, and at our journey's end. JustrLsing from the frozen arms of death. And from the change of matter now broke loose Our charge appears. His guardian angel smiles To see our squadron. Not unknown, he views Each cherub's features ; and presumes the cause For which we left the skies. Guardian Angel. Hail 1 ye bright train Of happy angels I Welcome to the land Where great Immanuel trains his chosen sons For boundless glory 1 And, when tit to rise. Having perform'd his holy work and will, Sends his bright guards to bear them to his throne. Such is the cause which brings you now from heaven With ardent joy 1 your assembly jnin. And to your care commit my precious charge. Who bums with heavenly love, and longs to rise With you to worship, and to join your songs. Ga BRIEL. Sing, all ye seraphs, the deserved praise Of our incarnate God ! who reigns on high And dwells amidst the unutteraljle blaze Of uncreated light. Him all the sties. With awful reverence, and with lio;y Jliv, Adore and praise ; and his immortal deeds Will find fresh matter for our soaring songs. When we, assembled, sit on heavenly hills; Nor can eternal ages e'er exhaust The boundless theme. Salvation to the Lamb ! • Tliii Poem wM written durinr the AmericaD war. Ediua. REV. AUGUSTUS TOPLADY. 45 Immortal glory, honour power and praise, Arc justly his ! He triumphs over death, The yawning grave, and all the powura of hell. Soul. What songs are these which charm my wond'ring And fill with growing joy, unknown before I [mind, What stream of heavenly harmony is this Which breathes my welcome to the immortal shores! And sings the triumphs of the mighty God Wliom all my ardent spirit burns to see. Say, ye briglit natives of the heavenly land, Who in transcendent glory sliines around ; Who cheer me with your condescending smiles, And tire me with your songs! for I perceive You also worship at Immanuel's throne, Ap.t all your heavenly harj - resound his praise. Tell me ! Oh, tell me, for my vigorous powers Burn to behold my Saviour and my God, Where shall I find hiia I which way thru' the sky Lies my long journey ? Or will you, bless'd train I Permit me with your squadron to ascend. And leara the way to the Redeemer's throne 1 Michael. Y^s. happy saint! we come, at the command Of heaven's Supreme, from his eternal hill; And a bright chariot bring with steeds of fire, To bear thee up in triumph thro* the sky. And lodge thee in thy dearest Lord's embrace. For know, thy labours and thy ardent love Are not in heaven unknown : nor will they fail To find their full reward. The heavy toil Tliou hast sustnin'd ; and now re:nains the rest, Thine are the bliss, the glory, and the joy. Soul. But say, bright armies of the heavenly King I Whose condescending love brings you so far From your bless'd home ; for, strange it seems to me You on such errand should forsake the sky ; W hat need is there of this amazing pomp 1 Or why should your bright legions tiike such c.?.re Of one that's most unworthy ( while the praise (n the Redeemer claims your ceaseless songs; And the great King who fills th' eternal throue. Your constant worship i Michael. Think not heaven so thin Of happy natives, or th* eternal throne So slightly guarded, but the Lnrd of all (Jan numbers spare to fetch his cho-^en sons. Nor think the blessed objects o: his choice So little honnur'd by the sons of heaven That we shoidd be unwilling to bestow Such tokens of respect as our great King Commands. Nor would the brightness of our train Employ thy wonder, had thine eyes beheld The various beauties of the heavenly land, The boundless glory of tli' eternal throne, And the transcendent grandeur of the courts Of our exaited King] Gabriel. Blest soul I thy need Of our cherubic guards thou wilt perceive F:\r greater than at present may appear. Thro' the vast trackless void thy journey lies. And great the distance from this world to heaven. Thy unexperienced flight might miss the way, Anil far aside explore with devious wing Th'- dreary waste. Besides, th' apostate crew Of wicked spirits, whose dominion lies Between the earthly and th' i? therial plains, — These, thouirh theycould not wound, mightmuch annoy And want not malice to attempt their worst. Thev, by their arts, might shake the trembling air With mimic thunders ; and their lightnings play Full in thy face; while with delusive powers They raise around thee various horrid forms To shock, thy peace and make thy courage fail. Michael. Or if these airy terrors miss'd their end, And, still unmov'd, thou could'st thy flight maintair They might assume the drapery of the skies, Array'd in light, attract thy wond'ring view. And seem bright cherubs to thy erring sight. Then bold delusive scenes of pleasure draw, Green shades and silver fountains might be seen, And heavenly music seem to charm thine ear ; But all deceitful, tending to ensnare. And lead thee far away from real joy. Gabriel. These are their arts, but, of our power afraid. Tliey tremble when our squadrons come in view. For heavenly glories shock their aching sight. And gloomy, murmuring, they in haste retire. Howl o'er the waste, and shelter in their dens. Soul. What reason hare I then to love and praise The great Redeemer I Who to guard me safe Thro' every danger, sends his winged train Of warrior angels to protect my flight. And you, bright heavenly messengers, demand My warmest gratitude. — But let's ascend! My spirit burns to mount the bless'd abodfs. To join your praises, learn your noblest songs. And worship with you at Immanuel's throne. Adieu ! my dearest brethren and my friends. Whom heavenly providence had made my cli.irge Whose souls I watched for with unceasing care Both day and night : and, to my utmost power, As grace assisted and occasion serv'd, L abour'd to fix you on the Rock of ages. And build you up in every gospel truth. Mourn not for me f but rather lift your eyes To where the great Redeemer lives and reigns, fie can repair your every loss, and give Suih portions of his Spirit as may fill Your ardent souls with heavenly love and joy. Your teachers die, but your Redeemer lives ! Shout, all ye saints ! your Jesus lives for ever! Guardian Angel. Now happy soul thy painful labours end. And thou art rising far above the reach Of all that would disturb, or wound thy peace . Thine and the gospel's foes may strive in vain With falsehood and deceit to blast thy name. They cannot hurt thy Master's cause, nor thee Chorus of Angkls. Now we ascend, and thro' the skies proclaio Glory to (Jod ! Salvation to the Lamb I Him all the armies of the sky adore : We sing his boundless goodness as we soar : His glories shine thro* all the heavenly plain 'Jliy God, O Israeli thy Redeemer reigns I 46 HISTORIC PROOF OF THE DOCTRINAL CALVINISM OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. ADVERTISEMENT. For prevention of mistake, I request leave to apprize the reader, 1. That in the following; Essay I use the words Calvinism and Calvinist merely in com- pliance with custom. The doctrinal system, es- tahlished in England, which Luther and Calvin were the honoured instruments of retrieving, sub- sisted, from the beginnins;, in the faith of God's elect people, and in the sacred Scriptures. But, " Dandum aliqud eonsuetudini." 2. I use the terms Pklagianism and Armin- lANiSM in their literal and proper signification, as denoting the system originally fabricated by Pelagius, and afterwards rebuilt by Arminius. Though, in strictness of speech, that svstera should rather be denominated, Morgamsm and Van Harminism ; the real name of Pelagius having been Morgan, as that of Arminius was Van Harmin. 3. By the word Methodists, which likev/ise frequently occurs, I mean the approvers, followers, and abettors of Mr. John Wesley's principles and practices, and them only. If some folks, either through want of knowledge, or want of candour, apply the name of Methodist to such as agree in all points with the Church of England, it cannot be helped; nor have 1 the least objection to being involved under that title, in this sense of it : but I myself never use the term, except in the meaning above defined. 4. Mention is often made of the Anabaptists, and of their theological enormities. Be it, there- fore, observed, that the Anabaptists of the six- teenth century were a very different sort of people from the baptists of the last century, and of the current ; consequently, what is observed of the former, does by no means affect the latter. 5. I foresee one objection, in particular, to which the ensuing work is liable : viz. that the two Pelagian Methodists, namely, Mr. John Wesley and Mr. Walter Sellon, whose fraudu- lent perversions of truth, facts, and common sense, gave the first occasion to the present un- dertaking, " are not persons of sutficieut conse- quence to merit so large and explicit a refuta- tion." I acknowledge the propriety and the force of this remark. It cannot be denied, that the Church of England has seldom, if ever (at least since the Civil Wars), been arraigned, tried, and condemned, by a pair of such insignilicant ad- versaries. Yet, though the men themselves are of no importance, the Church and her doctrine are of much. Which consideration has we ght enough with me, not only to warrKnt the design and extent of the following vindication, but also to justify any future attempts of the same kind, which the continued perverseness of the said dis- comfited Methodists may render needful. I mean, iu case the united labours of that junto should be able to squeeze forth any thing which may carry a face of argument. For, otherwise, 1 have some thoughts of consigning them to the peaceable enjoyment of that contempt and neglect due to their malice and incapacity. Lord Bo- lingbroke somewhere observes, that " To have the last word is the privilege of bad writers :" a privilege which I shall never envy them. Mr. Wesley and his subalterns are, in gene- ral, so excessively scurrilous and abusive, that contending with them resembles fighting with chimney-sweepers, or bathing in a mud-pool. So they can but raise a t( mporary mist before the eyes of their deluded atlherents, they care not what they invent, nor whereof they affirm. 6. Let it not, however, be supposed, hat I bear them the least degree of personal hatred ; God forbid ; I have not so learned Christ. The very men, who have my opposition, have my prayers also. I dare address the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls in those lines of the late Dr. Doddridge : Hnst thou a lamb, in aU thy Bock, I '.vould disdain to feed t But I likewise wish ever to add, Hast thou a foe. before whose face I fear thy cause tu plead i Grace, mercy, and peace, be to all who love, and who desire to love, our Lord Jesus Christ in sin- cerity. INTRODUCTION. Before I enter on the principal design of the present undertaking, it may be proper to throw together some preliminary observations, by way of Preface, that the main thread of our historic enquiry may, afterwards, proceed the more evenly and uninterruptedly. In Feburary 1769, I published a pamphlet, en- titled, " The Church of England vindicated from theChargeof Arminianism, and theCaseof .Armi- nian Subscription particularly considered:" which I addressed to a learned and respectable Oxonian, who had lately presented us with an apology for the .Arininian principles ; and whose arguments against the real doctrines of our Established Church my counter vindication was designed to obviate. That Omniscient Being, to whom " all hearts are open," knows, that a feeling regard to his glory, and a tender solicitude for the hcnour of truth, were iny sole determining motives to that INTRODUCTION. 47 hMmhIe attempt. I conltl sincerely adopt the appeal of archbishop Bratlwardio, who wrote on a similar occasion, and in defence of the same doctrines : Sets, qiwd 7iiisijita»i virtutc meti, sed tuii, conjisiis, tantillus airgredinr taiitam caitsnm (n). Far, exceeding; far, from presuming on any im- aginary abilities of my own, and equally remote frojn wishing to distinguish myself on the stage of public observation, I resolved to conceal my name; though 1 could not resolve, by continuing entirely silent, to forego my allegiance to God, and my duty to the church. Tlie controversy had, indeed, been recently in the hands of a person whose zeal for the princi- ples of the Reformation adds dignity to his rank and lustre to his talents \ I mean the able and learned author of Piftas Oxonknsis : and 1 freely confess, that I was under some doubt, whether it miglit not carry an implication of sell- confidence, should I glean up, r.nd lay before the public, a few ol those autlientlc facts and testimonies, the men- tion of wliich had, for the most part, been omitted by tliat masterly writer. Considering, however, that, of old, even those persons wlio had but a mite to throw into the treasury, were not there- fore vvhidly exempted from the duty of contribu- tion ; 1 fluctuated no longer; l)ut hastily threw together sucli observations as then occurred, and in a feiv weeks transmitted them to the pruiter. I liave much reason to bless God for their publi- cation. That tract, hurried and unfinished as it was, met with a reception, which, in such an age as the present, I could neither expect nor im:igiue. Upwards of two years after, i. e. in the sum- mer of 1771, a Mr. Walter Sellon (who stands in the same relation to Mr.John Wesley, that Cclestius did to Pelagius, and Bertius to Arminius ; viz. of retainer-general and white-washer in ordinary) hands a production into the world, designed to piove that Armiuianism and the Church of Eng- land are as closely connected as the said .Messieurs Walter and John are with each each other. The piece itself is the joint offspring of the two as- sociated heroes. As, therefore, in its fabrication, those gentlemen were united, even so, iu its confu- tation, they shall not be parted. Armiuianism is their mutual Dulcinea del To- boso. And, contrary to what is usually observed among co-enamoratos, their attention to the same favourite object creates no jealousy, no uneasiness of rivalsliip, between themselves. High mounted on Pine's Hosinante, forth sallies Mr.John from Wine-street, Bristol, brandishing his reed, and vowing vengeance against all who will not fall down and worship the (4) Dutch image which he has set up. With almost an equal plenitude of zeal and prowess, forth trots Mr Walter from Ave-maria- lane, low mounted on Cabe's halting dapple. The knight and the squire having met at the rendez- vous appointed, the former prances foremost, and, with as much haste as his limping steed will permit, doth trusty Walter amble after his mastei. How successful these combatants are, in their (a) In Pref. ad libros De Cauaa Del. (h) Pelagianism was revived in Holland, undei the new name of Araiiniinisiu, toward the Ijeginuing of tUu liuit century. attack on my first defence of the Doctrinal Calvin- ism of the Church of England, 1 cheerfully leave to the decision of the Public. Tins, however, I may venture to say, that, after a tedious incuba- tion of six-and-twenty months, they ought to have hatched an answer that might carry some shew, at least, of plausible argument. But even craft itself seems, in the main, to have discharged them from her service. Here is neither subtlety, nor solidity. 1 am, in fact, going to encounter a phantom. No laurels, therefore, will crown the conquest; and the poor phantom should, forme, have stalked unmolested, had not the importance of the subject retrieved, in some measure, the in- significancy of the performance. One of them (for it is not always easy to dis- tinguish the immediate speaker) charges me with '■ crying up the abilities of some against whom I have written, only that I myself may appear to Lave greater abilities of my own, in vanquishing such able antagonists." Malice has here forged an accusation too ignoble even for malice to believe. 'I'he brace of brothers are, indeed, either too blind to see, or too disingenuous to acknowledge, the excellencies of any from whom they dissent ; else they would never have termed those great re- formers, Luther and Calvin, a pair of " vveatlier- cocks ;" (c) nor have contemptuously styled St. Austin the " giddy apostle of the Calvinist." (/.). " A I'erfectionist (j). " A malapert Boy, severely scratching and clawing with venomous nails (y). '■ A Papist (c). " A Sociiiian («) " A Mahometan (4). " The greatest Bigot that ever existed, without one grain of candour, benevolence, forbearance, moderalijn, good-will, or charity (c). " A wild Beast of impatience and lion-like fury {d). " A Materialist (c) ;" that is, an Atheist. A goodiy string of appellations I and not a little extraordinary, that they should all centre in one an(i the same man I Being so uncommon a person myself, my writings too must be something singular. 'J^ake a description of them in the words of the said Sellon : " 1 find sophistry, fallacy, false p. 135. saiu oeiitui : 1 iiiiu sopiiisii y , laiiaey, la Q') See the (iospel Magazine, for March, 1771, p. 1; Page 77. (r) Page 117- (s) Page 17, IS. (/■; Page 38. (ti) Piige3l,52. (J ) Page 49. (.V) Page 79. (;) Page 118. (a) Page 84. (b) Page IS. (c; Page 117. (rij Page 124. (e) Puge 113. (/)Page 12«. insinuations, raillery, perversion of Scripture and the Church Articles, self contradiction, self-suffi- ciency, haughtiness, pride and vanity, glaring in almost every page (/)." Thus, enthroned in my easy chair, dignified with titles, and accurately developed as a writer, I only want a suitable address, to render mv mag- nificence complete ; and who so well qualified to prepare it, as the eloquent Mr. Sellon ? Lo, he attends ; and, respectfully advancing, pays me the following compliments : " Unhappily daring, and unpardonably bold, thy tongue imagineth wicked- ness, and with lies thou cuttest like a sharp razor. Thou hast loved unrighteousness more than gooJ- ness ; and to talk of lies more than righteousness. Thou hastlovedtospeak all words that may do hurt, O, thou false tongue 1" (g-) Such are the candour and politeness of these Methodists ; and such are the arguments, by which they would persuade us, that Arminianisni is the religion of the Church of England. These are the men that set up for universal love ;'' who call one another by the cant names of " precious believers," " most excellent soids," " charming children of God," " sweet christians," and "the clean-hearted." If their hearts are no cleaner than their mouths, they have little reason to value themselves on their " sinless perfection." These are they who seek to bottom electiDU on faith and goodness foreseen ; of which foreseen goodness, humility and benevolence, meekness and forbearance, are, 1 suppose, some of the in- gredients. Woe be to those " sweet christians," if their election has no better foundation than their "sweet" tempers, words, and works. And why all this torrent of abuse The plain truth is this : I detected Mr. Wesley's forgeries, and chastised the forger. Hinc ille lavryma. Hence the outcries of John himself, together w ith those of Thomas Olivers and Waller Sellon The camp of the Philistines gave a scream, when they saw the levelled stone penetrate the brass of their Goliath's forehead : but of all the tribe, none screamed so loud as the frighted Walter ; of wiiose talent at screaming, a specimen has been exhi- bited to the reader. Let me whisper a friendly hint to this notable screamer. If you wish your .scurrilities to obtain belief, restrain them wiihiu the banks of probability ; malice, when too highly vrought, resembles a cannon too highly charged, which recoils on the engineer himself, instead of reaching its intended object of direction. I might, with the most justifiable propriety, have declined joining issue, in controversy, with a person of Mr. Sellon s cast, who is, by those that know him, deemed ignorant and unpolished, even to a proverb ; he is, indeed, to borrow the lan- guage of another, " a small body of Pelagian divinity, bound in calf, neither gilt nor lettered." I once hoped, that his friends were too severe, in branding him with such a character ; but he has been so weak as to publish ; he has gibbitted him- self in print. 1 am fidly convinced, that his friends were in the right, and my charitable hope mistaken. Let none, however, suppose, that I harbour any degree of malevolence against either him or his master Whatever i have already written, or may hereafter have occasion to wr:te, in oj'posi- Page 2. 2i. INTRODUCTION. SI tion to them, or to any otners, on whom the toil of defondinsf them may devolve, has been, anil, 1 trust, ever will be, designed, not to throw odium on their persons, nor to wound their cause unfair- ly, but, simply, to strip error of its varnisli ; to open the eyes of delusion ; to pluck the vizor from the face of hypocrisy ; to bring Arminian Methodism to the test of fact and argument; to wipe off the aspersions thrown, by the despairing hand of defeated heterodoxy, on the purest Church under heaven ; and to confirm such as have believed through grace. Indeed, the purity of my intention speaks for itself. .\t a time of such general defection from the doctrines of the Church Established, I cannot possibly have any sinister ends to answer, by as- serting those doctrines. It cannot be to gain applau.se; for, were that my motive, I should studi- ously swim with the cuirent, and adopt the fash- ionaljle system; neither can it be to acquire pre- ferment, for the doctrines of grace are not the principles to rise by. In the reigns of Edward VI., Elizabeth, and the former part of James I., the Calvinistic points were necessary steps to advance- ment, and led directly to the topof the Church: but the stairs liave been long turned another way : what was, once, the causa sine qua iion of ascending, is now a causa propter r/unrn non ; or, considered as a reason for keeping unfashionable divines as low on tiie f cclesiasttcal ladder as possible. I bless God, for enabling me to esteem the re- proach of Christ greater treasure than all the ap- plause of n)en, and all the preferments of the Church. When I received orders, lobtained mercy to be faithful ; and, from that moment, gave up what is called the world, so far as I conceired it to interfere with faith and a good conscience. The opposition which I have met with, in the course of tny ten years ministry, has been nothing, compared with what I expected would ensue, on an open, steady attachment to the truths of God : and what insults have been thrown in my way came, for the most part, from aquarter equally abusive and con- temptible ; 1 mean, from Mr. .John Wesley, and a few of his unfledgerl disciples ; whose efforts give jne no greater apprehension than would a Hy that was to settle on my hat. Some readers may suppose, possibly, that, in the course of the annexed Treatise, I have handled my assailants too severely: I reipiest, that such will suspend their judgment, until they have perus- ed the performance which gave rise fo the present. The r opinion, I am persuaded, will then be re- versed ; and they will wonder, either at my deign- ing to take any notice at all, of an invective so exceedingly low aad frivolous ; or, at my not chas- tising the authors of it with a Mverity propor- tioned to their demerits: but, for abstaioing from the latter, I had, amonjf others, two reasons : 1. I should have sinned against meekness ; and, 2. The poverty of Mr Sellon's talents, in partic\ilar, is so extreme, as to render him an object rather of pity than of resenlment. As tiie man cannot reason, nor even write grammaticHlly, I often allow him to rail with impunity. If a malicious ignoramus comes against me with a straw, self-defence does not oblige me, and christian charity forbid'* me, to knock him down with a bludgeon. Moreover, the period may arrive, when this very person, as also his commander-in-chief, may .see the justness, and experience the energy, of those heavenly truths which they now unite to blas- pheme : they may even preach the faith to which they have subscribed, and which they impotently labour to destroy. If iiavingonce been an Armi- nian, were incompatable with future conversion and salvation, we might indeed ask, who then can be saved ? For every man is born an Arminian. Unrenewed nature spurns the idea of inheriting eternal life as the mere gift of Divine Sove- reignty, and on the footing of absolute grace. I will not affirm, that all, who heartily embrace the Scripture system of Calvinism, are savingly re- newed by the holy Spirit of God ; for St. Stephen teaches us to distinguish between the circumcisija of the ears, and the circumcision of the heart. Thus much, however, I assert, without he- sitation, that I know, comparatively, very few Calvinists, of whose saving renewal I have reason to doubt. I will even go a step farther : sincerely to admit and relish a system so diame- trically opposite to the natural pride of the human heart, is, with me, an incontestible proof, that a man's judement, at least, is brought into sub- jection to the obedience of Christ : and, to every such person, those words may be acroniuiodatid, " flesh and blood have not revealed this to thee, but my Father who is in heaven." 1 cannot give the two Pelagian gentlemen stronger evidence of my concern for their wel- fare, than by wishins them to renounce those un- happy principles, which, under pretence of ex- tending the grace of God, by representing it as a glove accoinuiodated to every hand, and which lies at the option of free-will cither to make use of, or to fling behind the fire, do, in fact, annihi- late all grace whatever, by ultimately revolving its efficacy into the power, merits, and caprice ) Durii.^; tl e preceding reifn of King Edwar 1 VI. tliei'e had bren a coogregMtion ot Free-wiIlers, in some part of I.oiidon, wlio wi re Separatists from tlie Church nf England ; and, indeed, all Free -wilL were then accounted l)isseDter3, and openly professi d thetuaeives to he such. Certaiu salvoes for duplicity, which have since been adopted, were not then in- vented. Tiie Free willera of that age were, with all their mistakes, too honest, either to subscribe to the Articles and Homilies of the Church, or statedly to freiiueiit her public worship. — [ sliall have occasion to mention Uic Free-will Congregation herttafler. E2 62 INTRODUCTION. eitlier died in cnnfinement, or was brought to tlie stake. If Mr. Wesley and his friend can pfive aullientic evidence, that so rnucli as a single Free- wilier was burned by the Papists, let them point him out by name ; and, at the same time, remem- ber to adduce their proofs. Such an instance, or instances, if producible, will reflect some honour on the Pelagians of that rera, though unable to turn the scale in favour of Pelagianism itself. I now return to the letter of the converted Free- will man. In it, says the historian, he lamented " the loss of the gospel (i. e. the revival of Po- pery by queen Mary) ; shewing the reasons of it: whereof one he made to be, that they {viz. him- self and his Pelagian brethren) had professed the gospel (;. e. Protestantism) with their tongues, and denied it in thfir (/) deeds : another, that they were not sound in the doctrine of pi-edeSti- nation. In this letter he mentioned what a grief it was to him, that he had endeavoured so much to persuade otlicrs into his error of Free-will ; and that divers of that congregation of Free-will men began to be better informed ; as namely, Ladley and Cole, and others unnamed : the re- port of whom gave him and his prison-fellows much rejoicing, (adding) that he was convinced («'. e. converted from being a Free-will man) by certain preachers in prison with him, who recon- ciled St. Paul and St. James together, to his great satisfaction {fi)." A great part of this choice letter is published by Mr. Strype, at the close (/) of the volume re- ferred to below. For Mr. Wesley's sake, and for the sake of those who are led captive by him at h>s will, 1 here transcribe the following passages, which may serve him as a model of retracta- tion, in case it should please God to grant him repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth. " What high lauds, thanks and praise, am I bound to give always to God, who hath certitied my conscience, by his spirit, that he will not im- pute niy sins unto me, for his son .(csus Christ's sake, in whom he halh chosen his elect before the foundations of the world were laid ; and preserv- eth us all, so that there sliall never any of us finally perish, or be damned. " 1, for niy part, repent, that ever 1 was so bitter unto tliem that were the teachers of this undoubted truth : vtrily, I am not able to ex- press the sorrows that 1 have in my heart : must especially, in that 1 went about, by all means, to persuade others, whereby they might be one with me in that error of Free-will. With joy un- speakable I rejoice, giving thanks to God night and day, in that it hath pleased him to vouch me (i) This is one proof, among a million, that the doctrines of Free will and of Justification by Works (both which were stiffly contended for by these Pela- gians, and to which most of them added the belief of sinless perfection) are not doctrines really calculated to promote holiness of life, whatever the assertors of those tenets may pretend. Observe, they " were not sound in the doctrine of Predestination ;*' and *• their deeds" were so dishonourable to a gospel pro- ^ssion, as to amount even to a *' denial" of itv — As ^it svsis in the beginning, it is now, and ever will be ; ge- nerally speal^.ing. — I usoundness and unhblincss seldom fail to walk arm in ann. (kj Strype's Eccles. Memorials, vol. 3. p. 2i7. Edit. 1721. Jbid. Append. No. xliii. p. 110—123. worthy his fatherly correction at this present shewing me what 1 am by nature ; that is to say fuUof impietyand allevil: therefore, the grcatgrief which I daily feel, is, because I see the horrible- ness and the great dishonour, that the filthy Free- will of man doth render unto God. 1 sigh and am grieved, because 1 soake evil of that good I knew not. " Wherefore, my beloved, I am provoKed by the Holy Ghost, to visit vou with my letter ; hop- ing, and believing, that God will give it good suc- cess : weereby God's glory may be the more set forth. For 1 have a good opinion of yoti, my dear brethren ; trusting in God, that he will reveal unto you the knowledge of himself: for 1 believe verilv, that you will be vessels of God's mercy ; therefore 1 am assured, that you shall lack no necessary article of your salvation. I have eooil cause so to judge of you ; not only because God hath opened his truth to me alohe, but I also see how mercifully he hath dealt with many of our brethren, whom you do know well enough, as well as though 1 did recite them by name. God forbid that I should doubt you, seeing it hath pleased God to reveal himself, in tliese days, to them that heretofore were deceived with that error of the Pelagians, yea, and suffered imprisonment in defence of that which now they detest and ab- hor. God be thanked for them. This is the Lord's doing : and it is marvellous in our eyes. " Like as you have the truth, as concerning the Papists' sacrament, in despising and hating that, as 1 do, it is well worthy : so likewise is Fiee- will a great untruth, undoubtedly. " I think that God " ill receive me home imto himself shortly ; therefore, I am moved to signify unto you in what state I stand, concerning the controversy between the opinions of ti e truth of God's predestination and election in Christ. 1 do not hold predestination to the end to maintain evil, as there be some have full ungodly affirmed that we do ; God forgive them, if it be his will. We are sure that none, who have the fidl feeling of their election in Christ, can love or allow those things which God hateth. (Hi) It appears hence, that, in the foregoing leign of king Edward, i. e. from the very first establi.-li- ment ol the Protestant Church of England, Pelagianism or holding and maintaining the doctrine ot Free-will and its connected principles, was punished M'ith imprisonment. 1 acknowledge, that such a method of dealuig with the " Free-will Men" reflects very great dishonour on the moderation of those times. It demonstrates, however, the high Calvinism of the church of England, whose secular and spirit- ual governors (among tiie latter of whom were the principal Ueformers themselves) could proceed, with such extreme rigour, against the abettors of those Inry tenets, which some modern Arminians, more rash tean wise, would persuade us, were e\en ab origiftc, the doctrines of the Church herself. I must add, that the usage of " the Free will men" was very severe, both on the right hand and on the left. In the Pro- testant reign of Edward VI. they had been im- prisoned for being too Popish, in the articles of Justi- fication, Election, and Grace ; all three of which they supposed to be conditional and emissable. In the Ca- tholic reign of Mary, they were liable to imprisonment, and some of them actually were imprisoned, for not being Popish enough, in the Articles of laiage-worship and Transubstantiiition. 'their troubles, under Mary, were no tnore than might tie expected; but their sur- eruigs under Edward and the Heformers, v. ere abso- fntely unnatural 'ind inexcusablw. INTRODUCTION. ss " I would wish, that men shou'd not allow the fruit of faith to be the cause of faith. Faith hiiiigi'th forth good works, and not good works faith ; for tlien of necessity we ninst attribute our salvation to our good works ; which is great bhisplioniy against God and Christ so to do. " But, I thank God, I do allow good works in their (proper) place. Fur I was crcatcji in Christ unto good works : wherefore I am bound to allow them, according to the Scrip- tures ; and not to the end to merit by them any thing at all ; for then 1 were utttrly deceived ; for Esay saith, all our righteousnesses are as a filthy cloth, and are not as the law of God requireth them ; wherefore, I acknowledge, that all salvation, justification, redemption, and re- mission of sins, Cometh to us wholly and solely by the mere mercy and free grace of God in Jesus Christ, and not for any of our own works, merits, or deservings. I myself could not understand St. Paul and St. James, to make them agree together, till our good preachers, who were my prison-fellows, did open them unto me. I praise God for them, most humbly; and yet I cannot be so thankful for them as 1 ought to be. " Paul saith, faith only jiistifieth, and not the deeds of the law : and St. James saith, faith, with- out deeds, is dead. Here are contraries to the carnal man. When I saw these two Scriptures plainly opened, I could not stand against the truth therein: and thus were they opened unto ine ; that faith only doth justify before God; and the good deeds which St. James spcaketh of, justify before the world. " 1 thank God that they, who I thought would have been my enemies, are become my friends in the truth : as in sample, by our brethren Ladley and Cole, and such like : if it had lain in tlieir own wills, they would have been enemies to that excellent truth which they do now allow : praised be God for them ; for it is he who worketh both the will and deed. If he had not been merciful unto them and to me, and prevented our wills, we had been still wallowing in the mire. The prophet Jeremy saith, " Turn thou me, and I shall be turned ; heal thou mc, and I shall be healed." And David saith, " The Lord hath pre- pared the hearts of the poor, and his ear hearkcn- eth unto them : " so that it is the Lord who doth all that good is. And again, David saith, " Ascribe nil honour and glory to God, who alone is wor- thy : for no man conieth unto me, saith Christ, except the Father, who hath sent me, draw him." And again he saith, " All that the Father hath given ine, shall come unto me ; and him that cpmeth to nie, I cast not away." " Therefore, 1 believe that we shall, every one, be preserved and kept, in him and for him, according to his own word. I dare boldly say, ■with our everlasting Saviour Jesus Christ, that ail the elect shall be preserved and kept for ever and ever : so then, none of them shall be damned at any time. They vyho say that any of them may he lost for ever, do as much as in them lieth to make (i. e. to represent) Christ unable to pre- serve and keep tliem : denying the power of Clirisl, in so saying : for he saith, he loveth his unto the end : which love remaineth, and shall never be e\.tinguished, or put out ; and is not as the love oi man, which is sometimes angry, and sometimes pleased. God, at no time, is so dis- pleased with any of his elect, to the end that he will deprive them of the purchased possession, which he hath laid up in store for them in Christ before, and were elect according to the fore- knowledge of God the father, through sancti- fying of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ ; which Lamb was killed from the beginning, according to God's divine will and providence. Christ was ordained to die in the flesh ; and all was for our sins. Christ was ordained in this respect ; that the Father, seeing the fall of Adam, for that purpose only he ordained Christ, to the end that he would pre^erve a remnant of the posterity of Adam, even as it pleased his godly wisdom. " What, will some say a remnant, and not all ? St. Paul saith. Like as all died m Adam, &c. And St. John saith. Not for otir sins only, &c. Ah ! will these Free-will men say. Where is your remnant now become To whom I answer by the Scriptures, whereas Christ shall say, in the last day. Depart from me, ye cursed ; I know you not : I pray you, tell me, did not God know them, as concerning their creation, and also their wickedness? Yes, verily : but he knew them not for his elect children. " The true Church of Christ doth understand these all (viz. the all, and the whole redeemed world, mentioned by St. Paul and St. John,) and all other such like Scriptures, to include all the elect children of God. None otherwise I am sure, that these all can be understood except we should make the Scripture repugnant to itself; which were too much ignorance, and too great an absurdity, to grant. " I affirm, that all they be blasphemers to God, that do slander the truth in predestination ; that say, If I be once in, I cannot be out, do what evil 1 will or can : all such do declare them- selves to be reprobates, and children of God's ire and wrath, rather than any of his. For who- soever delighteth in those things which God hateth and abhorreth, doth declare himself to be none of God's : but, if he be any of his, he will give him repentance, for to know the truth, by his Spirit. For the Spirit maketh intercession for the saints, according to the pleasure of God. For we know that all things work for the best, unto them that love God, who arc called of pur- pose. For those which he knew before, he also ordained before, that they should be like fashioned unto the shape (i. e. here, to the gracious, here- after, fo the glorious, resemblance) of his Son. " And seeing God hath miide all his elect like to the shape (the spiritual and moral simili- tude) of Jesus Christ, how is it possible, that any of them can fall away } Whosoever he be, that doth so hold, is against God and Christ ; and may as well say, that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ may perish as any of them ; for Christ said unto the Father, Tliou hast loved them as thou hast loved me ; although Christ spake these words to the comfort of his disciples at the present, so likewise is it to the comfort of all us, liis chosen. Those that St. Paifc speaketh of that (iod knew before, he meant by it, all his elect; and immediately he addeth, saying, Whom he appointed before, them also he called ; and whom he called, them also he justilied } ar d 54 INTRODUCTION. whom he justified, them also he glorified. What shall we then say to these things ? If God be cn our side, who can be against us ? That is to say, if God have appointed to glorify us and to save us, who can then deny (deprive) him of any of us, or take us out of his hands ? '• My sheep, saith Christ, hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish. O, most worthy Scriptures ! which ought to compel us to have a faithful remembrance, and to note the tenor thereof ; which is, the sheep of Christ shall never perish. " Doth Christ mean part of his elect, or all, think you ? I do hold, and affirm, and also faithfully believe, that he meant all his elect, and not part, as some do full ungodlv affirm. I confess and believe assuredlv, that there shall never any of them perish : for I Lave good authority so to say; because Christ is mv author, and saith, if it were possible, the vcrv elect should be deceived. Ergo, it is not possible that they can be so deceived, that they shall ever finally perish, or be damned : wherefore, whosoever doth affirm that theie maybe any (i. e. any of the elect) lost, doth affirm that Christ hath a torn body."(H) The above valuable letter of recantation is thus inscribed : " A Letter to the Congregation of Free-willers, by One that had been of that Persuasion, but come off, and now a Prisoner for Religion : " which superscription will hereafter, in its due place, supply us with a remark of more than slight importance. To occupy the place of argument, it has been alleged that " Mr. Wesley is an old man ;" and the Church of Rome is still older than he. Is that any reason why the enormities, either of the mother or the son, should pass unchastised } Ii has also been suggested, that " iNlr. Wesley is a very laborious man : " not more laborious, I presume, than a certain active being, who is said to go to and fro in the earth, and walk up and down in it : (o) nor yei more laborious, I should imagine, than certain ancient Sectarians, concern- ing whom it was long ago said, " Woe unto you Scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites; for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte: "{p) nor, by any means, so usefully laborious, as a certain diligent member of the community, respecting whose rarietv of occupations the public have lately received the following intelligence : " The truth of the following instance of industry may be depended on ; a poor man, with a large family, now cries milk, every morning, in Lothbury, and the neighbourhood of the Royal Exchange ; at eleven, he wheels about a barrow of potatoes ; at one, he cleans shoes at the Change ; after dinuer, cries milk again ; in the evening, sells sprats ; and at nisht, finishes the measure of his labour as a watchman."(y) Mr. Sellon, moreover, reminds me fp 128.) that, " while the shepherds are quarrelling, the wolf gets into the sheep fold ;" ngt impossible : but it so happens, that the present quarrel is not among "the shepherds," but with the " wolt " himself ; which " quarrel " is warranted by (h) Strype, u. ». (O; Job i. 7. with 1 Pet. v. 8, (v) Matth. xxiii. 15. (j) Bath Chronicle, for Feb. 6, 1772. every maxim of pastoral meekness and fidelity. I am farther told, that, while I am " be. rating the Arminians, Rome and the devil laugh in their sleeves." Admitting that Mr. Sellon might derive this anecdote from the fonutain- head, the parties themselves, yet, as neither they nor he are very conspicuous for veracitv, I con- strue the intelligence by the rule of reverse, though authenticated by the deposition of their right trusty and well-beloved cousin and counsellor. Once more: lam charged with " excessiv<. superciliousness, and majesty of pride : " and why not charged with having seven heads and ten horns, and a tail as long as a bell-rope } .\fter all, what has my pride, or my humility, to do with the argument in hand ? ^^^lether I am haughty, or meek, is of no more consequence either to that, or to the public, than w hether I am tall or short : however, I am, at this verv time, giving one proof, that my " majesty of pride " can stoop ; stoop even to ventilate the impertinences of Mr. Sellon. But, however frivolous his cavils, the prin- ciples for which he contends are of the most pernicious naiure and tendency I must repeat, what already seems to have given him so much offence, that .Arminianism " came from Rome, and leads thither again." Julian, bishop of Eclana a cotemporary and disciple of Pelagius, was one of those who endeavoured, with much art. to gild the doctrines of that heresiarch, iu order to render them more sightly and palatable. The Pelagian system, thus varnished and pal- liated, soon began to acquire the softer name of Semipelagianism Let us take a view of it, as drawn to our hands by the celebrated Mr. Br wer, who was himself, in the main, a professed Pela- gian, and therefore less likely to present us w ith an unfavourable portrait of the system he ge- nerally approved. Among the principles of that sect, this learned writer enumerates the following : " The notion of election and reprobation, in- dependent on our merits or demerits, is main- taining a fatal necessity, is the bane of all virtue, and serves only to render good men remiss in working out their salvation, and to drive sinners to despair. " The decrees of election and reprobation are posterior to, and in consequence of, our good or evil works, as foreseen by God from all eter- nity, "(r) Is not this too the very language of modem Arminianism ? Do not the partizaus of that scheme argue on the same principles, and express their objections against Calvinism even in the same identical terms ? Should it be said, " True, this proves that Arminianism is Pelacrianism revived; but it does not prove, that the doctrines of Arminianism are originally Popish :" a mo- ment's cool attention will make it plain that they are. Let us again hear Mr. Bower, who, after the passage just quoted, immediately adds, " on these two last propositions, the Jesuits found their whole system of grace and free-will ; agreeing therein with the Semipelagians, against the Jan- senists and St. Austin." (j) The Jesuits were (r) Bower's Hist, of the Popes, vol. i. p. 350. is) Bower, ibid. INTRODUCTION. 55 moulded into a regular bod)', towards the middle of the sixteenth century : toward tlie close of the same century, Arrainius began to infest the Pro- testant churches. U needs therefore uo great penetration, to discern from what source he drew his poison. His journey to Rome (though Mon- sieur Bavle affects to make light of the inferences which were at that very time deduced from it) was not for nothing. If, however, any are dis- posed to believe, that Arrainius imbibed his doc- trines from the Socinians in Poland, with whom, it is certain, he was on teiras of intimate friend- ship, I have no objection to splitting the dif- ference : he might import some of his tenets from the Racovian brethren, and yet be indebted, for others, to the disciples of Loyola. Certain it is, that Arminius himself was sen- sible, how greatly the doctrine of predestination widens the distance between Protestantism and Popery, " There is no point of doctrines (says he) which the Papists, the Anabapists, and the (new) Lutherans more fiercely oppose, nor by means of which they heap more discredit on the reforiued Churches, and bring the reformed sys- tem itself into more odium ; for they (i. e. the Papists, &c.) assert, that no fouler blasphemy against God can be thought or expressed, than is contained in the doctrine of predestination. "(i) For which reason, he advise-i the reformed world to discard predestination from their creed, in order that they may live on more brotherly terms with the Papists, the Anabaptists, and such like. The Arminian writers make no scruple to seize and retail each other's arguments, as com- mon properly. Hence, Samuel Hoord copies from V^an Harmin the self-same observation which I have now cited. " Predestination (says Samuel) is an opinion odious to the Papists, opening their foul mouths, against our Church and religion :"(«) conse(|uently, our adopting the opposite doctrines of universal grace and free-will, would, by bring- ing us so many degrees nearer to the Papists, conduce to shut their mouths, and make then) regard us, so far at least, as their own orthodox and dearly beloved brethren : whence it follows, that, as Arminianism came from Rome, so "it leads thither again." If the joint verdict of Arminius himself, and of his English proselyte Hoord, will not turn the scale, let us add the testimony of a professed Jesuit, by way of making up full weight. When archbishop Laud's papers were examined, a letter was found among them, thus endorsed with that prelate's own hand; " March, l(i28. A Jesuit's Letter, sent to the Rector at Bruxels, about the ensuing Parlia- ment." The design of this letter was to give the Superior of the Jesuits, then resident at Brussels, an account of the posture of civil and ecclesiastical affairs in England ; an extract from it I shall here subjoin : " Father Rector, let not the damp of astonishment seize upon your ardent and zealous soul, in apprehending the sodaine and (/) Porro, nullum est rtoctrinae caput, quod Papistie, Anabaptisttc, et Lutlierant acriiis oppugneiit ; perque cujus latu3 ecclesiis nostris gra\iiis invidiam con- cilient, totamque adeo doctrinam in odium vocent ; statuentes, nullum tarn firdam adversus Deum blas- plirmiam cxcogitari aut verbis profcrri posse. Ar- miniuii, in Oper. p. 11 J. Ludg. IK'iO. (u) Hoord, in Bishop Uavenant's Animadversions, Camb. lU-ll. unexpected calling of a Parliament. We have now many strings to our bow. We have planted that soveraigne drugge Arminianisme, which we hope will purge the Protestants from their heresie ; and it flourisheth and bearcs fruit in due season. For the better prevention of the Puritanes, the Arminians have already locked up the Duke's (of Buckingham) eares ; and we have those of our owne religion, which stand continually at the Duke's chamber, to see who goes in and out : we cannot be too circumspect and careful! in this regard. I am, at this time, transported with joy, to see how happily all instruments and means, as well great as lesser, co-operate unto our purposes. But, to return unto the maine fabricke : — Our foundation is Arminianisme. The Arminians and projectors, as it appeares in the premises, alTect mutation. This we second and enforce by pro- bable arguroents."(.r) The " sovereign drug, Arminianism," whicli, said the Jesuit, " we (i. e. we Papists) have planted" in England, did indeed bid fair "to purge " our Protestant Church efl'ectually. How merrily Popery and Arminianism, at that time, danced hand in hand, may be learned from Tiiidal : " The churches were adorned with paintings, images, altar-pieces, &c. and, instead of conimuniou tables, altars were set up, and bowings to them and the sacramental elements enjoined. The predestinarian doctrines were forbid, not only to be preached, but to be printed ; and the Arminian sense of the Articles was encouraged and propagated. "(y) The Jesuit, therefore, did not exult without can!>e. The " sovereign drug," so lately " planted," did indeed take deep root dov/nward, and brinjr forth fruit upward, under the cherishing auspices of Charles and Laud. Heylyn, too, acknov-'led^'es, that the state of things was truly described by another Jesuit of that age, who wrote thus : " Protestantism wax- eth weary of itself. The doctrine (by the Ar- minians, who then s.it at the helm) is altered in many things, for which their progenitors forsook the Church of Rome : lim/ius patrum ; prayer for the dead , and possibility of keeping God's commandments ; and the accounting of Calvinism to be heresy at least, ii not treason. "(s) The maintaining of these positions, by the Court divines, was an " alteration " indeed ; which the abandoned Heylyn ascribes to " the ingenuity and moderation found in some pro- fessors of our religion." If we sum up the evidence that hns been given, we shall find its amount to be, that Arminianism came from the Church of Rome, and leads back again tD the pit whence it was digged. The mention of Rome naturally enough pave.s the way for saying something about John Good- win : and the rather, as Mr. Sellon seriously supposes that I paid his friend Wesley a very great compliment, when I styled him, which I still do, the John Goodwin of the present age. The greatness of this compliment will appear, from the following short particulars, whicii some historians have transmitted to posterity, concern- ing the said Goodwin. (x) Hidden works of darkness, p. 89, 90. Edit. 1645. (V) Tindal's Contin. of flapin, Tol. 3. octavo, 17S8. {a) Life of Laud, p. 2M. INTRODUCTION. About Ihe year 1652, when Cromwell's clcsi£^n of usurping the sovereign power became more aui more apparent, a set of visionaries, known by the name of Fifth-Monarchy Men,(«) grew (aj The leading principle, and the extravagant spirit, of these double dyed enthusiasts, will appear, in part, from the titles of two famous Tracts published by them, about this a;ra :— 1. "The sounding of the last Trumpet ; or, several Visions, declaring the universal overturning and rooting up of all earthly Powers in England : with many other Things foretold, which shall come to pass in this Year 1050, lately shewed untc George Foster, who w is commanded to print them."— 2. " Sion's approaching Glory ; or, the great and glo rious Day of the Lord King Jesus's appearing ; before whom all the Kings of the Nations must fall, and never rise again. Accurately described, according to the Prophets, Christ, and his Apostles, in Three and forty Sections : by James Freze, Merchant, 1052." See Grey's Notes on Hudibras, vftl. 2. p. 245. The Fifth-Monarchists were not entirely extin- guished, at the Restoration of Charles II. " That king (says bishop Burnet) had not been many days at Whitehall, when one Venucr, a violent Fifth- Monarchy Man, who thought it was not enough to believe that Christ was to put the Saints into the possession of the kingdom, hut added to this, that the Saints were to take the kingdom themselves, gathered some of the most furious of the party to a Meeting in Coleman, street (which, by the way, was the very part of the town wiiere John Goodwin, at that very time, privately exercised his ministry ; and it is not improbable, but Goodwin's own Meeting-house might be the place of rendezvous, to which Venner convened his brother conspirators. See Calamy's Account of the Ejected Ministers, p. 53. Edit. 1713.) There they concerted the day and the manner of their rising tu set Christ on his throne, as they called it: but, withal, they meant to manage the government in his name ; and were so formal, that they had prepared standards and colours, with their devices on them, and furnished themselves with very good arms ; but, when tlie day came, there was but a small appearance, not exceeding twenty ; however, they resolved to venture out into the streets, and cry out. No King but Christ. Some of them seemed persuaded, that Christ would come down and head them. They scoured the streets before them, and made a great progress ; they killed a great many ; but were at last mastered by numbers ; and were all either killed, or taken and executed." Bumet"s own Time, Tol. i. p. 160, 161. Folio. Bishop Kennett justly observes, that the Fifth-Mon- archy Men were " the most bold and bloody of all sorts of enthusiasts." Complete Hist, of Engl. vol. 3. p. 225. Dr. Echard will, more than any historian yet quoted, let us into the true knowledge of the unpa- railed exorbitances, which marked the temper and proceedings of this species of fanatics. Venner him- self was, it seems, a preaching Cooper, and used to hold forth in John Goodwin's pulpit (that tub without hoops,) in Colman-street. The topics, on which Venner and his associates usually harrangued their Arminian auditory, were, the expedience and necessity of " taking up arms for king Jesus (I shudder at the bla.sphemy), against the powers of the earth, the king, the duke of York, general Monk, &c. assuring them, that no weapons formed against them (/. e. against their own sect) should prosper, nor an hair of their heads be touched ; for one should chase a thousand, and two put tea thousand to flight. Upon which they got a declaration printed, entitled, A Door of Hope opened : in which they said and declared, that they would never sheath their swords, till Babylon (as they called monarchy) became an hissing and a curse ; and (till) there be left neither remnant, son, nor nephew : that, when they had led captivity captive in England, they would go into France, Spain, Germany, &c. and rather die, than take the wicked oaths of supremacy aiid allegiance : that they would not make any leagues with monarchists, but would rise up against the carnal to possess the gate, or the world ; to bind their kings in chains and their nobles in fetters of iron." The historian then gives a circumstantial account of Ven- ner's insurrection, in consequence of these godly re- solutions : but he, and niiieteen others, being at length overpowered and taken, were tried at the Old Uailey, " for treason and murder ; which being fully very turbulent and conspicuous. Their grond ring-leader was John Good win, the Arminian; who had also rendered himself remarkable, by aspers- ing the Calvinistic doctrines of the Church of England, and by publishing a folio Vindication of King Charles's Beheaders ; yet, behold the art of this crafty Arminian 1 though the Fiflh- IMonarchy Men were not a little odious and formidable to Oliver Cromwell, and though .John Goodwin was actually at the head of those odious and formidable fanatics, Goodwin, notwithstanding plycd Cromwell so assiduously with Hatteryaud obsequiousness, as to gain no small measure of that Usurper's confidence : even the dissembling Oliver was, in part, over-reached by the still more exquisite dissimulation of master Goodwin. Let not the candid reader imagine, that my co- louring is too strong, or laid on too thickly : to cut otF the very possibility of such a surmise, 1 shall express what 1 farther have to observe con cerning the sly Fifth-Monarchy Man, in the words of others : not forgetting, at the same time, to subjoin, from bisliop Burnet, as much as may suffice to authenticate what has been already plated to John Goodwin's account. " The Fifth -Monarchy Men seemed (viz. A. D. 1652and l(j53,) to be really in expectation, every day, when Christ should a,npear. Joh.i Goodwin headed these ; who first brought in .'\rminianism among the sectaries. None of the preachers were so thorough- paced for him (s. e. for Cromwell) as to temporal matters, as Goodwin was ; for he (Goodwin) not only justified the putting the King to death, but magnified it as the gluriousest action men were capable of. He (Goodwin filled all peoplewith such expectation of a glorious thousand years speedily to begin, that it looked like a madness possessing them (//)." Such being the principles of John Goodwin, what a master-piece of political cunning must his conduct have been which could fix him so tightly in the saddle of Cromwell's esteem ! On the one hand, Cromwell was taking large strides toward the tlirone ; and, soon, actually acquired kingly power, though (by spinning his thread of att'ected moderation too finely) he missed the name of King. On the other hand, Goodwin, who had long represented kingship as the great Antichrist which hindered proved on Venner and sixteen of the rest, when sen- tence was pronounced against them, and Loid Chief Justice Foster seriously charged Venner with the blood of his unhappy accomplices, Venner impu- dently replied. It was not he, but Jesus, that led them. Being sentenced to be hanged, drawn, and quartered, Venner and Hodgkiiis were, on the IDth of January, executed, over against their Meeting-house, in Coleman-street." Echard's Hist, of Engl. vol. 3. p. 42—44. Bishop Kennett affirms, that most of the Fifth- Monarchy Men, who were executed on account of Venner's insurrection, died " raving, and threatening judgment, and calling down vengeance on the king, the judges, and the city" of London. Complete Hist. u. s. And yet Mr. John Wesley and Mr. A^'alter Sellon are for referring us to the writings of John Goodwin (the vei"y man who was at the head of the Fifth-mon- archy Men, and whose Meeting house in Coleman- street appears to have oeen the rendezvous and head quarters of the party,) as the school of orthodoxy, wherein we are to leam what are the genuine doctrines of the Chuich of England I" — Crcdat Judaus apella : tton ego. (I)) Burnet's Own Times, vol. i. p. CT. INTRODUCTION. 57 Christ's being set on his throne (t)) " cari ie i him- self fiiirly will) the Protector, who was, every clay, visibly apprnxiiiKiling nearer and nearer to that very " kingship" which Goodwin ahhorreil as "the great Antichrist" that ex'-luded the Messiah from possessing his right. A little to save appearances, Cromwell canted, occasinnally, to Goodwin, and the rest of the Fifth-.Monarcliy Men; and in return, Goodwin as canting! v jiretended to be convinced of Cromwell's holv and npiight intentions! It surprised every body, says Hiirnet, that Jolin Goodwin, who had been so fnrioiis and ac- tive against Cliarh'S 1. should come off with im- punity ,afier the restoration of Charles II. "But (adds the ri!;ht reverend historian), Goodwin had been so zealous an .\iiiiinian,and had sown such di- vislonamongall ihcsectaries, on these heads, that, it Was said, this procured him friends (f/)." It has long been universally known and acknowledged that Charlrs 11. himself had been, for sometime before the commencement of his reign, a concealed Papist ; and that he continued such, to the last moment of his life. \o wonder, therefore, that G lodwin's Arininianism (e) atoned for the ran- cour and fretizy of his political principles and behaviour. " Goodw.n had, so often, not only jdstltied, hut magnified, the putting the king to death, both in his sermons and books, that few though; he conld have heen either f irgot or ex- cused ; for (Hugh) Peters and he were the only preachers who spid^e of it in that strain {/)■" Wiio will say, that John Goodwin knew not how to h.ila ice a straw During the civil commotions, the rai.ter kept himself secure, by his ahhorrence of monarchy. After the nation was resettled, he preserved his neck, and his treasons were overlooked, on account of his zeal for Arniinian- isin. He had been already serviceable to the Popish cause, by " sowing divisionii" among Pro- testants ; and he was suffered to live, by a Popish piece who aimed at arbitrarj- power, in order to his being farther useful in the same laudable department. So much for Goodwin, as a politician : a word or two now, concerning him as a divine, and an individual ; for it is, chiefly, in these latter re- spects, that I have honoured Mr. John Wesley with, what Mr. Sellon calls, " the great commend- ation " of being the John Goodwin of the pre- sent age. Dr. Calamy informs, us, that, on the Resto- ration, Go .dwin, "not being satisfied with the terras of the Unif irmity-act, lived and died a Non-con- formist. He was a man by himself; was against every man, and had every man almost against him. He was very warm and eager (in) whatso- ever he engaged in (ff)." The same writer observes, that Goodwill " wrote such a number of contro- (i j liiiriiet, ii,id. (il) Buriu-t, ibid, p. 1()3. (f) Goiulwiii, liosvever, soon after tlic coniiug of Charles 11. truinbled for his neck, hihI th iit^lit proper to lie hid for a season. The inimediale oorasioii of which panic was this : in August IGfiO, " was called ill a book of John Goodwin (then lately a Minister in Coleman street, London), entitled, The Obstructers of Justice ; written in defence of the sentence against his Majesty Charles I. At which time also thi* said Goodwin absconded, to prevent justice." (Wood's At/iente, vol. i. col. SS2 Kdit. lliUl.; The fox, however, at length, ventured out of his hole, and was not earth- ed till Kili.'i. ( /•) Burnet, ibid. (j) Ai count of Ejected Ministers, p. 53. versial pieces, that it would be no easy thing to rerkoii thiin up with any exactness (/i) " If instead of the word " wrote," we only substitute the word " pilfered," the whole of these two passages will tit both the Mr. Johns as neatly as their skins. A very humorous circumstance, respecting Goodwin, is related by Antony Wood ; an ingeni- ous writer of that age published a book against Goodwin, with this facetious title : " Coleinan- street Conclave visited ; and that grand impostor, the Schismatic's Cheater in Chief (who hath long slily lurked therein) truly and duly discovered , containhig a most palpable and plain Display ol Mr John Goodwin's Self-conviction, and of the notorious Heresies, Errors, Malice, Pride, and Hypocrisy, of this most huge Garagantua. Lon- don, 1()48." The title is curious ; but the frontis- piece, prefixed, was exquisitely laughable, and most justly descriptive of the origiual. "Before the title (continues Wood) is John Goodwin's pic- ture, with a windmill over his head, and a wea- thercock upon it, with other hieroglyphics, or em- blems, about him, to shew the instability of the man (i)." The writer of the above piece was Mr. John Vicars, the famous author of " The Schis- matic sifted ;" who, if be sifted all schismatics as searchingly as he appears to have sifted John Goodwin, the schismatics of that age had no great reason to be much in love cither with the sifter, or the sieve. What a masterly sifting nould such a man have given to John Wesley and Walter Sellon! But they must now content themselves with Good- win's legacy of the windmill surmounted by a weathercock. Goodwin had an excellent talent at scurrility and abuse ; whereof take the following concise example : i\Ir. Nedham had written two treatises against hiit: ; the one entitled, " Trial of Mr. John Goodwin at the Bar of Keligion and right Reason ;" the other, " The great Accuser cast down ;" on which the inflammable Arniinian im- mediately took fire, and gave vent to his rage in explosions not the most gentle. He characterized Nedham as having "afoul mouth, which Satan had opened against the truth and mind of God," as being " a person of infamous and unclean cha- racter for the service of the triers ; " as " a man that curseth whatsoever he blesseth, and blesseth whatsoever he curseth (A.")." And yet John Good- M in is represented as having been, like Mr. John Wesley, "a meek, loving-hearted" Anuiniaii ! Let me add, concerning the first of these Johns, that (among a multitude of other refuters) he \v;\s taken to task, in Iti.'jS, by the learned Mr. Oba- diah Howe, in a performance entitled, ' the Pagan Preacher silenced (/)." 1 question, if any of Goodwin's Pagan preachments are still ex- tant • but such of his Pagan treatises as have reached the present times, are, 1 find, the very Bible and Comnson Prayer-book of Mr. Walter Sellon. I shall close these remarks on Goodwin with sotne of the encomiums heaped on him by his said admirer. John Goodwin, saith this saga- cious critic, was a man " whom envy itself caimot but praise ; a glorious champion for the truth of (li) Continuation, vol. i. p. 7S. (i) Athena, vol. ii. col. 8.0. (t) Athcnte, yo\. 2. col. 4(19: (/) Ibid. 558. 58 INTRODUCTION. the gospel, and for tne (renuine doctrines of the Church of England (m)." Thus chaunts the godly and loyal Mr. Sellon : the veracity, the modesty, and the propriety of whose panegyric, may be amply collected from the foregoing testimonies, which I have produced, concerning the ranting- Fifth Monarchy Man, J. Goodwin. Mr. Sellon is no happier in deducing conclu- sions, than in the drawing of characters: witness his judicious commentary on a passage of mine, whence he labours to distil no less than the doctrine of universal salvation. In my remarks on Dr. Nowel, 1 testified my firm belief, that the souls of all departed infants are with God in glory: that, in the decree of predestination to life, God hath included all whom he decreed to take away in infancy ; and that the decree of reprobation hath nothing to do with them (n). From these premises saysSi llon, it follows that '• Mr. Toplady himself maintains general redemption, and even the uni- versal salvation of mankind." Logica Selluniana. As if all mankind died in infancy. " Oh, but j'ou quoted Matthew xviii. 14, to prove the salva- tion of infants ;" true : 1 did so. Let us review the lext itself " It is not the will of your Father which is in Heaven, that one of these little ones should perish." Supposing this to be spoken of infants, literally so called, it certainly proves, that all who die in that state are saved. " Oh, but our Lord says nothing about their dying in that state ; he speaks of little ones in general, whether they live long, or die soon." Does he indeed Con- sult verse 10, "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones ; for I say unto you, tliat their angels (» e. as I understand it, the souls of such of them as die in infancy) do always behold the face of my Father who is in Heaven." Now, 1 should imagine it impossible for the angels, or souls, of little children, always to behold the face of God in Heaven, unless their souls were previously dis- lodged from their bodies by death ; consequently according to my view of tlie passage, our Lord, in the 14th verse, speaks of such little ones, and of such only, as actually die in infancy. "Oh, but the word angeis means guardian angels, ap- pointed to take care of children." Before J can subscribe to this, I must see a grain or two of (m) Sellon, p 26. (re) See my Vindication of the Church of England from Armiuianism. that ilecessary thing called proof. That children, no less than adults, are objects of angelic atten- tion, in the course ot Providence, 1 am far from denying : but, in my present conceptions of the passage under consideration, I cannot believe that exposition to convey tlie true sense of this parti- cular text. Among other reasons, the following is one : how can those superior spirits, who are (upon very probable grounds) supposed, very fre- quently, if not constantly, to attend on infants, be yet said to behold always the face of our Fa ther, in heaven ? In order, therefore, to prove, that the word angels, in this declaration of our Lord, means angels, properly so termed, it must be first proved, that angels, properly so termed, can be present in more places than one, at one and the same time. " Oh, but angels may some- times attend children on earth, and at other times be present in Heaven ;" likely enough: but the angels, here spoken of, are said always to behold the face or glory of God, and that in Heaven : an affirmation which can never be reconciled to pro- priety, or even to truth, if they are supposed to be absent from Heaven at any period, or on any oc- casion. " Oh, but if angels are long-sighted, they may see i.ito Heaven while they are on earth." I never met with a treatise on the optics of angels, and therefore cannot say much to this hypothetical objection. On the whole, if •' little ones in gene • ral," whether they die young, or live to maturity, be (as Mr. Sellon contends) entitled to salvation, his own title to happiness is incontestible. If little reasoning, less knowledge, and no regard to truth or decency, be a passport to the skies, this exotic star will glitter there, like a diamond of the first water. In the mean while, I should be obliged to the said star, if he would, with the help of Mr. Wesley's irradiation, shew me what becomes of departed infants, upon the Arminian plan of con- ditional salvation, and election on good works foreseen. From two Arminians, let me, for a moment, pass to a third. It will be found, in the following Historical Disquisition, that I have made some use of Dr. Peter Heylyn's testimonies in favour of the grand argument : and I admit his depositions, on the same principle by which men of the most exceptionable cast are sometimes allowed to tura king's evidence. 6!) HISTORIC PROOF OF THE DOCTRINAL CALVINISM OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. SECTION I. Free-willers the first Separatists from the Church of Enjjland. — Character and Fin- dication of King Edward VL Time has been, when Aiianism was more generally predominant throuijhout the Christian Church, than even Arminianism is at present, The whole world, says history, wondered, to see itself become Arian. It was Athanasius a|ught into the Ecclesiastical Court, where they were examined in forty-six articles, or more (c)." Were (which God forbid) all Freewill-men to suffer equal molestation in the present age ; were all Anti-predestinarians to be " taken up," " registered," " find sureties for their appearance," and at length be " ex- amined in the Ecclesiastical Court ;" what work would it make for constables, stationers, no- taries, and bishops' officers ! But to resume the thread. " Many of those, before named, being desposed fi. e. put to their oath) upon the said articles, confessed these to be some sayings and tenets among them: " That the doctrine of predestination was meeter for devils than for christian men. " That children v,'ere not born in original sin. " That no man was so chosen, but he might damn himself ; neither any man so re- probate, but he might keep God's command- ments, and be saved. " That St. Paul might have damned him- self if he listed. " That learned men were the cause of great errors. " That God's predestination was not certain, but upon condition. " That to play at any manner of game for money is sin, and a work of the flesh. " That lust afterevil was not sin, if the act were not committed. That there were no repro- bates. And, "That the preaching of predestination is a damnable thing ."(rf) So much for these Free-willers, who were the first Separatists from the Church of En- gland ; and whose tenets Mr. Strype (though not a Calvinist himself) justly allows to be Anabaptistical and Pelagian. How exactly do the doctrines of Wesley and Sellon, on the points of election, reprobation, and free- agency, chime in with the hot and muddy ideas of their Pelagian forefathers ! I cannot help in- dulging a very suitable speculation. What a delicious pastor would Mr. Sellon in particular have made to the Free-willers of Booking, or Feversham, had the sera of his nativity com- menced about 200 years sooner ! He would have fed them, not, indeed, with knowledge and understanding, but, after their own heart*. His lack of learning, his being " an exotic with- out academical education," would have been no impediment to thiit piece of promotion : nay, the flock would have liked him the better for it; f,eeiig in their estimation, " learned men are the cause of great errors." The spirit of which maxim, aided i)yhis blasphemies against predestination, would have made hiti. (next toFree-will itself) the very idol of the sect. O tibi priEteritoi refcrftt ii Jupiter Riinoa ! Instead of being, as now, Mr. John Wes- ley's pack-horse, you might have sat up for yourself; and, as a reward for your meritorious denial of election, been elected Tub Orator to the Pelagians of Feversham, or Bocking From such samples, as history has recorded, of the vigour (not to say the rigour), with which Free-will men were proceeded against, in the days of Edward VI. under whom the re- formation of the Church was accomplished, it necessarily and unanswerably follows, that the Church herself was reformed from Popery to Calvinism, and held those predestinarian doc- trines, which she punished (or, more properly, pei secuted) the Pelagians for denying. The persons who bore the main sway in Church and State at the time last referred to, were the King, the duke of Somerset, and arch- bishop Cranmer. Over and above the matters of fact, in which that illustrious triumvirate were concerned, and which neither would nor could have been directed into such a channel, had not those personages been Docti-inal Cal- vinists ; there are also incontestible written evi- dences, to prove that they were, conscientiously and upon inward principle, firm believers of the Calvinistic doctrines. This shall he proved of Cranmer, in its proper place, when I come to treat of the Reformers. The same will sufficiently appear, as to Somerset, under the Section which is to treat of the influence which Calvin had on theEnglish Reformation. The epis- tolary intimacy, which subsisted between Calvin and Somerset; the high veneration in which that foreign reformer was held by the latter ; and the readiness with which the first Liturgy was altered, in consequence of the same reformer's application ; plainly demonstrate that the duke of Somerset, no less than his royal nephew king Edward, and good archbishop Cranmer, liad (happily for the Church) heartily adopted Calvin's doctrine, though (no less happily) not proselyted to Calvin's favourite form of ec- clesiastical regimen. To th'^se considerations let me add another, drawn from tl.at most excel- lent prayer, written by himself, upon his being declared Protectorof the Realm and governor of the King's person during his majesty'sMinority It is entitled, " The Lord Protector's Prayer for God's Assistance in the high Office of pro- tector and Governor, new committed tohim." (e) ,e) Ibid. ((/JStrype, u. 8. p. 23G, 23^ . i^e) See Strype's Repository of Originals, annexed to the Bucond vol. of Eccles. Memor. p. 18. OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. 