the book, That we were not so angry with the Papists now, as we were about twenty years since; and that there was no troubling my Lord's Grace; namely, if we should recall our Theses, and alter them at our pleasure. To this Dr. Davenant answered, that he would rather have his right-hand cut off than recall or alter any thing! Thus were we driven to send to his Grace. If I could have drawn them to another course, my Lord's Grace should not have been troubled. Whatsoever will be done in this, if we should do what we can, we cannot sway the Synod; for the Synod will ever have a major part against these opinions, and we can do nothing herein but only shew our devices; for we are sure beforehand, that this device of the Universal Grace of Redemption will not be received in this Synod."-In a letter to Archbishop Abbot, after a brief recapitulation of these transactions, Bishop Carleton thus alludes to Doctors Ward and Davenant: "I cut off all that discourse, which proved this GENEral Grace, before our writings were exhibited: This I did, by their good-wills and consent. Yet if the matter shall come to be disputed in the Synod, I fear that they will not be persuaded to be silent in it. A private adnionition from your Grace may quiet all!" This "private admonition" seems to have been received by the good men, in the spirit of meekness. Yet Dr. Davenant, when Bishop of Salisbury, was in 1630 induced to comply so far with the humours of the party with whom he acted, as to infringe the terms of the King's Declaration, (p. 668,) by preaching a Lent-sermon before his Majesty, in which he boldly treated on some of the prohibited points. The King was much offended at his rashness, and caused him to be called before the Lords of his Council, before whom he made due submission and promised amendment. On that occasion, the pious Bishop uttered the memorable saying, which was indicative of the native benevolence of his mind: "1 may have been indiscreet, but I will not be disobedient." Yet, in common with many Episcopal Divines, who had imprudently afforded countenance and encouragement to the enraged and dissatisfied Calvinists, he lived long enough to perceive and deplore his error. The following judicious summary of his mature and painful convictions on this subject, is given by LLOYD in his Worthies:-" John Davenant, Lord Bishop of Salisbury, told Dr. Ward, when he saw what his and other men's indulgence to dissenting persons was like to come to, that he was ashamed to live when he should have nothing left him but to live; and when such immoderate courses against government were taken by them, for whom he and others had so ' often interceded for moderation from the government: To see the mc.t irreligious things done, under the pretence of religion: To see, that he,who had with so much success moderated controversies in the schools, offered expedients in Convocations, decided the debates of Synods, (his prudent directions, interpositions, seasonable and obliging authority contributing much to the peaceable end of that [Dort] Convention,) governed Universities, persuaded Kings, nay, and, by reason of his agreement with the [Puritanic] faction in some doctrines, done them many favours in discipline, could not (among the leading men of the party that he had so much obliged,)-by their oaths and their allegiance, by the honour of religion and the dangers of it, by love to brethren, or respect to the designs of enemies, by the spirit of peace and the God of love, by their bowels towards their country, or their posterity the children yet unborn, by the prayers and tears of their ancient friend and a reverend Bishop, [he could not] gain so much as christian accommodation and mutual forbearance. But-after a most excellent tract of the Peace of the Christian World, wherein he taught how that the few necessary things wherein men agreed should be of more power to unite them, than the indifferent things wherein they dissented should have power to divide them: That the christian world might have < UNITY in the few fundamentals that are necessary, LIBERTY in the things 'that were indifferent, and so CHARITY in all things,'-despairing of persuading men to peace by arguments, who were set on war and tumults by their lusts, which were to be subdued rather than convinced, he died of an old consumption, improved with new grief for the misery of those times which he foresaw sad, and saw dangerous, April, 1641." Zz 6 need of any such books to exasperate them, there being now an endeavour to win them to us by fairness and mildness." This note was commenced with a design to prove, that, long before Dr. Laud came into power, the British Calvinists at the Synod of Dort had pleaded, in behalf of the Pope, that he might not be designated the ANTICHRIST. That point has been established, by an extract from their own abridged Journal of the public acts; and the subsequent part of the note exhibits the necessity of the caution given by Grotius, in page 275, where he shews “of what immense consequence it is to every man, to be judicious in the choice of the christian teacher whom he employs !"