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LETTER 
 
 T  O    T  H  E^- 
 
 Reverend  T>x  DUREL  L; 
 
 VICE CHANCELLOR  \ 
 
 O  F    T  H  E 
 
 University  of  OXFORD; 
 
 OCCASIONED 
 
 By  a  late  EXPULSION  of  Six  Students    _ 
 from  Edmund  HalU 
 
 By  GEORGE  WHITEFIELD,  M.A. 
 Late  of  Pembroke  College,  Oxford; 
 
 AND 
 
 Chaplain  to  the  Countefs  of  H  u  n  t  ln  c  d  o  n. 
 
 Luke  xii.  57. 
 
 Yea,    and   why  even   of  yourfelvcs  judge  ye  not 
 
 what  is  right  ? 
 
 John    vii.    24. 
 Judge    righteous    judgment. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed  for  J.  M  i  l  l  a  n,  at  Charing-Crofi  j 
 
 E.  and  C.  D  i  l  l  y,  in  the  Poultry  ;  and 
 
 M.  F  o  L  I  N  G  s  B  y,  at  Temple-Bar, 
 
 M  HOC  LXVIII, 
 
[  'J 
 
 LETTER 
 
 TO     THE  '-^^  ^^1  ••* 
 
 Reverend  Dr  DURELL. 
 
 Reverend  SIR, 
 
 BE  I N  G  a  Mafter  of  Ifrael,  and  placed  at 
 the  head  of  one  of  the  moft  renowned 
 feats  of  Learning  in  the  world,  you  need 
 not  be  informed  that  the  MifTion  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost  is  the  one  grand  promife  of  the  New,  as 
 the  conning  *of  Jesus  Christ  was  the  great  pro- 
 mife of  the  Old  Teftament  difpenfation "  1  will 
 
 pray  the  Father,  fays  our  blefled  Lord  to  his 
 almofl:  difconfolate  Difciples,  and  he  fhall  give 
 you  another  Comforter.'*  And  again,  *'  It  is  ex- 
 pedient for  you,  that  I  go  away ;  for  if  I  go  not 
 away,  the  Comforter  will  not  come  unto   you  ; 
 
 B  but 
 
[  2  ] 
 
 but  if  I  depart  (it  being  the  Purchafe  of  liis  all- 
 atoning  Blood,  and  defigned  to  be  the  immediate 
 fruit  and  proof  of  the  reality  of  his  Refurredlion, 
 and  fubfequent  Afcenfion  into  Heaven)  I  will  fend 
 Him  unto  you.**  And  that  they  might  know  that 
 this  Comforter  was  not  to  be  confined  to,  or 
 monopolized  by  Them,  but  was  to  be  of  (landing 
 general  ufe,  He  immediately  gives  them  intima- 
 tions of  the  defign  and  nature  of  His  office :  and 
 therefore  adds,  "and  when  he  is  come,  he  will  con- 
 vince the  world  of  fin,  and  of  righteoufnefs,  and 
 of  judgment.'* 
 
 Strange,  and  till  then  unheard-of,  promife  this! 
 Such  as  a  Confucius,  Zoroafter,  or  any  other 
 fiflitious  uninfpired  Prophet  or  Lawgiver  never 
 dreamt  of.  A  promife,  which  none  but  One, 
 who  was  God  over  all,  could  dare  to  make  •, 
 a  promife  which  none  but  One,  who  was  Gob 
 over  all,  could  pofTibly  fulfil. 
 
 Agreeable  to  this  promife,  "having  afcended  up 
 on  High,  led  captivity  captive,  and  received  this 
 gift  for  men,  this  divine  Paraclete,  this  Holy 
 Ghoft,  on  the  day  of  Pentecoft,  came  down  from 
 heaven  like  a  rufhing  mighty  wind  ;  and  there 
 appeared  cloven  tongues,  like  as  of  fire,  and  fat 
 upon  each  of  the  Apoftles." — The  eflfecis  were  im- 
 mediate and  vifible — Poor,  illiterate  Fifliermen, 
 inftamaneoufly  commenced  Scholars,  Preach- 
 ers, Orators.  And  well  they  might  -,  for,  being 
 filled  with  the  Holy  Ghoft,  as  the  Spirit   gave 
 
 them 
 
[   3    ] 
 
 them  utterance,  they  began  to  fpeak  with  other 
 tongues  the  wonderful  things   of  God, 
 
 But  what  was  all  this  divine  apparatus,  this 
 divine  preaching,  this  divine  oratory  intended 
 for?  The  following  verfes  inform  us:  The 
 hearers  of  thofe  wonderful  things,  the  fpedators  of 
 thistranfcendently  amazing  fcene,  "  were  pricked 
 to  the  heart,  and  were  made  to  cry  out.  Men  and 
 Brethren,  what  fhall  we  do  ?  And  the  fame  day 
 were  added  to  this  infant  church  about  three 
 thoufand  fouls."  Here  were  proofs,  fubftantial, 
 inconteftible  proofs,  of  the  reahty  of  the  Refur- 
 reflion,  Afcenfion,  and  likewife  of  the  Efficacy  of 
 the  all-powerful  Intercefiion  of  their  once  cruci- 
 fied, but  now  exalted  Lord  ;  not  only  fubftantial 
 and  inconteftible,  but  at  the  fame  time  entirely 
 fuitable  to  the  nature  of  his  Miffion,  who 
 in  the  days  of  his  flefti  by  his  dotflrines  and 
 miracles  declared,  that  his  only  defign  in 
 coming  into  our  world,  was  to  fave  finners. 
 
 Upon  this  rock,  namely,  an  experimental 
 manifeftation  and  application  of  his  Divinity  to 
 the  renewed  heart  (which  flefti  and  blood, 
 human  Re.afon,  vain  Philofophy,  moral  Suafion, 
 or  any,  or  all  barely  external  evidence  whatfoever 
 cannot  reveal)  hath  he  built,  doth  he  now  build, 
 and  will  continue  to  build  his  church  -,  and  there- 
 fore it  is  that  the  gates,  neither  the  power  or 
 policy  of  hell,  fhall  ever  be  able  lo  prevail  againft 
 it.  By  the  influence  of  this  almighty  ^'\gent  hath 
 B  2  he 
 
[    4    ] 
 
 iie  promifed  to  be  with  his  minifters  and  people, 
 even  to  the  end  of  the  world.  And  agreeable  to 
 this,  hath  taught  us  daily  to  pray  that  his  Kingdom 
 may  come  ;  which  being  to  be  begun,  carried  on 
 and  completed,  by  one  continued  emanation  of 
 divine  influence  communicated  to  believers  in  the 
 ufe  of  all  appointed  means,  can  alone  enable  us  to 
 do  God's  v/ill  on  earth,  with  any  degree  of  that 
 unanimity,  chearfulnefs,  univerfality  and  perfe- 
 verance,  as  it  is  done  by  the  holy  angels  above. 
 And'  as  this  is  the  daily  united  prayer  of  the 
 whole  catholick  Church,  however  diftrelTed  or 
 difperfed,  and  however  varying  as  to  circum- 
 ilantials  and  non-elTentials,  over  the  whole  earth  ; 
 it  followeth,  that  every  addition  of  any  individual 
 monument  of  divine  _  mercy,  out  of  every 
 nation,  language  or  tongue,  muft  be  looked 
 upon  in  part  as  an  anfwer  to  the  daily  prayer 
 of  every  individual  believer  under  Heaven. 
 
 Hence,  no  doubt,  it  is,  that  as  the  Angels  are 
 fent  forth  to  be  miniftring  fpirits,  to  minifter  to 
 thofe  who  fhall  be  heirs  of  faivation,  that  there  is 
 faid  to  be  joy  in  Heaven  over  every  Tinner  that 
 repenteth.  And  as  there  is  joy  in  Heaven,  fo  in 
 proportion  as-  they  rife  into  the  nature  of  Angels, 
 will  there  be  joy  alfo  upon  the  fame  account 
 amongfi:  good  men  on  earth.  Accordingly,  the 
 lively  Oracles  inform  us,  that  *'  when  the  Apoftles 
 and  Brethren  which  were  in  Judea  heard  that  the 
 Gentiles  alfo  had  received  the  word  off  God,  they 
 
 glorified 
 
[   5    ] 
 
 glorified    Him,    faying,    Then    hath    God   alfo 
 to  the  Gentiles  granted  repentance  unco  Hfe.'* 
 
 And  conformably  to  this,  we  are  told,  that 
 *'  when  Barnabas  came  to  Antioch,  and  faw  the 
 grace  of  God,  ue  was  glad.'*  And  why  ?  B-^caufe 
 he  was  a  good  man,  and  full  of  the  Holy  Ghoft 
 and  of  faith.  And  as  the  fame  caufe  will  always 
 be  produ6live  of  the  fame  effect,  perfons  endued 
 with  the  fame  benign  and  godlike  difpofition  with 
 this  good  man,  will  always  be  glad  when  they  fee 
 or  hear  of  any  fcriptural  marks  or  pradical  evi- 
 dences of  true  and  undefiled  Religion,  wrought  in, 
 or  appearing  upon  any  fubjedl  of  divine  grace 
 whatfoever.  And  this  joy  muft  neceffarily  rife, 
 in  proportion  as  fuch  fubje6ts,  either  by  their  abi- 
 lities or  circumftances,  and  fuuation  in  life,  pro- 
 mife  more  important  and  extenfive  ukfulnels  in 
 the  world   and  church   of    God. 
 
 No  wonder  therefore,  Reverend  Sir,  that  it  hath 
 gladdened  the  hearts  of  many,  and  afforded  matter 
 of  uncommon  joy  and  thankfgiving  to  the 
 Father  of  mercies  and  God  of  all  confolation  ,  to 
 hear,  that  for  fome  time  pall  there  hath  been  a 
 more  than  common  religious  concern  and  zeal  for 
 promoting  their  own  and  others  Talvation  among 
 fome  of  the  Sons  of  the  Prophets,  What  a 
 pleafing  profpeft  hath  hereby  been  opened  of  a 
 future  blefling  to  the  rifing  generation !  A  blefHng, 
 which  we  well  hoped,  would  be  not  lefs  lalutary  and 
 benciicial  to  the  moral,  than  the   new  crufe   of 
 
 fair, 
 
[    6    J 
 
 fak,  which  the  prophet  Ehflia,  when  complairrt 
 was  made  that  the  warer  was  naught  and  the 
 ground  barren,  caft  into  the  fpring  of  waters, 
 with  a  Thus  faith  the  Lord,  I  have  healed  thefe 
 '  waters,  was  to  part  of  the  natural  world.  "  There 
 fhall  not  be  from  thence,  fays  the  Prophet, 
 any  more  death  or  barren  land  :  So  the 
 waters  were  healed   unto   this  day." 
 
 But  alas!  how  is  this  general  joy  damped,  and 
 the  pleafing  profpecl  almo-ft  totally  eclipfed,  by 
 a  lace  melancholly  fcer>e  exhibited  in  that  ^fery 
 place  from  whence,  as  from  a  fountain,  many  of 
 their  preachers  frequently  and  exprefly  pray,  that 
 pure  ftreams  may  for  ever  flow  to  water  the  city 
 of  the  livmg  Gob  :  You  need  not  be  told, 
 Reverend  Sir,  what  place  I  mean.  It  was  the 
 famous  Univerfity  of  Oxford.  Nor  need  I  men- 
 tion the  fcene  exhibited ;  it  was  a  tribunal,  a 
 vifitatorial  tribunal,  eredled  in  Edmund  Hall- 
 fix  pious  Students,  who  promifed  to  be  the  fait  of 
 the  earth,  and  lights  of  the  world,  entire  friends 
 to  the  Doctrines  and  Liturgy  of  our  Church,  by 
 a  Citation  previoufly  fixed  upon  the  College  door, 
 were  fummoned  to  appear  before  this  tribunal. 
 They  did  apne.u-  ;  and,  as  fome  were  pleafed  to 
 term  it,  were  trijd,  convided,  and  to  clofe  the 
 fcene,  in  the  Chapel  of  the  fame  Hall,  confecrat- 
 ed  and  fct  apart  for  nobler  purpofcs,  had  the  fen- 
 tence  of  Expulfion  publickiy  read  and  pronouncei;^ 
 againfl   them.  : 
 
 So  fevere  a  fentence,  in  an  age  when  almoft 
 
 every  kind  of  proper  difcipiine  Is  held  with  fo  lax 
 
 a  rein. 
 
[    7    ] 
 
 a  rein,  hath  naturally  excited  a  curiofuy  in  all 
 that  have  heard  of  it,  to  inquire  what  notable 
 crime  thefe  delinquents  may  have  been  guilcy  of, 
 to  deferve  fuch  uncommonly  rigorous  treatment. 
 But  how  will  their  curiofity  be  turned  into  inJig- 
 nation,  when  they  are  told,  that  they  were  thus 
 rigoroufly  handled  for  doing  no  evil  at  all,  and 
 
 that  no  fault  could  be  found  in  them,  fave  in  the 
 law  of  their  God  ?  if       \ 
 
 It  is  true  indeed,  one  article  of  impeachment 
 was,  "  that  fome  of  them  were  of  Trades  be- 
 "  fore  they  entered  into  the  Univerfity.*'  But 
 what  evil  or  crime  worthy  of  expulfion  can 
 there  be  in  that  ?  To  be  called  from  any,  though 
 tlie  meaneft  mechanic  employ,  to  the  ftudy  of 
 the  liberal  arts,  where  a  natural  Genius  hath  been 
 given,  was  never  yet  looked  upon  as  a  reproach 
 to,  or  diminution  of,  any  great  and  public 
 character  whatfoever.  Profane  H^ftory  affords  us 
 a  vaiie.ty  of  examples  of  the  greatell  Heroes  who 
 have  been  fetched  even  from  the  plough,  to  com- 
 mand armies,  and  perform  the  greateft  exploits 
 for  their  Country's  good.  And  if  we  examine 
 facred  Hiftory,  we  fhall  find,  that  even  David, 
 after  he  was  anointed  King,  looked  back  with 
 fweet  complacence  to  the  rock  from  whence  he 
 was  hewn,  and  is  not  afhamed  to  leave  it  upon  re- 
 cord, that  God  took  him  away  from  the  (heep- 
 folds,  as  he  was  following  the  ewes  great  witU 
 you nti  ones -,  (as  though  he  loved  to  repeu  it)  he 
 took  him,  fiys  he,  that  he  might  feed  Jacob  his 
 people,  and  Ilracl  his  inheritance. 
 
 But 
 
t    8    ] 
 
 But  why  fpeak  I  of  David?  When  Jesus 
 of  Nazareth,  David's  Lord,  and  David's 
 King,  had  for  his  reputed  father  a  Carpen- 
 ttir,  and  in  all  probability  (as  it  was  a  common 
 proverb  among  the  Jews,  that  ^*  he  that  did 
 "  not  teach  his  fon  a  Trade,  taught  him  to  be 
 *«  a  Thief  i")  worked  at  the  trade  of  a  Carpenter 
 bimfelf?  For  this  indeed  he  was  reproach- 
 ed and  maligned.;.  "  Is  not  this,  faid  they, 
 the  Carpenter's  fon  ?  Nay,  Is  not  this  the  Car- 
 penter ?"  But  who  were  thofe  maligners  ?  The 
 greateft  enemies  to  the  power  of  godlinefs  the 
 world  ever  faw  ;  the  Scribes  and  Pharifees  ;  that 
 generation  of  vipei'S,  as  John  the  Baptifl:  calls 
 them,  who  upon  every  occafion  were  fpitting  out 
 their  venom,  and  fhooting  forth  their  arrows, 
 even  bitter  words,  againft  that  fon  of  man,  even 
 that  fon  of  God,  who,  to  difplay  his  fovereignty, 
 and  confound  the  wifdom  of  the  worldly  wife, 
 chofe  poor  Fifhermen  to  be  his  Apoftles;  and 
 whofe  chiefeft  of  the  Apoftles,  though  bred  up 
 at  the  feet  of  Gamaliel,  both  before  and  after  his 
 call  to  the  Apoftlefhip,  laboured  with  his  own 
 hands,  and  worked  at  the  trade  of  a  Tent- maker. 
 
 If  from  fuch  exalted  and  tnofe  diftant,  we  de- 
 fcend  to  more  modern  and  inferior  charadlers,  we 
 fliall  find,  that  very  late,  not  to  fay  our  prefent 
 times,  furnilli  us  with  inftances  of  fome,  even  of 
 our  Dignitaries,  who  have  been  called  from  Trades 
 that  tended jo_help  and  feed  the  body,  not  only 
 ^'  ■■■:-■':■    •    to 
 
f    9    ] 
 
 to  higher  employs  of  a  fpiritual  nature,  but  even 
 to  prefide  over  thofe  that  are  entrufted  with  the 
 cure  of  fouls.  And  who  knows  but  fome  of 
 thefe  young  Students,  though  originally  mecha-^ 
 nics,  if  they  had  been  fuffered  to  have  purfued 
 their  (ludies,  might  have  either  climbed  after 
 them  to  fome  preferment  in  the  Church,  or  been 
 advanced  to  fome  office  in  that  Univerfity  from 
 which  they  are  now  expelled  ?  One  of  the  pre- 
 fent  reverend  and  worthy  Proftors,  we  are  told, 
 was  formerly  a  Lieutenant  in  the  Army ;  and  as 
 fuch  a  military  employ  was  no  impediment  to  his 
 being  a  Minifter  or  Prodbor,  it  may  be  prefumed, 
 that  being  formerly  of  Trades  could  have  been 
 QO  juft  impediment  to  thefe  young  mens  becoming 
 in  procefs  of  time  true  Gofpel-Minifters  and  good 
 Soldiers  of  Jesus  Christ. 
 
 Their  being  accuftomed  to  prayer,  whether  with 
 or  without  a  form,  I  humbly  apprehend,  would  by 
 no  means  difqualify  them  for  the  private  or  public 
 difcharge  of  any  part  of  their  minifterial  fundlion. 
 "  In  that  day,  that  Gofpel-day,  (thefc  lall  days 
 wherein  we  live)  faith  the  great  God,  I  will  pour 
 out  a  Spirit  of  grace  and  a  Spirit  of  fupplication  upon 
 the  houfe of  David,  and  upon  the  inhabitants  of  Je- 
 rufalem."  And  the  Apoftle  Faul  fpeaks  of  it  as  the 
 common  privilege  of  all  Believers,  that  the  Holy 
 Spirit  helps  their  infirmities,  and  maketh  inter- 
 ceffion  for  them  with  groanings  which  cannot  be 
 uttered.  Forms  of  prayer,  certainly,  have  their 
 ufe  ;  and  take  it  altogether,  our  Englifti  Liturgy 
 is,    without  doubt,    one  of  the   moft  excellent 
 
 C  eftablifhed 
 
[  1°] 
 
 ejftablifhed  forms  of  public  prayer  in  tlieworMr 
 but  then,  as  no  form  in  the  very  nature  of  the- 
 thing,  can  pofiibly  fuit  every  particular  cafe,  it  is 
 to  be  feared  that  many  mufl:  never  pray,  at  lea(t 
 for  the  particular  things  they  moft  lUnd  in  need 
 of,  if  they  are  fo  to  be  tied  up  to  their  forms, 
 that  they  cannot  vary  from  them,  or  ufe  free 
 prayer  at  all. 
 
 The  great  Bifhop  Wilkins  hath  therefore 
 wifely  wrote  an  excellent  Treatife  on  the  benefit 
 and  importance  of  this  kind  of  prayer :  and 
 could  our  Univerfity  -  youth  be  trained  up  to 
 ufe  proper  extempore  prayer,  both  before  and 
 after  Sermon,  in  the  opinion  of  all  good 
 judges,  it  would  be  as  commendable,  as  that 
 ftrange  cuftom  of  putting  off  our  auditories 
 with  what  is  called  the  bidding  prayer  \  in  which 
 there  is  not  one  petition  for  a  blelfing  upon  the  fol- 
 lowing Sermon,  and  fcarce  any  thing  mentioned 
 but  what  hath  been  prayed  for  over  and  over  again 
 in  the  preceding  common  fervice  of  our  church. 
 
 But  fuppofing  fuch  liberty  fhould  be  denied 
 in  public,  as  bleffcid  be  God  it  is  nor,  fjrely 
 we  may  be  allowed,  at  lead  it.  cannot  be  deem- 
 ed finful,  to  ufe  free  prayer  in  our  fecret 
 or  private  focial  exercifes  of  devotion.  U  'io^ 
 what  finners,  what  great  finners  muft  they 
 have  been,  who  prayed,  and  that  too  out  of  ne- 
 cefllty,  in  an  extempore  way,  before  any  forms 
 of  prayer  were  or  could  be  printed  or  heard  of  ? 
 The  prayers  we  read  of  in  fcripturc,  the  prayers 
 
 which 
 
[ "  ] 
 
 which  opened  and  Ihut  heaven,  the  effedua],  fer- 
 vent, energetic  prayers  of  thofe  righteous  and  holy 
 men  of  old,  which  availed  fo  much  with  God,  were 
 all  of  an  extempore  nature.  And  I  am  apt  to  believe, 
 if  not  only  our  Students  and  Minifters,  but  private 
 Chriftians,  were  born  from  above,  and  taught  of 
 God,  as  thofe  wreftlers  with  God  were,  they 
 would  want  Forms  of  Prayer,  though  we  have 
 fuch_a  variety  of  them^no  more  than  they  did. 
 
 The  Sick,  the  Lame,  the  Blind,  the  Lepers  that 
 came  to  our' Lord  for  healing,  wanted  no  book 
 to  teach  them  how  to  exprefs  their  wants.  Thougk 
 fome  vvere  only  poor  Beggars,  and  others,  as  the 
 felf-righteous  Scribes  and  Pharifees  fupercilioufly 
 chofe  to  term  them,  Gentile  dogs,  yet  confcious 
 of  their  wants,  and  having  a  heart-felt  fenfe  of 
 their  diftrefs,  *'  out  of  the  abundance  of  their 
 hearts  their  mouths  fpake  ;'*  and  the  companion- 
 ate Immanuel,  who  came  to  heal  our  ficknefles 
 and  bear  our  infirmities,  fent  them  away  with 
 a  '*  Go  in  peace,  thy  faith  hath  made  thee 
 whole  :  Be  it  unto  thee  even  as  thou  wilt." 
 
 How  unlike,  yea  how  very  unlike  fuch  a 
 bleflTed  difmifllon  is  the  treatment  thefc  young 
 Students  have  lately  met  with  at  Edmund  Hall, 
 who,  amongfl:  other  crimes  of  a  like  nature,  were 
 expelled  for  ufing  extempore  prayer.  A  crime 
 not  fo  much  as  mentioned  in  any  of  our  Law- 
 Books  •,  a  crime  tor  which,  in  this  laft  century 
 at  leaft,  no  one  hath  ever  been  called  to  the  bar 
 
 c  2  of 
 
[    12    ] 
 
 of  any  public  court  of  judicature  i  an3  a  crime  for 
 which,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  no  Student  will  ever 
 hereafter  be  fummoned  to  appear  and  hear  himfelf 
 expelled  ^for^^  at  the  bar  of  any  of  the  reverend 
 Dodors  of  Divinity  or  Heads  of  Houfes  in  the 
 Univerfity  of  Oxford.  But  fliould  any  be  fo  in- 
 fatuated as  to  determine,  Jehu-  like,  to  drive  on 
 thus  furioufly,  as  judgment  hath  unhappily  be- 
 gun, as  it  were,  at  the  very  houfeof  God,  it  is 
 to  be  hoped,  that  as  forne  have  been  expelled  for 
 extempore  praying,  we  fhall  hear  of  fome  few- 
 others  of  a  contrary  (lamp,  being  expelled  for 
 extempore  fwearing,  which  by  all  impartial  judges 
 muft  undoubtedly  be  acknowledged  to  be  the 
 greater  crime  of  the   two. 
 