61 A man of the Duke's extraordinary piety can never be thought to trifle with God, and to prevaricate on his knees. The prayer itself, therefore, proves him to have been a Cal- vinist. Part of it runs thus : " Lord God of hosts, in whose only hand is life and death, victory and confusion, rule and subjection; I am the price of thy Son's death ; for thy Son's sake thou wilt not lese (/. e. lose) me. I am a vessel for thy mercy ; thy justice will not con- demn me. 1 am recorded in the book of life; 1 am written with the very blood of Jesus ; thy inestimable love wil) not then cancel my name ; for this cause, Lord God, I am bold to speak to thy Majesty: thou. Lord, by thy providence, hast called me to rule ; make me therefore able to follow thy calling : thou. Lord, by thine order, hast conmiitted an anointed Kin Strype's Ecclcfl. Menior. vol. h. p. ;jfiS. i^li) liunitt'i History of the Ui tomiation, vol. ii. p. 212- I unwillingly descend from one of the most wonderful and valuable princes that ever adorn- ed a throne, to the meanest and most rancor- ous Arminian priest that ever disgraced a surplice. How extreme, how immense the transition, from king Edward VL to Mr. Walter Sellon ! But I must let the reader see, in what way this factor for Methodism pietends to ac- count for the Calvinistic measures of king Edward's administration. Even thus : " Some rigid Calvinists in power had imposed upon that good young King, and made use of his authority to impose their notions upon the Church (Sell. p. 53)." A certain sort of peo- ple stand in particular need of good memories. Mr. Sellon's forsakes him in the very next page; where the " some rigid Calvinists" are dwindled into one. " Up starts rigid Ponet, and gets poor young king Edward, whom he had brouyht to his lure, to command all schoolmastei s within his dominions to teach the youth this catechism (Ibid. p. 54)." What is this, but calling "poor young king Edward" a poor young fool? An insi- nuation as false and unjust to the real character of that extraordinary prince, as I should be guilty of, were I to insinuate that Mi-. Sellon is a man of sense, learning, and good manners. But sup- posing we should, for a moment, admit (con- trary to all fact and truth), that the " poor young King" was indeed a flexible piece of tape, which Ponet, bishop of Winchester, could easily twist round his finger at pleasure; yet, can it be imagined, that Ponet was an absolute monopolizer of the tape royal ? VV'as he the only haberdasher who made property of the said tape? Could not a soul beside come in for a yard or two ? Where (for instance) were Cran- nier, and Ridley, and Hooper, and Latimer? Was it possible, that a transaction (.f such con- sequence to the Church of England, as the public sanction of Ponet's Catechism, could take eliect, without the participation and concurrence of the other English bishops, and of the Con- vocation, and of the King's Council itself? Every reasonable man will say no: besides, however liable to imposition " poor young king " Edward may be represented, by the Arminians of the piesent age, yet, surely, his Majesty's next successor but one (under whom that same Catechism was revived, and publish- ed with enlargements, by Ur. Nowell, dean of London) cannot be thought to have been very soft and pliable : but, 1 dare say, Mr. Sellon, by way of answer to this remark, will content himself with crying out, poor young queen Elizabeth ! King Edward was by no means that duc- tile, undiscerninij; prince, for which Mr. Sellon's cause requires him to pass. As this defamer, under the impulse of his inspirer, Mr. Wesley, has thoui;ht proper to fasten this obliquity on that King's memory, 1 shall give a short sum- mary of his character, drawn by the best au- thorities ; and the rather, as Edward's reputa- 62 THE DOCTRINAL CALVINISM tion is very closely interwoven with the credit of the Church of Enj;laiid, which chiefly owes her present purity and excellence to the pious and paternal authority of that young, but most respectable Josiah. Bishop Latimer had the honour to know him well ; and no man was ever less prone to flatter, than that honest, unpolished prelate. " Blessed (said he) is the land, where there is a noble king ; where kings be no banqueters, no play- ers, and where they spend not their time in hunting and hawking. And when had the King's majesty a Counc'l, that took more pains, both night and day, for the setting forth of God's word, and profit of the common-wealth ? And yet there be some wicked people that will say (and there are still some wicked Pelagians who continue to say), Tush, this gear will not tariy ; it is but my Lord Protector's and my Lord of Canterbury's doing : the King is a child, and he knoweth not of it. Jesu, have mercy! how like are we Englishmen to the Jews, ever stub- born, stiff-necked, and walking in by-ways ! Have not we a noble King? Was there ever king so noble, so godly brought up, with so noble Counsellors, so excellent and well-learn- ed schoolmasters? I will tell you this, and speak it even as I think ; his Majesty hath more godly wit and understanding, more learning and know- ledge, at this age, than twenty of his progeni- tors, that I could name, had at anytime of their life." (0 Bishop John Bale, the Antiquarian, could also speak of the King upon personal know- ledge ; and his testimony is this : "He is abun- dantly replenished with the most gracious gifts of God ; especially, with all kinds of good learning, far above all his progenitors, kings of this imperial region. The childhood of youth is not in him to be reproved ; for so might king Josiah have been reproved, who began his reign in the eighth year of his age." The occasion of Bale thus vindicating king Edward, was the petulance of one whom he styles " a frantic Papist of Hampshire," who had insolently term- ed his Majesty, " a poor child :" which was much the same with Mr Sellon's contemp- tuous language of, " pooryoung king Edward." Mr. Strype, to whom I am indebted for the above quotation from Bale, goes on : " Then he (i. e. Bale) comes closer to this papist, so blasphemously reporting the noble and worthy king Edward, then in the fifteenth year of his age, and the fifth of his reign." Bale added, " His (Majesty's) worthy education in liberal letters, and g. Memor. vol. ii. p. 377 . 373. Edward VI. that incomparable young prince. He was then in the sixteenth year of his age, and was counted the wonder of that time. He was not only learned in the tongues, and other liberal sciences, hut knew well the state of his kingdom. He kept a book, in which he writ the characters that were given him of all the chief men of the nation, all the judges, lord- lieutenants, and justices of the peace, over England ; in it he had marked down their way of living, and their zeal for religion. He had studied the matter of the Mint, with the ex- change and value of money, so that he under- stood it well, as appears by his j(iurnal. He also understood fortification, and designed well. He knew all the harbours and ports, both of his own dominions, and of France and Scotland ; and how much water they had, and what was the way of coming into them. He had acquired great knowledge in foreign affairs, so that he talked with the ambassadors about them, in such a manner, that they (tJiz. the foreign ambassadois) filled all the world with the highest opinion of him that was possible ; which appears in most of the histoiies of that age. He had great quickness and appre- hension ; and, being mistimstlul of his memory, used to take notes of almost every thing he heard. He writ these, first, in Greek cha- racters, that those about him might not under- stand them : and, afterwaids, writ them out in his journal. He had a copy brought him of every thing that passed in Council : which he put in a chest, atid kept the key of that always him>elf. In a word, the natural and acquired perfections of his mind were won- derful. But his virtues and true piety were yet more extraordinary. "(/) Mounta^u, bi.Nhop of Winchester, in his Preface to the Works of king James I. makes very observable mention of Edward, con- sidered even as a writer. " Edward the Sixth, though his dayes were so short, as he could not give full proofe of those singular parts that were in him ; yet he wrote divers epistles and orations, both in Greek and Latin. He wrote a tieatise de fide, to the duke of Somerset He wrote an history of his owne time. Which are all yet extant, under his owne hand, in the King's library, as Mr. Patrick Young, his Majestie s learned Bibliothecarius, hath shewed me. And, which is not to bee forgotten, so diligent an hearer of sermons was that sweet prince, that the notes, of the most of the sermons he heard, are yet to be scene, under his own hand ; with the preacher's name, the time, and the place, and all other circurastances."(m) It were endless, to adduce the praises which have been deser.edly accumulated on this most able and most amiable Monarch. But I must not overpass the character given of him by [ij Burnet's llUt. of tlie Keform. toI. ii. p. 212. & alibi. (/n; Bp. Mount, u. ». edit. 1618 OF THIi CHURCH OF ENGLAND. 83 Jerom Cardan, the famous Italian physician, who, the year precedin;; king Edward's death, spent some months in Enghiiid. That foreigner, amidst all his acknowledged oddities, was still a person of very extraordinary genius and learning; so that his ahility, to judge of the King's capacity and attainments, is indis- putable. And the consideration of his being also a Papist, will not suffer us to suppose, that his encomiums have any mixture of party pre- judice in this prince's favour. Moreover, Car- dan wrote and published his testimony in a country, and at a time, which rendered it {n) impossible for him to have any sinister interest in view. " All the Graces," says he " were a[;parent in king Edward ; and, for the tongues, he was not only exact in the English, French, and Latin ; but understood the Greek, Italian, and Spanish Nor was he ignorant of Logic, the principles of Natural Philosophy, or Music: being apt to learn every thing. The sweetness of his temper was such as became a mortal ; his gravity becoming the majesty of a King ; and his disposition suitable to his high degree. Ill short, that child was so bred, had such parts, and was of such expectation, that he looked like a miracle of a man. These things aie not spoken rhetorically, and beyond the truth ; but are indeed short of it. He began to love the liberal arts, before he knew them; to know them, before he could use them. And ill hiui there was such an effort of nature, that not only England, but the ivorld, has reason to lament his being so early snatched away. How truly was it said, of such extraordinary persons, that their lives are short ! He gave us an essay of virtue, though he did not live to give us a pattern of it. When the gravity of a king was needful, he cairied himself like a man in years : and yet was always affable and gentle, as became his youth. In bounty he eiuiilated his father, who in some cases may appear to have been bad ; but there was no ground for suspecting any such thing in the son, whose mind was cultivated hy the study of Philosophy. "(o) Mr. Guthrie's character of him is far from being excessive. The outlines of Edward's por- trait, as drawn by the masterly hand of that able Historian, shall terminate our present review of this gieat prince. " Henry VIII. was the Romulus, and Edward VI. the Numa Pompilius, (n) Cardan refu.spd to offer the incense of (what he thought would have been) adulation to king Ed- ward, eve i in that prince's lift-time, and during his (Cardan's) n sidem e at the English Court. Much U-43 would he be induced to fawn upon his memory. The philosopher's conduct on that occasion though it resulted from a mistaken principle, reflects some honour on his integrity and disinterestedness. " I refused (says he), a purse of five hundred pieces Bome tell me it was a thousand ; but I cannot as- certain the precise sum), because I wouid not ac- knowledge one of the King's titles, in prejudice of the Pope's authority." See Bayle's Diet. vol. ii d 310. note (D). (0) See the Acta Regis, o 439. Edit. 1734. of English Reformation. The former laid its foundation in blood and rapine ; the latter reared its fabric, by justice and modeiation. Learning is the most trifling part of Edward's character. The rod may make a scholar ; but nature must form a genius. Edward had ge- nius. His learning, indeed, was extraordinary; but in that he was equalled, if not excelled, by others of equal years, and of a different sex. Perhaps his sister Elizabeth, and his designed successor, the lady Jane Gray, at his age, knew the languages better than he did. But Edward discovered a genius for government, beyond what, perhaps, ever was known in so early a bloom of life. He soon fell in with those walks of knowledge which lead to the glory and hap- piness both of prince and people. He under- stood the principles of trade, and the true maxims which the English ought to pursue with foreign countries, to much greater per- fection than any author who wrote at that time on those subjects. The papers which remain in his writing, concerning a mart, and the reformation of abuses, might be suspected not to be of his composition, did we know of any person in those days, who could write so clearly and intelligibly, and, by consequence, so ele- gantly. His Journal contains, so far as it goes, an account of all the important trans- actions falling within it ; penned in such a manner, as amply proves its author to have known the bottom of every subject he touches. His perpetual attention to commerce gave him, towards the end of his reign, a true notion of that conduct, which England ought to pur^ue, in those disputes upon the Continent, which endanger the balance of power theie. It helped him to form great schemes for the iin- provenient of his maritime force, for the security of his coasts, for the protection of his ships ; and, in his project of opening free marts in England, there is somewhat that points towards introducing a new and better system of mercantile affairs, than has yet, per- haps, been pursued. He acquired a taste for elegant magnificence ; and, in this, he seems to have been single in his Court. His ap- pearances, on public occasions, were some- times, perhaps, too Eastern : but he seems to have corrected this extravagance, bv striking off a great deal of useless expense. Had Providence been so well reconciled to Eng- land, as to have indulged Edward in a longer reign, he had private virtue sufficient to have brought private virtue once more into re- putation : while his judgment was so strong, as, at once, to re-animate, and employ the public spirit of his people. The application of this royal youth laid the cornei-stones on which the commerce of England is founded, and which aUine gives her the rank of a Queen among nations. It was his piety, that purged her religion from superstition ; it was his good sense, getting the better of his prejudices, that f4 ARMINIANISM PROVED ON saved her possessions from ruin, and rescued her Clergy from contempt. It was his ex- ample, which fired the young nobility and gentry of his own years, with that generous emulation, which pushed them into every glo- rious pursuit, when their manly qualities, in a following reign {viz. in the reign of Elizabeth,) raised their drooping country to glory and to empire. It is owing to Edward's compassion, that, at this day, in England's capital, the helpless orphan finds a father ; that erring youth are provided with instruction ; and that Heaven receives the sounds of praise and gratitude from the mouth of the infant. His wisdom prepared a check for the intemperate, and correction for the idle. His cares make gray hairs go down, without sorrow, to the grave. His bounty embellishes those places, which his charity endowed. And his own per- son was the habitation where love and learn- ing, tlie graces and the virtues, delighted to dwell. ''(/>) Let me just add, that whosoever has read king Edward's Treatise against the Supremacy of the Bishops of Rome (published at London, in 1682), will cease to be surprised at that ad- miration, with which the English historians celebrate the parts and piety of the royal au- thor. The merits of that performance, in particular, are so transcendent, that a most ingenious acquaintance of mine once doubted, whether it was possible for so young a prince to be the composer of so learned and masterly a work. But my friend (eminent for possessing one of the finest collections of natural and ar- tificial curiosities that ever fell to the lot of a private person) has been so happy as to add to his treasures the original manuscript, in Ed- ward's own hand writing ; which places the authenticity of the book above dispute. Judge now, whether Edward, thus endued with the whole circle of princely qualifications could be that weak, supple, facile, wa.xen image of a king, which Mr. Wesley's malice and Mr. Sellon's ignorance combine to represent. In trying at which, they not only violate all his- toric truth, but labour also to blacken the Church of England ; by defaming the Protes- tant Monarch who was, under God, its father and visible head : a monarch, who, like Al- fred, was born for the good of mankind; and the lustre of whose crown was eclipsed by the virtues of him that wore it. King Edward's being a Calvini.st is the unpardonable crime for which Arminian Methodism seeks to lay his memory in the dust. Under him it was that the English Liturgy was compiled, reformed, and perfected; the Homilies composed; the Articles of Religion framed ; and Ponet's Ca- techism drawn up : which two latter, viz. the Articles and the said Catechism, " were in ge- neral received and suhscril)ed to all over the kingdom." (tj) These were the crimes of Edward and his reforming bishops, for which, Peter Heylin, John Wesley, and Walter Sellon, labour to heap odium on the best of princes and the best of prelates. SECTION If. Arminianism charged and proved on the Church of Rome. Mr. Sellon acknowledges his absolute ine quality to the task he has undertaken. " I know nothing at all," says he, "how to fence or push : "(r) i. e. he can neither attack, nor defend. A very proper person to set up for a champion, and to style himself a vindicator! But there was no need of such an explicit confes- sion. His production sufficiently demonstrates that its producer can neither fence nor push. Witness the opening of his very first assault, in pag'? where I am presented with a tierce, not of blunderbusses, but of blunders. " In that point," says the blunderer, " which you stickle so mightily for, viz. the doctrine of absolute, irrespective predestination, though all the members of the Church of Rome do not fall in with it, because they are not com- pelled to it, as all the members of the Church of Geneva do, because they are compelled to it ; yet, if the testimony of Dr. Potter, some time dean of Windsor, be to be depended upon, there are ten Catholics, that h.old tiiis point of Genevan doctrine, for one tliat is so much an Arminian as to deny it." Such a cluster of glaring untruths deserves no answer. Byway, however, of shewing, what an honest and ac- curate opponent I have to deal with, I'll give the paragraph a thorough sifting. 1. " All the membeis of the Church of Geneva are compelled to fall in with " the doctrine of predestination. So far is this from being true, that the doctiine itself, of pre- destination, has been expelled from Geneva, for very considerably more than half a century back. Geneva, which was once dreaded by Papists, as one of the head quarters of Cal- vinism, and termed, by them, for that reason, " The Protestant Rome," is now, in that happy respect, Geneva no longer. The once faithful city is become an harlot. The unworthy son of one of the greatest divines that ever lived (I mean Benedict, son, if I mistake not, of the immortal Francis Turretin) was a principal instrument of this doctrinal revolution. And, to the everlasting dishonour of bishop Burnet, he, during his exile, contributed not a little to the inroads of Arminianism at Geneva, by prevailing with the leading persons there to abolish the test of ministerial subscriptions. (p) (Juthriu's Hist, of EugUmd, vol, iii p. 1. 121 (j) Gutluic, u. 5. jj. lU {!■) i'dge 123. THE CHURCH OF ROMii. 66 about the year lG8fi. (s) After his return to Eiia;land, and his advancement to the episcopal bench, there is great reason to believe, that he would very willingly have played the same game here; and lain the Church of England under a similar obligation to " hij warmth and the weight of his character," by releasing (to continue the language of his filial biographer) our clergy too from " the folly and ill consequence of such sub- scriptions." But, through the goodness ot Proi'idence, the people of England were not such implicit trucklers to his lordship's " elo- quence and credit," as were the citizens of Geneva. No " alteration, in this pratice " crowned his wish.(<) The time for the destruc- tion of our establishment was not yet come : and, I trust in God, it is still very far off. To the unspeakable mortification of such as Mr. Sellon, the fence is, hitherto, undemolished. Should our governors in church and state ever suffer the fence to be plucked down, farewell to the vineyard. But, till the barrier of sub- scription (that stumbling-block to Arminians, who, nevertheless, for divers good causes them tliereimto moving, make shift to jump over it") a.-tuilly he taken out of the way, let no man of common knowledge or of common mjdestv, call our Calvinistic doctrines tlie tenets of Geneva. If it be any real honour, or dislionour, to drink of the Lemain lake, the .\raiinians, as matters stand, have it all to themselves. f.v) *' Hi' WHS nitich caressed and esteemed hy tli'- principal men of (Jeneva. He saw they insisted > ym^iy nu their cons( nt of doctrine (a formularly I" ''iinioiily known hy the name of the Consensus), 'A'.iich tliey required all those to si'hscrilje who were ailniitted into orders. He therefoie employed all the eloquence he was master of, and all the -.redit he had a. 'quired among them, to ohtain an alteration in this practice. He represented to them the folly and ill coiisequ^-nce of such suhscriptions. The warmth, with which he expressed himself on this head, was such, and such was the weight of his character, that the Clergy of (Jeneva were afterwards released form these suhscriptions." Life of Burnet, annexed to his Hist, of his Own Time, pages GO'l, 093. Fol. ir.t t. (f) iiishop ISurnet, failing in his desire of aholish- ing our ecclesiastical suhscriptions, was forced to cruitcnt himself with singing to the tune of He would if uc could ; in these plaintive and remarkahle words ; *' The requiring suhscriptions to the XWIX Articles is a great imposition." [Hist. O. T. 2. 034.] An impo- sition, however, in which his Lordship prudently ac- quiesced, and to which he was the means of making others suhmit, rather than he would forego (to use an expression of his owuy the *' plentiful oishopric" of S iruni. How much more disinterested and heroic was the conduct of that honest Arminian and learned Ari.in, Mr. William VVliiston ! The account is curious : so take it in his own words. •* Soon afrer the accession of the House of Hanover to the throne, Sir Joseph Jekyl, that most excellent and upright master of the rolls, and sincere christian, Dr Clark's and my very go keep up some appearance of attachment to the Ro- man see, that these truths, he ventured to assert, might have tlie widei and securer spread among the people of that communion ; he found, or thought he found it needful, to open their eyes by de- grees, and not pour too much light upon them at once. He contented himself, therefore, ou some occasions, witli establishing certain premises, whence, indeed, certain conclusions naturally and necessarily follow ; but which he prudently left to the illation of his disciples. This was shrewd ; but all the candour in the world cannot call it honest. (0 The learned Mastricht cites this fourth proposi- tion with a little variation: Semipelagiani admittebant prcevenientes gratiae interioris necessitatum ad singulos actus, etiam ad initium fidei : et in hoc erant ha'retici, quiid vellent, eam gratiam talcm esse cu posset humana voluntas resistere, vel obtemperare. Operum, p. 1176. Amstel. 1724. THE CHURCH OF ROME. 73 " V. Whoever says, that Christ died, or shed liis blood, for all mankind, is a Semipelagian. " The condemnation'' [of these propositi- ons] " afforded fjreat matter of triumph to the Jesuits :" ()«) and no wonder ; for, that artful order of men know bul too well, that nothing so effectually bars out Popery, as the belief of those doctrines, by whatever name they are called : whether we term them Austinism, or Jansenism ; Calvinism, or Church-of-Ent;landism. Sir Paul Rycaut, in his continuation of Platina, gives us the very words, in which each of the above five propositions were re- spectively condemned. A consistory of cardi- nals and divines being called, and the Pope himself presiding in person at the board ; the propositions were reprobated in manner and form following : n) " We pronounce the first of these propositions to be presumptuous, blas- phemous, heretical, and condemned with a curse ; and, as such, we condemn it according- ly. The second also we pronounce to be here- tical ; and, as such, we condemn it. The third we pronounce heretical : and we con- demn it as such. The fourth we condemn, as false and heretical. The fifth, as importing that Christ died for the s.ilvation of those only who were elected, we pronounce to be false, presumptuous, scandalous, impious, blasphe- mous, scurrilous, derogatory to the goodness of God, and heretical ; and, as such, we con- demn it." Pope Alexander VII. who succeeded Inno- cent X. " not only confirmed, at the instance of the Jesuits, the bull of Innocent, condemn- ing the five propositions, mentioned above; but, by a new bull'' [dated A. D. 1657,] " de- clared that the said propositions were the doc- trines of Jansenius, and were contained in his bcok ; and that they had been condemned in the obvious sense, and in the sense of their author ; i'l seitsn obvin, in nenun ah auctore in- tento. NrtJ', the Jesuits procured, by their interest in calilnet-councils, a mandate from Louis XIV." [of France], "commanding all, within his dominions, to receive a formulary, or confession of faith, in which the doctrine, condemned by the Pope was owned to be the doctrine contained in the book of Jansenius, styled Augustinus. They, vvlio refused to sign that formulary, were deprived of their livings, and eithercastinto prison, or sent int()exile."(o) This persecution of Jansenius's numerous disciples (for his book had opened the eyes of multitudes) was both severe and lasting. The (>n) Bower, u. s. page 482. (n) Primtim tcmerariani, impiam, blasphcmam, anathcinaic daninatam, et Irireticam, declaramus, et uti talem condciiiiiamus. .Seciindam hareticam de- claramus, et uti tal<'m damnamus. Tertiam harctiram declaramus, et uti t:tlem damnamus. Quartern falsam ft hagreticam declaramus, et uti talem damnamus. Quintam falsam, temi rariam, srandalosam, et (intel- lectam eo sensu, ut Ctiristus pro salute duntaxat pT£e- destinatorum mortuus sit) iinpiam, blasphemam, con- tnmeliosam, divinaj pietati derogantem, et Iia.'reticam, truths which he had brought to light were, at all events, to be stifled and exterminated, as opening a door to Protestantism, and as shak- ing the very foundations of the infallible Church. Hence, in France, where Jansenius's formida- ble book had made most havoc amongst Catho- lics, the abjuration of the five propositions was exacted, not only from all the secular cler- gy, but even from every monk, nun and friar, who was not willing to undergo the opprobrium and penalties of heresy. Nay, the very laity of the several dioceses were not excused from abjuring these reputed and real doctrines of Calvinism: {p) which, however, could not ex- tirpate the party of Jansenius ; who subsist, in vast numbers, to this day, and are suspected (not without reason) of only waiting a favour- able opportunity of entirely shaking off the papal yoke. The bread of sound doctrine, which the bishop of Vpres has cast upon the waters, will, I doubt not, be found after many days. In vain did |)ope Clement XIII. by his bull, dated July 15, I7f)5, renew the fulmina- tions of his predecessors, by declaring, that " the faithful ought to condemn, as heretical, not only with their mouths, but in their hearts, the sense of Jansen's book contained in the five propositions." (. e. to the plain sense of the several heresies. Whosoever shall teach, de- fend, or publish them, or any of them, jointly or separately ; or shall treat of them by way of dispute, either publicly or privately, unless it be to impugn them; shall, ipso facto, with- out any other declaration, incur the censures of the Church, and all other penalties appointed by the law against such delinquents ."(r) Is it possible for the Church of Rome to execrate and abjure Calvinism in stronger terms ? And is it possible for words to convey clearer and more solid proof, that Popery and Arminianism are (so far as these points are concerned) one and the same ? And is it possible for impu- dence itself to forge a more flagrant untruth, than by saying that Arminianism is not Popery, and that teiiPapists out of eleven hold predestina- tion f Well may the author of the Confessional (than whom, with all his mistakes, scarce any age has produced a more keen and nervous reasoner) make the following just and incontest- able remark : "Our first reformers framed and placed the Thirty-nine Articles, and moi e par- ticularly those called Calvinistical, as the surest and strongest barriers to keep out Popery." (*) In consequence of the above papal fulmi- nation, Quesnell (whose crime only consisted in his having a little more spiritual light than most of his brethren) was, first, banished front Paris ; then, thrown into a dungeon at Brussels from -(vhencejafter almost four months, imprison- ment, he found means to make his escape into Holland, where he died A. D. 1719, after an exile of about fifteen years. The bull itself, by which his 101 propositions were condemned, is to this very day, so strictly enforced in France, that the clergy of that kingdom (though, gene- rally, less bigotted than the clergy of other Popish countries) will not administer the last offices to a dying person, until he has solemnly declared his detestation of the doctrines which those propositions contain. What a front, then, must Mr. Sellon have, to insinuate, that ten Papists out of eleven hold the doctrine of grace; when, even in France, where Popery sits much lighter than in any other unreformed nation, not a single Papist, though lying on the bed of death, is permitted to receive the sacra- ment, until he has, with his dying breath, disa- vowed the doctrine of predestination in all its branches. Let me further ask the calumniat or, whether he ever knew a single person, who, from being a doctrinal Calvinist, was perverted to the Church of Rome ? But I myself have known several Arminians, who were carried over to Calvinistic articles of the Church of England] ; " but in this case, he ought not to subscribe them at all. For if he can bring himself to assent and to subscribe them inaCatholic" [i. c. in a Popish-Arminian] "sense I would desire to know what security the Church has, that he does not put the like Catholic sense (with which he may be furnished by the Jesuits) upon those articles which concern transubstantiatioa and purgatory 1" THE CHURCH OF ROME. 76 Popery with very little difficulty ; and, from beinjf half Protestants, easily commenced complete Romanists. (0 Ask your friend and dictator, Mr. John Wesley, whether numbers of his followers have not, from time to time, gone off to the mother of Abominations, particu- larly, in Bristol ? where, I have been credibly informed, the Romish priests cry him up (not without reason) as a very moderate and a very useful man (m). (0 How natural and easy the transition is, from Arrainianism to avowed Popery, is evident, among others, from the examples of Bolsec and Bcrtius abroad ; and, at home, from those of William Barrett Godfrey Goodman, bishop of Gloucester. Jerom Bolsec was, originally, a Carmelite friar of Paris. From motives either of conscience, or of secular interest, he forsook his order ; and, leaving France, made open profession of the Protestant religion. Among other places, he went, says,Bayle, " to Geneva, as a physician ; but, finding that he did not distinguish himself to his satisfaction in that profession, he set up for divinity ; and dogmatized, at first, in private, ou the mystery of predestination, according to the princi- ples of Pelagius, and afterwards had the boldness to make a public discourse against the received opinion. As soon as his conversation with certain persons to- infect them with his Pelagianism, was known, Calvin went to see him, and censured him mildly : after- wards, he sent for him to his house, and endeavoured to reclaim him from his error. But this did not hinder Bolsec from delivering, in public, an insulting discourse against the decree of eternal predestination. It is thought, that he was the bolder because he imagined that Calvin was not among his auditors. He had such a thought, because he did not see him [sitting] in his [usual] place. The reason was, Calvin, not coming in till after the discourse was begun, kept himself hid behind the crowd." (Bayle's Hist. Diet. vol. ii. art. Bolsec). Mr. Samuel Clark, a pious, learned, and labo) ious writer of the last century, informs us (see his Marrow of Ecclesiastical History, part i. p. 208, 299,) that Bolsec delivered this harangue October IC, 1551, taking for his text these words, " He that is of God, heareth the words of God :" whence he took occasion to preach up free-will, and that predestina- tion was out of works foreseen. Calvin himself (sue Bayle, ut supr.) in a letter which he wrote to the Swiss churches, says, that among other things asserted by Bolsec, on the above, or a similar occasion, the wretch spoke to this effect : that " men do not there- fore obtain salvation, because they are elected ; but are therefore elected, because they believe ; and that no man is reprobate by the bare decree of God, but only those who deprive themselves of the common election.'' Being, after several fruitless efforts to re- claim him, banished from Geneva, he retired into the territory of Bern ; where, says Mr. Clark, " he was the cause of many and great stirs." After being twice expelled thence, on account of his turbulent behaviour, he returned into France; and, "presently aftei', when he saw the [French] churches under affliction, he fell back to Popery, loading the reformed Churches with many reproaches." Thus did this man's tenefs of free-will, eonditional predestination, universal grace, and salvation by works, ripen him for a relapse to the church of Rome. Those principles had the same effect on PeterBertius. He was an intimate friend and devoted admirer of Arminius. This gradually prepared him for his subse- quent apostacy to Popery. Arminius died the 19th of October, l(i09. And who so fit to deliver his funeral oration (or, in modem language, to preach his funeral sermon, )a3 his good friend and coadjutor Bertiusf Preached by him it accordingly was, on tiie 22d of the same month, wliich was the day of Arminius's interment. And, to this very hour, the said funeral oration (notwithstanding the orator's revolt to the Church of Rome a few years after) stands pre- fixed to all tlie editions of Arminius's works, which I have ever seen : as if Popery and Arminianism were fated to be inseparable. 1 do not recollect to have SECTION V. The Objection, drawn from the supposed CaU vinism of Thomas Aquinas, refuted, with a word concerning St. Austin, But, it seems Austin and Aquinas were *' two champions for predestination :" and " their names," I am farther told, " have as much weight in the Church of Rome as they have with" {x) the vicar of Broad Hembury. I met ivith the exact sra of Bertius's declaring himself , a Papist. But, in the collection of archbishop Usher's Letters, annexed to his Life by Dr. Parr, 1 find the following paragraph, in a letter from Dr. Ward to that prelate : " Your lordship was partly acquainted with a business which 1 had undertaken, to answer one chapter of [cardinal] Perron's latest work, set out after his decease. Since that time, Petrus Bertius, the remonstrant [i. e. the Arminian,] is turned Roman Catholic, and hath undertaken the translation of that whole book into Latin." This letter is dated Septem her 25, 1622. In one from bishop Usher, to the same Dr. Ward (who was master of Sidney college, Cam- bridge, and succeeded bishop Davenant in the Mar- garet professorship of Divinity,) the excellent prelate tells him, " I do very well approve the judgment of them, who advised you to handle the controversies mentioned in that chapter of cardinal Perron's book, which Bertius pretendeth to have been the principal motive of his verifying the title of his old book, Hymenaiis Desertor. His oration of the motives to his perversion, I saw, before I left England : than which, I never yet did see a more silly and miserable discourse proceed from the hands of a learned man." Let. 1, and lii). p. 82. and 85. Thus easy, quick, and ready, is it to pass, from the religion of James Arminius, to that of Cardinal James Davy du P«rron 1 A sadly memorable instance of the «arae kind happened in our land some years after. Godfrey Goodman, the unworthy bishop of Gloucester, who had long swam with Laud in almost every measure that conduced to the extension of Arminianism, Civil tyranny, and Ecclesiastical pomp, at length declared in his last will, that he died " in the faith and com- munion of the mother Church of Rome." But I dis- miss so shocking an event, with that observation of the Apostle : " They went out from us. but they were not of us ; for, if they had been of us, they would doubtless have continued with us." Yet must I sub- join the remark of Echard : " As this was the only apostate English bishop, since the reformation, so he was the only one, who left children to beg their bread." Ech. Hist, of Engl. vol. ii. p. 782. The case of William Barrett, fellow of Gonvillo and Caius College, Cambridge, is well known. I have, already, given a sketch of his history, and taken notice of his revolt to Popery, in my former pamphlet, en- titled, llie Church of England vindicated from the charge of Arminianism, p. 48. &c. ((/) Many specimens might be given of Mr. Wesley's lax Protestantism. Among them, every con- siderate reader must rank the following paragraph : " Justification by works is notthe fundamental doctrine of Popery; hut the universality of the Romish Church and the supremacy of tlie bishop of Rome. And to call any one a Papist who denies these, is neither charity norjustice" (page the 9th of a twopenny tract, written by Mr. John Wesley, and entitled, A Letter to a gentleman at Bristol, 1758.) According to thig reasoning, a man may hold tranaubstantiation, eccle- siastical infallibility, purgatory, image worship, invo- cation of saints and angels, &c. &c. and yet be a good Protestant all the while I I'he French clergy (for in- stance) who put a query on the Pope's supremacy, but are (or, at least, generally profess themselves to be) stiff Romanists 'in most other points, cannot, in Mr. Wesley's estimation, be with "charity and justice'* considered as Papists ! Does not such a bare-facefi concession look as if the conceder himself was fearful (and upon very good greunds) lest, without a prudent caveat of that kind, the charge of Popery might fall heavy on somebody else 1 (j.) Sellon, p. 3, 76 CONCERNING AQUINAS am apt to think, that Mr Sellon's acquaintance, he supposes to be synonymoas with the infusion either with St. Austin's wiiiiiij^s, or with those of grace : " Free-will," says he, " is essential to of Aquinas, is, at best, extremely slender, the nature of man : consequently, in that person. However his bare mention of those foreign who has the use of his free-will God worketh no names may serve to give Mr. Wesley's old motion unto righteousness without the motion of women an huge idea of " brother Sellon's pur- the man's free-will." {z) In his comment on the diu-ious larninc" fi'''' Ep'stle to Timothy, he thus asserts the Whatever may be said for the truly admira- merit of works : " Spiritual treasure is no other ble bishop of Hippo; it is certain, that the in- than an assemblage of merits ; which merits genious native of Aquino was by no means a are the foundation of that future building which consistent predestinai ian. He had, indeed, is prepared for us in Heaven : for the whole his lucid intervals ; but, if the Arminians should preparation of future glory is by merits , which find themselves at a loss for quibbles, I would merits we acquire by grace ; and this grace is recommend to them a diligent perusal of that the fountain of merit." (a) laborious hair-splitter ; who will furnish them Now let any man judge, whether this in their own way, with many useful and ne- Popish writer does not, in these and similar cessary quirks, without the assistance whereo passages, speak the language of Pelagius. their system had, long ago, lost its hold even Tliat he sometimes stumbles on great and on the prejudiced and the superficial. precious truths, cannot be denied. Where Of all Aquinas's numerous wiitings (which this is the case, let him have his duecommend- are said to amount to 17 folio volumes), I have afion. But the least that can be said is, that on\y h\s Summa TheologicB, and his Commen- those of his lucubrations which I have met taries on the Gospels, and St. Paul's Epistles, with abound with such astonishing self-con- To collect all the Semi-pelagian passages, with tradictions, as are only to be paralleled in the which those two performances are fraught, puny publications wherewith Mr. John Wesley would be a task equally prolix and unprofit- hath edified his readers. able. My citations, therefore, shall be few and So much for Thomas Aquinas. Next, for short : but such as may suffice to evince, that t^e celebrated African bishop ; concerning this scholastic Papist does, in many material wliom, Mr. Sellon thus descants : " Austui's points respecting the present argument, shake writings are judged to confirm the Pop.sh hands from hi sgrave, with his younger brethren, doctrines so. much, that the effigy of that the modern Arminians. "The Book of father is set with three others, to support the Life," says he, " is the enrolment of those papal chair. And suppose I was to make the who are ordained to life eternal. Whoever is effigy of Arminius serve as a leg to my cliai.-, in present possession of grace, is, by virtue of would it thence follow that I am an Armnuan ? that very possession, deserving of eternal life. As little does it follow, that the doctrine of This ordination, however, sometimes fails : for, predestination asserted by St. Austin, is the some people are ordained to have eternal life, received doctrine of Rome, only because the by the" [inherent] " grace they possess, which Pope affects to sit on the shoulders of Austin s eternal life, they, notwithstanding, come short wooden image. If my adversary has only such of, by the commission of deadly sin. They wooden arguments to urge, the interests of his who are appointed to life eternal, not by God's dearly beloved Arminianism will be as ndicu- predestination, but only through the grace" lously and as feebly supported, as is the Pope s [they are partakers of], "are said to be vvritten (*) chair by the worm-eaten effigy. Is it true, in the Book of Life, not absolutely, but under that the system of grace, maintained by Austin, certain limitations." (y) Let me add a word is espoused by the Roman Church ? Quite the from this author, concerning justification, which reverse. The writers of that communion do. (y) Est enira liber vitae conscriptio ordinatorum in vitam a:teniam. Quicunque enim gratiam habct, ex hoc ipso est dignus vita a^tornA. Et haec oidinatio deficit interdum : quia aliqui ordinati sunt, ex gratia, liabitA, ad habendum vitara seteriiam a qua lamen deliciunt per peccatum niortale. lUi qui sunt ordinati ad habendum vitam a;ternam non ex pra^dcstinatione divma?, sed solum ex gratid ; dicuntur esse scripti in libro vitce, non simplicittr, sed secundum quid. Aquin. Summ. pt. 1. qu. 23. art. 3, page. til. Edit, Aiitverp, 1585. (z) Homo autem secundum propriam naturam habet, quod sit liberi arbitrii : et iileo, in eo', qui habet usum libei'i arbitrii, non fitmotio a, Deo, ad justitiam, absque motu liberi arbitrii. Aquin, ibid. 1. 2dai queest. 113. art. 3. p. 2-J5. (a) Thesaurus spiritualis est congregatio meritorum: quje sunt fundamentum futuri a;dificii, quod nobis pra-paratur in calo. Quia tota praparatio futurae giori;e est per raerita, quie at quirimus per gratiam, quutchn:an. (K) Bi.silicoii Doron, Pref. p. 6. Kdit. 1603. (/) i'i this sett was Veisius, ati Hollander, who, in the year 1563, made n.uch di^tnrbH■'c^- ainoii*; tlH- Dutch congregation io London. (See Strype's Annals of the twelve first years of Elizabeth; chap. .1-4.) This was the same Veisius, who, " In the year 1-M6, held a dis- joining, or not joining, themselves to this pre- tended family of love : consequently, 2. That salvation did not extend beyond the purlieus of their own sect : 3. That faith was not to be kept with any but themselves : and, 4. That men might, in the present life, be in a manner without sin."(/) Their tenets, therefore, appear to have been a farrago of Pelagianism, Popery, and enthusiasm. Henry Nicholas, a native of Amsterdam, and the founder of this sect, had, it seems, began to sow his tares in England, many years before the aera assigned by Camden : though it was not perhaps, until about the year 1580, that the Familists were sufficiently numerous and daring to alarm the vigilance of govern- ment. But the enthusiast had before taken a voyage hither, in the reign of king Edward VI., and, joining himself, at first, to a Dutch church in London, perverted " a number of artificers and silly women. "(n») From a paper, subscribed by one of these sectarians, and published by Mr. Strype, we may derive still stronger light into some of their distinguishing principles. It seems, in the year 1581, Dr. Wolton, bishop of Exeter, deprived the rector of Lidford, in Devonshire, for being a Familist, or Ranter. This ranter's name was Anthony Randal : who, among other hetero- doxies, held, that the Mosaic history of Adam's Temptation and Fall was a mere allegory : " moreover, that as many as receive Jesus Christ and his doctrine, did fully keep all the moral law, and lived pure without sinning. "(w) In the summary of assertions, which the said Anthony Randal acknowledged under his own hand, I find the following passages : — " He saith, that he cannot put down" [i. e. safely commit to writing] " what he hath learned of predestination, or Providence, without speak- ing, or at least seeming to speak, against the law of the realm. He saith, he hath taught openly, and will teach, during his life (being not forbidden by the prince,) that as many as receive Jesus Christ and his doctrine, do fulfil, keep, and do, all the moral law given by God to Moses : and so to live clean and clear without sinning, or the act of sin. And moreover, that every one that preacheth any doctrine contrary to this, neither knoweth God, nor his Christ, nor yet the power and strength of the Holy Spirit. ''(o) Let me make a short stricture on these two paragraphs. It is sufficiently plain, I. That the ranter denied predestination, pute at Frankfort, with one Home, who appeared in behalf of Calvin's doctrine of absolute predestination, and against free-will. Him Veisius called amb'itionis it tiftodufiai riiissimum tna/iicipium, i. e. a most vile slave of atnbition and vain-glory. He asserted, that he that was bom might not sin, and, in effect, could not »in : that is, if he remained in the grace of regen- eration." (Strype, ibid. p. 347 ) So far were these ranting free-willers from Calvinism! (Ill) Fuller's Church Hist. b. ix. p. 112. (II) Strype's Life of Whitgift, p. 222. (0) Appendix to ditto, p. 93. REFUTED AND RETORTED. 79 8nd had (at best) but a very lax idea of divine Providence : yet, 2. He was honest enough to grant, that the doctrines of Predestination and Providence were a part of the national belief, established by " the law of the realm." Hence, 3. He would not venture to blaspheme those doctrines under his hand-writing, for fear of the consequences that might follow. Herein, the ranter acted discreetly enough. 4. He was an avowed perfectionist : and, 5. Was a most uncharitable bigot ; else he had never affirmed, that every one, who preaches against his ranting doctrine of sinless perfection, knovvs nothing of God, or of Christ, or of the Holy Spirit. Who, on this occasion, can help thinking on Messieurs John Wesley and Walter Sellon ? 1 mean, so far as concerns the tenet of per- fection. For, on the articles of predestination and providence, even ranting Randal himself would not venture to fly so openly in the face of the "law of the realm," as have his ranting suc- cessors, the two adventurers above mentioned. In the second year of James I. the Ranters or Familists (call them which you please,) presented a very long petition to that monarch ; in which they had, at last, the courage to own their firm belief of universal redemption, and, not obscurely, hinted their attachment to the doctrine of free-will. The whole petition may be read in Fuller.(/>) I shall content myself with transcribing two or three paragraphs. They term themselves "The Family of Love, or of God ;" and disclaim all affinity to the Puritans, whom they brand with the epithets (if disobedient, brain-sick, proud-minded, heady, and hypocritical : whose malice," add the Kanters, " hath, for five and twenty years past, and upwards, and ever since, with many untrue siiijgestions, and most foul errors and odious Cl imes (the which we could then, if need were, piDve,) sought our utter overthrow and des- truction." The Puritans, I dare believe, deemed themselves to be, as indeed they were, honoured by the low slanders of these wild and extravagant sectarists. But, would we think it possible? this very Family of Love, (or of Lust rather, says Fuller,) these identical Ranters, pretended, with as much confidence and as little truth as Messieurs John and Walter do at this day, to be very sound and zealous members of the Church of England ! " If," continue the petitioners, " we do vary, or swerve, from the established religion in this land, either in service, ceremonies, sermons, or sacraments ; then let us be rejected for sectaries, and never receive the benefit of subjects." We may learn, from this astonish- inj; instance of impudence and falsehood, that it is no new thing, with schismatics, to lay the brats of their own invention at the door of the Church. Mr. Wesley, among others, seeks much to avail himself of this audacious artifice. As if the Church of England was the common receptacle of error, and looked ninety-nine ways at once ! But to resume the petition. I shall not, here, stay to enquire into the merits of the question concerning the universality of re- demption and grace. I shall only shew, from the very words of the Ranters themselves, that they held the universality of both. They tell the King that the writings of Henry Nicholas were written and published, " To the end that all people, when they hear or read his writings, might endeavour to bring forth the fruits of re- pentance, according as all the holy scripture doth likewise require the same of every one : and that they might, in that sort, become saved, through Jesus Christ the Saviour of all the world." They add, that Nicholas's books were written by an immediate impulse from Heaven : or, to use their own phraseology, that his pro- ductions did " proceed out of the great grace and love of God and Christ towards all kings, princes, rulers, and people, upon the universal earth, to their salvation, unity, peace, and con- cord, in the same godly love." " This Family of Love," says merry old " Fuller, who shut their doors before, now" [i. e. about A. D. 1(>55"1 keep open house: yea. Family is too narrow a name for them ; they are grown so numerous. Formerly by their own confession in this petition, they had three qualities few, poor, and unlearned. For the last, billa vera : their lack of learning they still retain : being otherwise many, and some rich ; but all under the name of Ranters. And thus," adds the facetious historian, " I fairly leave them, on condition they will fairly leave me, that I may hear no more of them for de- livering tiiith and my own conscience, in what I have written concerning their opinions. "(ly) By this time, the reader must clearly see with how little reason and justice Mr. Sellon pronounces Ranterism to be the genuine eft'ect of the doctrine of predestination. So far from being an effect of it, it is totally and diame- trically the reverse of that doctrince, in every point of view. Mr. Sellon is the ranter, both in the speculative and practical sense of the term. Speculatively: for he avowedly holds, with his ranting brethren of the two last centuries, that our Lord is the intentional Saviour of ali the world, without any exception ; and that the grace of God extends " to all people upon the universal earth." Nay, on the article of sinful perfection, this modern Arininian e."- ceeds the madness of his ancient luethren. For, some of .hem only asserted that people may be in a manner without sin : whereas, llie still more illuminated Mr. Sellon aBinus, with the hottest of the elder sect, that people may be totally without sin. In which respect, he outrants many of the old Ranters themselves. (p) Church Uiut. of iirit. oook x. »ect. IS. (4 J Jhiii. p. »3. 80 THE JUDGMENT OF But what is empty speculation, if unproductive of substantial practice? herein, likewise, my worthy assailant comes not a jot behind the foremost of the primitive Ranters. For, what are his written works, but one continued series of ranting against the sovereignty and grace of God, and against all who affirm with the Church (art. xvii.) that predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby, before the foundations of the world were laid, he hath constantly decreed, by his counsel, secret to us, to deliver from curse and dam- nation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankmd ? And yet (so exactly does he tread in the footsteps of the " Family of Love,") Mr. Sellon would, like them, fain cajole his readers into an opinion that he is no sectary, nor doth vary, nor swerve, from the established religion of this land ! " Thus, though he has reason enough to be ashamed of his relations, the Ranters, he can hardly, I imagine, have the assurance to disown them. Should he, however, be sufficiently case-har- dened, to deny the consanguinity ; he bears the family-likeness so strongly, that in vain would he attempt to shuffle off the name, while every feature and line of his doctrinal phy- siognomy compels us to write Ranter upon his forehead. SECTION VII. An Enquiry into the Judgment of ilie CMliest Fathers, concerning the Points in Question. In my letter to Dr. N. I took occasion to observe, that there is the utmost reason to believe that the main body of the Christian Church (in which 1 do not include the Anans of those times) were, for the four first cen- turies, unanimous believers of the doctrines now termed Calvinistic.(n) For this obser- vation, I assigned two reasons: 1. The uni- versal horror and surprize, which the broaching of Pelasius's opinions, about the beginning of tneSth century, occasioned in the whole Chris- tian Church ; and, 2. The authority of Dr. Cave, who asserts, in express terms, that Peia- gius haresin novum coudidit, " was the founder of a new heresy." From whence I inferred, and infer still, that, if the non-imputation of Adam's ofTence to his posterity, and the bot- toming of predestination and justification upon human worthiness, were (as all historians concur to affirm) branches of Pelagius's new heiesy ; it follows, that the opposite doctrines, of Adam's transgression imputed to his off- spring, and of predestination and justification by grace alone, were, and must have been, branches of the old faith universally held by the Church for the first -tOO year.= after Christ. These two arguments Mr. Sellon, very pru- (a) Church of Engl. Tind. from Anuiu. dently, passes over, uneanvassed and iintnenti> oned : and skips to my ninth page, from whence he gleans an incidental remark, on which he thus descants: "Your telling us, p. 9 that, during the four first ages of the Christian Church, predestination and its concomitant doctrines were undisputed, for ought appears to the contrary, is no reason at all." It, cer- tainly, is a stiong presumptive reason, though not offered as direct proof, for, two of the direct reasons had been given before, and still remain, not only undemolished, but untouched, by my cautious adversary ; who, with all his furious zeal for Arminianism, chose rather to let those reasons keep possession of the tield than run the risque of burning his own fingers in assaulting them. I will attend, however, to what he delivers concerning the " no reason at all." He grants, that those doctrines were, for the four first ages, undisputed : which he thus affects to account for ; " because it does not appear that there were any that held them." We shall presently see that they were held, and held firmly too, by those of the primitive fathers who are commonly distinguished by the title of Apostolical, from their having lived nearest to the Apostles' times,;, e. within the first Christian century. In the mean while, let us weigh the mode of argumentation adopt- ed by jMr. Sellon: "The doctrines of sjiace were therefore undisputed, because it does not appear that they were believed." I hardly think, this will stand the test. Here is an ab- solute, peremptory assertion, built (not so much as on a phantom or a shadow, but on a mere non-appearance. Besides : does it not, at least, seem more probable, that these aoc- trines were therefore unopposed, because they were generally held? For, daily experience evinces that, to this day, those same doctrines meet with opposition enough from the persons by whom they are not held : and, I am ant to think, that human nature, as such, is just that, now, which it was in the four first centuries. Had the primitive times swarmed with Armi- nians, as the latter tiroes have, the doctrines of grace would have been no less opposed and disputed against then, than they have been since. Another consideration also merits our at- tention. Not only every Church, or collective body of professing Christians ; but likewise every individual man, who thinks religion and philosophy worthy of attending to, must, ne- cessarily, form some judgment or other con- cerning the points in debate, I may venture, therefore, without taking any undue advantage, to lay it down as a datum, that the christians of the four first ages (who certainly had the scriptures in their hands, and heaid them read in their public assemblies) could not possibly be neutrals, on a subject of such importance as that of predestination anb grace ; but must, unavoidably, have either believed that doctiine. THE EARLIEST FATHERS. 81 or disbelieved it : they were on one side, or on the other. Indeed, had the holy scripture made no mention at all of predestination, neither for, nor against, it is possible (and but barely possible,) that the piimitive Churches misiht have thouffht little or nothins^ about that sublime article. But it is undeniable, that the scriptures make very express, ample, and re- peated mention of it : and the mention there made of it must be understood in some sense or other. Now, if predestination and its de- rivative doctrines were at all thought of by the first Churches ; and if, for ought that can be proved to the contrary, those doctrines pass- ed undisputed till contravened by Pelagius in the fifth century ; does it not (to say the least) look as if they had been universally received and embraced, during the first (h) 400 years after Christ ? We will suppose, a moment, for argument sake, the doctrines of grace to have passed undisputed among English Protestants, from the sera of the Reformation down to the emersion of Mr. John Wesley. What, in such a case, would have been the natural inferencePNot, that nobody held these undisputed principles : but, that tliev would and must have been con- troverted, long before, had they not been held universally. Why is the e.xistence of a certain luminary, called the sun, undisputed? Surely, not because its existence is disbelieved ; but, on the contrary, because it is universally known and ac- knowledifed. I must, therefore, repeat my ques- tion, which seems to have given Mr. Sellon and his fialernity so much disquiet : where was not the doctrine of predestination, before Pelagius? The Arminians treat election, as Gardiner, the Popish bishop of Winchester, treated the doctrine of free justification. Before the Homily on Salvation was published, archbishop Cranmer and others sent for Gardiner, and shewed him that excellent Homilv, " wherein was handled the matter of justification ; en- deavouring to persuade hiin to allow of it, by reasoning with him concerning it. But Win- chester pretended, whatsoever they said could (ft) The masterly compilers of that learned and yaluable work, entitled, The Hislnry of Popery, ex- pressly affirm what I only advanced as probable. "This doctrine," say they, rii. that ' God bestoweth liis de- termining grace on whom he will, and to whom he will he denieth it " This doctrine continued general- ly in the Church, till about the year 405, at which time a certain Briton, bred up in the monastery of Bangor, originally named Morgan (but that word, in Welch, signifying, of or belonging to the sea, he was thence in Latin called Pelagius,) l^egan to set on foot several errors : as, denying original sin ; affirming the number of the elect and reprobate not to be definite, but indefmitt? and indeterminate &c." Hist, of Pope- ry, vol. ii. p 35.5. (c) Strype's Ecrlej. Mem. vol. 3. p. 278. (d) Calvin touches this point, with great judgment and elegance, in one of the most adinirable composi- tions which any age has seen : I mean, his Dedication of his Institution to Francis I. of France. In that highly-finished apology for the Protestant religion, the apcstolical reformer thus speaks : " Improbis cla- moribus no^ obriiunt, ceu patrum contemptores et ad- terharios. Nos ver6 adeo illos non contemnimus, ut si not salve his conscience; and challenged them fo shew any old writer who tauglit as that Homi- ly did." (c) If the tesimtony of old writers was needful, to confirm the good old doctrines, there are old writers enough at hand, to confirm all and every one of them. But it suffices for me, that we have the siiftrages of the oldest wiiters ; I mean, the Prophets and Apostles. The holy Scriptures are the truest and the purest anti- quity, (d) While these are for us, it matters not who are against us. However, the Cal- vinists of later ages are very far from standing alone, in their resolute adherence to the scrip- ture doctrines. The learned bishop Beveridge, whose acquaintance with the monuments of primitive antiquity is incontestible, treating, (for instance) of regeneration by the efficacious grace of God, expresses himself thus ; and avers, that the first Churches believed as fol- lows : Our Lord "doth not say, there are some things you cannot do without me, or, there are many things you cannot do without me ; but, without me ye can do nothing : nothing good, nothing pleasing and acceptable unto God. Whereas, if we could either prepare ourselves to turn, or turn ourselves when pre- pared, we should do much. And, to put it out of doubt, the same Spirit tells us elsewhere, it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do, of his good pleasure. It is he who first enables us to will what we ought to do, and then to do what we will. Both the grace we desire, and our desire of grace, proceed from him. And therefore it is requisite, in order to our conversion, that the understanding be not only so enlightened as to discern the evil from the good ; but that our wills be also so recti- fied as to prefer the good before the evil. By this rectifying, or bringing of the will into its right order again, its liberty is not destroyed, but healed : so that it is free, after, as well as before conversion ; free to God and Holiness, as it was before free only to sin and wicked- ness. And this was the doctrine of the Primi- id pra?senti9 instituti esset, nullo negotlo mihi liceat meliorein eonim partem eorum, quyt hodi»> a nobis dicunter, ipsorum sufl'ragiis coniprobare. Sic tameri in eorum .Scriptit versamur, ut semper merninerinius, omnia nostra e.sse, qua? nobis serviant, non dominen- tur. Nos autem unius Christi, cui, per omnia, .sine ex- ec ptione, parendum sit. Hunc delectum qui non tenet, nihil in religione constitutum habebit : quando multa ignor^irunt sancti illi viri ; saep^ inter se contl'ct.intui ; interdum etiam secum ipsi pug- nant." 1 am by no means singular in my admiration of the piece now cited. Mr. Bayle acknowledges, that the above Dedicatory Kpistle '* is one of those three or four prefatory pieces, so much admired, Thaunus's Kpistle Dedicatory, and tJasnubon's Preface to Poly bins, are of that number. We must join to these the Pre- face of Mr. Pelisson, on the works of Sarrasin." Had Mr. Bayle seen Witsius's Dedication of his Oecononiia Fcederum, to King William ; and could he have lived to see Dr. Samuel Johiison*s Preface to his edition of Shakespear ; a critic of his taste and discernment must certainly have added those masterly perform- ances to the admired number. G 82 THE JUDGMENT OF tive Church. St. Au^ustin, in whose days Peiagius first rose up against this truth, hath V. ritten several volumes to this purpose.'' (e) St Jerom, who was coteniporary with St. Augustin, addressed him, not as the founder, but as a jiriiicipai restorer, of the doctrines of grace; "Thou art famous," said Jerom to Austin, " through the world. The orthodox revere thee, as the re-builder of the ancient faith." (/) And I am much mistaken, if St. Jerom, who lived more than thirteen hundred years ago, was not better qualirted to judge and (jronounce concerning the faith of the an- cients, than all the followers of Van-Harmin taken together. There are cases, wherein a man's own tes- timony, even in his own cause, is not only ad- missible, hut weighty and respectable. Of this kind 1 consider the following declaration of St. Austin " We have shewed (says he, direct- ing his speech to the Pelagians,) by invincible authorities, that the holy bishops, who lived before us, taught the same faith v/hich we maintain ; and overthrew the arguments which you make use of, not only in their discourses, but in their writings also. We have shewed Jolt their opinions, v.-hich are very particular and clear. I hope their testimonies ivill cure your blindness, as I wish it : hut, if you con- tinue obstinate in yourerror, which God forbid, yi)U are no more to look for a tribunal to justi- fy you, out for those wonderful defenders of the truth to accuse you, St. Irenaus, St. Cvprian, Rlieticius, Olympius, St. Hilary, St. Grego- ry, St. Ambrose, St. Basil, St. John Chrys- ostom, &c. with all those wh.i comniuni- ca'ed with them, that is to sav, the whole Church." ig) 1 once devoted a considerable sliare of time and attention to the fathers. But, I scruple not to acknowledge, that, after a while, I de- sisted from this study as barren and unim- proving. Some excellent things are, indeed, interspersed in their writings : but the golden grains are almost lost amidst an infinity of ruhl)ish " It a man/' says Dr. Young, " vvas to find one pearl in an oyster of a million, it would iiaidly encourage him to commence 5shf . man for life." So say I, of the fathers in t:eiieral. Even supposing (what I can by no means grant,) that the harvest of instruc- tion would recompense the toil of breaking up the ground; a life-time would hardly suffice to lead the fathers with care: and, perhaps, two lile-fiiiics would scarcely enable a reader to digest them completely. That knowledge which is truly important, lies in a much nar- rower compass [ am quite of his mind, who said U iius AngHstiiiis, prie mille Patrlbns ; et H'lHx Piinhis prcemUls A\igHstiiiis. One page (c) Hishop Ben rulge's Exposition of ttie Thirty- nme Ai-ticles. Art. I& ij) Sie a book, entitled. Melius tnquircmlum, p. 51, written by Mr. Alsop, the learned and i-jgenioua authoT of Anti-So2zo. of St. Austin is worth a thousand of most other fathers ; but one page of St. Paul is worth a thousand of St. Austin's. I speak not this, to depreciate the labours of such learned persons as have trod the paths of what is called primi- tive antiquity; but simply to profess the idea, I cannot help entertaining, of the vanity and unprofitableness, with which I apprehend this kind of chace to be generally attended. If any are otherwise minded, let them follow the chace, and prosper. There are, however, a few writings, still extant, which, in point both of antiquity and value, appear to rank next below the inspired. The chief of these are the remains of Barna- bas, Clemens Hoinanus, Ignatius, and Polycarp A few citations, from these venerable divines and martyrs, wi.l serve to evince the falsehood of Limborch's assertion, where he tells us, that, " prior to the rise of St. Austin, the pri- mitive Churches knew little or nothing about predestination." If that proverbial remark be true, the nearer the fountain the clearer the stream ; the testimonies, brought from these early writers, must come with weight little, if at all, short of decisive. I. Very frequent mention is made of Bar- nabas, in the New Testament. He was origi- nally a Jew by religion, a Cypriot by birth, and for some time a companion of St. Paul in his juurnies for the gospel. Dr. Cave(/i), and others, are of opinion, that he was one of the seventy disciples who were sent out by Christ himself (Luke x.) to preach the word. But it is certain, that, some years after our Lord's ascension, he was expressly fixed upon, by the peculiar designation of the Holv Ghost, to be a preacher at large; Luke xiii. 2. It is proba- ble, that he at last received the crown of mar- tyrdom in his native island of Cypms. From the fragment of an epistle retrieved by the leamed archbishop Usher, and generally admitted to be the authentic work of Barnabas, I select the following passages. That he held the absolute freeness of divine grace, appears from this remarkable assertion : " When Christ" says he, " chose his own Apostles who were to preach his gospel, he chose them when they were wickeder than all wickedness itself; to demonstrate, that he came not to call the lighteous, but sinneis to repen- tance." (i) That he was far from being startled at the doctrine of reprobation, seems more than probable : else, I should imagine, he would scarcely have represented the incarnation and death of Christ to have been designed for fill- ing up the measure of Jewish iniquity. His words are these : " Therefore did the Son of God come in the flesh, to this very end, that he might fii.ish and bring to perfection the sins of (g) Dupin's Hist, of ElcIbs. Writers, p. 2)i, 202. (h) Hist. Literar. vol. i. p. U. (i) Epist. Bamab. Sect. t. — I follow tbe eJ'tion of CotertliiK. THE EARLIEST FATHKUS. 8^ those who had persecuted his prophets unto death. For this reason" [z. e. this was one reason for which] he suffered. (A) If a modern Caivinist was to express himself in this manner, what a hideous outcry vvould be ra'scd, as if heaven and earth were fallintc ! Far from representing the death of Christ as a continf^ency, or as an event which misflit, or might not have talj) Again : " He, giving us repentance, hath led us into the incorruptible temple. The person, therefore, who is desirous of salvation, looketh not unto man, but to him that dwelleth in man and speaketh by man."(a') I shall chose my citations, from Barnabas, (/J Jhict. (m) Ibia. Sect. \'\. (?/; ^bU III) Ihiii. ( Ibid. Sect. vii. (yj 1 liave \(ijlTired to render wAn-yji by the general word jnuii^lmient : Aliough it strictly signitieB a blow, a stripe, a w ound. ((•) Ibid. (•.!) Ibiil. Sect. viii. (0 Ibid. Serf. xi. (n) Ibid. Sect. x. (xj Jbiil. Sect. xvi. G2 84 THE JUDGMENT OF with but one tfitiinoii> more : " Issue not thy commands to thy mrtid-servant, or to thy man- servant, in an acrimoiiiuus manner, lest thou fear not that God who is master both of you and them: for he came not to call men, art irpo(Tw7roi', accordins^ to their outu'ard condition in life, but [his call is] unto those whom the Spirit hath prepared, "(y) be their outward con- dition what it may. II. Clemens (z) Romanus is said to have been a disciple of the apostle Peter : and is universally allowed to be that Clement, whom St. Paul numbered amons; his fellow labourers, and whose name he peremptorily affirmed to be in the book of Life. Phil. iv. 3. He was made bishop of Rome, probably, about A. D. 64, or 65. But it is very uncertain at what time, and iu what manner, he was honoured with martyrdom. His First Epistle to the Corinthians is celebrated, by many of the ancient writers, as one of the finest and most valuable productions of the apostolic age. So hitjhiy was it esteemed, that, for several centuries, it made a part of the public service of the primitive Church : beiiio; read in their assemblies, and revered as inferior only to the books of the New Tes- tament. Nor does a learned modern (Mon- sieur Du Pin) betray the least want of judi^ment, in declarintf the Epistle, now under con- sideration, to be, " after the Holy Scriptures, one of the most eminent records of antiquity." It seems to have been written before the de- struction of Jerusalem by the Romans: conse- quently, much within forty years after our Lord's ascension; and about six or seven years after the death of the apostle Paul, with whom, aud with se%'eral others of the apostles, Clement was personally and intimately acquainted. The testimonies of such a writer, in favour of the fjreat truths called Calvinistic, deserve the reader's attention. Among which testi- monies, are the following : The Epistle opens thus : " The Church of God, which dwelleth at Rome, to the Church of God dwelling at Corinth, called and set apart by the will of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord." (4) Hinting at some violent tumults and dissentions which had lately agitated and divided the Corinthian Church, he terms such proceedings " a criminal and unholy sedition, strange and unseemly in the elect of God." (c) Reminding them of the exemplary care with which they h id formerly attended to the per- formance of every good woi k ; he observes, " your contest, day and night, was for the whole brotherhood ; that the number of his elect might be saved with mercy and with £a gooJ] conscience." (e) Nor did Clement con- (!/) f'lirl. Sect. xix. (3) Vide Ciivr's Hist. Liter. toI. i. p. IT. Also, feis \;jo»t ilici, p. 7«. And Dupin'e Eccles. Writers, mi I. p. -27. iider the salvation of the elect as pecariou^, or their perseverance asunceitain. " It being the will of God," says he, " that all his beloved ones should be made partakers of repentance ; he hath established them firmly by his own Al- mighty purpose." (f) His judgment, concerning the extent of re- demption, may be inferred from the two follow- ing passages. In the first, treating of Rahab's deliverance by the line of scarlet depending from her window, he considers that event as typical of salvation by Christ's atonement : hereby says he, " They [(. e. Rahab, and as many of her friends as were collected under her roof for preservation] made it manifest, that redemption by the blood of the Lord should accrue to all who believe and hope in God."