-I will conclude with an instance of the vast influence of a man's tenets, both on the arguments which he uses, and on the practice which he recommends. If rigid Calvinism too frequently depicts the God of all grace and of infinite compassion as a relentless tyrant, who has no regard in his decisions to any thing beyond the indulgence of his mere pleasure; the milder species of Calvinism, known under the name of CAMERONISM OF BAXTERIANISM, is too apt to display the GREAT JUDGE of the whole earth who will do right, as a truce-breaker or an artful deceiver ! After perusing the subjoined passage from one of Amyraut's productions, and Courcelles' remarks upon it, no man of common discernment will aver, that I delivered a rash opinion in page 225, when I said, "Arminianism teaches men to consider God as a Being of INFINITE VERACITY,-an attribute of Divinity that seems to have been overlooked by many of the Cameronists." "The following paragraph occurs in Amyraut's Dissertation [on the right of God over his creatures:] Some persons indeed have doubted whether, in strict right, chief magistrates may be held to adhere to their compacts and agreements, when at any time they have transactions with their own subjects. For, with regard to those treaties which are concluded with FOREIGN POWERS whose dignity is on an equality with their own, or nearly so, there is no cause for entertaining a doubt that even the greatest 'monarchs are in every possible way bound by such treaties. But, with regard to SUBJECTS, so eminent is the authority of the supreme rulers, that, as it appears to some persons, it cannot be diminished even by the ⚫ just solemnity of a promise.—If this be true concerning men, it is much more so concerning God, whose high elevation above human beings is, without doubt, far greater than that of men themselves above their inferiors. 'But we are under no necessity of having recourse to this argument. For "in the assertions which we have made concerning what it is lawful for God to do to an innocent creature, we must understand such assertions to relate to that creature between whom and God no other covenant has been con'tracted, than such as the very nature of things has procured.'-It is a happy circumstance for Amyraut, that he does not require this argument! If he had required it, he might have driven us to insurrections. But although, in thus passing it by, he renders it unnecessary for us to give any reply, we still judge it worthy of receiving a brief criticism. And here we might call to our assistance the Dutch, who threw off the yoke of the king of Spain, because he had violated the faithful promise which he made to them at the period of his inauguration. To this purpose we might also call upon the English and Scotch, who at this day employ the same pretext, as a reason for the war with which they persecute their king,-but whether this pretext be in their case just or unjust, it is not my present business to enquire. But there is no necessity for resorting to such large armies as these: We appeal to you alone, O inhabitants of Montauban, Rochelle, Montpelier, and to others of the Reformed in France, who some few years ago took up arms against your king Louis the Thirteenth, not because be had receded from the treaties into which he had entered with you,-for that would have been most repugnant to his piety,-but because you were afraid lest he should recede when he might subsequently have an opportunity of doing so in safety, that is, after he had deprived you of your fortifications and ramparts. To you I make my appeal against Amyraut, who thus abandons to your enemies the edicts which have been promulgated for And, on the same ground, Bray, Chaplain to the Archbishop, refused the licensing of another, called The Advice of a Son, securing the liberty of your consciences. Since your own interests are here immediately concerned, I request you to declare, whether the Chief Magistrate is not bound by his agreements, when he has entered into a treaty with his own subjects? But why should I wait for an auswer from your lips, when facts themselves speak out with sufficient clearness? "I will now briefly declare my own thoughts on this subject. I certainly do not approve of private individuals rising up in arms against their sovereigns, under any pretext of the violation of their promises; such a course is expressly forbidden in the Holy Scriptures. But unless I were desirous of becoming a courtly parasite or an encourager of tyranny, I would not allow it to remain a doubtful point, whether king's MAY OR MAY NOT perjure themselves with impunity. For every one is a perjured person, when he abandons the agreements which he has rendered valid by the subscription of his hand and the impression of his seal. I know well the dreadful consequences which befel Saul and his house, on account of his attempt to destroy the Gibeonites, (2 Sam. xxi,) with whom, long before his days, a peace had been concluded by Joshua. And yet that treaty of peace had been fraudulently obtained. (Joshua ix.) In such estimation ought the sanctity of an oath to be held, as not to permit a man, even when he hath sworn to his own hurt, to change. (Psalm xv, 4.) Besides, the promise which is made to common robbers and pirates must be observed; because, as Quintilian justly observes, fidelity is the principal bond in all human concerns:' And Silius Italicus informs us, (lib. ii,) Without good faith, this earth, or seas that ebb and flow, A silent Deity within the upright mind. If faith is to be kept even with thieves, how much more