 Singing,  compofing,  or  reading  Hymns  compof- 
 ?d  by  others,  and  doing  this  in  company,  feems  to 
 be  as  little  criminal  as  prayingextempore.  When  the 
 Jaft  words  of  David  are  about  to  be  recorded,  he  is 
 not  only  ftiled,  *'  the  fon  of  Jeffe,  the  man  who  was 
 raifed  up  on  high,  the  anointed  of  the  God  of  Jacob," 
 but  the  grand  title  of  being  "  the  fweet  Pfalmift 
 of  Ifrael'*  brings  up  the  rear.  And  "  to  teach 
 and  admonilh  one  another  in  pfalms,  and  hymns, 
 and  fpiritual  fongs,"  is  as  truly  a  fcripturaj  com- 
 mand, as  "  Thou  (halt  love  the  L.ord  thy  Gop 
 with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  foul,  and  witl^ 
 all  thy  ftrength,  and  thy  neighbour  as  thyfclf.'* 
 
 When  Elilha  the  Prophet  was  about  to  prophe- 
 fy  before  two  kings,  he  called  for  a  minftrel,  on 
 which   he  played,  to  Tooth   his  ruffled  palTions, 
 
 and 
 
(  >3  ] 
 
 and  prepare  his  heart  the  better  for  the  reception 
 of  the  Holy  Spirit.     And  were  the  Sons  of  the 
 Prophets  more  frequently   to  entertain  themfelves 
 thus,  I  believe  it   would  be   as   fuitable  to   the 
 minifterial  chara(fter,    and  recommend    them   as 
 much,  perhaps  more,    to  all  ferious  Chriftians, 
 than  their  tripping  up  their  heels,   Ikipping  and 
 dancing  at  the  mufic  of  a  Ball-room,  or  playing 
 even  a  firft:  Fiddle  at  a  concert.     And   was  the 
 voice  of  fpiritual  melody  more  frequently  heard  by 
 thofe  who  come  occafionally  to  vifit  our  Colleges, 
 it   might  be   as   much    to   the   honour    of  the 
 Univerfity,     as    the    more    common    and    too, 
 too  frequent  noife  of  Box  and  Dice,  at  the  un- 
 lawful games  of  Hazard  and  Back-gammon. 
 
 Popifli  countries,  PopIHi  feminaries,  think  it  no 
 Ihame,  no  difgrace  to  be  heard  finging  the  high 
 praifes  of  their  God  in  their  Convents,  their 
 Houfes,  or  even  in  their  Streets  •,  and  why  Protef- 
 tants  in  general,  and  Proteftant  Students  in  parti- 
 cular, fhould  be  any  morealhamed  of,  or  retrained 
 from  the  free  exercife  of  Ibch  ads  of  devotion, 
 either  in  fecret  or  in  private  focieties,  no  good 
 reafon  can  be  given  j  unlefs  it  be  proved  to  be 
 good  reafoning  to  afifert,  that  Proteftants  ought 
 to  be  lefs  devout  than  Papids.  We  muft  confcfs 
 that  Papifts,  though  they  take  this  liberty  of 
 finging  and  chanting  privately  and  publicly  tliem- 
 felves,  yet  deny  this  liberty  of  confcience  to  our 
 Proteftant  aflemblies,  thofe  attending  divine  wor- 
 ship at  our  Ambaflador's  chapels  not  excepted. 
 
 But 
 
[  h3 
 
 But  for.  Proteftants  to  difufe  it  themfelves,  and  at 
 the  fame  time  lay  as  it  were  a  fpiritual  embargo 
 upon  their  fellow  Proteftants,  nay  punifh  and 
 expel  them  for  fo  'doing,  is  very  unaccountable. 
 
 What  fpirit  tlicn  mud  thofe  be  of.  Reverend  Sir, 
 
 Vv'ho  have  Luely  joined  in  pronouncing  the  fentence 
 
 of  expulfion  againft  fix  religious  Students,  not  only 
 
 for  having  been  of  Trades,  and  praying  extempore, 
 
 but  for  reading,  and  finglng  Hymns  alfo?     His 
 
 Royal  Highnefs  the  late  Duke   of  Cumberland, 
 
 was  of  a  very  difft^rent  difpofition,  for  when  abroad 
 
 in  Germany,  in  cni  of  our  late  wars,'  (as  I  was 
 
 informed  by  "a  perfon  then  on  guard)  hearing  one 
 
 evening  as  he  was  paffing  by,  a  company  of  fol- 
 
 diers  finging  at  fome  little  diftance  in  a  cave,  he 
 
 afl^ed  the  centinel  what  noife  that  was  •,  and  being 
 
 anfwered  that  fome  devout  foldiers   were  finging 
 
 Hymns  ;  inftead  of  citing  them  to  appear  before 
 
 their    CHicers,    ordering     thpm.    to     the   whip-- 
 
 ping  poft,  or  commanding  them  to  be  drummed 
 
 out  of  the  regiment ;  afling  like  himfeif,  he  only 
 
 pleafingly  replied,  "Are  they  fo  ?  Let  them  go  on 
 
 then,  and  be  as.  merry  as  they  can."     In  this  he 
 
 aflcd  wifely  ;  for  he  knew,  and  found  by  repeated 
 
 experience^  as  did  other  commanding  officers,  that 
 
 finging,    nay,    and  praying  extempore   too,    in 
 
 thefe  private  focieties,  did  not  hinder,  but  rather 
 
 fitted  and  animated  thefe  devout  Soldiers  to  engage, 
 
 and  to  fight  their  Country's  battles  m   the  field. 
 
 And  it  may  be  prefun^ed,  that   if  thefe' Students 
 
 h^d  not  been  ej^pelled  fpr  .finginf^  Hymns,  and; 
 
 ^         •  pfaying 
 
praying  extempore,  t'ley  ccrrtaiiily  would  not  have 
 been  Ids,  but  in  all  probability  much  better  prepar- 
 ed for  handling  the  fword  of  the  Spirit,  the  Word  ot 
 God,  and  fighting  therewith,  eitnertrom  the  Prels 
 or  thePulpii,  the  bilttles  ot  tiicLoRO  of  hofts. 
 
 To  fee  or  hear  fuch  divine  exercifes  treated 
 with  reproach,  and  fpoken  of  with  contempt 
 by  common  and  open  blafphemers,  is  baJ, 
 but  that  any  who  came  on  purpofe  to  be 
 trained  up  for  the  facred,  work  of  the  Mlnlliry, 
 ihould  be  looked  on  as  criminal,  and  expelled  a 
 Univerfity  for  beiag  fometimes  employed  ,in 
 ihem,  is  too  fad  a  proof  not  only  that  **  our  gold 
 is    become   dim,     and    our    fine   gold  changed, 
 
 but  that  our  very  foundations  are  out  of  coui.ie." 
 
 ■  ■    •  ■  i   ^^ 
 
 What  then  muft  fhe  righteous  do  ? 
 
 -<jv.  What  indeed,  but  weep  and  lament.  And  weep 
 and  tameat  indeed  they  mull,  efpecjally  when,  they 
 hear  further,  thac  meeting  in  a  religious  fociety.,  giv- 
 ing a  word  of  exhortation,  or  expounding  and  com- 
 menting a  little  now  and  then  upc^n  fome  portion 
 of  fcripture,  are  not  the  leall  ot  thefe  accufations 
 for  which  fome  of  thefe  young  worthies  had  the 
 fentence  of  expulfion  pronounced  againltthern. . 
 
 It  is  recorded  in  the  Old  Teftament,  that  in  a 
 degenerate  age,  "  thofe  thac  feared  the  Lord 
 fpake  often  one  to  another  ;  that  the  Lord 
 hearkened  and  heard,  and  that  a  book  oi  remem- 
 brance was  written  before  hiin  for  thole  that  leared 
 the  Lord,  and  thought  on  his  name:  and  tTiev 
 fhall  be  mine  in  that  day,  faith  the  Lord,  whfn  I 
 
 make 
 
[  ^6  J 
 
 make  up  my  jewels  •,  and  I  will  fpare  them  as  a 
 man  fpareth  his  own  fon  that  ferveth  liim.'*  Thus 
 it  was  in  the  Old  Teftament  times.  Nor  are  fuch 
 meetings  mentioned  with  lefs  approbation  in  the 
 New  :  for  therein,  in  order  that  we  may  hold  the 
 profefTion  of  our  faith  without  wavering,  we  are 
 commanded  to  "  confider  one  another,  to  pro- 
 voke unto  love  and  to  good  works ;  not  forfaking 
 the  aflembling  ourfelves  together,  but  exhorting 
 one  another,  and  fo  much  the  more,  as  we  fee 
 the  day  approaching."  Nay,  one  immediate 
 confequence  of  that  grand  efRifion  of  the  Holy 
 Ghoft  on  the  day  of  Pentecofl,  we  are  told,  was 
 this,  namely,  that  '*they  who  gladly  received 
 the  word,  and  were  baptized,  continued  ftedfaft 
 in  the  Apoftles  dodrine,  in  fellowlhip,  in  break- 
 ing of  bread,  and  in  prayer."  This  is  a  fliorr, 
 but  withal  a  full  and  blefled  account  of  the  firft 
 truly  apoftolic  primitive  Church  ;  and  we  may 
 Venture  to  affirm,  that  as  we  are  more  or  lefs  par- 
 takers of  a  true  apoftolic  primitive  fpirit,  fuch 
 kind  of  religious  or  fellowftiip-meetings,  will  in 
 proportion  increafe  or  decreafe  among  us.  To 
 talk  therefore,  or  write,  or  preach  againft,  or 
 either  by  private  perfuafion  or  open  violence  to 
 oppofe  or  endeavour  to  fupprefs  or  difcountenance 
 fuch  kind  of  religious  focieties,  is  flying,  as  it 
 were,  in  the  very  face  of  the  fcriptures  of  truth, 
 and  of  the  Holy  Ghoft  himfelf. 
 
 In   all  our    charters  granted    by  the  crown, 
 wherein  authority  is  given  to  bodies  corporate  to 
 
 ena<5l 
 
[  17  ] 
 
 cna<5t  laws,  it  is  always  with  this  limitation, 
 namely,  that  no  laws  fhall  be  enadled  by 
 fuch  bodies  corporate  contrary  to  the  laws  of 
 the  realm.  And  as  the  Scriptures  are  our  grand 
 Codex  Legum  and  Magna  Charta^  in  refpejfl  to  our 
 religious  principles  and  practices,  what  affront 
 mull  we  put  upon  our  country  in  general,  and 
 the  Church  of  England  in  particular,  even  by 
 barely  imagining  that  any  law  now  exifts  that 
 prohibits  any  of  her  members  from  frequenting 
 fuch  focieties  as  have  the  'divine  authority 
 and  fuperfcription  fo  apparently  (lamped  upon 
 them  ? 
 
 The  private  meetings  that  are  in  any  wife  deem- 
 ed and  denounced  illegal,  are  fuch,  and  fuch  only, 
 as  are  feditious,  and  compofed  of  feditious  per- 
 fons,  who  affbciate,  indeed  under  a  pretence  of 
 Religion,  but  in  reality  to  plot  againft-  the  ftate. 
 The  fooner  any  that  can  be  convifted  of  this  are 
 made  to  forfike  the  'alTembling  themfelves  to- 
 gether, the  better:  and  though  compofed  of  a 
 threefold,  three  hundred  fold,  nay"  a  three  thou - 
 fand  fold  cord,  .no  matter  if,  like  the  cords  where- 
 with the  Philiflines  bound  Samfon,  they  were 
 immediately  broken.  But  as  nothing  of  this 
 nature  can  with  the  leafl:  fliadow  of  truth  be 
 objedled  againft  the  Meetings  and  Societies 
 frequented  by  thefe  Students,  but  quite  the 
 contrary  urged  in  their  favour,  if  Scripture  and 
 the  pra£lice  of  the  primitive  Chriftians  are  to  be 
 our  guides,  they  ought  not  only  to  be  permitted, 
 
 D  but 
 
[  IS  ]   , 
 
 but  countenanced  and  encouraged  by  every  true 
 lover  of  our  church  and  nation. 
 
 And  fuppofing  in  any  fuch  religious  foclety  one 
 of  them  fliould  venture  now  and  then  to  drop  a  word 
 of  Exhortation,  or  even  attempt  in  d  fmall  degree 
 to  open,  expound,  or  enlarge  upon  fome  practical 
 text  of  Scripture,  how  can  even  this  be  looked 
 upon  as  illegal,  much  lefs  fmful  or  worthy  o{ 
 expulfion,  when,  I  could  almoft  fay,  it  is  a 
 neceflary  preparation  for  the  future  fervice  of  the 
 fandluary  ?  To  be  apt  to  teach,  is  one  indif- 
 penfible  qualification  required  by  Scripture  either 
 in  a  Bifhop  or  Prefbyter.  But  how  can  this 
 aptnefs  or  an  habit  of  teaching  be  acquired  without 
 the  exercife  of  previous  adts  ?  Or  what  bufinefs 
 is  there  in  the  world,  even  from  the  Idweift 
 jpechanic,  to  the  higheft  profeffiorj  amongft  us, 
 (except  that  of  Divinity)  v/herein  Pupils,  Clerks, 
 nay  common  Apprentices,  are  not  by  previous 
 exercifes  trained  up  for  a  complete  proficiency  in 
 their  refpeclive  callings  and  occupations  I 
 
 Our  all- wife  Mafter,  we  know,  fent  his  Difciples 
 on  fhort  exeurfions,  before  He  gave  them  the  more 
 extenfive  commilTion  to  go  into  all  the  world  : 
 and  were  our  Students  in  general,  under  proper 
 limiations,  to  be  thus  exercifed  and  employed, 
 while  tbey  are  keeping  Terms  at  the  Univerfity, 
 or  among  their  poor  neighbours  in  the  country, 
 when  they  return  home  in  time  of  Vacation,  they 
 would  not  turn  out  fuch  mecr  novices,  or  make 
 
 fuch 
 
[  '9  ] 
 
 ioch  awkward  figures,  as  too  many  raw  creatures, 
 do  when  they  make  their  firft  appearance  in  the 
 pulpit.  I  remember,  above  thirty  years  ago, 
 after  fome  young  Students  had  been  vifiting  the 
 fick  and  imprifoned,  and  had  been  giving  a  v/ord 
 of  exhortation  in  a  private  houfe,  that  upon  meet- 
 ing the  Ordinary  and  Minifter  of  the  parifh  in 
 their  return  to  College,  they  frankly  told  him 
 what  they  had  been  doing  j  upon  which,  he 
 turned  to  them,  and  faid,  **  God  blefs  you :  I  wilh 
 we  had  more  fuch  young  curates.*'  A  milder,  and 
 therefore  a  more  chriftian  fentence  this,  than  that 
 of  a  late  expulfion  for  the  very  fame  fuppofed 
 crimes  and  mifdemeanors. 
 
 As  for  the  reports  of  thefe  young  Students 
 being  accufed  or  condemned  for  barely  being 
 acquainted  with,  or  occafional  vifitors  of  fome 
 of  the  mod  laborious  pains  -  taking  worthy 
 parifh-minifters  in  England,  it  is  almoft  al- 
 together incredible.  And  yet  the  (landers- by,  as 
 well  as  the  fuppofed  Culprits  themfelves,  as  we 
 are  informed,  aver  this  to  be  real  matter  of  fail ; 
 attended  with  this  melancholly  aggravation,  that 
 they  were  hiffed  at,  pufhtd  about,  and  treated  in 
 a  manner  that  the  vilelt  criminal  is  not  allowed  to 
 be  treated,  either  at  the  Old-Baily,  or  any  Court 
 of  juftice  in  the  kingdoni.  We  are  likewife  told, 
 that  a  copy  of  their  indiiflment  was  afl^ed  for,  but 
 denied  them.  And  not  only  fo,  but  that  one, 
 kom  whole  polite  behaviour  in  the  worldly  walk, 
 better  things  might  have  beep  expected,  was 
 D  2  heard 
 
[    2°    ] 
 
 heard  to  fay,  as  he  came  out  of  Chapel,  to  their 
 grand  Accufer,  after  fenrence  of  expulfion  was 
 pronounced,  that  he  would  have  the  thanks  of 
 the  whole  Univerfity  for  that  day's  work. 
 
 Pudet  h(Bc  opprohria  nobis 
 
 Et  did  potuijfe,  ei  nonpotuiffe  refelli. 
 
 What  thanks,  Reverend  Sir,  he  may  meet  with 
 from  the  whole  Univerfity,  I  know  not ;  but  one 
 thing  I  know,  namely,  that  he  will  receive  no 
 thanks  forthat  day's  work  from  the  "  innumerable 
 company  of  Angels,  the  general  aflembly  of  the 
 Firft-born,  which  are  written  in  Heaven,  or 
 from  God  the  judge  of  all,  in  that  day  when 
 Jesus,  the  Mediator  of  the  New  Covenant  Ihall 
 come  in  his  o-A'n  glory,  in  the  glory  of  the  Father, 
 and  his  holy  angels,  and  gather  in  his  ele6l  from 
 all  the  four  corners  of  the  world."     , 
 
 But,  Reverend  Sir,  may  we  not  prefume  to  hope 
 that  this  voluntary  fpcaker  for  the  whole  Univerfity, 
 whoever  he  be,  it  maketh  no  matter  to  me,  was 
 fomewhat  out  and  miftaken  in  his  calculation. 
 For  it  feems  not  above  three  or  four  Dodors,  if  fo 
 many,  were  prefent  at,  at  leaft  fat  as  judges  at 
 this  extraordinary  tribunal.  The  worthy  ProvofI: 
 of  Queen's,  (and  undoubtedly  many  other  worthy 
 Heads  of  Houfes,  were,  and  are  like  minded) 
 was  for  prefciibing  more  lenient  methods  :  and 
 all  are  glad  to  hear  that  thefe  young  Students  wor- 
 thy Principal,  who  muft   neccflarilybe  fuppofed 
 
 to 
 
[21    ] 
 
 to  be  the  beft  judge  of  their  principles,  pra^liccs, 
 and  qualifications,  boldly  flood  up  in  their  de- 
 fence, aflferted  their  innocence,  confronted  their 
 accufers,  and  brought  in  books  to  vindicate  both 
 their  principles  and  condu^'t.  But  how  this  wor- 
 thy Principal,  as  well  as  pupils,  were  treated, 
 is  beft  known  to  thofe  who  had  an  a6livc 
 hand  in  all. 
 
 However,  as  the  Holy  Ghoft  hath  left  it  upon 
 record,  to  the  honour  of  Nicodemus,  that  he 
 flood  up  in  defence  of  our  Lord  before  the  whole 
 Jewirti  Sanhedrim,  and  was  not  confenting  to  his 
 death,  fo  wherever  this  a6b  of  expulfion  is  recorded 
 (and  recorded  it  will  be,  even  to  lateft  poilerity) 
 it  will  be  mentioned  to  the  honour  of  Doflor 
 Dixon,  (and  for  a(5ting  thus  he  will  have  the 
 thanks  of  all  moderate,  ferious,  fober- minded 
 Chriftians  in  the  three  kingdoms)  that  he  had  no 
 hand  in,  but  did  all  he  pofllbly  could  to  prevent 
 thefe  young  mens  expulfion.  An  expulfion  for 
 Articles  of  Impeachment  to  which  indeed  the  ac- 
 cufed  pleaded  guilty  ;  but  for  Articles  which 
 (wherever  hereafter  they  may  be  called  to  minifter 
 in  holy  things)  will  be  their  beft  teftimonial  ; 
 and  their  expulfion  for  holding  and  conlefllng 
 thofe  Articles,  the  ftiongeft  letters  of  recom- 
 mendation. ■-'  ^ 
 
 How  thefe  young  worthies  are  now  to  be  dif- 
 pofed  of,  or  how  they  will  difpofe  of  themL'lves, 
 as  it  was  not  fo  much  as  hinted  :hat  they  had  the 
 
 left 
 
[22]^; 
 
 leaft  conneflion  with  me,  is  not  my  bufinefs-  tq 
 inquire.  But  furely  fuch  an  expulfion  as  this 
 cannot  deter  them  from  purluing  their  prepara- 
 tions for  their  minifterial  calling :  friends  they 
 cannot  want,  becaufe  *'  he  is  faithful  who  hath 
 promifed  that  whofoever  forfaketh  father  or 
 mother,  houfes  or  lands,  for  his  fake  or  the  gof- 
 pel's,  he  fliall  have  an  hundred  fold  in  this  life, 
 with  perfecution,  and  in  the  world  to  come 
 life  everlafting."  But  if  any  a6l  fo  daftardjy 
 as  to  make  unfcriptural  conceffions,  or  be  ter- 
 rified by  unfcriptural,  and  therefore  mere  bruta 
 fulminay  if  they  were  of  Trades  before,  the 
 iboner  they  return  again  to  their  trades  the 
 better :  for  it  is  to  be  feared  fuch  cowards  would 
 only  make  a  trade  of  the  Miniftry  if  they  were 
 admitted  into  the  Church,  and  the  fewer  of  fuch 
 kind  of  tradefmen  our  church  is  troubled  with, 
 the  fafer  ihe  will  be. 
 
 But  what  a  mercy  is  it.  Reverend  Sir,  that  we 
 Jive  under  a  free  Government,  under  a  King  whole 
 Royal  Grandfather  repeatedly  declared  (and  he  was 
 as  good  as  his  word  through  a  long  and  glorious 
 reign)  that  there  fhould  be  no  Perfecution  in  his 
 time  -,  and  under  a  King  who  in  his  iirft  moll 
 gracious  and  never-to  be-forgotten  Speech  from 
 the  throne,  gave  his  people  the  ftrongeft  afTuran- 
 ces  "that  it  was  his  fixt  purpofe,  as  the  beft  means 
 to  draw  down  the  divine  favour  on  his  reign,  to 
 countenance  and  encourage   the  practice  of  true 
 
 Rdigioq 
 
1 23 1 
 
 Religion  and  Virtue,  and  maintain  the  Toleration 
 inviolable.** 
 
 That  both  Students  and  common  People 
 vvill  be  in  danger  of  being  tempted  by  fuch 
 violent  proceedings  to  put  themfelves  under, 
 the  a6l  of  Toleranon,  may  eafily  be  forefcen : 
 and  it  may  as  eafily  be  guefled  how  fuch  treat- 
 ment will  neceffarily  difcourage  ferious  people 
 from  fending  their  fans  to  the  Univerfityi  at  lead 
 to  the  Univerfity  of  Oxford  j  and  at  the  fame 
 time  furnifli  them  with  a  new  argument  for  en* 
 tering  their  youth  in  fome  of  our  difTcnting 
 Academies,  where  they  vvill  be  in  no  danger,  it 
 is  prefumed,  of  being  expelled  for  finding 
 Hymns,  fpeaking  a  litde  now  and  then  in  a  re- 
 ligious Society,  or  ufing  extempore  Prayer. 
 