(§') Again : the Messiah's " Life is taken from the earth ; because of the iniquities of my people. He went unto death." (h) That this primitive bishop had the most ex- alted ideas of the immutability, the certainty, and the omnipotence, of God's decrees, is evi- dent beyond all contradiction. Witness his description of the all-controUing power with which God's providential disposals are attended: " In pursuance of his will, the teeming earth produces, at the proper seasons, abundant pro- vision both for men, and for wild beasts, ami for all the animals that are upon it; without vary- ing from, and without altering, aught of those things which were decreed by him." ((') With a sublimity both of sentiment and stvie, which would do honour even to Homer or Demos- thenes, he thus asserts the independency, sovereignty, and invincibility, of the divine ap- pointments : " By the word of his Majesty he hath constituted all things ; and he is able, by a word, to overturn them. Who shall say unto him. What hast thou done ? or who shall resist the might of his power ? He hath done all things at what season he pleased, and in what manner he pleased : and not one of the things which have been decreed by him shall pass away. All things are open to his view, nor hath any thing absconded from his will and pleasure." {k) Far from supposing that the precious doc- trine of election conduces to immorality, he re- presents election as the main ground-work of sanctification, and as the grand inducement to virtue and obedience : " Let us draw nigh to God with holiness of mind, lifting up chaste and un- polluted hands, loving our gentle and compas- sionate Father, who hath made us a part of the election unto himself For so it is written : When the Most High parcelled out the nations, and when he dispersed the sons of Adam, he appointed the boundaries of the nations (b) Clem. Ep. I. ad Cor. Sect. i. (c) loid- \e) Ihid. Sect. iii. IJ') Ibid. Sect. \iii. (g) Ibid. Si ct. xii. (A) Ibid. Sect. xvi. (0 Ibid. Sect. xx. (k) Ibid. Sect, xxvii. THE EARLIEST FATHERS. 85 according to the number of his angels. His people Jacob were the Lord's portion ; Israel was the line of his inheritance. And, in an- other place, he saith ; Behold, the Lord taketh to himself a nation from the midst of the nations, as a man taketh the first-fruits from his corn-floor." (A) Under the ravishing view of interest in this unspeakable blessing of election, well may the excellent fatiier add, Rs he does presently after : "Since, therefore, we are the portion of the Holy One, let ii» practise all the works of holiness: ai-oiding slanders, and defiled and unchaste embraces, drunkenness and innovations, together with abominable desires, detestable adultery, and loathsome pride." (/) How far, how infinitely far, is the believing cojisideration of God's electing love from leading to licentiousness ! Nothing can be more scriptural than this xvriter's doctrine concerning the soverignty and freeness of divine grace. " Let us," says he, " closely and steadfastly adhere to those persons unto whom grace is given of God." (mj To this griice, thus freely given, he ascribes til.; exercise of the social virtues ; " Equity a'ul lowliness of mind and meekness, are f.uiiitl in those whii are the blessed of God." (/() Speaking of the Old-Testament saints, he rulers the whole of their good will, good works, jiuiification and eternal felicity, to the dis- ci iniinating favour and sovereign pleasure of God alone: "All these persons were glorified and magnified, not by themselves, or by their own works, or by the righteous practice which they wrought; but by his will. We too, being called by his will in Christ, Jesus are justified, not by ourselves, nor byour ovvn wisdom, or understand- ing, or piety, or by the works which we have pel formed in holiness of heart; but by faith, whereby Almighty God hath, from eternity, justified all those." (o) i. e. all those whom it was his will to justify. Clement easily foresaw that the doctrine of free grace and unmerited justification, as stated by him in the above passage, might be cavilled at by legalists and merit-mongers, as tending to the consequential exclusion of good works. He, therefore, discreetly antici- pates this cavil, by entering a just caveat against an inference so unnatural and malici- ous. " What then shall we do, brethren?" says he, in the very next paragraph: " Shall we desist from well-doing, and renounce our love" [to God and our neighbour] ? " May the Sovereign Lord never permit this to befal us by any means ! Nay, but let us be in haste to accomplish every good work, with earnestness, and with full propensity." (p) He most carefully guards against the sa- crilegious encroachments of free-will and self- righteousness : " It is by Jesus Christ that we can steadfastly look into the heights of Heaven. It is by him that we shall behold his spotless and most exalted countenance. By him the eyes of our heart have been opened. By him our foolish and dark understanding springs up afresh into his marvellous light. It was the will of the Lord that we should by him taste of that knowledge which can never die." {q) "He that made and formed us hath introduced us into his world : having afore prepared his bene- fits for us, even before we were born. As, therefore, we have all things from him, we ought for all things to give him thanks." {r. Dissuading the Corinthians from casting blocks of offence in each others way he thus enforces his prohibition: " Reme m ier the words of our Lord Jesus : for he hath said. Woe to that man ; it were good for him rather not to have been born, than that he should cause one of niy I lect people to stumble.'' (s) Though the elect themselves may stumble, /. e. though it is possible for them both to offend, and to be offended; yet, according to Clement's Theo- logy, none of them can finally miss of glor y. They shall all, eventually, be completely sancti- fied, and made meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. " All the elect of God are made perfect in love." {t) Ha adds : "It was of love that the Lord accepted us. It was through the love which he bore to us, that our Lord Christ did, by the will of God, give his blood for us, and his flesh in the room of our flesh, and his soul in the room of ours." This eminent saint believed, and expressly as- serts, that pardon of sin does not extend beyond the pale of election. His words are these : " It is written. Blessed are they whose iniqui- ties are remitted, and whose sins are covered : blessed is the person to whom ilie Lord will by no means impute sin ; nor is there deceit in his mouth. This blessedness accrues to those who have been elected of God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (;<) The Royal I'salmist was, no doubt, one of (iod's elect : and he is, accordingly, so styled by our apostolic author: " elect David saith, I will confess unto the Lord, &c." (r) I cannot close my citations from St. Clement more suitably, than with that most excellent prayer, which almost con- cludes his epistle : and which I most earnestly beg of God, the Holy Spirit to engrave indeli- bly on the reader's heart and mine: " May the all-seeing God the Sovereign of spirits and the Lord of all flesh, who hath elected the Lord Jesus Christ, and us into a ])eculiar people through him ; grant, to each soul that calls on his holy and exalted name, the graces of (A) i:tut. Sect, x.xix. (I) JIi'kI- Sect. xxx. \m) Let us be intimately associated with the blamiless and the riplitcous : for these are the elect of God. As much as to say : Inuocency and righteousness of li!e are the marks hy which (Jod's elect are visjl ly and prattically knonn and dtstm;;uislird. in) Ihid. Sect, xxx . (p) Ibid. Soct. xxxiii. (rj Ihid. Sect. xxxTiiu ^t) Ihid. Sect. xlix. \i 1 Ihid. Sect. liii. (o) Ihid. Sect, ssxii. Iq) Ihid. Sect xxxvi. (?) Ihid. Sect, xlvi. (u) thid. Sect I. iit) Ibitt. SecL Wiii. P6 THE JUDGMENT OF " taith, fear, peace, patience, long sutfeiinjj, tfiijpei ance, purity, and soundness ot judgment ; throuj^h our high-priest and defendei-, Jesus Christ."(y) I have made the larj^e extracts from Bar- nabas and Clement, because tlieir two epistles appear to be the oldest remains of uncanonical antiquity. Indeed, the iirst epistle of Clement to the Corinthians was evidently composed niany years prior to some of the writings of the New Testament itself. For, if that epistle (as there is the strongest reason to believe) was antecedent to the final conquest of Jeru- salem by Titus, it must have been written con- siderably earlier than the Gospel of St. John, his three Epistles, and the book of Revelation. A circumstance, however, which I should not have noticed here, had I not thought it neces- sary to offer some apology to my readers, for having detained them so long with these quo- tations, in a work, which, as I transcribe it fiom the rough copy, I am designedly rendering as concise as may consist with justice to the argument : — the genuine Epistles of Ignatius and I'olycarp, though extremely ancient, yet are not uf quite so high antiquity as the two preceding : for which reason, I shall present the reader with the fewer citations ; but those siifficiently weighty and express, to convince any impartial, attentive enquirer, that these two venerable preachers and martyrs were, in deed and in truth, earnest contenders for the faith which was once delivered to the Stiints. III. Ignatius is said to have been ordained bishop of Antioch in Syria, A. D. 66, {z) and to have held that see for upward of 4'! yeais. He ivas a disciple of St. John, and had the ha|)piness of being particularly intimate with tliat apostle. Under the third general perse- cution, i. e. about the year 107, Ignatius, having asserted the divinity of the Christian religion in the emperor Trajan's own presence, was sentenced to be thrown to wild beasts, on an amphitheatre at Rome : which was accord- ingly executed. On his way from Antioch to Rome, this blessed prisoner of Chribt, loaded with chains, and led as a sheep to the slaughter, wrote those six Epistles (of whose authenticity there seems no just reason to doubt,) addressed to the Cliiistiap.s in Ephesus, Magnesia Tralles, Rome, Philadelphia, and Smyrna. As to the Epistle inscribed to Folycarp, though thought genuine by \'ossius, it is rejected as spurious by arch- bishop Usher ; and considered as doubtful, even by Dr. Cave. In the exoidiutn of his Epistle to the Smyrneans, Ignatius addresses them as " Filled with faith and love, and indefectible in every gift of grace.''(a) And, indeed, the gifts of {ij) Ilnd. Sect. Iviii. {z) See the article Ignatius, in a work, entitled, Ttie Great Hiitorical, Geographical, and Poetical Dic- tionary. Edit. Lond. 1694. grace would stand us in little stead, if inde- fectibility was not their certain attendant. So far was this holy bishop from doubting the final perseverance of those who are really endued " with faith and love ;" that he tells them, in terms of the fullest assurance, " I glorify Jesus Christ our God, who hath made you thus [spiritually] wise. For I have under- stood, that ye are knit firmly together in im- moveable faith, even as though ye were both in flesh and spirit nailed to the cross of Jesus Christ our Lord ; and that ye are made stedlast in love, through the blood of Christ. "(A) He believed the redemption wrought by Christ, to be co-extensive with the Church of God's peculiar people : " Christ," says he, " suffered all these things on our account, that vre might be saved. "(e) He would not allow the grace of true repentance to be in a man's own power : for, speaki .g of some persons, whom he styles " wild beasts in human shape," he adds, " you ought not only to refuse re- ceiving such, but, if possible, you should even avoid meeting them. You ought only to pray in their behalf, if they may by some means repent ; which, however, is exceeding difficult : but tiie power of this \yiz. of making them repent] rests with Jesus Christ our true life."(rf) Sensible of his inability to undergo the tortures of martyrdom, in his own stiength, he thus expresses his reliance on the strength of grace : " The nigher to the sword, the nigher to God. When surrounded with wiid beasts, I shall be encompassed with God It is only by the name of Jesus Christ that [ shall so endure all things as to suffer wiih him ; he enduing me with strength who was himself perfect man."(«?) That he held God's sovereign and righteous prffiterition of some, appears from the follou - ing expression : " Whom some men ignorantly deny ; or, rather, have been denied of him."(/) Nothing can breathe a more genuine sense of christian humility, than his absolute re- nunciation of merit in all its branches : " It is by the will of God, that I have been vouch.- safed this honour" [namely, the l»onour of being in chains for the gospel:] "not from conscience " \i. e. from my own uprightness, or conscientiousness,] " but from the grace of God."(i,') On the same principle, speaking of one Burrhus, a deacon, who was to be the bearer of this Epistle to Smyrna, and from whose tender friendship Ignatius had reaped great consolation, he thus prays in his behalf: " May grace make him retribution !"(A) His Epistle to the Ephesians, opens thu-- : " Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to the Church which is at Ephesus in Asia, blessed by the greatness and fulness of God the Father ; (a) Ipnat. ad Smyrn. p. 1. Edit, \ossi, Lend. .eao. {!>) H ill. p. 1,2. (e) Ibid. p. 2. \d) Ilnd. p. 3. (e) Ibid. p. 4 (/) Ibid. (s) Ibid. p. 8. (ft; Jbid. p. 9, THE EARLIEST FATHERS. 87 predestinated ever, before tiitu', unto the glory which is perpetual and unchangeable, united and chosen [i. e. fixed upon to be the ever- lasting residence of the saints] by the will of the Father, and of Jesus Christ our God, through the true suffering.'XO That is, throngh the humiliation and sufferings of Christ the true propitiation. Congratulaiing the Ephesians, on the nar- mony which subsisted among themselves, he takes occasion to intimate, that the Church, which is Christ's mystic body, is as firmly united to Christ as Christ himself is united to the Father. (A) Is it possible to express the infallible certainty of final perseverance, in stronger terms? And would not one almost believe, that Ignatius designed the above passage as a comment on those words of our Lord, Because I live, ye shall live also? How remote he was from crying up the pre- tended abilities of fiee-will, may sufficiently appear from what follows : " Carnal men," 2. e. men unrenewed by the Almighty Spirit of God, "are not able to perform spiritual things — ye do all things," i. e all spiritual things, " by Ji?siis Christ, "(/) or by grace and strength derived f:om him. In the inscription of his Epistle to the I'hiladelphians, he observes, of the clergy of that Church, that Christ had, in pursuance of his own will, tinnly estalilished them in sted- fastness, by his holy Spirit. "(m) A glaring proof, that, in the judgment of Ignatius, saving grace is not that evanid, loseable thing, which Arminianism repre.ients it to be. As the acquisition of it is nut owing to the will of man ; so neither is it dependent on man's will tor preservation and continuance. In the course of the same Epistle, he has a similar remark : " Although some have been desirous of seducing me after the flesh, yet that Spirit which is of God is not seduced ;" i. e. not to be seduced. Making mention of one Agathopus, who attended him from Syria toward Rome, at the manifest hazard of life; he terms him " an elect peison, who bears me company from Syria, having renounced the present life "(c/) He styles the Church at 'I'rallcs, " elect and esteemed of God : " {p) and, in the same Epistle, gives another very strong attestation to the doctrine of final perseverance. For, treating of some heretics, who denied the literality of Christ's sufferings, he thus descants: "Avoid those evil shoots" [that spring up by a Chris- tian Church, like suckers by the side of a tree,] " which bring forth deadly fruit, whereof, if a man taste, he presently dies. These are not of the Father's planting ; for, if they were, the branches of the cross would appear, and their fruit would be incorruptible" i. e. iujperishable and immortal : " through which he doth by his passion e. by virtue of his own suf- ferings and death,] call you who are his members. For the head cannot be born without the members: God, who is the same e. who is always himself unchangeable, and without • shadow of turning,] having passed his word for their union. "(9) Yet, though this apostolic bishop was thus rooted and grounded in a belief of the essential per- petuity of grace; he still was of opinon (and so, I am confident, is every Calvinist under Heaven,) that, without constant and intense watching unto prayer, the exercise of grace is liable to a partial and temporary failure. " I am yet in danger, [says the blessed martyr: i e. in danger,] if lert to my own strength, of deny- ing Christ with my mouth, in order to avoid the torments of death." But his self-diffidence (and who can be too diffident of self !) did not, however, make him lose sight of God's faith- fulness to him, whii'h, he well knew, could, alone keep him faithful to God : for he immediately adds, in the very next words, " nevertheless, my Father in Jesus Christ is faithful to fulfil your prayer and mine."(r) And so he found him to be. God did hear his prayer, and make him faithful unto death. Reader, may the same happy coalition of fear and faith ; may the most absolute self-distrust, united with an unshaken confidence in the stability of divine grace, be your portion, and mine, till we enter the haven of everlasting joy : where we shall no longer stand in need of faith, to fill our sails, nor of fear, to steady us with its ballast ! In his Epistle to the Romans, Ignatius has an observation, which shews that he was far enough from holding the tenet of free-will, in the Arniinian sense of it : "A Christian is not the workmanship of suasion, but of great- ness : "(.v) i. e. men become real Chi istiatis, not by the power of moral argument, but by the mighty operation of divine agency. Whoever denies the ability of free-will, in spiiituals, must, with that, deny the nieritoriousness of human works. And so did Ignatius. Witness that passage, where, speaking of the savage treatment he received from the soldiers who were guarding him to Rome, he says, " They* behave themselves the worse to me for my beneficence to them. I reap, however, the more instruction from their injurious be- haviour. Yet, I am not justified by this."(ic : " It is better for nie to die for Jesus Christ, than to be monarch of the whole earth. "(?() IV. Folycarp, bishop of Smyrna, is, by many (among whom are Usher and Cave,) supposed to have been the person meant by the Angel of the Church in Smyrna, mentioned Rev. ii. S. That he was one of the apostle John's dis- ciples, cannot be questioned, if ancient testi- mony he allowed to carry the least weight. He was burnt alive for the Christian faith, A. D. 167, or (as others) 169, in about the hundredth year of his age, and about the 74th of his episcopate. We have one Epistle of his, written to the believers at Philippi. From this venerable, but concise performance, two or three short extracts may s. ffice. He terms the chains, with which many persecuted Christians were bound for their attachment to the gospel, " the ornamental bracelets of them that have been really elected by God and our hotd.'\jr) For those, who have been " really elected," he believed that the blood ot Christ was shed : for he presently adds, " who submitted to go unto death itself, for our sins.'X?/) And, farther on : " It was for us that he underwent all things ; that we might live through him."(r) Nor was he (ess sound in the article of gratuitous justification by the sovereign will of God: " Jiito which joy," says he, "many are exceedingly desirous to enter : knowing, that ye are saved by grace ; not of works, but by the will of God through Jesus Christ. "(a) Polycarp considered his own martyrdom for the faith as an event which God had fore- ordained : for, in the prayer which he offered up after he was bound to the stake with his hands behind him, was this expression : " Among whom, [/. e. among that company of foregoing martyrs, who had already set their lives as a seal to truth,] may I be received unto thee, this day, for a goodly and acceptable sacrifice : even as thou, the faithful God, who canst not lie, hast fore-appointed, and didst reveal to me beforehand, and hast accordingly brought to pass. "(6) The same Christians of Smyrna, who recorded their Bishop's dying prayer, appear to have agreed in judgment with him, as to perseverance, and the extent of our Lord's redemption : for, in their circular letter to the Churches, occasioned by the martydom of their holy pastor, they observe, the Jews and Heathens " do not know that we shall never be able to forsake Christ, %vho suffered for the salvation of the whole world of them that are saved. "(c) They con- clude their Epistle with this affectionate wish: " We pray for your health and happiness, bi ethren : and that ye may, according to the gospel, walk in the doctrine of Jesus Christ: together with whom, be glory ascribed to God, even our Father, and to the Holy Spirit, for saving the holy elect people."(f/) A person, named Pionius, who, afterwards took a copy of the above congregational epistle ; adds this pious prayer for himself : " That the Lord Jesus Christ would gather me also with his elect. "((?) By this time, it sufficiently appears that Mr. Sellon must be extremely deficient either in knowledge, or in honesty, (I am prone to think, in both ;) else, even he would never have ventured to assert that predestination, and its concomitant doctrines, "do not appear to have been held by any body, during the first four centuries from the Christian aera." Cal- vinism is, by no means, that novel thing which it is for the interest of Arminianism to wish. What Mr. Sellon sneeringly calls " The good old cause," is indeed an old cause, and a good one The doctrines of grace must needs be good old doctrines, was it only because they are so plentifully diffused tljrough a good old book, called the Bible. We have, also, just seen, that they are likewise asserted by those good old divines who lived nearest to the apostles, and who were actually conversant with them. I have, rnoieover, shewn, again and again, and hope to give still farther proof of it in the course of the present defence, that the said good old doctrines are the doctrines of the good old Church of England, and were the avowed principles of her good old le- formers. Whereas the tenets of Messieurs Wesley and Sellon are as bad as they are new. I mean new, comparatively speaking : else they are, (as I intend to demonstrate, before I have done with them) as old as Pelagius. But no scheme of errors, however grey, is of equal antiquity with the truths from which it deviates. SECTION VIIL The Judgment of some eminent Christians, trho Houriihedhefore the Reformation, concerning the Doctrines in Debate. Even in the worst and darkest of times, God has never left himself entirely without witness, nor permitted the truths of his gospel (u) Ibid. p. 59. (X) Polycarpi Ep. ad Philipp. Sect. i. Edit. Coteler. (y) Ibid. \i) Ibid. Sect. viii. (a) Ibid. Sect. i. (6) Epist. Eccles. Smym. de Martyris Polycarpi. Sect. xiv. {<■) Ibid. Sect, xvii ((f) Ibid. Sect. xxii. (e) Ibid. Sect, ixiv SOME EMINENT CHRISTIANS 89 to be totally exterminated. They have, some- times, laid, to all outward appearance, in very few hands: but they have constantly subsisted somewhere. The prophet Elijah onceiniagin- ed that himself was the only person who was kept faithful to God, amidst that torrent of idolatry which then overwelmed the lar.d of Israel. But what said the answer of God unto him ? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to the imaire of Baal. Even so then, at this pre- sent time also, there is, and at every time there has been and shall be, a remnant, according to the election of grace. (/) However discourag- ing appearances may be, in seasons either of persecution, idolatry, or general profaneness, there are many known instances of divine pre- servation ; and many others, unknown by us, but noticed by him who knoweth them that are his. (§■) "Ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee," and they will testify of his unfailing faithfulness, not only in enduing his people with faith and love to the truth ; but also in raising up some of them, to be witnesses for Christ. Even within the circle of my contract- ed reading, I have met with accounts of many. A select number of the most distinguished shall, without farther ceremony, be introduced to Mr. Sellon : and I heartily wish he may j:ro- fit by their acquaintance. I. Among those who may, with the strict- est justice, be styled the morning stats of the Reformation, were the ancient and famous Churches of the Albigenses and W^aldenses : so denominated from Alby, a city of Langue- doc in France, where they abounded in great numbers : and afterwards about the year 1 170, from Peter Valdo, (k) an opulent citizen of Lyons, by whom these excellent people were much countenanced and assisted. Though some suppose them to have acquired the name of Waldenses, quasi Vallenses, from their being extremely numerous in the valleys of Piedmont. Others, fiom the German (i) word Waldt, v/hich signifies a wood : v/oods being their frequent refuge from per-.ecution. Dr. Alix, in his remarks on the Ecclesiasti- cal History of these Churches, is, in general, prodigiously careful not to drop the least hint concerning (what has been since called) the Calvinism of those Christians. But the pre- sent learned bishop of Bris'ol has been more iust and candid. His Lordship tells us, from (J) Koni. xi. 2—6. (c) 2 Tim. ii. 19. ChJ *• Oniniiim vera niaxinie uotari nieretur Petrus Valdo, civis Lugdunensis ; qui cum dives esset, bona sua omnia in p.iupiTum iisunj impendit : expositisque vernacnio serinone, sacr-.s Uteris conHuentein ad se multitudinent purioii tide inibuit." Job. Alpb. Turi'e- tini Hist. Im cI. C'nnipend. p 149. See a nmcli larger account of fliis good man in Usber de Eccl. Cbristian. Successione, c. 8. Vide Maestrichtii Oper.T, p. 1121. (k'j Dissertations on tbe Propliecii s, vol. 3. p. 177. Lord Lyttelton b;is a similar remark ; wbo (ibserves, that tbe ductriac of tbe .Mbi^eiises, &:c. ** V\'a8 much Mezeray, " they had almost the same opinion* as those who are now called Calvinists." {k) It will, I apprehend, be easily made appear, that their opinions were not only almost, but altogether the same. Nor did they soon devi- ate from the evangelical system of their fore- fathers : for, so low down as the fera of the Reformation, I find that " they sent to Zuing- lius for teachers, and afterwards to Calvin : of whose sentiments," add the compilers of the work I quote, " the remainder of them, called the Vaudois, continue to be." (/J Their first rise was of very considerable antiquity. The Romish Council, assembled, by order of pope Alexander III. at Tours, in May 1163, prohibited all persons, under pain of excommunication, from having any inter- course with these people ; who are described as teaching and professing " a damnable here- sy, long since sprung up in the territory of Toulouse." (ni) Van Maestricht assures us, that they wrote against the errors and super- stitions of the Church of Rome, in the year 1100. (n) According to Pilichdorffius, (o) the Waldenses themselves carried up the date of their commencement as a body, as high as three hundred years after Constantine, i, e. to about the year 637- For my own part, I be- lieve their antiquity to have been higher still. I agree with some of our oldest and best Pro- testant divines, in considering the Albigenses, or Waldenses (for they were, in fact, one and the same,) to have been a branch of that visi- ble Church, against which the gates of hell could never totally prevail ; and that the uninten upted succession of Apostolical doctrine continued with them, from the primitive times, quite down to the Reformation : soon after which period, they seem to have been melted into the com- mon mass of Protestants. Neither does this conjecture limit the extent of the visible Church in former ages to so narrow a com- pass, as may at first be imagined. For they were, says Poplinerius, {p) " Diffused, not only throughout all France, in the year 1 100, but through almost every country in Europe. "And," says he; "to this very day, they have their stubborn partizans in France, Spain, England, Scotland, Italy, Germany, Bohemia, Saxony, Poland, Lithuania, and other nations." Archbishop Usher, whose enquiries were never superficial, and whose conclusions are never piecipitate, lays great stress on a re- markable passage in Reinerius, a Popish in- tbe same with tbe Creed of tbe Protestant Churches in these days." Life of Henrv II. vol. iv. p. 305. Octavo. (0 Gre.it Hist. Diet. art. Albig. (m) Bower's Hist, of tbe Popes, vol. vi. p. 128. "Imprimis etiam verituti Testimonium praB- buerunt Ecclesi* Waldenses ; earumque Confessiones, ('■aterheses, jam Anno M C. scripta^ adversus errores c't superstitiones Ecclesia; Romans;." Opera, p. 1120. (tt) Vide Ussei'ium de Christ. Ecclessar Success cap. 8. p. 109. {]>) Apud Usher, u. s. p. 106. 90 Jl'DGiMKNT OF EMINENT PERSONS quisitor, who died about the year 1259. The passHs^e is this : " Ot all the sects wliicli as yet exist, or ever have existed, none is mnie detrimental to the Church," i.e. to the Romish Cliurch, " than the sect of the VValdenses. And this on three accounts : 1. Because it is a much more ancient sect than any other. For, some say, that it has continued ever since the Pope- d im of Silvester: {q) others, that it has sub- sisted from the time of the Apostles. 2. It is a more extensive sect than any other: for there is almost no country, in which this sect has not a footing. 3. This sect has a mighty ap- pearance of piety : inasmuch as they live justly before men, and believe all things rightly concerning God, and all the articles contained in the Creed. They only blaspheme the Roman Church and Clergy." (r) I have premised enough, concerning the people. Let us now enquire into the particu- lars of their faith. There is extant, a short Waldensian Con- fession, written in the year 1120, and consist- ing of XIV. Articles. The Ist Article pro- fesses their agreement with, what is usually teimed. The Apostles Creed. The 2nd ac- knowledges Fathei', Son, and Holy Spirit, to be the one God. The 3d reca|)itulates the canonical books of the Old and New Testa- ment, just as they now stand in the Protestant Bibles ; and excepts against the Apocrypha, as uninspired. The 4th asserts, that, " By the disobedience of Adam, sin entered into the world, and we are made sinners in Adam, and by Adam." The 5lh runs thus : " Christ was promised to our forefathers ; wlio received the law, to the end that, knowing their sin by the law, and their unrighteousness and insufficien- cy, they might desire the coming of Christ, to Salisly for tlieir sins, and, by himself, to accom- plish the law." The Gth affirms, that " Christ was born at the time appointed by God his Father." The 7th, '• Christ is our life and truth, and peace and righteousness, and ad- vocate, and master, and priest: who died for the salvation of all those who believe, and is raised again fur our justification." (.s) Six of the remaining articles are levelled at the supei- stitions of Popery : and the last testifies their due subjection to the civil powers. (7} There ^¥e^e two Popes of this name. Silves- ter 1. died A.l). 335. Silvester II. A.D. 1003. (r) Uslior I)e S iccess. p. 7S br. Cave also lays a.s much stress on this testinjoiiy a.s coes archbishcp Usher : see his Histmi i Liter, iria, vid. i. p. 63'2. And so does the great Spanhemius, Oper. vol. iii. col. IU9. (.v) History of the Popes, vol. i. p. 423. 424. {t) '* Crediauis et fateiinir, satorem atque fidei saliitis datorem esse Dcum Omuipoteutum, in Ueitatis siilitantin iiuum, in peisouis vei" Trinum, Patrem, t'ilium, Spiritu.i que Sanctum." FudcIc. Jitijug. it Hj-tt. ^ ol. i. p. 103. («) " Cujus merito, solus geiiitor, secundum pro- positum electionis su.e, salutem oper.itur." Jbid. (ij '* Qui, in solo gratia; resideiis tiuulis advocatus, i.'iterpellat pro his, qui ha-reditutem gloria- pertcpturi tiuut." Jbid. Almost 400 years afterwards, the descend- ants of those ancient and evangelical Churches gave proof, that they were, in no respect whatever, degenerated from the purity and simplicity of the gospel. For, in the begin- ning of the year 1503, 1 find them presenting a large account of their faith, in three sepa- rate papers addressed to Uladislaus, king of Hungary. " We believe," say they, " and con- fess, that Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three in person, but one in the essence of Deity, is the ])rotiucer of faith and the giver of salvation.'' (<) They say, speaking of Christ, " By whose merit the alone Father accomplishes our salvation, according to the purpose of his own election.'' {u) They affirm, that " he intercedes for those who shall pos- sess the inheritance of glory {x) and that " he forsaketh not his Church, for which he offered up himself unto death ; " but is ever present with her, " in a way of grace, effica- cy, and help, which are his free gift. ' (?/) They define the holy, universal Church to be " the aggregate of all the elect, from the be- ginning of the world to the end of it: — whose names and number he alone can tell, who hath inscribed them in the Book of Life.'' {z) To these persons, grace is given : " The fiist and jirincipal niinistiy of the universal Church is tiie gosjiel of Christ, wherein are revealed the grace and truth which he hath painfully pur- ciiased for us by the torture of the cross ; which grace is given to the elect, who are called by the Holy Ghost and God the Father unto salvation, with the gift of faith.'' (a) Under the article, entitled Coimnutiin Sancto- rum, they come, if possible, more roundly to the point. Nothing can be clearer than their meaning ; though the persons who drew up the confession were far from commanding a good style in Latin. " It is manifest,'' say they, " that such only as are elected to glory become partakers of true faith, grace, righte- ousness in the merit of Christ, [and] eternal salvation." (A ) What they deliver concerning the doctrine of purgatory, though rather uncouthly ex- pressed, deserves to be laid before the reader. "There is no other chief place of determinate purgatory, but the Lord Christ ; of whom it (y) " Ecclesiam suam, pro quS seipsmn obtulit ad mortis supplicium, gratiA, virtute, auxilioque, done gratdito, ntni deserit." Jhuf. (zj " C'redimus, sanctam Catholicam ecclesiam — esse nuinerum omnium electorum, a niundi exordio, usque ipsius consuiiimatioiieni ; — quorum nomina, nu- nierumque, ille solus scit, qui ea in vitie libro exara- vit." Jbid. p. 164. (rt) '■ Primum et potissimum Ministerium Eccle- sia; Catholica", est Evangelium Chr sti ; quo gratia et \erit:is, crucis tormento laborinsc acquisita, manifes- tatur : qua; gratia electis, \ocatis dono fidei a spiritu saucto, IJi oque Patrl, in salutcm largitur." Jbid. (b) " I'al.an itaque est, quod taiitummod6 clecti, vera; fidei, grautio', justitia; in Christi merito, ad gloriam, salutia a;teruaj participes euut." Jbid. j>. 167. BEFORE THE REFORMATION 91 was truly said by the angel, lie shall save his people from theii' sins. Andsosaith St. Paul: having made a purgation of sins, he sat down on the right hand of tlie Majesty on high. Every one, therefore, who shall be saved, must draw from this full fountain of righteousness and goodness. By grace alone, through the gift of faith, whosoever is to be saved cometh to the purgation by Christ Jesus ; as saith St. Paul : a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ; and we believe in Christ Jesus, that we may be j jstified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law. And Christ himself saith, he that be- lieveth on me hath eternal life." (c) I take leave of this confession, with one citation more. " St Paul says, Christ loved his Church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify it, &c. It is not said that he might prepaie her for hell ; but for heaven and for repose, after her present toils. For it is certain, that only tiie elect of God are blessed ; and God leadeth them into that righteousness which we have already treated of. Concerning them, the apostle saith, He hath elected us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we siiould be holy and blameless before him in love. And again, he saith ; whom he did predestinate, them lie also called ; and whom he called, them he also justified." (d) Archbishop Usher presents us with another concise profession of faith, transmitted by these good people to Francis I. of France, in the year 1544 : which, though subsequent to the opening of the Refi rmation, is too excellent to be wholly unnoticed in this place. A single ex- tract, however, shall suffice. "We believe, that there is but one God ; who is a spirit, the maker of all things, the parent of all men ; who is overall, through all, and in us all, and is to be worshipped inspirit and in truth, whom alone we hope for ; the distributor of life, food, and raiment ; the distributor also of health and sickness, of conveniences and inconven- iences. Him we love, as the anthor of all (c) ** NuUns alms locust eyl pciiicip-ilis certi purg'-i- torii, nisi dominus Cliristus de juo rerte est dictum al> angelo, ipso t-uim salvum faciet populum buuiu a pi'ccatis eoruin. Kt sic dicit sanctus l*aiilus : purgati- oneni peccatorem facieiis, sedct ad dexteruni Majeft- tatis in excei.sia. Et oninis, qui salvabitur, oportct eum de hoc foiite euraere pleno justitias et ali, through his mercy protecting them. Other certain persons he ha'h predestii.ated to |)erdition, by his just judgment, for the evil desert of their ungod- liness, which he foieknew : and, of these, none can be saved. Nut because of any compulsive violence offered them by the divine power, but because of the stubborn and persevering naugh- tines< of their own iniquity " (k) Remigius e.vpresses himself with a prudential guarded- iiess, which letiec's no little honour on his jiiilgment. He acUnowledjred, as the present Calviuists also do, 1. That there nio.st certainly are a two-fold prescience and |)redej.tination, terminating on two sorts of persons, the elect and reprobate. 2. That God's disposals, or decrees, are strictly eternal : and, .'i That they are unchangeable. 4. That, conseijuently, not one elect person can peiish ; nor, 5. any repro- bate be saved. G. That the election of the former was absolutely gratuitous and unmerit- ed : 7- That the punishment of the latter ( ihserve: not their reprobation itself, but their , tuj K^ce I eatisMiiii patrrs ccclesiie \mo seiisu uiio ore, quia et loio spiritu, Divina- pr,e.scienti.« et pr . 'lestin.itiimis imrnobilem vcritateni, in utraque p.irt , >-lictor uni, scilicet ct rcproboum, piadicant et cone.neiidaiif : elcctorum utique, ad gloriani ; rcpro- Imrum \er(), noii ad culp.uu, st-d ad poenam. Et in liis, uoii tcnipiii-.almin, iiequc I'X alioqiio tempore in- choantiiini, si;d scnipitermriira, dispo.sitiiinura Dei ira:iiutabilcn) ordimni iinbis deiiioiistrari coiifirinant : iii'C .I'.ique II electnrum posse perire, ncc ulluiii repro- >'0:-a n ( pr.ipter i.ur;tiaiii et iiiipa tiiteutiain cordis ,siii) po.-ise >alvari. Hcc et Di\ inaruin scripturanini Veritas et sanctom 11 atque orthodoxoium patrum aiictoritas constantir auricmt:aiit, iiiaubi\aiiter nol;i.s credemiiim et tenenduii inculcaiit. Juxta pranii^saiii t atlio- Iica; fidei ratioiiem, omnipoteiis IJeits, ante coiistitutL cjem maadi, antequam quiciiuaiii oaccr. t, i priiicipio perdition, or actuai damnation) is owing to their foreseen ungodliness. Which foreseen ungodliness results, 8. not from any compulsive force offered to them, or put upon them by God himself, but from that "stubborn and persevering naughtiness of their own iniquity," which God is, indeed, able to remove, but under the power and guilt of which it is his inscruta- ble will to leave them. Among the illustrious partizans of grace, I must not omit to number, IV. Florus, sirnamed Magister, a deacon of the Church of Lyons; who, about A.D. 852, published A Defence of I'redestination, in opposition to a Semipelagian treatise on that subject, written by the famous scholastic, Duns Scotus. The drift of Florus's book (drawn up, it seems, in the name of the whole Church of Lyons) was, says Vossius, to prove, "That there is a double predestination : viz. of some, who are elected into life ; and of others, who are destined to death. That men have, by na- ture, no free-will, except to what is evil. That the elect are compelled to good. But that the reprobate are not compelled to sin : they are only compelled to undergo the punishment which, by sin, they have merited.'' (i') 1 am inclinable to doubt, whether Vossius («-hose " I'elagian History" might, with more truth, be stvled. An Apology for Ptiagianisni) has, in the above passage, stated the Theses of Florus with sufficient candour. 1 can hardly supjjose a man of the judgment and learning, which Florus seems to have possessed, would ever assert, that " The elect are compelled to what is good." We may, perhaps, learn his senti- ments on this subject, with greater certainty and precision, from his own words, largely cited by archbishcp Usher, (i/) " Our Lord himself," says Florus, "plain- ly shews, that the very first commencement of what good we have is not of ourselves, but of him: Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you. John xv. 16. Thus, likewise, the apostle speaks to believers: He who hath begun a good work in you, will perfect it even unto the day of Christ. I'hil. i. 6. And again ; Unto you it is given, in Christ's behalf, not only to believe, but also to sufler for his sake. Phil. i. 2!). The blessed apostle, St. John, affirms. Not that we loved God, but that he certis et justis atque iniuiutabililjus causis a;teriii con- silii sui, qudsdam ad regnuni, gratuiti boiiilate sua, ex quibus nemo set perituius protegente misericordil sua ; et quosdani prafdestinaverit ad interitum, justo judicio suo, propter merituin, quod pra;sci\ it, impiet- t.tis eorum, ex quibus nemo possit sahari. Nou propter vioientiam aliquam Divina- potestatis ; sed propter indomabilem et perseverantem nequitiam pro- pria; iniquit..lis." Remigius apud Usser. Gottesc. p. -29. Tlie masterly comment of Remigius, on that con- troverted passage :— wlio will have all men to be saved and to come to tbe knowledge of the truth. 1 Tim. ii. 4. may be seen at large in Usher, u. s. p. 31. I wish it was not too prolix for insertion here. (,r) Vossii Histor. Pelagian, p. 745. (//) Cottesch. Hist. cap. x. per totum. BKFORB THE REFORMATION. 96 loved us. and gave his Son to be the propitia- tion tof our sins. 1 John iv. 10. And a<^ain, a blessed apostle says, Let us run with jiati- ence, the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith. Heb. xii. 2. If, therefore, we desire to be true members of the universal Church, let us faithfully put all to the account of grace. The Lord chuseth his saints ; not they him. God himself both begins and accomplishes what is good, in his believers. He first loves his saints, in order that they may also love him. Man has not, of himself, a will to that which is good; neither has he, of himself, the power to perform a good work. Both one and the other are received from him, of whom the apostle saith. It is God that worketh in us, both to will and to do, of his own good plea- sure. Through his mercy, he himself is before- hand with the will of man : as saith tiie Psalmist : My God will prevent me with his goodness. He himself inspires man with the grace of thinking rightly ; according to that of the apostle : Not that we are, of ourselves, sufRcient to think any thing, as of ourselves ; but our sufficiency is of God. He is himself the cause of our having a good will. He is himself the cause of our desiring and accom- plishing what is holy. And he not only work- eth tliese things, at present, in his elect ; but he hath also, before the formation of the world, predestinated them, by his grace, that they should be holy and blameless before him. Eph. i. 4. Whoever, then, does not believe that this grand and most efficacious cause'' [viz. God's predestination and grace] " precedes our will, in order that we may will and do that which is right, doth manifestly oppose the truth, and stands convicted of Pelagianism.'' (z) It is true, that, in these passages, Florus nervously asserts the efficacy of divine influence : but says no- thing about forcible compulsion. And, indeed, there was no reason why he should. The oper- ation of grace renders itself effectual, without offering the least violence to the human mind. (z) Florus Magist. apud Usser. u. a. p. 143—146. (o) According to Mr Locke, compulsion may then be said to t.-ike place, " \Vh<'n the beginning or contin- uation of any action is contrary to the preference of the mind." (See his Essay on Understanding, Book ii. ch. xxi. sect. 13.) If, therefore, this acute logician was in the right, it will follow, that, in the super- natural agency of grace on the heart, compulsion is quite excluded, be that agency ever so effectual : since, the more effectually it is supposi'd to operate, the more certainly it must engage the " preference of the mind." And, where the preference of the mind is thus engaged, won over, and secured, (the accomplish- ing of which is the very business of grace) there compulsion can have no manner of footing or, existence. Another remark of Mr. Locke's deserves to be well considered : *' voluntary is not opposed to necessary, but to involuntary. For a man may prefer what he can do, to what he cannot do :" [he may, for instance prefer] " the state he is in to its absence or change, though necessity has made it in itself unalterable." lOid. Sect. II. 1 ara apt to think, that th? preceding citations from Locke will make Mr. Sellon stare. I Open a bhnd man's eyes to see the sun, and he will need no compulsion to make him admire it. Suppose there was a person, to whose ceaseless bounty you owed every comfort you enjoy, but of whom, notwithstanding, you never had so much as the sight. Should that person, in process of time, favour you with a visit ; would you stand in need of compulsion, to make you speak to him ? must you be dragged by the hair cf your head, into his presence No. You would, at once, fly to him, and bid him wel- come. You would, freely, yet irresistibly (such is the sweetly captivating power of gratitude,) thank him, and give him your best accommo- dations, and wish your best were better for his sake. Similar is the free, though necessary, tendency of an enlightened soul to God and Christ. Calvinism disclaims all compulsion, (a) properly so called. It pleads only for that victorious, conciliating efficacy, which is inse- parable from the grace of divine attraction : and acknowledges no other energy but that to which the apostle sets his cnmprobatnm where he says, The Love of Christ constraineth us. SECTION IX. The Jndqmrnt of some eminent Perxovi!, prior to the Reformation, coii/iniied. If we carry down our enquiries to the cen- tury preceding the Reformation, we shall find th it period illuminated by several vcrv f'istin- guished advocates for the doctrines of free and soverign grace, as now held by those who are since called (b) Calvinists. V. John Huss, the well-known Bohemian martyr, was converted to the truth of the gospel, next under God, by reading tlie works of our renowned countryman John Wickliff. He took his batchelor of arts' degree in the Uni- versity of Prague, A. D. and was emi- nent for learning (as learning then went), hut more so for the exemplary sanctity of his life. (c) I need not relate the perfidy of the Council of Constance, who condemned him to the wish the citation next ensuing may not make hira swear. If the " Exotic" can get any body to lend him Locke's Essay, he will find in the Uth section of tlie chapter above referred to the following observations : " W hether man's will be free, or no," is " an unreasun- abli , because unintelligible, question. It is as insigni- ficant, to ask, whether man's will be free ; as to ask, wheflier bis sleep be swift, or his virtue square. Liberty being as little applicable to the will, as swiflness of motion is to sleep, or squareness to virtue." How far such concessions, as these, are reconcilable with some parts of that great man's theological svstem ; or even with some of his own favourite metaphysical principles, I leave to the determination of more com- tepent readers. (0) It seems, we are, originally, indebted to the Church of Kome for this appellation. " C'ahinists : A name given by Papists to the reformed of Frmce, Swisserland, Germany, and the Low-Countries." Great Hist. Diet. (c) Vir, ipsis fatentibus adversariis doctrinJ illustris, pietate conspicuus. Wharton, in App. ad Cavii Hist. Liter, p. 76. 96 JUDGMENT OF EMrNENT PERSONS flames, in open violation of the safe- conduct which had been solemnly granted him by the Emperor Sijfisniund Suffice it to observe, that this infamous synod acted up to their own maxim, of "No faith to be kept with heretics:" and that he was burned, A. D. 1415. His dying prediction at the stake is, however, too re- markahletobe omitted. " He behaved himself, at his m irtyrdom, with a wonderful chearful- ness ; and seems to have had a spirit of pro- phecy : for whereas Huss, in the Bohemian tongue, sit'iiifies a goose, he told them. You now roast a goose ; but, after an hundred years, a swan shall rise out of my ashes. Which was fulfilled in Luther, who just an hundred years after Huss's death, began to appear in opposition to the Pope." (rf) Among the articles of pretended heresy, which this excellent man was arraigned and put to death for maintaining, were the fol- lowing : (e) " There is but one holy, universal, or Catholic Church, which is the universal com- pany of all the predestinate. I do confess," said Huss, " that this proposition is mine ; and [it] is confirmed by St. Augustine upon St. John. " St. Paul was never any member of the Jevil, albeit that he committed and did certain acts like unto the acts of the malignant Church" [i. e. St. Paul, prior to his conversion, acted like a reprobate, though he was, secretly, and in reality, one of God's elect]. "And like- wise St. Peter, who fell into an horrible sin of perjury and denial of his master ; it was by the |)ermission of God, that he might the more firmly and stedfastly rise again and be con- firmed.'' To this charge, Huss replied, " I answer according to St. Austin, that it is ex- (rf) Hist, of Popery, vol. ii. p. 193. Jlr. RoU, in his Lives of the Kefornicrs (p. 17, IS,) gives a more circumstantial account of Dr. Huss's Martyrdom and prophecy. " Dr, Huss," says that judicious compiler, *' heard his sen'.fnce, without the least emotion. He kneeled dowTi, \vith his eyes lifted toward Heaven, and said, with all tin? spirit of primitive martrydom, May tliy infinite mercy, O my (iori, pardon this in- justice of my enemi^es. Tlioti knowest the injustice of my accusations, how deformed with crimes 1 have been represented ; how 1 have been oppressed by worthless witnesses aT^d an unjust condemnation. Yet, O my God, let the mercy of thine, which no tonpue can express, prevail with thee not to aTenge my wronfi^s. The liishops, .nppointed by the Council, stript him of his priestly garments, degraded him, and put a mitre of paper upon his head, on which devils ■w,ere painted, witli this inscription, A ring-leader of hcritics. Our heroic martyr received this mock mitre with a gallant air of unconcern, that seemed to give him dignity, instead of disgrace. A serenity, a joy, a composure, appeared in his looks, which indicated that i.is soul ha a cutoff many staqes of tedious journey in her way to the point to eternal joy and peace. The Bishops delivered Huss to the Emperor, who put him into the hands of the duke of Bavaria. His hooks were burnt at the gate of the Church, and he was led to the suburbs to be burnt alive. When he came to the place />f execution, he fell on bis knees, sang portions of Psalms, looked stedfastly toward Heaven, and repeated these words : Into thy hands, O Lord pedient that the elect and predestinate should sin and offend." (f) " No part or member of the Church doth depart, or fall away, at any time, from the body : forsonnich as the charity of predestination, which is the bond and chain of the same, doth never fall." Huss answers ; This pi-o- position is thus placed in my book : " As the reprobate of the Church proceed out of the same, and yet are not as parts or members of the same ; forsomuch as no part or member of the same doth finally fall away : because that the charity of predestination, which is the bond and chain of the same, doth never fall away. This is proved by Cor. xiii. and Rom. viii. All things turn to good, to them that love God : also, I am certain that neither death nor life can separate us from the charity and love of God, as it is more at large in the book." Another article, objected against him, was, his being of opinion that " the predestinate, although he be not in the state of grace according to present justice, yet is he always a member of the universal Church.'' He answers : "Thus it is in the book, about the beginning of the fifth chapter, where it is de- clared, that there be divers manners or sorts of being in the Church : for there are some in the Church, according to the mis-shapert faith ; and other some according to predesti- nation : as Christians predestinate, now in sin, shall return again unto grace.'' The good man added : " Predestination doth make a n)aa a member of the universal Church ; the which [i. e. predestination] is a preparation of grace tor the present, and of glory to come: and not any degree of" [outward] "dignity, neither election of man'' [or, one man's designation of another to some office or station,] " neither do I commit my spirit ; thou hast redeemed me, () most good and faithful God. When the chain was put about him at the stake, he said, with a smiling countenance. My Lord Jesus Christ was bound with an harder chain than this, for my sake ; and why .ihould I be ashamed of this old rusty one t When the fagots were piled up to his very neck, the duke of Bavaria was officious enough to desire him to abjure. No, said Huss ; I never preached any doctrine of an evil tendency ; and what I taught with my lips, I now seal with my blood. He said to the Executioner, Are you going to burn a goose 1 in one century, you will have a swan, whom you can neither roast nor boil If he was prophetic, he must have meant Luther, who had a swan for his arms. The flames were then applied to the fagots ; when the martyr sang an hymn, with so loud and cheerful a voice, that he was heard through all the cracklings of the combustibles and the noise of the multitude. At last, his voice was cut short, and he was consumed. The duke of Bava- ria ordered the executioner to throw all the martyr's cloaths into the flames : after which, his ashes were carefully collected, and cast into the Rhine." (f) Fox's Acts and Monument, voL i. p. 693. ( /) Let not the reader imagine, that I approve of the ungarded manner, in which Mr. Huss here ex- presses himself. I only give his answer, faithfully, as I find it. His meaning, I doubt not, was this , That by the incomprehensible alchymy of God's infinite wis- dom, even moral evil itself ehall be finally over-ruled to good. BEFORE THE REFORMATION any sensible sign " [i. e. predestination does not barely extend tu the outward signs, or means of grace: but includes something more and higher :] " For the traitor Judas Iscariot, notwithstanding Christ's election " [or appoint- ment of him to the apostlesKip,] and the tem- poral graces which were given him for his office of apostleship, and that he was reputed and counted of men a true apostle of Jesus Clirist j yet was he no true disciple, but a wolf covered in a sheep's skin, as St. Augustin saith.'' *' A reprobate man is never a member of the holy Church. I answer, it is in my book, with sufficient long probation out of the xxvi. Psalm, and out of the v. chapter to the Ephe- sians : and also by St. Bernard's saying. The Church of Jesus Christ is more plainly and evi- dently his body, than the body which he delivered for us to death. I have also written, in the fifth chapter of my book, that the holy Church" \_i.e. the outward, visible Church of professing Chris- tians, here on earth] " is the barn of the Lord, in the which are both good and evil, predestinate and leprobate: the good being as the good corn, or grain ; and the evil, as the chaff. And thereunto is added the exposition of St. Austin." " Judas was never a true disciple of Jesus Christ. I answer, and I do confess the same. They came out from amongst us, but they were none of us. He knew from the beginning, who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And therefore I say unto you, that none cometh unto me, except it be given him of my Father." Such were some of the allegations, brought aifainst this holy man by the Council of Con^tance ; and such were his answers, when he stood on his public trial, as a lily among thorns, or as a sheep in the midst of wolves. How easy it is for me to write in defence of these inestimable truths, which (through the goodness of Divine Providence) have now, in our happy land, the sanction of national establishment ! But with what invincible strength of grace was4his adamantine saint endued, who bore his explicit, unshaken testi- mony to the faith, in the presence and hearing of its woist foes, armed with all the terrific powers of this world ! Prior to his execution, Mr. Huss made his (::) .Scu this appc.il, at full kngtli, in Fox, u. s. p. (ill.'i, lilKi. ,//) Ku\, i/iiri. p. 700. {/") Ki)\, fhit/. Hi I Scir a ••iirioiifl tratt, insprtfd into the Fascicn- ?ns HtTiuii f'iijifii(I;iriiiiM't t'Xpt'teinliiriiMi.cTltitU'd, tioMt'.H ft Motua tif Itcprohatidiifs Artit-nloriini W'ick- H'fi ct scfiuaris ip-.ius Jotiatinis Hits, in Coucilio Con Rt.mtit'usi (ianinatornni. By piTusinp; the reasons, wliich tlie '; qua; sunt in potestate nostra .-id utramque partem contradictionis tiexihilia. Fascic. \ol. i. p. tiSS. i. e, " If," say the Roman Confessors, " all things come to pass by an absolute necessity, then, 1. all precepts and prohibitions are vain. 2. The very nature of sin is taken away. There can, 3. be no such thing as a laudable, virtuous, meritorious, or even rewardable action. Consey, nor he rewarded for, any tiling we do." So spake the Popish doctors, in thi' year U15. .^nd «o speak the Arminiaus ii) tUe year U71. f)8 JUDGMENT OF EMINENT PERSONS thpy (I will not say, for divers good, but) for divers weighty causes, have, themselves, most so- lemnly, though most hypocritically, subscribed. Next alter the testimony of John Huss, naturally follows that of his intimate friend and faithful fellow-martyr, Jerom of Prague. As they were united in their lives by the most sacred ties of religious and learned regard, so in their deaths they were almost undivided : for they were both executed within a twelve- month of each other. VI. Jerom, surnamed of Prague, from the place of his nativity, was a lay gentleman, of competent fortune, and of very extraor- dinary learning. . Having taken his master of arts' degree, in the university of his native city, he visited most of the countries in Europe. In the course of this tour, the universities of Paris, Cologne, and Heidelburg, successively complimented him with the same degree which hs had taken at Prague. The writers of the Biographical Dictionary (/) seem to think it probable, that the university of Oxford like- wise favoured him with the same mark of respect. It is, however, certain, that, during his progress, he was over in England ; where he copied out the books of Wickclilf, and returned with them to Prague. (wi) In proving the Calvinism of Dr. John Huss, I have proved the Calvinism of his brother in the faith, the learned and pious Jerom. " I knew him," said Jerom, speaking of Huss, " to be a just and true preacher of the holy gospel : and whatsoever things Mr. Huss and Wickliif have held or written, I will affirm, even unto death, that they were holy and blessed men."('0 In pursuance of this declar- ation, delivered before a full meeting of the Council of Constance, he was condemned to death : and, in the very sentence of con- demnation, the Council alleged this reason, among others, why they proceeded against him to the ultimate severity, viz, because he had " affirmed, that he never, at any time, had read any errors or heresy in the books and treatises of the said Wickliff and Huss, and because the said Jerom is an adherent and maintainer of the said Wickliff and Huss and their errors, and both is and hath been a favourer of them."(o) As he suffered for the same blessed cause, so he suffered on the same spot of ground where his friend Huss had been executed : and his persecutors gave the strongest proofs they were able of their meanness and malice, by fixing him to a stake which had been shaped into an image, resembling his brother-martyr, who had so lately and so gloriously set his life as a seal to the truth in that place.(7;) (C) Vol. vii. p. 39. (?«) Rolfs Lives of the Reformers, p. 19. (n) See Fox s Acts and Mouume ts, vol. i. p. 722. (0) Ibid. p. 723. (p) See Fox, ibid. p. 724. (q) Rolt, page 2'. (T) Bayle's Hist. & Crit. Diet. vol. v. p. 540. (f) " Dens, ab setumo, coudidit librum, in quem Vet, though no circumstance was omitted which might tend to shake his fortitude and to disconcert him in his last moments, " he suffered with all the magnanimity of Huss. He embraced the stake, to which he was fastened with the peculiar malice of wet cords. When the executioner went behind him, to set fire to the pile. Come here, said Jerom, and kindle it before my eyes ; for if I dreaded such a sight, I should never have come to this place, when I had a free opportunity of escaping. The fire was kindled, and he then sung an hymn, which was soon finished by the incircling flames. (y) VII. John de Wesalia was another eminent witness for the doctrines of grace, and suffered much for his adherence to them. " He was," says Monsieur Bayle, " a doctor of divinity ; and was very ill treated by the inquisition in Germany, for having taught some doctrines which disgusted the Catholics. "(»■) Another writer informs us, more particularly, what those doctrines were, which gave the Church of Rome so much disgust. Diether Isenburgh, archbishop of Mentz, convened an assembly of Popish doctors, A. D. 1479, to sit in judg- ment on this pretended heretic, who was then, on account of his religious principles, a pri- soner in a convent of that city. A long cata- logue of articles was laid to his charge : of which, the following were some : " God hath, from everlasting, written a book, wherein he hath inscribed all his elect : and whosoever is not already written there will never be written there at all. " Moreover, he that is written therein will never be blotted out of it. " The elect are saved by the alone grace of God : and what man soever God willeth to save, by enduing him with grace, if all the priests in the world were desirous to damn and ex- communicate that man, he would still be saved. Whomsoever, likewise, God willeth to condemn, if the whole clan of pope, priests, and others, were desirous of saving that man, he still condemned would be. " If there had never been any Pope in the world, they, who are saved, would have been saved notwithstanding. " They who undertake pilgrimages to Rome, are fools. " I will not look on any thing as sinful which the scripture does not call so. " I despise the Pope, his Church and his Councils. But I love Christ. Let the word of Christ dwell in us abundantly. " It is a difficult thing to be a [true] Chris- tian."(.v) The Church of Rome took fire at these scripsit omes suos electos. Quicuuque autera in eo noil est scriptus, iiunquam inscribetur in ipsum in as- ternum. Et qui in eo scriptus est, nunquam ex eo de- Itbitur. " Sola Dei gratia salvanturelecti. Et quem Deus vult salvare, donando sibi gratiam, si omnes sacer- dotes velluut ilium daiuuare aut excommuuicare, adbuc BEFORE THE REFORMATION. 99 propositions. The affair was carried before the tribunal of the inquisition. In the course of his examination, another heinous heresy was laid to liis char<;e : viz. tliat he had "iven it as his opinion, tliat St. Paul contributed nothinis esse unum Kemper agere, cum sem-jcr utrumque possinius, cou- tradicit prophi-tie, qui Deo supplex loquitur, dicens, Sc.o, douiine, qui non sit honniiis via (■ju^ ; nec viri est, ut anibulet et dirigat gressus suos. Jer. x. '23. Sed et apostolo maj'irem se tacit qui dixit, ego igitur ipse, mente, servio legi I)ei ; came, atiteui, legi peccati. Rom. vii. 25. Beda, apud Usser. Gottesch. p. 6, 7. (e) " Pelagius : Adam de Paradiso ejicitur ; Enorii de mundo rapitur. In utroque, Dominus li- bertateni arbitrii ostendit. Non enini a justo Deo, aut ille puniri meruisset, aut hic eligi, nisi uterque ufrunqu.' potuisset, Hoc de Cain et Abel fratrii.us, hoc etiam de Esau et Jacob geminis, intelligendum est.' — Beda : coutradicit apostolo, qui, de eisdem lo- qu ns, ait, cum enim, uecdum iiati fuissent. &c-" Apud I'sser. Jhid p. 7. (f'y* Pelagius : Nec impossibile aliquid potuit ira- perare, qui justus est ; iiec dainnaturus est hominem pro eo quod vitarc non potuit, qui (jius est. — Beda quod dicit, dominura non impossibile aliquid pra^cepisse qui justus cs ; verum profecto dicit, si ad ejus respicit auxilium, cui catholica vox suppUcat. Deduc me iu have I loved, but Esau have I hated." Rom. ix II— I3.(e) Pelagius had asserted, that " The just God could never command us to do any thing im- possible ; nor can the merciful God condemn a man for doing what he could not avoid." Beda replies, " The former proposition is true, if spoken with reference to that succour which we derive from him, to whom the universal Church thus prays. Lead thou me forth in the path of thy commandments. Psalm cxi.x. 35. But, if a man trust to his own powers, he is refuted by that most true saying of Christ, Without me can ye can do nothing. John XV. 5. And whereas Pelagius declares, that he who is gracious will not condemn a man for doing what he could not avoid ; he, in this, flatly opposes the assertion of the same gracious Redeemer and just Judge ; who avers, that, except a man, even infants themselves included, be born again, of water and the Spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John iii. 5Xf) II. Robert Grosthead, born at Stradbrook, in Suffolk, was made bishop of Lincoln, A. D. 1235 (i^) Mr. Camden terms him, " a much better scholar and linguist than could be ex- pected from the age he lived in : an awful reprover of the Pope, a monitor to the king, a lover of truth, a corrector of ])relates, an instructor of the clergy, a maintainer of scholais, a (ireacher to the people, a diligent Searcher of the Scripture, and a mallet to the Romanists. "(/i) This great luminary was translated to Heaven, October I, 1253. Few ecclesiastics make so bright a figure in the annals ot their country. " He was," says Rapin, " a prelate of resolution and courage, neither to be gained by court-favours, nor to be frightened by the Pope's menaces. Wholly intent on followinjj what appeared to him reasonable and just, he little regarded the circumstances of the semitd TOandatorum tuorum. Psal. cxix. H5. Si Ter6 viribus aiiimi sui fidit, refell iteum veridica ejusdem justi conditoris sententia, qua dicit, sine me nihil po- testis facere. Johan. xv. 5. — Quod dicit, eum, qui pius est, non damnaturum esse hominem, pro eo quod vi- tare non potuit; oontradicit ejusdem pii redeuiptoris et justi ludicis senteutia:, quA, etiam de parvulus, ait, nisi quis renatus fnerit ex aquA et Spiritu, non potest Tidere rognuni Dei.'' Apud Usser. u. s. p. 8. (g) Vide Cav. Hist. Litter, i. 716.— Necnon God- winum, de pra;sulib. AngiiiE, p. 289. edit. Cantabr. 1743. sol. (A) Britannia, vol. i. col. 565 — edit. 1722.— Part of bishop Grosthead's character, asdrawii by Camden, is given in the words of Matthew Paris. The whole portrait is worthy of being seen at full length. ** Fuit ille [i. e. Grosthead] domini papa; et regis redargutor manifestus, pra^latorum correptor, moiiachorum cor- rector. Presbyteroruni director, clericorum instructor, schularium sustentator, populi praedicator, incontiuen- tiuni persecutor, scripturarum sedulus perscrutator di\ersaruin, Romanorum malleus et contemptor. In mensa refectionis corporalis dapsilis, copiosus, etcivilis hilaris et affabilis : iu mersa vero spirituali de\otus, lachrymosus, et coiitritus ; in officio poutificaii sedu- lus. Tenerabilis, et infatigabilis." Mat. Paris, Apud. Godwinum, u. s. p. 291. BEFORE THE REFORMATION. 101 times, or the quality of persons ; but equally opposed the king's will, and the pope's pleasure, accordint{ as it happened. He could not see, without indignation and concern, the best pre- terments in the kingdom bestowed on Italians, who neitiier resided on their benefices, nor un- derstood English. Refusing to institute an Itali- an to one of the best livings of his diocese, he was presently after suspended : but, regardless of the censure, he continued his episcopal functions. He even refused, at that very time, to admit of new provisions from the Pope in favour of other Italians, declaring, that to en- trust thecuie of souls to such pastors was to act in the name of the devil, rather than by the authority of God. Soon after, Grosthead touched the Pope in a very sensible part, by computing the yeaily ('") sums drawn by the beneficed Italians out of England. Innocent IV., who then sat in the papal chair, sent him a menacing letter, which would have frightened any but him. Grosthead returned a very bold answer, which put Innocent ipto a terrible rage. What ! said the Pope, has this old dotard the confidence to censure my conduct ? By St. Peter and St. Paul, I will make such an example that the world shall stand amazed at his |)unish- nient. For is not his sovereign, the king of En- gland, our vassal ? Nay, is he not our slave ? It is but, therefore, signifying our pleasure to the English Court, and this antiquated prelate will be immedi;it('ly imprisoned, and put to what further disgrace we shall think fit. The annals of Laiinercost infor m us, that the bi^hop was e.vcomniunicated, a little before hisdeath : but he, without regai riing the censure, appealed to the court of heaven. Several historians add, that Innocent moved, in the conclave, to have the body of Grosthead taken up and buried in the highway : but to this the cardinals would not consent. Be this as it will, if he was ex- communicated, he paid no attention to it, but continued to discharge his functions. Neither were tlie clergy of his diocese more scrupuhnis than their bishop: for they obeyed !iim until the day of his death." (k) (i) I'hesc sums, remitted to l.ciipficeil (oreii;iiers, amounted, in the ye^r 12.02, to seveiitv tliDusaud marks : wliile the lung's reveum^ li:irnly rose to twenty thousand. See Fuller's Church Hi»t. book iii. p. (i5. (A) Rapin'9 Hist of Engl. vol. iii. p. 21-J — 218. (Ij Grosthead also pass( d, among s uie of tho vulgar, for a magician : only because he was well skilled in (Jreek and Hebrew, and had a bias to the study of Astronomy. Hence those old verses, written in the reign of king Uichajxl II. For of the greet eierk Grostest 1 red, how ready that he w as Upon Clergy and hede of brasse To make, and forge it, for to tell Of such tilings a.s befell. And seven yeers bysiness He laid : hut, for tho lackni •sse Of half a minute of an houre. Fro first that he began labour, He lost all that be had doe. Vide Hist, et Antiq. Lnivers. Oxon. i. p. 84. (m) " Gratia est bona voluntas Dei, qufi viilt nobis It was not without much imaginary reaROh, that the Pope was so violently exasperated against Grosthead: who might well stand, in his Holiness's books, for a rebel and a heretic. (/) Of his rebellions, some account has been now given. Of his heresy take the following passage for a sample: " (irace is that good pleasure of God, whereby he willeth to give us what we have not deserved, in order to our benefit, not to his. It is manifest, therefore, that all the good which is within us, whether it be natural, or freely conferred aftei wards, proceeds from the grace of God : for there is no good thing of which his will is not the author; and what he wills is done. He himself averts our will from evil, and converts our will to good, and makes our will to persevere in that good. — A will to good, \vjeieby man becomes conformed to the will of God, is a grace freely given : for the divine will is grace. And grace is then said to be infused, when the divine will begins to operate on our will.'' (wi) The humility of this great and good man is evident from what he says in one of his Epistles, written while he was arch-deacon of Leicester. " Nothing that occurs in your letters ought to give me more pain than your styling me, a person invested with authority, and endued with brightness of knowledge. So far am I from being of your opinion, that I feel mvself unfit even to be a discijjle to a man of authority : and perceive myself envelojjed w iHi the darkness of ignorance, as to innumei able matters which are objects of knowledge. But, did I in reality possess any of those high qualiiies which you ascribe to me, he alone would be worthy of the praise, and it would all be referrible to him unto whom we daily say. Not unto us, O Lor d, not unto us, but to thy name give the glory. "(«) The same spirit of modesty and self ahasenieut accompanied him to the l'>piscopal chair. Hence he irsually styled himself, in his subseqirent Letters, llubertuf, pfrniissionc Divine, Liii- cvlnifiisis Ecilesia; Alinistcr /lumilis ; " Robert, dare quod non monmus, ut nobis ex dato bene sit, et non ut ipse doiianti aliquid indi' provc niat. Patet itaque, quod omne bonum, quod in nobi. est, sive sit gratiuin, sive natur.ile, a gratia Dei est ; quia nullum est bonum, quod ipse non velit esse : et ejus vi ile est facere. Non est ii,itur bonum, quod ipse non faciat. Aversioneio ;gitiir voluntiitii a malo et co' versioncni ad bonum, et pels-, verantiam in bono, ipse facit. Bonn, aut( 111 \oluntas, qua est homo ronformis voluntati di- ^illa■, est gratia data a gratia qu^js est voluntas divin i : et tunc dicitur gratia iiifundi, ciim voluntas divina in nostram voluntatem incipit operari." Grosthead, l3e Grat. et Justif. In Fascic. lier. vol. ii. p. 282. (<() " Nihil auteni, in Uteris vestris, niihi magis debet esse molestum, quam quod dixistis, quocunque Hnimo illud dixer'tis, me veruni autoritate et scieutia; claritat( prxditum. Cum adhuc ad discipulatum viri aiitlieniici me senfiam minus idoneiim, et innumerabiliura scicudoriim igliorantiw teiiebris perlusuui. Quod si aliquid horiiui esset in me, ille solus I X lii.s laudandus, et toti.iu illi tTibuendiim, mi quotidii! dicinius, Non nobis, iJoiniiie, non nobis, sed nomiiii tuo, da gloriam." Id^iu, Jlnd. p. 309. ' 102 JUDGMENT OF EMINENT PERSONS hy Divine pennission, the poor Minister of the Church of Lincoln.'' (ol I acknowledije, that, on the subjects of grace and free-wnli, Grosthead does not always pre- serve an invariable consistency. The wonder, however, ought to be, not that he saw no better, but that he saw so well as he did. Like Apollos, he was, as to the main, eloquent, mighty in the scriptures, fervent in spirit, speaking and teaching boldly the things of the Lord : though, like the same excellent Alexandrian, he some- times needed an Acjuila and Priscilla toe.xpound to him the way of God more perfectly. {]>) III. John de Wickliff, surnamed The evan- gelical Doctor, enlightened and adorned the succeeding centuiy. He was born in the parish of Wickliff, near Richmond, in Yorkshire, about A. D. 1324. The historical particulars, relative to the life of this extraordinary man, are so in- teresting and numerous, that I forbear to enter on them lest tLey lead me too far. Mr. Guthrie, in his History of England, observes, that Wickliff " seems to have been a strong predestinarian." (q) It will presently apj)ear, that he more than seemed to have been such ; and that Luther and Calvin themselves were not stronger predestinr.rians than Wickliff. I shall open the evidence, with two propositions, extracted from his own v.