is it to be kept with snbjects, to whom PRINCES ought to act in the capacity of FATHERS, GUARDIANS, and PROTECTORS! Should these Princes once entertain the persuasion that they are not bound by any contract or obligation into which they have entered, the certain consequence would be a perpetual distrust, which would, on the other hand, produce this bad effect, the impossibility of their reposing any confidence in the assured good will of their subjects, of which they stand in the greatest need. And thus, it will be seen, this pernicious opinion is calculated in its very nature to induce both Prince and People to rise up in arms against each other, to their mutual destruction. "It cannot therefore be proved, from the example of earthly kings, that God is not under any obligation to fulfil those promises, by which he has bound himself unto men, of his own accord, and with a will perfectly free and at liberty. Such a sentiment as this respecting the Almighty was undoubtedly never cherished by those divinely inspired men, who have assured us, that God has performed his words, because he is just and righteous, (Nehem. ix, 8,) and that He is not unrighteous to forget his promises. (Heb. vi, 10.) Nay, God himself is most abhorrent of such a thought: For He, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsels, confirmed it by an oath: That by Two IMMUTABLE THINGS, in which it was IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD TO LIE, we might have a strong consolation. (vi, 17, 18.) Nor is it without good reason, that God should thus express himself: For the contrary opinion [that God is not under any obligation to fulfil his promises] is subversive of the Christian Religion, which consists entirely of faith in God's promises and obedience to his commands: It does not attempt to overthrow religion by secret craft and guile, but in a bold and undisguised manner. For if God can recede from his promises, who will repose with firm confidence and faith upon HIM when He promises eternal life to his worshippers? And if faith and trust be withheld, who will obey him? especially since St. John says, in his First Epistle, This is the victory that overcometh the world, even OUR FAITH! (v, 4.) 66 Amyraut has no ground for replying, that he does not fight with the unless he might expunge some unpleasing expressions, affirming, That those passages would offend the Papists, whom we were now in a fair way of winning, and therefore must not use any harsh phrases ageinst them.' The Chaplains not to be condemned for their honest care, and much less their Lords ;* weapon which this argument affords. For he has produced it, and has not by a single word manifested his disapprobation of it, but he has rather shewn his approval. He did not employ it, solely because he did not require it for obtaining his purpose, which was this- it is not repugnant to the remune'rative justice of God to inflict eternal torments on an innocent creature!' For, by an innocent creature, he understands a being with whom God has not yet entered into any compact. On this part of his reasoning I will now give my opinion. Although God did not enter into any express covenant with man at the period of his creation, yet equity itself would not permit the Divine Being to act thus unmercifully towards his creature. For the mode of creation, which was in the image of God, constituted a tacit kind of covenant: Because God would not have formed man after his own likeness, unless it had been his pleasure to treat him in a manner that corresponded with that dignity. And that first benefit drew after itself another, in the nature of love and beneficence; unless man should render himself undeserving of this additional blessing. Otherwise it would be better for him to have been made a toad or a serpent, than to have been a man formed after the likeness of God, if, immediately after his creation, and without any sinful demerit, he might have been liable to be cast into eternal burnings!" This was published in 1645, the very period when, as Courcelles here intimates, the English and Scotch were persecuting king Charles the First, among other causes, on account of an alleged violation of his coronation oath. Highly as I venerate the memory of that virtuous and unfortunate monarch, I am compelled to express my fears, that, if his Majesty's arms had been finally successful against the Parliamentary forces, he would have been induced by some of the more artful of his counsellors to adopt the principle which was thus avowed and defended by Amyraut. His Majesty's sense of justice might for a season have prevented its adoption; but the powerful influence of the Queen in the management of public affairs, (pages 344, and 647,) and the decided predilection of many of the courtiers for French principles and manners, might have ultimately overpowered the dictates of his more upright judgment. Those who have any doubts concerning the Popish origin of this politic and sanguinary maxim, may consult the note in page 605 : And the affairs of the Rochelle Calvinists, to whom the whole of the preceding quotation applies most aptly as argumentum ad homines, will be explained by the notes in pages 210, 215, 265, & 291. Those who wish to see the more daring and seditious sentiments of the high Calvinists in England about the same period, may find