 Alas !  alas !  what  a  difadvantageous  point  of 
 light  mufh  all  concerned  in  fuch  an  extraordinary 
 ftretch  of  Univerfity-difcipline  ftand  in  among  all 
 foreign  Univerfities  whacfoever  ?  In  what  point 
 of  light  it  will  be  viewed  by  our  ecclefiafticgl 
 Superiors  at  home  a  very  little  time  will  diicover. 
 Nay,  it  is  to  be  feared,  the  difcovery  i*-.  made 
 already :  for  by  a  Letter  dated  fo  lately  as 
 March  29,  it  appears  that  a  certain  venerable 
 Society  *'  on  account  of  fome  circumftances  that 
 have  lately  happened  (probably  the  circumftances 
 of  a  late  expulfion)  are  under  a  necefiity  of  coming 
 to  a  refoluiion  to  accept  of  no  recommendation 
 for  perfons  to  go  abroad  as  MifTionaries,  but  fuch 
 
 as 
 
r  2+  ] 
 
 5ts  have  had  a  literary  Education,  and  have  been 
 bred  up  with  a  defign   to  dedicate  themfelves  to 
 the  Miniftry.*'     This  refolution  feems  to  be  taken 
 in  order  the  better  to  prevent  any  of  thele  caftouts 
 or  any  other    laymen,    however  otherwife   well 
 qualified    and   recommended,    from  applying   to 
 the  Society  for  Holy  Orders,  that  they  may  be  em- 
 ployed and  fent  abroad  as  MilTionaries.  But  to  what 
 a  fad  dilemma  will  many  ferious  perfons  be  hereby 
 reduced  ?     They  muft  not,   by  fuch  refolutions  it 
 feems,  be  allowed  to  be  Lay-Preachers,  and  yet 
 if  fent  by  their  friends  to  the  Univerfity  to  puriue 
 their  ftudies,  in  order  that  they  may   be  regularly 
 and  epifcopally  ordained,  if  they  fing   Hymns, 
 pray  extempore,  or   give  a  word  of  exhortation 
 in  a  religious  Society,  though  entirely    made  up 
 of  the  members  of  the  Eftabliflied  church,  they 
 mufc  be  ipfofaulo  expelled  for  fo  doing.     0  tem- 
 -gora !     O  mores !     If    matters  proceed    in    this 
 channel,  what  (lamp.  Reverend  Sir,  may  we  fup- 
 pofe  our  future  MifTionaries  to  the    Iflands  and 
 Continent  will  beef?     To  my  certain  knowledge 
 all  of  them  are  not  looked  upon  as  very  burning 
 and  (hining  lights  already. — But  if  what  little  light 
 of  true  Religion  fome  may  have,  is  to  be  thus 
 damped  by  adts  of  expulfion  before  they  leave  the 
 Univerfity,  and  even  this  little  light,  as  far  as  lies  in 
 the  power  of  man,  is  to  be  thus  turned  into  total 
 darkntTs,  how  great  muft  that  darknefs  be  !  Surely 
 it  muft  be  worfe  than  Egyptian  darknefs  •,  a  dark- 
 nefs that  will  be  moft  deplorably  felt  by  all  true 
 
 lovers 
 
[25.] 
 
 lovers  of  out  common  falvation  both  at  home  and 
 abroad. 
 
 You  need  not  be  apprized.  Reverend  Sir,  that 
 a  defign   for   the   eftablifhment    of    Epifcopacy 
 in  our   I  (lands   and   PUnrations,   hach    been  long 
 upon  the  tapis  \  and  that  it  hath  been,  in  part  at 
 lead,    the  fubjeft  of  annual  Sermons  for  feveral 
 years  laft  paft.     No  longer  ago  than  in  the  year 
 1766,  the  prefent  Sifliop  of  Land aff  infixed  upon 
 the  necefliry   and  expediency   of  it  in   the    mod 
 explicit  manner ;    nay,  his  Lordfnip  carries   the 
 matter  fo  far  as  to  afTure   us,    that  this   point, 
 namely,  the  eftablifhment   of  Epifcopacy,  being 
 obtained,  "  the  American  charch  will  go  out  of 
 its  infant  ft^ate  -,   be  able  to  ftand  upon    its  own 
 legs,  and  without  foreign  help  fupport  and  fpread 
 itfelf:  and  then,  adds  his  Lordihip,  this  fociety 
 will  have  been  brought  to  the  happy  ifTue  intend- 
 ed.*'    Whether   theie    aflertions  of  his   Lordfhip, 
 when  weighed  in   a  prop;'r  ballance,   will   not   in 
 fome  degree  be  found  wanting,  is  not  for  me  to 
 determine.     But  fuppofing  the  reafoning  to    be 
 juft,  and  his  Lordlliip's  afTertions   true,    then  1 
 fear   it   will  follow,  that  a  .Society,  which  fince 
 its  firft   inftitution    hath  been   looked  upon  as  a 
 Society  for  propagating  the  Gofpel,  hath  been  all. 
 the  while  rather  a  Society  for  propagating  Epif- 
 copacy  in   foreign  parts :    and  if    fo,  and  if  it 
 ever    (hould     appear     that    our    Right    Reve- 
 rend   Archbifliops   and   Bilhops  do  in   the    leaft 
 countenance  and  encourage   the  unfcriptural  pro- 
 E  ceedings 
 
[  26  ] 
 
 ceedlngs  at  Edmund  Hall,  how  muft  it  increafe 
 the  prejudices  of  our  Colonifts,  both  in  the  Iflands 
 and  on  the  Continent^  againft  the  eftablifhment 
 of  Epifcopacy  !  That  perfons  of  all  ranks,  from 
 Quebec  down  to  the  two  Floridas,  are  at  this 
 time  prejudiced,  and  more  than  prejudiced  againft 
 it,  is  very  notorious ;  but  how  will  the  very 
 thought  of  the  introduftion  of  Lords  Bilhops 
 even  make  them  fhudder,  if  their  Lordfliips 
 fhould  think  proper  to  countenance  the  expulfion 
 of  fuch  worthy  and  truly  religious  Students, 
 whilft  thofe  who  have  no  religion  at  all  perhaps, 
 rhay  not  only  meet  with  countenance,  but  appro- 
 bation and  applaufe  ? 
 
 '  Befides,  if  fuch  proceedings  fhould  be  con- 
 tinued, (which  God  forbid)  what  little  credit 
 may  we  fuppofe  will  hereafter  be  given  to  fu- 
 ture Univerfiiy-Teftimonials,  namely,  that  the 
 bearers  of  them  have  behaved  Iludioufly,  fo« 
 berly,  and  piously  j  and  how  muft  we  in  time 
 be  put  under  a  difagreeable  necefllty  of  having  a 
 new,  or  at  lead  altering  fome  part  of  our  prefent 
 mofl  excellent  Ordination  -  office  ?  As  it  now 
 ftands  one  of  the  Queftions  propofed  to  every 
 candidate  for  Holy  Orders  runs  thus  :  *<  Do  you 
 trufl:  that  you  are  inwardly  moved  by  the  Holy 
 Ghoft?'*  But  if  all  Students  are  to  be  expelled 
 that  fing  Hymns,  pray  extempore,  attend  upon, 
 or  expound  a  verfe  now  and  then  in  a  religious 
 cliurch  of  England  Society,  fhould  it  not  rather. 
 Reverend  Sir,  be   worded  thus,  namely,  "  Do 
 
 ye 
 
yt  trufl  that  ye  are  not  inwardly  moved  by  the 
 Holy  Ghoft  to  take  upon  you  the  office  and  ad* 
 miniftration  of  the  church  ?'* 
 
 You  will  excufe  this  freedom,  Reverend  Sir, 
 
 Agitur  de  vita  et  f anguine  turni. 
 
 > 
 Love  to  God,  love  to  mankind  in  general,  and 
 love  to  that  Univerfity,  that  alma  mater  where  I 
 had  the  honour  of  being  educated,  and,  what  is 
 infinitely  more,  where  1  had  the  happinefs  of 
 receiving  the^  Spirit  of  God  in  my  heart,  2\^  i^X^fJ. 
 together  conftrain  me.  \        ^ 
 
 The  news  of  thefe  young  mens  expulfion  hath 
 made,  and   will  make  the  ears  of  all  that   havt: 
 heard,  or  fhall  hear  of  it,  to  tingle  :  and  thet*e- 
 fore  if  Tome  do  not  fpeak,  and  ufe  great  plainnefs 
 of  fpeech  too,  the  very  (tones  would,  as  it  were, 
 cry  out  againft  us.— In  refpcft  to  myfelf.  Reve- 
 rend   Sir,    I    hope,    in   taking  the  freedom   erf 
 troubling  you  with  this,  I  do  not  juftly  incurr  the 
 cenfure  of  afling  as  a  bufy-body  in  other  mens 
 matters.    For,  whatever  other  pretences  may  bfe 
 made,  fuch  as  difqualification  in  refpedl  to  learnv 
 ing,  age,    being  of  trades,  &c.  &c.  &c.  [NugSe 
 trie ^ qii e  c den dt€)  it  is  notorious  and  obvious  to  all 
 intelligent  perfons,  that  the  grand  caufe  of  thefe 
 young   mens  expulfion    was   this,    namely,  that 
 they  were  either  real  or  reputed   Methodists. 
 An  honour  this  indeed  unwittingly  put  on  Metho- 
 ^  2  difts. 
 
[28] 
 
 difts,  whoever  or  whatever  they  be,  fince  fcarcc 
 any  now -a- days  can  pray  extempore,  fing 
 Hymns,  go  to  Church  or  Meeting,  and  abound 
 in  other  ads  of  Devotion,  but  they  muft  be  im- 
 mediately dubb'd  Methodills  —  I  fay,  dubb'd 
 Methodifts  ;  for  it  is  not  a  name  given  to  them 
 by  themfelves,  but  was  impofed  on  them  by  fome 
 of  their  fellow  Students  and  Cotemporaries  in  the 
 Univerfity. 
 
 1  take  it  for  granted,  Reverend  Sir,  that  you 
 need  not  be  apprized  that  I  am  one  of  thefe 
 Methodifts  -,  and  bleflcd  be  God  I  have  had  the 
 honour  of  being  one  of  thern  for  about  thirty-five 
 years.  If  this  is  to  be  vile,  may  I  be  more  vile'/ 
 If  this  be  my  fhame,  upon  the  moft  mature  and 
 ferious  refledion  I  really  glory  in  it.  But  then 
 left  any  more  innocent  Youths  fhould  hereafter 
 fufter  barely  for  the  imputation  of  a  nick  name, 
 give  me  leave  fimply  and  honeftly  to  inform  you. 
 Reverend  Sir,  and  through  you  the  whole  Uni- 
 verfity, what  not  barely  a  reputed,  but  a  real 
 Methodift  is :  "  He  is  one  of  thofe  whom  God 
 hath  chofen  in  Christ  out  of  mankind  to  bring 
 them  by  Christ  to  everlafting  falvation,  as 
 veffels  made  to  honour.  Wherefore  they,  which 
 be  endued  with  fo  excellent  a  benefit  of  God,  be 
 called  according  to  God's  purpofe  by  his  Spirit 
 working  in  due  fcafon  :  they,  through  grace, 
 obey  the  calling:  they  bejuftified  freely  :  they  be 
 made  the  fons  of  God  by  adoption  :  they  be 
 made  like  the  imige  of  his  only    begotten  fon 
 
 Jesus 
 
[29] 
 Jesus  Christ  :  they  walk  reiigioufly  in  good 
 works;  and  at  length,  by  God's  mercy,  they  at- 
 tain everlafting  felicity."  This  is  the  true  por- 
 traiture of  a  Methodift,  drawn  at  full  length, 
 drawn  to  the  very  life,  and  that  too  not  by  an 
 ignorant  modern  dauber,  but  by  thofe  good  old 
 fkilful  fcriptural  limners,  Cranmer,  Latimer, 
 Ridley,  in  the  xviith  Article  of  our  Churchy 
 an  Article  that  deferves  to  be  written  in  letters  of* 
 gold  i  and  yet,  for  holding  of  this  very  Article  iri 
 its  Jitteral  grammatical  fenfe,  agreeable  to  his 
 fubfcription  at  the  time  of  matriculation,  one  of 
 thefe  young  Students,  as  we  have  been  informed, 
 was  expelled.  If  our  information  be  wrong  in 
 this  or  any  other  refpeft,  the  nation  may  foon  be 
 fet  right  by  an  authentic  publication  of  the  whole 
 judicial  proceedings. 
 
 If    you    fhould    defire.    Reverend    Sir,    a 
 <lefinition  of  Meihodifm   irfelf,  as   well   as  of. a 
 
 Methodift,    you    may     eafily    be    gratified It 
 
 is  no  more  nor  lefs  than  Faith  working  by 
 love  —  A  holy  method  of  living  and  dying, 
 to  the  glory  of  God  —  It  is  an  univerla] 
 morality,  founded  upon  the  love  of  God  flieJ 
 abroad  in  the  heart  by  the  Holy  Ghoft :  or,  to 
 keep  to  the  exad  terms  made  ufe  of  in  the  laft 
 Colled  of  our  excellent  Liturgy,  it  is  the  grace 
 of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  love  of  God, 
 and  the  fellowfliip  of  the  Holy  Ghost  ;  which 
 we  cannot  go  to  church  or  chapel  on  Sunda\s, 
 Holidays,  or  other  common  days,  without  pray- 
 
[30] 
 ing,  not  that  it  may  be  driven  from,  but  he  mtb 
 us  all  evermore. 
 
 If    this    be    Enthufiafm,    the    true    Metho- 
 difts  confefs  themfelves  to  be  Enthufiafts.     But 
 then,  they  humbly  apprehend,   that  they  cannot 
 with    any    juft   propriety   of   fpeech   be  termed 
 modern  Enthufiafts  j    for   it    is    an  Enthufiafm 
 which  our  bleflcd  Lord,  in  that  prayer  which 
 he   put  up   when    He   was    about   to  take    his 
 farewel  of  his  Difciples,  and  which  is  a  pattern 
 of  that  all- prevailing    IntercefTion  which  He  is 
 now  making  at   the   right  hand   of  God,  moft 
 earneftly  infills  upon,  and  demands  that  all  his 
 difciples  may  be  poflefied  of:  ""  Father,  faid  he, 
 I  will  that  thofe  whom  thou  haft  given  me,  may 
 be  with  me  where  I  am  ;  that  they  may  be  one 
 --      with  me,  even  as  thou,  O  Father,  and  I  are  one  : 
 ^j         I  in  them,  and  they  in  me,  that  they  all  may  be 
 3         made  perfed:    in   one.'*      An   Enthufiafm   wick 
 which  Peter  and  John   were  fired,  when  Annas 
 the   high-prieft,  and   Caiaphas,    and  John,    and 
 Alexander,  and  as  many  as  were  of  the  kindred 
 of  the  high-prieft,  feeing  their  boldnefs,  and  per- 
 ceiving that  they  were  unlearned   and   ignorant 
 men,  marvelled,  and   took   knowledge  of  them 
 that  they  had  been  with  Jesus.     An  Enthufiafm 
 with  which  the  Proto-Martyr  Stephen  was  filled, 
 when  he  cried,  *'  Yc  ftifi^-necked  and  uncircum- 
 cifed   in  heart  and  ears,   ye  do  always   refift  the 
 Holy  Ghoft."     An  Enthufiafm   which  Ignatius, 
 fuppofed  by  fome  to  be  one  of  thofe  little  chil- 
 .. ,  •  dren 
 
[3'] 
 
 dren  which  the  Lord  Jesus  took  up  in  hi.s  arms, 
 was  abforbtd  in,  when  he  ftiles  himfelf  a  Bearer 
 of  God  -,  and  for  witnefTing  of  which  good  con- 
 fefllon,  in  order  to  cure  him  of  this  Enthufiafm, 
 was  ordered  by  Trajan,  the  Roman  Emperor,  to 
 be  thrown  to  the  Lions.  An  Enthufiafm  for 
 which  Cranmer,  Ridley,  and  Latimer,  thofe 
 glorious  lights  of  the  Reformation,  thofe  ex- 
 cellent compilers  of  our  Liturgy,  Articles, 
 and  Homilies,  were  burnt  alive  for,  near  Baliol 
 college.  And,  to  mention  but  one  more  too  too 
 recent  an  example,  an  Enthufiafm,  for  being  only 
 a  little  tindtured  with  which  Six  Students,  orr 
 March  iith,  in  the  Year  of  our  Lord  1768, 
 were  publicly  expelled  in  Edmund  Hall  chapel. 
 
 But  think  you,  Reverend  Sir,  that  this  is  the 
 way  to  ftop  the  progrefs  of  this  Enthufiafm  ?  Or 
 rather,  may  vve  not  imagine  that  this  very  aft  of 
 cxpulfion  will  be  a  means  of  furthering  and  pro- 
 moting its  progrefs  far  and  near  ?  To  fpeak  my 
 own  thoughts,  I  am  fully  perfuaded,  that  if  fuch 
 unfcriptural  methods  of  (lopping  this  Enthufiafm 
 be  purfued  further,  it  will  be  only  like  cutting  off 
 the  Lyrneanhead  j  inflead  of  one,  an  hundred  will 
 fpring  up. 
 
 Indeed,  if  the  Pidlure  of  modern  Enthufiaflis, 
 drawn  up  and  prefented  to  the  public  by  your 
 Right  Reverend  Diocefan,  be  a  juft  and  proper 
 one,  fuppofing  at  the  fame  time  the  Methodiits 
 
 are 
 
F   32  I 
 
 are  thereby  referred  to,  no  matter  how  foon  they 
 aje  banilhed  out  of  the  Univerfity,  and  out  of  the 
 Church  aho :  for   his  Lordfliip  is  pleafed  to  tell 
 us  '*  that  they  aft   in   dire(ft  oppofuion  to  the 
 perverfe   Pharifees  of    old  j    thefe   afcribed    the 
 works  of  the  Holy  Ghoft  to  Beelzebub  ;  and  it  is 
 no  uncomn^on  thing  for  thefe    modern  Enthu- 
 fiafts»  adds  his  Lordfhip,    to  afcribe  the  works  of 
 Beelzebub  to  the  Holy  Spirit."     Surely  his  Lord- 
 fhip, by  thefe  modern  Enthufiafts,  cannot  mean 
 any  who  apply  for  Holy  Orders,  and  profefs  be- 
 fore men   and    angels,  that  "  they  are   inwardly 
 moved  by  the  Holy  Ghoft,  to  take  upon  them  the 
 office  and  adminiftrarion  of  the  church  ♦,'*  when 
 the  fearcher  of  hearts  knows  that  they  are  moved 
 only  by  fecular  views  and   worldly  hopes  of  pre- 
 ferment ;  this    is    indeed   afcribing  the  works  of 
 Beelzebub  to  the  Spirit  of  God  with  a  witnefs : 
 or,  CO  ufe  the  words  of  a  no  lefs  learned,  though 
 lefs  cenforious   Prelate,    I    mean   the    moderate 
 Bifhop  Burnett,  "  it  is  a  committing  the  horrid 
 crime  of  Ananias   and  Saphira  over  again  j  it  is 
 lying,  not  only  unto  man,  but  unto  God." 
 
 This  is  a  modern  kind  of  Enthufiafm,  Reve- 
 rend Sir,  which  the  true  old  Mechodifts  always 
 did,  and  I  truft  always  will  abjure,  derefl:  and 
 abhor.  If  worldly  church  preferments  had  been 
 their  aim,  fome  of  them  at  leaft  mig^it  have  had 
 worldly  ladders  enough  let  down  to  them  to 
 climb  up  by :  but  having  received  a  kind  of 
 Apoftolical  commifTion  at  their  Ordination,  when 
 
 thofe 
 
[  33  1 
 
 thofe/who  profefs  themfelves  .lineal  fucceflbrs  of 
 the  Apoftles,  faid  unto  them,  *'  Receive  ye  the 
 Holy  Ghoft  now  committed  unto  you  by  the 
 impofition  of  our  hands :"  they  would  fain  keep 
 up  and  maintain  fomething  of  the  dignity  of  an 
 apoitolic  character ;  and  therefore  without  ever 
 fo  much  as  defigning  to  enter  into  any  political 
 cabals,  or  civil  or  church  factions  whatfoever, 
 without  turning  to  the  right  hand  or  the  left,  or 
 troubling  the  world  with  fo  much  as  one  fingle 
 fermon  or  pamphlet  on  the  bare  externals  of  Reli- 
 gion J  they  have  endeavoured  to  have  but  one 
 thing  in  view,  namely,  to  determine  to  think  of 
 nothing,  to  know  nothing,  and  to  preach  of 
 nothing  but  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified ; 
 to  fpend  and  be  fpent  for  the  good  of  fouls,  and 
 to  glory  in  nothing  fave  in  the  crofs  of  Christ, 
 by  whom  the  world  is  crucified  unto  them  and 
 they  unto  the  world. 
 
 It  is  true,  by  thinking  and  afling  thus,  the 
 Methodifts  have  been,  and  it  is  prefumed  always 
 will  be,  charged  and  condemned  by  men  of  cor- 
 rupt minds,  as  thinking  and  ading  irregularly 
 and  diforderly  :  But  as  fuch  a  charge,  in  the  very 
 nature  of  the  thing,  fuppofes  a  deviation  from 
 fome  fettled  (landing  rule,  they  would  humbly 
 afk  wherein  the  irregularity  and  diforderlinefs  cf 
 this  way  of  ading  and  thinking  dorh  fpecifically 
 confift  ?  Is  it  irregular  and  diforderly  to  be  in- 
 ftant  in  feafon  and  out  of  feafon  ?  Is  it  irregular 
 and  diforderly  to  do  what  every  Bifliop  at  the  very 
 
 F  time 
 
[  34  ] 
 
 time  of  our  being  ordained  Piiefts  pofitively  tells 
 us  percaineth  to  thdr  office,  namely,  "  to  feek 
 after  the  children  of  God,  fcattered  abroad  in  this 
 naughty  world  ?"  Is  it  irregular  and  diforderly 
 after  we  have  eftabliflied  the  truth  of  what  we 
 deliver  in  our  fermons  by  fcripture  proofs,  fur- 
 ther to  confirm  and  illuftrate  them  by  repeated 
 and  particular  quotations,  taken  from  the  Litur- 
 gyj  Articles,  and  Homilies  of  our  Eftablifhed 
 Church  ?  Is  it  irregular  and  diforderly  to  fill  her 
 Pews,  to  crowd  her  Communion  Tables,  and  to 
 recommend  a  frequent  and  conftant  devout  at- 
 tendance upon  her  public  Offices  and  Services  ? 
 Or,  fuppofing  they  fhould,  merely  by  caprice  ot 
 prejudice,  be  denied  the  privilege  of  preaching 
 within  the  Church,  can  it  bejuftly  termed  irre- 
 gular or  diforderly,  at  leaft  can  it  poffibly  be 
 looked  upon  as  criminal,  to  preach  the  fame 
 truths,  to  make  ufe  of  the  fame  kind  of  illuftra- 
 tions,  to  repeat  the  felf-lame  recommendations 
 •without'  the  churcli  walls,  in  the  fields,  or  any 
 other  place  whatfoever  ? 
 