-ritings : 1. " The prayer of the reprobate prevaileth for no man. 2. " All things that happen, do come abso- lutely of necessity.'' (r) The raanner, in which this great harbinger of the reformation defended the latter pro osition, plainly shews him to have been (notwithstand- ing Guthrie's insinuation to the contraryja deep and skilful disputant. "Our Lord," says he, "affirmed that such or such an event should come to pass. Its accomplishment, therefore, was un- avoidable. The antecedent is infallible: by parity of argument, the consequent is so too For the consequent is not in the power of a created being, forasmuch as Christ affirmed so many tlnn_s" [before they were brought to pass.] " Neither did Christ [pre-] affirm any thing accidentally. (o) Similar was the huniilty of the ever memor- able bishop Hall ; whose last will began thus : " In the name of God, Amen. I, Joseph Hall, D.D. not worthy to be called bishop of Norwich, &c." Fuller'a Worthies, part ii. p. 130. StUl more demiss were the modestY and self-abasement nf that thrice emine t prodigy of holiness, Mr. Bradford, the martyr : who subscribed himself, The sinful John Bradford : a very painted hypocrite, John Bradford : the most miser- able, hard-iiearted, and unthankful sinnei, John Bradford- See Fox's Mart. vol. iii. (p) Acts sviii. 24 — 26. (g) See Rolfs Lives of Reform, p. 10. (r) Fox's Acts and Mon. vol. i. p. 513. (s) " Christus asseruit, hoc esse fumrum : erg6, hoc est, fuit, vel erit. Antecedcns est necessjunum : ergo, et consequens. Non enim est in potestate rreatura; ; quaudo Christus talia multa asseruit. Nec assertio animae Christi per accideus est hujusmodi et ideii, sh ut necessario Christius iliud asseruit, i& ue- cessario illud ereniet. Confinnat hoc : quocimque Seeing, then, that his affirmation was not accidential, but necessary ; it follows, that the event affirmed by him must be necessary like- wise. This argumnet," adds Wickliff " re- ceives additional strength, by observing, that, in what way soever God may declare his will by his after-discoveries of it in time ; still, his determination, concerning the event, took place before the world was made : ergo, the event will surely follow. The necessity, therefore, of the antecedent, holds no less irrefragably for the necessity of the consequent. And who can either promote or hinder the inference, viz. That this was decreed of God before the founda- tion of the world ?" (*) I will not undertake to justify the whole of this paragraph. I can only meet the excellent man half-way. I agree with him, as to the necessity of events : but I cannot, as he evidently did, suppose God him- self to be a necessaiy agent, in the utmost sense of the terra. That God acts in the most exact conformity to his own decrees, is a truth which scripture asserts again and again : but that God was absolutely free in decreeing, is no less asserted by the inspired writers; who, with one voice, declare the Father's predestination, and subsequent disposal, of all things, to be entirely founded, not on any antecedent necessity, but on the single sovereign pleasure of his own will. The quotation, however, proves, that Wickliff was an absolute Necessitarian. And he improves, with great solidity and acuteness, the topic of prophecy into (what it most certainly is) a very strong argument for pre- destination. As the prophecies of the Old and New Testaments are such an evidence of the divine inspiration of the sacred writers, and such a proof of Christianity, as all the infidels in the world will never be able to overthrow; so, on the other hand, those same prophecies conclude, to the full, as strongly in favour cf peremptory predestination. For, if events were undecreed, they would be unforeknown : and if unforeknown, they could not be infallibly (0 predicted. To say, that ' events may be futuro signato, ante mundi constitutionem Deus exionem St-Tiumque causa- rum, qu^i sit omne quod sit, fatiim appelhint : quod totum Uui suinnii tribuunt voluiitati et potestati, qui Teracissime creditur cuncta pntstire, et niliil inordi- natum relinqucre. Sed ipsam priecipu*^ Dei surami Toiuutatfin, cuius potestas iasuperabilitp|)ing a word, V. Concerning that illustrious noblensan and martyr. Sir John Oldcastle, the good lord Cobham. No one, who is at all acquainted with English History, need be informed, that this great and excellent person fell a sacrifice, in reality, to the rage of the Romish ecclesias- tics ; whose hatred he had incurred by the purity of his religious principles, and by the honest boldness with which he asserted them. King Henry V. notwithstanding his political uiaxim, of keeping fair with the Church, at all events, would, probably, never have gratified her with a victim of such high rank, and for whom he had a great personal regard, if some churchmen of that age had not trumped up a charge of treason against lord Cobham : when all the while, his real crime, in their eye, was, heresy. The Princes of the House of Lan- caster could not but be perfectly conscious that their possession of the throne was founded on manifest usurpation. This rendered them extremely suspicious of their subjects ; and in- duced them to avenge, with severity, every measure that seemed to threaten the smallest approaches of a rei olution. The Papists availed themselves of this c'rcunisfance, in the case of lord Cobham. The King, though displeased at this nobleman's abhorrence of Popery, was not, perhaps, sorry to hear of his escape form the Tower : as that incident extricated his Majesty from the painful alternative of either offending the Church, by pardoning Cobhanj in form; or of resigning a victorious general and faith- ful subject to the flames, in order to satisfy a set of men who were, in reality, but so many dead weights on the wheel of civil government. }5ut the ecclesiastics would not quit their prey so easily. Some lime after lord Cobham's escape from the Tower, about 100 Wickliffites (or, as they were then called, Lollards) were assembled, for the purposes of devotion, in St. Giles's Fields, at that time, an uncultivated tract of ground, overgrown with bushes and trees (q). The good people were then obliged by persecution either entirely to forego all religious raietings, or to hold them in such sequestered places as those. This innocent assembly was not conducted with the intended secrecy. The Papists gained inquiena &er\a ecs in uomiue tuo, quos dedlsti mibi." Jljid. (p)" Unde claret, quod tam reditio A malo, quam per- manse in bono sinaliter, scilicet, universis Diebus ; pacto flerapiterno ut nunquam recedatur a Domino, quas est perseverantia usque in sinem ; non est sufTicient^r nee anteced^nter ab hoiiune. Bed a Deo. Unde et Augustinus, de bono perseverantia, 2. eandem conclu- eionem per eandem autoritatem ostendit : banc enim, inquiens, scilicet, perseverantiam piomisit Deua diceim, timorem meum dabo in cor eorum, ut a me non recedant. Quod quid est aliud, quam quod talis tui tantus erit timor mi us, qurm dabo in cor eoruiu, "Jt milii perscveranter adhaereant ( " fhid. p. 493. {q) Complete Hist, of Engl. vol. i. p. 311. 114 THE CHARGE OF intellitrence of it, and alarmed the King (who WIS lieeping Christinas at Eltham) with infor- niHtion, that a number of Lollards, to the amount of at least 20,000, with lord Cobham at their head, were rendezvoused in St. Giles's Fields, with a view to exterminate the reigning family. The jealous King gave implicit credit to the false representation : and, repairing, at midnight, to the place, with such forces as he could hastily collect found about 80 persons met together. Some were immediately slaugh- tered by the soldiers. About 60 were taken prisoners ; of whom, 34 were afterwards hanged, and seven hanged and burned. I mention this pretended conspiracy, be- cause it sealed the doom of lord Cobham. Though he was not so much as present at the above meeting, " A Bill of Attainder passed against him, a reward of a thousand marks was .set on his head, and a perpetual exemption from taxes promised to any town that should secure him {r)." After a concealment of nigh four years, the attainted Peer was apprehended in Montgomeryshire, and conveyed to London ; where he received sentence of death. He was executed in St. Giles's Fields, on Christmas- day, December 25, 1417- Nothing could be more cruel than the mode of his sufferings. All historians agree, that he was burned hang- ing. Echard says, that he was suspended over the fire, by an iron chain, fastened round his middle (*). The plate, in Mr. Fox, represents him as hanging with his oack downward, by three chains: the first fastened to his middle, by an iron hoop ; the second, to his right thigh : the other to his neck (<). We have very little remaining of what was written by the noble martyr. His t.wo con- fessions of faith, which occur in Fox, were evidently so worded, as to give no more offence to the times, than was absolutely necessary : a precaution, which, however, did not save the life of their author. I therefore rest the evidence of his probable Calvinism, on the known Calvinism of Wickliff. I have already proved, that Wickliff carried the doctrines of predestination and grace to a very great length : nor is it likely, that Lord Cohbam should have been so devoted an admirer of Wick- lilf, as he certainly was ; nor have put him- >elf to the labour, expense, and danger, of transcribing and dispersing the writings of that reformer, with such zeal and industry as he certainly did ; had he differed from Wickliff on points which so materially af- fect the whole system of Protestantism. A very judicious writer affirms that lord Cob- ham ' caused all the works of Wickliff to be wrote out and dispersed in Bohemia, (( ) Biograph. Diet. v.)l. xii. p. 278. (,s) Ecliaril's Hist, of l-ngl. vol. i. p. 455. (() Acts and Mon. vol. i. p. 731. («) Rolfs Lives of llie Ri formers, p. 15. (j.) Fox's Acts and Mnn. vol. i. p. 574. (y) A book was published uuder this title at France, Spain, Portugal, and other parts of Europe." (?«) Which, I should imagine, he would no more have done, had he not adopted Wickliff's plan of doctrine, tiian the vicar of Broad Hembury would be at the pains and cost of re-printing and dispersing the lucubra- tions of Mr. John Wesley. Indeed, the principles of all Wickliff's disciples appear, so far as I have been able to find, highly Calvinistical. Take one speci- men in lieu of many. About the year 1391, during the reign of Richard IL a letter of expostulation, written, by a Lollard, to one Nicholas Here- ford (who had apostatized from Wickliffism to popery,) has he two following paragraphs : " No perversion of any reprobate," says the pious expostulator, " is able to turn the congregation of the elect from the faith : because all things that shall come to pass, are eternally, in God, devised and ordained for the best unto the elect Christians. Like as the mystical body of Christ is the con- gregation of all the elect ; so Antichrist, mj'stically, is the Church of the wicked and of all the reprobates." (.r) So true is it, that the doctrine of absolute predesti- nation was held and maintained by the veiy first Protestants, long before the actual establishment of that doctrine at the Re- formation. SECTION XI. T/ie Charge of Mahometanism refuted. The reader may, if he pleases, consider himself as entered, at present, on a kind of historical voyage. Mr. Sellon pretends to think, that we are in full sail for Con- stantinople ; and that Calvinism is at once the compass by which we steer, and the breeze by which we are carried, plump into the Giand Seignor's harbour. Predestination and the meluctabllis ordo rerum, are, ac- cording to this sage Arminian geographer, situate only in the latitude of Mahomet : and every man, who believes, with scripture, that God worketh all things after the council of his own will; and, with our Church, that all things, both in heaven and earth, are ordered by a never-failing providence ; every man, who thus believes, is, in my redoubt- able adversary's estimation, a Mahometan. I must acknowledge, that such a con- temptible cavil as this, is too low and ri- diculous to merit a single moment's atten- tion. However, as it has been urged, formerly, by the wretched authors of Calvhio-Tur- cismus ; (y) and now repeated, with an air Antwerp, in the year 1559, and again at Cologne-, in 1603. It was the joint-work of two English Papists (Wilhani Reynolds andWilliam Gifford^.who had fled their country. Its drift was to prove the conformity of Calvinism and Mahometanisoo. Giflbrd, who finished and published it, was a priest ; and had several times MAHOMETANISM REFUTED. 115 of seeming seriousness, by Mr John IV^esley's advocate ; I beg permission of my readers to touch at Constantinople in earnest ; not with a view to stay there for good, but just to looli about us, and determine, for ourselves, whether Calvinism and Mahometan- ism are the same, or not. Dean Prideaux shall set us on shore. This learned historian observes, tiiat the religion of Mahomet is " made up of three parts : whereof one was borrowed from the Jews, another from the Christians, and the third from the Heathen Arabs." (z) A whole third, then, of the Ma- hometan system, is neither more nor less than Christianity at second hand. But shall we tl.erefore disclaim a dozen or twenty articles of our Christain Creed, because those articles were adopted by Mahomet ? What a prodi- gious ga|) such absurd conduct would make in our Confession of Faith, maybe easily judged of, from the ensuing specimen. " The first doctrine that Mahomet propa- gated among them [i.e. among his followers at Mecca,] was. That there is but one God, and that he only is to be worshipped ; and that all idols were to be taken away, and their worship utterly abolished, (a) " He allowed both the Old and the New Testament ; and that Moses and Jesus Christ were prophets sent from God. (6) '* They [i. e. the Mahometans] own that there aie angels, executioners of God's com- mands, designed for certain ofi&ces both in heaven and earth, (c) " They believe a general resurrection of the dead, (d) " They hold both a general judgment, and a particular one [at death (e) ]. " If a person ask. Why God hath created the infidels and wicked r Their answer is. That we ought not lo be over-curious to search into the secrets of God (f). " The morals of the Mahometans consist in doing good, and shunning evil {g). " Their casuists hold, that actions done without faith in God are sins (A). " They forbid to judge of uncertain things; because it doth not belong to us to judge of the things which God hath concealed from us {i). " T(jieir devotion exteiids even to the sacred names. When tliey pronounce the name of God, they make a bow; and add, most high. most blessed, most strong, most excellent, or some such epithet (k). " The Mahometans tolerate all religions {1). " They are commanded to pray, at the ap- pointed times : " And to give alms (m). "They hold a heaven and hell (n). " Mahomet forbad adultery to his fol- lowerers (o). "They assert the immortality of the soul {p)." Among the maxims of the Alcoran, are ; " Forgive those who have offended thee. Do good to all (y)." Now, would any reasonable Christian strike out these articles from his Creed, only because Mahomet has inserted them in his ? And does it follow, that the most respectable persons in the world, who are influenced by these excellent principles of faith and practice, are, for that reason, to be dubbed Mahometans ? But the plain ti-uth is, Mr. Sellon knows no more of Constantinople, than he does of Geneva. He is equally unacquainted with the real systems both of Turcism and Christianity. Even a su- perficial survey of his subject would have suf- ficed to inform him, that "The questions, le- lating to predestination and free-grace, have been agitated, among tlie Mahometan doctors, with as much heat and vehemence, as ever they were in Christendom (r)." The Mahometans have their sort of Arminians, no less than we. If Mr. Sellon asks, " How goes the stream of doctrines at Constantinople ?" I also can ask, in my turn. How goes the stream at Isjialum ? If the Mahometan Turks, of the sect of Omar, believe an absolute predestination and provi- dence; it is no less certain, that the ^'.ahonlelan Pei sians, of the sect of Halls, deny predtitina- tion, and assert free-will, with as much out- rageous fervour, as Mr. John Wesley himself. But shall I hence infer, that Mr. VVesley is a Mahometan ? I cannot, in justice, pay the Mahometans so bad a compliment. 1 rather say to Mr. Wesley, what the excellent Mr. Hervey said to him long ago, " Before you turn Turk, or Deist, or Atheist, see that you first become an honest man. They will all disown you, it you go over to their party, destitute of common honesty. Out of zeal to demolish the doctrine of election, you scruple not to overleap the bounds of integrity and truth («)." encouraged some assassins to murder Queen Elizabeth. To tlie above book, the learned Dr. Sutcliffe, dean r/ Exeter, published an answer : the title to which ran thus ; />(' Tio'co-Papisuio, &c. /. e. ** Of the Mationie- tan l*op(.Ty ; or a Treatise of the Conspiracy of Turks and Papists against the Church and Faith of Christ ; of their agreement and resemblance in religion and morals. To which are added, four books concerning Ihe slanders and calumnies of the Mahometan-Papists ; in answer to that most defamatory libel, entitled Aldhometan Calvinism, written by William Gilibrd, a iioturiuus and vile flatterer of the Popes and Jesuits." See Bayle, vol. v. art. Sutclift'. (i) Pridcaux's Life of Mahomot, p. 49. Edit. 171.'!. (a) Prideaux's Life of Mahomet, p. 67. (b) Prideaux, ibiil. p. 19. (r; Great Hist. Diet, under the word Mahometan- ism. (d) Ihiri. (e) Ihiii. (f) Ibid. (gj Ibid, (h) Ibid. (i) Ibid. (/}) Ibid, [l) Salmon's Geogr. Gram, p. 431. ( m J Sabnon, ihid. p. ^7. (h) Martin's I'hilolog. Library, p. 85. (o) Martin, Ibid. p. 8U. (p) Martin, Ihid. {q) Voltaire's Kssay on Uni\eraal Hist. vol. I. p. M. Dr. Nugent's edition, 1761. (r) lirown's Travels, p 361. (i) Hervey's Eleven Letters to Wesley, p. 286. 1 2 CHARGE OF MAHOMETANISM il6 After all, there is not that conformity be- t.veen the Christian and the Turkish doctrine of predestination, which Mr. Wesley and his consistory would have us believe. Do Maho- metans assert an election in Christ to grace and glory? Do they maintain, that, in the pre- ordination of events, the means are no less pre- ordained, than the end? Do they consider the Son of God, as joint agent with his Father, in the providential disposure of all things below? Do they hold the eternal covenant of grace, which obtained among the persons of the godhead, in behalf, and for the salvation, of a peculiar people, who shall, by the regenerating efficacy of the Holy Ghost, be made zealous of good works ? Do the Mahometans believe any thing about final perseverance, and the in- amissibility of saving grace? No such thing. I can easily prove their denial of these gospel doctrines, whenever that proof shall be neces- sary. And even as to the predestination of tem- poral events, the disciples of Omar (so far as I can hitherto find, and unless their doctrine be greatly mis-represented) seem to have exceed- ing gross and confused ideas. They appear to consider predestination as a sort of blind, rapid, over-bearing impetus, which, right or wrong, with means or without, carries all things vio- lently before it, with little or no attention to the peculiar and respective nature of second causes. Whereas, according to the Christian scheme, predestination forms a wise, regular, connected plan ? and Providence conducts the execution of it in such a mannei as to assign their due share of importance to the correlative means ; and secure the certainty both of means and end, without violating or forcing the intel- lectual powers of any one rational agent. I have already scrupled to enrol Mr. Wesley himself on the list of mussulmen. Some of his tenets, however, are so nearly related to the worst branches of the Mahometan system, that he might very readily be mistaken, at first sight, for a disciple of Hali. Survey the dark side of Mahometism ; and you will almost aver, that the portrait was intended for the mufti of Moorfields. "The Mahometans would have us believe, that he [viz. Mahomet] was a saint, from the fourth year of his age: for then, say they, the angel Gabriel took him from among his fellows, wl.ile at play with them ; and carrying him aside, cut open his breast, and took out his heart, and wi ung out of it that black drop of blood, in which (say they) was contained the fames pec- cati : so that he had none of it ever after (0 " — So much for Mahomet's sinless perfection. " They hold it unlawful to drink wine ; and to play at chess, tables, cards, or such-like re- creations (?(). " They esteem good works meritorious of heaven (.r). IJ) Piiduaux's L.fe of M.ihom. p. 141. (t. Ross, Ihirl. p. 169. (z) Great His. Die. Article, Maliomctism. (a) Ibid. " Some will be honoured for their absti- nence, in eating and drinking sparingly and seldom. Some profess poverty, and will enjoy no earthly things. Others brag of revelations, visions, and enthusiasms. Some are for tradi- tions, and merits, by which [they suppose] sal- vation is obtained, and not by grace (?/).'' How easy would it be, to run the parallel between Mahometans and some other folks ! 1 must, however, partly acquit Mr. Wesley of Mahometism, on the head of recreations ; for, in a certain two-penny extract from somebody else, published in the year 1767, l^'Ir. Wesley recommends the recreating exercise of battle- door and shuttlecock, together with that of the wooden horse. Beside the above articles, the Mahometans hold, that there is a third, or middle place, for the reception of some departed souls {z). They deny the perpetuity of faith : beliveing, that whosoever renounceth it, loseth the merit of all his good works ; and that, during all that time, he can do nothing acceptable to God, until he hath repented : and then he becomes a mussulman, or faithful, again («).'' Their der- vises" liveavery retierd and austere life ; going bare-foot, with a leathern girdle round their bodies, full of sharp points, to mortify the flesh (b)." The Mahometan bigotry is so exces.sive, that " they esteem themselves only to be wise, valiant, and holy. The rest of the world they look upon to be fools and reprobates ; and use them accordingly (c)." Among the followers of Mahomet, " Any person maybe a priest, that pleases to take the habit and perform the functions ; and may lay down his office when he will : there being nothing like ordination amongst them (d)." By this time, the reader may judge, whether the Church of England, or Mr. Wesley and his friend Sellon, make the nearest approaches to Mahometism. As to myself in particular, 1 can give a decisive proof that I am not a Maho- metan. It might be better for Mr. Sellon, if I was. For, it is one of the essential commands, enjoined by the Alcoran, that Mahomet's dis- ciples must " never dispute with the igno- rant (e)." Consequently, were Mahomet and I master and scholar, the Yorkshire Arminian would have escaped the whole of his present chastisement. SECTION XII. The Jiidi^ment of the most eminent English Martyrs, who suffered for the Gospel, prior to the Settlement of the Reformation. Having seen "how the stream goes at Constan- tinople," let us weigh anchor, and return to olt own more enlightened clime. When it pleased God to visit this kingdom (i) Iliid. Article, Turks. (r) Salmon's Geogr. Grain, p. 4. 8. (d) Salmon's Geogr. Gramm. p. 430. (e) Voltaire's Essay on Univ. His. vol. i. p. 44. JUDGxVIENT OF EMINENT mARTYRS. nz with a revival of gospel truth, the persons, whose interest it was to keep mankind involved in religious darkness, strained every sinew of secular and ecclesiastical power, to obstruct the progress of a doctrine, which, if not sea- sonably smothered, would inevitably prove fata' to that golden idol which the churchmen of those times worshipped. They well knew, that the scheme of free salvation, as it stands simply revealed in Scripture, lays the axe, not only to the tree, but to the very root, of Popery: whicl), like Dagon before the ark, cannot but fall, in proportion as tlie doctrines of gratuitous election and unconditional justification prevail and extend. Hence, the sword of persecution was unsheathed ; and they, whose eyes God had opened, could sing, with those of old. For thy sake, we are killed all the day long ; we are counted as sheep appointed to be slain. While the sword was brandished, and while the fires were flaming, Protestants went cheer- fully to death for the doctrines of Christ. But, now the sword is laid asleep, and the fires are extinguished, the doctrines of Christ are too generally forgot: nay, what is still more shock- ing, the very mention of those doctrines seems to frighten some nominal Protestants out of their wits. If we have lost the persecutions, we have also ( in a manner) lost the spirit and faith of our Christian predecessors. This will too plainly appear, so far as the articles now in question are concerned, even from the few fol- lowing examples. I. William Sawtree, an early and eminent disciple of Wickliff", was rector or vicar of St. Scithe's parish in London, and the first who had the honour of being burnt for Protestantism in England. That this worthy proto-martyr held the dnctiine of election, appears, from part of a paper which he wrote and delivered to Arundel, archbishop of Canterbury. In the fullness of his zeal against angel-worshiping, he gave the prelate to understand, that, was he bound to worship one or the other, he would, of the two, " rather worship a man, whom he knew to be predestinated, than worship an an- gel :" assigning for reason, because " the one is a man of the same nature witli the humanity of Christ, which an angel is not (f)." He suffered death, A. D. 1400. II. Mr. John Claydon, a devout tradesman of London, was burned in Smithfield, A. D. 1415. An English book had been found in his custody, from whence fteen articles of heresy were extracted, which served as the ground- work of his prosecution and condemnation. Among these articles, was one, concerning election and perseverance, which ran thus : " 5. That no reprobate is a member of the Church, but only such as be elected and predestinate to (f) Fox's Acts and Mou. vnl. i. p. 587. (g) Fox, i. 7-n. (A) Its author was one Mr. John Grime, a Wick- iifiiit. The short extract from it, cited above, may stand salvation : seeing the Church is no otiier thing but the congregation of faithful souls, who do, and will keep their faith constantly, as well in deed, as in word (§■).'' This book, it seems, was entitled, " The Lanthorn of Light " (A) : and Mr. Claydon confessed, that he " had got that copy of it transcribed and bound at his own ex- pense." On which, he was consigned to the flames, as incorrigible. III. Mr. Thomas Bilney, who had been the instrument of bishop Latimer's conversion, was burned in 1531. Among the articles of his ex- amination before Tonstal, bishop of London, were the following : " Whether he believed the Catholic Church may err in the faith, or no ? And whether he thought the Catholic Church is only a spiritual Church, intelligible and known only to God?" To this double inter- rogatory, Bilney answered in these words "'The Catholic Church " [?. e. the universal Church of God's predestinated people,] " can by no means err in faith : for it is the whole congre- gation of the elect ; and so known only unto God, who knoweth who are his (/')." Two other ensnaring questions were put to this holy man : " Whether he believed all things, pertaining to salvation and damnation, to come of necessity, and nothing to be in our own wills ? And, whether he believed God to be the author of all evil {k) V He discreetly answered, " God is the author of the punishment only, but not of the offence (/)•" He would never have been put to the test of such queries as these, if he had not been considered as a known predestinarian. IV. James Bainham, a gentleman of birth and learning, by profession a lawyer, of the Mid- dle Temple, suffered at the stake in 1532. His judgment concerning the evangelical doctr ines, sufficiently appears from one of his answers, on his first trial before Stokesley, bishop of Lon- don. "All godliness," said the martyr, "is given of God by his abundant grace : the which no man of himself can keep, but it " \i. e. the retaining, as well as the reception, of grace] " must be given him of God So highly was this chosen vessel favoured in his last moments, that, when his legs and arms were half consumed by the flames, he addressed the spectators in these memorable words : " O ye Papists, ye looked for miracles. Here you may see a miracle ; for, in this fire, I feel no more pain, than if I were on a bed of down. It is to me a bed of roses." V. William Tyndal, though put to death in Flanders, must yet, as a native of this kingdom, be numbered among the English martyrs, fie was a person of seraphic piety, indefatigable study, and extraordinary learning. His mo- desty, zeal, and disinterestedness, were so great, that he declared, he should be content to live as a general specimen of the doctrines with wl ich the writings of tlie earliest Protestants v/ere fraucht. (Ij Pox, ii. 2I,t. (k) Ibid. (I) It/iil. (m) Fox, ii. 246. 118 JUDGMENT OF EMINENT MARTYRS in any conO^.y of England, on an allowance of ten pounds per annum, and bind himself to receive no more, if he might only have autho- rity to instruct children and preach the gospel. Heylin himself confesses, that Tyndal has a " flying-out against free-will {»)■" It will pre- sently be seen, that that early and eminent Pro- testant "flew out," not only against free-will, but also against other corrupt branches of the Popish and Pelagian system. His translation of the New Testament into English (for he did not live to finish the Old) made the cloud of persecution, which had been long hovering over him, burst into a storm. He was apprehended at Antwerp ( through the treachery of an ungrateful Englishman, whom he had liberally relieved and hospitably enter- tained), and carried prisoner to Filford, eighteen miles from that city ; where he was strangled and burned, in 1536. During his residence at Antwerp, he sent over a letter to Mr. Frith, (then a prisoner in the Tower, and afterwards a martyr) exhorting him to fortitude under his sufferings for the name of Christ. "The will of God,'' says Tyndal, in his letter, "be fulfilled! and what he hath ordained to be, ere the world was made, that come, and his glory reign over all (o) !" He adds : " There falleth not an hair, till God's hour be come : and when his hour is come, necessity carrieth us hence, though we be not willing. — Be cheerful ; and remember, that, among the hard-hearted in England, there is a number reserved by grace ; for whose sakes, if need be, you must be ready to suffer." Nothing, on this side Heaven is so sublime and ani- mating as the Christian philosophy. And what is the Christian philosophy, but another name for Cahnnism ? From several treatises, written by Mr. Tyndal, a great number of propositions were ex- tracted by the Papists, and branded for " here- tical and erroneous." Of these propositions, the following are some : (p) " Faith only justifieth. " The spirit of God turneth us and our na- ture, that we do good as naturally '' [i. e. as necessarily] " as a tree brings forth fruit. " Faith rooteth herself in the hearts of the elect. " Works do only declare to thee that thou art justified. " If thou wouldest obtain Heaven by the merits and deservings of thine own works, thou wi'ongest and shamest the blood of Christ. " The true believer is heir of God, by Christ's deservings : yea, and in Christ was predestinate, and ordained unto eternal life, before the world began. " In believing, we receive the spirit of God, which is the earnest of eternal life ; and we are in eternal life already, and already feel in our hearts the sweetness thereof, and are overconje with the kindness of God and Christ: and therefore we love the will of God ; and, of love, are ready to work freely, and not to obtain that which is given us freely, and whereof we are heirs already. "The longing and consent of the heart to the law of God, is the working of the Spirit ; which God hath poured into thy heart, in ear- nest that thou mightest be sure that God will fulfil all the promises he hath made to thee. It is also the seal and mark, which God putteth on all men whom he chooseth to everlasting life. " Yea, and by thy good deeds shalt thou \jc saved : not which thou hast done, but which Christ hath done for thee. For Christ is thine, and all his deeds are thy deeds. Christ is in thee and thou in him; knit together inseparably; neither canst thou be damned, except Christ be damned with thee ; neither can Christ be saved, except thou be saved with him." The two last clauses of this paragi"aph are, certainly, very strongly expressed. Yet they contain a truth, which our Lord himself affirmed, though in terms less harsh : Where I am, there shall also my servant come. — Because I live, ye shall live also. Christ mystical can no more perish than Christ personal. Tyndal goes on. " Hark what St. Paul saith: If I preach, I have nought to rejoice in, for necessity is put unto roe. — If I do it willingly," saith he, " then have I my reward ; that is, then am I sure that God's spirit is in me, and that I am elect to eternal life. " We deserve not everlasting life, by our good works ; for God hath promised it unto us, before we began to do good (q).'' Yet Mr. Tyndal zealously asserted the necessity of good works, as fruits and proofs of faith ; though, with Scripture, he utterly denied their being me- ritorious in the sight of God : witness the fol- lowing excellent passage: "If thy faith induce thee not to do good works, thou hast not the right faith : thou only thinkest that thou hast it. For St. James saith, that faith, without works, is dead in itself. He saith not, that it is little, or feeble : but that it is dead : and that which is dead, is not. Therefore, when thou art not moved by faith to the love of God, and, by the love of God, to good works, thou hast no faith (r)." So true is it, on one hand, that real grace cannot but produce good works ; and, on the other, that (as Tyndal observes) " if God had promised Heaven to us because of our works, we could then never be sure of our sal- vstion : for we should never know how much, nor how long, we should labour, to be saved ; and should always be in fear that we had done too little, and so we could never die joyfully («)." Dr. Heylin shall contribute his mite to- wards demonstating the Calvinism of Tyndal : premising, first, that, in the judgment of the (n) Miscel. Tracts, p. 544. (0) Tax, a. 307. (p) Fox, ii. 197— 490. (q) Fox, ibid. 507. ;r) Ibid. (.<; Ibid. 500. BEFORE THE REFORMATION. 119 said doctor, "There were so many hetero- doxies in the most of Tyndal's writings, as render them no fit rule for a reformation, any more than those of Wickliif before remem- bered." Some of these " many heterodoxies," Peter Heyhn thus enumerates; "Grace," saith Tyndal, "is properly God's favour, benevo- lence, or kind mind ; wliich, of his own self, without our deservings, he reached to us : whereby [i. e. by which undeserved favour and benevolence] he was moved and inclined to give Christ unto us, with all other gifts of grace. Which having told us, in his Preface to St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans ; he telleth us, not long after, that, in the 9th, 10th, and 11 th chapters of the Epistle, the apostle teach- eth us of God's predpstination : from whence [i. e. from and out of God's predestination] it springeth althogether; whether we shall be- lieve, or not believe ; be loosed from sin, or not be loosed. By which predestination, our justify- ing and salvation are clear taken out of our hands, and put into the hands of God only : wliich thing is most necessary of all. For we are so weak, and so uncertain, that, if it stood in us, there would of truth no man be saved : the devil, no doubt, would deceive him. But now God is sure of his predestination ; nei er can any man withstand or lett him." Discoursing, in another place, of the act the will hath on the understanding, [a blunder ofHeylin's; who meant to say, of the act which the understanding hath on the will,] " He [Tyndal] telleth us, that the will of man follo'.veth the wit [i. e. followeth the under- standing :] that, as the wit erreth, so doth the «vill: and as the wit [the understanding] is in captivity, so is the will : neither is it possible that the will should be free, when the wit is in bondage [through original sin]. " Finally, in the heats of his disputation with Sir Thomas More, who had said, that ' Men were to endeavour themselves, and cap- ' tivate their understandings, if they would be- ' lieve,' Tyndal first cries out, how beetle-blind is fleshly reason! and then subjoins, that the will hath no operation at all in the working of within my soul, no more than the child hath in begetting his father : for, saith Paul, It [i. e. faith] is the gift of God, and not of us (t)." Oh rare William Tyndall "heterodox" with a witness! — The reader need not be told, that the Sir Thomas More, whose tenet of free-will was thus combated by Tyndal, was the same Sir Thomas who was afterwards beheaded by Henry VIII. for exalting the pope's supremacy above the king's. Arminianism will, beyond all question, join hands with Popery, in condemning the above extracts : though nothing can be more certain than this great truth, that the principles, which they assert, are the very essence of the gospel ; and, if the Scriptures are true, must be reck- oned in the number of its brightest and most valuable doctrines. I agree with the learned and pious Mr. Fox, that, " If these articles be made heresies, which refer the benefit of our inheritance of life and salvation to God's gift, and not to our labours ; to grace, and not to merits ; to faith, and not to the law of works; then let us clean shut up the New Testament, and away with God's word." We have nothing to do, but to " leave Christ and his heretical gospel ; and, in his stead, set up the bishop of Rome with his Talmud, and become the dis- ciples of his decretals («)." VI. Mr. John Lambert received the aca- demical part of his education in the University of Cambrige : where it pleased God to convert him by means of Mr. Bilney. His true name was Nicholson : but his subsequent dangers on a religious account induced him to assun)e that of Lambert, for his greater security against the storm that threatened (x). He was, how- ever, burned in Smithfield, A. D. 1538; but with a fire so ill made (purposely to increase his pains), that his legs were consumed, and he still remained alive. Whereupon, two, who stood on each side of him, lifted him, on the points of theii halherfs, as high as the chain (which fastened him to the stake) would reach : and he, lifting up such hands as he had, his fingers' ends flaming with fire, cried to the people, with an audible voice, " None but Christ, none but Christ!'' And so, being set down again from their nalberts, he fell again into the fire, and breathed out his faithful soul into the arms of his Redeemer (?/)•" He had been chaplain to the English mer- chants at Antwerp. On an accusation of heresy, he was seized and conveyed to London. In the course of his examination before Warharn, archbishop of Canterbury, he was asked, " Dost thou believe that whatsover is done of man, whether it be good or ill, cometh of neces- sity {z)V Mr. Lambert easily perceived, that his being so closely questioned on the article of predestination, was no other than a trap laid for his life. His reply did equal honour to his prudence and faithfulness : " Unto the first part of your riddle, I neither can nor will give any definitive answer. Concerning the second part, whether man hath free-will or no, to de- serve joy or pain ? as for our deserving of joy, in particular, I think it very little or none ; even when we do the very commandments and law of God. When you have done all things that are commanded you, saith our Saviour, say that ye be unprofitable servants. When we have done his bidding, we ought not so to magnify neither our self, nor our own free-will: but laud him with a meek heart, through whose benefit we have done (if at any time we do it) his liking and pleasure. Hence Austin prayeth (!) Heylin's Misc. Tracts, p. 315. (u) ihid p. 507. (X) Hist, of Popery, vol. ii. p. 417. (y) IMd, p. 41B. (z) Fox. ii. 331 120 JUDGMENT OF EMINENT MARTYRS. Dom'tne, da quod jiibes, et jnhe quod vh: Lord, pive what thou commiindest, and command what thou wilt. Concerning free-will, I mean altogether as doth St. Austin : that, of our- selves, we have no liberty nor ability to do the will of God ; but are shut up and sold under sin, as both Isaiah and Paul bear witness: but by the grace of God we are rid and set at liberty, according to the portion which every man " [f. e. every regenerate man] "hath received of the same ; some more, some less (a)." Lambert was also asked, " Whether faith alone, without good works, may suffice to the salvation and justification of a man who has fallen into sin after baptism (6) ?" The martyr answered in the words of St. Austin, " Opera bona noil fnc'mnt justum sed justificatus facit bona opera : The performance of good works does not justify a man, but the man who is justified performs good works (c)." Lambert was (rf) not sentenced on his first examination. But, in a short time, he was ap- prehended again, and appealed from the judg- ment of the bishops, to the king. Henry VIII. gave him the hearing in person The stern overbearing roughness with which that sour unfeeling tyrant treated the evangelical pri- soner; and the decent firmness with which the latter acquitted himself, amidst such insults as would either have quite intimidated, or violently exasperated the generality of men ; may be read in almost any of our historians. The result was, that Mr. Lambert received sentence of death, and was executed in the manner above re- lated (e). VII. Mrs. Anne Ascough, (commonly called Askew,) a most pious and accomplished young lady, of whom the world was not worthy, adorns the Protestant calendar. Her understanding only was masculine, not her manners. The dia- mond was set in gold. The virtues of her heart added value to a genius originally bright, and solidly improved. Both were sanctified and ennobled by the grace of God. Hence, her piety was angelic ; her meekness, invincible ; her fortitude, supernatural. " She might have lived," says Mr Fox, "in great wealth and prosperity, if she would have followed the (a) Fox, Ibid. 335 (ij Fox, ibid. 332. (cj Ibid. 350. (ri) Bishop Burnet attributes Lambert's escape at this time, to the death of archbishop Warham, and to the change of counsels which that event, for a while, occasioned. — Hist, of the Reform. toI. i. p. 241. ie) In the year 1541, one Alex.inder Seton, preacher at St Antholia's, brought himself into great danger for asserting the dottrines of grace. He was, at length, unhappily prevailed with to recant : and my reason for making any mention of hiin, is, because the doc- trines, for which he had like to have lost his life, de- monstrate, among a multiplicity of other instances, how high the Protestant tide ever ran in favour of Calvinism. Mr. Fox observes, (ii. 452.) that "the greatest matter alledged against Seton, was, for preaching free justification by faith in Christ, and against man's free- will, and against false conrtilence in good works." The btibstance of his principles mny be read in Fox, fu. s. p. 451.) and are well worthy of perusal, notwithstanding tlte man himself made afterwarus a verbal retraction f.f them. Gold is gold, let who will fling it away. world rather than Clirlst v/)-" Her family and connections were of considerable rank {g) : and, unless I am much mistaken, she herself seemed to have possessed atone time, some post of honour in the court of queeti Catharine Parr For the wit, delicacy, and good sense, with which she embarrassed the lord mayor of London, bishop Bonner, bishop Gardiner, and others, in the course of her examinations, the reader may consult Sti7pe, Fox, and Burnet. She had been so inhumanly racked, during her imprison- ment, that she lost the use of her limbs, and was forced to be conveyed to Smithfield in a chair. Three persons of the other sex suffered martyrdom at the same time ; and were not a little strengthened in the last stage of their warfare, by the example, prayers, and exhor- tations of this excellent woman : who, notwith- standing, was so weakened and disabled by the brutal hardships of her confinement, that two Serjeants were obliged to support her at the stake, till the fagots were kindled. Amidst all these outward infii mities, her heaven-born siul continued triumphant and alert. She was filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Her faculties were so entire, and her presence of mind so extraordinary, that, as she stood at the stake, she frequently corrected Shaxton, while he was preaching the execution«s«rmon, when he advanced any thing contrary to the doctrines of Scripture. Sermon being ended, (which was preached in the open air,) the lord chancellor Wriothesley offered the King's pardon to the four martyrs, as they stood at their respective stakes, on condition of recantation. They all nobly refused. Not one of them would so much as look at the papers vvhen held out to them. Mrs. Ascough, in particular, answered " I did not come hither to deny ray Lord and Master." The lord mayor then gave the word of command, fiat justitia : and the flames were immediately kin- dled. Thus these blessed martyrs ascended in chariots of fire to Heaven. The spot whereon they were executed was that open part of Smithfield, which lies over against the gate that leads to St. Bartholomew's church. Mrs. Ascough was not 25 years of age (A). That she believed the doctrines of grace, (f } Acts and Mon. ii. 489. (^) See Strype's Eccles. Memorials, vol. i. p. 387. (//) In the History of Popery, vol. ii. p. 464, apiece of spiritual Poetry is preserved, which was written and sung by Mrs. Ascough, while she lay under sentence of death in Newgate. Considering it as the production of a Lady, whose constitution was quite broken with sufferings ; and not forgetting, that it was composed above two hundred and twenty years ago, (l iz. A. D. 1546.) it will reflect the reverse of dishonour oi: the amiable authoress, to insert it here. Like as the armed knight appointed to the field, with this world will I fight, and faith shall be my shield Faith is that weapon strong, which will not fail at need: My foes therefore among therewith I will proceed. As it had in strength and force of Christ his way BEFORE THE REFORMATION. 121 and experienced their power in her own heart, is evident, from the diitt, both of the few writ- ings she left behind her, and of her relisjious behaviour in general. I shall, particularly, in- stance this, in the article of final perseverance. In an account of her sufTerings, written by herself, after observing that the lord chancellor Wriothesley assisted in torturing her on the rack, with his own hands, till she was almost dead ; and that, after she was taken off from the rack, she sat for near two hours on the bare floor, disputing with the lord chancellor, who vehemently importuned her to renounce the faith : she adds, "But my Lord God, I thank his everlasting goodness, gave me grace to per- servere, and will do, I hope, to the very end.'* What, under the pressure of those languishing circumstances, she only expressed an hope of, she shortly after expressed her full assurance of : "I doubt not," said she, " but God will perform his work in me, like a she hath begun. "f I desire no stronger proof of her Calvinism. Whosoever "doubts not," that the work of grace is of God's beginning, and shall be of God's completing, must either adopt such in- coherencies, as would disgrace the meanest understanding, or be clear in those other articles of the gospel with which these are so intimately and necessarily connected. VIII. I must not forget the eminently learned Doctor Robert Barnes ; of whose con- version, pious Mr. Bilney had been the instru- ment. Lord Cromwell's fall (who was beheaded July 28, 1540.) seems to have involved in it the doom of this illustrious Protestant, who was barned for the gospel on the 30th of the same iiionth. Heylin's Arminian pen shall, for the pre- sent, suffice to prove the Calvinism of Dr. Barnes. " It is no marvel," says that virulent Pole- njist, "if we find somewhat in his [i. e. in Barnes's] writings, agreeable to the palate of the Calvinists and rigid Lutherans. From whence it is, that, laying down the doctrine, of predestination, he [i. e. Dr. Barnes] dis- It will prevail at length, thn' all the Devils say nay. Faith in the fathers old obtained righteousness : which maketh me so bold to fear no world's distress. I now rejoice in heart, and hope bids me do so : for Christ will take my part, and ease me of my woe. Thou sayest, Lord, whoso knock, to them wilt thou attend : Undo therefore the lock, and thy strong pow'r down send. More enemies I have, than hairs to crown my head, Let them not me deprave, but fight thou in my stead. On thee my care I cast , for all their cruel spight; I set not l.y their haste, for tliou art my delight. I am n. &U, 6«. t [libd.] 122 JUDGMENT OF EMINENT MARTYRS " the Zuinglians, toiichinsj God's workiiiar on the will, than possible may ht capable of a good [i. e. of an Ai minian] constiuction." Will the reader permit nie to subjoin the testimony of two worthy persons, who suffered for the (Tospel in Scotland, prior to the Refor- mation ? I am sensible, that their suffrage does not strictly pertain to the argument of the pre- sent Section. It is not, however, entirely foreign to it; as martyrs, of all nations, are brethren ; and as it will conduce to demonstrate, that the first Protestants of that country, no less than of our own, were companions in faith as well as in patience. I. Mr. Patrick Hamelton was a person of very illustrious descent ; nearly related, both by father's and mother's side, to James V. the then reigning king of Scotland (A). Early in life, he was made Abbot of Ferme ; and his subsequent preferments would have been very great, had not God opened his eyes, to see the Antichris- tianism of Popery. Making the tour of Germany, lie became acquainted with Luther and other learned Protestants ; whose conversation was blessed to the conversion of this excellent man. On his return to his own country, he was very assiduous in communicating to others the spi- ritual light he had received. His sermons were animated with great zeal against the doctrinal corruptions which then prevailed; and his la- bours were crowned with such success, as alarmed the ruling ecclesiastics ; who, from that time forward, marked him for the shambles. Being cited to answer before James Beton, arch- bishop of St. Andrew's ; such was the martyr's courageous zeal, that he made his appearance early in the morning, some hjurs before the time appointed. The prelate, and his consistory of bishops and abbots, being totally unable to re- sist the wisdom and spirit with which he asserted the doctrines of Christ, realized the old Popish argument, "you have the word, but we have the sword" by condemning him on the spot: and, in such haste were they to dispatch him, that he was burned the same afternoon, which was either the last day of February, or the fir^t of March, 1527- "Learned men," says Mr. Fox, " \"ho communed and reasoned with him, do testify, that the following are the very ar- ticles for which he suffered : " 1. Man hath no free-will. " 2. A man is only justified by faith in Christ. " 3. A man, so long as he liveth, is not without sin. (A ) Burnet's Hist, of the Reform, vol. i. p. i'Jl. (Ij FoK's Acts aud Mon. ii. 183. On) Fox, fhid. (n) riiis Mr. Frith merits a distinct article to him- self, in the preL^ent essay. But I am forced to omit both hia> and a multitude of others : else, ray Octavo would sv/eil to a Folio. 1 tind myself obliged to be superficial, in o. der to be tolerably com ise. Yet let me just ol serve, that Mr. Frith mipht vie ft ith Calv.n, or with /uiiig- lius, or even with Luther himself, a ■ a predestinarian. " 4. He is not woithy to be called a Chris- tian, who doth not believe that he is in gtace. " 5. .A. good man doth good works ; good works do not make a good n.an. " G. An evil man bringeth forth evi! works : evil works., being faithfully repented, do not make an evil man. " 7- Faith, hope, and charity, be so linked together, that one of them cannot be without another, in one man, in this life (/)." In exact conformity with the above articles, part of the sentence of condemnation, pro- nounced on him immediately after his trial, ran thus: "We, James, by the mercy of God, arch- bishop of St. Andrew's, primate of Scotland ; — have found Master Patrick Hamelton many ways infamed with heresy; disputing, holding, and maintaining divers heresies of Martin Luther and his followers, repugnant to our faith : — that man hath no free-will : that man is in sin so long as he liveth ; that children, in- continent after baptism, are sinners ; that all Christians, who be worthy to be called Chris- tians, do know that they are in grace ; that no man is justified by works, but by faith only ; that good works make not a good man, but a good man doth make good works ; that faith, hope, and charity, are so knit, that he, who hath one, hath the rest. — With divers other heresies and detestable opinions ; and hath per- sisted so obstinate in the same, that, by no counsel nor persuasion, he may he drawn therefrom to the way of our rittht faith. — All these premises being considered. We — do pro- nounce, &c. {in)." This great and holy martyr, who was ex- ecuted in the 2.3d year of his age, drew up a short sketch of Evangelical Divinity, which was afterwards published, with a recommendatory preface, by an eminent martyr of our own country, the learned and pious Mr. John Frith («), who suffered death, at London, in 1533. The whole of this concise treatise is inserted into Mr. Fox's inestimable Martyrology. An extract from it will, 1 hope, both please and profit the reader. Mr. Hamelton well knew, that half of our religious mistakes arise from not cleary ascer- taining the difference between the law and the gospel, and from not exactly distinguishing the true nature of each. This he does, with g-eat judgment and accuracy in the following remarks. "The law saith. Pay thy debt. {Viz. the debt of perfect obedience to God). The gospel saith, Christ hath paid it. Heylin aflirms, that, in this respect, Frith soared higher than even Mr. Tyndal's penetratmg sight t ould follow : and yet, as 1 have shewn in this very Section, i juJyl looked as far into predestination, as most men ever did. But, it scenes, Frith could contemplate the gi'>rio'.i3 lustre of that Sun, v^ ith a still more acute and less daz- zled eye. No wonder, therefore that Heylin fhotild stare witli afiVigbtment, at what lie terms " Fritli's bich-ilying conceits ot predestination." See Heyiin's Misc. 'I r. p. 544 and 547. BEFORE THE REFORMATION. 123 " The law sHith, thou art a sinner; despair, and thi'u shalt be dimmed. The gospel saith, thy sins are forgiven thee, be of comfort, for tliou shalt be saved. "The law saith, make amends for thy sins. The gospel saith, Christ hath made it for thee. "The law saith, the Father of Heaven is angry with thee. The gospel saith, Christ hath pacified him with his blood. " The law saith, where is thy righteousness, goodness, satisfaction ? The gospel saith, Christ is thy righteousness, goodness, and satisfaction. " The law saith, thou art bound [over] to me, to the Devil, and to Hell. The gos[iel saith, Christ hath delivered thee from them all." On the subject of faith, he observes, that this important term signifies, " To believe in Christ, and to believe his word, ami to believe that he will help thee in all thy need, and de- liver thee from all evil." He affirms, that " Faith is the gift of God," v/hich he thus proves • " Every good thing is the gift of God. " Faith is good. " Ergo, faith is the gift of God." Nor does he stop here ; but immediately adds this consecutory proposition : " Faith is not in our power.'' Which he likewise argues syllogistically : " The gift of God is not in our power. " P'aith is the gift of God. "Therefoie, faith is not in our power." On the doctrine of works, he expresses himself with great perspicuity and strength of reason. " No man," savs he, " is justified hy the deeds of the law, but hy the faith of Jesus Christ. Moreover, since Christ, the Maker of Heaven and Earth and all that is tlierein, behoved to die for us ; we are compelled to grant, that we were so far drowned and sunk in sin, that neither our deeds, nor all the trea- sures that ever God made or might make, could have holpen us out of it. Therefore, no deeds or works [of our own performing] may make us righteous." He then obviates an objection which, he foresaw, either the ignorance or the perverseness of some might possibly alledge : " If works make us neither righteous nor un- righteous, then (thou wilt say) it is no matter what we do. I answer: If thou do evil, it is a sure argument that thou art evil, and wantest faith. If thou do good, it is an argument that thou art good, and hast faith ; for a good tree heareth good fruit, and an evil tree evil fruit. Yet good fruit makes not the tree good, nor evil fruit the tree evil. A man is good, ere he do good deeds ; and evil, ere he do evil deeds. " Whosoever believeth or thinketh to be saved by his works, denieth that Christ is his The description of Mr. Wishart's person, dress, AuO demeanour, drawn by one who had been his pupil, at Cambridge (for Mr Wishart received his education. Saviour. For how is he thy Saviour, if thou mightest save thyself by thy works or whereto should he die for thee, if any works [of thinej might have saved thee? — What is this, to say Christ died for thee? Verily, that thou shouldest [else] have died perpetually ; and that Christ, to deliver thee from death, died for thee, and changed thy perpetual death into his own death. For thou madesl the fault, and he sufl'ered the pain : and that for the love he had to thee be- fore thou wast born, when thou hadst done neither good nor evil. Now, seeing he hath paid thy debt, thou needest not, neither canst thou pay it ; but shouldest be damned, if his blood were not [shed]. But, since he was punished for thee, thou shalt not be punished. " I do not say, that we ought to do no good deeds: but I say, we should do no good works to the intent to get the inheritance of Heaven, or remission of sin. For if we believe to get the inheritance of Heaven through good works, then we believe not to get it through the pro- mise of God. Or if we think to get remission of our sins by our deeds, then we believe not that they are forgiven us ; and so we count God a liar. For God saith. Thou shalt have the in- heritance of Heaven, for my Son's sake; thy sins are forgiven thee, for my Son's sake: and you say, it is not so, but 1 will win it through my works. " Thus, you see, I condemn not good deeds, but I condemn the false trust in any works : for, all the works, wherein a man putteth any confidence, are therewith poisoned, and become evil. " Wherefore, thou must do good works ; but 1)eware that thou do them not [with a view] to deserve any good through them ; for, if thou do, thou receivest the good, not as gifts of God, but as debt to thee, and makest thyself fellow v/ith God, because thou wilt take nothing of him for naught. And so shalt thou fall, as Lu- cifer fell for his pride." Is it not astonishing, that so young a man, a native and inhabitant of Scotland, should write with such piecision, and in so masterly a style, almost two hundred and fifty years ago? II. No person, who knows any thing of the Scottish history, can be entirely unacquainted with the character and sufferings of the famous and venerable Mr. George Wishart, who was burned at St. Andrew's, A. D. 1545. His le- markable history, and the spirit of prophecy with which he more than once pi'oved him>elf to be endued, aie so well known, that 1 shall enter (o) directly on the evidence of his (Cal- vinism. On his examination, before the cardinal archbishop of St. Andrew's, he was accused of representing God as the author of sin. " Thou, anil spent some years in that university), f resrnt us with an artless, Imt live y, picture ofauticpie simplicity, too singular to he overlooked. " lie was a man of tall 1-24 JUDGMENT OF EMINENT MARTYRS false heretic, saidest, that man hath no fiee-wiU, hard drove, he fairly gives up the point: ex- but is like to the Stoics, who say, that it is ciaiminjj, however, at the same time, that the not in man's will to do any thing; but that all reformers brought their Calvinism with them concupiscence and desire cometh by God, what- from the church of Rome. "Let me tell you," soever kind it be of (p)." Mr. Wishart in his says the angry conceder, "that our first re- answer, utterly denied that the doctrine of sal- formers, in the point of predestination, did say vation by grace is pregnant with so bias- over those lessons which they had learned in phemous a consequence: "My lords, 1 said the Roman schools." I agree with my adver- not so. I say, that as many as believe in sary, in acknowledging, that the reformers Christ firmly, unto them is given liberty ; were predestinarians ; but I pity his weakness conformably to the saying in St. John, If the in venturing to assert, on the lame authoiity Son make you free, then shall ye verily be free. of Christopher Potter, that those excellent On the contrary, as many as believe not in men imported their doctrine of predestination Christ Jesus, they are bond-servants of sin. frome Rome. I have already shewn, that it He that sinneth is bound to sin (q)." What has, for ages and ages back, been the ruling en- is this, but to say ? 1. That man's will is not deavour of Popery to stifle, demolish, and free to good, until after he is converted to the exterminate, the whole system of Calvinism, faith of Christ. 2. That, prior to conversion, both root and branch. You might as reason- and in a state of nature, man cannot but oflend ably affirm, that the glory which beamed from God. 3. That man can only be made free indeed, the face of Moses was kindled at Hell-fire ; as by tlie grace of Christ breathing faith into insinuate, that we are indebted to Rome for his heart. — If this be not Calvinism, I am at any of our Thirty-nine Articles. Mr. Sellon's a loss to know what is. concession, however, induces me to offei him A clause, occurring in one of Mr. Wishart's a plain query. To what end have you scrib- last supplications to God, shall conclude this bled a libel, with a professed view to Armini- Section : anize the Liturgy, Articles, and Homilies, which " We desire thee heartily, that thou conserve, you yourself acknowledge to have been com- defend, and help thy congregation which thou posed by Calvinistic divines? Can any man in hast chosen before the beginning of the world ; his senses, really believe, that a set of predesti- and give them thy grace, to hear thy word, narians would draw up a plan of national faith and to be thy true servants in this present and worship on the Arminian model ? Impos- life C)-" sible. Your quotation, therefore, from Christo- pher Potter, which you have adopted for your SECTION XIII. own, has stabbed the whole hypothesis of your pamphlet to the very heart. The Judgment of our English Reformers. ^.jj;,, Messieurs M'esley and Sellon dis- Verv little need be said, to prove the Cal- consolately walk arm in arm, round about our vinism of those illuminated divines, who were established Zion, surveying her walls, and made, by Providence, the instruments of ex- shaking their heads at her bulwarks; but un- tending and fixing the English Reformation. able either to find or to make a breach, whereat The whole series of our public service, the to enter. Happy would they deem themselves, uniform tenor of our articles, and the chain of could they prove that the reformers were doctrine asserted in each Book of Homilies, Arminians. But, alasl the church of England are a standing demonstration, that the original was settled under King Edward VI. h)ng be- framers and compilers believed in, and wor- fore Armitiius himself was born: and after- shipped, the God of their fathers, after that wards re-settled by Elizabeth, when the same way which Papists and Arminians term heresy. Arminius was an infant in his cradle. Pelagians Even Mr. Sellon does not, in his 7th page, were (if I may so phrase it) the Arminians of so much as attempt to call in question the those times ; and Pelagians are, expressly and Calvinism of our reformers. Finding himself by name, branded tor " vain talkers," in the Btature, bald-headed, and on tbesame a round French cap of the best ; judged to be of a mi'lancholy com- plexion, by his physiognomy. Black-haired, long- bearded, comely of personage, well spoken, after his country of Scotland, courteous, lowly, lovely, glad to teach, desirous to learn, and was well travelled. Having on him, for his habit, or clothing, never but a mantle, or frieze gown to the shoes; a black Milan fustian doublet ; plain black hosen ; coai^se new canvass for his shirts ; and white falling bands, and cuffs at his hands. All the which apparel he gave to the poor ; some weekly, some monthly, some quarterly, as he liked : saving his French cap, which be kept the whole year of my being with him. He was modest, temperate, fearing God, and hating covetousness ; for his charity had never end, night, noon, nor day. He forebore one meal in three, one day in four, for the most part ; except something to coinfort nature. He lay hard. upon a putf of straw ; and coarse new canvass sheets which, when he changed, he gave away. He had commonly by his bed-side, a tub of water ; in the which (his people being iii bed, the candle put out, and all quiet;, as 1 being very young, being assured, often heard him ; and, in one light night »Uscemed him. He taught with great modesty p.nd gravity ; so that some of his people thought him ^'J\c■r. , -ni' would have slain him : but the Lord was his defence. Aiid he, after due correction for their malice, by good ex- hortation amended them, and went bis way. His learning was no less sufficient than his desire : al- ways prest and ready to do good in that he was able, both in the house privately and in the school publickly ; profes^ing and reading divers aultor^." See Fox, vol. u. p. 521. (r) !!''<'■ 5-24. (q) Ibid. 521. (»•) Ibid, 525. BEfORE THE REFORMATION. 125 ninth nrticlr. It clearly follows, I. Tliat the original compilers of the articles were not Pelagians. And, 2. That they could not be Arminians : for Arminiiis was then unborn and unbegotten (.s). IMshop Burnet himself, as I have elsewhere observed, was compelled to grant, That "In England, the first Reformers were generally Sub-lapsarians (t) : " tacitly admitting, that the rest of those apostolic men were (dreadful news to Mr. Sellon !) Supra-lapsarians (u). 1 could corroborate this assertion, if need re- quired, from other very plain and conclusive passages, scattered through Burnet's historic writings. Waving, however, at present, the farther testimonies of that prelate, I shall adduce the attestations of two more modern historians : neither of whom can incur the remotest suspicion of leaning toward Cal- vinism. These are, Mr. Tindal, the reverend continuator of Rapine ; and David Hume, Esq ; whose history, considered merely as a ccmipo- sition, does honour to the author and the age. I begin with the former. " In England, a middle course was steered : " [/. e. we admitted the doctrines, but rejected the discipline, of Geneva]. "Though the articles of religion are a plain transcript of St. Austin's doctrine, in the controverted points of original sin, predestination, justifi- cation by faith alone, efficacy of grace, and good works; yet are they composed with such a latitude." No quibbling, good Mr. Tindal. If the articles of the Church of England, res- pecting those tenets, are " a plain transcript of St. Austin's doctrine;" it irresistibly follows, that they only, who believe as St. Austin did, can honestly subscribe to Austin's articles. For, of what value is a fence, whose chasms and apertures are of "such a latitude," as to admit the very persons, whom it was (t) He was bom at Oudewater, 1560. (I) Expos, of the I7th Article. (It) The Supra lapsariaiis suppose, that, in the decree of election and pretention, God did not con- sider mankind either as fallen or unfallen ; but chose some, and rejected others, considered merely as beings that .should infallibly exist. — TheSub-lapsarians suppose, that the elect were chosen, and the reprobate passed by, not merely as creatures ; but, complexly, as sinners. Each hypothesis has been adopted by some of the best and greatest men that ever lived. Calvinism is the general n,ime under which the partizans of both are comprehended. The church of England system, as I thall shew hereafter, is, strictly speaking, formed on the Sub-lapsarian principle : though with such mo- deration us not to exclude the former. (x) The passages, here cited from that writer, occur in the third volume of his Continuation (octavo 1758.' p. 275. — 1 cannot pass over, without a moment's ani- madversion, what this historian imprudently advances, respecting the liturgy of the Church of England. • The liturgy," says he, p. 270, " or Common Prayers, Were chiefly taken from the offices of the Church of Rome." — Tliis, I well know, is a pretty general opinion. But I cannot help believing it to be unjustly founded. The agreement f)etween some parts of our public service, and some parts of the Romish missal«, falls extremely short of proving the main point. We use the Lord's Prayer (for example) in conmion with the Papists : yet wc receive it, not from Rome, but from professedly planted to exclude ? To imagine, that the reformers, who had, themselves, gone so heartily and strongly into the doctrines above mentioned ; and who, moreover, digest- ed those doctrines into a national creed, to continue as the standing test of ministerial orthodo.xy ; to imagine that these identical reformers would leave such loop-holes of evasion, as wo uld counteract the very de- sign of that test, and render the test itself null and void ; is equivalent to supposing that a man would first fortify the door of his house with as many bolts and bars as he can, and then purposely leave his door on the latch, that every intruder who pleases may enter in. Mr. Tindal proceeds. "The most rigid Calvinist can give his assent to all the thirty- nine articles, except three, which relate to the discipline of the Church." Thirty-six, then, out of the thirty-nine, are most rigidly Cal- vinistic : else, the most rigid Calvinist could not " give his assent to all the articles except three." And even those three may be both assented, and subscribed to, with full purpose of heart, by every man who is a Calvinist in matters of doctrine only. — " For though the doctiine of the Church of England, as it stands in the articles and homilies, agrees with that of the Calvinists ; yet the discipline is entirely difierent." I grant that the discipline of our Church is "entirely dififerent " from that mode of discipline embiaced by some Calvinists: and may it ever continue so! In nothing did the wisdom of our reformers more strikingly appear, than in connecting the purest doctrines with the best form of ecclesiastical goverimient and discipline. A species of discretion, in which the fiueign leaders of the reformation were not so happy. — Now, on weighing the collected amount of Mr. Tindal's (j') testimony, I would submit the New Testament. A pen, not .altogether contempti- ble, affinfts, that the compilers of the liturgy ex- amined not only the Popish forms, but likewise *' all other service books then in use. These they compar- ed with the primitive liturgies ; and whatever they found in them consonant to the Holy Scriptures, and the doctrine and worship of the primitive Church, they retained and improved ; but the modern corrup- tions and superstitious innovations of latter ages, they entirely discharged and rejected." See Downe's Lives of the Compilers, p. ITiO. W hat I shall farther add, I give from an authority incomparably more decisive and respectable. ** Our Church of England," says bishop Stillingfleet, ** hath omitted none of those offices wherein all the ancient Churches were agreed ; and where th " [primitiveJBritish or Gallican [Church] differed from the Roman, our [present] Church hath' not followed the Roman, but the other. And there- fore our Dissenters do unreasonably charge us with taking our oflices from the Church of Rome." .Stillingfleet's Orighies Britunnicir, chap. 4. p. 237. — The Ciallican liturgy (extremely difierent from the Roman) was introduced, it seems, into England, in the beginning of the fifth century ; and is said to have been originally framed by Polycarp and Irena?u3. The learned bishop gives a large account of this an- cient form of worship ; proves it to have been the basis of that now estaljlished ; and points out a great variety of particulars, in which it differed from the form imposedbythe Roman bishops. See ibid. 210. 126 THE JUDGMENT OF OUR tLis natural question to the reader : Would the English reformers have established a summary of doctrines " agreeable to that of the Cal- vinists," if the said reformers had not been Calvinists themselves ? To solve this enquiry, we need only propose another: would such men (for instancel as Pelagius and Arminius, have drawn up such articles, in particular, as the 9th. lOth, 11th, 12th, 13th, Uth, 15th, 16th, 17th, and 18th? Let us next attend to the florid and inge- nious Mr. Hume. " The first reformers in England, as in other European countries, had embraced the most rigid tenets of predestina- tion and absolute decrees : and had composed, upon that system, all the articles of their reli- gious creed. But thtse principles having met with opposition, [viz. about sixty years after,] from Arminius and his sectaries, the contro- versy was soon [i. e. soon after the rise of Arminianism in the Dutch provinces, at the period aforesaid] brought into this island, and began he:e to diffuse itself Oy)." Again : "all the first reformers adopted these principles." viz. the principles of " Absolute decrees (z)." No wonder, therefore, when the Arminians started up to oppose the ancient faith, that. Throughout the nation, they laid under the reproach of innovation and heresy. Their protectors were stigmatized ; their tenets canvassed ; their views represented as danger- ous and pernicious (a)." Hitherto, we have dealt in generals. We shall now (though so plain a case is far from requiring it) descend, tjriefiy to particulars, Tliose divines, to whom, under God, this kingdom is chiefly indebted for its reformation from Popery, were Wickliff', who laid the basis ; and Cranmer, Ridley, Latimer, Hoopei-, Martin, Bucer, and Peter jMartyr. Though the two latter were foreigners, yet, as they greatly assisted in that important work, they deser- vedly stand high on the list of English refor- mers, Wickliff's Calvinism has been already proved. 1 proceed, therefore, to the rest. I. Dr. Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, went as far as he could, or at least as far as he dared, in promoting the Protestant cause, during the last boisterous years of Henry VHI. For some time after his elevation to the primacy, he was far from (y) Hume's H st. of Engl. vol. vi. p. 211. — octavo edit. irer. (:) Ihiri. Tol. T. p. 572. (o) Iirm. vol. vi. p. 211. (h) " The archbishop was not yet convinced of the falst-hood of transubstantiation, but continued a stiff n^aintainer of the corporal presence ; as appears from his being unhappily concerned in the prosecutinn of Lambert, who was burnt, Nov. 20, 1538." Downes, ubi supra, p. 13. (c) In niv pamphlet, entitled, The Church of En- gl.ind Vindicate ', A;,-. — Or. John Poiiet was translated, from Rochester to Winchester, in 1350. According to Go(hvin, he was one of the most learned persons of tLe a^e. Griecam linguam caliebat ad amussim, ma. possessing that strong evangelical light, which he afterwards attained. God led him from step to step. He advanced rather slowly, but solidly and surely. He was not (for instance) clear, even as to the manner of Christ's pre- sence in the Eucharist, until after the year 1538 (6). But the path of the just is alight that shines more and more to the perfect day. His knowledge of divine things was abundantly brighter, when Edward VI. ascended the throne in 1547. The famous catechism, ascribed to bishop Ponet, and of which I have elsewhere (c) given an account, received the sanction of Cranmer's own subscription. We must, therefore, admit, either that Cranmer was as absolute a predestinarian as Calvin himself; or charge the venerable archbishop with such extreme dissimulation and hypocrisy, as are utterly incompatible with common ho- nesty. For, this catechism (as I have shewn in my tract referred to below) asserted the doctrines of predestination, efficacious grace, free justification, and final perseverance, in the fullest, strongest, and most explicit terms : and, if solemn subscription to so strict a test be not a sufficient proof of a man's real belief, all integrity and social confidence are at an end. That Cranmer actually did set his hand to it, appears from the unexceptionable tes- timony of his brother-bishop and brother martyr. Dr. Rid ey. " A catechism," says Mr. Strvpe, " for the instruction of children in the fundamentals of true religion, passed the same synod [viz the synod of 1552] : but who was the author, was not known in those days. Bishop Ridley was charged to be the author and publisher thereof, by Ward and Weston, in the disputa- tion with him [held, in the succeeding reign of Mary, prior to his martyrdom] at Oxford. Ridley declared he was not: but confessed, that he saw the book, penised it after it was made, and noted many things for it ; and so consented to the book. Weston then told Ridley, that he [viz. Ridley], being then a bishop in his ruff, had made him [/. e. had made Weston] subscribe it. But Ridley re- plied, he [had] compelled no man to subscribe: indeed, he [himself] had set his hand to it, and so did Cranmer; and that then it \i. e. the catechism] was given to others of the con- thcniaticarum porro scientiarum ad miraculum usque peritiis i. e. a most masterly Gra?ciun, and a pro- digy- for his skill in mathematics. He excelled also in the mechanic part of Philosophy' : witness the curious clock, which he constructed tor the use of Henry VIII. It not only pointed to the hours, and to the day of the month ; but shewed the liuiar variations, to- gether with the ebbing and flo\\ ing of the sea. While E w.ird VI. lived (who had loved him from his earliest childhood, and had reaped much benefit from his ser- monsi the pood bishop enjoyed an uninterrupted se- ries of honours and repose. But on the accession of Mary, he retired to Germany, where he died at Slrasburgh. August II, 1550, agtd only 40 years. A'ide (iod«iu, l)e I'raful. Augl. p. 23r. 23S. ENGLISH REFORMERS. 127 vocation to set their hands, but without compul- sion (f/)." Tills passage merits a remark or two. I. The catechism abovementioned (by some called King I'.dward's Catecliisiu ; by kome, oishop (f) Poiiet's ; by others, Di-, Alexander Nowel's, because afterwards enlarged and re- ])uhlished by that learned dean, in the reign of i']lizabeth) was approved and passed by a pub- lic synod, held at London, under the express warrant of king Edward himself. 2. The synod which approved, passed, and subscribed this catechism, was the self-same synod, or convo- cation, which proved, passed, and subscribed the book of articles (/) : though the latter were not publislied until the summer following. Consetpiently, 3. The Church of England is indebted for those articles wliich at this day are subscribed by her clergy, to the care and piety of that very synod, who publicly and solemnly set their seal to that catechism. 4. The catechism being fraught with the highest Cal- vinism, they who subscribed it (and Cranmer among the rest,) were either temporizing hy- pocrites, or sincere Calvinists. 5. Bishop Ridley evidently had a hand in compiling it : witness his own words, already quoted, testifying that he had " noted many things for it?" i. e. in modern language, he had furnished some hints towards the materials out of which it had been framed. 6. He ovvned and assented to the con- tents of ic, in the face of the Popish court at Oxford, by whom he was tried and condemned to the flames. 7. From what passed on that occasion, it is conspicuous, that nothing gives the Church of Rome so much ofi'ence as the Calviiiistic doctrines asserted in that Protes- tant catechism : Mr. Sellon, therefore, is prodi- giously mistaken, in affirming, that, as Predes- tinarians, " Our reformers did only say over again those lessons which they had learned in the Romish schools." 8. The use of this catechism was enjoined by the imited authoi ity of Church and State. Both the synod and the (d) Strype's Ecclea. Memorials, vol. ii. p. .306. (e) Mr. Strype bt-lievcd, tliat Dr. Alexander Nowel had the chief hand in framing this catechism, I suppose it is on tiie authority of l^ishop Bale, that it is sometimes singly attribut:-d to Dr. Ponet. Possibly l*onet niiglit digest and throw it into form. But its rough n)aterjals were, most prol)abIy, furiiislied by the joint care of the reformers in general, and of Cranmer in particular, who was one of the prime agents, in every thing that related to religion during this ■whole reign, tj") " \\ hile the parliament was sitting this win- ter, a synod also was held, wliereiii was framed and concluiled a book of articles of religion, purified and rrformed from the errors of Popery and other sects; — for the Hvoidinc of controversy in opinions, aiid the establishment of a godly concord in certain matters of religion, A catechism, for the instruction of childern in the foundamentals of true religion, passed the said synod." Strype ; nt xitpra. Dr, Fuller also aticribea the catechism to the same person who drew up the articles : i. r. to the refor- mers themselves. " With these " [i. e. with the articles of religion agreed upon in convocation,] " was hound a catechism, younger in age (as bearing date of the next year,) Ijut of the same extraction, [relat- ing to this convocation,] as author thereof." Where king's privy council concurred in giving it their sanction. " In May, the next year," says Strype, ''viz. \55li, the council sent their letters abroad in behalf of this catechism, enjoining it to de taught to scholars, as the ground and founda- tion of their [religious] learning ; as it is ex- pressed ill the Warrant Book iff)." Whence it is evident 9. That the reformers and Protes- tant clergy of Englatid considered the belief of predestination, and its relative doctrines, as es- sential and fundamental to the very existence of Christianity itself. 10. The injunctions of the council respecting this catechism were issued at the same time that the articles themselves were published, viz. in May, 1553. The cat- echism, therefore, was designed as a larger display of those evangelical piinciples, which were virtually, but more briefly, contained in the articles. The reason is evident. The ar- ticles were intended for the clergy, who were supposed not to need so extended and minute a detail of doctrine : a compendious summary would, to them, answer the end, full as well. But the case was judged to be different with the laity of that time. It seemed necessary, that the Church articles should be explained to them in a more particular and expanded man- net ; especially, to young persons : and there- fore the catechism was enjoined, a-, a kind of familiar and copious elucidation of the articles comprized in a narrower compass. The articles were (if I may so speak) the text: the cate- chism was the commentary. Peter Heylin's concession, in favour of this catechism, is veiy observable. " For my part," says that Arminian, " I can see no possible in- convenience which can follow on it, in yield- ing so far as to admit the passages befor reci- ted," [viz. the passages cited by Prynne from the said catcbism, which happened to be the very same passaiies which I too shall presently cite fioin it in this Section] " to be fully con- sonant to the true, genuine sense and proper let it be observed, that the reformers resided per- sonally in this convocation, and were the very life and movers of all tliat was acted in it. — Fuller goes on : " indeed it [r/z. the catechism] was lirst compiled {as appears by the King's iiatent prefixed) by a single divine, charactered ' pious and learned ; * bu' afterwards perused and allowed by the bisho^/s, and other learned men, &c. and by royal authority com- manded to all subjects, [and] commanded to all school- masters to teach it their scholars," Fuller's Church. Hist, book 7. p. 421 . — The " single divine," charactered, in the King's patent, as " pious and learned ; " was probably, bishop Ponet : to whom the care of revising and methodizing the catechism seems to have been committed : and whom He>lin himself cnaracteriiea as '* an excellent Gra:cian, well-studied with the an- cient fathers, and one of the ablest mathematicians v^'bich those times produced." Heylin also observes, concerning the catechism itself, that it was " bound up with the book of articles, countenanced by the King's letters patent p-.elixed before it, approved by many bishops and learned men, and generally voiced to be another of the products of this convocition : • though himself, for reasons sulficiently obvious, affects to doubt of the latter circujustauce. Misc. Tracts, 1), r>r,l. igj Jjid. p. 309. 128 THE JUDGMENT OF OUR uieitnin^ of all, but more especially of our 9th, 10th, 13th, 16th and 17th articles, then newly composed. So that whatsoever is positively and clearly affirmed in this catechisai, of any of the points now controverted, may be safely implied as the undoubted doctrine of our Church and articles {h)." The sum of all, so far as concerns Cranmer, is ; that, if he was an honest man (which I see no reason to suspect), he must have been, what Arminians would now call, a rigid predestina- rian. Nor is this alternative limited to that good archbishop. It holds equally true of all and every divine, %vho had any hand in our ex- cellent reformation. As my former Vindication of the Church of England, from the Charge of Arminianism, has been long out of print ; an extract from the above celebrated catechism, though already given in that pamphlet, seems due to the rea- ders of this ; and the rather, as Mr. Sellon has been so indecently rash as to affirm (p. 53) that this valuable monument of good old Church - doctrine " does not contain much more sound divinity than the old Koran of Ma- homet.'' Whether Cranmer, and those other excellent men, who were the fathers of our English reformation, deserve the name of Ma- hometans, with which this ignorant, foul- ii'\outhed writer dares to brand their venerable memories, will best appear, from the fuilowing passages which occurin the catechism itself. The speakers are supposed to be master and scholar. " As many as are in this faith stedfast, were fore- chosen, predestinated, and appointed to everlasting life, before the world was made. " Witness hereof, they have within their hearts tiie spirit of Christ, the author, earnest, and uiifailable pledge of their faith. Which faith only is able to peiceive the mysteries of God ; only brings peace unto the heart ; only trtketh hold on the righteousness which is in Christ Jesus. " Master, Doth then the spirit alone, and faith (sleepe we never so securely, or stand we never so rechless or slouthful), so worke all things for us, as without any helpe of cm' o\rne, to carry us idle up to Heaven? " Sr/iol. I use. Master, as you have taught me, to make a difference betw-een the cause and the effect. The first, principal, and most proper cause of our justification and salvation, IS the goodness and love of God, whereby he chose us fi)r his, before he made the world, ^fter that, God granteth us to be called, by the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ, when the Spirit of the Lord is poured into us : by whose guiding and governance we be led to settle our trust in God, and hope for the per- formance of his promise. — From the same Spirit also Cometh our sanctification ; the love of God ar.d of our neighbour ; justice, and upright- ncsse ol life, nnally, to say all in sum me : (A) Hcylin's M Whatever is in us, or may be done of us, lionest, pure true, and good ; it altogether springeth out of this most pleasant rocke, from this most plentiful fountain, the goodness, love, choice, and unchangeable purpose of God. He is the cause : the rest are the fruits and effects. " Yet are also the goodnesse, choice, and Spirit of God, and Christ himselfe, causes, con- joinde and coupled each with other ; whiche may be reckoned among the principal causes of salvation. As oft, therefore, as we use to say, that we are made lighreous, and saved, by faith only ; it is meant thereby, that faith, or rather trust, alone, doth lay hand upon, under- stand, and perceive our righteous-making to be given us of God freely, that is to say, by no deserts of our own, but by the free grace of the Almighty Father. Moreover, faith doth ingender in us love of our neighbour, and such workes as God is pleased withall ; for, if it be a lively and true faith, quickened by the Holy Ghost, she is the mother of all good saying and doing. " By this short tale it is evident, whence, and by what means we attained to be righteous. For, not by the worthiness of our deservings, were we either heretofore chosen, or long agoe saved ; but by the only mercy of God, and pure grace of Christ our Lord : whereby we were, in him, made to doe these good workes, that God had appointed for us to walke in. And although good works cannot deserve to m.ike us righteous before God, yet do thev so cleave unto faith, that neither faith can be found without them, nor good workes be any wheie found without faith. " Immortality and blessed life God hath provided for his chosen, before the foundations of the world were laid. " As for the sacrifices, cleansings, wash- ings, and other ceremonies of the law ; they were shadows, types, images, and figures, of the true and eternal sacrifice that Jesus Christ made upon the crosse ; by whose benefit alone, all the sinnes of all beleevers, from the begin- ning of the world, are pardoned, by the sole mercy of God, and not by any merits of their owne. " As soon as ever Adam and Eve had eaten of the foi bidden fruit, they both dyed: that is, they were not only liable to the death of the body, but they likewise lost the life of the soule, which is righteousnesse. And forth- with the divine image is obscured in them, and those lineaments of righteousnesse, holi- nesse, truth, and knowledge of God, which were exceeding comely, were disordered, and almost obliterated. The terrene image only re- mained ; coupled with unrighteousnesse, fraud, carnal affections, and grosse ignorance of divine and heavenly things. From thence, also, proceeded the infirmity of our flesh. From thence, that corruption and confusion of the \sc. Tracts, p. 585. ENGLISH REFORMERS. aiToctiDiis and desires. Ilt nce, that plv^uc, lience that seminary and nutriment of all sinne, with which mankinde is infected whidi is called original sinne. Moreover, nature is so depra- ved and cast dovvne, that unlesse the jrood- ness and mercy of Almighty God had helped us by the medicine of ^race, as in body we are thrust downe into all the miserys of death, so it was [/. c. it would have been] necessary that all men of all sorts should be cast into eternal torments, and fire which cannot bee (juenched. " The Holy Ghost is called holy, not onely for his owne holinesse, but because the elect of God are made holy by him. The Church, is the company of those who are called to eternal life by the Holy Ghost, by whom she is guided and governed : which, since she can- not be understood by the light of sense or nature, is justly placed among the number of those things which are to be beleeved. And it [«. e. the church] is therefore called the Catholicke, that is, the universal assembly of the faithful ; because it is not tied to any cer- taine place." From the above extracts, an idea may be formed of the doctrines, which Cranmer, and his fellow-reformers, and the members of the church of England, maintained in those days of Frjtestant purity. In such high estimation was this evangelical catechism held, that king Edward himself honoured it with a prefatory epistle (dated at Greenwich, May 20.) " Com- manding and charging all schoolmasters what- soever, within his dominions, as they did re- verence his authority, and as they would avoid his royal displeasure, to teach this catechism, diligently and carefully, in all and every their schools : that so, the youth of the kingdome might be settled in the grounds of true reli- gion, and furthered in God's worship." Add to this, that it was not only published in English, and annexed to the church-articles, for the in- struction of the King's own subjects ; but also in Latin, that foreigners might, with the more certainty, judge for themselves, and see, with their own eyes, what were the genuine and authentic doctrines of our reformed church. Archbishop Cranmer's Calvinism did not expire with the reign of king Edward. The great and good prelate had, it seems, soon after the accession of Mary, been falsely accused of temporizing in some religious matters, with a view to ingratiate himself with the new Popish Queen. This he courageously disproved, in a printed paper, to which he set his name ; and wherein, amon others, is the following remark- (;') Fox, vol. iii. p. 7?. \k) Dr. Edwanls cites a passage from this re- nowned arolibishop wliich may sirve to confirm the Rt nt ral tenor of the evidences already produced In Cranmer's second treatise against Gardiner, these words, it seems, occur ; " Our Saviour Christ, accord- i'lg to the will of his eternal Father, win u the *ir:e tiereof was fully accomplished, taking our nature upon able paragraph ■ " And although many, eitliev unlearned or malicious, do report that Mr. Peter Martyr is unlearned ; yet, if the Queen's highness will grant thereunto, I, with the said Mr. Peter Martyr, and other four or five, which I shall chuse, will, by God's grace, take upon us to defend, not only the common prayers of the church, the ministration of the Sacraments, and other rites and ceremonies, but also all the doctrine and religion set out by our sovereign lord, king Edward VI., to be more pure and according to God's word than any other that hath been used in England these thousand years (;).'' — Now, the catechism, already cited, was a part, and a veiy distin- guished part, of " the doctrine and religion set forth by king Edward VI." Consequently in the above challenge, that catechism was one of those Protestant regulations, which Cran- mer publicly oflered to defend against the whole army of Popish disputants. — Surely, if ever there was a Calvinist on earth, Cranmer {U) was one 1 And so was, II. Dr. Nicholas Ridley, that illustrious reformer, prelate, and martyr. He became bishop of Rochester in 15-17 ; and was trans- lated to London in 1550, on the deprivation of Bonner. Every body knows that he was finally burned at Oxford, A. D. 1555, at one stake with bishop Latimer. As the two epis- copal martyrs were led out to the place of ex- ecution (which was before Balliol College), they looked up to Cranmer's prison-window, in hopes of seeing him at it, that they might bid the last farewell to their beloved metropolitan. But, at that instant, the archbishop was " En- gaged in disputation with some friars : so that he was not then at his window. But he look- ed after them, with great tenderness : and kneeling down, prayed earnestly, that God would strengthen their faith and patience, in that their last, but painful passage (I).'" Jie- ing arrived at the stake, Ridley embraced La- timer with surprising cheerfulness, and tesii- fied his assurance of divine support, in these remarkable words : " Be of good heart, bro- ther ; for God will either assuage the fury of the fiame, or else strengthen us to abide it. " Nor was Latimer less filled with joy in the Holy Ghost : for, when the fire was kindled at Ridley's feet, the former thus encouraged his blessed fellow-victim, " Be of good comfort, Mr. Ridley, and play the man ! We shall, this day, by God' s giace light such a candle in England, as, I trust shall never be put out (wij.'' In producing a specimen of bishop liidley's rooted attachment to the Calvinian doctrines, him, came into the world, from the high throne of his Father ; to give light to them that -,veie in darkenes.a and the shadow of death, and to preai h, and give pard(m and full remission of sins to all his elected." See i;d*ard's Veritas Uedux, p. 52(i. il) Burnet's Hist, of the Reform, vol. ii, p. 200. (m) Fox, iii. p. 430. K THE jud(;ment of our I shall npufin with a general, but a very deci- sive proof of it ; I nie;in the extreme venera- tion, in which, to the end of his life, he held that excellent catechism of the church of Enijland, published in 1553. The abstracts from it, which have been already laid before the )-eader, demonstrate that it was drawn up in the highest strains of Calvinism. The two following passages, written by bishop Ridley, during his imprisonment, and just before his martyrdom, will, consequently, demonstrate him to have been a very high Calvinist. " Fi- nally, I hear say, that the catechism, which was lately set forth in the English tongue, is now [viz. after the restoration of Popery, by queen Mary] in every pulpit condemned. Oh, devilish malice 1 and most spitefully inju- rious to the redemption of mankind pui chased by Jesus Christ! Indeed, Satan could not long suffer that so great light should be spread abroad in the world f/ij." In his admirable farewell-letter to his relations, he observes, that, while Protestantism flourished under pious king Edsvard, " the church of England had, through the infinite goodness and abun- dant grace of Almighty God, giwat riches of heavenly treasure ; great plenty of God's true, sincere word ; the true and wholesome ad- ministration of Christ's holy sacraments ; the whole profession of Christ's religion, truly and plainly set forth in baptism ; the plain de- claration and understanding of the same, taught in the holy catechism, to have been learned of all true christians (o)-" Another general proof of Ridley's sound- ness in the faith may be taken from the pa- thetic anguish with which he lamented the abolition of the Homilies and Articles. The church of England, says he, "had also holy and wholesome Homilies, in commendation of the principal virtues. She had, in matters of controversy, articles so penned and framed after the holy Scriptures, and grounded upon the true understanding of God's word, that, in short time, if they had been universally re- ceived, they would have been able to have set in Christ's true religion, and to have expelled many false errors and heresies. But alas ! I may well cry out, O God, the heathens are come into thy heritage : they have defiled thy holy temple and made Jerusalem a heap of stones. These thieves [meaning the Pa- pists, superinduced by queen Rlary] be of Samaria. These Sabeans and Chaldeans, these robbers CpJ have rushed out of their dens, and robbed the church of England of all the fore- (n) Fox, iliid. p. 372. (») Fi«, il/id. p. 432. (p) Would to God, that the present age afforded none of these ! No Protestant Sabeans, no Samaritans in crape ! who even while they deprive their main- tenance from the breasts of the church seek to rob hei" of her choicest '* Holy treasure," the doctrines which are her crown of glory. — The doctrines which tlie rol)bers themselves kneeling at (r -d's altar have Siilemnly vowed to maintain — The doctrines to which t ley have also deliberately affixi'd the subscription of the hand — The doctrines, to which they have not culy subscribed and vowed at the time of their ordi said holy treasure of God f'l/J," viz. of her catechism, liturgy, homilies and articles. Thus did this plaintive nightingale warble forth his woes. Thus did he hang his harp upon the willows, and mourn over the ruins of Zion. — Blessed be God, there were mercies in reserve for this kingdom, which the weep- ing martyr little imagined, and which soon re- versed the face of things. Ridley was exe- cuted, October 16, 1555. On the 17th of November, ln58 queen Mary went to give an account of her butcheries to God ; and Eliza- beth mounted the throne. The above general evidences of bishop Rid- ley's principles are extremely strong and conclusive. I shall, however, lay before the reader some farther proofs still more explicit and particular. The doctrine of election, or predestination to life, appears to have been a favourite article with this eminent servant of God. Making mention of bishop Farrar, bishop Hooper, Mr. Rogers, and others, who had lately poured out their souls unto death for the testimony of Christ ; he observes, these " were burned at Smithfield in London, with many others in Essex and Kent : whose names are written in the book of life fr)." Again : "I doubt not in the infinite goodness of my Lord God, nor in the faithful fellowship of his elect and chosen people fsj." His definition of the true invisible church is not a little remarkable : by the church of England, says Ridley, " I mean, the congregation of the true chosen children of God in this realm of England : whom I ac- knowledge, not only to be my neighbours, but rather the congregation of my spiritual breth- ren and sisters in Christ ; yea, members of one body, wherein, by God's grace, I am and have been grafted in Christ {tj." In his pathe- tic "farewell to all afflicted for the gospel,'' he thus concludes : "farewell, farewell, O ye, the whole and universal congregation of the chosen of God, here living upon earth ; the true Church Militant of Christ ; the true mystical body of Christ; the very household and family of God, and the sacred temple of the Holy Ghost; farewell! Farewell, O thou little flock of the high, heavenly pastors of Christ: For to thee it hath pleased the heavenly Father to give an everlasting and eternal kingdom. — Fare- well, thou spiritual house of God, thou holy and royal priesthood, thou chosen generation, thou holy nation, thou won spouse ; farewell farewell fuj." God's election of his people is founded on nation, but ratified both vow and suiiscription by immediately receiving the symbols of Christ's precious body and blood as a seal to the whole ! — If incontesta- ble fact did not compel us to the contrai-y, we could hardly believe it possible for the utmost depravity of human nature to aim at the subversion of a Church which the intentional subverters are tied by such a chain of engagements to support. (q) Fox,/7);rf. p. 432. (r) See Fox, iii. p. 374. (s) Ibid. p. 432. (tj Unit. p. 432. («) md. p. 439, ENGLISH REFORMERS. 131 his free love to them from everlastinj^. This love is unalterable and perpetual. Whence the following just observation of Ridley : " In all ages, God hath had his own manner, after his secret and unsearchable wisdom, to use his elect, sometimes to deliver them, and to keep them safe ; and sometimes to sufter them to drink of Christ's cup, i. e. to feel the smart and to feel the whip. And though the flesh smarteth at the one, and feeleth ease at the other ; is glad of the one, and sore vexed in the other; yet the Lord is all one toward them, in both : and loveth them no less when he suftereth them to be beaten : yea, and to be put to bodily death, then when he worketh wonders for their marvellous delivery. — This his love toward them, howsoever the world doth judge of it, is all one. He loved as well Peter and Paul, when (after they had, accord- ing to his blessed will, pleasure, and providence, finished their courses, and done their services appointed them by him, here, in preaching of his gospel) the one was beheaded, and the other was hanged or crucified by the cruel tyrant Nero ; as when he sent his angel to bring Peter out of prison, and [as when] for Paul's delivery he made all he doors of the prison to fly wide open {x)" As Ridley thus believed the love, with which God embraces his people, to be un- changeably and for ever the same, amidst all the varying dispensations of Providence ; he must, by virtue of that principle, have likewise believed the final perseverance of those who are thus loved and chosen. According to him, perseverance is the special gift of God : " I wish you grace in God," says he, " and love of the truth : without which, truly established in mens' hearts by the mighty hand of the Almighty God, it is no more possible to stand by tiie truth in time of trouble, than it is for wax to abide the heat of the fire (z)." Om- ni |)otent grace being the only root of persever- ance, the martyr cannot help breaking out, elsewhere, into this pious exclamation 1 " Well is he, that ever he was born, for whom thus graciously God hath provided ! having grace of God, and strength of the Holy Ghost, to stand stedfastly in the height of the storm I happy is he, that ever he was born, whom God, his heavenly Father, has vouchsafed to appoint to glorify him, and to edify his church, by the eft'usion of his blood (a) ! '' It was an essential branch o f Ridley's Theology, that this great gift of perseverance {x) Ihict. 440. (z) Ihiil. 3.71. {a) Ihid. — To the same effect he speaks in his conference with Latimer: "The nimiher/' says Kidh-y, " of the criers under tlie altar must ue{*Us he fulfilled ; if we he secrecated thereto, hiippy l>e we. It iH th ■ greatest promotion that God giveth in this World,, to he such Philippiaus, to whom it is Riven not only to helieve, hut also to suffer. But who his ,ihle to do these things" [//;. to helit-ve iu Christ, a»ul to iiuffer for his sake?) " Sun ly, all our ability, all our nujlicieiicy is of God. He require th, and pronusetU " is vouchsafed to all the elect. " The Father," says he, " who guides them that be Christ's to Christ, is more mighty than all they, e. than all the persecutors of his people ] and no man is able to pull them \i. e. to pull those who belong to Christ] out of the Father's hands (6)." — What a strong affiance in this grand article, do his following words display ! " Blessed be God, who has given you a manly courage, and hath so strengthened you in the inward man, by the power of his spirit, that you can contemn, as well all the teri'ors, as also the vain flatteries and allurements, of the world : esteeming them as vanities, mere trifles, and things of nought. Who hath also wrought, planted, and surely established, in your hearts, so stedfast a faith and love of the Lord Jesus Christ ; joined with such constancy, that, by no engines of antichrist, be they never so terrible or plausible, ye will sufl'er any other Jesus, or any other Christ, to be forced upon you, besides him, whom the Prophets have spoken of (c)." — He that is in us is stronger than he that is in the world : and the Lord promiseth unto us, that, for the elects' sake, the days of wickedness shall be shortened (rfj." " Ye, therefore, my brethren, who pertain unto Christ, and have the seal of God marked in your foreheads ; that is, to wit, who are sealed with the earnest of the spirit to be a peculiar people of God ; quit yourselves like men, and be strong. Ye know, that all that is born of God, overcometh the world : and this is our victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Let the world fret, let it rage never so much, no man can take us out of the Father's hands, for he is greater than all. — Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect ! It is God that justifieth ; who then shall condemn ? — Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ? — We are certainly persuaded, with St. Paul, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that no kind of thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (e)." I shall cite him but once more on the head of perseverance : " I consider the subtleties of Satan, and how he is able, by his false per- suasions, to deceive, if it were possible, even the chosen of God if)." Ridley's view of Providence was equally Calvinistic. "Know ye, that the heavenly Father hath even a gracious eye and respect toward you, and a fatherly provision for you : so that, without his knowledge and permission, [i. f. he promises to work in us tlie duties and graces he requires of us] — ** Pray for me ; pray for me ; I say, pray for me. For I am sometimes so fearful, that 1 would creep into a mouse-hole. Sometimes, God doth vi.sit mc again with his comfort. .So he cometh and goelh, to teach me to feel and to know my infirmity ; to the intent to give thanks to him that ia worthy ; lest 1 should rob him of his due, as many do, and almost ,ill tlu- worlii " Fo.x, Ibid. p. 3t;8. (I,) Ihid. p. 37U. (c) IbiU. :iJ\. ((!■' Ibid. ((•; Ibid. iTi. (J) Ibid. 442. K2 132 THE JUDGMENT OF OUR nothina; can do you harm. Let us therefore cast all our care upon him, and he shall pro- vide that which shall he best for us. For if, of two small sparrows, which both are sold for a mite, one of them lighteth not on the ground without your Father, and all the hairs of our heads are numbered ; fear not, saith ciur master Christ, for ye are of more value than many small sparrows (§■)■" His doctrine, coiicerninj^ the necessity and efficacy of divine influence, may be learned from that striking prayer of his : " The Lord vouchsafe to open the eyes of the blind, with the liglit of grace ; that they may see, and per- ceive, and understand the words of God, after the mind of his spirit (/i)-" And that he supposed redemption to be limited to a certain number, the following passage clearly evinces : "The death and passion of Christ our Saviour was, and is, the one, only, sufficient, and ever- lasting available sacrifice, satisfactory for all the elect of God, from Adam, the first, to the last that shall be born in the end of the world {i)." So much for the doctrine of this great man. A word or two, concerning his general character, and usual manner of living, may not be unacceptable to the reader. He was born in that part of Northumber- land, called Tynedale, near the borders of Scotland ; and leceived the finishings of his education, partly at Paris, and partly at Cambridge. "His behaviour," say the com- pilers of his article in the Biographical Dictionary, " was very obliging, and very pious ; without hypocrisy, or monkish auste- rity : for, very often, he would shoot in the bow, and play at tennis ; and was eminent for the great charities he bestowed (A)." While he resided on his vicarage of Heme, in Kent, Providence directed him to the perusal of Bertram's celebrated Treatise on the Lord's Supper, written about seven hundred years before (/): which effectually convinced him of the falsehood and absurdity of transubstantia- tion. By his acquaintance with Cranmer, and other excellent men of that time ; and, above ail, by his unwearied application to the Holy Scriptures ; his eyes were farther and farther opened : and he settled by degrees into a consistent, evangelical Protestant. After his appointment to the see of London, his exal- tation only served to render him more humble, affable, and useful. Nothing could exceed the tenderness and respect with which he treated Airs. Bonner, mother to his predecessor the superseded bishop of London. " Bishop (gi I'liil. -137. (Aj Ibid. 445. (/) Iliiit. 440. (k) King. Diet. \ol. xii. p. 304. (I) Bertrdm, or Ratramus, was contemporary with Cotteschalc. (m) .See Fox, iii. 3G0. (ii) Biogr. Diet. vol. xii. p. 306. (0) He was a pi rson small in stature, but great in |pirnit!<» : and profoundly read in diviuity. His tine part;>, and his great improvements ni uii the branches Ridley, being at his manor of Fulham, always sent for this Mrs. Bonner (who lived in a house adjoining) to dinner and supper ; with one Mrs. Mungey, bishop Bonner's sister : saying. Go for my mother Bonner. He al- ways placed her at the head of his table, even though any of the king's council were pre- sent " His mode of life was, as soon as he had risen and diessed, to continue in private prayer for half an hour. He then retired to his study, till ten : at which time he went, with his family, to common prayer : and, every day, read a lecture to them. After prayers, he adjourned to dinner; where his conversa- tion was, always, wise and discreet; some- times, merry and cheerful. This conversation he would indulge for an hour after dinner , or else, in playing at chess. The hour for un- bending being expired, he returned to his study, where he continued till five ; except suitors, or business abroad, otherwise re- quired. Then he went to common prayers in the evening : and, after supper, having diverted himself another hour as before, he re- turned to his study, where he continued till eleven at night. From thence, going apart to private prayer, he retired to bed : where he, and his household (made virtuous by his ex- ample and instruction) enjoyed the sweet re- pose of a day well spent. A little before king Edward died, he was nominated to the bishop- ric of Durham. But, great as the honours were, which he received, and were intended him ; the highest were reserved for him under queen Mary: which were, to be a pri- soner for the gospel, a confessor of Christ in bonds, and a martyr for his truth (m)." He was esteemed the most learned of all the English reformers: and was inferior to none of them in piety, sanctity, and clearness of evangelical light (o). His doctrinal system was, as I have already shewn, formed entirely on the plan of Scripture ; to which sacred volume his love and attachment were inexpres- sible. " In a walk in the orchard at Pembroke Hall (Cambridge), which is to this day called Ridley's Walk, he got by heart almost all the epistles in Greek (/>).'' To this circumstance, himself alludes, in the following passage, writ- ten a little before his martyrdom : " Farewell, Pembroke Hall, of late my own college, my cure and my charge. What case thou art in now, God knoweth : I know not well. Tliou wast ever named, since I knew thee, which is not thirty years ago, to be studious, well learn- ed, and a great setter forth of Christ's gospel, of Uterature necessary to a divine, gave him the tirat rank, in his profession ; and his life was answeraiile to his knowledge. He had a hand in compilmg the Common- I'rayer Book ; and of all, who served at the altar of the Church of England, he bore, perhaps, the most useful testimony, bo^h in life and death to her doctrine." Rolfs Lives of the Reformers, p. 172. (i^) Il/id. p. 305. ENGLISH REFORMERS. and of God's tine word. So I found thee, and blessed be God, so I left thee, indeed. Woe is ine for thee, my own dear college, if ever thou suffer thyself by any means to be brought from that trade. In thy orchard (the walls, butts, and trees, if they could speak, would bear me witness) I learned without book almost all St. Paul's Epistles : yea, and, I ween, all the ca- nonical epistles, save only the Apocalypse. Of which study, though in time a great part did depart from me, yet the sweet scent thereof, I trust, I shall carry with me into Heaven. The profit thereof, I think, I have felt in all my life-time ever after ((/)." Were more of our modern divines thus intimately versed in the book of God, the Church of England would not be in such danger from the Arminianism of some who call themselves her sons. III. Mr. Hugh Latimer, some time bishop of Worcester, was another of our reformers and martyrs. Though he did by no means shine as a scholar, but appears to have been rather deficient in human learning ; he was, nevertheless, conspicuous tor his i)iety, zeal, and undisguised simplicity. His talents, as a preacher, were plain; and not unpopular. His sermons, more practical than speculative (r) were chiefly calculated to expose the reigning immoralities of that age, in a style (though he often preached at court) altogether suited to the capacities of the vulgar and the unlettered. But the coarse sounding of Latimer's ram's- horn was, perhaps, as useful to the common people, as the softer music of the silver trum- pet modulated by Cranmer, Ridley, and the other reformers, was to the learned and polite. Thougii we must not always expect to find in the discnurses of Latimer, that exactness of logical accuracy, and that strictness of sys- tematic harmony, which mark the performances of more accomplished divines ; still we shall be sure to meet with genuine signatures of a gracious heart, and with lively vestiges of the knowledge that comes from above. And, not- withstanding the Arminians affect to claim this relormer for their own, the absolute want of truth, on which that claim is founded, will abun- dantly appear from the many striking and decisive passages, which I shall shortly lay be- fore the reader. Before I produce those passages themselves, permit me, as usual, to premise a general ob- servation, in favour of our martyr's Calvinism. I mean the terms of respect and affection, in which he mentions the names of Austin, Luther, and Peter Martyr, who were all strenuous champions for absolut-e predestination. St. iq) Fox, iii. 434. ir) His zeal and sincerity inspired him with figures of speecli, to which learning and Btndy cannot rise. His discoTuscs were directed, rather to the ' eformation of manners, than to the controversies of religion. In sliort, I.atinier, with a moderate share of learning and ab'ilities, was a much greater man, a much better Christian, and a much worthier bishop, Austin, whom Mr Sellon ignoranfly and abu- sively styles " The great and giddy apostle of the Calvinists ;" this same St. Austin is called, by Latimer, " A good Christian, and a defender of Chiist's religion and of the faith (i)." — Mr. Sellon terms Luther " A weather-cock :" but Latimer terms him, "That wonderful instrument of God, through whom God hath opened the light of his holy word unto the v.'orld (*)•'' — Nor does Latimer speak less respectfully of Peter Martyr : " There are yet among us," said he, in a sermon preached before king Edward, " two great learned men, Peter Martyr, and Bernard Ochi- nus, which have an hundred marks apiece: I would the King would bestow a thousand pounds on that sort (?()•" The hand likewise, which Latimer had in drawing up the first part of our book of Homi- lies, must be considered as a loud and standing evidence of his Calvinism. He had resigned his bishopric (which he never afterwards re- sumed), about seven years before the death of Henry Vlfl. on the passing of the six arti- cles (tf) : and, about a twelvemonth aftei, was committed prisoner to the tower ; where he lay till the accession of Edward VI. On his release, " he accepted an invitation from his friend archbishop Cranmer, and took up his residence at Lambeth : where he assisted the archbishop in composing the Homilies, whicli were set forth by authority in the first year of king Edward (jr)." These homilies are still a part of our ecclesiastical establislunent. Let any man but read them ; and then doubt if lie can, whether the composers were not Cal- vini.st : i. e. Anti-l'elagians ; for, at that time, and long after, the very name of Arminians was utterly unknown. Now for some particular proofs of Latimer's orthodoxy. In producing these, I shall begin, (I) With what he advances concerning election, or predestination unto life. "Cursed be he that doth the work of God negligently, or guilefully. A sore word for them, [i. e. for those ministers] that are negligent in di^charging their oflfice, or have done it fraudu- lently : lor that is the thing that maketh the people ill. But true it must be, that Christ saith ; Many are called, but few are chosen (i/)." " Some will say, now, why need we preachers then ? God can save his elect with- out preachers ? A goodly reason ! God can save my life, without meat and drink : need 1 none therefore? God can save me from burning, if I were in the fire : shall I run into it tlierefuie ? No, no. I must keep the way that (ion hath than many of his order, who have shoue with a more conspicuous figure." Kolt, p. 171. (s) Latnner's Sennons, vol. i. p. 185. — Edit. I7,:-8 octav o. (0 Iliid. vol. ii. p. fifiO. (..() /bid. vol. i. p. IT (tv) I'arliamentary History, vol. iii. p. ino. (j ) Biogr. Diet. vol. vii. p. (y) Latimer's Sermons, vol. i p. U. IM THE JUDGMENT OF OUR ordained, and use that ordinary means that God hath assigned (z)." According, therefore, to Latimer (and, indeed, according to the Scrip- ture and right reason), the decree of predesti- nation does not render the use of ordinary means unnecessary. On the contrary, the decree is that very root, from whence the Tueans originally derive their efficacy. Every Calvinist maintains, that good works ate the consequence, and the evidence, of elec- tion : and, of those good works, restitution, to such persons as we may have wronged, is certainly one. Bishop Latimer was exactly of our mind. " Some examples have been, of open restitution : and glad may he be, that God was £0 friendly unto him, as to bring him unto it in this world. I am not afraid to name hiui : it was master Sherington ; an honest gentle- man and one that God loveth. He openly confessed, that he had deceived the king • and he made open restitution. O, what an argu- ment may he have against the devil, when he shall move him to desperation ! God brought this out, to his amendment. It is a token, that he is a chosen man of God, and one of his elected (o)." The passage immediately follcv ing, though it may tend to prove the vanity of making any calculation respecting those times and seasons which the Father hath put in his ow n power ; demonstrates, however, the undoubting firm- ness, with which Latimer held the doctrine of election. " The world was ordained to endure, as all learned men affirm, and prove it with Scripture, six thousand years. Now, of that number, there be passed 5552 : so that there is no more left, but 448. And, furtheremore, those days shall be shortened. It shall not be full 6000 years. The days shall be shortened for the elects' sake {b).'' " St. Paul, that elect instrument of God, shewed a reason wherefore God layeth afflic- tions upon us (c). We cannot come to that unspeakable felicity, which God hath prepared for his, except we be clean in our hearts (rf)." The hypocrisy of too many religious pro- fessors, and the frequent deceitfulness of ap- pearances, occasioned Latimer to make the following remark : " There is no great differ- ence, here in this world, between the elect and the reprobate. For the very unfaithful give alms, &c. So that, I say, we cannot tell, as long as we be here in this world, which be elect, and which not. But at the last day, then it shall appear who is he that shall be saved ; and, again, who shall be damned (e)." There were some, however, of whose elec- (;) ftrhl. p. 261. (a) Ibid. p. 29-1. (A) Ibid. p. 365. (<•; Ibid. toI. ii. p 484. (rf) Iliid. p. 509. ((•) Ihid. p. 674. ( /') Ibid. p. 846. (g) Ibid. p. 848. (h) lb. p. 886, 887, so again, p. 889. " Here is DOW taught you. Low to try out your ele< tion ; namely, in Chri.^t : for Christ is the accounting-book and regis- ter of God : even in the same book, tliat is, Christ, are written all the names of the elect. Therefore we cannot [viz. at first] &ud our election in ourselves tion the good bishop could have no doubt : witness what he said, above, concerning " master Sherington." He justly observes, that the certainty of our election is to be inferred from the truth of our conversion. No Calvinist says (noi-, indeed, will the nature of the case permit any reason- able man to argue so perversely and absurdly), I am elected, and therefore 1 shall be saved, whether I am converted or not. On the con- trary, this is our language : God would not have converted me, if he had not elected me. We are for beginning at the bottom of the ladder, and for taking the chain by the right end. Hence (as bishop Bancroft very properly observed at the Hampton-court conference), we argue, not descendendo, but ascendendo : i. e. we rise to the fountain, by following the stream ; or arrive at the knowledge of our own particular election, by the solid marks of sanc- tification. We judge of God's objective pur- poses concerning us, by that subjective work of grace which he hath wrought within us. As election is the radical cause of regeneration ; so regeneration, and its fruits, are the clue, by which we are guided to the sight and sense of election. This was the precise view in which Latimer considered the point : whence he says, and we say with him, " We need not go about to trouble ourselves with curious questions of the predestination of God : but let us rather endeavour ourselves that we may be in Christ. For, when we be in him, then are we well : and then we may be sure that we are ordained to everlasting life (/)." Again, " When you find these three things in your hearts, [viz. repentance, faith, and a desire to leave sin,] then you may be sure your names are written in the book, and you may be sure also, that you are elected and predestinated to everlasting life (g)." Elsewhere, he comes more expressly to the point : " If thou art desirous to know, whether thou art chosen to everlasting life, thou mayest not begin with God ; for God is too high : thou canst not comprehend him. Begin with Chiist, and learn to know Christ, and wherefore he came : namely, that he came to save sinners, and made himself subject to the law, and a fulfiUer of the law, to deliver us from the wrath and danger thereof. If thou knowest Christ, then thou mayest know further of thy election {h)." Speaking of Joseph and his aflSictions, he adds, " Here you see how God doth exercise those which appertain to everlasting life (/). Treating of the last day, he still keeps God's neither yet in the high counsel of God. ' Where then shall 1 find my election i ' In the counting-book of God, which is Christ." The sum of Latimer's reasoning is this : If I believe in Christ idone for salvation, I am certainly in- terested in Christ ; and interested in Christ I could not be, if I w;!S not choscii and elected of God. Which is ascending to election, by the right gradations. (i) Ibid, p. 858. ENGLISH REFORMERS. 135 election in view: "The trumpet shall blow, and the ani^els shall come and gather ail those that offend, from among the elect of God. All the elect shall be gathered unto him, and there they shall see the judgment ; but they themselves shall rot be judged, but sliall be like as judges with him. After that the elect are separated from the wicked, he shall give a most horrible and dreadful sentence unto the wicked (A). Then shall the elect shine as the sun in the kingdom of God ( I)." Thus, says this worthy martyr, will Clirist come, " in great honour and glory, and will make all his faithful like unto him, and will say, unto them that be chosen to everlasting life. Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess that kingdom which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world (>«)." We shall find this valuable man no less clear and scriptural, (2). In his sentiments concerning Provi- dence. " Remember the hair how it falls not without God's providence. Remember the sparrows, how they build in every house, and God provideth for them. And are you not much more precious to me, saith Christ than sparrows, or other birds ! God will defend you, that, before your time cometh, ye shall not die, nor miscarry. God hath appointed his times, as pleaseth him : and, before the time cometh that God hath appointed, they shall have no power against you. Till thy time come, thou shalt not die (n)." According to Latimer, God's will is dis- tinguishable into secret and revealed. His secret will is his will of decree, known only to himself: His revealed will is his will of command, discovered and made known in his written word. His secret, or decreeing will, is the rule of his own conduct : His revealed or preceptive will ought to be the rule of our conduct. Christ, says Latimer, " Teacheth us to pray, thy kingdom come thy will be done. Here we must understand, that the will of God is to be considered after two sorts. First, as it is omnipotent, unsearchable, and that cannot be known to us. Now, we do not pray that his will, so considered, maybe done : for his will, so considered, is, and ever shall be fulfilled, though we would say nay to it. For nothing either in Heaven or earth, is able to withstand his will. Wherefore it were but folly for us to pi ay to have it fulfilled, other- wise than to shew thereby that we give our consent to his will, which is to us unsearchable. But there is another consideration of God's holy will ; and that consideration we, and all faithful Christians, desire may be done : and, so considered, it is called a revealed, a mani- fested, and declared will ; and it is opened unto us in the Bible, in the New and Old Tes- tament. There Ciod hath revealed a certain will : therefore, we pray that it may be done, and fulfilled of us (o)." Latimer has already pronounced God's secret, or " unsearchable " will, to be " om- nipotent : " i. e. God's decrees must and shall be accomplished and brought to pass by his providence. No wonder, then, that our re- former, in exact harn.ony with that grand maxim, should assert as follows : " He [i. e. God] fiUeth the earth ; " that is to say, he ruleth and govcrneth the same: ordering all things according to his will and pleasure {p)." From whence it is very naturally inferred, that " We ought to be at his pleasure : whensoever and whatsoever he will do with us, we ought to be content with all {q)." That is, in modern lan- guage, we ought to believe, whatever is, is right : seeing " all things" are " ordered accord • ing to God's will and pleasure." Does not Lati- mer speak the very quintessence of Calvinism i One would imagine, that, if any of man- kind might be supposed to be more exempt, than others, from the immediate and constant controul of absolute Providence, kings and sovereign princes would be the men. Yet even these, according to honest Latimer's, theology, are as much tied and bound from above, as the meanest of the human race. "God saith. Through me kings reign. Yea, they be so under God's rule, that they can think nothing, nor do anything, without God's permission. For it is written. The heart of the king is in the hands of the Lord, and he turneth the same whithersoever it pleaseth him. All those great rulers, that have been from the beginning of the world till now, have been set up by the appointment of God ; and he pulled them down, when it pleased him ()•)." Wealth and poverty are distributed by the hand of Providence. "It is written. The blessing of God maketh rich. Except God bless it, it Ft e. human labour] standeth to no effect: for it is written. They shall ear, but yet never be sati-fied. Eat as much as you will, except God feed you, you shall never be full. So likewise, as rich as a man is, yet he cannot augment his riches, or keep that he hath, except God be with him, except he bless him. Therefore let us not be proud : for we be but beggars the best of us («)." To the same effect he speaks elsewhere : We must labour; for so we a: e commanded to do : but we must look for the increase at God's hands. For, though a man labour much, yet, for all that, he shall have no more than God hath appointed him to have : for even as it pleaseth God, so he shall have. For the earth is the Lord's, and all is therein {t)." I have already shewn, that Latimer believ- (k) Ibid, p 867. il) /hid. p. 872. (m) I/jid. p. CHS. (») /hid. p. 2!I5, 2U6, 2U7. {0} Ihitl. . p. 309 . 37U. ip) /hill. p. W4 Ij/) /hid. p. 345. (s) /bid. p. (r) /hid. p. :J5.1 it) /hid. p. 653. 136 THE JUDGMENT OF OUR ed that the duration of every man's life is fixed and predestinated by God. The good bishop inculcates the same great truth, again and again. "Every man hath a certain time appointed him of God ; and God hideth the same from us : for some die in young age, some in old age, according as it pleaseth him (?()■" Once more : " of that we may be sure, there shall not fall one hair from our head, without his will : and we shall not die, before the time that God hath appointed unto us. Which is a comfortable thing : especially in time of sickness, or wars C"^)-" Latimer, very justly, maintained, that afflictions also are an effect of God's predes- tination and providence : from whence he drew this practical conclusion : " Let us learn not to be peevish, when God layeth his cross upon us. Let us not despair, but call upon him. Let us think we be ordained unto it (.»•).'' Again, " Seeing that there is nothing done without his will, I ought to bear this cross which he layeth upon me, without mur- niering or grudging (y)." Notwithstanding Latimer was thus so strenuous an assertor of God's decrees and pro- vidence ; we yet find him making use of the word chance. But he evidently means, Dy that term, the occurrence of some event, unexpected and unforeseen by us ourselves. For, he takes care to let us know, that, by this word, he still intends no other than a providential dispensation. " Now,'' says he " when I come to poverty by chance, so that God sendeth poverty unto me ; then I am blessed, when I take poverty well, and with- out grudging (z)." Every Christian will allow, that the putting of Christ to death, was, in itself, infinitely the greatest crime ever perpetrated by man. And yet, so absolute a predestinarian was Latimer, that he represents this greatest of crimes as exactly corresponding to the predestination and providence of God concerning it. Nay, he even supposes, that Satan would have hindered the Messiah's crucifixion, but was not able to hinder it, becai'.se " God's council and purpose " were, that the Messiah should be crucified. Let us attend to Latimer's own words. " After that, when Christ was born into the world, he [?. e. Satan] did what he could to rid him [viz. Christ] out of the way : therefore he stirred up all the Jews against him. But, after he perceived that his death [i. e. the death of Christ] should be our deliverance from everlasting death ; he [Satan] did what he could to hinder his death ; and therefore he stirred up mistress Pilate, who took a nap in the morning, as such fine dames are wont to do, that she should not suffer her husband to give sentence against Christ. For, as I told you, when he [Satan] perceived that it was to be his [Satan's] destruction, he would hinder it, and did what he could, with hand and foot, to stop it. But yet he was not able to disannul the counsel and purpose of God (a)." Far be it from me to vindicate the whole of this remarkable paragraph. On the con- trary, I think it very exceptionable, in more respects than one. But it certainly proves, that Latimer carried his idea of predestination to the highest pitch it is possible for man to do. 'Tis now time, that I should pi oduce his judgment. (3.) Concerning original sin, or man's total fall from (Jod : on which important article, no less than on the preceding ones, the doctrine of this reformer was essentially different frow that embraced by the sect of of Arminius. " It was not for nought," says Latimer, that "Jeremiah describeth man's heart in its colours : the heart of man is naughty, and crooked, and a froward piece of work {bj." But, how came the human heart to he thus spiritually and morally depraved ? Latimer traces it all to the sin of our first parent. " Our fore-father Adam wilfully ate of the apple forbidden. Wherefore he was cast out of the everlasting joy in Paradise, into this corrupt world, amongst all vileness : whereby of himself he was not worthy to do any thing laudable and pleasant to God ; ever- more bound to corrupt affections, and beastly appetites ; transformed into the uncleanest and variablest nature that was made under Heaven : of whose seed and disposition, all the world is lineally descended. Insomuch that this evil nature is so diffused, and shed from one into another, that at this day there is no man or woman living, that can of themselves wash away their abominable vileness : and so we must needs grant of ourselves to be in like displeasure unto God, as our father Adam was. By reason hereof, as I said, we be, of our- selves, the very children of the indignation and vengeance of God : the true inheritors of Hell, and working all towards Hell. Which is the answer to this question, made to every man and woman by themselves, what art thou (c) ?" I will add but one citation more* "This our nature David, the holy king and pro- phet, describeth with few words, saying, Lo, in iniquity am I born, and in sin hath my mother conceived me. He doth signify by his words, what he had inherited of his parent Adam ; namely, sin and wickedness. And he speaketh not of himself only, but of all man- kind. He painteth us out in our own colours • shewing, that we all are contaminate, from our birth, with sin; and so should justly be fire-brands in Kell, world without end. This the holy prophet shewed in these words to put us in remenibrance of our own wretchedness: (u) loirt. p. 4-2» («■) Ihiri.Tp. 430. (jj luid. p. 400. (y) Ibid. p. 484. (z) Jhid.p. 5UI. (a) ihiri. p. 774, 775. (b) Ibid. p. 139. (c) Ibid. p. 907. ENGLISH REFORMERS. 137 to teach us to despair of our own holiness and righteousness, and to seek our help and com- fort by that Messias whom God hath promised to our fore-fathers. Another Scripture signi- fieth to us, farther, what we be of ourselves, of our own nature : for it is written, all men are liars. Therefore, man is not clean ; but full of falsehood, and deceit, and all manner of sin and wickedness ; poisoned and corrupt with all manner of uncleanness. What found he e. God], when he made inquisition ? marry, this: ail men have declined from God; there was none that did good, no not one. Here, we may perceive what we be of ourselves, of our own nature (rf). ' Such being Latimer's view of original sin, and its effects, no wonder, that, f4.) He utterly denied those powers, which Arminians ascribe to what they term man's free-will. The unceremonious prelate even goes so far as to suppose, that the will of Satan, and the will of man, are joint warriors against the will of God. " We desire," says Latimer, on those words. Thy will be done; "We desire, that he \yiz. cur heavenly Father] will fortify and strengthen us, so that we may withstand the Devil's will, and our own, which fight against God's will (e)." But in vain is the will of God fought against : for, as the martyr ob- serves in another place, " No man's power is able to stand against God, or disappoint him of his purposes (/)." He likewise pays a very rough compliment to free-will, in the subsequent passage: "I am, of myself, and by myself, coming from my natural father and mother, the child of the ire and indignation of God, and the true inheritor of Hell ; a lump of sin, and working nothing of myself, but all towards Hell, except I have better help of another than I have of my- self r,?)." What is the influence of this truth upon the hearts of those who are born again and converted to God ? The bisliop shall tell us. " Here we may see, how much we be bcund and indebted to God, who has revived us from death to life, and saved us that were damned '' [t e. who were natually condemned by the divine law] : " which great benefit we cannot well consider, unless we do remember what we were of ourselves, before we meddled with him and his laws. And the more we know our feeble nature, and set less by it, the more we shall conceive and know in our hearts what God hath done for us : and, the more we know what God hath done for us, the less we shall set by ourselves, and the more we shall love and please God. So that, in no condition, we shall either know ourselves or God ; except we (rf) //«(-/. p. 747. (r J //;,-,/. p. 372. ( /J u. 663. (r) Ibid. p. ) Ibid. p. 357. (ii) Ibid.y 3B3. 133 THE JUDGMENT OF OUR St. Austin's word more exactly: " Like as St. Augustin saith. Lord give that thou coniraand- est, and then command what thou wilt : as who would say, if thou wilt command only, and not give ; then we shall be lost, we shall perish (7)." Which, by the way, is another proof of Latimer's agreement with Ansiin on the article of grace. One or two testimonies more shall conclude this head. Except a man be born again fiom abov , he cannot see the kingdom of God. He must have a regeneration. And what is this regene- ration ? It is not to be christened in water, is these fire-brands [i. e.the papists] would have it. How is it to be expounded then i St. Pe- ter sheweth, that one place of Scripture decla- reth another. St. Peter saith, And we be born again. How? not by mortal seed, but by im- mortal. What is this immortal seed ? By the word of the living God : by the word of God preached and opened. Thus cometh in our new birth (r). This is a great commendation of this office of preaching. It is God's instru- ment, whereby he worketh faith in our hearts (s).'' As Latimer thus believed that men are re- generated, not by themselves, nor by the mere water of baptism, nor simply by the word preached, but by the power of God himself " working faith in their hearts ;" of which su- pernatural power the word preached is no more than the usual instrument and channel : so he taught, that, after the work of regeneration has passed upon the soul, man's own ability can no more preserve him in a state of grace, than it could at first bring him into it. " St. Paul saith. Be strong in the Lord. We must be strong by a borrowed strength : for we of our- selves, are too weak and feeble. Therefore let us learn where we shall fetch our strength from ; namely from above. For we have it not of our own selves (0" " This is a good doctrine, which admonish- eth us to give all praise unto God : and not to ascribe it to our own selves (;/). It shall be ne- cessary unto all men and women of this world, not to ascribe unto themselves any goodness of themselves ; but all unto our Lord God (if)." Surely, if Latimer was a free-willer, there is no meaning in words ! (6.) Let us consult him, next, on the im- portant doctrine of justification. According to this good old Churchman, justification in the sight of God is absolutely free and entitely unmerited by man ; and accrues to us only |.y an interest in the active obedience, or per- sonal righteousness, of Jesus Christ. [i.] For the absolute freeness of jusMfica- tion. " We must believe that our Saviour Christ hath taken us again into his favour, (g) Ibid. p. 453. — DomiDe da quod jubcs, et jube quod vis. (>-) Ibid. p. 185. U) Ibid. p. 489 (t) Ibid. p. 51?. («; Ihid. p. 309. that he hath delivered us by his own body and blood, and by the merit of his own passion, of his own mere liberality(.r)." " Do I now, in forgiving my neighbour his sins which he hath done against me; do I, I say, deserve, or merit, at God's hand, forgive- ness of my own sins ? No, no : God foi bid. For, if this should be so, then farewell Clirist. It taketh him clean away. It diminisheth his honour , and it is very treason wrought against Christ. Remission of sins wherein consisteth everlasting life, is such a treasure that passeth all men's doings. It must not be our merits that shall serve, but his. He is our comfort ; he is the majesty of God ; and his blood-shedding it is that cleanseth us from our sins. Therefore, whosoever is minded contrary unto this, he robbeth Christ of his majesty, and so casteth himself into everlasting danger. As touching our salvation, we must not go to work, to think to get everlasting life by our own doings. No. This were to deny Christ's salvation, and remission of sins, and his own and free gift {y). Thou must beware, as I said before, that thou think not to go to Heaven by such remitting of thy neighbour's ill doings. But, by such for- giving, or not forgiving, thou shaltknow whe- ther thou have faith or no (z).'' '' There be many folk, which, when they be sick, say, O, that I might live but one year longer to make amends for my sins ! which saying is very naught and ungodly : for we are not able to make amends for our sins. Only Christ, be is the Lamb of God which taketh away our sins. As for satisfaction, we cannot do the least piece of it (a)." " Reward ! This word soundeth as though we should merit somewhat by our own works. But we shall not tliink so : for ye must under- stand, that all our wwks are imperfect ; we cannot do them so perfectly as the lavv re- quireth, because of our flesh which ever letteth us. Wherefore is the kingdom of God called, then, a reward ? because it is merited by Christ. For as touching our salvation and eternal life, it must be merited : but not by our own works, but only by the merits of our Saviour Christ (6)." " All the Papists in England, and especially the spiritual men [?. e. their priests], be the enemies of the cross of Christ, two manner of ways. First, when he is a right Papist, given unto monkery, I warrant you he is in this opinion. That with his own works he does merit remission of his sins, and satisfieth the law through and by his own works : and so thinks himself to be saved everlastingly. This is the opinion of all Papists : and this doctrine was taught, in times past e. in the Popish times], iu schools and in the pulpits. Now, all those, (?/■) Ibid. -p. 9U3. (X) fhid. p. 2-2S. (y) lb d. p. .535. ij) Ib d p 4.17. {(i) Ibid. p. -ISS. (b) Ibid. p. 513. ENGLISH REFORMERS 139 tliat be in such an opinion, are the enemies of the cross of Christ, of his passion and blood- shedding. For they think in themselves" [/. e. such an opinion is tantamount to thinkinjj, that] " Christ needeth [needed] not to die : and so they despise liis bitter passion. They do not consider our birth-sin, and the corrup- tion of our nature : nor yet do they know the quantity of our actual sins, how many times we fall into sin ; or how much our own power is diminished, or what might and power the Devil hath. They consider not these things : but think themselves able with their own works to enter into the kingdom of God. And, there- fore, I tell you, this is the most perilous doc- trine that can be devised (c). We must do good works : we must endeavour ourselves to live according to the commandments of God : yet, for all that, we must not trust in our doings. For, though we do to the uttermost, yet it is all imperfect, when ye examine them by the rigour of the law; which law serveth [not to justify us, but] to bring us to the knowledge of our sins, and so to Christ ; and, by Christ, we shall come to the quietness of our con- science. Therefore, it is not more necessary to do good works, than it is to beware how to esteem them. Therefore take heed, good Christian people ; deny not Christ ; put not your hope in your own doings : for if ye do, ye shall repent (rf)." " He will reward our good works in ever- lasting life, but not with everlasting life; for our works are not so much worth, nor ought to be esteemed so, as to get us Heaven. For it is written. The kindom of Heaven is the gift of God. So likewise St. Paul saith. Ye are saved freely, without works. Therefore, when ye ask. Are ye saved ? Say, yes. How ? marry, gratis ; freely. And here is all our comfort to stay our consciences (e)." We read, in a book, which is entitled 'The Lives of the Fathers,' that there was once a great, holy man (as he seemed to all the world) worthy to be taken up into Heaven. Novv, that man had many disciples, and, on a time, he fell into a great agony of conscience ; inso- much that he could not tell what in the world to do. Now, his diciples standing about him, seeing him in this case, they said unto him. How chanceth it that ye are so troubled, father ? for, certainly, there is no body so good a liver, or more holy than you have been : therefore you need not fear ; for, no doubt, you shall come to Heaven. The old father made them answer again, saying. Though 1 have lived up- rightly, yet for ail that, it will not help me, 1 lack something yet. And so he did indeed. For, cer- tainly, if he had followed the counsel of his dis- ciples, and put his trust in godly conversation, no doubt he should have gone to theDevil (0-" Bishop Latimer was immoveably radicated in that great scriptural and Protestant axiom, that good works do not go before iustification, but justification goes before good works. Hence his following excellent remark : " 1 pray you note this : we must first be made good, before we can do good. We must first be made just, before our works please God. For, when we are justified by faith in Christ, and are made good by him ; then cometh our duty, that is to do good works, to make a de- claration of our thankfulness ig)." Now, if good works cannot possibly exist prior to jus- tification, it invincibly follows, that justification cannot possibly be caused or conditionated by good works. On the contrary, justification is itself the cause of good works, instead of good works being the cause of justification. Though Christ will, in the last day, con- descend to make mention of the good works which he enabled his people to perform ; and will appeal to those works, as evidences of his people's belonging to him ; yet the works, so appealed to, will not be the ground even of that public and declarative justification, which will be predicated of the elect at that awful season. So at least good Latimer thought : witness his own testimony. " If we shall be judged after our onn deservings, we shall be damned everlastingly. Therefore learn here, every good Christian, to abhor this most detes- table and dangerous poison of the Papists, who go about to thrust Christ out of his seat. Learn here, I say, to leave all Papistry, and to stick only to the word of God ; which teacheth thee, that Christ is not a judge, but a justifier, a giver of salvation, a taker-away of sin. For he purchased our salvation through his painful death ; and we receive the same through believ- ing in him : as St. Paul teacheth, saying, Fi eeiy ye are justified, through faith. In these words of St. Paul, all merits and estimation of works are clear taken away. For, if it were for our works ' sake, then were it not freely. But St. Paul saith, freely. Whether will you now be- lieve St. Paul, or the Papist (A)?" Nor does this inestimable truth lead, in the least, to licentiousness. Let the apostolic re- former obviate the unreasonable surmise. " But you will say, seeing we can get nothing with good works, we will do nothing at all ; or else do such works as shall best please us : seeing we shall have no rewards for our well- doings. I answer, we are conmiaiided, by God's word, to apply ourselves to goodness, every one in his calling : but we must not do it to the end to deserve Heaven thereby. We must do good works, to shew ourselves thankful for all his benefits, which he hath poured upon us ; and in respect of (Jod's commandment ; considering, that God willeth us to do well, tiot to make a merit of it ; for this were a denying of Christ, to say, I will live well and deserve (r) Ihid. p. SM. (,/; Ihid. p. .M?. (r; Ihiil. p. 71«), 7!)7. {/) I bill. p. 709. (f) Ibid. p. 7U8. (/i; Ibid. p. 805, 806. 