a specimen of them in page 388. An able refutation of the infernal politics advanced by Jeremiah Burroughs, William Bridge, Stephen Marshall, John Goodwin, and others of the Republican party, will be found in the admirable writings of Dr. Henry Hammond, particularly in his “Address to Lord Fairfax and his Council of War,' an extract from which is given in pages 297-304; his "Vindication of that Address;" his treatise "Of resisting the lawful Magistrate under colour of religion," &c. Let no wise and good man hereafter neglect the caution which Grotius inculcates! This extract from Mr. MEDE's Life will serve to display some of the arduous duties which the examining chaplains of that age had to perform :"Nor would he be discouraged and taken off from such acts of merciful beneficence, by the unworthy returns he sometimes met with from some disobliging persons. There was one in Cambridge to whom Mr. Mede had shewed favour in lending him money at a time of need; but he, being put in mind of his engagement, instead of making due payment, repaid Mr. Mede only with undue words to this effect, that, upon a strict and exact though I find it very heavily charged as a crime in all. In the English Litany set out by King Henry VIII. and continued in both Liturgies of King Edward VI. there was this clause against the Pope, viz. From the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome, and all his detestable enormities, good Lord,' &c. Which being considered as a means to affright those of the Romish party from coming diligently to our churches, was prudently expunged by those who had the revising of the Liturgy, in the first year of the Queen Elizabeth]. In imitation of whose piety account he had no right to what he claimed. No right!' answered he.No: No right, it was told him, because he was none of God's children: For that they only have right who are gracious in God's sight.-Ungracious and unthankful sectary! His name might be mentioned! but let him be anonymous, as fit to be numbered only among the men of no name, as Job (xxx, 8,) doth express men of a vile character.-The story was related by Mr. Mede, upon the occasion of some intelligence received from London, that there was at that time a more strict examination there of those who came to take Holy Orders, concerning that strange position, Dominium temporale fundatur in gratia, [Temporal dominion has its foundations in grace,] at which one then in company being astonished, as supposing one would be so impudent as to assert it, Mr. Mede replied, that he had particular experience of the evil effect and consequence of such doctrine as in the forementioned story." 39 The following brief yet characteristic notice of Bishop Juxon's and Archbishop Laud's chaplains, as given by LLOYD in his Worthies, presents many points that will interest a reflecting miud :-" Ingenious Dr. Samuel Baker, and Dr. William Bray, both bred together under the exact logician, Dr. Chappel, at Christ College in Cambridge; both came together to seek their fortunes in London; both, hitting the Puritan vein, were preferred Lecturers; and growing infinitely popular and followed, both together were taken off, the one to be chaplain to Archbishop Laud, and the other to Bishop Juxon; and no sooner favoured by the government, but they were deserted by the populacy; both preferred, the one, (Dr. Baker,) to be Prebendary of Canterbury, and Parson of St. Mary hill, the other, (Dr. Bray,) to be Prebendary of Canterbury, and Vicar of St. Martin's in the Fields; both sequestered together; and both hated upon the same grounds, viz. because they would not license every phantastic pretender against Popery and Arminianism; both having great advantage against their adversaries, by having been of them; and likewise plucking them by the long locks of their immoderate boasting, and touching them to the quick. Dr. Baker died about the the year 165-; Dr. Bray, 1644. The fault general of these and other Bishops' chaplains in those times was, that they were willing to keep the press sober between the bigots of the extreme opinions in doctrine and discipline." "The bond of church-communion should be something common to strong and to weak christians; and certainly the Primitive church, that did not charge men's faith with such a load of articles, as now in these latter ages men are charged with, would much less burden men with imposing doubtful practices upon them as the ground of church-communion. Public forms of divine service, certainly, should be so composed, as to be the least subject to any scruple from any persons whatsoever; being on purpose composed for the declaring men's unity and consent in their public worship: It argued very much the prudence and temper of the French churches, in composing their public forms of prayer, that they were so far from inserting any thing controversial into them, that Amyraldus tell us, the Papists themselves 'would use them: And that which men would scarce believe unless they 'saw it, they inserted them into their own prayer-books.' The same temper was used by our reformers in the composing our Liturgy, in reference to the Papists, to whom they had then especial eye, as being the only party then appearing, whom they desired to draw into their communion, by coming as near them as they well and safely could: And certainly those holy men, |