 The  late  candid  Bifhop  of  Lincoln,  I  am  pofi- 
 tive,  did  not  think  fuch  a  way  of  a6ting  alto- 
 gether fo  very  criminal :  for  in  a  charge  given  to 
 his  Clergy  fome  years  before  his  tranflation  to  the 
 See  of  Salifbury,  he  told  them  to  this  effefl, 
 *'  that  they  were  not  to  look  upon  themfelves 
 as  Minifters  of  a  Plato,  a  Pythagoras,  or  any 
 other  Heathen  Philofopher,  conlequently  they 
 were  not  to  entertain  their  auditories  with  mere 
 
 moral 
 
[35  ] 
 
 moral  harangues  •,  but  that  they  were  to  confider 
 themfelves  as  Miniftcrs  of  Jesus  Christ  ;  and 
 therefore  if  they  would  not  preach  the  gofpel  in 
 the  Church,  they  could  not  be  juftly  angry  if 
 the  poor  people  went  out  to  hear  it  in  a  field.'* 
 A  charge  this  truly  worthy  of  a  fober- minded, 
 moderate,  wife  Bifliop  of  the  church  of  England. 
 For  even  in  ading  feemingly  thus  irregularly  and 
 diforderly,  thefe  modern  Enthufiafts  only  copy 
 after  the  greateft  and  brighteft  examples  the 
 world  ever  faw,  and  whofe  examples  it  is  mor^ 
 than  criminal  not  to  follow  or  copy  after.  Our 
 bleiTed  Lord,  when  denied  the  ufe  of  the,  Syna? 
 gogues,  feeing  the  multitude,  went  up  and  chofe 
 a  mountain  for  his  pulpit,  and  the  heavens  for  his 
 foundifig  board.  At  other  times  he  fat  by  the 
 fea-fide,  nay,  went  into  a  fhip  and  preached, 
 whilft  the  whole  multitude  flood  on  the  fhore. 
 "When  Peter  and  John,  that  this  kind  of  En- 
 thufiafm  might  fpread  no  further  among  the 
 people,  were  ftraitly  threatened  and  commanded 
 that  they  (hould  thenceforth  fpeak  at  all  to  no 
 man  in  Christ's  name,  they  calmly  yet  boldly 
 replied  unto  their  threateners  and  commanders, 
 "  Whether  it  be  right  in  the  fight  of  God,  to 
 hearken  unto  you,  more  than  unto  God,  judge 
 ye :  For  we  cannot  but  fpeak  the  things  which 
 we  have  feen  and  heard."  A  certain  woman, 
 named  Lydia,  a  feller  of  purple,  had  her  heart 
 opened  when  the  great  Apoftle  of  the.  GeAtiles 
 was  preaching  and  praying  by  a  river-fide  ;  and 
 F  2  Dionyfius 
 
[  36  ] 
 
 Dionyfius  the  Areopagite,  a  woman  named  Dama- 
 ris,  and  others,  believed,  and  clave  unto  the 
 lame  Apoftle,  from  the  time  they  heard  him 
 preach  in  the  midft  of  Areopagus,  or  Mars  hill. 
 And  we  may  fuppofe  he  was  not  lefs  fuccefsful 
 when  he  was  obliged  by  the  angry  Jews  to  preach 
 in  the  fchool  of  one  Tyrannusi 
 
 I  believe  you  will  agree,  Reverend  Sir,  that 
 the  venerable  Fox  and  Bradford  did  not  appear 
 lefs  venerable  for  preaching  at  Paul's  crofs  ; 
 neither  did  I  ever  hear  that  Bifiiop  Latimer  was 
 looked  upon  as  degrading  his  epifcopal  characicrr, 
 when  he  ufed  to  preach  out  in  Gotten  Garden 
 Weftminfter,  and  King  Edward  the  fixth,  that 
 Jofiah  of  his  age,  with  fome  of  his  court,  kan- 
 ins:  on  velvet  cufliions^  looked  out  at  the  palace 
 \>-indow  to  hear  him.  And  I  hereby  appeal  to  the 
 whole  Univerfity,  whether  the  Reverend  Dodors 
 of  Divinity,  Heads  of  Houfcs,  Graduates  or 
 Under-Graduates,  ever  looked  upon  it  as  crimi- 
 nal, or  beneath  the  dignity  of  their  place  and 
 ftation,  to  fit  out  in  the  open  air  on  St  John 
 Bapti(t*s  day,  to  hear  a  Mafler  of  Arts  preach 
 from  the  fione  pulpit  in  Maudlin  College  yard  ; 
 though  for  fear  it  may  be  they  fhould  give  fur- 
 ther fandion  to  field-preaching,  they  have  lately 
 thought  proper  to  adjourn  into  the  Chapel  .'* 
 
 You  know.  Reverend  Sir,  who  it  was  thar, 
 when  thofe  who  were  bidden  in  a  regular  way 
 refufed  to  come  to  the  wedding-fupper,  without 
 
 afl<ing 
 
[37  ] 
 
 afking  any  one's  leave  for  fo  doing,  fent  forth 
 ibme  irregulars  into  the  lanes  and  Itreets  of  the 
 city,  into  the  highways  and  hedges,  with  thac 
 glorious  encouraging  com miflion,  not  by  fines  and 
 imprironments,  not  by  threats  and  expulfions,  not 
 by  killing  the  body  for  the  good  of  the  foul,  but 
 by  filling  rheir  mouths  with  Gofpel  arguments^, 
 backeci  with  the  all-powerful  energy  of  the  Holy 
 Ghoft,  to  crrnpel  poor,  wandering,  weary,  heavy- 
 laden  finners  to  come  in.  Armed  with  this  panoply 
 divine,  and,  as  they  think,  authorifed  by  the 
 fame  Loud,  fome  few  of  us  continue  to  this  day, 
 amongd  fmall  and  great,  high  and  low,  rich  and 
 poor,  in  Church  or  Chapel,  in  commons,  ftreets, 
 fields,  whenfoever  or  wherefoever  divine  Provi- 
 dence opens  a  door,  to  teftify  repentance  towards 
 God  and  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  :  and 
 this  not  out  of  contempt  of,  or  in  oppofition  to 
 the  godly  admonitions  of  our  ecclefiaftical  fuperi- 
 ors,  but  becaufe  "the  love  of  Christ  conftraineth 
 us,"  and  we  tliink  that  a  wo,  a  dreadful  wo, 
 awaits  us  if  we  preach  not  the  Gofpel.  Not  that 
 we  are  enemies  to  a  decent  or  even  epifcopal  con- 
 fecration,  or  fetting  apart  Churches  and  Chapels 
 for  divine  and  holy  worfhip  :  but  we  are  more  in- 
 different about  the  reputed  outward  fanftity  of 
 places,  becaufe  our  Lord,  with  great  folemnity, 
 faid  unto  the  woman  of  Samaria,  *'  Woman,  be- 
 lieve me,  the  hour  cometh  when  ye  fliall  neither 
 in  this  mountain,  nor  yet  at  Jerufalem,  worfhip 
 the  Father ;  but  the  hour  cometh,  and  now  is, 
 
 when 
 
vfhen  the  true  worHiippers  lliall  worHjip  the 
 Father  in  Spirit  and  in  Truth.  Hence  we  infer, 
 that  every  place  is  then,  and  only  then,  properly 
 called  holy  when,  like  the  ground  around  the 
 burning  bufli,  it  is  made  holy  by  the  divine  pre- 
 fence  of  Him  who  fpake  to  Mofes  out  of  the 
 bufli ;  or  like  mount  Tabor,  which  by  the 
 Apoftle  Peter  is  called  by  way  of  emphafis,  the 
 Holy  Mount,  becaufe  himfelf  and  James  and 
 John,  not  only  had  upon  that  mount  a  vifible 
 outward  manifeftation,  but  alfo  a  blefled  inward 
 heart-felt  fenfe  of  the  Redeemer's  excellent  glory. 
 It  was  undoubtedly  this  that  made  Peter  break  out 
 into  that  exclamation  :  "  Mafter,  it  is  good  for 
 us  to  be  here."  And  it  was  this  that  warmed, 
 and  not  only  warmed,  but  conftrained  the  enrap- 
 tured Patriarch  Jacob,  when  he  had  only  the 
 ground  for  his  bed,  the.  ftones  for  his  pillow,  and 
 the  open  firmament  for  his  curtains  and  furniture, 
 to  break  forth  into  that  extatic  language,  "  How 
 dreadful  is  this  place  !  this  is  no  other  than  the 
 houfe  of  God  ;  this  is  the  gate  of  heaven." 
 
 ^,  If  then,  Reverend  Sir,  for  this  and  fuch  like 
 things  we  are  accounted  irregular  and  difordtrly, 
 we  are  truly  forry  for  it :— Sorry,  but  not  upon 
 our  own  accounts,  having  the  teftimony  of  a  good 
 confcience  that  we  ad:  with  a  fingle  eye,  and  in 
 dire6t  conformity  to  the  authority  of  the  v.'ord  of 
 God  :  but  we  are  forry  barelj/^  on  account  of 
 our  inipeachers  and  condemnors,  efpecialiy  thofc 
 whQ  being  fet  apart  for  the  minifterial  Ofiice,  and 
 
 loaded 
 
t  39  ] 
 
 loaded  with  ecclefiaftical  preferments,  preach  very 
 feldom,  or  not  at  all  ;  or,  if  they  do  preach  now 
 and  then,  preach  only  as  though  they  were  barely 
 reading  wall-leftures,  and  fekiom  or  ever  fo  much 
 as  mention  or  quote  the  Homilies  of  our  Church, 
 though  they  have  fubfcribed  to  an  Article  which 
 fays,  that  "  they  contain  a  godly  and  wholefom 
 dodrine,  and  which  judges  them  to  be  read  in 
 Churches  by  the  minifters  diligencly  and  diftinft- 
 ly,  that  they  may  be  undcrllood  of  the  people.*^ 
 It  is  to  b'  feared,  that  it  is  owing  to  fuch  irregu- 
 larity and  diforder  as  this,  that  when  our  people 
 hear  of  our  Articles  or  Homilies  quoted  by  fome 
 few  \n  the  pulpit,  that  they  are  ready  to  cry  our, 
 '*  Wiiat  new  dodrine  is  this  ?  Thou  bringell 
 certain  flrange  things  to  our  ears :"  At  leall:  if 
 it  is  not  fo  at  home,  I  am  fure  it  is  fo  abroad. 
 Hence  it  was  that  about  three  years  ago,  after  t 
 had  been  preaching  to  a  very  large  audieory  in 
 one  of  the  moft  polite  places  on  the  Continent  of 
 America,  and  in  preaching,  as  is  rriy  ufual  cuf- 
 tom,  had  flrongly  been  recommending  the  book 
 of  HomiHes,  numibers  were  ftirred  up  to  go  to 
 ihe  floTds  to  purchafe  them  :  But  upon  inquiring 
 &fter  the  book  of  Homilies,  the  Storekeeper, 
 furprized  at  the  novelty  of  the  word  Homilies, 
 begged  luMve  to  know  what  Muflins  ihey  meant, 
 and  whether  they  were  not  £Iumm;ms. 
 
 V/hat  a  pity  thert^fore  is  ir.  Reverend  Sir, 
 that  the  book  ofHoniilies,'  which  ought  to  be  in 
 every    hand,    and  as  common  as  our  Common 
 
 Prayer 
 
[40  ] 
 Prayer  Books,  fhould  never  yet  have  found  a 
 place  in  the  large  catalogue  of  books  given  away 
 by  the  truly  laudable  Society  for  promoting  Chrif- 
 tian  Knowledge,  though  founded  foon  after  the 
 glorious  Revolution.  If  this  be  not  remedied 
 fome  way  or  another,  we  Ihall  very  foon  become 
 diforderly  indeed  :  our  Pulpits  wjllftill  continue 
 to  contradict  our  Reading-delks,  and  we  fhall 
 never  have  the  honour  of  being  ftiled  regular  and 
 orderly,  till,  regardlefs  of  Subfcriptions,  Oaths, 
 Rubrics,  and  Ordination-Offices  themfelves,  our 
 praflices  give  the  lie  to  our  profeflions,  and  we 
 feek  the  fleece  and  not  the  flock,  and  "  preach 
 ourfelves,  and  not  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord," 
 
 Dead  Formalifts,  and  proud  felf-righteous 
 Bigots,  may  loudly  exclaim  and  cry  out,  "  the 
 temple  of  the  Lord,  the  temple  of  the  Lord, 
 the  temple  of  the  Lord  are  we!"  They  may  not 
 only  cry  out,  but  alfo  cafl:  out ;  and  thinking  they 
 thereby  do  God  fervice,  though  moft  notorioufly 
 deficient  in  their  own  moral  condud,  may  plead 
 confcience,  and  fay,  "  Let  the  Lord  be  glori- 
 fied." But  to  fuch  as  thefe  our  Lord  once  faid, 
 *'  Ye  are  they  that  jufl:ify  yourfelves  before  men, 
 but  God  knoweth  your  hearts."  Like  the  chief 
 Priefts,  the  Scribes  and  Pharifees  of  old  they  may 
 plead  their  Law,  for  the  breach  of  which  thefe 
 irregulars,  as  they  imagine,  ought  to  be  con- 
 demned and  fuffer;  nay,  time  may  come  when 
 they  may  be  permitted  to  enforce  their  clamorous 
 accufations  by  urging,  as  their  godly  predeceflbrs 
 
 once 
 
[41  ] 
 
 once  did.  againft  our  Mafter,.  that  "  we  found 
 thefe  fellows  perverting  rhe  nation,  and  forbid- 
 dincy  to  give  tribute  unto  Caefar  :  but  Pilate  knew 
 that  for  envy  they  delivered  Him.'*  And  though 
 they  could  plead  their  Loyalty,  and  fay,  "  If 
 thou  let  this  man  go  thou  art  not  Casfar's  friend, 
 we  have  no  king  but  Csefar ;"  yet  both  our 
 Lord  and  his  Apoftles  rendered  themfelves,  and 
 (Iridlly  taught  all  that  heard  them,  to  *'  render 
 unto  Ctefar  the  things  that  are  Casfar's,  and  unto 
 God  the  things  that  are  Goo'a."  Fain  would 
 the  Methodifts  copy  after  fuch  glorioufly  divine 
 examples :  and,  blelT^d  be  God,  after  a  trial  of 
 near  forty  years,  upon  the  moft  fevere  fcrutiny, 
 their  loyalty  cannot  be  juRly  {o  much  as  once 
 called  in  queftion  :  For,  as  they  fear  God,  fo  they 
 dearly  love  and  honour  their  King,  their  rightful 
 Sovereign  King  George-,  and  have  been,  and 
 continue  to  be,  fteady  invariable  friends  to 
 .the.  Prorefbanc  fucceffion  in  the  iliuftrious 
 Houfe  of  Hanover.  And  if  fo,  fuppofing 
 thefe  Methodifts  fhould  be  convidted  of  ading 
 fomevvhat  irregular,  fince  it  is  only  the  irregularity 
 of  preaching  and  recommending  unfeigned  Love 
 to  God,  and,  for  his  great  name  fake,  undif- 
 fembled,  difinterefted  Loyalty  to  their  King  ;  is 
 it  not  the  intereft  as  well  as  duty  of  civil  govern- 
 ment, if  not  to  encourage,  yet  not  to  oppofe  them  ? 
 For  it  is  certainly  a  moft  inconteftable  trurh,  that 
 every  additional  profelyte  to  true  Mechodilm,  is 
 an  additional  loyal  fubje(n:  to  King  George  the 
 '  G  Third, 
 
Third,  whoirii  with  his  Royal  mod  amiable  Cori- 
 fort,  our  gracious  Queen  Charlotte,  the 
 Methodifts  with  one  united  voice  earneftly  pray 
 God  long  to  continue  to  be  a  nurfjng  Father  and 
 
 '  nurfing  Mother  to  our  Church  and  People  of  every 
 
 'denomination  whatfoever. 
 
 Every  body  is  loudly  complaining  of  the  bad- 
 nefs  of  our  Times,  and  the  degeneracy  of  our 
 Morals.  Sinners  now  proclaim  their  fin  like 
 Sodom,  and  the  nation  hath  fuffered  more  than  a 
 fecond  deluge  by  an  inundation  of  every  fin,  and 
 every  kind  of  corruption  that  was  ever  committed 
 
 '  or  pradtifed  under  Heaven  :  "  The  whole  head 
 is  fick,  the  whole  heart  faint ;  from  the  crown  of 
 the  head  to  the  fole  of  our  feet,  we  are  full  of 
 wounds  and  bruifes,  and  putfifying  fores."  Shall 
 there  no  man  be  found  then  to  ftand  in  the  gap  ? 
 None  dare  to  attempt  at  leaft  to  ftem  the  impetu- 
 ous torrent  ?     None  venture  to  go  out  with  their 
 
 *  lives  in  their  hand,  and  cry  to  a  profane,  carelefs, 
 
 '  bufy  world,  "  Oh  I  every  one  that  thirtieth, 
 come  ye  to  the  waters  ?"  Can  any  confiderate, 
 much  more  any  real  good  man,  be  fo  cruel,  as 
 even  to  wifh  that  the  Gofpel  fhould  be  confined 
 either  to  Church  or  Meeting,  when  there  are  fo 
 many  thoufands  and  tens  of  thoufands  who,  as  to 
 fpiritual  things,  know  hot  their  right  hand  from 
 their  left,  and  who  never  go  either  to  Church  or 
 
 ,  Meeting  at  all  ?  If  fome  are  called  to  be  fettled 
 Minifters  (and  may  the  great  Head  of  the  Church 
 fill  all  our  Parifli- Churches  and  Meeting-Houfcs 
 
143  ] 
 
 vffith  true  evangelical  Paltors !)  may  not  others  be 
 called  out   to   be    Itinerants  ?    Have   there  not 
 been  Prefbyters  at   large,  even  from  the  earlieft 
 times  of  Chriftianity  ?    And  if  fome   of  a  more 
 inferior  rank  and  order  fhould  be  qualified,  and 
 thruft  forth  by  the  great  Lord  of  the  harveft, 
 when  the  harveft  is  fo  great,  and  the  labourers  fo 
 few,  who  fhall  dare  to  fay  to  Him,  "  What  doft 
 thou  ?**     Shall  our.  eye   be  evil  becaufe  He  is 
 good  ?     If  Ifaiah  was  a   Courtier,  was  not  the 
 Prophet   Amos  a  Herdfman  ?     In   the  days   of 
 Mofes,  when  the  Ifraeiites  were  under  ajiiore  itn- 
 mediate  divine  theocracy,  news  was  brought  him, 
 and  that  too  even  by  a  Jofhua,  that  Eidad  and 
 Medad  were  prophefying  in   the  camp,  without 
 his  Licence  or   his   Ordination ;  what  doth  this 
 meek  man   of  God   fay  ?     *'  Envieft  thou   for 
 my  fake  ?     Would  to  Goo  all  the  Lord's  people 
 were  prophets."     And  in  the  days  of  our  Lord 
 himfelf,  when  He  was  perfonally  prefent,  his  be- 
 loved difciple  John,  before  his  heart  was   more 
 enlarged  by  divine  love,  faid  unto  him,  "  Mafter, 
 we  faw  one  cafting  out  devils  in  thy  name,  and 
 he  followeth   not  with  us,  and  we  forbad  him, 
 becaufe  he  followeth  not  with  us."     But  what 
 faid  Jesus,  that  good  Shepherd   and  Bifhop   of 
 Souls?  "Forbid  him  not." 
 
 Such  inftances,  fuch  ftriking  inftances  as 
 thefr,  methinks,  fhould  make  even  good  men 
 careful  not  to  give  way  to  a  narrow,  felfifh,  bigot- 
 ed fpiiit  i  and  caution   them  againft  joining  with 
 
 c  2  the 
 
L  44  J 
 
 the  world  in  fmiting   their  Fellow-fervants,   by 
 crying  down  or  fpeaking  flightingly  and  reproach- 
 fully of  a  method  of  preaching  and  ading,  which, 
 maugre  all  oppofition,  for  thef^  thirty   years  laft 
 pad  hath  been  bieflfed  and  o-wned  of  God  to  the 
 converting   of  thoufands  ;  not  to  a  bare  name, 
 fe(5t  or   party,    or   merely    to    head  or  notional 
 knowledge,    but    "  from   darknefs    unto    light, 
 from  the  power   of    Satan  unto    God  \*    from 
 holding  the    mere    form,    to    the    true   abiding 
 pofTefTion   and  pradice   of  true  fcriptural  godli- 
 nefs,    in  heart,    lip,    and  life.     But  if  good  or 
 bad  men  now  diilike,  and  therefore  oppofe  fuch 
 an   irregular   way   of  ading,   they    may  be  told 
 to  their  comfort,    that  their  uneafinefs    on    this 
 account,  in   all  probability,  will  not  be  of  long 
 continuance  ;    for  few.  will   choofe    to  ^id^    or 
 offer   themfelves  candidates   for    fuch   airy   plu- 
 ralities: to  go  thus   without  the  camp,  bear- 
 ing all  manner  of  reproach  ;  to  become  in  this 
 manner,    "  Spedacles   to   God,    to   angels,  and 
 to    men-,'*  to    facrifice    not    only    our    natural, 
 but  fpiritual  afF.'dions  and  connedions,    and  to 
 part  from  thofe   who  are   as  dear    to    them  as 
 their  own  fouls,    in  order  to  pafs    the   Atlantic, 
 and  bear  the  colds  and  heats  of  foreign  climes  ; 
 thefe  are  fuch  uninviting  things   to  corrupt  na- 
 ture, that  if  we  will  have  but  a  little  patience  till 
 a  few  old    weary    heads   are   laid   in    the    filent 
 grave,  thefe    uncommon   gofpel  -  meteors,    thefe 
 field  -  phaenomena^,    that   feldom  appear  in   the 
 
 latitude 
 
t4Sl 
 
 -latitude  of  England,  fcarce  above  once  in  a 
 oer.tury,  without  the  help  of  any  coercive 
 mt^ans,  \vill  of  themfelves  foon  difappear.  They 
 begin  to  be  pretty  well  in  difrepute  already: 
 Yet  a  little  while,  and  in  all  human  probability 
 they  will  quite  vanifli  away.  But  though  1 
 am  neither  a  Prophet,  nor  the  fon  of  a  Pro- 
 phet, I  am  greatly  miftaken  if,  in  the  Redeem- 
 er's own  good  time  and  v^ay,  fome  fpiritual 
 phoenix  will  not  hereafter  arife,  fome  blefled  gof- 
 pel  inflrument  be  raifed,  that  fliall  make  the  devil 
 and  his  threefold  army,  '*  The  luft  of  the  Flefh, 
 the  luft  of  the  Eye,  and  the  pride  of  Life," 
 to  fly  before  the  found  of  the  gcfpel  trumpet. 
 
 I  have  dwelt  the  longer  upon  this  particu- 
 lar, Reverend  Sir,  becaufe  the  prefent  learned 
 Bifliop  of  Gloucefter,  in  his  late  volumes,  in- 
 titled,  The  Doctrines  of  Grace,  is  pleafed  to 
 obferve,  more  than  once,  that  he  finds  fault 
 not  {^o  much  with  the  matter,  as  the  manner 
 of  the  Methodifts  preaching.  But  if  by  the 
 manner,  his  Lordfhip  would  have  us  to  under- 
 ftand,  not  their  manner  of  preaching  in  the 
 field,  but  the  manner  of  their  delivery,  whether 
 in  the  church  or  field,  I  would  humbly  afk 
 his  Lordfliip,  if  he  ever  heard  any  of  them 
 preach  .''  If  not,  doth  our  law  condemn  any 
 man,  or  any  fet  of  men,  unheard  ^  And  I 
 would  humbly  inquire  further  of  his  Lordfliip, 
 and  all  others  whom  it  may  concern,  how  they 
 would  have  them  or  any  others  preach  ? 
 
 Ire- 
 
[46] 
 
 I  remember  the  great  Do<5lor  Delauny,  when 
 r  had  the  honour  of  being  with  him,  many 
 years  ago,  at  the  Right  Reverend  Dodor  Boul- 
 ter's, then  Lord  Primate  of  Ireland,  among 
 other  hints,  proper  for  a  young  Preacher,  gave 
 me  to  underlland,  that  whenever  he  went  up 
 into  a  pulpit,  he  defired  to  look  upon  it  as 
 the  laft  time  he  fhould  ever  preach,  or  the 
 lafi:  time  that  the  people  fhould  ever  hear 
 him.  Qthat  all  Preachers,  whether  within  or 
 withouc  doors,  however  dignified  or  diftinguifh- 
 ed,  went  chvays  up  into  their  refpedtive  pulpits 
 thus  imprelTed!  They  would  then  preach  as 
 Apelles  once  faid  he  painted,  namely,  for  Eter- 
 nity :  They  would  then  aft  the  part  of  true 
 gofpel  Chriftian  Orators,  and  not  only  calmly 
 and  cooly  inform  the  underftanding,  but  by 
 perfuafive  pathetic  addrefs  endeavour  to  move 
 the  afFeftions,  and  warm  the  heart.  To  aft: 
 otherwife  befpeaks  a  fad  ignorance  of  human 
 nature,  and  fuch  an  inexcufable  indolence  and 
 indifference  in  the  preacher,  as  muft  conftrain 
 the  hearers,  whether  they  will  or  not,  to  fuf- 
 peft  that  the  Preacher,  let  him  be  who  he 
 will,  only  deals  in  the  falfe  commerce  of  un- 
 feit  truths. 
 