140 THE JUDGMENT OF OUR Heaven. This is a damnable opinion. Let us rather think thus : I will live well, to shew nivself thankful towards my loving God, and Christ my redeemer {i)." What a double-dyed Antinomian must such a writer as bishop Latimer appear, in the eyes of such jaundiced theologs, as John Wesley and Walter Sellon I Especially when they consider, [ii.] That accordins to the bishop's scheme of divinity, the risrhteousness or personal obe- dience of Jesus Christ, is the sole meritorious cause of this free justifiication. " Our sins lett us [i e- they hinder us], and withdraw us from prayer. But our Sariour niaketh them nothing. When we believe in him, it is like as if we had no sins. For he changeth with us ; he taketh our sins and wickedness from us, and giveth us his holiness, righteousness, justice, fulfilling of the law ; and so, consequently, everlasting life. So that we be like as if we had done no sin at all. For his righteousness standeth us in so good stead, as though we of ourselves had fulfilled the law to the uttermost (k)." "All faithful and true Christians believe only in his death. They long to be saved, through his passion and blood-shedding. This is all their comfort. They must know, and steadfastly believe, that Christ fulfilled the law ; and that his fulfilling is theirs. So that they attribute unto Christ the getting and meriting of everlasting life. And so it fol- loweth, that they, who attribute the remis- sion of sins, the getting of everlasting life, unto themselves, or their works, that they denv Christ, they blaspheme and despise him'(/)." He himself had no sin at all. He suffered, to deliver us from everlasting damnation. He took our sins, and gave us his righteousness (w). Our Sanour is clearly open unto us. He hath suffered for us already, and fulfilled ^he law to the utmost : and so, by his fulfilling, taken away the curse of the law (h). By his passion, which he hath suffered, he merited, that as many, as believe in him, shall be as well justified bv him as though themselves had never done anv sin, and as though they thera- telves had fulfilled the law to the uttermost (o). He was very man, and was bound to the law. To what end ? That he might deliver us from the law, to which we were bound ; and that we might receive the right of the children of God by adoption, through God's goodness, by his deserving : that we might have, through his fulfilli'ig of the law, remission of sins and eter- nal life. These are the gifts, which he hath deserved with his keeping of the law(/)." Once more : " he was a lamb undefiled, fulfill- ing the law for us to the uttermost ; giving us, freely as a gift, his fulfilling to be ours ; so that we are now fulfillers of the law by his fulfill- ing. So that the law may not condemn us, for he hath fulfilled it : that we believing in him are fulfillers of the law, and just, before the face of God (q). Our unrighteousness is forgiven us through the righteousness of Christ : for, if we believe in him, then are we made righteous. \Vhen he [God the Father] gave us his only Son, he gave us also his righteousness and his fulfilling of the law. So that we are justified by God's free gift, and not of ourselves, nor by our merits ; but the righteousness of Christ is accounted to be our righteousness (r)." The justification of God's people, thus founded upon, resulting from, and secured bv, the imputed righteousness of Christ ; this justification, according to Latimer, and accord- ing to the Scriptures, is absolute and total. " Our Saviour hath taken away our sins, so that they cannot hurt us. For they be no sins, in the sight of God. For he hath taken away the guiltiness of sins, and the pains and pun- ishments which follow sins. Christ hath de- served, that those, who believe in him, shall be quit from all their sins (*)." No people are more cmmbled into sub- divisions among themselves, than the Armini- ans. That particular sort of them, whose shameless and fruitless efforts to blacken the Church of England have given rise to this pre- sent work, are Avmiman-Perfectionists. I mean Mr. John Wesley, and his junto. For the sake of these people, and by way of demon- strating, still farther, the palpable falsehood with which they lay hold on Latimer's robe, and claim him for their kinsman ; I will subjoin [7.] Some part of what this reformer delivers, concerning the doctrine of sinless perfection. y way of substratum, let us hear his tes- tmiony, respecting the spirituality, perfection, and extent of the moral law revealed in the Scriptures. " If he, [j. e. if Christ] had not kept the law, the law had such power, that it would have condemned us all. For so it is writ- ten : Cursed be he, who abideth not by all that which is written in the law. So that, the least cogitation that we have against the law of God, bringeth this curse upon our heads. So that there was never man, nor shall be one, that could remedy himself by this law ; for it is spiritual. It may not be fulfilled, but by the spirit. It requireth us to be clean from all spot of sin ; from all ill thoughts, words, and deeds. But we be carnal ; and, as St. Paul saith, sold under sin and wickedness : there- fore, he concludes thus : By the works of the law no man can be justified. As Christ did them, they merit : for he did them perfectly, as they ought to be done. But as we do them, they condemn. And yet the lack is not in the (i) /'W. p. &14. (A ) Ibid. p. 321. (/) Ihid. p. .'■56. (in) I'M. p. 6'r2. \n) Ibid. J). 004. (o; Ibid p. T77. (p) Ibid. p. 792. (1?) Ibid. p. 808. (r) Ibid. p. &T0, 871. (s) Ibid. p. 336. ENGLISH REFORMERS. 14! law, but in us. The law, of Itself, is holy and good. But we are not able to keep it ; and therefore we must seek our righteousness, not in the law, but in Christ, who hath fulfilled the same, and given us freely his fulfilling. And tliis is the chiefest cause, why Christ would fulfil the law [namely, for our justifica- tionj. But all the Papists think themselves to be saved by the law : and I myself have been o* that dangerouir, perilous, and damn- able opinion, till I was thirty years of age. So long I walked in darkness, and in the shadow of death. And, no doubt, he that departeth out of this world in that opinion, he shall never come to Heaven. For, when we will consider the works of the law, which the law requireth ; and, again, how we do them ; we shall find, that we may not be justified by our doings. For the flesh reigneth in us ; it bear- eth rule, and hindereth the spirit : and so we ftever fulfil the law. Certain it is, that they that believe in Christ have the Holy Ghost, which ruleth and govenieth them : yet, for all that, there be a great many lacks in them. So that if they would go about to be saved by their works, they should come too short : for their works are not able to answer the requests of the law. The law requireth a perfect right- eousness and holiness. Now, all they that believe in Christ, they aie holy and righteous: for he hath fulfilled the law for us which be- lieve in him (<)." Such being the unrelaxing periection, which the law inflexibly requires: it necessarily follows, that the supposition of possible per- fection on earth, is the most fanatic dream, and the most gigantic delusion, which can whirl the brain of a human being. So it ap- peared to Latimer. " No man born into this world," says he, " is without sin, save Christ only (u). Who is there, in this world, that hath not need to say. Lord, forgive me ? No man living. Nor ever was, nor shall be, our Saviour only excepted (w). There is neither man, nor woman, that can say they have no sin : for we be all sinners (.t). We be ever in that case, that we have ever need to say, Lord, forgive us: for we ever do amiss (?/). St. Paul saith, Let notsin reign in your corruptible body. He doth not require us that we should have no sin, for that is impossible unto us : but he re- quireth, that we be not servants unto sin {z). There is no saint in Heaven, neither St. Peter, nor Paul, but, when they were hei e, their nature was corrupt, and given to wickedness (a). How ri.jth he [?. e. Christ] save us from sin? In this manner : that sin shall not condemn us ; sin shall not have the victory over us. He saved us, not so that we should be without sin, that no sin should be left in our hearts : No. He saved us not so. For all manner of imper- (0 /''"/■ p. 7;i2, TJ3, TM. [u) /hill. p. 3S8. (?/•) //liil. p (r) Ihid. p. 431. {y) Ibiil. p. 434. (x) Jhid. p. 4.53. (a) /hut. p. 576. fections remain in us : yea in the best of us : so that, if God should enter- into judgment with us, we shall bedanmed. For there neither is, nor was, any man born into this world, who could say, I am clean from sin, except Jesus Christ. Therefore he saved us not so from sin in taking clean away the same from us, that we should no more be inclined to it ; but rather the power and strength of the same sin he hath so vanquished, that it shall not he able to con demn those that believe in him : for sin is re- mitted, and not imputed, unto believers (6)." They, who, after this, can set down bishop Latimer for a perfectionist may, with equal reason, set him down for a free-wilier. I pro- ceed^ (8). To take his vote on the subject of universal redemption. His doctrine, concerning reoemption itself, is, that the people for whom Christ died are, by his death, totally dicsharged from the pun- ishment due to their sins. " It is," says he " much like as if I owed another man twenty thousand pounds, and should [/. e. must] pay it out of hand, or else go to the dungeon of Ludgate : and when I am going to prison, one of my friends should come, and ask. Whither goes this man ? and, after he had heard the matter, should say. Let me answer for him ; I will be surety for him ; yea, I will pay all for him. Such a part played our Saviour Christ with us (c)." Elsewhere he repeats the same illustration; but in yet stronger terms : " In such distress cometh a good friend, and saitli. Sir, be of good cheer; I will pay thy debts : and forthwith payeth the whole sum, and set- teth me at liberty. Such a friend is our Saviour. He hath payed our debts, and set us at li- berty (ri)." From these premises, it incontestibly fol- lows, that not one of tho.se for whom " Christ payed all," not one of th-)se for whom he discharged " the whole sum," not one of those whora he died to " set at liberty '' from punishment; can he finally condemned: since, if condemned and punished they were to be, either the justice of God the Father would fail, or it would not be true that Christ had discharged " all their debts," and payed off" " the whole sum," and really "set them at liberty.'' Hence, it is evident, that, according to Latimer's argument, Christ was very far from dying for every individual of mankind ; it being Latimer's avowed opinion, that very many will, in the last day, he sentenced to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire. He sup- posed, for instance, that unpieaching bishops only will fill up a gap in Hell, of seven leagues wide (fi). Surely, the " debts " of these, at least, were not " all paid," nor the debtors set at liberty I " Consequently, if Latimer may (_h) Ihiii. p. 804. (c).Jhiil. p. 211. (tl) /hid. p. .321. (e) "If," says Latimer, "one wore admitted to 142 THE JUDGMENT OF OUR be credited, some of mankind must have been left unredeemed. Observe I am not here pi o- fessedly deliverini; my own opinion. I am only deducing the opinion of Latimer from Latimer's premises. But his judjrment does not stand in need of deduction. It has the seal and sanction of his own express declaration. He peremptorily affirms, that Christ did not die for such as shall be eventually lost. "Mark here," says he, " Scripture speaketh not of (/) impeni- tent sinners: Christ died not for them; his death remedieth not their sins (g)." Now, if there be any, for whom Christ " died not," and whose sins his death "remedieth not;" it follows, that, in this reformer's idea, re- demption is not universal. His frequently affirming;, that Christ ex- piated the sins of " the whole world," does by no means clash with his doctrine in the above? passaires. Indeed, it is sayino; no more than the Scripture has repeatedly said before him. The point of enquiry is, what does that phrase, tlie whole world, import? Surely, not every person, without exception, who did, does, or shall exist; for, in that sense of the phrase, it seems impossible that Christ could die for all. Some, for instance, in our Lord's time at least, were guilty of that sin which he him- si'lf has pronounced absolutely unpardonable: and would he die for the pardon of those, whose sin, he ave:'s, shall never be pardoned? This would be like a man's paying down an inesti- mable ransom for such as, he knows at the very time ot his paying it, ne ither will nor can ever be set at liberty. Besides, what shall we say of those many final impenitents, whose depai ted souls had been in the plare of tor- ment, asfc-s and ages before Christ was crucified at all? F'ull four thousand years had elapsed from the creation, ere the Messiah was even ni;ini!ested in the flesh. And Scripture will not permit us to believe, that the whole of mankind, who died within that extensive period, were glorified in Heaven. Now, it would both impeach the wisdom, and affront the dignity of Christ, as well as infinitely depreciate the value of his sacrifice, to sup- pose, that he could possibly shed his blood on the cross, for those very souls which were, at that very time, suffering for their own sins in Hell. The tenet, therefore, of a redemption absolutely universal, will not stand the test either of Scripture, reason, or the analogy of Tiew He:l thus, and, beholding it thoroughly, the Dfvil should say, On yonder side are punished un- preaching prelates ; I think, a man should see as far PF a Kenning, and perceive nothing but unpreaching prelates. He might look as far as Calais, I warrant you." I'. 138. f f)Hy" iTnp( nitent sinners," he necessarily means the iina'y impenitent: such as shall actually be banished from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of hi< nower, when Christ comes to judge the w jrld in righteousness. Ibid. p. 322. faith. Shall we, for example, affirm, that Christ died for the salvation of Judas? The fact seems to be impossible. 'Tis plain that Judas slew himself, subsequently to the appre- hension, but antecedently to the actual cru- cifixion of Christ (A). The soul of Judas, therefore, went to its own place of punishment, before Christ had offered himself in sacrifice to God. And I cannot, for my own part, see, with what propriety Christ could die to save a person from going to Hell, who was actually there already Whether these particular topics ever oc- curred to the mind of bishop Latimer, or not, I will not take upon me to decide. But one Would imagine they had: or, at least, that his judgment, concerning the extent of redemption, was determined by considerations equally weighty. For, when he speaks of Christ's having redeemed the whole world, he takes care to apprize us, that he uses this large term in a very restricted sense. My proofs follow. " God is not only a private Father, but a common Father unto the whole world, unto all the faithful, be they never so poor and miserable (/). We know that Christ is offered once for us, and that this one offering remedieth all the sins of the whole world ; for he was the Lamb which was killed from the beginning of the world: that is to say, all they that believe in him, since Adam was created, they were saved by him {k)." 'Tis plain then, that, by the whole world, Latimer means no more than the whole world of the faithful, the whole world of them that believe. One more testimony shall stand for all. "He only hath merited, with his painful passion, to be a Saviour of the whole world : that is, to deliver all them that believe in him, from their sins and wickedness (/)•" So speaks Latimer. And Calvinism says the very same. If Christ died only for them that (m) believe, or in whom faith is wrought ; it follows, that faith is an exceeding great and prenous gift. It may be worth our while to enquire into Latimer's definition of what faith is : and the rather, as his definition of faith will conduce, still farther, to demonstrate, that redemption is, in his juudgment, not strictly universal, but limited. " We must," says this honest master in Israel, " have the right faith, the lively faith, the faith that bringeth salvation : which con- sisteth in believing that Christ died for my (h) Tills observation throws light oti that passage of Latimer, where he says, that Christ shed as much blnod for Judas, as for Peter. Not that Christ actually died for Judas f *hose death was prior to that of Christ l.ioiself ) ; but that the mediator's blood was as much sulhcient (so infinite was its value) to have redei^med even Judas had it been shed for that purpose, as to havf redeemed any other person. A seiitiment, to which I su' scribe, with heart and hand. (i) lhiil.p.33i. (k) Ibid. p. 557,558. (I) I'>id. p. 775. (in) No objection can hetice ariie against the aaX- ENGLISH REFORMERS. 143 sin's sake. T must not stand in jruneralities, as to believe that Ctirist sufl'ered under Pontius Pilate: but I must believe that that was done for my sake, to redeem with his passion my sins, and all theirs which believe and trust in him. If I believe so, then I shall not be deceived (m) I must believe, for myself, that his blood was shed for me (o)." Such an account of true faith as this necessarily infers the actual limitation of redemption. For, where is the peculiar privilege of believing that ' Christ shed his blood for me,'' if it be true, -hat he actually shed his blood for everybody? If he redeemed the entire race of mankind, without exempting so much as one (which the Arminian doctrine of universal redemption supposes), his blood must of course have been shed for me among the rest, whether I believe it or not. Where, then, is either the use, or the importance of this faith, on the hypothesis of an unlimited ransom (/))? I conclude, therefore, that the reformer, who has laid down such a definition of " the faith which bringeth salvation, " could never, in the very nature of things, su])pose the ransom to bt unlimited. And, indeed, as we have al- ready shewn, he himself has expressly declar- ed that he did not suppose it. But, though he believed redemption not to be absolutely universal, this belief of his did by no means arise (any more than ours) from a diminutive idea of the worth and value of Christ's atonement. He acknowledged its intrinsic sufficiency to redeem every individual of the human species, though he denied its actual universality. Thus he speaks. " Not- withstanding his death might be sufficient for ((/) all the whole world, yet, for all that, no man shall enjoy that same benefit, but only they that believe in him (r)." And who are they that shall believe and be saved ? Let Latimer answer the question. " Therefore he is called Jesus, because he shall save his peo- ple from their sins ; as the angel of God him- self witnesseth (s)." All, that now remains, is, (!)). To enquire into what he has delivered concerning the doctrine of final perseverance. There was a time, when Latimer seems to have rather symbolized with some of the v.itiou nf such as die in infancy (all of whom are un- doubtedly saicd): nor yet against the salvation of God's elect among thf Heathen^, Malionutans, and others. The Holy Spirit is able to inspire the grace of virtual faith into those hearts (especially at the moment of dissolution), which are incapable of exert- ing the exlicit act of faith. (n) Ibid. p. 43C. Co) rtiid. p. 639. (p) Add to this, that tlie tenet of universal redemp- tion would, instead of inducing us to seek for an application of Christ's death to ourselves in particular, be the ready and effectual w ay to make us " stand in generalities : " which, as we have just heard, good Latimer so expressly cautions us against standing in. q) Observe how carefully Latimer varies his phraseology : he does not say, merely, for the whole Lutherans, on this article. Luther himself did not believe the being of a God, more firmly, than he believed the total and final persever- ance of the regenerate elect. But soon after Luther's death, some of those Protestants, who called themselves by his name, began to deviate from the purity and strictness of that reformer's system. One of these deviations respected the degree of possible apostacy. A branch of nominal Lutherans begun to teach, that, though a truly sanctified person could not fall finally from grace, he might nevertheless fall totally : he might make utter shipwreck of faith, for the time being ; though he should certainly (by virtue of God's immoveable cove- nant and election) be regenerated over again, and saved at last. Though this was ratner a bungling idea of perseverance, equally illogical and unscriptural, yet it did not clash with that part of the Christian system which asserts the certainty of eventual salvation to all true believers : and so came infinitely short of the absurdity of Arminianism, which supposes, not only a total, but a final defectibility of grace ; than which nothing can be more monstrous and profane. That Latimer once imagined divine grace in the hearts of the regenerate to be totally (though not finally) defectible, appears from that passage, in one of his sermons, where he speaks of a person's being sometimes in, and sometimes out of, Christ and the book of life. The passage runs thus : " But you will say. How shall 1 know that I am in the book of life ? how shall I try myself to be elected of God to eveilasting life? I answer; first, we may know, that we may one time be in the book, and another time come out again: as it appeared by David, who was written in the book of life ; but, when he sinned, he was out of the book of the favour of God, until he had repented, and was sorry for his faults. So we may be in the book one time; and, afterward, when we foraet God and his word, come out of the book : that is, out of Christ, which is the book. And in that book are written all believers (<)•" God forbid, that I should so much as wish to represent any thing diflVient- ly from what it really is. I acknowledge, that, when Latimer delivered the above para- world ; hut tor all the wtiole world. VV hen he affirmed, in the passage quoted above (Seep. ^98.), that Clirist died for the whole world ; he explains his meaning, by adding, all the faithful, all those that believe. But here, when he sj^eaksof the dignity and sulticiency of Christ's propitiation ; he enlarges the term, and says for all the who e world Making it evident, that as, by the whole w^rld, he meant only the world of believers, whom alone he supposed to be actually redeemed by Christ ; so, by the still more extensive term of, for all the whole world, he design- ed, in this place, to signify p\\ mankind at large : for whose redemption, the death of Christ was certainly, in itself, sullicient, and super-sufFu ient. (r) Ibid. p. 600. (s) Ibid. p. 609. . (0 Ibid. p. 846,847. 1-14 THE JUDGMENT OF OUR graph, he seemed, on this head, to hare coin- cided in judgment with the new Lutherans. And I likewise add, that he was the only one of all our English reformers who trod in this bye-path. Consequently, his private opinion, in which he was perfectly singular, and abso- lutely stood alone, affects not the public doc- trine of the ChiH ch of England. But if Latimer was, at one time, somewhat eccentric, in point of total defectibility ; he was stedfast as a rock, and true as a needle to the njatinet, in point of final perseverance. This I aver ; and now proceed to prove. " All they,'' says Latimer, " that believed in Christ, since Adam was created were saved by him (n)." Speaking of the fear of death, from which many eminent saints are not entirely deliver- ed, he thus goes on : " Yea, the elect people of G )d, the faithful, having the beholding of his face, though God hath always preserved them (such a good God is he to them that believe in him, that he will not suffer them to be tempted above that that they are able to bear); yet, fur all that, there is nothing that they complain of more sore, than this horror of death (.r)." To that artful question, asked by the Papists, Do you think that all your Catholic fore-fa- thers are damned? Bishop Latimer judiciously answers, that, as many of them as went to Heaven were saved by virtue of God's electing- grace and were finally pieserved by it to life eiernal. "To the question, of our forefathers: God knoweth his elect, and diligently watch- eth and keepeth them, so that all things serve to their salvation. The nature of fire is, to burn all that is laid in it : yet God kept the three young men in Babylon, that they burnt not. And Moses saw a bush on fire; but it burnt not. So false doctrine burneth as the fire: it cornipteth. But God kept his elect, that they were not corrupted with it ; but always put their trust in o: e ever-living God, through the death of Jesus Christ our Lord. In Elias's time, idolatry and superstition leigned : so that Elias said. Lord, they have destroyed thy al- tars, and slain thy prophets and preachers, and I am left alone. But the Lord answered him, I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed their knees to Baal. So God, I trust, reserved our fore-fathers, in so perilous times, more graciously than we can think (t/)." According to this good man, Satan is an enemy whom every true believer is certain of overcoming. " The Devil hath no farther power than God will allow him. The Devil can go no farther than God permitteth him to do. Which thing shall strengthen our faith : insomuch that we shall be sure to overcome him (z)." God, " is able to help us in our dis- tress, and grant our requests. And though these be great things, yet we need not to des- pair ; but consider that he is Lord over Hea- ven and earth, that he is able to do for us, and that he will do so, being our Father and our Lord, and King over all things (a)." Latimer very rightly deduces the final per- severance of the saints from the love which God bears in Christ to his believing people. " In the prophets, every where, he setteth out his great love which he hath towards us, saying. Can a woman forget her own child, which she hath born into the world ? yea, and though she do forget the same, yet I will not forget thee. It is a rare thing, when the Devil so much prevaileth in parents, that a mother should neglect or forget her own child. Yet, saith God, though it were so, that she could forget her child, yet will not I forget thee when thou believest in my Son Christ. For the Devil cannot prevail against me, though he prevail against [such] women, so that sometimes they forget their own chil- dren, or kill them: yet he shall not prevail against me, for I am mightier than he is [b)." This is hinging the question on the right point. While God perseveres in his love to the saints, the saints cannot but persevere in the grace of God. So that God himself must cease to persevere, ere they can. Latimer justly observes, that the comfort of faith may be suspended, though the grace of faith is perpetual and inamissible " It is said, in Scripture, that God leadeth [as it were] into Hell, and bringeth up again. And so it is with such fearful men : for God doth cast them into Hell, [/. e.~\ he hideth himself from them ; but at length he bringeth them out again, and establisheth them with a constant faith, so that they may be sure of their salvation and ever- lasting life. I knew once a woman who was seventeen years in such an estacy and fear : but at length she recovered again, and God endued her with a strong and stedfcist faith ia the end {c^." Nothing can be more comfortable to an awakened mind, than this blessed infallibility of perseverance. " This is now an exceeding comfort to all Christian people: for they may be assured, that when they believe in Christ, and Christ taketh their parts, there shall be nothing neither in Heaven nor on earth, that shall be able to hurt them or lett [i. e. hinder] them of their salvation ((i)." Again: *' By this text [viz he that spared not his own Son, &;c.] it appeareth, that he that hath Christ hath all things: hehath Clirist's fulfiUingof the law: 1? hath remission of his sins ; and so, consequently everlasting life. Is not this a comfort (e) ?" " Whoever thus believeth, mistrusting hits self and his ov.-n doings, and trusting in th (M) I'j'iri. p. 55S. (X) Ibid. p. 20S. (y) Ibid. p. 261. (l) I'ld. . 463. [a) TJirf. p. 406. (Ai Ibid. p. 575. (r) Ibid. p. 670. ( ) / id. p. 692. (f) Ibid. p. 795. ENGLISH REFORMERS. 145 merits of Christ : he shall get the victory death, the devil, and hell : so that they shall not hurt him, neither all their powers be able to stand against any of those who are in Christ Jesus (f). Who is a just man ? He is just that believeth in our Saviour. For, as you kave heard before, those, who believe in Christ, are justified before God : they are clean deli- vered from all sins, and therefore may be cal- led just ; for so they are in the sight of God. Such, saith the Prophet, he hath never seen forsaken of God (g)." So far was Latimer from not holding the fi- nal perseverance of true believers, that he held it sinful in true believers to doubt of their own finul perseverance. "We must always consider that God is able to save hs, and be- lieve uiidoubtedly that he will save us. So that, whan I am sick, as is said before, I may doubt whether God will deliver me from my sickness, or no: but I may not doubt of ever- lasting life (h)." He considered the doctrine of perseverance as a powerful support and consolation, under even the outward afflictions of the present life. Christ " Is every where : and will be with us unto the end of the world, as he pro- mised to his apostles after his resurrection, saying, Lo, I will be vvith you unto the end of the world. Which is the greatest comfort that may be unto a Christian heart : for it is a stay to all trouble (i).'' Perseverance is but another name for re- taining the grace of God. And, according to Latimer, grace is retained by all who are made truly good. "To retain is the property of the good seed. Therefore if thou canst find the keeping of God's most holy word in thy heart, then thou art in the good ground, and shalt bring forth much fruit: thou slialt keep the word of God with patience. For God hath ever a Church : and those that be of the church will keep his word with patience. (*)." Such, therefore, as do not keep it with patience, or perseverance, were never of God's church, but reprobates and hypocrites. Were I to adduce al! bishop Latimer's asser- tions in behalf of final perseverance, they would amount to a little volume. The three following shall close the subject. "We may learn here \_viz. from Matth. viii. 23, &c.], that the ship signified the congrega- tion of Christ and his church. The disciples, being in the ship, are preserved, through Christ. So all those which are in the church of Christ, shall be saved and preserved by him. The others, which are without this church [i. e. the reprobate], shall be damned and perish {I)." " If thou believest in him, then thou art written in the book of life, and shall be saved {m).'' " The Lora knoweth which are his. Also Christ himself saith. No man shall take tho.se from me whom my father hath given to mc that is to say, which are ordained to everlasting life («)." Thus have I laid before the reader some (and only some of those proofs, which are on record, of bishop Latimer's Calvinism. And I have done it, with much more amplitude, than I otherwise should, for this plain reason ; viz. To show, that, though this worthy mar- tyr was (as already observed) by far the most unlearned, and by much the least, guarded and accurate, among the whole choir of English reformers ; still he was, in reality, a Calvinist, a strict Calvinist, a zealous Calvinist, and, in most respects, a consistent Calvinist. I have produced upwards of a hundred passages from Latimer himself, in support of the above assertion : and, if need had required, could have augmented the list with a hundred more. But enough has been alledged, to turn the balance of Latimer's testimony on the side of our established doctrines. Though a million of Wesleys and Sellons, with their whole ragged regiment of coblers, tinkers, shoe-blacks, and old women, were to hang by the opposite scale ; they would all mount and sprawl aloft in the air, till they tumbled otF in clusters, not without execrating the insu- perable gravity of Latimer and the Church of England. Some readers, perhaps, may think, I have been too extensive and diffuse, in my quo- tations from this venerable bishop. If the reason, already assigned, will not avail for my apology, the only farther amends, [ am able to make, is, to promise, that my extracts, from each of the remaining reformers, shall be less prolix. SECTION XIV. Tlie Judgment of our English Reformers cuHcbtded. IV. Doctor John Hooper, bishop of Glou- cester and Worcester, comes next to be con- sidered. He was born in Somersetshire, A. D. 14*J5 ; and received the academical part of his education at Merton College, Oxford. The exact time of his conversion to the Protestant faith, is unknown : but it certainly was previous to the year 1539. For, upon the passing of the six bloody articles into a statute, which happened in that year, we find Mr. Hooper quitting England for the sake of a good con- science, and wandeiing, like a partridge hunted on the mountains, first into France, Ireland, and Holland ; and thence to Switzerland . in which latter, he lived partly at Basil, and partly at Zurich, where he became intimately (/) Ibid. (fi) Ibid. p. S18. (A) Ibid. p. 844. (») Ibib. p. 851. {k) Ibid. p. UOO, 901. {L) Ibid.^.Sii. (ill) Ibid. p. Si6. (n) Ibid. fi. 004. L 146 THE JUDGMENT OF OUR acquainted with the learned Heniy Bullinger. On the death of Henry VIII. in 15-47, our venerable exile returned to his native country. Prior to his setting out from Zurich, he dropt a very remarkable expression, in his parting interview with Bullinger. " In all probability," said Bullinger, " king Edward will raise you to a bishoprick. If so, don't suffer your eleva- tion to make you forgetful of your old friend, in Switzerland. Let us, from time to time, have the satisfaction of hearing from you.'' Hooper answered, " No change of place, nor of station, no accession of new friends, shall ever render me unmindful of yourself and my other benefactors here. You may depend on my carefully corresponding with you. But it will not be in my power, to write you an account of the last news of all : for" [taking Bullinger by the hand] " others will inform you of my being burned to ashes in that very place where, in the mean while, I shall labour most for God and the gospel (o)." The holy man was not mistaken in his prediction. Gloucester was, afterwards, the principal seat of his religious labours ; and, at Gloucester, he sealed those labours with his blood, Feb. 9, 1555, in the 60th year of his age : being, as Burnet ip) observes, the first of our Protestant bishops that suffered death for the gospel. He is universally allowed to have been eminently pious, extensively learned, and of the most unimpeacable morals. A noble instance of the steadiness and impartiality with which he laboured to discountenance vice, occurs in the history last referred to. Being in his diocese of Gloucester, he denounced the censures of the church against some persons of inferior station, who had been convicted of open lewd- ness. One of them had the courage to say to him. We poor people must do penance for these things ; while great and rich men, though as guilty as ourselves, are suflered to escape unpunished and unnoticed. The bishop answered. Name any person, how great soever, who can be convicted of adultery ; and I will give you leave to use me as roughly as you please, if I do not proceed against him \rith all the severity of justice. The intrepid pre- late was soon as good as his word: for, in a few days after, he cited Sir Anthony Kingston, a man of high consequence in that countrj', into the Ecclesiastical Court: and though, for some time, tl.e knight behaved with great haughti- ness and outrage, he was at last forced to do penance, and pay a fine of 500/. besides (q). As Dr. Hooper was thus a resolute assertor of virtue, so he asserted, with no less r^'solution, those grand evangelical doctrines, from the experimental belief of which, all genuine virtue flows. He observes, thp.t, in Heaven, the souls of ihe faithful are " for ever praising the Lord, in conjunction and society everlast- ing with the blessed company of God's elect, in perpetual joy (r)." And he mentions it as one capital instance of the patience of God's people on earth, that "They wait until the number of the elect be fulfilled (j)." With an eye to the same precious doctrine of election, he adds, in a letter, written a few weeks before liis martyrdom, that the glorified spirits of them who had, in all ages, suffered death for the cause of Christ, were joyfully expecting the happy day, " When they shall receive their bodies again in immortality, and see the num- bei of the elect associated with them in full and consummate joys ()." He is equally explicit, as to the necessity of grace. He justly observes, that true content- ment under affliction is the fruit of supernatural regeneration. " It is not the nature of man that can be contented, until it be regenerated and possessed with God's spirit, to bear patiently the troubles of the mind, or of the body («)•" Again: "These things" [viz. the knowledge and love of heavenly objects]" are easy to be spo- ken of, but not so easy to be practised. Where- fore, seeing they be God's gifts, and none of oui s to have of our own when we would, we must seek them at our Heavenly Father's band (.tJ Howbeit, no man of himself can do this [i. e. can pray and ihope aright] ; but the Spirit of God, that striketh the man's heart with fear, prayeth for the man stricken and feared, with unspeakable groaniiigs iy)." Once more : " Christ Sdith to every one of his people, By your own patience yc shall continue your life : not that man hath patience in [j. e. of] himself, but that he must have it for himself of God, the only giver of it (z)." On the great article of justification, also. Hooper was a thorough Cah-inist. This appears from the confession of faith (an extract of which is preserved in Burnet), which was signed, not only by Hooper himself, but by two bishops besides, and seven eminent minis- ters ; all, at that time, prisoners for the gospel : viz. Coverdale, bishop of Exeter ; Farrar, bishop of St. Band's ; with Taylor, Phil pot, Bradford, Crome, Sanders, Rogers, and Law- rence. In this excellent declaration, the heroic sufferers publicly certified, tthat they "held jus- tification by faith; which faith," said they, "is not only an opinion, but a certain persuasion, wrought by the Holy Ghost, which doth illumi- nate the mind, and supple the heart to submit itself unfeignedly to God." They add, that they " acknowledged an inherent righteous- ness ; yet they believed that justification, and pardon of sins, came only by Christ's righte- ousness imputed to them (a)." {ui See Fox, vol lii. p. 119. IJ'J Kelor. voi. lii. p. 240 (?) Birnet, Ihid.f. 219, 210. (r) Fox iu. 132. (f; Ibid. p. 133. it) IbUI. p. 13S. («) I lid. p. 131. [X) Ibid. p. 132. (y) Ibid. (;j Ibid. p. 183. 1, at Schelestadt, in Alsace. In his early part of life he entered himself of theorderof Dominican Friars; but, after a time, God shewed him a more excellent way. Some writings, of Erasmus are said {k) to have given his mind the first shock against Popery. His doubts were afterwards improv- ed into a full conviction of the truth, by the books of Luther. As Luther's writings had driven the nail to tiie head ; so some personal interviews, which Bucer had with that rtfor- mer, first at Heildberg, and then at Worms, in 1521, clinched the nail so effectually, that Bucer determined from that time forward, to pro- fess the doctrines of the gospel moie openly than ever. The conversations of these two great men, during those memorable interviews, ap- pear to have turned chiefly on the articles of fiee-vvill and justification. , In the year 1548, Hucer was fnot at the recommendation of Melancthon, but at the recommendation of archbishop (/) Cranmer ) invited, by king Edward, from Sfrasburg to England. The learned Fagious was invited at the same time ; and accompanied Bucer hither. Being arrived, Bucer was made divinity pro- fessor at Cambridge; with a salary, treble to what any of his predecessors had enjoyed. "Tliese grave and le.n ned Doctors,'' says Mr. Stry[)e, meaning Martin Bucer and Peter Mar- tyr, " were placed there [viz. in the two Uni- versities ; Bucer at Cambiidge, and Martyr at Oxford] : the Lord Protector and the archbi- shop judging them the fittest persons to in- form the students in their notions and doc- trines concerning religion. Because, as they f/r) Fox, u. s. p. 1.12. (k) /hid. (i) II, id. p. l.l.'i. \k) Mclch. Adam. Vit. Thcolog. German, p. 211 Edit. Hoidclb. 1G20. (I) See Strype's Eccl. Mim. vol. ii. p. 121. — Also Mclch. Adam. p. 219. I4S THE JUDGMENT OF OUR >vere very learned in other sciences : so in di- vinity, tliey toniv the Holy Scripture for their guide, and gathered their tenets from no other authority but from thence ; according to the constant principle of the great and good archbishop [jit)." I shall quickly shew, that the archbishop and the Lord Protector were not mistaken, in their favourable opinion of the two celebrated foreigners ; and that these illustrious divines did indeed " gather their tenets from no other authority but the Holy Scriptures." But Bucer's business in England, and that of Martyr, was not restrained to the divinity- chairs of Cambridge and Oxford, or to the in- struction of the youth who were to serve in the ministry of this Protestant Church. Those learned professors had likewise a hand in the reformation and settlement of the Church her- self. Even the fierce-flaming and high-flying Mr. Samuel Downes, notwithstanding all his redundant bitterness against Calvinism, both foreign and domestic, is compelled to own (though with grievous reluctance, and with no little mi ncing and twisting,) that the liturgy itself was submitted to the judgment and correc- tion of Bucer and Martyr. These divines, says Mr. Downes, " being men of great learning, and ol a moderate and peaceable disposition, had been invited over by archbishop Cranmer : and had, by their prudent carriage, and aft'ection to our regular constitution, which they had given a remarkable instance of in their answers to Hooper's scruples concerning the episcopal ha- bit, so well recommended themselves to the es- teem of our bishops ; that it was thought expe- dient to lay a Latin trUnslationof the liturgy be- fore them, and desire their opinion concerning ■what explanations, or amendments, were re- quisite to be made (n)." Thus far, all is fair, candid and true. And, if this be indeed (as indeed it is) a just state of the fact ; I should be glad to know, with what propriety and con- sistency the Arminian life-compiler has sub- joined, in the very next words to those last cited, " But there is a wide difference between asking their advice, and adding, or omitting, according to their humour and fancy." Is not this, indirectly, saying that Bucer and Martyr were bumoursome fanciful men ? And how does such an unjust and ungenerous in- plication comport with the character which this very writer has, a moment before, given of theso very pti'sons viz. That " their disposition was peaceable and moderate, tha* their carri- age was prudent, and their attertiou to our re- gular constitution so remarkable as to recom- mend them to the esteem of the reforming (ffi) Str>-pe, ubi supra. (n) Dowue's Lives of the Comp. p. 175, 176. (o; /hid. Tp. 17G. (p) Every sin wc commit, has something in it ot the guod v/oik. of God. 1 cunnot clearly undersCund, bishops?" It does not appear, that either Bu- cer or Martyr, had any singularity either of " humour," or of " fancy," to indulge. On the contrary, their modesty and moderation were known to all men, and have pressed even Mr. Downes himself into an acknowledgement of both. It may be asked. Did the English reformers actually make any alterations in tlie book of Common Prayer, conformably to the judgments of Martyr and Bucer? I answer, yes. And the aforesaid Mr. Downes shall se- cond my testimony. Though, through an ex- cess of bigotry, he faulters in pronouncing his evidence, still the evidence itself is full to the point. " If some particulars were altered agreeable to their judgment, it was because our bishops thought the reasons \ihich they [i. e. which Martyr and Bucer] gave, for mak- ing those alterations, conclusive and convin- cing (o)." Admitted. It remains, then, that these two foreign Calvinists were actually con- cerned in the modeling of our English liturgy : and, consequently, that they had some hand in the reformation of the Church of England. But were they indeed doctrinal Calvinists? Let their own works answer the question. I shall begin with Bucer : and cite his obsei-va- tions, not under distinct heads, but in the same order as I extracted them, from such of his books as I could have present recourse to. "Predestination," says Bucer, " is neither more nor less than pre-limitation, or fore-ap- pointment : and God, who consigns every thing to its proper use, worketh all things agreeably to his own pie-determination; and, accordingly, separates one thing from another, so as to make each thing answer to its respective use- If you desire a more extensive definition of this predestination, take it thus : predestination is an appointment of every thing to its proper use ; by which appointment, God doth, before he made them, even from eternity, destir.e all things whatever to some certain and particular use. Hence it follows, that even wicked men are predestinated. For, as God forms them out of nothing, so he forms them to some de- terminate end : for he does all things, know- ingly, and wisely. The Lord hath made all things for himself, even the wicked for the day of evil [Prov. xvi. 4]. Divines, however, do not usually call this predestination ; but repro- bation. 'Tis certain, that God makes a good use of evil itself: and every sin we commit, hath sotnething in it of the good work of God(p). Scripture does not hesitate to affirm, that there are persons, whom God delivers over to a reprobate sense, and whom he forms for destruction: why, therefore, should it be what Bucer intends by this extraordinary, and seem- ingly harsh mode of expression. Be his meaning ^hat it may, the reader will observe, as usual, that 1 am not advancing the above proposition, as my own ; but simply quoting the words of another. ENGLISH REFORMERS CONCLUDED. 149 deemed derogatory from God, to assert, that he not only does this, but resolved beforehand to do it (9) ?" Nothing can be more plain and nervous than the following remarks of Bucer respect- ing God's obduration of Pharaoh. Whether the remarks be, or be not, carried too far, is beyond my province to enquire. " The apostle says. Who may resist the will of God ? By the word will, Paul gives us to understand, that God actually willeth those very things unto which men are hardened by him. When Paul adds, Who may resist? he, in fact, points out the necessity which they, whom God hardens, are under, of doing those things. When God would harden Pharaoh, in order that he might not obey the commandment, it was the actual will of God that Pharaoh should not obey. Yea, God himself wrought in Pharaoh to op- pose the commandment sent him. Pharaoh, therefore, did what God in reality willed him to do; yea, he did no more than what God himself had wrought in him : nor was it in Pharaoh's power, to act otherwise than he did." Such was the doctrine taught by this able and cou- rageous Cambridge professor. Willing, how- ever, to obviate any exceptions which those persons might raise who had not studied these deep points so carefully and so extensively as he had been enabled to do, he, presently after, shelters both his doctrine and himself under the following words, and the correspondent prac- tice, of the great apostle whom he had quoted before : "Nay but, O man ! [who art thou that repliest against God?] St. Paul does not accom- modate nor soften down, a single syllable of what he had just asserted. The sacred penman does not deny that they who are hardened by God perish according to the will of God. The apos- tle does not admit it to be even possible that a person who is hardened from above can perform what is good. Paul [instead of set- ting himself to answer our vain reasonings on the matter] contents himself with merely giving us a solemn caution not to sit in judg- ment on the decrees of God: assuring us, that we cannot arraign the Deity at our own bar, without being guilty of the uttermost boldness .yi " Alioqui, quura TrpDopnT/ius- sit niuipliciter pri finitio, ct Deus prefenito agut omnia, nibil non ad siiiim usum deputans ; atque iU ab aliis relms, quantum .ndislum suum usum attinet, scperat. Si in gL-ncre dcliMirt' banc prefinitionam veliis, erit, rci cujusque ad suum usum deputatio, qu9m Dcus singula, antequ,im condiderit, ab xteran, ad certum aliquem usum des- linat. Hinc, et malorum quoque pra>destinatio est. Nam sicut et Los ex nihilo tingit Dcus fingit ad rertem finem : sapienter enim facit omnia. Fecit Deus omnia propter semetipsum, etiam impium ad diem malum. Sed banc theologi non sustinet vocare prxdestinationem ; sed vocaut, reprobationem. — NuUo eertO malo Deus non ben6 utitur ; et nihil est, quod nos peccamus, in quo non sit aliquod bonum opus Uei. .Scriptura non veretur dicere, Deum tradere quosdam bomiaes in reprobum sensum, et agere in perniciem. Quid igitur indig- num Deo, nicere, etiam statuissc antea, ut illos in sensum reprobum traderit, et ageret in perniciem 1" and impiety (r)." If Bucer was not a Calvinist, where shall we find one ? I cannot prevail oa myself to defraud the reader of a few more citations, which I lately extracted from another most valuable work of Bucer, entitled, A continued Interpretation of the Four Gospels. And I the rather subjoin them, as the book itself is exceedingly scarce, though I have been so happy as to meet with it in 3 neighbouring library. " They who are at any time able to fall quite away from Christ, did never really belong to him. Consequently, they never truly believ- ed, nor were indeed pious, nor had the Holy Spirit of adoption : on the contrary, all their performances were nothing but hypocrisy, how sanctified and ready soever unto good works they, for a time, pretended to be. They, whom Christ loves, are loved by him even unto the end : and he doth not cast away those whom the Father giveth him ; neither can any snatch them from his hand. Therefore, admitting that these may fall, yet they cannot fall utterly; for they are elect unto life: and God's election cannot be made void by any creature whatever. Seeing, then, that the purpose of God, accord- ing to election, may stand, not of works, but of him that calleth [Rom. ix. 11.]; he not only elected his own people before they were born, and had done either good or evil [Rom. ix. 1 1 .], but even before the very foundations of the world [Eph. i. 4.] Hence, our Lord said, concern- ing his apostles, I pray not for the world, but for them whom thou hast given me ; for they are thine : that is, they were chosen by thee un- to life. As, therefore, on one hand, Christ never knew e. never loved] the reprobate, whatever deceitful appearance of virtue they might have ; so, on the other, he always knew [?. e. always loved] the elect, how ungodly so- ever they might seem for a time. Consequent- ly, as these [j. e. the elect] are predestinated and called, they shall, sooner or later, be form- ed anew, according to the likeness of Christ : while those [/. e. the reprobate] shall be strip- ped of that artificial mask, under which they passed for children of God; and be made to appear in their own proper colours (s)." Bucer. Enarr. ad Rom. p. 419. Edit. Basil. 15C2. (r) " Voluntati ejus quia resistat ? Voluntatem c6m dicit, notat, Deura ea velle, ad qua; homines indurat. Ciim addit, quis resistat I indicat necessitatem faciendi ea, qu;e fert induratio. Cum Deus Pharannem tndurari t, ne jussui suo obtcmperaret ; voluit utique ilium jussui suo non obtemperare : im6, ut ei rc- pugnaret, ipse in eo cflecit. Fecit itaque Pbarao, quod Deus volebat eum facere : imo, quod ipse facieb.at in eo : ncc potuit aliud. Quinimo, O homo ! Apostolus nihil mitigat dictorum. Non negat, Dei voluntate perie, quos indmat Deus. Nnn facit possibile homini, ut bcnefariat induratus. Sed deturret tautum et depellit ab eo, ut judicia Domini iudiccraus : ostcn- dens, hoc esse extrema; impuUentia; et iuipietatis." Bucer. Ihii/. p. 4.5fi. (.V) " Clari; doccmur, qui aliquandd a Christo possunt cxcidere, eos Christi nunquam fuisse: eoque nunquam yere credidisse, ant fuisse pios, nunquam •piritQs filiorum fuisso nactos : sed omnia illorum 150 THE JUDGMENT OF OUR On those words of Christ, Ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, Bucer thus remarks: "They were not of our Lord's sheep, J. e. they were not in the number of those who were given to liim by the Father ; they were not elected unto life. Therefore it was, that they were totally destitute of God's good spirit, and were utterly immersed in flesh : neither were they able to believe in our Lord, nor to embrace him as a Saviour {t)." A little farther on, we find this admirable commentator observing as follows : " My sheep hear my voice, &c. In these words our Lord expressly teaches, that all good things are dependent on God's election ; and that thev, to whom it is once given to be sheep, can never perish afterwards. Christ here tells us, that they alone hear his voice : that is, they who are indeed his sheep, are made par- takers of faith. Now, whence is it, that some people are Christ's .'heep, or susceptible of his doctrine, while others are not ? Undoubted- ly, because the former are inspired by the good Spirit of God, whereas the latter are not inspired at all. But whence is it, that the former are endued with the Holy Spirit, and not the latter ? For this reason : because the former were given to Christ, to be saved by him ; but the latter were not given him. Let us therefore allow God the honour of being the bestower of his own Spirit, without sup- posing him to need or receive any of our as- sistance. Christ adds, and I know them : i.e. they are conmiitted to my trust ; 1 have them in especial charge. And, doubtless, from hence it is, that his sheep follow him, and live the life which never ends. The Father gave them to him, that he might endue them with life eternal, and they can no more be plucked from nil nisi hyrocrisin esse, quantiimlibet saiicti, et pietate pra^stabiles, ad tempus, sese fingant. Quos enim Cliristus uiligit, in fiiiem usque diligit: et quos pater illi dat, iieque ipse a'ojicit; neque lapere de manii ejus quisquan pott-st. Ideo ctsi cadant hu'usmodi, exciduiit tamen nouquam. Electi enim .sunt ad vitam : quam Dei elcctionem nulla potest creatura rtddere irritam. Siquidom ut secundem electionem prepo- 3itum Dei nianeat, non cx operibus, sed ex \ocante ; non solum elegit suos, priusquam nati sint, ac boni aut niali quicquam fecerent ; sed antequam jacere:itur fundameuta orbis a coiistitutione mundi. C nde et de apostolis Dominus diccbat. Xon pro mundo rogo sed pro iis rogo quos dedisti niilii ; quia tui sunt : id est, electi abs te ad vitam. Proinde, ut Christo non quam noti sunt reprobi, itd nunqiiam ignoti electi : quan- tunvis, in illis, pietatis species aliqua adbl.iudiatur ; et, in his invisa impietatis ssepe forma conspiciatur; Eoque, et hi, sicut pra?destinati et vocati sunt, sic tan- dem ad miaginem Christi relormabuntur : et illi, detracti persona filiorum Dei factitii, sui similes apparebunt, juxta hoc quod ise auditurus hie testatur [Christus]." Bucer. in .Matth. vii. 22. Apud ejus in sacr. quatuor Evang. Enarrat. Perpet. pag. '6- b. — Edit. Rob. Steph. 1553. (t) " Non erant ex oribus Domini ; hoc est donatis Christo a Patre : non erant ex electis ad vitam, Ineo omui spiritu Dei bono carebant : aiiiiuales toti. Neque potueraiit Domino credere, aut ut servatorem ipsum amplecti." hncvr. Jhitt. in Job. x. 25. (u) Oves ma; vocem, ic. in his apperte docet Christ's hand, than from the hand of tlie Fa-, ther, who is mightier and greater than all. Christ and the Father are one: their powet and strength are the same. Consequently, as none can pluck the elect from the Father's hand, so neither from the hand of Christ. We are to observe moreover, that it flows only from God's election, that we are the sheep of Christ, and follow him. We must observe, too, that such can never entirely fall away. For, the Father and the Son being undivided, their hand, that is, their power, must be undivided also : and out of their hand none shall never snatch those whom that hand has once laid hold on for salvation. Now, unto whomsoever it shall be given to hear the voice of Christ, arid to follow him ; they may be said to be thus laid hold on [by the hand, or power, of divine grace] : seeing, none but the sheep, are able to hear and follow the Redeemer. And if they aie sheep now, they are so held in the hand of Christ aud of the Father, as never to perish, but to have eternal life (?<)•" Bucer was also a Calvinist on the article of limited redemption. He was too well ac- quainted with the Scriptures, and too accurate a reasoner, as well as entertained too exalted an idea of the dignity of Christ's sacrifice, to imagine that the Messiah died at sixes and sevens, for any body and every body, but ef- fectually for nobody. The learned reformer's sentiments on this subject appear, among other passages, from his pious and judicious paraphrase on our Lord's answer to Peter (Matth. xvi. 23.), which was, says Bucer, as if Christ had said, " If I am the Messiah, I must, according to the Scriptures, be slain for the elect. If I am the son of God, why should I not obey my father, whose will it is, that I [Christus], omnia a divina electione pendere ; eo«qi,c quibus semel datum fuerit oves esse, perire nunquani posse. Kic namque audimus, eos tantiim vocem Christi rtudire, id est, lidem recipere, qui oves sunt. Jam unde erit, ut alii, oves, hoc est, capaces doctrine Christi sunt, alii minime? ludubie, quod illi bono spiritu Dei alHati sunt : hi nequaquam. Ui;de autem erit, ut illi spiritu douentur, hi seciis ? Quod illi hlio salvai:di donati sunt ; hi nequaquam. Domino ergo demiis banc gloriani, ut ipse spiritum det, nihil nostra optrA adjutus. Dominus subjicit, et cognorco illas ; A. e. Curs iiiihi sunt ; et hiuc certe est, ut ipsum oves sequantur, vitamque vivant qua? tinem nescit. Ipsi illas Pater dedit, ut eis suppeditet vitam aiteraam : tarn igitur non poterunt e manu ejus quam e patrls nianu, qu* major et potcntior omnibus est, eripi. Cnum siquidem sunt ipse et pater : eadem est utri- usquc virtus et potentia. Germanice, es ist ein ding dell vatur un der sun. Quare ut de manu patrls nemo potest electos rapere, ita neque de manu Christi. — Iteriim observandum, a sola Dei electione esse, ut oves simus, et Christtim sequamur ; tarn tales excidt re nunquam posse. Qui unum sunt pater et lilius, ean- dum manum habent, id est, potentiam : de qua nemo unquam rapiet eos, quos ilia semel apprehei:d( rit sal- vai:dos. Apprehensi autem sunt quibu.scuiique da- tum fuerit Christi vocem audire et sequi. Id siquidem iiulli possunt, nisi oves sint. Si jam oves, in niai,u Christi et patris sunt, ut nunquam pereant, sed ha- beant vitam a-ternam." Bucer Enarr. iu Joaun. cap. 10. v. 27. p. 277. b. ENGLISH REFORMERS CONCLUDED. should be a victim and a sacrifice for the sins of all those whom he hath ordained unto life (x) r I shall only add, concerning this great man, that he died at Cambridge, A. D. 1551 ; of which melancholy event, good king Edward VI. made the following entry in his journal: " Feb. 28. The learned man Hucerus died at Cambridge ; who was, two days after, buried in St. Mary's church, at Cambridge; all the whole University, with the whole town, bringing him to his grave, to the number of 3000 persons. Also there was an oration of Mr. Haddon, made very eloquently, at his death ; and a sermon of [Dr. Parker] : after that, Master Redman made a third sermon. Which three sermons made the people won- derfully to lament his death. Last of all, all the learned men of the University made tlieir epitaphs in his praise, laying them on his grave (y)." Bucer's death was occasioned by a compli- cation of disorders : particularly the cholic, and the stone : iitfestinoram dolor (says Melch. Ad. p. 220.), calculus, fasticCiwn cibornm, alvi, siccitas, catarrhi copiosi capitis. During his whole illness, that illustrious mother in Israel, Catharine Brandon, duchess dowager of Suf- fol!;, attended him, watched with him, and deigned to undergo the offices and fatigues of a nurse : in hopes that providence might ni:ike her the instrument of saving so valuable a life ; or, at least, that her generous assiduity niijrht co'iduce to soften the last agonies of her beloved friend and pastor (zj. This was the same lady, who, in the succeeding reign of Mary, to avoid the resentment of the Pa- pists, was obliged to follow her second hus- band, Mr. Richard Bertie, into voluntary ba- nishment : where they suffered such hardships, and ran such dangers, as cannot be read with- out the strongest feelings of sympathetic dis- tress. On the accession of queen Elizabeth, the religious and noble exiles returned to Eng- land ; where, many years after, they finished tlieir course, in wealth, honour and felicity (a). Some short time before Bucer's decease, Mr. John Bradford (the celebrated martyr) coming to see him, with tears, said, " I am going 1 1 preach, and will not fail to remember you in my prayers with the congregation." Bucer d voutly answered, weeping, " Cast me not away, O Lord, in my time of old age, when my strength faileth me !" Immediately on pro- nouncing which words, he seems to have re- ceived a fresh and powerful manifestation of the Divine presence : for he added, Castiget (x) " Si Christus sum, occidi pro elcctia dubeo, juxta scripturas. Si filiis Dei, cur non gererem mo- ri'm patri, qui vult me bostiam pr() peccatia esse om- nium quos ille ad vit im ocdinivit." Bucer. Eiiarr. in Mattti. xvi. p. 136. b. {y) See King Edward's journal of his own reign p. 20. Annexed to Burnet's Uist. of the Ref. vol. 2. fnrtitcr, abjiciet aulem nunquam ; nunquarr abjiciet : *' God may chasten me greatly, but he'll never cast me away ; no, he'll nevei cast me away." Somebody advising him to arm himself against the assaults of Satan ; he re- plied, I have nothing to do with Satan : I ain only in Christ. I should be sorry, indeed, if I did not now experience the sweetest conso- lations. Among his last words (they seem to have been the very last) were, with his eyes cheerfully thrown up toward Heaven, Ille, ille regit, et moderutiir omnia I i. e. " He, he reigns, and governs all!'' Thus comforta- bly did this blessed saint of God expire in the 61st year of his age. ^ Paul Fagius, who accompanied him to this kingdom, and was fixed at Cambridge, in quality of Hebrew Professor, died there, the November preceding: and the famous Tremellius, an Italian Protestant, of great piety and learning, and as rooted a Calvinist as Fagius himself, succeeded to the Hebrew "hair ; and was, afterwards, made Prebend of Carlisle (A). On the death of king Edward, Tremellius retired into Germany : and, after several removes, died at Sedan, in France, A. D. 1580. In the reign of Queen Mary, the bones of Bucer and Fagius were dug out of their graves, and publicly burned, together with as many of their writings as could be collected. VI. Peter Martyr, another reformer and luminary of the Church of England, was born at Florence, A. D. 1500. " His family name was Vermilius : but his parents gave him that of Martyr, from one Peter, a martyr, whose church happened to stand near their house (c)." Providence had given him a vast capacity : and his acquired learning was prodigious. The writings of Bucer and Zuinglius were the first means of bringing him to the knowledge of the truth. For some time after his conversion. Mar- tyr seemed to follow those words of St. Paul too literally, Hast thou faith ? have it to thy- self before God (Rom. xiv. 22.). But Provi- dence would not suffer such a burning and shining light to be always under a bushel. By degrees, God gave him more and more bold- ness ; and at length called him forth, in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. He preached salvation by grace, with the de- monstration of the Spirit and with powei. Many were converted under his ministry; •some of whom proved eminently useful in the Church of God : particularly those two illus- trious divines Zanchius and Tremellius. iz) Semper agrotanti adsedit, et omnia humani- talis officia pra:stitit. Melcli. Adam. p. 221. {a) See Collin's Peerage, vol. ii. p. 53, 54, — Edit. 1768. (6; See Strype's Eccl. Mem. vol. ii. p. 337. (cj Biog. Diet. vol. viii. p. 203. lt>2 THE JUDGMENT OF OUR Martyr's courag'e and success soon made his native country, Italy, too hot to hold him. Switzerland and Germany afforded him safe retreat ; till, in the latter end of the (rf) year 1547, he was invited to England, to help for- ward the good work of reformation then begin- ning in this kingdom. Melchior Adam, a writer ot great accuracy and fidelity, observes, that " On the death of Henry VUI. the young king Edward was resolved to abolish Popery, and to reduce the English Church to the stan- dard of God's Word, under the auspices of his uncle, the duke of Somerset, and of Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury. And, since the Universities may be considered as the nurse- ries in which the clergy of the rising genera- tion are tiained up for the ministry ; it seemed a point of the first importance, to reform those nurseries : that, from them, as from a pure fountain, the streams of sound doctrine might water every corner of the nation. Now, Peter Martyr being in the judgment of the most learned men, a person of singular erudi- tion, and of such general knowledge as almost seemed incredible, he was thought the proper- est divine, on earth, to preside in the divinity chair at Oxford. He was accordingly, with the king's concurrence, invited to England, by the archbishop (e). The specimer.',, which I shall shortly produce, of the doctrines, with which Dr. Martyr seasoned the minds of the students that were designed for the established ministry, will demonstrate, that he v.-as indeed one of the " properest divines on earth," to be intrusted with that important charge. Would to God that all his successors, in the said cliair, had been as "proper" for the task as himself. But there was also another reason that induced Cranmer to wish for Martyr's settle- ment in England ; and which, in concert with the cause already assigned, lay at the bottom of the invitation. Even old Anthony Wood doth not scruple to declare, in express terms, that " in 1547, he [viz. Peter Martyr] was in- vited into England, by Edward [duke of so- merset and] lord protector, and Dr. Cran- mer, archbishop of Canterbury ; to the end that his assistance might be used to carry on a reformation in the church {/)." In assisting to carry on which reformation of our church, as also in the care and zeal with which he in- structed the Oxford students in our church ((I) Mt'k-h. Adam. Vit. Tlitolog. extcr. p 40. (e) Melch. Adum. ii. s. p. 40. (/) Atheii. Oxon. vol. i. col. 100,— Edit. 1091. (e) Wood,!/. 5. col. 107. (/i) "Si per fatuiu intcllisant, vim quandam ma- naiitem ex astris, et cormexioiiem cAusariim iiiexpug- nabilem qua etiam ipse Dcus cognatur in or dinem ; no- meii fati nou injuri-t repadiabiiuiis. At si eo nomine intelligant, ordinem causarum, qui Dei vohmtate gxi- benieliir : ea res videri uon potest A pietate aliene : quamvis ab eo nomine judicem abstiiiendum, &c." Pet'. Mart. Loc. Com. p. 314.— Edit.— IMC. (i) ** Sunt enim qui soirnient fatalem quandam necessitam ferream, vel adauianiinam, sideribus et doctrines ; he acquitted himself so much to the satisfaction of the king, and the rest of the reformers here, that he was made canon ot Clirist-church, and a prebendary of Canter- bury. Nay, so much was he admired and re- vered by queen Elizabeth herself, that, after she ascended the throne, " she invited him to return into England, and there to accept of what preferment he pleased ig).'' But, it seems, he "modestly refused" the offer; being fearful lest Popery might get the ascen- dency in this kingdom again : in which case, he might run the risk of being a martyr in reality, as well as name. He therefore con- tinued at Zurich ; where he died in peace, A. D. 1562. So much for the good man himself. Now for his Calvinism. (i.) " If " says he, " by fate, be meant, a certain power resulting from the stars, and an irresistible implication of causes, by which God himself is reduced within the bounds of restraint — vve justly reject the word fate, in this signification of it. But if by fate, you mean a train of causes governed by the will of God — such a fate as this, can by no means seem injurious to true religion, however expe- dient we may think it to abstain from using the word {h)." He very justly observes that the wisei stoics themselves asserted fate, in the Chris- tian sense of the term. " There are some, who dream of an iron or adamantine fatality, impressed on the stars and natural causes, unalterable by God himself. This is errone- ous ; nay, 'tis impious : 'tis even contrary to the judgment of the ancient sages themselves ; for they plainly declare, that, by fate, they mean no more than the will and providence of Ihe Supreme being. Witness those verses of Cleanthes the stoic : FatluT, and kiti^ of Heav'n, iiiv footsteps guide I My wish « itli thy decrees shall coincide. Too feeble for denial or delay, I follow where thy purpose marks my way. Were 1 reluctant, still the chain proceeds ; Kate drags th' unwilling, aud the willing leads. Resign 'dl stand, to suffer and to do What must be borne aud done, resigu'd or no. now, " (continues Peter Marty.'-,) " though fate is strongly asserted in these lines ; still, the reigns and government of fate are placed in the hand of God : for the philosopher in- vokes the Supreme Father, and supplicates the guidance of him, whose will is affirmed t& be certain and infallible (;)." causis naturalibus affixam, quam nec Deus immutare possit. Quod est erronoiim, impium, et etiam A ve- teribus sapientibus alienura : qui diserte ostcudunt, se, per fatum, intellexisse voluntatem et administra- tionem diviuani. Camiiiia Cleanthis stoici qua; de hrtc rescripsit, Seneca, in lib. 18. Epist. fecit Latina. Ilia vero sunt hujusmodi : Due me. parens, celsique dominator poli, Quocunque placuit. ^fulla parendi mora est. Adsum impiger. Fac nolle, comitabor genieos. Uurunt voleutcm fata ; nolentem trahunt ; Malnsque patiar, quod pati licuit bono. quamvis, his carminibus, fatum statuatur, ejus taraen gubernatio in manu Dei pouitur ; nam invocdt sum- ENGLISH REFORMERS CONCLUDED. 153 Nothing can be more judicious, than Martyr's reasoniiiij, relative to the true mean- ing of that blameless fate, which was so wisely and so solidly asserted by the best philoso- phers of the portico. And our reformer's vin- dication of that doctrine, as settled and ascer- tained in the golden verses which he quotes, is a very conclusive proof of his own candour, good sense, and regard to truth. I wish I could have done justice to those admirable lines, by translating them better : but, even as I have rendered them, the maxims which they convey, and the implicit submission to Providence which they inculcate, most cer- tainly breathe the very language of Christiani- ty. They express what Milton so finely sings, in those majestic words, which he supposes to be spoken by God the Father : Necessiiy and chance ApprOhch not me ; and what I «'iU is fate (A). The verses ofCleanthes are cited, by Peter Martyr, as they stand in Seneca's translation of them into Latin, Seneca's beautiful lines, are, however, rather a paraphrase, than a version. Cleanthes' prayer ran thus, as cited by Epictetus (/) : Aye Art ^c, w Zeu, (O ig ^vxiie Ta avt]fiaii'oi'Ta ravra, cheer- fully embrace, with all our souls, all the issues and determinations of his Providence ; that we ought not to think it enough to be happy alone, but that it is our duty utto Kapctag fiXtiv, to love men from our very heart ; to relieve and help them, advise and assist them, and contribute what was in our power to their health and safety : and this, not once, or twice, but throughout our whole life ; and that unbiassedly, without any lit- tle designs of applause or advantage to ourselves : that nothing should be equally dear to a man, as honesty and virtue ; and that this is the first thing he should look at, whether the thing he is going about be good, or bad, and the part of a good, or a wicked man ; and, if excellent and virtuous, that he ought not to let any loss or damage, toinient, or death itself, deter him from it. Whoever runs over the writings of Seneca, Antoninus, Epictetus, Arrian, 8<:c. will find these, and a great many more, claim- ing a very near kindred with the main rules of life prescribed in the Christian faith. And what wonder, if Saint Pant;enus [or, indeed, every otiier saintj was in love with sucli ge- nerous and manly principles ? which he liked so well, that as he [_viz. St. Pantajnus] always retained the title of the Stoic I'hilosopher, so, for the main, he owned the profession of that sect, even after his being admitted to eminent offices and employments in the Chris- tian Church ()()." I must make two short remarks on this observable quotation. 1. We see, that, in the judgment of St. Jerom, St. Pantaenus, and Dr. Cave himself, the main branches of the stoical theology and ethics were supposed to come very near the theology and ethics of Christian- ity : yea, that there was " a very near kindred" between them. So different was the idea, which those eminent persons entertained, con- cerning stoicism, from the illiterate and un- generous prejudices which breed in the bosoms of some puny, piddling sciolists among the Ar- minians, against that ancient and respectable philosophy. 2. May not the lives and morals of the stoical fatalists |)ut the generality of fiee-willers to the blush? lute, ovtT-powering fate in all tilings, were, neverthe- IcsH, the most % irtuous and exeinplaiy in their morale, of all the heathen i^hiloKophers ; with ^\hat tUrency can it Ije insinitated by Amiinianisni, tliat the Chris- tian doctrine of predestination has any degree of ten- deney to practical ungodliness ? (n) Cave's Apostolici, p. 1»7. 154 THE JUDGMENT OF OUR One testimonial more, and that from a very capable hand, shall finish this digression. " I cannot but think," says the learned and cele- brated Mr. Ditton, " that the doctrines of that sect [meaning; the stoics] have been much misrepresented. And the truth of it is, that there is, generally speaking, a nearer approach to Christianity, in the morals, discipline, and doctrines of that noble sect, than in those of any other sect whatsoever (o)." But I willingly return, from even the excel- lencies of Paganism, to the school of Christ. Let us now listen to those precious, satisfying truths of the gospel, which do indeed render the soul wise unto salvation, and, beyond all the exterior disquisitions in the world, make glad the city of God. Peter Martyr, the thread of whose testi- mony I now resume, shall set before us some of those precious truths, pure and genuine as he drew them from the oracles of Scripture. We have heard his judgment concerning fate : let us (2.) Attend to him on the subject of pre- destination. " Forasmuch as God worketh all things by his determinate purpose, and doth nothing by chance, or accidentally ; it is a most indu- bitable axiom, that whatsoever he creates and makes, is destined by him to some certain end and use. Con'sequently, neither ungodly men, nor Satan himself, nor even sins themselves, can be exempted from predestination : for, of all these, God makes what use he pleases. Hence, those of the unrighteous, who are de- voted to final condemnation, are stiled by St. I'aul, iTKei')], or vessels, i. e. God's vessels : ves- sels, in whom God makes known his wrath. Thus it is said, respecting Pharaoh, To this very end have I raised thee up, that in thee I might display my power. Take the word pre- destination in this extensive sense, and it reaches to all things : it will import no other than God's eternal appointment of his crea- tures to their respective use (o)." (,3.) " We may distinguish between the (u) Ditton on the Resurrection of Clirist. Append, p. 424 Edit. 1727. (p) " Qaoniam autem Deus omnia destinato con- sUio tacit, nihil casu, aut fortuitb ; procul dubio, quic- quid creat et facit, aliquem ad tiuem et usiun destiuat. Hie ratione, nec impii, nec diaholus ipse, neque pec- cata, excludi possimt a pr*destinatione: omnibus euim iis rebus Deus utitur, quomodo Toluerit. Itaque Paulus impios homines, devotos ad extremam damna- tionem, appellavit aKtuit, hoc est, vasa Dei, quibus iram patefacit. Et Ue Pharaoue dicitur, in hoc ipsum excitavi te, ut ostenderum in te potentiam meam. Imo, si ita accipiatur prasdestinatio, erit re- bus omnibus communis. Neque aliud ista vox sifuifi- cabit, quam Dei, de creatures suis, aetemam disposi- tionem ad usum aliquem suum." Martyr, «. i. p. 315. (q) " Scire debemus, notitiam Dei latiiis patere, quam ejus pra-scientiam. Nam notitiaporrigitur, non tantdm ad prajscntia, pra-tei'ita, et futuva ; sed etiam, ad ea quae nunqnam fiitura svnit, sive possibilia ea sint, tire, ut loquuulur, impossibilia : prsscieutia autem knowledge and the fore-knowledge of God. His knowledge extends not only td eveiy thing past, present, and future ; but even to what shall never come to pass : neither possibles, nor impossibles, are unknown to him. But his fore-knowledge is conversant with those things only which are certainly future. God's will is the foundation of his prescience : for nothing could be future if God did not will its futurition. Whatever he does not will should come to pass, he takes care to hinder from coming to pass. God, therefore, fore-knows a thing, because it was his will and pleasure that the thing should exist and take place (5). " (4.) " Providence is God's well-ordered, fixed, and incessant management of all things whatever. When I say, that his providence extends to all things whatever, 1 advance no more than I am able to prove. And I prove it thus : " God has a perfect knowledge ar.d com- prehension of every thing : else his wisdom would be defective. Now the government cf this Allwise Being is either unlimited as his knowledge, or partial and confined. If his government be confined and limited, such limi- tation must arise either from want of will, or from want of power. If from want of power, he would cease to be Almighty : if from want of will, he would cease to be all-excellent. But to deny the infinity either of his know- ledge, power, or excellence, would be the same as to deny that he is God. It remains, therefore, that the supreme Being super- intends all things : and this the Scripture, in numberless passages, most expressly declares. For it affirms, that the over-sight of God reaches even to the leaves of the trees, to the hairs of our heads, and to the meanest birds of the air (r). " The sum of this reasoning is, that to deny the absolute universality of God's incessant providence is neither more nor less than plain, direct, palpable Atheism. " I term divine providence," says he "the administration of all things whatever ; because nothing can elude its influence : nor, without est, non nisi de illis quae futm-a stmt. Et idcirco prie- scientia requirit Toluntatem, quEe pTa?cedat : nihil cnim faturum est, nisi Deus id esse velit ; nam alio- qui impediretpTa?scit ergo Deus ea^ quae vult esse fu- tura." Martyr, ll/id. p. 316. (r) " Obiter sic deliniri potest providentia : est Dei ordinata, immobilis, et perpetua universaxum re- rum administratio." Martyr. Ibid. p. 316. "Quod disimus, providentiam ad omnia perti- nere ; id sic probari potest ; quia Deum nihil latet ; alioqui non esset sapientissimus. Quod si omnia no- Tit, vel ea regit omnia, vel mtiltorum curam abjicit. Si quarum rerum curara abjiciat, id icirc6 facit, vel, quia non potest, vel quia non vult, curam earum ge- rere. Si non potest, non est potentissimus. Si nolit, non est optimus. Negare autem Deum sapientissi- mum, pottntissimum, optimum esse, id est plane eum negare esse Deum. .Superest ergo ut Deus omnibus rebus provideat : quod Kcripturae infinitis in locis ap- pertissinie testautnr. Docent enim, Dei ciu^am ex- tendi usque ad arborum folia, usque ad capillos ca- pitis, usque ad passeres." Mart. Ibid. u. s. ENGLISH REFORMERS CONCLUDED. 