 Were  our  Lawyers,  our  Counfellors,  or  our 
 players  to  aft  thus,  both  the  Bar  and  the  Stage 
 would  foon  be  deferted  ;  and  therefore  that  an- 
 fwer  pf.iyir  Bettertonj,  to  a  worthy  prelate,  when 
 .-.:  :  he 
 
[47] 
 
 he  aHced  him  "  how  it  carfte  to  pafs  that  the 
 Clergy,  who  fpoke  of  things  real,  afFecfled  the 
 people  fo  little,  and  the  Players,  who  fpoke  of 
 things  barely  imaginary,  affeded  them  fo  much,** 
 is  worthy  of  lading  regard.  "  My  Lord, 
 fays  Mr  Betterton,  I  can  aflign  but  one  realbn, 
 'which  is.  We  Players  fpeak  of  things  imaginary 
 as  though  they  were  real,  and  too  many  of  the 
 Clergy  fpeak  of  things  real  as  though  they  were 
 imaginary.'*  Thus  it  was  in  his,  and  all  know  it 
 is  too  much  the  cafe  in  our  time.  Hence  it  is, 
 that  even  on  our  moft  important  occafions,  the 
 worthy  gentlemen  concerned  in  our  public 
 Charities,  generally  find  themfelves  more  obliged 
 to  the  Muficians  than  the  Preachers,  for  the 
 largenefs  of  their  colleflions :  and  hence,  rio 
 doubt  it  is,  that  upon  our  moft  folemn  Anni- 
 verfaries,  after  long  previous  notice  hath  been 
 given,  when  feme  even  of  our  Lords  Spiritual 
 preach  themfelves,  perhaps  not  two  Lords  tem- 
 poral come  to  hear  them. 
 
 Sorry  am  I  therefore.  Reverend  Sir,  to  in- 
 form you,  that  a  celebrated  Orator,  in  one  of  his 
 Leflures  delivered,  if  I  am  not  miftaken,  ifj  the 
 Univerfity  of  Oxford,  takes  the  liberty  of  fay- 
 ing, "  That  it  is  to  be  feared  this  is  too  much 
 the  ftate  of  the  Pulpit-elocution  in  general,  in  the 
 church  of  England  :  On  which  account,  adds 
 he,  there  never  was  perhaps  a  religious  fedl 
 upon  earth  whofe  hearts  were  {o  little  engaged  in 
 the  adt   of  public  worftiip   as  the   members  of 
 
 that 
 
[48] 
 
 that  Church.  To.be  pleafed,  we  .  rouft  fee^ 
 and  we  are  pleafed  with  feeling.  The  Prefby- 
 terians  are  moved  ;  the  Methodifls  are  moved  ; 
 they  go  to  their  meetings  and  tabernacles  with 
 delight  j  the  .very  Quakers  are  moved  ;  fantafti- 
 cal  and  extravagant  as  the  language  of  their 
 emotions  is,  yet  ftill  they  are  moved  by  it,  and 
 they  love  their  form  of  worfliip  for  that  rea- 
 fon :  Whilft  much  the  greater  part  of  the 
 members  of  the  Church  of  England,  are  either 
 banifhed  from  it  through  difguft,  or  reluftandy 
 attend  the  fervice  as  a  difagreeable  duty." — Thus 
 far  Mr  Sheridan. 
 
 But  why  go  I  to  the  Bar  or  Stage  to  fetch 
 vouchers  in  defence  of  earneflnefs  in  heart  and 
 acSlion,  when  fpeaking  for  the  moil  High  God, 
 and  offering  falvation  to  precious  and  immortal 
 fouls,  for  whom  the  ever- adorable  Mediator 
 fhed  his  precious  blood  ?  You  know,  Reverend 
 Sir,  the  character  given  of  Bucolfpherus  one 
 of  the  Reformers,  Vividus  vuhus^  vividi  ocuUy 
 ifiv'id^  manui  denique  omnia  vivida.  You  have 
 alfo  heard  of  a  Prophet  who  was  commanded  by 
 the  Lord  God  himfelf  to  fmite  with  his  hand, 
 and  (lamp  with  his  foot ;  and  Gorpel-n)ini{lers 
 in  general  are  commanded  to  *'  cry  ajoud,  and 
 fpare  not,  and  lift  up  their  voices  like  trum- 
 pets.'* But  why  refer  I  even  to  Reformers  or 
 Prophets?  Rather  let  me  mention  the  God  and 
 Saviour  of  all,  even  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
 on  whofe   manner  of  preaching   the  multitudes 
 
 that 
 
[  49  ] 
 
 that  followed  him,  when  he  came  down  from 
 the  mount  made  this  juft  obfervation,  that 
 "  He  fpake  as  one  having  authority,  and  not  as 
 the  Scribes."  And  after  his  refurrc(flion  when 
 "  beginning  at  Mofes  and  all  the  Prophets,  he 
 expounded  unto  them  in  all  the  Scriptures  the 
 things  concerning  Himfelf,"  the  two  difciples  at 
 Emmaus  faid  one  to  another,  '*  Did  not  our 
 hearts  burn  within  us  while  he  talked  with  us 
 by  the  way,  and  while  he  opened  to  us  the 
 fcriptures  ?'*  And  I  believe  we  may  venture  to 
 affirm,  that  if  preachers  in  general  fpake  and 
 opened  the  Scriptures  more  under  the  influence 
 and  energy  of  his  blefled  Spirit,  whether  in  con- 
 fecrated  or  unconfecrated  ground,  within  or 
 without  doors ,  they  would  find  that  tlieir 
 hearers  hearts  in  a  degree  would  burn  within 
 them  too. 
 
 But  I  have  done.  —  You  will  be  fo  good, 
 Reverend  Sir,  as  to  pardon  not  only  the  free- 
 dom but  prolixity  of  this.  I  have  already 
 mentioned  my  motives  for  writing ;  and  there- 
 fore fliall  now  clofe  with  the  advice  given  upon 
 a  fimilar  occafion  to  an  ecckfiaftical  council  by 
 Gamaliel,  a  Doctor  of  Law,  and  had  in  repu- 
 tation among  all  the  people  :  "  And  now  I  fay 
 unto  you,  refrain  from  thefe  men,  and  let  iheni 
 alone :  for  if  this  counfel  or  work  be  of  men,  it 
 will  come  to  nought  j  but  if  it  be  of  God,  ye 
 cannot  overthrow  it :  left  haply  ye  be  found  to 
 H  fight 
 
fight  agarriH:  God.'*  To  this  God,  and  thb 
 wond  of  h'lsgrace^  I  moft  humbly  recommend  both 
 yourfelf  and  the  whole  Univerfity,  and  earned- 
 ly  pray^^^that  all  at  all  times  may  have  a  right 
 judgement  given  them  in  all  things  j  I  beg  leave 
 to  fubfcribe  myfelf. 
 
 Reverend  SIR, 
 
 Your  willing  Servant^ 
 
 For   Christ's  fake. 
 
 L  0  N  D  0  K, 
 
 G.  WhitefieJ/»« 
 
REMARKS 
 
 UPON    THE 
 Reverend  Mr.  IFHITEFIELD^ 
 
 LETTER 
 
 TO    THE 
 
 VICE-CHANCELLOR 
 
 OF    THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY   OF    OXFORD', 
 
 IN 
 A   Letter   to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Whitefield, 
 
 By  a  late  Member  of  the  Univerfity  of  Oxford, 
 
 OXFORD: 
 
 Printed  at  the  THE  A  T  R  E  ;  for  J  Fletcher,  in  the 
 Turl,  and  Sold  by  J.  Fletcher  and  Co.  in  St.  PauV^ 
 Church-Yard,  London,     MDCCLXVIII. 
 
M  fcj 
 
[  ^  ] 
 
 REMARKS,    ^c. 
 
 Reverend    Sir, 
 
 THOUGH  I  am  an  entire  Stranger 
 to  you,  and  no  Ways  afFedted  by 
 your  Letter  to  the  Reverend  Dr 
 DuRELL,  Vice-Chancellor  of  the 
 Univerfity  of  Oxford,  occafioned  by  a  late 
 Expulfion  of  Six  Students  from  Edmu7id  Hall, 
 than  as  a  Member  of  the  Civil  Community 
 in  general,  and  of  the  Church  of  E?igland  in 
 particular ;  yet,  from  my  Relation  to  both  of 
 them,  and  the  juft  Indignation  which  your 
 Principles  and  Pra(5tices  have  raifed  in  me,  I 
 am  prompted  to  make  fome  Strictures  upon 
 that  extraordinary  Performance,  and  addrefs 
 them  to  you  in  this  publick  manner;  not 
 with  any  Hopes,  I  afTure  you,  of  reforming 
 you,  for  it  would  be  abfurd  in  me  to  prove  a 
 Perfon  infane,  and  at  the  fame  Time  attempt 
 to  convince  him  of  that  Infanity,  that  would 
 
 A  b© 
 
[2] 
 
 be  fuppofing  him  in  his  Senfes  in  order  to 
 fatisfy  him  that  he  is  out  of  them  :  but  my 
 Defign  is  to  deal  with  you  as  Magiflrates  do 
 with  an  Offender,  whom  they  defpair  of 
 bringing  to  any  Good,  for  then  they  animad- 
 vert upon  him  for  the  Good  of  others,  and 
 by  open  Punifhment  aim  at  fuppreffing  the 
 Influence  which  his  Advice  or  Example  may 
 have  had  upon  his  Acquaintance.  Could  I 
 flatter  myfelf  with  the  leafl  ProfpecSt  of  work- 
 ing any  Good  upon  you,  I  would  have  held 
 the  Glafs  to  you  alone,  and  fhewed  you  only 
 to  yourfelf,  but  as  I  am  fenfible  that  this 
 would  be  offering  it  to  one  who  is  blind  I 
 ihall  endeavour  to  expofe  you  to  publick  View 
 that  I  may  call  back  thofe  unhappy  Straglers 
 whom  your  Enthufiaftick  Rants  may  have 
 drawn  after  you,  that  I  may  redlify  their 
 miflaken  Notions  who  have  entertained  a  too 
 favourable  Opinion  of  you,  and  may  confirm 
 thofe  who  difapprove  of  your  Conduct,  and 
 render  you  more  contemptible  in  their  light. 
 For  which  Ends  it  will  be  neceffary,  in 
 the  firfl  Place,  to  confider  what  the  Gifts  of 
 the  Holy  Spirit  were  in  the  Times  of  the 
 Apoflles,  as  fet  forth  in  the  facred  Writings, 
 and  what  they  now  are  in  thefe  later  Ages  of 
 the  Church. 
 
 In 
 
[3] 
 
 In  the  2d  Chapter  of  the  ASls  it  is  writ- 
 ten, when  the  Day  of  Pentecojl  was  fully  comet 
 the  Difciples  were  all  with  one  Accord  in  one 
 Place :  and  fiiddenly  there  came  a  Sound  from 
 Heaven,  as  of  a  rujlnng  mighty  Wind,  and  it 
 filled  all  the  Houfe  where  they  were  fitting  : 
 and  there  appeared  unto  them  cloven  T'ongues, 
 like  as  of  Fire,  and  it  fat  upon  each  of  them  : 
 and  they  were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Glwfi, 
 and  began  to  fpeak  with  other  'Tongues,  as  the 
 Spirit  gave  them  Utterance. 
 
 There  were  alfo  feveral  other  Gifts  befides 
 this  of  Tongues  conferred  on  the  iirft  Con- 
 verts to  Chriftianity,  for  our  Saviour  tells  his 
 Apoftles  after  his  Refurrecflion  and  before  his 
 Afcenfion,  as  it  is  recorded  in  St.  Mark's 
 Gofpel,  that  thefe  Signs  fiall  follow  them 
 that  believe ;  in  my  Name  JJoall  they  cafi  out 
 Devils  ;  they  JJjall  fpeak  with  new  Tongues. 
 They  fiall  take  up  Serpents,  and  if  they  drink 
 any  deadly  Thing  it  fioall  7iot  hurt  them  -,  they 
 fmll  lay  hands  on  the  fick,  and  they  Jhall  re- 
 cover.     Ch.  i6.  v.  17,  18. 
 
 And  St.  Paul,  fpeaking  of  fpiritual  Gifts, 
 faith,  that  to  one  is  given  by  the  Spirit,  the 
 Word  ofWifdom,  to  another  the  Word  of  Know  - 
 ledge,  to  another  Faith,  to  another  the  Gifts  of 
 Healing,  to  a?jother  the  Worki?ig  of  Miracles, 
 to  another  Prophefy,  to  another  the  Difcerning 
 
 A  2  of 
 
[4] 
 
 of  Spi7-ks,  to  another  divers  kinds  of  l^ongues, 
 to  another  the  Interpretation  of  T'ongues.  i  Cor. 
 j2.  8,  9,  10. 
 
 Befides  thefe  fpecial  Favours  which  the 
 Holy  Spirit  diftributed  to  Pcrfons  feverally 
 as  he  willed,  there  are  other  Gifts  which 
 were  beftowed  upon  all  Believers  in  general, 
 thefc  are  commonly  called  the  Grace  of  God, 
 and  were  the  Influences  of  his  Holy  Spirit 
 upon  their  Minds  in  ftrengthening  their 
 Faith,  cooperating  with  their  Wills,  and 
 furthering  their  Endeavours  in  the  Purpofes 
 and  Prad:ices  of  a  good  Life. 
 
 The  Firfl:  were  the  extraordinary  Powers 
 of  the  Holy  Spirit  conferred  upon  chofen 
 Perfons  and  for  a  particular  Seafon,  how 
 long  they  were  continued  the  learned  are  not 
 agreed  ;  fome  hold  that  they  exifted  only  in 
 the  Apoftolick  Age  or  firlt  Century  of  the 
 Church,  others  alfert  that  they  lafled  through 
 the  fecond,  third,  or  even  fourth  Century, 
 but  it  is  allowed  by  all  that  thefe  Powers 
 were  ftrongell  and  moft  frequent  in  the  Birth 
 and  Infancy  of  Chriftianity,  that  they  gra- 
 dually decreafed  as  that  increafed,  and  at  laft 
 were  totally  withdrawn  when  the  Church 
 was  arrived  to  its  full  Maturity. 
 
 The  other  Gifts  which  were  given  to  all 
 Believers  v/ere  unqueftionably  ftrongefl  upon 
 
 the 
 
C  5] 
 
 the  firfl  Converts  who  from  the  clear  over- 
 powering Light  which  was  diffufed  into 
 them,  and  the  divine  Inllin6:s  accompanying 
 them  had  fufficient  internal  Evidence  of  their 
 being  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghoft :  but  the 
 Portions  of  this  Spirit  were  not  poured  forth 
 in  fuch  a  liberal  Manner  in  after  Ages ;  its 
 EiFe(^s  were  fenfibly  diminilhed  together  with 
 the  extraordinary  Powers,  yet  they  never  like 
 them  entirely  ceafed  :  for  this  fpiritual  Grace 
 is  Itill  in  fome  Degree  communicated  to  the 
 Members  of  Chrift's  Church,  and  will  con- 
 tinue to  be  fo  to  the  End  of  the  World. 
 
 But  this  Communication  is  now  to  be 
 judged  of  more  from  the  vifible  EfFed:s  it 
 produces  in  Mens  Lives  than  from  any  im- 
 mediate fenfible  Influences  upon  their  Minds : 
 its  Cooperations  with  our  Wills,  its  Suggef- 
 tions  to  the  Mind  and  its  Impulfes  upon  the 
 Springs  and  Principles  of  our  Adions  are  fo 
 fecret  and  imperceptible  that  it  is  impoffible 
 to  difcern  the  Caufe  but  from  its  EfFeds  : 
 for  whatever  our  mental  AlTurances  or  inter- 
 nal Experiences  may  be,  yet  if  we  do  not 
 Things  as  it  were  beyond  ourfelves  and  wor- 
 thy of  fupernatural  Alliftance,  they  are  only 
 the  wild  Tranfports  of  an  overheated  Ima- 
 gination :  the  genuine  Fruits  of  the  Spirit 
 are  Love,  Joy,  Peace,  and  all  Chriftian  Vir- 
 tues 
 
[  6] 
 
 tues  and  Graces,  if  we  bear  them  plentifully 
 in  our  Lives  and  A<ftions  we  may  then  trufl 
 that  we  have  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  fhall  be 
 led  from  an  humble  Senfe  of  our  own  Infir- 
 mities, and  a  firm  Faith  in  the  Promifes  of 
 our  Saviour,  to  prefume  that  it  is  his  Holy 
 Spirit  which  a6ts  in  us  both  to  will  and  to 
 do ,-  but  ftill  this  is  only  a  rational  Prefump- 
 tion  and  no  abfolute  Certainty,  we  may  pof- 
 libly  be  miflaken  ;  and  it  is  much  eafier  to 
 judge  of  the  Abfence  than  of  the  Prefence 
 of  this  Holy  Spirit,  for  we  may  fafely  pro- 
 nounce that  he  who  leads  an  immoral  and  vi- 
 llous Courfe  of  Life  hath  not  the  Grace  of 
 God,  and  that  profligate  and  hardened  Sin- 
 ners are  given  up  to  follow  their  own  Lufts ; 
 but  good  Works  are  not  fo  readily  diftin- 
 guifhed,  we  are  Strangers  to  our  own  Hearts, 
 and  it  is  difficult  to  afcertain  the  Principle 
 from  whence  our  Actions  flow  ;  and  if  we 
 know  not  ourfelves,  nor  can  fully  underftand 
 the  Motions  of  our  own  Spirit,  how  can  we 
 judge  of  the  Operations  of  another's  Spirit 
 upon  us. 
 
 Thefe  general  Communications  thus  li- 
 mited or  circumfcribed  are  now  called  the 
 ordinary  Gifts  of  God's  Holy  Spirit  to  dif- 
 tinguifh  them  from  the  extraordinary  Gifts 
 which  were  confined  to  the  Apoftles  and 
 Primitive  Chriftians.  Again 
 
[7] 
 
 Again  as  we  muft  judge  of  thefe  ordinary 
 Gifts  by  their  vifible  EfFeds  upon  our  Lives 
 and  Adtions  fo  we  have  no  other  Criterion  of 
 the  Calls  to  the  feveral  Orders  of  the  Mini- 
 fl:ry  or  to  the  Difcharge  of  the  Office  of  Bi- 
 Ihop,  Prieft,  and  Deacon. 
 
 The  ordaining  Powers,  viz.  The  Bifhops 
 with  their  affiftant  Pricils  don't  pretend  to 
 judge  of  the  Qualifications  of  the  Candidates 
 for  Holy  Orders  but  from  their  Examination 
 into  their  Abilities,  and  from  their  perfonal 
 Acquaintance  with  them,  or  authentick  Cre- 
 dentials from  others,  of  their  Lives  and  Con- 
 verfations,  they  do  not  pretend  to  have  any  in- 
 tuitive knowledge  of  the  Perfons  who  offer 
 themfelves  for  Ordination,  nor  have  they  any 
 Power  of  difcerning  who  are  called  to  the 
 Miniftry,  but  what  arifes  from  thefe  external 
 Scrutinies. 
 
 In  the  feveral  Forms  of  Confecration  the 
 Bifliop  indeed  puts  thefe  Queflions  to  the 
 Candidate  for  Orders,  Do  you  truft  that  you 
 are  inwardly  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghofl  to 
 take  upon  you  this  Office  and  Miniftration  ? 
 and  do  you  think  that  you  are  truly  called 
 according  to  the  will  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift 
 to  the  Miniflry  of  the  Church  ? 
 
 As  the  Ordinary  cannot  know  any  Thing 
 of  the  Fitnefs  of  his  Candidates  but  from  the 
 
 afore- 
 
[8] 
 
 afore-mentioned  Informations  he  proceeds  to 
 get  what  farther  Intelligences  he  can  by- 
 charging  the  Confciences  of  the  Candidates 
 themfelves ;  and  even  here  it  is  evident  that 
 he  doth  not  fuppofe  them  to  have  any  certain 
 Knowledge  of  their  own  Call  to  this  Func- 
 tion by  his  afking  them  whether  they  truft 
 or  verily  believe  they  are  inwardly  moved  by 
 the  Holy  Ghoft  to  take  upon  them  this  Of- 
 fice and  Miniftration. 
 
 And  as  the  Enquirer  doth  not  require  any 
 pofitive  or  abfolute  Declaration  of  this  in- 
 ternal Motion  from  the  Perfons  themfelves, 
 fo  are  they  prompted  with  an  Anfwer  which 
 implies  fome  Degree  of  Uncertainty,  foe 
 they  only  fay  that  they  trufi:  fo. 
 
 And  here  let  me  fuppofe  that  thefe  Ref- 
 pondents  have  early  applied  themfelves  to  the 
 Acquifition  of  the  learned  Languages  in 
 which  the  Holy  Scriptures  were  originally 
 written,  or  have  been  univerfally  allowed  to 
 be  faithfully  tranflated,  and  that  rejedling  all 
 other  Profeffions  they  have  dedicated  their 
 Time  and  their  Talents  to  the  Study  of  Di- 
 vinity, and  to  the  Purfuit  of  thofe  Attain- 
 ments which  lead  to  the  Knowledge  of  it. 
 Let  me  fuppofe  likewife  that  they  come  with 
 a  fixt  Purpofe  of  Mind  to  undertake  this  fa- 
 cred  Office,  and  are  fully  perfuaded  by  thefe 
 :  Prepa- 
 
[9] 
 
 Preparations  and  Accomplifhments  that  they 
 are  qualified  through  the  Grace  of  God  for  a 
 regular  Difcharge  of  it.    And  then,  Sir,  give 
 me  leave  to  aik,  whether  they  are  not  upon 
 thefe  Suppofitions  fufficiently  warranted  from 
 thefe  Pi-eparations  to  anfwer  to  the   above 
 Queflions  in  the  Manner  they  do  ?  or  whether 
 they  can  have  any  other  or  better  Affurances 
 within  themfelves  of  their  being  truly  called 
 to  the  Miniftry  of  the  Church  ?     And  let 
 me  farther  afk,  whether  the  Ordinary  doth 
 not  think  that  if  they  can  bear  thefe  Tefti- 
 monies  of  and   to  themfelves  they  are   not 
 properly  qualified  to  make  thefe  Refponfes  ? 
 and  whether  he  underftands  by  their  Decla- 
 ration of  this  Trufl  or  Confidence  that  they 
 have  any  other  Call,  or  are  in  any  other  Man- 
 ner moved  to  take  upon  them  their  Office 
 and  Miniftration  in  the  Church  ? 
 
 The  Bifliop  indeed  in  the  Ad:  of  Ordina- 
 tion is  direded  to  exprefs  himfelf  in  a  very 
 ftrong  Manner  to  the  ordained  Perfon ;  viz. 
 Receive  the  Holy  Ghoft  for  the  Office  and 
 Work  of  a  Prieft  or  Bifhop  in  the  Church  of 
 God  now  committed  to  thee  by  the  Impofi- 
 tion  of  our  Hands. 
 
 But  is  he  fuppofed  to  mean  any  Thing 
 more  than  the  inverting  him  through  the 
 Grace  of  God  with  the  Power  and  Authority 
 
 B  of 
 
[lO] 
 
 cf  the  Office  to  which  he  is  admitted  ?  of 
 can  the  ordained  Perfon  prefume  that  he 
 hath  through  this  Inveftiture  any  other  than 
 the  ordinary  Gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghoft  con- 
 ferred upon  him,  which  he  is  to  manifeft  by 
 a  confcientious  Difcharge  of  the  Duties  of  his 
 Office,  and  an  ample  Difplay  of  thofe  Virtues 
 with  which  a  Minifter  of  the  Gofpel  ought 
 to  dillinguifli  himfelf  ? 
 
 Upon  the  whole  then  of  what  hath  been 
 faid  upon  this  Subjedl,  fince  the  extraordi- 
 nary Gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghoft  were  not  ex- 
 tended beyond  the  firflAges  of  Chriftianity ; 
 iince  the  ordinary  Gifts  alone  of  the  fame 
 Spirit  were  communicated  in  after  Times  to 
 all  true  Believers  in  general,  and  to  the  Mi- 
 nifters  who  were  fet  apart  for  the  Service  of 
 jhe  Altar  in  particular  -,  and  fmce  there  are 
 no  other  Demonftrations  of  this  divine  Grace 
 but  in  the  Fruits  of  Piety  and  Virtue  which 
 are  borne  in  the  Lives  of  thefe  Perfons,  thefe 
 DiftiH(^ions  are  natural,  obvious,  and  necef- 
 fary, .  and  indeed  they  are  fo  neceffary  to  be 
 made  that  without  them  we  {hall  fall  into 
 grofs  and  fatal  Errors  -,  which  will  be  fully 
 exemplified  from  the  Examination  of  your 
 -Letter  to  the  Vice- Chancellor  of  Oxford  by 
 this  Criterion  :  For  you  feem  to  proceed, 
 through  the  whgle  of  it,  upon  the  Suppofi- 
 
 tioa 
 
[ "  ] 
 
 tion  of  the  extraordinary  Gifts  of  the  Holjr 
 Ghofl  being  being  flill  continued  to  the 
 Members  of  Chrill's  Church  ;  I  would  wil- 
 hngly  perfuade  myfelf  that  you  meant  only 
 the  Continuance  of  fome,  and  not  of  all 
 thefe  fupernatural  Gifts ;  but  as  you  have 
 not  made  the  lead  Difference  or  Diftind:ion 
 between  them,  I  find  myfelf  not  fufficiently 
 authorized  from  any  Part  of  your  Letter  to 
 put  this  Conftrudlion  upon  it,  and  I  (hould 
 be  thought  by  moll  Men  to  exceed  the  Bounds 
 of  Charity,  and  poflibly  in  your  Opinion  of 
 Juftice  itfelf,  if  I  (hould  thus  contract  your 
 Meaning  :  Let  your  Letter  then  explain 
 itfelf. 
 
 In  the  firft  Place  you  open  it  with  a  Re- 
 cital of  the  Promife  of  the  Holy  Ghoft  given 
 by  our  Saviour  to  his  Difciples,  and  a  De- 
 fcription  of  it's  Miflion  on  the  Day  of  Pen- 
 tecojly  in  which  you  tell  us  that  "  the  Holy 
 **  Ghofi  was  not  to  be  confined  to  or  monopolized 
 "  by  themy  but  was  to  be  of  Jlanding  general 
 **  Vfey  And  again,  pag.  3**.  **  Upon  this 
 **  Rock,  i)vz.  upon  an  experimental  Mani- 
 **  feftation  and  Application  of  his  Divinity  to 
 "the  renewed  Heart,  (which  Flelh  and 
 **  Blood,  human  Reafon,  vain  Philofophy, 
 **  moral  Suafion,  or  any,  or  all  barely  exter* 
 **  nal   Evidence   whatfoever  cannot   reveal ) 
 
 B  2  "  hath 
 
[    12    ] 
 
 *  hath  he  built,  doth  he  now  build  and  will 
 
 *  continue  to  build  his  Church,  and  there- 
 
 *  fore  it  is  that  the  Gates  neither  the  Power 
 
 *  or  Policy  of  Hell  (hall  ever  be  able  to  pre- 
 
 *  vail  againft  it.  By  the  Influence  of  this 
 '  Almighty  Agent  hath  he  promifed  to  be 
 '  with  his  Minifters  and  People  even  to  the 
 
 *  End  of  the  World,  and  agreeable  to  this 
 
 *  hath  taught  us  daily  to  pray  that  his  King- 
 
 *  dom  may  come,  which  being  to  be  begun, 
 
 *  carried  on  and  completed  by  one  continued 
 
 *  Emanation  of  divine  Influence  communi- 
 
 *  cated  to  Believers,  in  the   Ufe  of  all  ap- 
 
 *  pointed  Means,  can  alone  enable  us  to  do 
 
 *  God's  Will  on  Earth  with  any  Degree  of 
 '  Unanimity,  Chearfulnefs,  Univerfality  and 
 '  Perfeverance,  as  it  is  done  by  the  holy 
 '  Angels  above,  and  as  this  is  the  daily  uni- 
 '  ted  Prayer  of  the  whole  Catholick  Church, 
 '  it  foUoweth  that  any  Addition  of  any  in- 
 
 *  dividual  Monument  of  divine  Mercy  out 
 
 *  of  every  Nation,   Language,   or  Tongue, 
 
 *  mufl:  be  looked  upon  in  part  as  an  Anfwer 
 '  to  the  daily  Prayer  of  every  individual  Be- 
 
 ?*  liever  under  Heaven." 
 
 If,  Sir,  you  intended,  or  thought,  to 
 make  any  Difliindion  between  the  Influences 
 of  the  Holy  Spirit  at  different  Ages  of  the 
 Church,  here  was  the  proper  Place  for  it ; 
 
 but 
 
[  13  ] 
 
 but,  inftead  of  that,  the  contrary  is  Implied 
 in  your  very  Words ;  viz.  upon  an  experi- 
 mental Manifeftation  and  Application  of  his 
 Divinity  to  the  renewed  Heart  doth  he  now 
 build  his  Church ;  by  the  Influence  of  this 
 Almighty  Agent  hath  he  promifed  to  be  with 
 his  Minifliers  and  People,  even  to  the  End  of 
 the  World ;  and,  by  one  continued  Emana- 
 tion of  divine  Influence  communicated  to 
 Believers  ;  what  other  Interpretation  can  be 
 given  to  thefe  Sentences  but  that  you  fuppofe 
 the  fame  Influences,  which  were  communi- 
 cated to  the  Difciples  on  the  Day  of  Fente- 
 coji,  were  uninterruptedly  continued  to  all 
 Chriflians  in  all  Times ;  nay,  you  not  only 
 fuppofe  fo,  but  your  ExprefTions  amount  to 
 a  direct  Afl^ertion  of  it.  And  indeed  your 
 whole  Letter  runs  fo  much  in  this  Strain, 
 that  it  would  be  tedious  to  tranfcribe  all  that 
 you  have  faid  to  confirm  it,  and  it  muft  be 
 as  needlefs,  fince  the  mofl  incurious  and 
 fuperficial  Reader  cannot  but  obferve  and  re- 
 cognize it.  I  will  therefore  only  felect  fome 
 few  Paflages  which  mofl:  deferve  our  Notice. 
 The  Introdudtion  of  the  fix  expelled  Mem- 
 bers from  Edmmid-Hail  into  your  Letter  is 
 very  remarkable,  for  you  compare  them  to 
 the  firfl:  Converts  to  Chrifliianity  at  Antioch, 
 on  whom  the  Holy  Spirit  was  poured  forth 
 
 in 
 
[  ^+  ] 
 
 in  the  moft  vilible  Manner,  we  are  told,  you 
 fay,  that  when  Barnabas  came  to  Antioch  and 
 faw  the  Grace  of  God  he  was  glad ;  and 
 why?  becaufe,  he  was  a  good  Man,  and 
 full  of  the  Holy  Ghoft  and  of  Faith  ;  and 
 as  the  fame  Caufe  will  always  be  productive 
 of  the  fame  Effed:,  you  infer  that  all  good 
 Chriftians,  being  like  Barnabas  endowed  with 
 the  fame  godUke  Difpolion,  will  always  be 
 glad  when  they  fee  or  hear  of  any  fcriptural 
 Marks  or  pra6tical  Evidences  of  true  and  un- 
 defiled  Religion  wrought  in,  or  appearing 
 upon,  any  Subjedt  of  divine  Grace  whatfo- 
 ever  ;  and  that  it  afforded  Matter  of  uncom- 
 mon Joy,  and  gladened  the  Hearts  of  many 
 to  hear  that  for  fome  Time  pall  there  hath 
 been  a  more  than  religious  Concern  and  Zeal 
 for  promoting  their  own  and  others  Salvation 
 among  fome  of  the  Sons  of  the  Prophets  ; 
 which  Sons  were  Six  pious  Students  who 
 promifed  to  be  the  Lights  or  the  Salt  of  the 
 moral  World,  as  Elifias  Crufe  of  Salt  was 
 to  Part  of  the  natural  World  :  your  {tiling 
 thefe  Six  pious  Students  the  Sons  of  the 
 Prophets  wants  fome  little  Explanation  -,  Do 
 you  mean  that  their  natural  Parents  were 
 Prophets  ?  but  this  can  hardly  be ;  for  their 
 Birth  was  fo  mean  and  obfcure  that  I  think 
 you  muft  be  more  than  a  Prophet  to  give  this 
 
 Tefti- 
 
[   IS] 
 
 Teftimony  of  their  Parentage  :  or  do  you 
 mean  that  they  are  regenerate  and  the  Sons 
 of  fpiritual  Parents  ?  but  flill  we  are  as 
 much  in  the  dark  to  know  who  thefe  fpiri- 
 tual Parents  are ;  Do  you  mean  the  Metho- 
 diflical  Teachers  and  Frequenters  of  your 
 Oratories  and  Tabernacles  ?    are  you,  MelTrs 
 
 W- ,  Mr.  M— -,  Mr.  J^— — ,  together 
 
 with  Lady  H-— ,  Lady  C ,  Mifs  B , 
 
 and  many  others  their  Fathers  and  Mothers? 
 Do  you  call  yourfelves  the  Prophets,  and  do 
 you  acknowledge  them  for  your  Sons  ?  a  very 
 promifing  Offspring  indeed  !  and  though  I 
 am  no  Prophet  nor  the  Son  of  a  Prophet, 
 yet  from  the  fbrong  Lineaments  which  I  can 
 trace  in  them  I  can  clearly  difcern  that  they 
 are  no  fpurious  Race,  and  will  venture  to 
 foretell  that  this  riling  Generation  will  not 
 degenerate  from  the  former,  but  will  turn 
 out  as  famous  Gofpel  Minifters,  and  endowed 
 with  as  much  found  Knowledge  as  their  Pro- 
 genitors 'y  I  therefore  congratulate  you  Both 
 upon  this  near  Relation  and  Similitude  to 
 one  another :  O  fortunate  Sons !  begotten 
 of  fuch  indulgent  Parents  who  will  throw 
 their  Mantle  upon  you  and  inveft  you  with 
 their  whole  Spirit  of  Prophecy  !  And,  O 
 thrice  happy  Parents  for  begetting  fuch  hope- 
 ful  Children,   who  will  be  as  apt  to  teach, 
 
 and 
 
 ,fn 
 
[16] 
 
 and  want  as  little  to  learn,  as  yourfelves ; 
 and  who  will  be  wrapped  up  in  your  Cloaks 
 and  feel  themfelves  poffelTed  of  all  your  Di- 
 vinity ;  few  equals  have  ye  Both  at  prefent, 
 and  fewer  ftill  will  ye  leave  behind  you ;  and 
 as  fome  of  you  have  already  reaped  in  Part 
 the  Fruits  of  your  Labours  may  you  all  in 
 due  Time  receive  the  full  Rewards  of  your 
 Deeds. 
 
 Nothing  furely  but  the  extreme  Dotage  of 
 a  Parent  upon  his  Children  could  move  you 
 to  compare  thefe  half-dozen  young  Men  to 
 David,  to  our  Saviour,  to  the  Apoflles,  and 
 more  efpecially  to  St.  PW;  and  to  take  it 
 for  granted  that  having  been  exercifed  in  the 
 meanell:  Trades  they  had  like  them  the  fame 
 fupernatural  Calls ;  though  I  think  it  was  a 
 ilrange  Anticlimax  in  you,  after  mentioning 
 fuch  great  Exemplars,  to  defcend  to  Inftances 
 not  only  more  diftant  in  Time  from  them 
 but  comparatively  fpeaking  infinitely  more 
 diftant  in  Degree  :  I  fhould  be  glad  to  be 
 informed  what  Reafons  you  have  for  this 
 extravagant  Prefumption  ;  could  any  Thing 
 lefs  than  an  equal  Difcernment  of  Spirits 
 with  the  Apoftles  juftify  your  making  ufc 
 without  the  leafl  Helitation  of  this  Compa- 
 rifon,  and  roundly  fuppofing  that  all  muft 
 have  the  fame  Convid:ion  of  its  Propriety 
 
 with 
 
t   ^7  ] 
 
 with  yourfclf :  I  muft  indeed  own  myfelf  an 
 Infidel  in  this  Refpedt,  but  if  I  (land  alone, 
 a  fingle  Exception  will  not  deflroy  your  ge- 
 neral Hypotheiis  ;  however  to  my  iimple 
 Apprehenlion  thefe  low  Mechanicks  were 
 moved  with  the  Spirit  of  Pride  and  Igno- 
 rance, and  have  no  other  Calls  but  of  Vanity, 
 Idlenefs,  and  Hunger ;  and  I  make  no  doubt 
 that  had  their  Attempts  to  creep  through 
 fome  privy  Holes,  or  to  climb  over  the  Fences 
 into  the  Miniftry,  been  crowned  with  Suc- 
 cefs  they  would  have  fcorned  the  Duft  from 
 whence  they  fprang,  and  fpurred  on  with  the 
 turbulent  Spirit  of  Ambition  would  never 
 ceafe  clambering  after  the  higher  Places,  and 
 even  been  diffatisfied  though  they  reached  to 
 the  higheft  Round  in  the  Ecclefiaftical  Lad- 
 der.   (See  Page  32.) 
 
 Your  Vindication  of  thefe  trading  Students, 
 for  uiing  extempore  Prayers,  reading  and  fing- 
 ing  of  Hymns,  for  dropping  now  and  then 
 a  Word  of  Exhortation,  and  opening,  ex- 
 pounding, and  enlarging  upon  a  Text  of 
 Scripture  in  their  religious  Aflemblies,  is  flill 
 founded  upon  your  Hypothecs  of  divine  In- 
 fpiration  :  for  what  other  Meaning  can  be 
 put  upon  fuch  Expreflions  as  thefe :  **  In  that 
 «  Day,  (Page9.)  that  Gofpel  Day,  (thefe  laft 
 <*  Days  wherein  we  live)  faith  the  great  God, 
 
 C  ♦*  I  will 
 
[i8] 
 
 •'  I  will  pour  out  a  Spirit  of  Grace  and  a 
 **  Spirit  of  Supplication  upon  the  Houfe  of 
 <*  David,  and  upon  the  Inhabitants  of  Jeru- 
 **falem,  &c."  And  again,  (Page  13.)  «*  I 
 **  am  apt  to  believe,  if  not  only  our  Students 
 "  and  Miniflers,  but  private  Chriftians,  v^^erc 
 *'  born  from  above,  and  taught  of  God,  as 
 "  thofe  Wreftlers  with  God  were,  they  would 
 *'  want  Forms  of  Prayer,  though  we  have 
 *<  fuch  a  Variety  of  them,  no  more  than  they 
 «  did." 
 
 The  Analogy  you  form  between  the  Af- 
 fem.bly  of  the  Apoflles  on  the  Day  of  Pente- 
 cojl  with  your  Fellowfhip  Meetings  is  of  that 
 high  Enthufiaftick  Kind  that  it  hath  fome 
 Tindiure  of  Blafphemy  in  it :  but  to  avoid 
 the  Charge  of  Mifreprefentation  1  will  trouble 
 you  with  ecchoing  back  you  own  Words,  at 
 Page  16  and  17.  "  One  immediate  Confe- 
 <«  quence  of  that  grand  EfFufion  of  the  Holy 
 <*  Ghoft  on  the  Day  of  Pentecoji,  we  are  told, 
 «  v^'as  this,  namely,  that  **  they  who  gladly 
 <«  received  the  Word,  and  w^erc  baptized, 
 <«  continued  fledfaft  in  the  Apoftle's  Dodirine, 
 *'  in  Fellowfhip,  in  Breaking  of  Bread,  and 
 <«  in  Prayer."  This  is  a  ihort,  but  withal  a 
 «<  full  and  blefled  Account  of  the  firft  truly 
 "  apoftolick  primitive  Church  -,  and  we  may 
 «« venture  to  affirm,  that  as  we  are  more  or 
 
 **  lefs 
 
[19] 
 
 *<  lefs  Partakers  of  a  true  apollolick  primitive 
 *<  Spirit,  fuch  Kind  of  religious  or  fellow- 
 <*  (hip  Meetings,  will  in  Proportion  increafe 
 "  or  decreafe  among  us.  To  talk  therefore, 
 **  or  write,  or  preach  againft,  or  either  by 
 **  private  Perfuafion  or  open  Violence  to  op- 
 «  pofe  or  endeavour  to  fupprefs  or  difcounte- 
 *«  nance  fuch  Kind  of  religious  Societies,  is 
 **  flying,  as  it  were,  in  the  very  Face  of  the 
 <*  Scriptures  of  Truth,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghoft 
 <«  himfelf."  And  again,  *«  what  Affront  muft 
 *<  we  put  upon  our  Country  in  general,  and 
 **  the  Church  of  England  in  particular,  even 
 **  by  barely  imagining  that  any  Law  now 
 *'  exifts  that  prohibits  any  of  her  Members 
 **  from  frequenting  fuch  Societies  as  have  the 
 <*  divine  Authority  and  Superfcription  fo  ap- 
 **  parcntly  ftamped  upon  them  ? " 
 
 Though  enough  hath  been  faid  to  prove 
 this  Head  yet  I  cannot  part  with  it  without 
 taking  fome  Notice  of  your  curious  Defcrip- 
 tion  of  a  Methodift,  and  of  yourfelf,  I  fup- 
 pofe,  at  the  Head  of  them. 
 
 The  Defcription  is  wholly  taken  from  the 
 feventeenth  Article  of  our  Church,  or  it  is 
 Predeftination  applied  to  the  real  Methodift ; 
 for  he  is  a  chofen  Veffel  made  to  Honour, 
 the  Son  of  God  by  Adoption,  juftified  freely 
 and   predeftinated  to  everlafting  Salvation  ; 
 
 C  2  and 
 
i  20  ] 
 
 and  if  you  had  proceeded  farther  with  the 
 Application  of  this  Article,  it  is  natural  to 
 think,  you  would  have  faid  that  all  who  are 
 out  of  the  Pale  of  Methodifm  are  thruft  by 
 the  Devil  into  Defperation  or  Wretchednefs 
 of  moft  unclean  Living,  no  lefs  perilous  than 
 Defperation. 
 
 Though  it  is  expreflly  faid  in  this  Article 
 that  the  Council  of  God,  in  which  there  is 
 Predeftination  to  Life  decreed,  was  before 
 the  Foundations  of  the  World  were  laid,  and 
 is  kept  fecret  from  us  i  yet  you  take  upon 
 you  to  aflcrt,  with  as  much  AfTurance  as  if 
 you  had  been  a  privy  Counfellour  in  the  Ca- 
 binet of  the  moil  high,  and  had  this  impe- 
 netrable Secret  revealed  to  you,  that  the 
 Methodifts,  and  they  only,  are  decreed  in 
 this  Council  to  be  the  elect  People  of  God  : 
 and  with  the  fame  unparallelled  Prefumption 
 you  peremptorily  declare  that  one  Thing  you 
 know,  namely,  that  the  grand  Accufer  of 
 thefe  fix  expelled  Culprits  "  will  receive  no 
 ^*  Thanks  for  that  Day's  Works  from  the  in- 
 **  numerable  Company  of  Angels,  the  general 
 f*  AlTembly  of  the  firft-born,  which  are  writ- 
 "  ten  in  Heaven,  or  from  God  the  Judge  of 
 "  all,  in  that  Day  when  Jefus,  the  Media- 
 *'  tor  of  the  New  Covenant  fhall  come  in  his 
 **  own  Glory,  in  the  Glory  of  the  Father, 
 
 "and 
 
[21] 
 
 *'  and  his  holy  Angels,  and  gather  In  his 
 **  Eledt  from  all  the  four  Corners  of  the 
 **  World."    (Page  20.) 
 
 Pray,  Sir,  how  came  you  by  this  Know- 
 ledge ?  was  it  given  you  by  Infpiration  ?  but, 
 methinks,  I  hear  you  fay  that  it  was  imparted 
 to  you  when  you  had  the  Happinefs  of  re- 
 ceiving the  Witnefs  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in 
 your  Heart  about  thirty  Years  ago  at  Pem^ 
 broke  College  in  Oxford,  from  which  Time 
 you  had  experimental  AfTurances  that  the 
 Methodifts,  and  their  Children,  would  be 
 acquitted,  and  their  Opponents  condemned 
 at  this  high  Tribunal. 
 
 Your  Definition  likewife  of  Methodifm, 
 when  duly  explained,    will  tally  very  well 
 with  your  Defcription  of  a  Methodift,  which 
 you  fay  is  no  more  nor  lefs  than  Faith  work- 
 ing by  Love  :    but  what  is  this  Faith  ?  if  it 
 be  not  more  it  is  not  lefs  than  an  invincible 
 PrepolTeflion,  or  an  high  flown  Conceit  en- 
 gendered by  Pride  and  Ignorance,  that  the 
 pofTelTed  is  one  of  the  few  chofen,  regene- 
 rated and  born  anew,  the  peculiar  Favourite 
 of  Heaven,  richly  endowed  with  the  Grace 
 of  our  Lord,    beloved  of  God  and  having 
 Fellowfhip  with  the  Holy  Ghoft.   (Page  29.) 
 This  indeed  every  one  will  acknowledge  to 
 be  Enthufiafra,  and  mofl  will  join  with  the 
 
 Methodift 
 
[22] 
 
 Methodift  in  humbly  apprehending  that  he 
 cannot  with  any  Propriety  of  Speech  be 
 termed  a  modern  Enthufiaft  ;  (Page  30.)  for 
 though  he  be  lately  dubbed  a  Methodift,  and 
 the  Appellation  be  new,  yet  the  Subftance  of 
 his  Enthufiafm  is  at  leaft  as  old  as  the  Pro- 
 phet Ifaiahy  from  whom  we  learn  that  the 
 common  Language  of  the  Methodifts  in  his 
 Days  was,  come  77ot  near  me  for  I  am  holler 
 than  thou'y  it  is  like  wife  the  Methodifm  with 
 which  the  fupercilious  and  contemptuous 
 Pharifees  were  feized  when  their  Heart  pour- 
 ed forth  itfelf  in  this  extemporaneous  and 
 indignant  Vaunting  to  the  Almighty  -,  God 
 I  thank  thee  that  I  am  not  as  other  Men  are  : 
 and  to  mention  but  one  more  and  that  a  too 
 recent  Example,  it  is  an  Enthufiafm  in  which 
 our  Gofpel  itinerant  Mountebanks,  our  field 
 Phaenomenas,  our  fpirituous  Oracle  and  Ta- 
 bernacle Mongers  are  over  Head  and  Ears 
 immerfed  in,  whofe  ufual  Cant  is,  we  and 
 our  People  are  holy,  all  others  are  prophane, 
 we  are  the  ele<5t,  they  are  the  reprobate,  our 
 final  Perfeverance  is  fixed,  and  fo  indeed  is 
 theirs,  for  we  cannot  do  evil,  they  cannot  do 
 good. 
 