155 it, could any thing even continue to exist. I term it well-ordered, because it is so conjoined with unerring wisdom, as to preclude all pos- sible confusion and embariassment. I term it fixed, or immovable ; because the knowledge of the Divine Adniinistiator cannot be disap- pointed, nor his power defeated : he is equally incapabis of mistake, and of disconcertment. Moreover, I term his providence perpetual, or incessant ; because he himself is constantly and most intimately present with the things which he has made. When he created them he did not leave them to themselves; but he is, himself, within them, as their perpetual principle of motion : for in him we live, ai;d are moved, and do exist. (Acts. xvii. 28.) So much respecting providence : to which, and to its correlative articles, fate is nearly allied. I have already observed, that, if you suppose the word fate to signify such an inevitable necessity as results from the influence and position of the stars ; the ancient Christians did, with very just reason, abstain from the use of the W(ird, in that sense of it. But if it [/. e. if the word fate] mean no more than a sui e con- catenation of second causes, which is not carried on, either with a blind pretipitancy, or with an unmeaning accidentality ; but is rej^ulated by the providence of God, and may be varied according to the sovereign pleasure of his will ; I can see no reason why the thir.g called fate should, in this view of it, bd disi dished or rejected by any man (*). " (5.) 1 shall just touch on this reformer's doctrine concerning reprobation : requesting the reader still to bear in mind, th; t I am not, proftssedly, delivering my own judgment, but simply setlipg before liim the judgment of I'eter Martyr. According to him, " Reproba- tion may be defined, that most wise determi- nation of God, whereby he did, before all eternity, immutably decree not to have mercy on those whom he loved not, but pavsed by : and this without any injustice on his part (?)• ' Martyr does not scruple to affirm, that (s) Kst haec adrriinistratio imiversanim rerum. Nulla cniTii n-s, cam siibtt-rfugit, nec potest, absijiie e\ durarc. Dicitur ordhiata, quia conjunctn est cum suTTimA sapientirt, lit nihil adnjittat confusioni.s. Im- niobilis est, quia scicntia hujns adininistratoris non fallirtir, nec ejus potentia frustator. Est etiam per- petua, quoniam Deus ipse rebi;s aciest. Neque enitn, ciim creasset res eas sibi ipsis rcliquit ; iniii ipse in illis est, easque peiTpetuo agitat ; in ipso enim vivi- mus, et movtmur, et sunn:s. Tantum de providentia. His rebus fatum etiam est affine. A qi;o, si accipia- tur, nt supra dixiir.ns, pro necessitate (juidam inevi- tabili qua- 'i via-'tronmi pendeat, patres nierito absti nuerunt. Sed si nihil aliud signiticat quAm ecrt.im connexionem causarum secundarum, quic nnn fi ratur temere ant fortuito, sed Dei providenti/ gubernatur, proqne ejus vulnntate mutari pcssit non ^ideo cur res ipsa debcat k quoquam respui. " Martyr, ut siipr, (t) " .Sit igitur reprobatio, sapientissimuni Ui i pro- positum, quo, ante onnicm a^teriiitateni, decrevit con- stanter absque ulU iniustitia eorum non niistri, fjuos non dilexit, sed prre teriit." Martyr. Ihid. p. .11?. («) " Dcinde Dcus est, qui gr.atiam siiam lioniini- buB aubjucit : qui subtracts, iieccsse est ut illi labantur. " God withholds his grace from [some] men : which grace being withheld, those men cannot but fall. '' He even ventures to add, that, " since we all live and move by actuation from (iod, it is certain, that all the deeds which we perform, are, of necessity, some way or other, wrought under a divine impulse.'' Yet though he expresses himself with such strength and plainness, he will not admit that this doctrine makes God the author of sin : " There is no need," says he, " for God to infuse additional evil into our hearts. There is enough theie already. We have ;t sufficiently, of ourselves: partly, through the foulness of oi iginal sin ; and partly, because a created being doth, of him- self, degenerate, without measure and without end, unless he is succoured by God {u)." From hence, we may easily anticipate his opinion (fi.) Concerning free-will. " Paul plainly saith. It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that rui\neth, but of God that sheweth mercy. Our salvation is the work of God, and not the atchievenient of our own strength. For he it is who woiketh in us both to will and to ac- complish. Hefore God thus worketh in us, he has to do [as it weie] with stories : for our hearts are hearts of stone, till Christ trans- forms them into heai ts of flesh (.i)." " They who are born again ought never to forget, that they obUiined this freedom, not by their own deserts, but by the favour of God. It was owing, not to themselves, but to their heavenly Father, that they were drawn to Christ. For unless God the Father bad in- wardly won them over by main efficacy, they would have shunned and avuided Christ, even as others (y)." Luthei-, in his answer to Erasmus, had, after his blunt, but i;ervous manner, cotnpared the human uill to a horse: " If grace," says he, " be in the saddle, the will moves to what is good ; hut man's will, if rid by the Devil, is sure to rush headlong into sin." This com- parison, unceremonious as it is, was adopted Cdmque iilius apitatione omnes et -vivanius et movea. nuir, onniia cert.; opera quK facimus, nect sse est, ut, quoquo niodo, ejus iinpulsu fiant. Quanciuam nihil opus est, ut ab illo nobis infundatur noia nialitia. Kara enim, tiim propter lal em origini;', tatis nbundi habemus ex nobis ipsia : ti^m etiam, propterea quu.l creatiira, si k Deo ncn juvetiir, per sei; sam in dete- nus vergit sine niodo et line." Mart. J'>iil. p. 317. (.1) •' Paiilus dissert.- ait, non est volentis, neque currentis. Bed niserintis Dei: illius enim ejus est nostre salus, non virium nojtrarum. Ipse enim est, qui operatur in nobis et velle et pi rfii ere. Antequ.ini id prastet, si quid nobiscuni agat, aut lege, aut doo- trin.i verlii, cum lapidibus agit. Corda enim nostra soxea sunt, nisi ea Chrittus tri.nsmutet in canita." Mart. Ihid. p. IC!). (y) " Qui iti renati sunt, nunquam debent ooli- Tisci, se banc libertatem non suis meritis adeptos esse sed beneficio Dei. Is enim eos refinxit, et pro corde lapideo, cor carneum in illis possuit. Denique, non ex seipsis, sed expafre coelesti habuerunt, ut ad Chris- tum traherentur. Nisi enim fuissent, i Deo patre, magn."i cbicarii, intus in animo persuasi ; .i Christo, non niiiiUa quam ali,, rei'ugistcnt." Mart. Ibid. p. 117. 156 THE JUDGMENT OF OUR and subscribed to by Peter Martyr ; whose words are, " Clirist liath said. Ye shall then be free, when the Son makes )ou so : from whence it follows, that so long as men are unregenerateil, they cannot, with truth, be pronounced free. Besides, the tyranny of Satan is such, that he detains men in cap- tivity, till they are rescued by Christ : for our Lord has declared. That the strong man armed keeps peaceable possession of his palace, and continues master of the spoils ; till One stronger than he, arrives, and dispossesses him by force. Likewise, in the 2d Epistle to Timothy, the apostle affirms, that such as op- pose the truth are kept prisoners by Satan at bis will. And it is a well-known illustration, that the will of man resembles a horse, which sometimes has grace for his rider, and some- times the Devil. Now, perhaps, it is set in motion by the former: anon, it is whipp'd and spurr'd by the latter. Unman liberty, there- tore, is ci't short by manifold slavery. Ai,d, seeing the frcLdom of the will is so exceedingly small, during the present state of things, it is wonderful to me, that men do not, with Luther, rather term the will a slave and a bond -woman, than free. If a man was shut up in prison, manicled and fettered ; could he justly call himself free, only because he were able to move his head and lift up his eye- lids (z) ? '' Tiius much for free-will. (7-) Now for justification. So far was Martyr from suppojing that men are justified and accepted of God cn account of their works, that there is a sense, in which he would not admit justification even by faith itself. And very justly. For, though the grace and principle of taith are of God's giving, and of God's infusing, yet faith, as acted and exer- cised by us, is attended with extreme imper- fection : and we cannot be justified, in the strict meaning of the term, by any tiling which is defective. Hence the following remark of our judicious reformer : " If faith itself be considered as our act, 'tis impossible we should be justified by it : because faith, in this view (;) " Cliristiis qnoqiie dixit, Si filius vos liberave- rit, tunc liberi estis. I ntle seqiiiror, talso Iiberos esse liDuiinos, quaiulo uonduni sunt rciiati. Ad liifc oniuia, diaboli tyranuis ai cedit : qui lioniiiies, antequam Cbri.sti sint, captixos detinet. Cbristus eniiu diiit, rorteiu ariiiatum custodire atrium siuim iu pace, et spotia detiiiere capti^ a, quoad fortior \eiierit, qui ea diripiat. Et in Kpistolii ad Timollieum 2, Labetur, conlratlicentes veritati detineii capti\os a Sataiia ad ejus volunt.iteni. Et satis est vulgata sententia, qua; .^it, viduiilatcm instar equi esse, qua; niodo babeat res>orem spirituiu Dei et gratiani ; niodo vero diabo- lum : et nunc ab co agitari, nunc vero a gratii regi. Kst i3ilur libertas ejus miiltiplicitur servitute accissa : et miruiu est, ciini tarn parva sit ejus libertas, in boc pr;ecertim st-itu, earn potiiis appeDari liberam, quam seTvani. Ha;c Lutiierus corisiderans, arbiti'ium potius dixit servum, quoni libcrum. Si quis esset in carcere, comped bus et luanicis constrictus ; an recte diceret se Uberum, quud posset capat niovcre, aut oculos at- tolere ? " Mart. iOid. p. 08(5. (a) "yuin etiim, i fides ipsi', qu.i nostrum opus est consideretur ; justiticari iion possunius : cum of it, is lame and imperfect, and falls far short of that completeness which the law requires. But we are therefore said to be justified by faith, because it is by faith that we lay hold upon, and apply to ourselves, the promises of G Jd and the righteousness and merits of Christ. A beggar (we'll suppose) extends his foul and leprous hand, to receive an alms from a per- son that oft'ers it: certainly it is not from the leprosy and foulness of his own hand, that he derives any benefit ; but from the donation given, and which he receives with such a hand as he has (a).'' This single paragrap'n is so full to the point, that it supersedes the neces- sity of multiplying quotations on the subject in question. Let us hear him (8.) On the article of perseverance. " If we consult the sacred writings, we shall there find, not only, in general, that God is good and powerful ; but likewise, that he is good and powerful for our particular benefit'' [i. e. for the particular benefit of us who truly believej : " and that in consequence of his power and goodness, he'll so confirm our will, that it shall never entirely revolt from him. For he will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able to bear ; but will, with the temptation, make a way for our escape. He will establish you, even unto the end, blanie- less to the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye are called. Very numerous are the Scripture attestations which ])romise us perseverance through Christ, and the establishment of our wills [in holiness] {li)." So much shall suffice, at present, for Peter Martyr's judgment concerning the points in contest. And let it be further observed, that this excellent divine appears to have had some hand in drawing up the articles of religion adopted by the Church of England. Heylyn himself confesses as much : tho' he labours, as usual, to mince, and qualify the concession by every diminishing quiik, in his power t» apply. I can compare him to nothing, but to a miser, who, forced, against the grain, to pay opus fit et mancum et imperfectum, longe deterius quam lex reqiiiiat. Sed ilia justiftcari dicimur, quia proniissiones Dei et Christi justitiam meritaque, per ipsam appreUendimus, et noi>is applicamus. Fingas tilji lueiidici bominis fa'dissimam et leprosain manum qua capiat eleemosynam ab oflerente : certe, mendi- cus ille aforUitate seu lepra sua; manus baudquaquam juvatur, sed, eleemosyna quam manu qualicunque ac- cipit." .Mart. IhirL p. 303. (If) " Equidem, si cousultamus sacras literas, noa. tantiini intelligemus, Deum generaliter bonum esse et poteiitem : sed etiaui eum nobis ipsis esse boniuu et propitium [menda, propotentem] : ideoque confirma- turum nostram volunlatem, ne uuquam ab eo deficiat. Nam, ut Paulo aiite commemora\ imus, non patietiir DOS tciitari supra id (]uod possimus sustinere ; sed faciet, cum taJitatioiie_. exitum. Et, i. ad Cor. cap. 1. Coutirmabit \os, usque ad tineni, inculpatus in diem Domini nostri jesu Christi. Fidelis enim Deus, per quem » ocati estis. Sunt prarterea alia per multa testi- nionia iu sacris literis, qua; nobis poUicentur et per- se\erantiam, ct confirmatiouem voluntatis, per Cbria- turn. Martyr, /Iriif. p. 3„7. ENGLISH REFORMERS CONCLUDED 157 a sum of money, counts it out, with grudging reluctance, and draws it baci< again and again, till obliged to part with it indeed. Heylyn's words are these: "Though Peter Martyr lived to see the death of king Edward, and conse- quently the end of the convocation. Anno 1552, in which the articles of religion were first composed and agreed on ; yet there was little use made of him in advising, and much less in directing, any thing which concerned that business, tho' some use might be made of him as a labouter to advance the work (c)." There are testimonies of Martyr's ortho- doxy and usefulness still in reserve ; able, if need required, to enlarge these gleanings into a harvest. But I must not dismiss this great reformer and ornament of our church, without observing, that he and Bucer were the prin- cipal instruments of persuading Dr. Hooper into a compliance (as far as he did comply) with king Edward's reformation, respecting some matters of exterior ceremony : which (however indifterent those matters were in their own nature,) became important, because adopted by the church, and enforced by the state. Few readers need to be informed, that, when Hooper was nominated to the see of Gloucester, he entertained some unhappy sci uples, more nice than necessary, concerning the form of the episcopal habit. He supposed, tl>at the robes, in which a bishop was expect- ed to appear, favoured more of superstition and Popish ])omp, than comported with the scriptural simplicity of Protestantism. Amaz- ing, that a person of Hooper's learning, piety, and exalted sense, could look for Popery in the fold of a garment ; and extract superstition out of an angular cap ! Groundless, however, and ill-timed, as his scruples were, they had such weight with himself, that he refused to be consecrated after the usual mode, and even suffered himself to be imprisoned in the Fleet, for his contempt of legal authority. But I must also do him the justice to add, that he lived long enough to see the weakness and absurdity of opposing things which the law of God has left indifierent. The severities of Mary's reign taught the honest, but over- scrupulous, bishop that Popery consisted in something more than a robe, a scarf, ora four- corneied cap. While Hooper's obstinacy continued, Bucer and Martyr took all imaginable pains to solve his objections, and, if possible, reduce him to conformity. They gained on him so far that he consented to wear the usual habit on some principal occasions. One of Martyr's letters to him may be seen at full length, in an ap- pendix to (d) that edition of his Common Places, which has supplied me with tlie pre- ceding extracts. It is written with such modes- ty, learning, candour, and farce of reason, as are a standing hohour to the writer, and demon- strate that his attachment to the Church of England extended to her rites, as well as her doctrines. The letter itself being very long, I shall only give the substance of Martyr's arguments, in Mr. Holt's judicious abridgement of them. " He commended Hooper, for his pains in preaching ; but advised him not to exert his zeal on points that are indefensible, or things of little moment, lest the people should from thence be led to call in question the judgment of the reformed preachers, and give no credit to what they delivered on the most important articles. In answer to one objection of Hooper's, that we ought to have an express wanant from Scripture for every thing be- longing to religion ; Martyr told him, that, if tiie general rules of order were observed, tha governors of the church had a discretionai y la- titude in little matters. Thus, for instance, our receiving the communion in a church, in a forenoon, not in a reclining posture, [nor] in a congregation [consisting] of men only ; stood upon no other than ecclesiastical, that is, upon human authority : to which [neverthe- less], he presumed, Hooper had always sub- mitted without any scruple. He told him, further, that it would be difficult to produce any warrant, from the New Testament, for singing Psalms in public worship. And that the Christian church, from the beginning, had a regard, in many particulars, to the Jewish polity: especially, in the great festivals of Easter and Whitsunday. Supposing, what he [Martyr] could not grant, that the episcojjal habit and vestments had been introduced into the church by the see of Rome ; yet he did not think the contagion of Popery so very malignant, as to carry infection into eveiy thing which it touched. That to govern by such narrow maxims would lay an inconve- nient restraint on the Church of (iod : and that our ancestors moved much more tVeely, who made no difficulty of turning heathen temples into Christian churches ; and of translating, to pious uses, the revenues [once] sacred to ido- latry (e)." Had Martyr's coolness and mo- deration been universally prevalent in the Pro- testant world, how much vain wrangling and party-division would it have prevented! Bucer was no less assiduous, than Martyr, in respectfully combating the pci tinacHy of Hooper. They united in assuiing him " I'hat in the business of religious rites, they were for keeping as close as possible to the holy Scriptures, and to the most ui-.corrupt ages of the church : but, however, they could not go so far as to believe that the substance of reli- ie) See Holt's Lives of the Keformers, page 112. THE JUDGMENT OF OUR gion was effected by the clothes we wear ; and they thought things of this nature altoge- ther indifferent, and left to our liberty by the word of God (/)■" Thus, it incontestably appears, that these two learned Calvinists, Bucer and Martyr, were church of England men not in word and tongue only, but in deed and in truth. Before I conclude this Section, I beg leave to subjoin an observation, that would more properly have fallen under the immediate article of Bucer ; but which, though omitted in its due place, is too important to the design of this undertaking to be entirely passed over. It has been affirmed (and what is there, which some Arminians will not affirm ?) that Bucer held the docti ine of justification by works, and believed human obedience to be meritorious i/i the sight of God. That he was once of this opinion, is not at all wonderful, when we consider that he was born and educated in the bosom of the Romish church, with whom the tenet of legal justifica- ton is a fundamental principle. And, for a considerable time after God had called him out of Papal darkness, his improvements in divine knowledge were progressive. His spiritual growth resembled the gradual vegetation of an oak ; not the rapid prosiliency of a mushroom. Bucer seems to have expressed himself the most incautiously, in the disputation at Leipsic, A. D. 1539; yet, even then, he roundly de- clared, that " those good works, to which so great a reward is given, are themselves the gifts of God (g)-" And that passage, which Vossius quotes from Bucer, falls extremely short of proving that the latter was, even at the early period in which he penned it, an assertor of justification by perforu-ances of our own. Impartiality obliges me to subjoin that celebrated passage, which so many Arminians and merit-mongers have since caught at, as if it made for the Popish doctrine of justification. " I cannot but wish," said Bucer, in the year 1529, " a more sound judgment to some per- sons, who have disturbed many in this our age with this paradox, that we are saved by faith only : tho' they saw the thing was carried so far, as to confine righteousness only to the opinion of the mind, and exclud>ng good works. Where is their charity, who refuse fo cure this evil by one word or two ? It is only to say that, Rrhen faith is formed, we are jus- tified ; and that, through taith, we ob- tain a disposition to good works, and, con- sequently, a righteousness : or, that faith is the foundation and root of a righteous life, as Augustin said (A)-" Is there a single sentence. C/) Rolt, I/ikl. p. 96.— N.B. Two of Bucdi's let- ters, viz. One to Hooper, and the other (o A. Lasco, both in vindication of the received modes, are ex- tant in Strjpe's Ec£l. Mem. vol. ii. Appendix, from p. 118 to p. 132. The whole letter to -A.. Lasco was (siijs Mr. Strype, p. 225.; " tran.slated into English, in this paragraph, to which the strictest Chlvm- ist would not consent? Observe the order in which Bucer arranges faith, justification, and obedience. Faith goes before ; justification follows faith ; and practical obedience follows justification : we first believe ; we no sooner believe, than we are justified ; and the faith which justifies disposes us to the after-perfor- mances of good works: or, inother words, justi- fying faith "is the root and foundation of a righ- teous life." Says not every Calvinist the same? As Bucer advanced in years and experience, he learned to express his idea of justification with still greater clearness and precision, than he had done on some past occasions. Finding that the enemies of grace had greedily laid hold of some inadvertent phrases, and taken unge- nerous advantage of some well-meant conces- sions, which he had made, before his evangeli- cal light was at the full ; he deemed it necessary to retract such of his positions as countenanced the merit of works ; and to place justification on the scriptural basis of the Father's gratuitous goodness, and the Son's imputed righteousness : still, however, taking care to inculcate, that the faith, by which we receive the grace of God and the righteousness of Christ, is the certain source of all good works. For being thus honest to his convictions, -lie was loaded, by his adversaries, with accumulated slander and reproach. How modestly and forcibly he vindicated his conduct, may be judged from the following passage: "The Lord," says Bucer, " has given me to understand some places [of scripture] more fully than I former- ly did : which, as it is so bountifully given to me, why should 1 not Impart it liberally to my brethren, and ingenuously declare the goodness of the Lord ? What inconsistency is there, in profiting in the work of salvation ? And vvho, in this age, or in the last, has treated of the Scrip- ture, and has not experienced, that, even in this study, one day is the scholar of another (i) ? " Indeed, no stronger proof need be given, of Bucer's soundness in the article of justifica- tion, than the rapture and admiration with which he mentions the English book of Homi- lies. "No sooner," says Mr. Strype, " were the homilies composed, and sent abroad ; but the news thereof ( and the book itself, as it seemed, already translated into Latin ) came to Strasburgh, among the Protestants there : where it caused great rejoicing. And Bucer, one of the chief ministers there, wrote a gra- tulatory epiitle hereupon to the Church of En- gland, in November, 1547: which was printed the year after. Therein that learned and moderate man shewed, how these pious scr- and set forth, n..'t f:.r fr'.^m the beginning of queen Elixaheth's roiiin, fcr the use of the church, that Uicn was exe>c»sed afresh with the same c(;ntro- versy." (g) Rolt, /OM. p. S8. (Ii) ilolt, p. 38. /; Kelt, p. 8S. ENGLISH REFORMERS CONCLUDED. 159 mons were come araon^ them, wherein the peo- ple were so godlily ai\d etrectualiy exliorted to the reading of the Holy Scriptures ; and faith was so well explained, whereby we become Christians ; and justification, whereby we are saved ; and the other chief heads of the Christian religion so soundly handled. And therefore, as he added, these foundations being rightly laid, there could nothing be wanting in our Churches, requisite towards the building here- upon sound doctrine and discipline. He com- mended much the Homily of Faith, the nature and force of which was so clearly and soberly discussed ; and wherein it was so well distin- guished from the faith that was dead. He much approved of the manner of treating Concerning the misery and death we are all lapsed into, by the sin of our first parent ; and how we are rescued from this perdition, only by the grace of God, and by the merit and resurrection of his Son (k)." No wonder, that this excellent man was, soon after, called into England, to assist in perfecting that reformation, whose beginnings he so heartily approved. When here, vast deference was paid to his judgment and ad- vice, by Cranmer and the other Piotestant bishops. This is confessed, even by Burnet himself ; whose words are, " About the end of tflis year (1550), or the beginning of the next, there was a review made of the Coui- mon-Praver Book. Martin Bucer was con- sulted in it: and Alesse translated it into Latin for his [i. e. for Bucer's] use. Upon which, Bucer wrote his opinion ; which he finished the 5th of January in the year following : and, almost in every particular, the most material things, which Bucer excepted to, were correct- ed afterwards (I) ." This acknowledgement of Bishop Burnet's confirms what is delivered by Guthrie : who, in his English History, observes, concerning Bucer and Peter Martyr, that their authority was great in England (m) ." SECTION XV. Of the Share lohich Calvin hud in the Refor- mation of the Church of England. To what has been already observed, con- cerning our principal reformers, a word or two must be added, relative to tliat grand ornament of the Protestant world, Dr. John Calvin. It has been furiously affirmed, by more than one Arminian, that Calvin had not the least hand, directly or indirectly, in any part of our English reformation. Old Heylyn (k) Stiype's .Memorials Ecclesiastical, >ol. ii. p. 31, 32. {<; Burnct'ii Hist, of Reformat, vol. ii. p. 117, 148. (m) See Rolt, p. Il.'i. (») Peter Heyl j u's Historic. & MisceU.Tracts,p. 54S. plays to this tune : " Our first reformers had no respect of Calvin And again : they " had no regard to Luther or Calvin, in the procedure of their work (o)." To Heylyn's pipe, dances Mr. Samuel Downes ; with the same reverential glee, as poor Wat Sellon squeaks to the quavers of Mr. John Wesley. Let us, however, examine for ourselves, and attend to facts. Mr. Rolt informs us, from Guthrie, that Bncer's " remonstrances, to- gether with those of Martyr and Calvin, pre- vailed with archbishop Cranmer, and the other prelates of the reformation, to suffer it [i. e. to suffer the liturgy] to be revised and cor- rected (p)." Such an acknowledgment, from a historian of Guthrie's principles, must have decisive weight with every rational enquirer. So must the testimony that follows. " Calvin advised Bucer how to conduct him- self before king Eldward VI. He [i. e. Calvin] corresponded with the duke of Somerset '' (who was the king's uncle, protector of the realm, and, in concert with Cranmer, the main instrument in conducting the reforma- tion) "and gave him his opinion how the re- formation should be carried on. In one of his [i. e. of Calvin's] letters to the lord protector, he expressed his dislike of praying for the dead. Calvin, in his epistolary correspondence with the protector, was instrumental, not only in pushing some severity against the Papists, but in some, advances towards bringing the Church of England to a nearer conformity with the Churches abroad, where the worship was more plain {(]).'' The Church, therefore, stood indebted for part of her purity and sim- plicity, to the discreet and friendly offices of this most eminent divine, " whose decisions " (as an elegant modern historian truly observes) " were received among the Protestants of that age, with incredible submission (r)." Even bishop Burnet takes some notice of Calvin's correspondence with Somerset. " Cal- vin wrote to the protector, on the 29th of Octo- ber (1548), encouraging him to go on, not- withstanding the wars, as Hezechias had done, in his reformation. He [?. e. Calvin] lamented the heats of some that professed the gospel : but complained, that he heard there were few lively sermons heaid in England, and that the preachers recited their discourses coldly. He much approves a set form of prayers, whereby the consent of all the Churches did more manifestly appear. But he advises a more complete reformation. He taxed the prayers for the dead, the use of chrism, and extreme unction, since they were no where recom- mended in Scripture. He (Calvin) had heard, that the reason why they (the English reform- (o; Heylyn's Life of Laud, Introd. p. 3. (p) Holt's Lives of the Reformers, p. 116. (q) Rolt, Ihiil, p. 13-1. (r) Robertson's Hist, of ScoUand, vol. i. p. 249. Octavo 160 OF CALVIN'S SHARE IN THE ers) went no further, was, because the times could not bear it : but this was to do the work of God by political maxims ; which, though they ought to take place in other things, yet should not be followed in matters in which the salvation of souls was concerned. But, above all things, Calvin complained of the great impieties and vices that were so com- mon in England ; as swearing, drinking, and uncleaniiess : and prayed him (the lord pro- tector) earnestly, that these things might be looked after {s)." Calvin did not remonstrate in vain. The communion office underwent a farther reform, in 1550: as did the v.'hnle liturgy, in 1551 ; when among many other alterations, the chrism in baptism, the unction of the sick, and prayers for the dead, were totally ex- punged {t). That the reasonings and representations of Calvin had great influence on the protector, and on the conduct of ecclesiastical affairs in England, is evident, amidst a multiplicity of additional proofs that might be offered, from what is observed by the candid and learned Mr. Hickman : than whom, no person, per- haps, was better acquainted with the religious history of this kingdom. " Bucer, at Cam- bridge," says that excellent writer, " under- stood that Calvin's letters prevailed much with Somerset : and therefore intreats Calvin, when he did write to the protector, to ad- monish him not to suffer the churches to be left void of preachers (u)." Heylin himself, in his History of the Re- formation, virtually contradicts what he else- where delivers, concerning the " no-respect " which, he would have us believe, was shewn to Calvin. Speaking of king Edward's first liturgy, he says, " And here the business might have rested,'' e. the liturgy would not have been reviewed and reformed] " if Calvin's pragmatical spirit had not interposed (tv)." The concession is important, though maliciously expressed : for, what is this, but allowing, that the Church of England was obliged to " Calvin's interposition," for her deliverance from the alb, the cope, the introits, the exor- cism, the trine immersion, the unction, prayers for souls departed, &c. which were all retained (s) Burnet's Reform, vol. ii. p. 83. Dr. Ful- ler gives a much more satisfactory abstract firom Cal- rin's letter, than does his lordship of Sarum. " Mas- ter Calvin," says Fuller, " is therein very xiositive for a set form : whose words deserve our translation and ODservation. Formulara precum [saith Calvin] et rituum ecclesiasticorum, valde probo, ut certa ilia ex- istet ; a qua ne pastoribus disedere it; functione su& liceat : 1. Ut consulatur quorundam simplicitati et im- peritiae. 2- I't certiiis coustet omnium inter se eccle- siarum consensus. 3. I't obvium ineatur de.'^ultoriae quorundam levitati, qui novationes quasdam aiTectaiit. Sic igitur statum esse catechismum oportet, statam sacramentorum administrationem, publicam item pre- cum formulam. That is : I do highly approve that there should be a certain form of prayer, and eccle- siastical rites ; from which it should not be lawful for the pastors themselves to discede. 1. That provision may be made for some people's ignorance and unskil- fulness. 2. That the consent of all the churches among themselves may the more plainly appear, a. by the tirst nturgy ? Surely, if Heylyn's com- plaint be justly founded, that " if Calvin's pragmatical spirit had not interposed " the first liturgy might have stood as it did, it will follow, I. That the Protestant religion in Eng- land is under the highest obligations to Calvin, for his successful zeal in occasioning all this rubbish to be wheeled away : and, 2. That Heylin himself, by whom this very circum- stance is affirmed, was guilty of a most pal- pable deviation from truth, in asserting, else- where, that " Calvin offered his assistance to our reformers, and that his interposition v/as refused (x)." 'Tis not a little amusing to see such ra.nk Arminians, as Heylyn, pressing themselves, whether they will or no, into the service of truth. Take, therefore, a farther taste of his testimony, occurring in another work of his. He observes, that " Cranmer, Ridley," and " the rest of the English bishops " concerned in the reformation, resolved that "they would give Calvin no ofience The Arminian found himself constrained even to add, that Calvin, " In his letters to the king and coun- cil, had excited them to proceed in the good work which they had begun : that is, that they should so proceed as he [i- e. as Calvin] had directed. With Cranmer he is more par- ticular, and tells him, in plain terms, that, in the liturgy of this church [viz. the first litur- gy], as it then stood, there remained a whole niass of Popery, which did not only blemish, but destioy, God's public worship [z]" It appeared, by the subsequent revisal and refoj- mation of that liturgy, that king Edv.-ard, his council, and a^chbi^hop Cranmer [or, as Heylyii himst If there, for a wonder, vouchsafes to ex- press it, " the godly king, assisted by so wise a council, and such learned prelates "] were entirely of Calvin's mind. Doubtless, those good and great men reformed the first liturgy, more from a conviction of the force of Calvin's arguments, than from a principle of mere de- ference to Calvin's authority. Mr. Heylyn, however, inclines to the latter supposition : and, by a concession which places Calvin's authority with the reformers in the most ex- alted point of view, expressly declares, that " the first liturgy was discontinued, and the That order may be taken against the unsettled levity of such as delight in innovations. Thus there ought to be an established catechism, an established admi- nistration of sacraments, as also a public form of pray- er." Fuller's Church Hist, book vii. p. 426. (t) See Strype, Burnet, Dowues, Vtc. sub annis 1550 et 1551. (h) Hickman's Anijnadvers. on Heylyn, p. 149. (;/■) Heylyn Hist, ut the Reform. Prcf. p. 3.— Mr. W'histon, likewise, honestly confesses, that king Ed- ward's first liturgy was then [i.e. in the year 1551.] ** plainly altered out of human prudence, and out of compliance with Calvin and other foreigners." \\ his- ton's Memoirs, vol. ii. p. 423. (X) See Heylyn's yuinquart. Hist. Ch. viii. 3. 2. Misc. Tr. p. 548. And yet this very Heylyn, in the very nest page but one, says, that the first liturgy, " being disliked by Calvin, was brought under a re- view." Ibid, p. 550. (y) Heylyn's Hist, of the Presbyterians p. 204 (j) Hist. Presb. p. 206. ENGLISH REFORMATION. 161 second superinduced upon it after this review, to give satisfaction unto Calvin's cavils ; the curiosities of some, and the mistakes of others, of his friends and followers («)." In such esteem was Calvin held at the En<;lish court, that Bucer ( thous^h invited hither by the king himself, and the archbishop of Canterbury) would not, on his arrival here, wait on the lord protector, till he had obtained, from Calvin, letters of introduction and re- commend ition to that personage. " Of this," says Heylyn, viz. of the state of religion in England, " he {i. e. Bucer,) gives account to Calvin ; and desires some letters from him to the loid protector, that he might lind the greater favour, when he came before him : which was not till the tumults of the time were composed and quieted {b).'' What, moreover, shall we say, if it appear, ' that Calvin's interest was so considerable as to be a means of extricating Dr. Hooper from the Fleet-prison, to which he had been corn- mined on account of his aforementioned ob- jections to the episcopal habit ? Let us, once more, attend to Heylyn. " In which con- dition of affairs Calvin addresseth his letters to the lord protector, whom he desireth to lend the man (viz. Hooper) a helping hand, and extricate him out of those perplexities into which he was cast. So that, at last, the difi'eiences," adds Heylyn, "were thus cotn- j)romised, that is to say, that Hooper should receive his consecration, &c. (c) " Add to this, that, according to the said Heylyn, the order for removing altars, and placiiig communion tables in their room, was cliif fly owing to the influence of Calvin. " The great business of this year (1550) was the taking down of altars in many places, by pub- lic authority : which, in some few, had for- merly been pulled down by the irregular forwaidtiess of the common people. The pincipal motive whereunto was, in the first place, the opinion of some dislikes which had been taken by Calvin against the (first) litur- gy id)." A correspondence was also carried on, between Calvin and archbishop Cranmer. Nay, so high did Calvin stand in the regards of king Edward himself, and so thoroughly satisfied was Cranmer, of Calvin's abilities and integrity, that " Cranmer admonished Calvin, that he could not do any thing more profitable than to write often to the king (e)." Nor was Calvin unvvjithy of the distin- guished honours that weie every where shewn him, hy the learned and moderate of all deno- minations. " He was '' (says Dr. lidwaids,) " reputed a gi eat man, not only at Geneva, but in England, and, accordingly, he had a great stroke here, and iiis judgment was much valued by our Church: as is evident from this, (a; Hist. Prtsb. p. -iOT. (I,) flis.. Itef. p. 7a. (c) Hcylin, Ihitl p. ((/) Heylln, /hir/. p. 95, See also his Hist, of tlic Presbj It i i.ins, p. 206. (c; Hickman, iihi jji ius. p. 14U. that, when some things in the first English liturgy were disliked by him, there was pre- sently an alteration made in it, atid another edition of it was put out, with amendments(/). That accomplished prelate. Bishop Andie.vs, said, that Calvin was an illustrious person, and never to be mentioned without a preface of the highest honour. (Determ. Theol de Usur.) Bishop Bilson tells us (Dial. p. 5C9) that Mr. Calvin was so well known, to those that are learned and wise, for his great pains and good labours in the church of God, that a few snarling friars could not impeach his good name. Mr. Hooker gives him this short but full character: He was incomparably the wisest man that ever the French church en- joyed : and in the same place (Pref. to Eccles. Polity) he styles him, a worthy vessel of God's glory. Bishop Morton speaks as honourably of him. For understanding the Scripture, he was endued with an admirable gift of judg- ment, saith Mr. Lively, the famous Hebrevv professor. And the generality of our church- men, in those times, were ready to bestow on him that brief encomium our Bishop Stilling- fleet gives him, viz. that excellent servant of God (5-)." Now, as Dr. Edwards fai ther ob- serves, " It is certain, that our churchmen did not admire and esteem Calvin and Bez 1, and their followers, for their ecclesiastical govern- ment, and some other things which were pe- culiar to their churches ; therefore it must be their doctrines which they had a respect for (A).'' It would be almost endless to refer to tbe just praises with which Calvin's memory has been honoured. "Joseph Scaliger, who scarce thought any man worth his commending, could not forbear admiiing Calvin : whom he own', d for the happiest of all the commentators, in apprehending the sense of the |)ropliets. And Pasquier says, Calvin was a good writer, both in Latin and French ; and our French tongue is highly obliged to him, for enriching it with so great a number of fine expressions {i}.'' The character given of him, by the im- mortal Monsieur de Thou, is, Johannes Cal- vinus, " acri vir ac vehcmenti ini;enio, et ud- niirabili farundiu precditus ; inter Protcstantes mtiffni iwminix tlieologns ; a person endued with a quick and lively genius, and of admi- rable eloquence ; a divine highly accounted of among Protestants (/')." " Bishop Hooper so much valued Calvin, that he wrote to him, even when he [Hooper] was imprisoned ; saluting him with the coin- pellation of vir prcBstantissinic, earnestly beg- ging his church's prayers, and at last subscrit)- ing himself, Tuce pietatis studiosissimus, Johannes Ilooperus (/)." " Whenever he was quoted, in the press, or in the pulpit, it was done with t pithets of honour; as, the learned, the jud'cious, the ( / ; Veritas Ilftlux, p. 529. (5; Virit, Red. p. 550. (/ij /hit/, p. 551. (i) Holt's Lives, p. 1-15. (/(I .See I.eigli's Rclig. and Learned Alen, p. 149. (i) Ilickiuau, u. jir. p. 149. M 162 OF CALVIN'S SHARE IN THB pious Calvin. And I am more than confident, there cannot be produced one writer of credit, in the established Church of England, that ever fell foul on Calvin, 'till about 60 or 70 years after his death, when the tares of Ar- minius began to be sown and cherished among us. Dr. Featly styles him, that bright, burning taper of Geneva, as warm in his devotions, as clear and lightsome in his disputes (Ep. Ded. to Dippers Dipt). How respectfully do Jewel, Abbot, Usher, &c. mention him()7i)!" Calvin has been taxed with fierceness and bigotry. But his meeiiness and benevolence were as eminent as the malice of his traducers is shameless. I shall give one single instance of his modesty and gentleness. While he was a very young man, disputes ran high between Luther and some other reformers, concerning the manner of Christ's presence in the holy sacrament. Luther, whose temper was na- tuUy warm and rough, heaped many hard names on the divines who differed from him on the article of consubstantiation ; and, among the rest, Calvin came in for his divi- dend of abuse. Being informed of the harsh appellations he received, he meekly replied, in a letter to Bullingei, " Scepe dicere soliiics SW71, etiamsi me diabulum vocaret, me tamen hoc illi honoris habitnrum, ut insignem Dei servum agnoscam ; qui tamen, ut pallet eximiis virtutihus, ita inagnis vitiis laboret : i. e. 'Tis a frequent saying with me, that, if Luther should even call me a devil, my veneration for him is, notwithstanding, so great, that I shall ever acknowledge him to be an illus- trious ser\-ant of God ; who, tho' he abounds in extraordinary virtues, is yet not without considerable imperfections (k).'' The same learned historian, who relates this, has an observation, concerning Calvin, which deseives attention. "John Calvin," (says he,) " was a man whose memory will be blessed in every succeeding age. He instructed and enlightened, not only the church of Ge- neva, but also the whole reformed world, by his immense labours. Insomuch that all the reformed churches are, in the gross, fre- quently called by his name (o)." Thus wrote this candid Arminian, so lately as the year 1734. I might here add some account of tlie consummate veneration in which the name and doctrines of Calvin were held, by our bishops and Universities, before the clergy of our establishment were debauched into Ar- Kiinianism by Laud. But this shall, if Pro- vidence permit, be the subject of some suc- ceeding Section. in the mean while, I should be equally unjust to the church of England, and to the moderation of Calvin, if I did not annex a (wi. Hist, of Popery, Tol. ii. p. 3-19, 350. 'w^Turretini Uob. Alph.) Histor. Eccles. p. 352. (o) ** Vir beiirdictie in rmiii- a'vum memoria\ Jo- banTie<^ Calvimis ; imniensisque laboribus. non Genevt usem modo ecclesiam, set! ettoium reformatum passage or two, from Mr. Strype, relative to the remarkable candour with which Calvin expressed himself, concerning the ceremonies and discipline of our religious establishment. " The mention of Calvin," (says this excel- lent historian,) " must bring in a very remark- able letter, which he wrote in the month of August this year [1561], concerning certain ecclesiastical rites, used in our office of private prayer [an evident mistake for common-prayerj newly [re-] established [on the accession of queen Elizabeth]: which were scrupled by some of the English exiles, upon their return ; chiefly, because not used by the reformed Church in Geneva: concerning whicii they had sent to Calvin, for his resolution and judgment. Wherein he gave his opinion generally in fa- vour and approbation of them (,p);"i.e. in favour of the " ecclesiastical rites ": which the historian particularizes in several instances: and then adds : " To this judgment of this great divine, concerning rites used in this Church, I will briefly subjoin his approbation of the episcopal government of the Church : which is alledged out of his institutions, by Dr. Whitgift: ' That every province [saith Calvin] had among their bishops, an archbishop; and that the council of Nice did appoint patriarchs, who should be, in order and dignity, above archbishops ; was for the preservation of dis- cipline. Therefore for this cause especially were those degrees appointed, that if any thing should happen, in any particular Church, which could not be decided, it might be re- moved to a provincial synod. This kind of government some called Hieraichia: an im- proper name. But if, omitting the name, we consider the thing itself, we shall find, that these old bishops did not frame any other kind of government in the Church, from that which the Lord hath prescribed in his woid.' And so much concerning Calvin's sense of our Church's liturgy and government (j)." Nor did Calvin's learned colleague and suc- cessor, the illustrious Beza, entertain a less respectful idea of our national establishment. Towards the decline of queen Elizabeth's reign, when puritanic opposition ran high against the outjvorks of the Church, the opposers affect- ed to give out, that their objections were au- thorized, and their measures countenanced, by the most learned foreign Protestants : and, es- pecially, by Beza. This being soon known at Geneva, that great man thought it his duty to exculpate himself from a charge so ungener- ous and unjust : which he took care to do, in a letter to Whitgift, then Archbishop of Can- terbury. "While the archbishop," says Strype, "was endeavouring to suppress the male-con- tents against episcopacy and the Church of orbcm, eruuiit atque illustravit : ade^ ut, de ejus no- mine ri formati, quanti quanti sniit, non rar4 appel- lentur." Job. Turretin. )/. s. p. 253. ( pj Strjpe's Hi.*t. Ref. under Qu. Eliz. chap, ixi p. (?) Suype, Ibid. p. 248. ENGLISH REFORMATION. 163 England in its present establishment, he l eceiv- eth, March 8th [1591], a letter from Theodore Eeza, the chief minister of Geneva, wherein he by owning, with all respect, the archbishop, and Vhe rest of the English bi>hops, and their go- verrnu.ent of this Church, gave a notable checlt to these new refon^iers, wlio liore out themselves much with his autiiority. It seemed to have been written by him, in answer to one from the archbishop, blaming him for his (supposed) meddling with the Church and state of En- gland, without any lawful commission. In de- fence of himself, he (Beza) returned an an- swer ; part whereof was as followeth : That whereas his lordship thought it meet, in his letters, to move them (i. f. to move the Gene- va divines) to think well of this kingdom, and of the Church here, and the government thereof : it indeed troubled both him and Sadeel (another of the ministers of Geneva), in some sort : as being greatly afraid, lest some sinis- ter rumours were biouglit to him (to the arch- bisop) concerning them ; or lest what they had written, concerning Church-government pro- perly against the antichristian tyranny [of the rtoman church], as necessity required, might be taken, by some, in that sense, as tho' they ever meant to compel to their order those churches that thougtit otherwise. That such arrogancy was far from them: for [added Beza] who gave us authority over any chin ch ? And that they by no means tiiought, so substantial matters were kept, that there ought nothing to he granted to antiquity, nothing to custom, nothing to tlie circumstances of places, times, and persons.'' So wrote Beza: or, to use Mr. Strype's own words, on the occasion, " Thus did Beza and Sadeel, in the name of their clmrch, profess to the archbishop their re- spect, honour, and approbation of the Church of England (r)." About two years afterwards. Dr. Bancroft (who at length became archbishop of Canter- bury), in a treatise, which he published against the obstinacy of some restless Puritans, " pro- duced divers letters of Zanchius, in appro- bation of episcopacy ; and of BuUinger and Gualter, to several English bishops, in dis- (r) Strype's Life of Whitgift, p. 37S, 379. (.1) Ibid. p. 404.— In anotlier work, of Mr. Strype, that usclul and Uborious collector gives a large ac- count of Zanchius's attachment to church-government by ar(!hl)i.shops and bishops. " We do not disavow the fathers," said Zanchy, " in that, after a diver-ic way of dispensing the word, and governing the church, they multiplied divers orders of ministers. It was lawful so to do : seeing they did it for honest causes, appertaining, at that time, to the order, decency and edification cf the church— For this reason, >'iz. that the nurseries of dissentions and schisms might be taken away, we think that those things which were ordained before the council of Nice, concerning arch- bishops, nay, as touching the four patriarchs, may be excused and defended." Some others of the reasons assigned by Zanchy, for his approbation of the hier- archy, were, l.The practice of the primitive chiiri h,pre- Bently after the apostles' time. -i. Because he tho ght It his duty to have regard to those reformed churches [the churches of England and Ireland, for instanct] ■which retained both bishops and archbishops. And, 3. Because all the reformed churches generally, al- allowance altogether of those innovators (s)." As to Beza, if he was afterwards so far wrought upon, by dint of misrepresentation, as to countenance, in any measure, tlie foi- wardness of the more rigid disciplinarians ; it ought, in justice, to be imputed, neither to any levity, nor duplicity, m him (for he was equally incapable of both) ; but to the wrong informations that were sent him : by which, a foreigner, who resided at so great a distance from England, might, easify enough, be liable to undue impression. SECTION XVI. The Judgment of the most eminent English Martyrs, and Confesssors, who suffered Death, or Persecution, after the Overthrow of the Reformation by Queen Mary I. We have seen in the three preceeding Sections, 1. That the reformers of the Church of England vvere zealous Calvinists, as to matters of doctrine : 2. That Calvin himself had a very considerable hand in reducing our liturgy to that purity and excellence which it still retains : and, 3. That Calvin, Beza, Zanchius, Sadeel, Bullinger, and Gualter, entertained very respectful and affectionate sentiments, concerning the ritual, decency and order, together with the episcopal regimen, of our incomparable Church. And, to the approbation of those most learned persons, might be added (if need required) that of many otlier foreign Calvinists, who are de- servedly numbered among the first ornaments of that century. While pious king Edward lived, the Church of England saw herself at the very pinnacle of spiritual prosperity. Her supreme visible head was a prodigy of wisdom, know- ledge, and tindefiled religion. Her bishops vi'ere luminaries of the first brightness : men glowing with love to God ; clear in the doc- trines of the gospel, and zealous in main- taining them ; of eminent learning, for the most part ; assertors, and patterns, of every good word and work. Had Providence been though they had changed the names, yet, in efTect, they kept tlie authority : as where they had superin- tendents. &c. " And what," added Zanchius, " can be shewed more certainly, out of histories, out of the councils, and out of the writings of all the an- cient fathers, than that those orders of ministers, of which we have spoken, have been ordained and re- ceived in the church, by the general consent of all Christian commonwealths? And who then am I, that I should presume to reprove that which tho whole church hath approved !" See Strype's Annals, V(»l. ii. p. 053, (Sr>A. On the whole, it appears, that the learned, the modest, the judicious Zanchy, was a fast friend, not only to the doctrines, but also (a circumstance not very usual with the foreign Protestants of that age) to the hierarchy, of the church of England. Nor was the church unmindful of his worth and afl'ection : for, by the voice of the University of Cambridge, in the year l.M.'i, this great man was, expressly, and by name, numbered among "the lights and ornaments" of our established church. — See my account of Zanchy, pre- fixed to myTranslationofhisTreatiseon Predestination. M 2 164 THE JUDGMENT OF OUR pleased to have extended the felicities of that reign, what might not have been expected from a Prince of Edward's accomplishments ; and from a choir of prelates, whom grace, abilities, and almost every useful attainment, concurred to render venerable ? But God (whose disposals are not less wise, just, and gracious, for being at present unsearchable,) was pleased to reverse the scene. The king's death opened Mary's way to the throne ; wl\e ruled not with a sceptre, but a sword. That bigotted princess, and her Popish counsellors, knew, that the doctiines of gra- tuitous election, in\-incible grace, and justifi- cation without works, enter into the very basis of genuine Protestantism. No wonder, there- fore, that, to rid the two Universities of all predestinarians, was a primary object of her attention. Free-will, conditional justification, and the merit of works, were doctrines so essential to the interests of Popery, that not to aim at (t) restoring them, would have been doing matters by halves. Therefore, "A re- solution was taken, to bring into the Univer- sities a test for purging them of all Protestants, and to prevent their re-admission for the future. This was done by way of oath, as follows : " Vou shall swear, by the holy contents of this book, that you shall not keep, hold, main- tain, and defend, at any time, during your life, any opinion erroneous, or error of Wick- liff, Huss, Luther, or any other condemned of heresy : And that you shall, namely and spe- cially, hold as the Catholic church holdeth in all these articles, wnerein lately hath been controversy, dissention, and error ; as con- cerning faith, and works, grace and free-will, &c. ()()" Now, I have before demonstrated (particularly, in the 3d and 4 th Sections of this essay), that " in all these articles,'' which concern " faith and works, grace and free- will,'' the church of Rome is avowedly Armi- nian throughout. Consequently, by tendering the above oath to the members of the Univer- sities, queen Mary's design was to clear those seminaries of all Calviiiists ; the better to make way for the re-introduction of Poperv. With the same view, a proclamation was issued, in 1555, to prohibit the sale, the read- ing, or the keeping of any book or books, writings or works, made or set forth by or in the name of Martin Luther, O. Ecolampadius, Zuinglius, John Calvin, Bucer, Peter Martyr, Latimer, Hooper, Coverdale, Tyndal, Cran- mer {w and other predestinaiian Protestants (I) It deserves particnJar notice, that, A.D. 1554 (which was the year after Mary came to the crowu Bonner published a book, for the re-mstruction of his diocese in the principles of Pcpery, eutitlcd, A Profit- able and Necessary Boctrine, containing an Exposi- tion on the Creed, Seven Saciaments, Ten Command- roents, the Pater-noster. Ave Maria, &c. A consider- ab'e part of which was taken out of the Pia et Catho- Ijca Institurio, which had been published in the reipn of Henry Vlll. See the Biogr. Diet. vol. ii. p. 20i. — whose names are tnere enumerated. 'Twas added, that all persons, possessing any books written by the above authors, " Shall, within the spaee of fifteen days next after the publica- tion of this proclamation, bring, or deliver, or cause the said books, writings, and works, and every of them, remaining in their custody and keeping, to be brought and delivered, to the ordinary of the diocese, to be burnt," or other- wise destroyed. On which order the pious Mr. Fox makes this obvious remark : What a-do is here, to keep down Christ in his se- pulchre ! and yet ^-ill he rise, in spite of all his enemies (x). The truth is, queen Mary and her Spanish husband, in whose names that proclamation ran, well knew that Calvinism is the veiy life and soul of the reformation : and that popery would never flourish, 'till the Calvinistic doctrines were eradicated. I have already given some intimation (p. 31()), from bishop Burnet, of a brief confession of faith, which was drawn up and signed by the Protestant bishops and Clergymen who were then imprisoned in London, shortly after the coronation of Mary. But as Burnet's ex- tract is (according to custom) very partial and superficial, I shall here present my readers with the entire paragraph, to which that his- torian so lamely refers. " Fourthly, we believe and confess, concerning justification, that as it Cometh only from God's mercy through Christ, so it is perceived and had of none, who be of years of discretion, otherwise than by faith only. Which faith is not an opinion, but a certain persuasion wrought by the Holy Ghost in the mind and heart of man ; wherethrough, as the mind is illuminated, so the heai t is sup- pled to submit itself to the will of God unfeign- edly ; and so sheweth forth an inherent righ- teousness, which is to be discerned (/. e. which inherent righteousness is to be carefully distin- guished) in the articles of justification, from the righteousness which God enduethus with- al, justifying us ; although inseparably they go together. And this we do [i. e. we preserve this important distinction between imputed and in- herent righteousness] not for curiosity, nor con- tention sake ; but for conscience sake ; that it might be quiet ; which it can never be, if we confound, without distinction, forgiveness of sins and Christ's righteousness imputed to us, with regeneration and inherent righteousness." Thus spake these excellent divines : adding, immediately after, " by this,'' {i.e. by this view of justification,) " we disallow Papistical doc- trine of free-will, of works of supererogation, of merits, of the necessity of auricular confes- Thus SeTlon's Arminian letter to the vicar of Broad Hembury, as also Ur. N.'s answer to the Author of Pietas llxoniensis, are fraught with arguments bor- rowed from that self same Popish storehouse ( i iz. the Pia et Catholica Institutio) which furnished Bonner with materials for his pastoral letter to the diocese of London. Arminianism cares not what it eats. The foulest food will go down, so dear free will is but kept from starling. («) Rolt's Lives Ref. p. 116. (a; Fox, iii. p. 225. (jrj Jbid. ENGLISH MARTYRS. 165 Edward Crome. John Rogers. Laurence Saundera. Etimimd Laurence J. P. T. M. •ton, an^ satisfaction to God-wards {y).'" This valuable paper was dated the 8th day of May, A.D. 1554, and subscribed by Robert Ferrar, late bishop of St. David's. Rowland Taylor. JuUq iUiilpot. John Bradford. John Hooper, late bishop of Worcester and Gloucester. At the bottom of all was written, " To these ihinifs ahovesaid, do I, Miles Coverdale, late (bishop) of Exeter, consent and as^ree, with these mine afflicted bretiiren, being prisoners : mine own hand.'' Now, can any person question the Calvinism of these blessed men of God, by whom the tenets of free-will and of justification by inherent righteousness, were expressly numbered among " Papistical doctrines ; " and classed with " works of supererogation, merits, and auricular con- fession ? " A great number of God's faithful servants, both ministers and people, were brought to the stake, for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of his patience, during the short, but sharp reign of this sanguinary woman. Cran- mer, Ridley, Latimer, and Hooper, having been treated of already, I shall proceed to the brief mention of some others. And here, amidst the noble army of Eng- lish Martyrs, I find myself encompassed with so great a cloud of witnesses to the doctrines of grace, that I scarce know whom to select, or whom to omit. Was I to introduce them all, I should exceed eveiy reasonable limit of bre- vity. I am obliged, therefore, to suppress the attestations of many precious sufferers for Christ, who witnessed a good confession even unto death, and who will be found with hon- our and praise and glory at his ajipeiiring. Among the few I shall produce, as vouchers for the rest, those that follow : I. Mr. John Rogers, prebendary and divi- nity-lecturer of St. Paul's, and vicar of St. Se- pulchre's, London, had the honour of being the first that was burned for the gospel, under the bloody auspices of Mary. He suffered in Sniithfield, February 4, 1555. His judgment, concerning the Calvinian doctrines, is suffici- ently apparent, without adducing any other proofs, from the above mentioned declaration of faith, to which he set his hand during his last imprisonment. H. Mr. Laurence Saunders, a clergyman of birth and fortune, eminent as a scholar, but still more respectable for the grace given him of God, was lecturer, first, at Fothering- hay ; next, reader in the cathedral of Litchfield ; and, lastly, rector of Allhallovvs, in Bread - street, London. He was burned at Coventry, Feb. 8. 1655. Though his hand, likewise, was to the declaration of faith, quoted above ; 1 will annex one or two addi tional evidences of his Calvinism : in hope, that, while they demonstrate the clearness of the martyr's head, their piety may warm and impress the reader's heart. In a letter, sent from prison to his wife, he thus expressed his triumph of faith : " I do not doubt but that both I and you, as we be written in the book of life, so we shall together enjoy the same everlastingly, through the grace and mercy of God our dear Father, in his Son, our Christ. I am merry, I thank my God and my Christ ; in whom and thro' whom I shall, I know, be able to fight a good fight, and finish a good course (2)." In another letter to Cranmer, Ridley and Lati- mer (then prisoners at Oxford), this seraphic man observes : " We walk in faith : which faith, although, for want of outward appear- ance, reason reputeth but as vain ; yet the chosen of God do know the effect thereof to bring a more substantial state and lively frui- tion of very felicity and perfect blessedness, than reason can reach, or senses receive. You may be assured, by God's grace, that you shall not be frustrate of your hope of our constant con- tinuance in the cheerful confession of God's everlasting verity. For even as we have re- ceived the w^rd of truth, the go>pel of our salvation ; wherein we believing are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of oui inheritance (which Spirit certifi- eth our spirit that we are the children of God, and therefore God hath sent the spiiit of liis Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father) ; 80, after such portion as God measuieth unto us, we, with the whole Church of Christ and with you, reverend fathers, receiving the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken ; we also believe, and therefore speak. Knowing, most certainly, that though we have this trea- sure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of this power might be God's, and not ours ; yet shall we not be dashed in pieces : for the Lord will put his hand under us. To communicate with our sweet Saviour Christ in bearing the cross, it is appointed unto us, that with him also we shall be glorified («).'' Elsewhere Mr. Saunders sets his seal to the doctrine of final perseverance, in terms, if possible stronger still : " Now that he hath, in his dear Christ, repaired us (being, before, utterly decayed ); and redeemed us, purging us unto himself as a peculiar people, by the blood of his Son ; he hath put on a most tender good- will and fatherly affection towards us never to forget us (b)." Again : " Praised be our gracious God, who preserveth his from evil ; and doth give them grace to avoid aU sucii offences, as might hinder his honour, or hurt his Cluuch (c)." Once more, "I take occasion of much rejoicing in our so gracious God and merciful Father, who hath, in his immeasura- ble meicy, by faith, hand-fasted us his chosen (11) Fox'8 Acta & Mon. vol. iii. p. 83. (») Ibid. p. 111. (a; fbid. p. in. (b) Ibid. p. 11.1. (c) I6td 166 THE JUDGMENT OF OUR children unto his dear Son our Christ ((/).'' "We may boldly, with our Christ, and all his elect, say, Death, where is thy sting (e)?" No self-righteousr.ess lay at the foundation of this holy man's triumph. His whole trust was in the covenant-merits of Jesus the Savi- our. Hence, in a short letter, which is en- titled, To his wife, a little before his burning, after desiring her to send him a shirt in which he was to suffer, he breaks out into this sweet prayer, " O, my Heavenly Father, look upon me in the face of thy Christ ! or else, I shall not be able to abide thy countenance ; such is my filthiness. He will do so ; and therefore I will not be afraid' what sin, hell, death, and damnation, can do against me (/)." His spiritual consolations continued with him to tlie last. When arrived at the place of exe- cution, he kissed the stake ; saying, in a tran- sport of joy. Welcome, the cross of Christ j welcome, everlasting life ! HI. Dr. Rowland Taylor was rector of Hadley, in Suffolk. We may form a judg- ment of that wonderful out-pouring of the Holy Spirit, and of the diffusive spread of di- vine knowledge, which attended the preaching of the gospel in the age of the reformation, from what Mr. Fox delivers, concerning the state of religion in that particular town. " The town of Hadley was one of the first that re- ceived the gospel in all England, at the preach- ing of Mr. Thomas Bilney : by whose indus- try the gospel of Christ had such gracious success, and took such root there, that a great number in that parish became exceeding well learned in the Holy Scriptures, as well women as men. So that a man miglit have found amongst them many, who had often read the whole Bible through, and who could have said a great sort of St. Paul's epistles by heart, and very well and readily have given a godly, learned sentence in any matter of controversy. Their children and servants were also brought up and trained so diligently ia the right knowledge of God's word, that the whole town seemed rather an university of the learn- ed, than a town of cloth-making, or labouring people ; and, what is most to be commended, they were, for the more part, faithful follow- ers of God's word in their living. In this town was Doctor Rowland Taylor, doctor in both the civil and canon laws, and a right perfect divine, parson {g)" What a melan- choly contrast, alas ! are the present times, to those ! How has the introduction of Armi- nianism poisoned our Protestant streams, and cankered our evangelical gold ! Dr. Taylor was a very uncommon man, both for grace and gifts. He had the piety of Calvin, the intrepidity of Luther, and the orthodoxy tif both. When bishop Bonner came to degrade him, in the Poultry compter, prior to his martyrdom, he [Bonner] desired the magnanimous prisoner to put on the sacerdotal habit, that he might be divested of it in form. " I am come, [quoth Bonner] to degrade you : wherefore put on these vestures. No, saia Dr. Tayloi, I will not. Wilt thou not? an- swered the bishop ; I shall make thee, ere I go. Quoth Dr. Taj-lor, You shall not, by the grace of God. Tiien he charged him, upon his obedience, to do it : but he would not do it for him (A)." 'Tis usual, it seems, in popish degradations, for the bishop to give the degraded person a slight stroke on the breast, with a crosier. Bonner was afraid (for persecutors are generally cowards) to perform this part of the ceremony on Taylor. "At the last,'' says Mr. Fox, "when he should have given Dr. Taylor a stroke on the breast with his crosier-staff', the bishop's chap- lain said, My lord, strike him not, for he will sure strike again. Yea, by St. Peter, will I, quoth Dr. Taylor : the cause is Christ's : and I were no good Christian, if I would not fight in my master's quarrel. So the bishop laid his curse upon him, but struck him not. Bonner being gone, the doctor retui ned up stairs : and when he came up, he told iMr. Bradford (for they both lay in one chamber) that he had made the bisliop of London afraid; for, said he, laughing. His chaplain gave liim counsel not to strike me with his crosier-staff, for that I would strike again ; and, by my troth, continued he, rubbing his hands, I made him believe I would do so indeed {i).'' That this eminent messenger and martyr of Christ was one who rightly divided the word of truth, the following short extracts will suffice to shew. His judgment was, that the Mediator died for those only who are endued with faith : "Christ gave himself," said he, " to die for our redemption, upon the cross ; whose body, there offered, was the propitiatory sacrifice, full, perfect, and sufficient unto salvation, for all them that believe in him (k).'' He held the doctrine of assurance : and no wonder ; for God had favoured him with the gift itself. Hence, four days before his exe- cution, he thus subscribed his last will and testament: "Rowland Taylor, departing hence iTi s ire hope, without doubting, of eternal salvation ; I thank God, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ my certain Saviour, Amen. The 5th of February, anno 1555. The Lord is my light and my salvation : whom then shall 1 fear ? God is he that jtistifieth : who is he that can condemn ? In thee, O Lord, have I trusted : let me never be confounded." Ail assurance of salvation, not grounded on certainty of perseverance, is, in ttie most superlative degree, baseless, contradictory, and enthusiastic. But this good man's assur- ance was not thus built on a bubble. " I am," said he, " unmovably settled upon the rock: nothing doubting, but that my dear God will perform and finish the work that he hath begun in me and others (/).'' I will only add id I I Ad. p. 116. (/j Ibid p. 118. (C) Ibid, (g) Fox, vol iii. p. 137. (A) Ibid. p. U3. (A; Ibid. p. 139. (i) Ibid. {!) Ibid. p. 1«. ENGLISH MARTYRS. 