 The  Faith  of  a  Methodifl,  you  fay,  works 
 by  Love;  if  you  mean  the  partial  narrow  Love 
 towards  your  own  Votaries,  I  cannot  contra- 
 
 did 
 
[  23  ] 
 
 did  it,  nay  your  Love,  for  ought  I  know, 
 may  like  the  Rays  of  Light  operate  the 
 ftronger  for  being  contradted  within  an  ex- 
 ceeding fmall  compafs,  but  then  I  am  afraid 
 it  is  all  fpent  there ;  how  do  you  ftand  af- 
 fected towards  thofe  who  arc  not  of  your 
 Herd  ?  as  you  fet  up  yourfelf  for  a  complete 
 Pattern  and  Copy  of  Methodifm,  let  us  fee 
 from  your  Letter  and  Difcourfes  how  your 
 Faith  works  :  is  there  then  any  Love  in  your 
 uncharitable  Infinuation  upon  our  Right  Rev. 
 Arch-bifhops  and  Bifliops,  (Page  26.)  that  if 
 they  (hould  think  proper  to  countenance  the 
 ExpuKion  of  fuch  worthy  and  truly  religious 
 Students,  thofe  who  have  no  Religion  at  all 
 may  not  only  meet  with  Countenance,  but 
 Approbation  and  Applaufe  :  was  you  moved 
 by  a  Spirit  of  Love  when  you  caft  that  invi- 
 dious Rcflediion  upon  the  Clergy,  (Page  13.) 
 of  their  tripping  up  their  Heels,  fkipping 
 and  dancing  at  the  Mufick  of  a  Ball  Room  ? 
 you  likewife  give  but  a  forry  Specimen  of 
 your  Love  to  the  Univerfity  of  Oxford  when 
 you  infidioufly  charge  it  with  the  more  com- 
 mon and  too  frequent  Noife  of  Box  and  Dice 
 at  the  unlawful  Games  of  Hazard  and  Back 
 Gammon :  the  Game  of  Hazard  is  now  grown 
 obfolete,  and  fo  little  played  at  there  that  I 
 am  very  certain  there  are  very  few  Members 
 
 who 
 
[   24  ] 
 
 who  know  what  it  is,  and  may  venture  to 
 affirm  that  no  occafional  Vilitant  ever  heard 
 or  faw  it  played  at  in  Oxford,  it  is  not  nor 
 ever  was  the  Humour  of  the  Place,  and  if 
 by  chance  fome  young  Men  at  any  Time  were 
 prompted  by  Curiofity  to  play  at  it,  it  was 
 done  with  the  greateft  Privacy,  and  if  known 
 would  have  met  with  the  feverell  Reproof : 
 as  to  Back-Gammon,  it  is  an  innocent  Amufe- 
 ment ;  and  it  is  fome  Thing  extraordinary 
 that  you  (hould  aggravate  this  Charge  with 
 its  being  unlawful,  when  it  is  a  Game  and 
 almoil  the  only  one  with  Box  and  Dice  that 
 is  excepted  in  the  KQi  of  Parliament  which 
 prohibits  the  Ufe  of  them,  and  the  Reafon 
 of  this  Exception  is,  that  it  is  averfe  to  the 
 Spirit  of  Gaming,  and  is  an  entertaining  and 
 harmlefs  Diverlion  :  is  this  the  Return  of 
 Gratitude  and  filial  Piety  you  make  to  your 
 Alma  Mater  ?  from  the  Relation  you  claim 
 to  her  it  would  have  ill-become  you  to  pub- 
 li{h  ill-natured  Truths,  how  much  more 
 fcandalous  then  muft  it  be  to  flander  her  with 
 fcurrilous  Fallities  ?  whatever  Honour  there- 
 fore (See  Page  27.)  you  may  think  it  to  have 
 fuch  a  nurfmg  Mother,  flie  will  always  be 
 afl:iamed  of,  and  will  fpurn  from  her,  fuch 
 wayward  and  fpurious  Sons. 
 
 Again, 
 
[  25  ] 
 
 Again,  when  from  the  Gall  of  Bitternefs 
 you  have  vented  your  Spleen  againft  the  Bi- 
 ihops  and  the  Univerfity,  you  then  indulge 
 your  rancorous  Spirit  with  falling  foul  upon 
 the  Clergy  in  general,  whom  you  upbraid 
 with  being  regardlefs  of  Subfcriptions,  Oaths, 
 Rubrics,  and  Ordination  Offices  themfelves, 
 (Page  40.)  for  their  Pra(ftices  giving  the  Lie 
 to  their  Profeflions,  for  feeking  the  Fleece 
 and  not  the  Flock,  and  preaching  themfelves, 
 and  not  Jefus  Chrift  their  Lord.  And  after 
 thefe  infamous  Invedlives  you  ftill  farther 
 brand  them  with  the  opprobrious  Titles  of 
 dead  Formalifts,  and  proud  felf-righteous 
 Bigots,  who  loudly  exclaim,  the  Temple  of 
 the  Lord  are  we,  and  who  not  only  cry  out, 
 but  alfo  caft  out,  and  thinking  they  thereby 
 do  God  Service,  though  moft  notorioufly  de- 
 ficient in  their  own  moral  Character,  they 
 plead  Confcicnce,  and  fay,  let  the  Lord  be 
 glorified  ;  but  to  fuch  as  thefe  the  Lord  once 
 faid,  ye  are  they  that  juftify  yourfelves  be- 
 fore Men,  but  God  knoweth  your  Hearts. 
 
 As  to  the  Laity,  who  are  not  Methodifts, 
 you  are  not  quite  fo  lavifh  of  your  Abufes, 
 it  is  enough  for  them  that  they  hold  only 
 the  mere  Form  of  Godlinefs,  that  though 
 fome  of  them  may  have  a  little  Head  Know- 
 ledge, yet  their  Hearts  are  void  of  all  Grace, 
 
 D  and 
 
[26] 
 
 and  that  they  are  loft  in  Darknefs,  and  un- 
 der the  Power  of  Satan. 
 
 Thus  if  we  may  be  allowed  to  judge  of 
 Methodifm  from  this  Copy  of  it,  we  cannot 
 but  fay  that  it  is  a  frantick  Conceit  working 
 by  Pride,  Ignorance,  and  Ill-Nature ;  or  it 
 is  a  furious  fiery  Zeal  which  hath  burnt  up 
 every  Root  of  Charity,  and  where  the  ten- 
 der Mercies  are  cruel :  If  this  be  a  true 
 Portraiture  of  a  Methodift  drawn  to  and 
 from  the  Life,  if  this  be  a  juft  Defcription 
 of  his  Faith  and  his  Spirit,  then  O  my  Soul 
 come  not  thou  into  their  Secret,  unto  their 
 Aflembly  be  not  thou  united,  for  in  their 
 Self-will  they  have  pafTed  a  moft  drcadfuj 
 Sentence  of  Condemnation  upon  all  Man- 
 kind, faving  their  own  Fraternity,  and  was 
 their  Power  equal  to  their  Will  they  would 
 foon  put  it  into  Execution. 
 
 Having  thus  fhewn  at  large  how  it  is  fup- 
 pofed  through  the  whole  Tenor  of  your  Let- 
 ter that  you  and  your  half-dozen  Worthies 
 (though,  I  think,  as  their  Expulfion  hath 
 neither  been  reverfed  nor  refuted  they  fhould 
 rather  be  ftiled  Unworthies)  are  infpired  with 
 the  Holy  Ghoft  in  the  fame  Manner  that  the 
 Apoftles  and  Difciples  were  in  the  firft  Cen- 
 tury of  the  Chriftian  iEra,  I  will  therefore 
 take  the  Liberty  of  examining  upon  what 
 
 Grounds 
 
[27] 
 
 Grounds  Of  Proofs  you  fupport  this  Suppo- 
 fition. 
 
 Whatever  AfTurances  the  primitive  Chrifl- 
 ian  might  have  of  his  being  endowed  with 
 the  Holy  Ghoft  from  his  own  internal  Feel- 
 ings, yet  if  there  was  a  PofTibility  of  his  be- 
 ing deceived,  the  Manifeftation  of  it  by  fome 
 external  Evidences  would  have  been  a  fatis- 
 fad:ory  Confirmation  of  its  Reality  even  to 
 himfelf :  but  fliould  he  want  no  fuch  colla- 
 teral Securities  upon  his  own  Account,  yet 
 they  were  abfolutely  neceffary  for  the  Con- 
 vidlion  of  others,  who  could  have  no  other 
 Demonftration  of  this  Endowment  in  him 
 but  from  the  outward  and  vifible  Teftimo- 
 nies  which  he  fhould  exhibit  to  them. 
 
 Now  thefe  Teftimonies  were  the  extraor- 
 dinary Gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  fuch  as  the 
 Gifts  of  Wifdom  and  Knowledge,  of  Heal- 
 ing and  working  of  Miracles,  of  Prophecy, 
 of  divers  Kinds  of  Tongues,  and  the  Inter- 
 pretation of  Tongues. 
 
 Let  me  therefore  bring  thefe  Tefts  to  your 
 Hypothefis,  and  try  how  it  is  proved  and 
 fupported  by  them. 
 
 We  will  begin  with  the  Gift  of  Wifdom 
 or  Knowledge  :  but  as  to  Head  or  notional 
 Knowledge,  as  you  are  pleafed  to  term  it, 
 you  defpife  it,  and  hold  all  Difqualifications 
 
 D  2  in 
 
[28] 
 
 in  Refped  to  Learning,  Age,  or  being  of 
 Trades,  &c.  &c.  &c.  to  be  Nug^e  Tricceque 
 Calendce :  (Page  27)  nay,  they  be  not  only 
 Trifles  in  your  Account,  but  all  human  Learn- 
 ing muft  be  fuperfluous  Lumber,  with  which 
 the  more  the  Head  is  fluffed  there  is  the  lefs 
 Room  for  fpiritual  Furniture  ^  all  Philofophy, 
 whether  natural  or  moral,  all  the  liberal  Arts 
 and  Sciences,  Hiflory,  Mathematicks,  Poe- 
 try, Painting,  and  Mufick,  together  with 
 the  learned  ProfefHons  of  Law  and  Phyiick 
 are  vain,  the  Engroffers  of  Time,  and  Pains  ; 
 they  lie  in  our  Way  and  like  Alexander  to 
 Diogenes  they  take  away  what  they  cannot 
 give,  and  ftand  between  us  and  the  fun.  This 
 capital  Warehoufe  therefore  fliould  be  cleare4 
 of  all  this  ufelefs  Farrago,  and  the  greater 
 Vacancy  there  is  in  this  principal  Part,  the 
 Operations  of  the  enraptured  Mind  will  be 
 the  lefs  embarraffed  :  it  mufl  likewife  be  acr 
 knowledged  that  you  have  a  much  weightier 
 Reafon  for  demollfliing  this  worldly  Wifdom 
 than  Omar  the  Mahometan  General  had  for 
 fetting  Fire  to  the  famous  Alexandrian  Lii- 
 brary,  whofe  only  Pretence  was  that  if  it 
 contained  more  than  the  Alcoran  it  was  un- 
 neceffary,  bur  if  it  had  any  Thing  contrary 
 to  it  it  was  not  fit  to  be  preferved,  but  your 
 Objedion  to  the  Bpoks  of  Art  and  Nature  i^, 
 
 that 
 
C  29  3 
 
 that  they  are  not  only  unnecefTary  but  preju- 
 dicial, and  therefore  you  are  for  cutting  down 
 this  Tree  of  Erudition,  and  extirpating  it. 
 Root  and  Branch. 
 
 And  as  you  difcharge  the  Head  fo  you  do 
 the  Heart  from  any  Knowledge,  you  renounce 
 all  Pretenfions  to  that  old  Heathenifli  Apo- 
 thegm yvuid-i  iTicujTov:  the  true  Methodift  is 
 determined  to  think  of  Nothing,  to  know 
 Nothing,  and  to  preach  of  Nothing  fave 
 Jefus  Chrift;  (Page  33)  and  therefore  he  i^ 
 leafl  acquainted  with  the  Motions  of  his  own 
 Heart,  and  however  furious  his  Spirit  may 
 be,  he  knows  not  of  what  it  is,  and  may 
 fay  of  it  as  he  doth  of  the  Wind,  he  cannot 
 tell  from  whence  it  comes,  nor  whither  it 
 goes.  Where  then  doth  the  great  Knowledge 
 of  the  Methodift  lie  ?  furely  it  muft  be  in 
 his  Imagination  ;  where  the  lefs  he  calls  in 
 foreign  Affiftance,  and  the  more  he  trufts, 
 what  he  calls,  to  the  Lord,  the  more  fpiri*- 
 tual  Powers  he  is  inverted  with  :  Extempore 
 Prayer  and  extempore  Preaching  are  free 
 Gifts,  he  muft  not  be  beholden  to  any  Prcr- 
 meditation  or  Preparation  for  they  are  utterly 
 incompatible  with  any  Thought,  Reafon,  or 
 Reflexion,  the  Mind  muft  be  thoroughly 
 purged  from  all  fuch  Dregs,  that  the  Impulfes 
 of  the  Spirit  may  be  the  more  energetick. 
 
 If 
 
C  30  ] 
 
 If  a  Spirit  of  fupplication  be  poured  out 
 in  thefe  lafl  Days  wherein  we  live,  and  if  it 
 be  the  common  Privilege  of  all  Believers  to 
 have  the  Holy  Spirit  make  Interceflion  in  and 
 for  them,  (fee  Page  9)  when  the  Tongue  is 
 fupplied  with  an  over-flowing  Torrent  of 
 ExprefTions  fuited  to  the  prefent  Emergencies 
 from  within,  why  are  Words  put  into  our 
 Mouths  from  without  ?  what  Occafion  can 
 there  be  for  fet  Forms  of  Prayer,  they  muft 
 be  fuperfluous,  and  not  only  fupcrfluous,  but 
 they  mufl;  be  heavy,  cold,  and  vapid,  they 
 muft  damp  the  celeflial  Fire  and  pinion  the 
 Wings  of  the  Spirit. 
 
 But  furely.  Sir,  you  muft  have  forgot 
 yourfelf,  and  ftepped  out  of  your  Element, 
 when  you  affert^  that  venturing  now  and 
 then  to  drop  a  Word  or  two  of  Exhortation 
 and  attempting  in  a  fmall  Degree  to  expound 
 a  Text  of  Scripture,  is  a  necelTary  Prepara- 
 tion for  the  future  Service  of  the  Sanftuary. 
 (See  Page  18.) 
 
 Infpiration  like  Inftincfl  doth  not  come  by 
 Degrees,  it  is  as  perfe(5t  at  firft  as  ever  after, 
 and  if  you  had  been  confiftent  with  yourfelf 
 you  would  have  been  the  laft  Perfon  to  afk, 
 as  you  do,  ( Page  1 8 )  how  can  this  Aptnefs 
 or  an  Habit  of  Teaching  be  acquired  with- 
 out the  Exercife  of  previous  A<^s  ?   or  what 
 
 Bufmefs 
 
[  31  ] 
 
 Bufinefs  is  there  in  the  World  except  that  of 
 Divinity,  wherein  Pupils,  Clerks,  nay  com- 
 mon Apprentices,  are  not  by  previous  Exer- 
 cifes  trained  up  for  a  complete  Proficiency  in 
 their  refped:ive  Callings  and  Occupations  ? 
 
 By  your  Exception  of  Divinity,  I  fuppofe, 
 you  mean  to  caft  a  Reflection  upon  the  In- 
 ilrudtors  in  that  Profeffion  for  not  exercifing 
 their  Pupils  in  it,  but  this  malevolent  Infi- 
 nuation,  as  well  as  the  whole  preceding  Pa- 
 ragraph, comes  with  a  very  ill  Grace  frori} 
 an  Advocate  for  Infpiration  :  in  all  other 
 Vocations  the  firft  previous  Qualification  for 
 a  Scholar  is  an  humble  Senfe  of  his  own  Ig- 
 norance, with  an  Aptnefs  to  learn  or  a  Rea- 
 dinefs  to  be  inftrud:ed ;  and  when  he  hath 
 arrived  to  a  full  Knowledge,  and  i^  a  com- 
 pleat  Mafter  of  his  Bufinefs,  then  an  Apt- 
 nefs to  teach  may  not  be  unbecoming  him  : 
 but  Methodifm,  it  feems,  is  a  Craft  or  Myf- 
 tery  contrary  to  all  others ;  it  begins  where 
 they  end,  and  the  Pupils  here  are  to  fet  out 
 with  a  confummate  Self-Sufficiency,  and  an 
 amazing  Adroitnefs  in  Teaching,  however 
 little  they  know,  their  chief  Exercife  is  to 
 ledure  others  without  any  Efforts  to  improve 
 themfelves. 
 
 This  invcrfe  Method  of  Proceeding  can 
 never  be  defended  but  upon  a  Suppofition  of 
 
 a  fu* 
 
[    32    ] 
 
 a  fupernatural  Affifl:ance,or  a  divine  Influence^ 
 and  the  only  Means  to  prove  this  Suppolition 
 muft  be  the  Subject-Matter  of  their  Inftruc- 
 tions  and  Prayers. 
 
 If  therefore  you,  or  your  Pupils,  fpeak  as 
 never  Man  fpake,  and  as  the  Oracles  of  God, 
 having  your  Difcourfes  fraught  with  Grace, 
 Wifdom,  and  Truths  worthy  of  the  Sons  of 
 God  to  deliver,  and  fit  for  the  Sons  of  Men 
 to  hear,  then  they  may  be  deemed  the  Fruits 
 of  the  Hc^ly  Spirit,  then  the  Expofition  is 
 equal  to  the  Text,  and  every  Word  fhould 
 be  moft  carefully  preferved  and  written  in 
 Letters  of  Gold,  and  faithfully  tranfmitted 
 to  Pofterity,  as  it  muft  be  profitable  for  Doc- 
 trine, /or  Reproof,  for  Correction,  for  In- 
 ftru(fiion  in  Righteoufnefs. 
 
 But  Ihould  your  Off-Hand  Harangues  be 
 a  mere  Enthufiaftick  Rant,  a  wild  Rhapfody 
 of  Nonfenfc,  the  Foam  of  an  over-heated 
 Imagination,  like  old  Wives  Fables,  or  pro- 
 phane  and  vain  Bablings,  fuch  as  I  am  in- 
 formed by  others,  and  fuch  as  I  myfelf  have 
 heard,  they  are,  then  what  other  Report  can 
 be  made  of  them  than  that  they  proceed  from 
 a  Spirit  of  Pride  and  Ignorance,  deceived 
 and  deceiving,  that  fuch  Teachers  are  blind 
 Leaders  of  the  blind.  Jack  a  Lanthorn  Me- 
 teors,   or  Igfies  Fatuiy   drawing  the   mazed 
 
 follower 
 
[33  ] 
 
 Follower  through  Briars   and  through  Bogs 
 till  he  is  plunged  into  inextricable  Ruin. 
 
 However  dreadful  thefe  Confequences  may 
 be,  yet  I  would  put  as  candid  a  Conftrudion 
 upon  the  Principles  and  Pretences  of  thefe 
 Zealots  as  I  could,  and  am  inclined  to  make 
 the  beft  Apology  I  am  able  for  them ;  the 
 Evidences  indeed  are  fo  ftrong,  that  it  is  im- 
 pofTible  not  to  think  that  they  labour  under 
 an  erroneous  Confcience ;  but  I  would  wil- 
 lingly believe,  that  it  is  unadulterated  withln- 
 iincerity,  that  though  they  deceive  others  they 
 are  deceived  themfelves^  and  as  they  a(5t  with- 
 out Knowledge,  fo  I  wifh,  and  fo  I  hope, 
 that  it  is  without  Hypocrify  ^  though  many 
 who  are  lefs  charitable,  or  perhaps  more  dif- 
 cerning  than  myfelf,  entertain,  from  fome 
 untoward  Circumftances  in  their  Condu(rt,  a 
 more  unfavourable  Opinion  of  them. 
 
 But  their  deluded  Followers  flill  deferve 
 more  Pity,  mofl  of  them  having  little  or  no 
 Judgment  of  their  own,  put  an  implicit 
 Faith  in  thefe  Leaders,  and  conclude  that 
 they  mufl:  be  in  the  right  Way,  becaufe  they 
 are  fo  very  earnefl  in  prefling  them  into  it; 
 but  had  I  an  Opportunity,  I  would  whifper 
 in  their  Ear,  that  the  Fire  of  methodiftical 
 Zeal  is  contrary  to  the  Nature  and  Property 
 of  common  Fire ;  that  inftead  of  being  ex- 
 
 E  tinguifhed 
 
[34] 
 
 tinguiflicd  or  fmothered  by  its  own  condenfed 
 or  comprcfTed  Smoke,  it  rages  the  more  fu- 
 rioufly  from  being  inveloped  in  the  thickeft 
 Clouds  of  it,  and  that  it  always  emits  the 
 leafl  Light  when  its  Flames  are  the  moll 
 intenfe. 
 
 But  thefe  Spuings  of  the  Heart  upon  the 
 People,  in  unconcodled  Difcourfes,  however 
 abfurd  and  ridiculous  in  themfelves,  are  toler- 
 able in  comparifon  to  your  extempore  Prayers 
 to  the  Deity ;  if  indeed  it  was  given  to  you 
 as  it  was  to  the  Apoftles,  what  to  fay  at  the 
 very  Inftant  you  have  Need  of  it,  then  you 
 would  do  well  to  take  no  Thought  concern- 
 ing it,  but  fhould  your  Imagination  be  your 
 only  Prompter,  then  furely  fome  Fore- 
 thought of  the  Matter  and  Manner  of  your 
 AddrefTes,  and  fome  Confideration  of  the 
 Perfon  you  are  applying  to,  would  be  highly 
 proper :  when  our  Neceflities  move  us  to 
 prefent  our  Petitions  to  an  earthly  Sovereign, 
 we  think  well  upon  the  Subftance  of  it  be- 
 fore-hand, and  take  Pains  to  draw  it  up  in 
 the  bed  Form  poffible,  we  fhew  it  likewife 
 to  better  Judges  than  ourfelves  to  revife  it, 
 and  fee  that  every  Thing  in  it  be  exprefled 
 in  the  moft  corred:  and  elegant  Manner,  and 
 we  deliver  it  in  with  all  the  Devotion  of  an 
 indigent  Suitor :  and  fhall  we  take  lefs  Pains 
 
 in 
 
[35] 
 
 in  digefting  our  Supplications  and  prefenting 
 them  to  the  King  of  Kings  ?  when  a  poor 
 frail  Mortal,  a  mere  Worm  of  the  Earth, 
 prefumes  to  approach  the  Throne  of  Grace, 
 and  to  proftrate  himfelf  before  the  awful 
 Majefty  of  the  moft  high  God,  his  Words 
 Ihould  be  few  and  well  chofen,  fuch  as  be- 
 come the  moft  humble  Supplicant  and  the 
 moft  grateful  Dependent  to  fpeak,  and  the 
 fupreme  Sovereign  of  Heaven  and  Earth  to 
 receive :  for  an  intelligent  Being  to  ftrip 
 himfelf  of  that  Garment  with  which  his 
 moft  munificent  Creator  hath  arrayed  and 
 diftinguiftied  him  from  all  the  vifible  Cre- 
 tion,  and  to  come  into  his  Prefence  with- 
 out it,  is  a  moft  unpardonable  Infult  upon 
 Him  ;  or  to  offer  up  the  Sacrifice  of  Folly 
 upon  the  Altar  of  the  God  of  Wifdom, 
 and  to  addrefs  Him  in  fuch  a  futile  and 
 puerile  Manner,  as  any  would  be  aftiamed 
 to  accoft  the  meaneft  of  his  fellow  Crea- 
 tures, hath  fomething  fo  ihocking  in  it, 
 that  it  feems  to  border  nearly  upon  Blaf- 
 phemy  ;  furely  fuch  Prayers  muft  be  an  A- 
 bomination  to  the  Lord,  and  everv  ferious 
 and  fenfible  Perfon  muft  tremble  at  the 
 Thoughts  of  joining  in  them,  left  the  Ven- 
 geance of  an  affronted  Deity  fliould  fall  upon 
 his  Head. 
 