167 a judicious remark of his, concerning justifi- cation: "Abraham's justification by faith, by grace, by promise, and not by worlds, is plainly set forth, both in the Epistle to the Romans, chap. iv. and to the Galatians, chap. iii. And Abraham's works of obedience, in offering up his son so long after his justification, must needs be taken as a fruit of a good tree, justifying before men, and not of justifica- tion before God : for then had man [i. e. man would then have somewhat] to glory in ; then did Christ die in vain (>»).'' Now, as men, by the gospel scheme of salvation, have nothing to glory in, nothing to boast of, nothing to rest upon, but the grace of God and the Mes- siah's obedience unto deatli ; it follows, that men cannot be justified in the sight of God, by their own works, neither in whole, nor in part : since, if they could, they would have something else to glory in, besides that grace and imputed righteousness which the Scrip- ture avers are the only basis of a sinner's justification. Moreover, as this blessed martyr farther observes from the apostle, Christ died in vain, on the supposition that human works )iave any antecedent influence on our accept- ance with God : for, as much conditionalty, or casualty, as you ascribe to works ; just so much you detract from the merit and efficacy of Christ's blood and righteousness The Saviour of sinners obeyed and died, either to accomplish the whole of our justitication, or a part of it only. If to accomplish the whole, then justification by works falls at once. If liis merits accomplished our justification only in part, then our own works must come in, by way of supplement, to make up what Christ left deficient : on wliich supposition, as human obedience would have some hand in justifying us, so, it would be fairly entitled to a share of the praise ; for, if Christ has act- ually divided the work of salvation between himself and sinners, it is but equitable that the honour should be divided also. The Bible, however, cuts up this sacrilegious and self- righteous scheme, both root and branch ; and, without giving the lie in form to every page of that blessed book, we cannot believe that Christ's mediatorial righteousness has any deficiency to make up. Admitting, therefore, that his work was perfect, and that he truly said, it is finished ; the consequence will be, that our good works (though absolutely requi- site, ex post facto, as indications of justifica- tion ; yet) have no kind of agency, wiiatever, in accomplishing, procuring, obtaining, or conditionating our pardon and acceptance with the Father. Since, if Christ redeemed us completely, and any remaining efficacy be still supposed to reside in our own works ; that efficacy (be it more or less) renders super- fluous an equal ratio of the merit of Christ's complete redemption : and thus, so far, Christ, on this scheme, must have died in vain. But it was impossible for Christ to die in vain : therefore, human works have no hand in justi- fication. This seems, to me, the precise drift of the apostle's argument. Gal. ii. 21. If righteousness, either justification itself, or any part of the righteousness which justifies, come by the law, accrue, though ever so remotely, to any sinner, by or through his own confor- mity to the moral law ; then it would follow that Christ is dead in vain : but Clirist could not die in vain ; ergo, neither jus- tification itself, nor the righteousness wfiich justifies, can accrue, though ever so remotely, to any sinner by or through his own confor- mity to the moral law. But does not St. James affirm, that Abraham was justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar ? Certainly he was. But it was a jus- tification before men, not before God. As good Dr. Rowland Tayloi remarks, Abraham had been justified before God, long, even many years, before his intentional oblation of Isaac: yea, many years before Isaac himself was born. Abraham's justification in the sight of God is related Gen. xr. 6. But even the birth of Isaac does not occur, till you come to chapter xxi. I conclude, then, that the justification, of which St. James speaks, is no more than an evidential justification before men, by visible works of external obedience; declaring, mani- festing, and proving, a prior justification before God: which prior justification before God is in no sense founded upon, though most certainly productive of, all holiness of life and conversa- tion. St. Paul viewed the matter exactly in the same light: by faith, Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac; and he that had received the promises offered up his only be- gotten son. Heb. xi. 17. Observe, his receiv- ing of the promises (by which faith, or recep- tion, he was divinely justified in the court of his own conscience), his receiving of the pro- mises respecting salvation by Christ, was ante- cedent to his offering of Isaac. Consequently, having been already actually justified by the former ; the justification, mentioned by St. James, can only mean a declarative display, or practical proof, of Abraham's (and by the same rule, of any other believer's) preceding justifi- cation in the sight of God, without works. The reader, I hope, will forgive this incidental disquisition : which, though in some measure excursive, is not wholly digressive; as it at- tempts to elucidate, more at large, what the excellent martyr intimated in brief. IV. and V. Soon after the burning of Dr. Taylor, Mr. Thomas Causton, and Mr. Thomas Higbed, sealed the truth with their blood. Fos expressly says, that these two elect champions were " condemned for the confession of faith " which they united in drawing up and present- ing to Bcnner. Part of that confession was as follows. " We believe, that there is a Ca- tholic church, even a communion of saints, built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles (as Paulsaith), Christ being the head (m) Ibid. p. IM. 163 THE JUDGMENT OF OUR corner-stone. For the which church, Christ gave himself, to make it to himself a fjlorious congregation, without fault in his sight. We believe, that this church, of herself, and by her own merits, is sinful; and must need* say, Father, forgive us our sins. But, thro' Christ and his merits, she is freely forgiven: for he, in his own person, hath purged her sins, and made her faultless in his sight («)•" Can words more strongly expiess a redemption ab- solute, limited, and efficacious? VI. Mr. Stephen Knight was burnt at Mal- don, in Essex, March 2^, 1555. Part of his prayer at the stake was, "Thou renii-mberest, O Lord, that I am but dust, and able to do nothing that is good: therefore, O Lord, as, of thine accustomed goodness and love, thou hast bidden me to this banquet, and accounted me worthy to drink of thine own cup, amongst thy elect; even so give me strength, &c. (o)'' VII. The right reverend Doctor Robert Farrer, lord bishop of St. David's, a prelate of eminent name in the Church of England, and formerly one of the committee nominated to compile the English liturgy, (p) was burned in the market-place at Caermarthen, March 30, 1555. On his examination, a paper, con- taining several Popish articles, was tendered ti» him for subscription : but he resolutely re- fused to save his life at the expense of his faith. One of these articles, which respected justification, was as follows: " Men are not justified before God, by faith only; but hope and charity are also necessarily required to justification ((/)." The bishop's not acceding to this Papistical tenet (a tenet, now, as com- mon to Anninians, as ever it was to Papists), was one cause of his being adjudged to the flames: for, in the sentence of condemnation wliich enumerated some of the pretended er- rors for which he was cast, the following clause brings up the rear: Item, quod homo sola fide justificatur: i.e. "Also, he believeth, that men are justified by faith alone (r)." The rea- der, I suppose, need not be reminded that this worthy bishop was one of those imprisoned divines who drew up and set their hands to the confession of faith, quoted toward the begin- ning of this S.ction. His lordship's execution was attended with a very remarkable circum- stance. A Mr. Jones coming to condole him on the painfulness of the death he was to undergo, the holy bishop made answer. If you see me once to stir, while I am burning, then give no credit to the truth of the doctrines for which I suffer. God, under whose inspiration, undoubtedly, this was uttered, enabled his faithful martyr to make good his promise: for he stood, encircled with the flames, like a rock in the midst of the waves, without flinching, or moving so much as once: steadily holding up his arms, even when his hands were burnt a- way;till one Richard Gravel, a bye-standei, " dashed him on the head with a staff, and so struck him down (*)." VI IL Mr. George Marsh suffered Martyr- dom at or near Chester, April '24, 1555. This good man was as traly Calvinistic, as the rest of his Protestant brethren ; for, heing charged on his examination befcne Cotes, the Po- pish bishop of Chester, with having said, "That the church and doctrine taught and set forth in king Edward's time was the true church, and the doctrine of the true church ;" Marsh acknowledged that he had so spoken, and declared himself still to be of the same mind (<). If more particular proof of his judg- ment be thought necessary, the ensuing pas- sages, extracted from some of his letters, offer themselves as eridences. " Tho' Satan" says he, " be suffered to sift us, as wheat, for a time ; yet faileth not our faith, thro' Christ's aid (!<)." Again: " If any, therefore, fall away from Christ and his word, it is a plain token that they were but dissembling hypocrites, for all their fair faces outwaroly, and never be- lieved truly : as Judas, Simon Magus, Demas, Hymeno9US, Philetus, and others were («')■" Once more: "Daily I call and cry unto the Lord, in whom is all my trust, and without whom I can do nothing, that he who hath he- gun a good Work in me, would vouchsafe to go forth with it until the day of Jesus Christ : being surely certified in my own conscience, of this, that he will do so ; forasmuch as he hath given me not only that I should believe on him but also suffer for his sake (o")." What he thought concerning the invincible efficacy of inward grace, appears from this passage in the prayer which the historian tells us " he used daily to say:" We beseech thee, according to the little measure of our infirmity, although we be far unable and unapt to pray, that thou wouldest mercifully circumcise our stor.y hearts, and for theseold hearts create new with- in us, and replenish us with a new spirit (//). — Nor was his judgment, respecting faith, justifi- cation, and works, less excellent and scripturai. " What hast thou, saith the apostle, that tliou hast not received ? This sentence ought to be had in remembrance of all men : for, if we have nothing but that which we have received, what can we deserve ? or what need we to dispute and reason of our own merits ? It cometh of the fr ee gift of God, that we live, that we love God, th;it we walk in his fear. Where 'is our deserving- then (s) !" Elsewhere he writes thus : " Grace is, throughout all the Epistles of Paul, taken for the free tnercy and favour of God ; whereby he saveth us freely, witho'ut any deservings, or works of the law {_a)." Reconciliation with God, through the blood of Christ, is a subject, which this holy martyr treats of with equal clearness : " Peace is taken for the quietness and tian- (n) Fox, vol. iii. p. 162. (o; Ibid, r, igs ( p) See Burnet's Reform. toI. ii. p. 58. (4) Fox, Tol. iii. p. 177. {r) Ibid. p. 178. (,«) Ibid. ^t) Ibid. p. 190 («) Ibid. p. 192. (uO Ibid. p. 194. (1) Ibid. p. 199. (y) Ibid. (sj Ibid. p. 196. {a) Ibid. p. 197. ENGLISH MARTYR& 169 f|uillity of the conscience, being thoroughly per- suaded, that through the only merits of Christ's death and blood-shedding, there is an atone- ment and peace made between God and us : so that God will no more impute our sins unto us, nor yet condemn us {!>)." Yet are not good works herebydiscarded : " Declare your faith," says he, " by your good works, which are in- fallible witnesses of the true justifying faith, wliich is never idle, but worketh by charity (c).'' Again : " After these works, we must learn to know the cross, and what afl'ection and mind we must bear towards our adversaries and ene- mies, whatsoever they be ; to suffer all adver- sities and evils patiently ; to pray for them that hurt, persecute, and trouble us : and, by thus using ourselves, we shall obtain a hope and certainty of our vocation, that we be the elect children of God (rf).'' He observes, that '• (iod is wont, for the most part, to warn his elect and chosen, what affliction and trouble shall happen unto them for his sake: not to the intent to fray them thereby, but rather to prepare their minds against the boisterous storms of persecution (t'j." Next to the effec- tual pieseiice of the Holy Spirit, nothing, per- haps, so strengthens and animates the minds of God's people to be valiant for his truths, as the examples of those who are enabled to lay down their lives for Christ : whence we find Mr. Marsh saying, as the apostle did before hiin, " We suffer all things for the elects' .SHke (/)." His judicious explication of Col. i. i'4. shall at present close the testimony of this worthy martyr : " St. Paul doth not here liiean, that there wanteth any thing in the ]>assion of Christ, which may be supplied by iiian : for the passion of Christ, as touching his own person, is that most perfect and omni- sulficient sacrifice, whereby we are all made perfect, as many as are sanctified in his blood. But these his words [/. e. the Apostle's words in the above text] ought to be understood of the elect and chosen, in whom Christ is and shall be persecuted unto the world's end (g)." IX. Mr. John VVarne, upholsterer and citi- zen of London, was burned in Smithfield, May, 31, 1555. The day befoie he suffered he wrote a confession of his faith, in foim of a commen- tary on the Apostle's creed The conlession, though long, is so excellent that 1 cannot help giving it entire. " / believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth. " A Father, because he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Chi ist, who is the everlasting Word, whom, before all worlds, he hath begot- ten of himself; which Word was made flesh, and therein also manifested to be his Son : in whom he hath adopted us to be his children, the in- heritors of his kingdom ; and therefore he is our Father. An Almighty God, because he hath, of nothing, created all things, visible and invisible, both in heaven and inearth, even all creatures contained therein ; and governeth them. " And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. " The eternal Word, perfect God with his Father, of equal power in all things, of the same substance, of like glory, by whom all things were made and have life, and without whom nothing liveth. He was made also per- fect man : and so, being very God and very man in one person, is the only Saviour, Re- deemer, and Ransomer, of them which were lost in Adam our forefather. He is the only mean of our deliverance, the hope of our health, the surety of our salvation. " fFho icas conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary. " According to the Fatner's most merciful promise, this Eternal Son of God, forsaking the heavenly glory, humbled himself to take flesh of a virgin, according to the Sciiptures: unit- ing the substance of the Godhead to the sub- stance of the manhood, which he took of the substance of that blessed Virgin Mary, in one person ; to become therein the very Messiah, the anointed King and Priest, foi' ever appoint- ed to pacify the Father's wra'h, which was just- ly gone out against us all for our sin. " Sitjferi d under Pontius Pilate, icas cruci- fied, dead, and buried, and descended into Hell. " He was arraigned before I'ontius Pilate, the ruler of Jewry; and so unjustly accused of many crimes, that the ruler judged him inno- cent, and sought means to deliver him : but contrary to known justice, he did let go Ba- rabbas, who had dcNerved death; and deliver- ed Christ to be crucified, who deserved no death Which doth declare unto us, manifestly, that he suffered for our sins, and was buffetted for our offences, as the Piophets do witness: there- by to have it manifested to all men that he is that Lamb of (Jod that taketh away the sins of the world. Therefore, suffering for our sins, he received and did hear our deserved condem- nation, the pains of death, the taste of abjec- tion, the very terror of Hell: yielding his spi- rit to his Father; his body, to be buried in the earth. " The third day, he rose again from the dead. " To make full and perfect the whole work of our redemption and justification, the same crucified body, which was laid in the grave, was raised up again the third day from death, by the power of his Father, and glory of his Godhead. He became the first fruits of the resurrection, and got the victory of death, that all by him might be raised up from death : through whom all true penitent sinners may now boldly come unto the Father, and have remission of their sins. " He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty. "After that, in his death and resurrection. (b) Ibid. (c) md.f. 194. (,d) Jbid. p. (e) Ibid. p.m. (.f) Ibid. (g) Ibid. 170 .THE JUDGMENT OF OUR he had conquered sin, death, and the Uevil, and had been conversant forty days in the earth, being seen of the Apostles, and more than five hundred brethren at once ; in the same body, in which he wrought the work of our salvation, he ascended into heaven, with eternal tiiumph for the victory over death, sin, and hell: leav- ing the passage open, by which all true believers may and shall enter into his iiingdom ; where he now sitteth at his Father's rignt hand, that is to say, in power and glory equal, in Majesty co-eternal. " From thence he shall come, to judge the quick and the dead. " He shall appear again, in great gloiT, to receive his elect unto himself, and to put his enemies under his feet: changing all living men, in a moment, and raising up all that be dead ; that all may be brought to his judgment. In this shall he give each man according to his deeds They who have followed him in re- generation, who have their sins washed away in his blood, and are clothed with his righ'eous- ness, shall receive the everlasting kingdom, and reign with him for ever. And they, who, atter the race of the coriupt generation of Adam, have followed fie>h and biood, shcil re- ceive everlasting damnation with the Devil and his angels. " / believe in the Holy Ghost. " I do believe that the Holy Ghost is God; the third person in the Trinity : in u:iity of the Godhead equal with the Father and the Son : given, through Christ, to inhabit our spirits ; by which we are made to feel and understand the great power, virtue, and loving-kindness, of Christ our Lord. For he [i. e. the Holy Ghost] illuminates, quickens, and certifies our spirit that by him we are sealed up to the day of redemption : by whom we are regenerate, and made new craatures : so that, by him, and through him, we do receive all the abundant goodness promised us in Jesus Christ. " The Holy Catholic Church. " This is a holy number of Adam's pos- terity, elected, gathered, washed, and purified by the blood, from the beginning of the world; and is dispersed through the same, by the ty- ranny of Gog and Magog, i. e. [by] the Turk and his tyranny; and Antichrist, otherwise named the bishop of Rome, and his angels [i. e. his emissaries], as this day also doth teach. " The Communion of Saints. " Which most holy congregation (being, as St. Paul teacheth, builded upon the foundation of the Apostles, and Prophets, Jesus Christ being the head-comer stone), though it be, by the tyranny of Satan and his ministers, perse- cuted, some by death, and some by other afflic- tions and painful torments : yet doth it remain in one perfect unity, both of faith and fellow- ship. Which unity is knit in an unspeakable knot, as well of them who are departed from this mortal life, as of them who now be living, and hereafter shall be in the same : and so shall continue, until they all do meet in the king- dom, where the head, Jesus Christ, with all his holy members (of which number, through Christ, I assuredly believe I am one), shall be fully complete, knit, and united togethei, for evermore. " The forgiveness of Sins. " I do believe, that my sins, and all their sins who do rightly believe the Holy Scripture, are forgiven only through Jesus Christ; of whom only I do profess, that 1 have my whole and full salvation and redemption : which St. Paul saith cometh not through our works and deservings, but freely, by grace, lest any should boast himself. Through the blood of the cross, all things in heaven and earth are re- conciled and set at peace with the Father [J. e. as it immediately follow ], without him [with- out Christ] no heavenly Life [is] given, no sin forgiven. " The Resurrection of the Body. " I do believe, that, by the same, my Savi- our Christ, I and all men shall rise again from death: for he, as St. Paul saith, is risen again from the dead, and is become the fiist-fruits of them that sleep ; for by a man came death, and by a man cometh the resurrection from death. This man [by whom the resurrection comes] is Christ; through the power of whose resurrection, I believe that we shall rise again in these our bodies : the elect, clothed with immortahty, to live with Christ for ever; the reprobate also shall rise immortal, to live with the Devil and his angels in death everlasting. " And the life everlasting. "Through the same Jesus, and by none other, I am sure to have life everlasting. He only is the way and entrance into thekingdom of Heaven. For God so loved the world, that he did give his only Son Jesus Christ, to the end that so many as do believe in him might have everlasting life. The which I am sure to possess, so soon as I am dissolved, and de- parted out of this tabernacle ; and in the last day, shall, both body and soul, possess the same for ever: to the which, God grant all men to come. " I believe, that the sacraments, that is to say, of baptism and the Lord cjpper, are seals of God's most merciful promises towards mankind. In baptism, as, by the outward creature of water, I am washed from the filthi- ness which hangeth on my flesh ; so do I as- ouredly believe, that I am, by Christ's blood, ■washed clean from my sins : through which [spiritual washing] I have sure confidence of my certain salvation. In partaking of the Lord's supper, as I receive the substance of bread and wine, the nature of which is to strengthen the body ; so do I, by faith,^ receive the redemption wrought in Christ's body broken on the cross : life, by his death ; resur- rection, by his resurrection : and, in sum, all that ever Christ in his body suftered for my salvation, to the strengthing of my faith in the same. And 1 believe that God hath appointed ENGLISH MARTYRS. 171 the eating and drinking of the creatures of bread and wine, in his holy supper, according, to his word, to move and to stir up my mind to believe these articles above written. " This is my faith : this do I believe : and I am content, by God's grace, to confirm and seal the truth of the same with my blood. " By me, John Warne (/j)." X. At the same stake with Mr. Warne, suffered that memorable dignitary of the Church of England, the reverend Mr. John Cardinaker, canon residentiary, and treasurer, of the cathedral church of Wells, and vicar of St. Bride's, Fleet-street. There is, so far as I have yet been able to find, no more than a single letter of his extant, and that a very short one : but, concise as it is, it contains a clause whence we may infer the Calvinism of this excellent man. " The Lord," says he to his friend and correspondent, " strengthen you, me, and all his elect {i)." XI. Mr. Thomas Haukes, a gentleman of Essex, suffered at Coggleshall, in that county, June 10, 1555. A little before his execution, several of his particular friends, who, thoufjh stedfast Protestants, were in some dejjreeot bon- dage through fear of that violent death which they knew not how soon they mightbe called to undergo, requested him, that if the pain of burning was at all tolerable, he would give them a signal before he expired. The good man promised them that he would : and the token fixed upon was that he should elevate his hands above his head towards Heaven ere his soul ascended to God. Being fastened to the stake, the fagots were kindled : " In which, when he had continued long, and when his speech was taken away by the violence of the Hanie, his skin shriveled, and his fingers consumed, so that all thought certainly he had been gone ; suddenly, and contrary to all ex- pectation, the blessed servant of God, being mindful of his promise afore made, lifted up his hands (which were all in a blaze) over his head, and tiiumphantly struck them together thrice. At the sight of which, the spectators, theyespecially who were apprised of thesignal, gave uncommon shouts of joy and applause. And so the blessed martyr of Christ, straight- way sinking down inte the fire, yielded up his spirit {k)." Mr. Haukes's principles, as to the doctrine of grace, are sufficiently apparent, from the two following passages. " Though the world rage," said he, " and blaspheme the elect of God ; ye know that it did so unto Christ, his apostles, and to all that were in the primitive church (/).'' In a letter to a person who had promised to take charge of his son's education, he wrote thus ; " I hope to meet both him and you among all God's elect (m)." ill) Fo\, Ihiil. p. •200, 2(ir. (;) Fox, Ihid. p. 207. And Strypc's Ki el. Mum. vol. ii. p. 200. (*) Fox, Ibid. p. '220. (t) IhUt. p. 221. (;»; Ibid. p. 222. (nj Ihiil. p. 313. XII. Mr. Nicolas Sheterden was burned at Canterbury, July 12, 1555. Praying at the stake, he said, " O Father, I do not presume unto thee in my own righteousness : No ! but only in the merits of thy dear Son, niy Saviour. For the which excellent gift of sal- vation, I cannot worthily praise thee (n).'' To his surviving brother he thus express- ed himself : " God is the giver of all good- ness, and that freely, for his love to us ; not only without our deserts, but contrary to the same(o).'' Again: " Dear brother, my heart's desire and prayer to God is, that we may to- gether enjoy the bliss of eternal inheritance, by one spiritual regeneration and new birth (p)." XIII. Mr. John Newman was crowned with martyrdom, at Saffron Walden, August 31, 1555. " Faith," said this Christian hero, " is the gift of God, and cometh not of man ((/).'' Having occasion to treat of the extent of Christ's death, he thus delivered his belief: " With that one sacrifice of his body, once offered on the cross, he hath made perfect, for ever, all them that are sanctified (?■). '' Adding, " I believe that there is a holy church, which is the company of the faithful and elect people of God, dispersed abroad throughout the whole world («)." XIV. In the same month, Mr. Robert Smith was burnt at Uxbridge. Some of his excellent observations were these : " In Co- rinth was not all the congregation of God ; but a number of those holy and elect people of God (/).'' Referring to the persecuting time in which he lived, "The ])rince of dark- ness,'' said he, "is broken loose, and rageth, in his members, against the elect of God iu). By these means, God vvill try his elect, as gold in the furnace {w)." lie asserts the ab- solute freeness of salvation in all its parts : " All favour, mercy, and forgiveness, cometh only by Christ. He only, of God the Father, was made, for us, all wisdom, rightetnisness, sanc- tification, and redemption. All these are the gifts of God the Father, freely given unto us, by Christ Jesus, God and man, through faith in his blood, and not by the merits of men. Gifts they are, I say ; freely given unto us, of favour, without our desert : by believing, and not by deserving. To this do the law and the prophets bear witness (a)." Let us just hear him on the article of perseverance : God "hath numbered all the hairs of his children's heads, so that not one of them shall perish without his Fatherly will. He keepeth the sparrows : much more will he preserve them whom he hath purchased with the blood of the immacu- late Lamb (?/).'' God honoured the martyrdom of this pious person with a display of divine goodness and power, not unsimilar to what was related of (n) Ibid. p. 315. (p) Jbid. (r/) Ibid. p. .325. t (r) Ibid. p. 325. (,«) Jbid. (/) Ibid. p. 331. (10 Ibid. p. 33f». (tf) Ibid. p. M\. (,xj Ibid. p. 340. (y) Ibid. p. 341. 173 THE JUDGMENT OF OUR Mr. Haukes. Before Mr. Smith was chained to the stake, he conversed with the people that surrounded him, concerning the goodness of the cause for which he was about to suffer ; and expressed his certainty of again receiving, at the resurrection, that body which he was ihen resigning to the flames : adding, I doubt not, but God will show you some token thereof. And so it pioved. For, " at length, being well-nigh half burned, and also black with file, clustered together as in a lump, and supposed by all to be dead ; he suddenly rose upright before the people, lifting up the stumps of his arms, and clapping them toge- ther: after which, bending down again, and hanging over the tiie, he slept in the Lord (2)."' Thus, on some great occasions, Heav'D oirns its friends, and points them out to men ! XV. Mr. Robert Samuel, who had been an eminent and useful preacher in king Edward's days, was burned at Ipswich, Aug. 31, 1555. But not till he had borne a lasting testimony to the gospel, in the few, but precious papers, wliich he bequeathed to ihe church of God. " Touching the Father of Heaven," say he," 1 believe as much as Holy Scripture leacheth ine to believe. The Father is the first person in the Trinity, [and] fir.st cause of our salva- tion : who hath blessed us with all manner of blessings in heavenly things by Christ. Who hath chosen us, before the foundations of the w irld were laid, that we should be holy, and without blame befoie him. Who hath pre- destinated us, and ordained us, to be his chil- dren of adoption, through Christ Jesus («). ' For these predestinated persons, sanctified and set apart by the Father, Mr. Samuel be- lieved that Chriit became obedient unto death: Christ, "Is made unto us, of God, that only sacrifice and oblation, offered, once for all and forever, for all them that be sanctified (6)." Between Christ and these there is a blessed commutation, or exchange, of sin and righte- ousness : Christ takes away the guilt of their trespasses, and consigns over to them the merit of his own active and passive satisfaction to the divine law. This was the doctrine of our maityied preacher : "His [i. e. Christ's] jniiocency, his righteousness, his holiness, his justice, is our's given us cf God : and our sins and unrighteousness, by his obedience, and abasing of himself to the death of the cross, are his (c)." Such as are elected, redeemed, and justified, shall be presen-ed to God's king- dom and glory : " Now that Christ our head is risen, we, being his body and members, must follow our head [?'. e. our bodies shall, like hii, be raised to eternal life]. Death, hell, and sin, cannot sunder nor pluck us from him. Fur, as the Son cannot be divided nor sundered from the Fathei', nor the Holy Ghost from them both ; no more may we. being the faithful [f. e. the believing] mem- bers of ('hiist, be separated from Christ (rf). Christ iffirmed the same ; saying. My sheep hear my voice : I know them : they hearken unto me, and to no strangers : and I give them everlasting life ; and they shall not be lost : and no man shall pluck them out of my hands. No, nor yet this flattering world, with all his vain pleasures ; nor any tyrant, with his great threats and stout brags ; can once move them out of the way of eternal life. What consolation and comfoit may we have, more pleasant and effectuous than this ? We are members of his body, and of his flesh, and of his bones ; and as detr to him as the apple of his eye (it to Wickham College ; where he profited in learning so well, that he laid a wager of twenty pence with John H irpslield, that he would make two hundred verses in one night, and not make above three faults in thern. Mr. Thomas Tucliyner, school- master wjis judge : and adjudged the twenty pence to Mr. Philpot." .Strype's Eccl. Mem. iii. p. 263 I' Stephen [Hardiuer], bishop of Winton, ever bore ill-will against this godly gentleman Unt. against Mr. Philpot the martyr), and forbad him pre.'u hing, often- times, in king Henry's reign. But he [Philpot] could not in conscience hide bis talent under this Prince, and in so Popish a diocese. At last the bishop sent for certain justices, who came to his house : and there calling Mr. Philpot, a rogue, [Philpot said to the " Let love" said he, "bear the bell away ; and let us pray one for another, and be careful one for another. I have loved you in the Lord, my dear hearts ; though you have taken it otherwise, without cause by me given. I have not" \i. e. he had not then] " suflered any copy of my Treatise of Predestination to go abroad, because I would suppress all occasion, so far as might be. I am going before you, to my God and your God, to my Father and your Fa- ther, to my Christ and your Christ, to my home and your home." What a striking model, was this excellent man of ' orthodoxy and charity united !' Mr. Strype observes, that, " By Bradford's pains and diligence, he gained some [i. e. some of the free-willers] from their errors, particularly, one Skelthorp : for whom, in a letter to Careless, he thanked God, who gave this man to see the truth at length." Meiu. of Cranm. p. 350, 351. I shall now proceed to Mr. John Phil- pot, Arch-deacon of Winchester : to wMch he was collated by the pious and discerning Dr. Ponet, the first Protestant bishop of that see, and a principal framer of that excellent cate- chism mentioned in Section xiii. Mr. Arch-deacon Philpot " was of a worship- ful house, a knight's son, born in Hampshire, brought up in NewColIege, Oxford, when- he stu- died the civil law for six or seven years, besides other liberal arts, and especially the languages. In wit he was pregnant and happy ; of a Ni«- gular courage ; in spirit, fervent ; in religion ; zealous (r)." He suffered death in Smithtield, December 18, 1655. At his examination, before five Popish pre- lates, and other doctors of the Romish church, Mr. Philpot defied them all to confute Calvin's institutions. " Which of you all," said he, " is able to answer Calvin's institutions, who is minister of Geneva {s) ?" To which one of the Papists (Dr. Saveison) replied, " A godly minister indeed I of receipt of cut-pin ses and runagate traitors. And of late, 1 ciin tell you, there is such contention fallen bttwten him [meaning Ccilvin] and his own sects, that he was fain to £ee the town, about predestina- tion. I teU yov truth: for I came by Geneva hither.'' To this, Philpot rejoined in these words : " I am siire you blaspheme that godly bishop,! ?.ly lord, do yoTi keep a privy sessions in yoi'.r own house fcr nit, and ciU me rogue, whose fa- ther is a knight, and m.^y spend a thousand pounds within one mile of your nose ? And he that can spend ten pounds by the year, as 1 can, I thank God, is no vagabond. '■ Bishoj) of Winchester. Canst thou spend ten pounds by the yeaj- i ** Philpot. Ask Henry Francis, your sister's son. Henry Francis, kneeling down, said, I pray you, my lord, be a good lord to Mr. Philpot ; for he is to me a good landlord. " Bislu)]) of Winchester. What rent dost thou pay him t " Francis. I pay him ten pounds by the ycaf. " At this word, the bishop was afraid, and ashamed for making so loud a lie upon a genUemaUf and a learned gentleman." Strype, ibid. (s) Fox, vol. iii. p. 4T0. 184 THE JUDGMENT OP man, and that godly church where he is minis- ter. As it is your churches' condition " [i. e. in slandering Calvin, you only follow the con- stant practice of the Rumish church], "when you cannot answer men by learning, to oppress them with blasphemies and false reports. For, i.i the matter of predestination, he [/. e. Cal- rin] is in no other opinion than all the doctors of the church be, agreeing [i. e. who a^ree] with the Scriptures (/)." Such was Mr Phil- pot's judgment of Calvin, and predestination. And, indeed, where was then the Church of England-man who thought otherwise either of him or it ? On a subsequent examination before the Popish commissioners, Ralph Bayne, bishop of Coventry and Litchfield, told Mr. Philpot, that Christ prophesied of Geneva, when he bid his disciples beware of false prophets. Take the bishop's flirtation, andPhilpot's answer, in the words of each respectively. " Bishop of Cov. Your Church of Geneva, which ye [i. e. ye Protestants] call the Catho- lic Church, is that which Christ prophesied of. " Philpot. I allow [*• I acknowledge and profess] the church of Geneva, and the doctrine of the same : for it is Una, Catholica, et Apostolica ; and doth follow the doctrine which the apostles did preach ; and the doc- trine taught and preached in king Edward's days, was also according to the same (!<)." Here is an arch-deacon of the Church of Eng- and, who laid down his life for her doctrines, openly witnessing that the doctrinal system of Calvin and Geneva, was the same which the apostles preached, and the same which was taught and asserted in the days of king Edward. And the arch-deacon well knew what he said and whereof he aflarmed. For he had been not only a clergyman, but a dignitaiy, of our Pro- testant Church, in the said king Edward's days. He had, moreover, not only the ocular demonstration of Calvin's writings, to convince him how exactly the doctrines of that reformer harmonized with the doctrines of the Church of England, but had likewise had auricular demonstration of it, during his travels abroad. So that this martyr's peremptory attestation to the sameness of the doctrine established at Geneva under Calvin, with the doctrine estab- lished in England, under king Edward, is such a proof of the Calvinism of our Church, as all the piddling cavils of all the Arrainian methodists in the three kingdoms will never be able to shake. While the good arch-deacon lay in prison^ he wrote several inestimable letters: and from which I shall gire the reader a few selections. 1, " To Mr. John Careless, prisoner in the King's Benrh. " God, by his Spirit, setteth the sins of his elect still before them ; that where they per- ceived sin to abound, there they might be assured that grace shall super-abound : and bringeth them down unto hell, that he might lift them up with greater joy to heaven, the Spirit, which is in you, is mightier than all the adversary's power. Tempt he [i. e. the ad- versary] may ; and, lying await at your heels, give you a fall, unawares: but overcome he shall not, yea, he cannot ; for you are sealed up already, with a lively faith, to be the child of God for ever. And whom God hath once seal- ed for his own, him he never utterly forsaketh. The just falleth seven times : but he riseth again. It is man's frailty, to fall : but it is the property of the devil's child, to lie still. Who can lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? Do you not perceive the manifest to- kens of your election ? First, your vocation to the gospel; and, after your vocation, the manifest gifts of the Spirit of God, given unto you above many others of your condition, with godliness, which believeth and yieldeth to the authority of the Scriptures, and is zealous for the same. The peace of God be with you, my dear brother. I can write no more, for lack of light. And that I have written, I cannot read myself; and, God knoweth, it is written far uneasily. I pray God, you may pick out some understanding of my mind towards you. Writ- ten in a coal-house of darkness, out of a pair of painful stocks ; by thine own in Christ, John Philpot {x).'' It was usual for some of the Protestant preachers, before sentence of death was actually passed, to be confined in bishop Bonner's coal-house : where they suffered every kind of inconvenience and indignity. 2. " To certain godly Brethren. " To continue out in well-doing, is the only property of the children of God" [i. e. is the property of God's children only], "and such as assuredly shall be saved. He hath command- ed his angels to keep us, that we stumble not at a stone without his divine providence (y)." 3. "To Lady Vane. " Blessed be they that mourn, for such shall be comforted. God wipe away all tears from your pitiful eyes, and sorrow from your merciful heart : that you may (as doubtless you shall do shortly) rejoice with his elect for ever. God pour his Spirit abundantly upon you : until you may come to see the God of all gods with his elect, in Sion (r)." 4. ^'To the same Lady. " His elect, and such as he loveth, wiU he punish here, that they should not be condem- ned hereafter with the world eternally. Be thankful unto God, for his wondrous working in his chosen people (a)." The benevolent reader will not be displeased, to know, that the excellent person to whom the two last mentioned letters were addressed, and who was the common supporter of God's afflicted witnesses, during the whole reign of Mary, was reserved by Providence, to out-live those (t) Fox, vol. iii. p. 470. (u) Ibid. p. 495. (i) Ibid. p. 502. (y) Ibid. p. 504. (:) Ibid. p. 506. (a) Ibid. p. 50S,SCO. THE MARTYRS CONCLUDED 185 persecuting times, and had the comfort of seeing the Church of England restored by queen Elizabeth. Mr. Fox's short account of this elect lady (as Mr. Philpot justly termed her) will hardly be censured as a digression. " This lady Vane was a special nurse of the godly saints, who were imprisoned in queen Mary's time. Unto whom divers letters I have, both of Mr. Philpot, Careless, Trahern, Thomas Rose, and others : wherein they ren- der most grateful thanks for her exceeding goodness towards them ; with their singular commendations and testimony, also, of her Christion zeal towards God's atBicted prison- ers, and to the verity of his Gospel. She de- parted of late at Holborn" [now a part of London, then a village near it, or at most a suburb] "Anno 15G8, whose end was more like sleep than death, so quietly and meekly she deceased in the Lord (6).'' Mr. Strype informs us of the earnestness with which arch-deacon Philpot opposed an Arian of those times. On this occasion, Phil- pot wrote what he calls an apology. It is extant in the Ecclesiastical Memoirs (c). Among other particulars, it contains the fol- lowing : " Pray that God will give you the lyke zele to withstand the enemies of the Gospel, which go about to teach you any other doctryne than you have received in kynge Ed- ward's days : in the which, praised be God, all the syncerity of the Gospel was reveled, accordynge to the pure use of the primitive Churche, and as it is, at this present, of the trevv Catholyck Churche, allowed through the worlde. Thes new heretyks are full of blas- phemous reports ; spreading the same abroad, both by themselfs, and by their adherents, against the sincere professors of the Gospel, that we make God the author of synne ; and that we say, Let men do what they will, it is not material, yf they be predestinate. And with this I, among other, am most slaunderously charged and defamed by these outragious here- tyks ; to whom I have gon abowte, to my power, to do good, as God is my witnes. But I have receved the reward of a prophet at their hands (although 1 am not worthy to be cownted under that glorious name), which is shame, rebuke, slander, and slaying of my good fame : only because I holde and affirme, being manifestly instructed by God's word, that the elect of God cannot finally perish. Therefore they [i. e. the Arian free-willers] have pyked owt of their own malicious nailes the former part .of thes blasphemies : and because, at another tyme, I did reprove them of their temerous and rash judgment, for con- demnyng of men usyng thyngs indefferent, as shooting, bowling, hawkyng, with such lyke ; provyng, by the Scripture, that all men, in a temperancy, might use them in their dew tynies, and showing honest pastyme was no synne : which thes contentious schismatyks do im- prove, whereupon they do maliciously descant, as is before mentioned." Here let us observe, 1. That the Arians of that age were likewise free-willers: they not only denied the proper divinity of God the Son and God the Spirit, but also the predesti- nation of God the Father, and the final per- severance of his people. 2. As these Arians were free-willers ; so, it should seem, that none, who call themselves Protestants, were free-willers, but such as were Arians too. 3. These free-will Arians v/ere professed Dissent- ers from the reformed Church of England. Hence, Mr. Philpot vindicates the Church from their malicious objections. Indeed, such men as these could be no other than Dissent- ers. They held what the Church denies, and denied what the Church affirms. The Church denies, to this day, that free-will has any power in spirituals : but those Arian Pela- gians maintained the contrary. The Church asserts absolute predestination : but they de- nied that there is any such thing. The Church holds a Trinity of divine persons : to which those men said, Nay. The Church affirms the ultimate perseverance of the elect : the above Arians would not allow of it at all. The Church declares, that no man upon earth is free fiom sin : but those very free-will Arians, against whom arch-deacon Philpot disputes in the said apology, maintained, that " men might be without sin, as well as Christ (rf).'' The Church teaches her children to say. Lord, have mercy upon us miserable sinners . but these identical Arian free-willers objected against that suffrage ; for they said they were not miserable, noi would be accounted so (e)." The Church uses the Lord's Prayer : but the aforesaid free-will Arians " were against using the Lord's Prayer ; for it was needless, they said, to pray. Thy kingdom come, when God's kingdom was already come upon them. And also that petition. Forgive us our trespasses : for they held they had no sin (/)." Query : Would not any body almost imagine, that, in all the above respects (the article, concern- ing the Trinity, alone excepted), these free- will Arians were designed as the types, figures, forerunners, and prophetic images, of Messrs. Wesley, SeUon, and their associates ? Never, surely, was there a stronger likeness, in all the features but one ! 4. The self-same slander against predestination and perseve- rance, which was raised by those Arians, is (almost in the self-same words) alledged by the acrimonious Arminians last mentioned. The Arian slander, urged against the " doctrine received in king Edward's days,'' was. Let men do what they will, it is not material, if they be predestinate. And what says Mr. John Wesley ? " The elect shall be saved, do what they will." Behold how brethren jump toge- (b) Fox, vol. iii. p. 274. (c) Vol. iii. Appena. No. 48. p. 145—157. (d) Strype'8 Eccles. Mem. vol. iii. p. 261. (cj Strype, Ibirl. (/) Strype, Ibid. 186 THE JUDGMENT OF then ? 5 Mr. Philpot, the martyred arch-dea- con, was traduced, by the said Arians, as an Aiitinoinian, because he maintained that " hon- est pastime was no synne," if properly timed, and temperately indulged : such as " shooting, bowling, hawking, and such like." 6. Justly, tlierefore, did that pious and learned martyr biand the said free-will Arian-Perfectionisls (and, by the same rule, justly may their mo- dern successors be branded) on account of " their temerarious and rash judgment, for condemning men using things inditierent." So much for the excellent Mr. Philpot ; who shall now take his leave of the reader, with this short, but weighty observation : " Such is the omnipotencye of owre God, that he can and doth make, to his elect, sour, sweet, and misery, felicity Cs")." Mr. Richard Woodman was burned in one fire, with nine other martyrs, at Lewes, in Sussex, July 22, 1557. His first examination was before Dr. Chris- topherson, the Popish bishop of Chichester. Some particulars, which passed on that occa- sion, are worthy the reader's attention. " Bishop of Chichester. Do you think that you have the Spirit of God? "Mr. Woodman. I verily believe that I have. " Bishop of Chichester. You boast more than ever Paul did, or any of the apostles : which is great presumption. " Mr. IFoodman. I boast not in myself, but in the gift of God, as Paul did. I can prove, by places enough, that Paul had the Spirit of God ; as I myself, and sJl God's elect, have. " Bishop of Chichester, How prove you that? " Mr. JVoodman. No man can believe that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. vii. I do believe that Jesus Christ is my Redeemer, and that I shall be saved from all my sins by his death and blood-shedding; as Paul and all the apostles did, and as all faithful people ought to do : which no man can do, without the Spirit of God. And a« there is no damnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, so is there no salvation to them that are not in Christ : for he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his. We have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Fa- ther. The same Spirit certifieth our spirits, that we are the sons of God. Besides all this, he that believeth in God dwelleth in God, and God in him. So, it is impossible to believe in God, unless God dwell in us. "Dr. Story [another of the Popish examin- ers]. Oh, my lord, what an heretic is this same ? Why hear you him ? Send him to prison, to his fellows in the Marshalsea, and they shall ie dispatched within these twelve days. " Binhop of Chichester. Methinks he is not rfraid of the prison. " Mr. IFoodman. No : I praise the God. " Dr. Storif. This is an heretic indeed : he hath the right terms of all heretics. The living God ! I pray you, be there dead gods, that you say the living God ? " Mr. JFoodman. Are you angry with me, because I speak the words that are wiitten in the Bible ? " Dr. Storij. Bibble babble, bibble babble. What speakest thou of the Bible.' there is no such word written in all the Bible (h)." Some time afterwards, Mr. Woodman was examined again, before Doctor Langdale. By reciting what then passed, concerning God's decrees, and man's free-will, we shall see, whe- ther the Popish doctor was not what would now be called an Arminian, and the Protes- tant martyr a Calvinist. "Mr. JFoodman. St. Paul saith, Rom. ix. Ere ever the children were born, ere ever they had done either good or bad, that the purpose of God, which is by election, might stand, not by the reason of works, but by the grace of the Caller, The elder shall seiTC the younger : Jacob have I loved, and Esau have 1 hated. " Dr. Langdale. Methinks, by your talk, you deny original sin and free-will. " Mr. JFoodman. I pray you, what free- will hath man to do good of himself? " Dr. Langdale. I say, that all men nave as much free-will now, as Adam had before his faU. " Mr. JFoodman. I pray you, how prove you that ? " Dr. Langdale. Thus I prove it : that as sin entered into the world, and by the means of one that sinned, all men became sinners, which was by Adam ; so by the obedience of one man, righteousness came upon all men that had sinned, and set them as free as they were before the fall : which was by Jesus Christ. " Mr. JFoodman. Oh Lord, what an over- throw have you given yourself here, in original sin ! For, in proving that we have free-will, you have quite denied original sin. For here you have declared, that we be set as free by the death of Christ, as Adam was before his fall : and I am sure that Adam had no original sin before his fall. If we be as free now, as he was then ; I marvel wherefore Paul com- plained thrice to God, to take away the sting of it : God making him answer, and saying. My grace is sufficient for thee. " These words, with divers other, prove original sin in us ; but not that it shall hurt God's elect people, but that his grace is sufficient for all his. I say, with David, lu sin was I born, and in sin hath my mother con- ceived me : but in no such sin that shall be im- puted ; because I am born of God by faith. Therefore I am blessed, as saith the prophet. Because the Lord imputeth not my sin : not (^) Strj-pe, /iid. Append, p. Jji". (/() Fox, vol. iii. p. 675. THE MARTYRS CONCLUDED. J87 because I have no sin, but because God hath not imputed my sin. Not of our own deserv- ing, but of his free mercy, he hath saved us. Where is now your free-will that you speak of? If we have free-will, then our salvation Com- eth of our own selves, and not of God : which is a great blasphemy against (Jod and his word. " For Snint James saith. Every good gift, and every perfect gift, cometh from above, from the Father of Light, with whom is no variableness. Of his own will begat he us. For the wind" [i. e. the regenerating breath of the Holy Spirit] " bloweth where it listeth. It is God that worketh in us the will, and also the deed. Seeing, then, that every good gift cometh from above, and lighteneth upon whom it pleaseth God, and that he worketh in us both the will and the deed ; methinks all the rest of our own will is little worth, or nought at all, unless it be wickedness. And as for original sin, I think I have declared my mind therein, how it remp.ineth in man : which you cannot deny, unless you deny the Word of God. " Di: Langdale. Say what you can : for it availeth me to say nothing to you. 1 was desired to send for you, to terx;h you ; and there will no words of mine take place in you ; but you go about to reprove me. Say what you will, for me (i)." The truih is, the Popish examiner had the wrong end of the argument : and he was glad to shuffle off the Calvinistic prisoner, as well as he could. Mr. Woodman, hovi'ever, was not so easily shuffled off: for, to one who came in during the debate, the intrepid martyr said, " He [i. e. Dr. Landgdale] saith, I de- nied original sin ; and it was he himself (that denied it), for he went about to prove that man hath free-will (A)." This Protestant nero's last examination, at the close of which he received sentence of death, was held in the Church of St. Mary Ovei y, (now St. Saviour's) Southwark. Him- iself informs us, that his judges and condem- ners were, Gardiner " the bishop of Winches- ter, (Christopherson) bishop of Chichester, the arch-deacon of Canterbury, Dr. Langdale, Mr. Roper, with a fat-headed priest, I cannot tell his name (/)." We shall soon see, what a jest this "fat-headed priest," whose name Mr. Woodman could not tell, made of predestina- tion, and justification by faith alone. Happy would it have been for the Protestant cause in general, and for the Church of England in particular, if those doctrines had, to this day, been exploded by Papists only. But there have, since, been too many " fat-headed priests," of more than one Protestant denomi- nation, at whose hands the doctrines of election and free justification found no better reception than at those of the nameless fat-headed priest above-mentioned. I wish the same remark may not extend to more than a few lean-headed priests likewise. The commissioners being sat, Mr. Woodman was called upon to give an account of his faith This he did, as follows: " I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and in visible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ my Saviour ; very God, and very man. I believe in God the Holy Ghost, the comfor- ter of all God's elect people ; and that he is equal with the Father and the Son (m).'' The bishop of Winton and the arch-deacon of Canterbury told him, in the cant so usual with persecutors, " We go not about to condemn thee, but to save thy soul, if thou wilt be ruled, and do as we would have thee. " JFondman. To save my soul ? Nay ; you cannot save my soul. My soul is saved already; I praise God therefore. There can no man save my soul, but Jesus Christ. And he it is that hath saved my soul, before the foundation of the world was laid. " The fat Priest. What a heresy is that, my lord ! Here's a heresy ! He saith, his soul was saved before the foundation of the v/orld was laid ! Thou canst not tell what thou sayest. Was thy soul saved before it was [i. e. before it existed] ? " Woodtnan. Yes, I praise God, I can tell what I say ; and I say the truth. Look in the first of Ephesians, and there you shall find it: where Paul saith. Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all manner of spiritual blessings, in hea- venly things by Christ: according as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world was laid, that we should be holy and with- out blame before him, through love ; and there- to were we predestinated. These be the words of Paul: and I believe they be most true. And therefore it is my faith in and by Jesus Christ that saveth : and not you, nor any man else. " The fat Priest. What ! Faith without works ? St. James saith, F'aith without works is dead. And we have the free-will to do good v/orks " IVoodimn. I would not that any of you should think that I dissallow good works : for a good faith cannot be without good works. Yet not of ourselves : it is the gift of God. It is God that worketh in us both the will and the deed (ji).'' What could the Popish free willers and merit-mongers do with this inflexible heretic ? Convince him they could not. The shortest expedient, therefore, was to burn him out of the way : ' which they accordingly did. Let me now introduce Mr. John Clement to my readers ; a man of great grace, and dis- {ij Ibid. p. 684. (k) Ibid. p. 686. {I) Ibid. p. 691. (m) Ibid, (n) Fox, Ibid. p. 692. 188 THE JUDGMENT OF tinguished usefulness ; concerniug whom, Mr. Strype thus writes : " There were now, [viz. in the year 1 55(5] abundance of sects and dangerous doctrines ; whose maintainers shrouded themselves un- der the professors of the gospel [i. e. they af- fected to pass for Protestants]. Some denied the godhead of Christ: some denied liis man- hood. Others denied the godliead of the Holy Ghost, original sin, the doctrine of predestina- tion and free election, the descent of Christ into hell (which the Protestants here generally held), the baptism of infants. Others held free will, man's righteousness, and justifica- tion by works : doctrines, which the Protes- tants, in the times of king Edward, for the most part disowned. By these opinions, a scandal was raised on the true professors [i. e. on those who had suffered, and who were then suffering persecution and death for their attachment to the Protestant Church of Eng- land]. Therefore it was thought fit now, by the orthodox, to write and publish summary confessions of their faith, to leave behind them when they were dead : wherein they should disclaim these doctrines, as well as all Popish doctrines whatsoever. " This was done by one John Clement, this year ( 1 556), laying a prisoner in the King's Bench for religion : (whose declaration is) en- titled, A Confession and Protestation of the Cliiistian Faith. In which it appears, the Protestants thought fit (notwithstanding the condemnation and burning of Cranmer, Rid- ley, Latimer, Hooper, Rogers, Saunders, Brad- ford, for heretics), to own their doctrine" {viz. 'the doctrine of Cranmer, Ridley, Lati- mer, Hooper, Rogers, Saunders, Bradford, tkc.') as agreeable to the word of God, and " them as such as sealed the same with their own blood. This confession may be looked upon as an account of the belief of the professors " [i. e. of the Protestant Church of England- men] in those days. Copies thereof were taken, and so dispersed, for the use of good men : one whereof is in my hands. Thus we see how industriously they [the Protestants of those days] disowned all Arians, Anabaptists, and such like, who being not of the Roman faith, the Papists would fain have joined them with all the Protestants, to disgrace and dispa- rage the holy profession (o)." Before I quote the confession itself, let me obscn-e from the above passage, 1. That, so far as appears, Arians, Socinians, and such like, were the only protestants who, in those times, denied the " doctrines of predestination and free election :'' and that the protestants, " in the times cf king Edward," did for the most part "disown the doctrines of free-will, man's righteousness, and justification by works." And no wonder : " for the most part'' of the then Protestants were sincere members of the Church of England : which church then did, and still does, assert " predestinaticn and free election ;'' and deny " free-will, man's righ- teousness, and justification by works.'' 2. 'Tis evident, that such as dissented from the Church of England in those points strove to take ad- vantage of the afflicted, persecuted state which the Church was in, under the reign of Mary ; and to palm themselves upon the world, as churchmen : labouring to persuade the igno- rant, that the doctrines, for which the martyrs bled, were the same doctrines which were held by these same Arians, free-willers, and v/ork- mongers. With as much audacity, and with as little tmth, as Wesley, Sellon, and others of that stamp, now affect to shelter their Pela- gianism under the wing of our present estab- lishment. 3. The sur^-iving Protestants, who were imprisoned for the faith, and had net yet (as many of them soon afterwards were) been brought to the stake, took no small alarm at the impudence and falsehood of these free- willers : and thought it incumbent upon them- selves, as well they might, to clear the suffer- ing Church of England and her godly martyrs, from tlie unjust insinuations of the Arian and Pelagian party. They deemed it, says Mr. Strype, " a scandal,'' to be numbered with those few, but insolent fanatics, who "denying predestination and free election," held " free- will and justification by works. '' 4. The more openly to " disclaim" and the more effec- tually to " disown," all connexion with these intruding free-willers, " the orthodox," says Mr. Strype, " thought fit to own," i. e. pub- licly and unanimously to avow, " the doctrine of Cranmer, Ridley, Latimer, Hooper, Rogers, Saunders, and Bradford, as agreeable to the word of God,'' and to the faith of the reformed Church of England : and to own " them," i. e. to own the said martyrs, Cranmer, &c. to have been "sueh as sealed the same [doctrines] with their blood." To this end, 5. It was re- solved on, by the evangelical prisoners, to draw up, and publish, an explicit confession of faith, prior to their own martyrdom : which confession might remain " behind them, when they were dead," and be a standing proof of their union and communion in matters of doc- trine, with Cranmer, Ridley, &c. and the other foregoing martyrs of the Church of Eng- land. 6. Framing this confession, and the digesting of it into form, was committed to Mr. John Clement : who executed his trust with such care, fidelity, and ability, that (says Mr. Strype) the said confession maybe looked upon as an " account of the belief of the pro- fessors in those days :" i. e. of the " Protes- tants in the times of king Edward," thousands of whom were afterwards persecuted, and hun- dreds cf whom were put to death, under the succeeding tyranny of Mary. So much by the way of preliminary to this {o) Strype's Eccles. Mem. vol. iii. p. 363— i65. ENGLISH MARTYRS CONCLUDED 189 famous confession. Now for a concise view, of the confession itself. The reader that pleases to peruse the whole of it may see it in Strype (/)). It observes, towards the beginning, the manifold subtlety of Satan in corrupting the human mind from the glorious gospel of the blessed God : " Some denyinge the doctrine of Code's firm predestination and free election in Jesus Christe : which is the very certayntie of our salvation. And as he" e. the devil] " hatlie caused them to denye all these thinges, even so hathe he made them to affirm many madde and foolish fantasyes, whiche the worde of God dothe utterlve condempne : as free- will, man's righteousnesse, and justifying of workes ; withe dyvers suche lyke; to the gjeat dishonoure of God, to the obscuringe of lii-s glorye, the darkeninge of his truthe, to the gieat defacynge of Cliriste's deathe ; yea to th.? utter destruction of many a simple soule that cannot shifte from these suhtill sleightes of Satan, excepte the Lord shewe his great mercye upon them. I do undoubtedlye beleve in God the Holy Ghoste, who is the Lorde and gever of lyfe, and the sanctifier of all Gode's elect. Futhermore, I do confesse, and un- doubtedlye beleve, that I, and every lyvely mem- ber of this Cathulyke church, is and sliall be redeemed, justified and saved, oneleyand solye by the free grace and mere mercye of God ia Jesus Christe, throughe his moste precyious deathe and bloudsheaddinge : and in no part by or for any of our ownegood workes, nierites, or deservings, that we can do or deserve. Not- withstandinge, I confesse, that all men ought, and are bownde by the worde of God, to doe good woikes, and to knowe and kepe God's commandnientes : yet not to deserve any part of our salvations thereby; but to shewe their obedience to God, and the frutes of faythe unto the worlde. And this salvation, redemp- tion, and justification, is apprehended or recea- ved of us, by the onely faithe in Jesus Christe : in that sence and meanynge, as is declared in the homilye of justification, which was ap- poynted to be reade in the peculiar Church of Englande, in good kynge Edward's dayes the syxte. Which homilye, with all the reaste, then set furthe by his authoritie, I do affirme and beleve to be a true, holesome, and godlye doctryne for all Chrystian men to beleve, ob- serve, kepe, and folowe. *' Also I do beleve and confesse, that the last boke, which was geven to the Chur che of Englande by the authoritie of good kynge Ed- warde the syxte and tlie whole parliament, contayninge the manor and fourme ot Com- mon Prayer, and ministration of the blessed sacramentes in the Chuiclie of Enjilande ; ought to have been receaved with all rea- dynes of mynde, and thaiikhillnes of harte. ^so I do aceepte, beleve, and alowe, for a very truthe, all the godlye articles that were agreed upon in the Convocation-house, and published by the kynge's majesties authoritie (I meane, kynge Edwarde the syxte), in the last yeare of his most gracyous reigne. " I doe co'ifesse and beleve, that Adam, by his fall, lost, from himself and all his poste- rity, all the freedome, choycc and power of man's will to doe good : so that all the will and imaginations ot manne's harte is onelye to evil, and altogetlier subject to synne, and bonde and captive to all manner of wickednes. So that it cannot once thinke a good thought, much lesse than doe any good deede, as of his owne worke, pleasaunte and acceptable in the syght of God, untill suche tyme as the same** [/. e. until such time as the will] " be regene- rate by the Holy Ghoste. Until the spirite of regeneration be given us of (iod, we can nei- ther will, doe, speake, nor thinke, any good thyiige that is acceptable in his sight. As a man that is deade cannot rise up himselfe, or worke anye thynge towards his r esurrection ; or he that is not, worke towardes his creation ; even so the naturall man cannot worke any thynge towards his regeneration. As a bodye, without the soule, caimot move but downe- wardes ; so the soule of man, without the Spirite of Christe, cannot lyfte up himselfe. He must be borne agayne, to doe the woi kes that be spirituall and liolye. And by ourselves we cannot be regenerate by any meanes : for it is onlye the worke of God. To whom let us praye, with David, That he will take away our stonye hartes, and create in us new hartes, by the mighty operations of his Holye Spirite. " I do now acknowledge, confesse, and un- doubtedlye beleve, that God, our eternal Father (whose power is incomprehensible, whose wis- dome is infinite, and his judgments unsearch- able) hath, onelye of his greate aboundant mercye, and free goodnesse, and favoure, in JesusChriste, ordeyned, predestinated, elected, and appointed, before the foundation of the worlde was layd, an innumerable multitude ot Adam's posteritie, to be saved from their synnes thoroughe the merites of Christe's deathe and bloudsheaddinge onelye ; and to be (thoroughe Christ) his adopted sonnes, and heres of his everlasting kingdome, in whom his great mercye shall he magnified for ever : of which moste liappye number, my fyrme faith and stedfast beleve is, that I, althouglie unworthye, am one , onelye throughe the mercye of God in Jesus Christe our Lorde and Savyour. " And I beleve, and am surely certified, by the testimonye of (iode's good Spirite, and the unfallyble truthe of his most holye worde, that neither I, nor any of these his chosen children, shiill fyiialiy perishe, or be dampned : al. thoughe we all (if God should entre into judj^ ( }i) Ibiit. Appt'uU. Na. Ixi. from p. 210 tu •fii. 190 THE JUDGMENT OF OUR trent with us, accordiniif to our dedes (have 'ustly desei"ved it. But suche is Code's greate mcixye towards us, for our Lorde Jesus Christe's sake, that oui synnes shall ne%'er be imputed unto us. We are all geven to Christe to kepe, who will lose none of us : nei- ther can any thinge pluck us furthe of his haiides, or separate us from him. He hathe maryed us unto him by faythe, and made us his pure spouse without spot or wrincle in his sight, and will never be devorced from us. He hathe taken from us all our synnes, myseries, and infirmities ; and hathe put them upon himselfe : and hathe clothed us with his righteousness, and enriched us with his merits, and mercyes, and most loveinge benetites. And he hathe not onelye done all this, and much more, for us ; but also, of his greate mercye, love, and kyndness, he dothe styll kepe the same most surelye safelye for us, and will doe so for ever ; for he lovethe us unto the ende. His Father hathe committed us unto his safe custodye, and none can ever be able to plucke us furthe of his hands. He hathe regesterd our names in the boke of lyfe, in suche sorte that the same shall never be raced out. In consideration whereof, we have good cause to rejoice, to thanke God, and hartelye to love him ; and, of love, unfaynedlye to doe whatsoever he willeth us to doe : for he loved us firste. " Fynallye, Christe testifyethe, himselfe, That it is not possible that the elect shoulde be deceaved. Verelye then, can they not be dampned " [i.e. damned] : "Therefore I con- fesse and beleve, with all my harte, souU, and mynde, that not one of all Code s elect chil- dren shall fynallye perishe or be dampned. For Cod, who is their Father, both can and will preser\-e, kepe, and detende them forever. For, seynge he is God, he wanted no power to do it : and also, seynge he is their moste deare lovynge Father, he lacketh no good will towardes them, I am sure. How can it be, but he will perfourme their salvation to the uttermoste, sythe he wanteth neither power, nor good will to do it? " And this moste heavenlye, true, and comfortable doctrine dothe not bringe with it a fleshelye, idell, carnall, and careless lyfe, as some men unjustlye doe report of it : whose eyes God open, and pardon their ignorance and rashe judgraentes. But rather it dothe aiayntayne and bringe with it all true godly- nes, and Christain purite of lyfe, with moste earneste thankefullnes of harte, in respecte of Glide's gieate mercye and lovynge kyndnes oniye. As for reprobation, I have nothinge to sayp of it: for Sainte Paul saythe, What have we to due with them that are without ? The Loide enciease our faythe and true feelynnge of our election. Notwithstanding, as" [the gospel] " is unto some the savor of lyfe unto lyfe ; even so is it, unto other some, the savor of death unto death : as Christe himselfe is, unto some, a rocke to ryse bye ; and to other some, a stone to stumble at." Thus believed the primitive members of the Church of England. Thus held, and thus taught, those Protestant worthies, who, when tiie truths of God were at stake, loved not their lives unto death. Let me once more observe (the remarks are very important, or I would not repeat them) that, by the acknowledgement even of Mr. Strype himself, 1. This confession of faith was drawn up by Mr. Clement, at the desire of the imprisoned Protestants in gene- ral : 2. That it was a declaration of their common belief : 3. That " Cranmer, Ridley, Latimer, Hooper, Rogers, Saunders, and Bradford, sealed the same " [i. e. the same doc- trines which this confession asserts] " with their own blood." 4. That this confession " may be looked upon as an account of the belief of the Protestants in the times of king Edward, and of the professors in those days." Would to God, that the same creed was as generally held, in the days that are now ! Mr. Clement, whose pen was particularly employed in this laudable service, has, in die concluding part of the above confession, an observation or two, respecting himself, which breathe almost the very spirit of an apostle," I doe not depende upon the judgment of any man, faither than the same dothe agree with the true touchstone, which is the Holye Scrip- tures : wherein (I thanke my Lorde Godj I have bene continuallye exercised, even from my youth up ; as they that have knowne my bringynge up can tell : and some persecution I have suffered for the same And now it hath pleased God to make me a prisoner, for the testimonye thereof ; and I thynke, that shorte- lye I must gi%'e my life for it, and so confj'rme it with my bloude; wliiche thynge I am well contented to doe. And I moste heartelve thanke my Lorde Code therefore : that is to saye, for this his specyall gifte of persecution for righteousness sake. And thoughe, for my synnes, God might justlye have condempned me to hell-fyre for ever, and also have caused me to suffre bothe shame and persecution in this lyfe, for evyll doynge ; yet hathe he (of his greate mercye in Jesus Christe, according to his owne good-wiU and purpose) dealte more mercyfulle with me : as to geve me this grace and favour in his sight, that I shall sutfre persecution of the wicked, with his elect people, for the testymonye of his truthe (7)." This was dated in April, 1556. The good man did not long survive. It was one of the last services, which he rendered to the Church {q) Strype, «. s. p. 223. ENGLISH MARTYRS CONCLUDED. 191 of God. He supposed, at the time of his writing the above, that he should very speedily be literally a burnt-ottering to Christ : and he was ready to become so. But God had determin- ed otherwise. His " burning was prevented, by his death in prison ; and he was buried at the back- side of the King's-bench, in a dung- hill, June 25, [1556]. Where, two days be- fore, one Adheral was buried, who likewise died in the same prison, and in the same cause. And, in the same prison and cause, five days after, died John Careless ; who was contume- liously buried where the two others were (r) " Precious, in the sight of the Lord, is the death of his saints. Thus have I given a sample (and it is but a sample) of those authentic attestations, which our martyrs bore to the doctrines of the Church of England. And, even from these instances, 'tis manifest, that those of our present clergy and laity, who have fallen in with Arminianism, have palpably revolted from those grand truths tor which our martyrs bled, and which our Church still continues to assert in her li- turgv, articles, and homilies. Nor was the belief of the Calvinistic prin- ciples confined to our bishops, clergymen, and martyrs only. It was common to the main burly of Protestants: i.e. to all who were not open, professed dissenters from the church. The Norfolk and Suft'olk supplication, addres- sed to queen Mary's commissioners, may serve for one instance. In it, the Protestants of those counties term the late king Edward "A most noble, virtuous, and innocent king ; a very saint of God ; " adding, that " The reli- gion, set forth by him, is such, as every Chris- ti^m man is bound to confess to be the truth of God.'' Again : " VVe certainly know, that the whole religion, set out by our late most dear king, is Christ's true religion, written in tne Holy Scripture of God, and by Christ and his Apostles taught to his Church. O merci- ful God have pity upon us ! we may well hi- meut our miserable estate, to receive such a commandment, to reject and cast out of our churches all these most godly prayers [mean- ing the English liturgy], instructions, admoni- tions, and doctrines [meaning the homilies and articles] {s)." This religious remon- strance, though it produced no good effect on (r) Strype, Jbid. p. 364. (x) Fox, vol. iii p. 57l>, et xcff. (t) Strype u. s. Append, p. 103. (it) Fox, u. s. p. 498. Let it be observed, that, of those who were imprisoned for thefttiih, all were not crowned with niiirtyrdom : some were by the good pro* vidence of God, reserved to see better times. Among these, was Mr. John Lithall : whose ex- ;iiiiiiiHtion, before the bishop of London's Chancellor, IP related by Mr. Fox. — " Y on boast very much, every one of you," said the chancellor to this holy prisoner, " of your faith and belief. Let me hear, therefore, how you believe." * I believe, answered Lithall, ' to be justified really by Christ Jesus, without either deeds or works, or any thmg that may be invented by man." The chancellor replied, " Faith cannot save, without works." — ' That,' rejoined Lithall ' is contrary to the doctrine of the Apostles.* The reverend Mr. John Melvin was also of the nauiber, who, 1 believe, by some means or other. the Popish queen and her commissioners ; yet tends to shew, how tenaciously the memoers of our church embraced and held fast her excel- lent principles. An anonymous letter, sent to Botmer, shews that the writer of it was (and, at that time, what Church of England-man was not ? ) a Calvinist. After dissuading that inhuman prelate from persisting to imbrue his hands in the blood of the saints, it follows : " I say not this, for that I think thou canst shorten any of God's elect children's lives before the time that God hath appointed by his divine will and pleasure : but because I would fain see some equity, &c. (0." I cannot better conclude the foregoing ex- tracts from our martyrs, than by inserting part of that admirable prayer, which seems to have been generally used by those who pour- ed out their souls in defence of the gospel. It is intitled, " A Prayer, to be said at the stake, of all them that God shall account worthy to suffer for his sake." In it are these words : " I most humbly pray thee, that thou wouldst aid, help, and assist me with thy heavenly grace ; that, with Christ thy Son, I may find comfort ; with Stephen, I may see thy pre- sence and gracious power ; with Paul, and all others who for thy name's sake have snft'ered affliction and death, I may find so present with me thy gracious consolations, that I may by my death glorify thy holy name, confirm thv church in thy verity, convert some that are to be converted, and so depart forth of this mi- serable world, where I do nothing but daily heap sin upon sin. Dear Father, whose 1 am, and always have been, even from my mo- ther's womb ; yea, even before the world was made («)." SECTION XVIIl. T/ie Re-Estnblhhment of the Church of Eng- land, by Queen Elizabeth. QiTREN Mary's death, in November, 1558, quite changed the face of religious afl'airs in England. The princess Elizabeth, during the reign of her half-sister, v as so obnoxious to the latter, both on a domestic and a religious account, that her life had been in perpetual escaped burning. He was however, a prisoner in Mew^ate : and dated, frcmi that prison, a very valua- ble letter to his Christian friends; in which be ex- pressed himself as follows. " Most certain it is, dearly beloved, that Christ's elect be hut few, in comparison of that great number which go, in the hroa