 E  2  But 
 
[  36  ] 
 
 But  it  is  Time  to  proceed  to  the  next  ex-« 
 traordinary  Gifts,  viz.  that  of  healing  and 
 working  of  Miracles,  and  to  examine  what 
 Proofs  you  and  your  Difciples  can  bring  from 
 them  :  how  far  you  may  have  been  tranfpor- 
 ted  by  the  Strength  of  your  Faith  to  make  a 
 Trial  of  this  Power  in  private,  is  beft  known 
 to  yo urfelf;  but  if  you  have,  your  Want  of 
 Succefs,  hath,  I  prefume,  prevented  you 
 from  making  any  fuch  Attempts  in  publick  : 
 The  Arch-Methodift  indeed,  hath,  I  hear, 
 ere(5ted  an  Electrical  Machine  near  his  Ta- 
 bernacle, and  made  feveral  Experiments  with 
 it  upon  various  difordered  and  difeafed  Per- 
 fons  j  and  if  his  Charm  had  taken  EfFedt, 
 I  make  no  Doubt  but  it  would  have  been  at- 
 tributed to  the  Efficacy  of  his  Prayers,  or 
 the  Divinity  of  the  Place  where  this  miracu-^ 
 lous  Engine  was  enfhrined,  but  I  do  not 
 find  that  any  mighty  Things  have  been  done 
 with  iti  and  if  they  have,  they  are  kept  as 
 a  profound  Secret  among  the  few  Eled,  and 
 have  not  been  fuffered  to  tranfpire  into  the 
 profane  Ear :  In  feme  of  his  Writings,  he 
 vaunts  of  fome  Cures  that  he  hath  performed 
 through  the  Availment  of  his  Prayers;  it  is 
 impoffible  to  difprove  Fad:s  where  the  Cir- 
 cumftance  are  unknown,  but  fbould  it  be 
 fuppofed    that   a  fick   Perfon    recovered  his 
 
 Health, 
 
[  37] 
 
 Health  at  or  after  his  praying  over  them,  yet 
 this  doth  not  prove  the  Connection  between 
 his  Prayers  and  the  Cure;  the  Diftcmper 
 might  come  about  that  Time  to  its  Crilis, 
 and  Nature  or  Medicine  might  have  expelled 
 it;  if  then  it  yielded  to  his  Interceffions,  as 
 the  fame  Caufe  will  always  produce  the  fame 
 Effedt,  they  will  in  the  like  Cafes  be  attend- 
 ed with  the  like  Succefs ;  if  therefore  they 
 are  not,  it  may  be  juftly  be  prefumed,  that 
 he  hath  laid  Claim  to  what  he  hath  no  Title 
 to  ;  and  however  credulous  fome  of  his  weak 
 Devotees  may  be,  yet  if  fuch  Things  are  ex- 
 tremely rare  and  doae  in  a  Corner,  the  rati- 
 onal and  unprejudiced  Part  of  Mankind  will 
 put  the  fame  Conilrudiion  upon  them  as 
 they  do  upon  Popifh  Legends  and  Miracles, 
 and  attribute  them  to  Craft,  Ignorance,  and 
 SaperlUtion.  The  next  extraordinary  Gift 
 above  mentioned  was  Prophecy,  but  this  I  be- 
 lieve you  have  as  little  Pretenfions  to  as  you 
 have  to  Miracles,  for  in  this  your  Letter, 
 where  you  make  fome  Efforts  towards  it,  you 
 feem  not  to  be  very  confident  with  yourfelf ; 
 in  one  Place  you  fay  in  a  Prophetick  Spi- 
 *'  rit,  that  if  fuch  unfcriptural  Methods  of 
 *'  (topping  this  Enthufiafm  be  purfued  far- 
 **  ther,  it  will  only  be  like  cutting  off  the 
 •'  Lyrnean  Head  ;  inftead  of  one,  an  hundred 
 
 '*  will 
 
[38] 
 
 **  will  fpring  up."  Page  31.  Yet  in  a  few 
 Pages  after,  when  yoa  are  got  into  a  lefs  fan- 
 guine  Mood,  you  take  upon  you  to  foretell, 
 **  that  if  we  have  but  a  little  Patience,  till  a 
 **  few  old  weary  Heads  are  laid  in  the  filent 
 **  Grave,  thefe  uncommon  Meteors,  thefe 
 **  Field  Phenomenas,  that  feldom  appear  in 
 **  the  Latitude  of  England,  fcarce  above  once 
 *^  in  a  Century,  without  the  Help  of  any  co- 
 '*  ercive  Means,  will  of  themfelves  foon  dif- 
 *'  appear,  they  begin  to  be  pretty  well  in  dif- 
 *'  repute  already,  yet  a  little  while,  and  in 
 **  human  Probability  they  will  quite  vanifh 
 *'  away  :"  but  however,  to  keep  your  People 
 from  abfolute  Defpair,  you  comfort  them 
 with  a  very  extrardinary  Predid:ion,  viz. 
 **  that  in  the  Redeemer's  own  good  Time 
 **  and  Way,  fome  Spiritual  Phoenix  will 
 *'  hereafter  arife,  fome  bleffed  Gofpel  Inftru- 
 **  ment  be  raifed  that  fhall  make  the  Devil 
 *<  and  his  threefold  Army  to  fly  before  the 
 "  Sound  of  the  Gofpel  Trumpet."  (Page  45.) 
 As  to  your  Fore-knov/ledge  of  the  Sen- 
 tence that  will  be  pafled  upon  the  Rev'.  Mr. 
 Higjbn  at  the  Day  of  Judgment,  we  fhall 
 give  it  no  Credit,  or  at  moft  fhall  fufpend 
 our  Faith,  and  not  allow  this  Proof  of  Pro- 
 phecy till  that  Day  comes. 
 
 The 
 
[39] 
 
 The  laft  extraordinary  Power  that  remains 
 to  be   treated  of,  is  the  Gift  of  Tongues : 
 though  you  have  traverfed  the  vaft  Atlantic 
 Ocean,  and  borne  the  Heats  and  Colds  of 
 foreign  Climes,  yet  I  do  not  find  that  you 
 were  ever  gifted  with  foreign  Tongues  j  if 
 you  have  wandered  from  ^ebec    down   to 
 the  two  Florida  Sy    and  have   held  forth  to 
 all  our  Colonies,  and  perhaps  have  laboured 
 to  methodize  the  wild  Indians ;  yet  I  never 
 heard  that  you  addrelTed  them  in  any  other 
 Language  but  your  own  :  and  to  fpeak  the 
 Truth  in  plain  Englifh,  you  are  fo  far  from 
 having  the  Gift  of  many  Languages,    that 
 you  have  in  fome  Degree  loft  your  own  na- 
 tive Tongue ;  for  in  feveral  Palfages  of  your 
 Letter  you  want   an  Interpreter  to  explain 
 your  Meaning ;  and  from  clearing  your  Head 
 of  all  verbal  Knowledge,  you  have  rendered 
 yourfelf  fometimes  incapable  of   exprefiing 
 your  own  Thoughts,  or  of  quoting  Scripture 
 in  an  intelligible  Manner ;  for  what  are  we 
 to  underftand  when  you  fay,  **  that  when 
 *'  E/if/ja  the  Prophet  was  about  to  prophecy 
 **  before  two  Kings,  he  called  for  a  Minftrel 
 <*  on  which   he   played  to   footh  his   rufled 
 *'  Paflions;"    what,    did   he   play   upon   the 
 Player,    and  fetch   Mufick  out  of  him   to 
 
 prepare 
 
[40] 
 
 prepare  his  Heart  for  the  Reception  of  the 
 Holy  Spirit.  (Page  12.) 
 
 In  like  Manner  you  deal  with  a  PalTage 
 in  the  Prophet  Daniel,  which  you  allude  to 
 or  rather  quote  in  a  ftrange  carelefs  Manner, 
 when  you  fay,  "  that  they  (meaning  the  fix 
 "  pious  Students  of  Edmund  Hall)  were  thus 
 **  rigoroufly  handled  for  doing  no  Evil  at 
 *«  all,  and  that  no  Fault  could  be  found  in 
 *«  t\\tn\fa've  in  the  Law  of  their  God"  (Page  7.) 
 
 How  are  you  to  be  underftood  when 
 you  fay,  that  **  were  the  Sons  of  the  Pro- 
 «  phets,  (meaning,  I  fuppofe  the  Members 
 **  of  the  Univerfity  of  Oxford)  more  fre- 
 **  quently  to  entertain  themfelves  thus,  it 
 *«  would  be  as  fuitable  to  the  minifterial  Cha- 
 **  rafter,  and  recommend  them  as  much,  per- 
 *«  haps  more,  to  all  ferious  Chriftians  than 
 **  their  tripping  up  their  Heels,  fkipping,  and 
 "  dancing  at  the  Mufck  of  a  Ball  Room'*  (page 
 13.)  Pray,  Sir,  do  you  mean  by  this  Phrafe 
 of  tripping  up  their  Heels,  that  they  trip  up 
 their  own  Heels  in^  dancing,  or  the  Heels  of 
 their  Partners  -,  the  firfl  is  abfurd  and  impof- 
 fible,  though  that  feems  to  be  the  natural 
 Senfe  of  your  Words  ,  but  fhould  you  mean 
 the  laft,  then  your  ExprefTion  is  very  obfcure 
 and  withal  extremely  fcandalous.  (Page  12.) 
 
 It 
 
[41] 
 
 It  would   be  entering  into  too  minute  a 
 
 Criticifm  to  expofe   the  low  Style,  and  falfe 
 
 .Rnglifi:)  which  appear  in  your  Letter,  was  it 
 
 ■  not  in  fome  Degree  neceflary  to  fliew   how 
 
 far  diftant  you  are  from  the  Gift  of  Tongues; 
 
 but  as  this  is  pretty  obvious  of  itfelf,  I  will 
 
 not  dwell  any  longer  upon  this  Topick,  than 
 
 Juft  to  give  a  Specimen  or  two  of  this  Kind  : 
 
 •(Page  3.)  we  read,  *'  Upon  this  Rock,  viz, 
 
 **  an  experimental  Manifeflation  and  Appli- 
 
 *'  cation  of  his  Divinity  to  the  renewed  Heart, 
 
 **  (which   human  Reafon,    vain  Philofophy, 
 
 **  Moral  Suafiofty  or  any  or  all  barely  external 
 
 **  Evidence  whatfoever  cannot  reveal)  hath 
 
 **  he    built,    doth  he  now   build,    and  will 
 
 **  continue  to  build  his  Church,  and  there- 
 
 **  fore  it  is  that  the  Gates,  neither  the  Power 
 
 **  or  Policy  of  Hell,  fhall  ever  be  able  to  pre- 
 
 **  vail  againfl  it." 
 
 Again,  Page  32,  "  furely  his  Lordfhip 
 "by  thefe  modern  Enthuiiafts  cannot  mean 
 **  any  (thofe)  who  apply  for  Holy  Orders, 
 "  ivhen  (whom)  the  Searcher  of  Hearts  knows 
 *^  that  they  are  moved  (io  be  moved)  by  fe- 
 "  cular  views,  and  worldly  hopes  of  Pre- 
 «'  ferment." 
 
 Your  Spirit  perhaps,  may  be  of  too  fublime 
 and  volatile  a  Nature  to  be  confined  to  the 
 formal  Rules  of  Grammar,  or  Ihackled  by 
 
 F  the 
 
[42    ] 
 
 the  Fetters  of  Orthography :  By  a  Kind  of 
 Spiritualis  Licentias,  it  may  afTume  a  Style  pe- 
 culiar to  itfelf,  and  through  its  Means  conde- 
 fcend  to  let  itfelf  down,  in  order  to  raife  in 
 us  fome  faint  Ideas  of  its  Experiences  which 
 cannot  be  defcribed  by  the  common  Modes 
 of  Speech :  or  you  may  defpife  correal  Wri- 
 ting as  a  Species  of  Head  Learning,  and 
 place  it  among  the  Nugae  Tricaeque  Calenda: 
 But  however  that  be,  it  is  very  evident  at 
 leaft  to  a  vulgar  Apprehenfion,  that  you  are 
 very  far  from  being  diflinguifhed  with  the 
 Gift  of  Tongues,  or  indeed  with  any  of  the 
 other  extraordinary  Powers,  viz.  of  Know- 
 ledge, Working  of  Miracles,  or  Prophecy, 
 and  confequently  it  may  be  fairly  concluded, 
 that  the  Suppofition  which  is  carried  on 
 through  your  whole  Letter,  of  the  Influences 
 of  the  Holy  Ghoft  being  now  communicated 
 in  the  fame  Manner  as  they  were  to  the  A- 
 poftles  and  firft  Converts  in  Chriftianity, 
 ilands  unfupported  by  any  Kind  of  Proof, 
 and  therefore  the  whole  Superftrudure  which 
 you  have  built  upon  it,  muft  fall  to  the 
 Ground. 
 
 Give  me  Leave,  now.  Sir,  to  expoftulate 
 with  you  concerning  your  Methodiftical  Con- 
 dud:,  and  the  late  Expulfion  of  the  fix  Stu- 
 dents from  Edmund  Hall,  which  gave  Occa- 
 
 fion 
 
[43   ] 
 
 fion  for  your  Letter  to  Dr.  Durell,  the  Vice- 
 Chancellor  of  Oxford. 
 
 You  had  it  feems,  your  Education  in  that 
 Univerfity,  where  alfo  you  fay,  *«  it  was 
 **  your  Happinefs  to  receive  at  the  fame  Place 
 **  the  Witnefs  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  your 
 *'  Heart,"  (Page  27.)  by  which  I  fuppofe  you 
 mean  that  there  you  was  admitted  into  Holy 
 Orders,  and  commenced  a  Methodift.  But 
 if  you  there  received  the  Witnefe  of  the  Spi- 
 rit, and  was  inwardly  moved  at  your  Ordina- 
 tion by  the  Holy  Ghoft,  was  you  not  alfo 
 moved  at  the  fame  Time  by  the  fame  Spirit, 
 to  promife  that  you  would  adminifter  the 
 Holy  Sacraments  according  to  the  Forms  of 
 the  Church  of  England  f  and  did  you  not 
 likewife  vow  at  the  fame  Time  that  you 
 would  behave  reverently  to,  and  fubmif- 
 Hvely  obey  your  Ordinary,  and  the  Gover- 
 nors of  the  Church  ?  if  you  was  then  moved 
 by  the  Spirit  of  God  to  make  this  Promife 
 and  Vow,  by  what  Spirit  have  you  been  lince 
 led  wantonly  to  violate  them  Both  ?  Should 
 you  therefore  humbly  afk  me  wherein  the  Ir- 
 regularity and  Diforderlinefs  of  your  Way  of 
 ading  and  thinking  confift,  I  will  tell  you  in 
 a  very  plain  and  free  Manner  : 
 
 It  is  irregular  and  diforderly  in  you  to  ad- 
 minifter  the  Sacraments  contrary  to  the  Rites 
 
 F  2  and 
 
I  44  ]! 
 
 and  Ceremonies  of  the  Church  of  England, 
 which  you  folemnly  declared,  under  the 
 Direction  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  you 
 would  not. 
 
 It  is  irregular  and  diforderly  to  fly  in  the 
 Face  of  the  Bifhops  and  Ecclefiaftical  Rulers, 
 whom  you  had  bound  yourfelf  to  obey,  and 
 to  a6t  in  dired:  Oppoiition  to  the  Canons  and 
 Conflitutions  of  the  Church,  of  which  you 
 was  admitted  a  Paftor. 
 
 It  is  irregular  and  diforderly  to  foment 
 Schifms  and  Divilions  in  the  Church,  to  fepa- 
 rate  yourfelf  from  its  Communion,  to  ered: 
 Conventicles  and  feduce  weak  Brethren  into 
 them,  through  Affurances  of  conducing  them 
 in  a  fhorter  and  furer  Way  to  Heaven  :  and 
 do  you  call  this  filling  the  Pews  of  the 
 Church,  crowding  her  Communion  Tables, 
 and  recommending  a  frequent  and  conftant 
 devout  Attendance  upon  her  publick  Of- 
 fices ?  (See  Page  34.) 
 
 It  is  irregular  and  diforderly  to  rejetfl  the 
 eftabliflied  Forms  of  Prayer,  and  to  pray 
 extempore,  under  Pretence  of  being  moved 
 by  the  fame  Spirit  with  which  you  promifed 
 to  conform  to  the  Liturgy  of  the  Church  : 
 And  it  is  irregular  and  diforderly  to  alienate 
 the  AffecTtions  of  the  People  from  the  Paro- 
 chial Clergy,  by  exalting  yourfelves  and  af- 
 
 feding 
 
1:45] 
 
 feding  a  fuperior  Degree  of  San6tity,  and 
 by  pulling  them  down,  and  by  ftigmatlzing 
 them  for  dead  Formaiifts,  proud  felf-righ- 
 teous  Bigots,  \yhofe  Practices  give  the  Lye. 
 to  their  Precepts,  and  who  feek  the  Fleece, 
 and  not  the  piock,  and^  jye^ch  themfelves 
 and  not  Jefus  Chrift.         -  n:  - 
 
 It  is  fomething  moije  than  irregular  and 
 diforderly,  to  ftyle  yourfelves  the  only  Gofpel 
 Minifters,  tiie  fole  Evangelical  Paftors,  and 
 chofen  VcfTels,  to  give  out  that  you  and 
 your  Followers  are  the  Ele(5t>  predeftinated 
 to  everlafting  Salvation,  and  all  the  World, 
 bcfides  arQ  Reprobates,  and  doomed  to  eter- 
 nal Perdition. 
 
 And  laftly,  it  is  the  Sign  of  a  difordered 
 Head  and  a  difturbed  Mind>  to  attribute  the 
 wild  Tranfports  of  a  frantick  Zeal,  and  the 
 Ebullitions  of  an  over-heated  Imagination  to 
 the  Intluences  of  G op's  Holy  Spirit :  whe- 
 ther all  thefe  Irregularities  and  Diforders  are 
 to  be  charofed  uDon  the  fix  Exiles  from  £^- 
 
 O  'x 
 
 tniind  Hall,  I.  will  not  take  upon  me  to  deter- 
 mine, but  fome  of  them  you  acknowledge 
 they  were  guilty  of;  and  though  you  glory 
 in  their  Guilt,  yet  Thefe,  together  with 
 their  total  Ignorance  of  Latin  and  Greek, 
 would  render  them  a  Scandal  to  any  Acade- 
 jny,  but  more  efpecially  juftify  their  Expul- 
 
 fion 
 
[  46] 
 
 lion  from  the  moft  antient  and  renowned 
 Seat  of  Learning  in  the  World:  is  it  not 
 ilrange  that  you  who  have  fpent  a  great  Part 
 of  your  youthful  Days  in  acquiring  fome 
 Smattering  of  the  Clafficks,  and  had  a  libe- 
 ral Education  at  the  Univerfity,  fhould  after- 
 wards turn  out  an  avowed  Contemner  of  all 
 human  Literature,  a  ftrenuous  Champion 
 for  Ignorance,  and  a  publick  ProfefTor  of  Su- 
 perftition  and  Enthufiafm  ?  if  an  Aptnefs  to 
 teach  be  the  fole  Qualification  and  Requifite 
 for  your  Gofpel  Minifter,  and  if  a  large  Stock 
 of  Pride,  with  the  profoundeft  Ignorance, 
 and  a  Brow  harder  than  Adamant  be  fufii- 
 cient  to  fet  up  a  Methodiftical  Spouter,  then 
 what  Occafion  is  there  to  fend  him  to  the 
 Univerfity  ?  your  Geniufes  for  thefe  Accom- 
 plifliments  will  thrive  infinitely  better  in  any 
 other  Soil  than  in  Academical  Ground,  where 
 Modefty  engrafted  upon  natural  Senfe,  with 
 a  docile  and  tra(51:able  Difpofition,  are  the 
 only  Saplings  fit  to  be  fet,  cultivated,  and 
 reared  in,  and  tranfplanted  from  this  Nurfery. 
 But  here,  methinks,  I  hear  you  fay,  that 
 this  is  the  only  Way  we  have  of  getting  our 
 Pupils  into  regular  Orders,  and  qualifying 
 them  for  Chaplainfhips  to  pious  Ladies  of 
 Quality,  for  Lediureftiips  in  the  Churches 
 where  the  Majority  of  the  Eied:ors  are  Me- 
 
 thodiftical 
 
 # 
 
[  47  ] 
 
 thodiftically  inclined,  and  for  Inftitution  and 
 Indudlion  in  the  Redlories  of  Alwinkle,  &c. 
 whofe  Prefentations  are  in  the  Gift  of  thofe 
 Saints  who  are  Friends  to  our  Religious  Fra- 
 ternities; and  (hould  there  be  any  fupernu- 
 merary  Labourers,  we  can  fend  theni  into 
 the  Lanes  and  Commons,  and  employ  them 
 for  a  while  in  the  Work  of  an  itinerant 
 Field  Phcenomena,  and  when  our  old  weary 
 Heads  are  laid  in  the  filent  Grave,  we  can 
 entail  our  Oratories,  our  Tabernacles,  and 
 our  Sandluary  upon  them  -,  and  thus  from 
 our  Afhes  will  probably  arife  fome  fpiritual 
 Phoenix,  fome  bleffed  Gofpel  Trumpeter, 
 whofe  Sound  fhall  drive  before  them  the  De- 
 vil and  his  triple  Army  :  But  however  thefe. 
 Sir,  may  ferve  your  Purpofes,  they  are  an 
 utter  Subveriion  of  the  Univerfities  j  you 
 cannot  but  be  fenfible  that  moil  of  the  Gram- 
 mar Schools  in  the  Kingdom  are  Seminaries 
 for  them,  and  fome  of  the  largeft  and  bed 
 Foundations  in  Both  are  appropriated  to 
 them,  where  the  Scholars  muft  have  ac- 
 quired a  competent  Knowledge  in  the  learn- 
 ed Languages,  and  made  a  conliderable  Pro- 
 grefs  in  Claflical  Authors  before  they  can  be 
 removed  into  their  refpedlivc  Colleges. 
 
 All  the  Books  in  the  Bible  likewife  were 
 written  in  Hebrew  or  Greek ;  the  Old  Tef- 
 
 tament 
 
[48  ] 
 
 tamcnt  was  tfanflated  into  the  Greek  Lan- 
 ^guage  long  before  our  Saviour's  Time,  which 
 Verfion  is  fo  well  done,  that  the  Tranflators 
 were  for  many  Ages  believed  to  be  infpired  5 
 but  however  that  be,  this  is  certain,  that  it 
 is  of  infinite  Ufe  in  deciphering  and  explain- 
 ing the  Hebrew  Text. 
 
 All  the  Books  of  the  New  Teftament  were 
 written  in  Greek,  except  the  Gofpel  of  St. 
 Matthew,  which  fome  learned  Divines  fup- 
 pofe  to  be  written  in  Hebrew  ;  in  the  fourth 
 Century  the  whole  Bible  was  tranflated  into 
 Latin,  which  is  ftyled  the  Vulgate,  and  is  fo 
 well  executed,  that  the  Papifts  have  decreed 
 it  to  be  of  equal  Authority  with  the  Origi- 
 nal, and  the  Proteftants  allow  and  receive  it 
 as  a  faithful  and  corredl  Tranflation  of  it. 
 
 The  ancient  Hiftory  of  the  Propagation 
 and  Progrefs  of  our  Religion,  of  the  fet- 
 tling the  Canonical  Books  of  Scripture,  of 
 the  eftablifhed  Traditions  of  the  Church,  its 
 Creeds  and  Decifions,  of  Councils  on  contro- 
 verted Points  of  Faith,  together  with  many 
 "valuable  Paraphrafes,  Comments,  and  Ex- 
 poiitions  of  the  facred  Writings,  are  con- 
 tained in  the  Works  of  the  Greek  and  Latin 
 Fathers  of  the  fix  or  feven  firft  Centuries. 
 
 For  thefe  and  fuch  like  Reafons,  all  Heads 
 of  Colleges  and   Halls,   Deans,  Tutors,   or 
 
 oth  er 
 
[49] 
 
 Other  Perfons  deputed  for  that  Purpofe,  do 
 or  ought  to  examine  in  thefe  Languages  every 
 Perfon  who  offers  himlelf  for  Admittance 
 into  their  refpe(5tive  Societies,  and  this  Exa- 
 mination it  is  fuppofed  they  have  pafTed  when 
 they  come  for  Matriculation  or  Incorporation 
 into  the  Univerlity  ;  for  the  Oaths  which  are 
 then  tendered  to  them  are  in  Latin  ;  and  the 
 Statutes,  Privileges,  and  Cuftoms  of  the  U- 
 niverfity  which  they  fwear  to  obferve  are 
 written  in  Latin  :  all  the  Exercifes,  as  well 
 in  the  private  Colleges,  as  in  the  publick 
 Schools,  are  in  the  learned  Languages  :  and 
 the  firft  Founders  of  Colleges,  the  iiluftrious, 
 noble,  and  royal  Patrons,  who  granted  their 
 Charters  and  enriched  them  with  many  choice 
 Privileges  and  ample  Benefactions,  and  the 
 Compilers  of  their  Statutes  are  fo  far  from 
 thinking  with  you  that  all  human  Know- 
 ledge is  trifling,  that  publick  Ledlurefhips 
 and  Profeflbrfliips  have  been  inftituted  in  all 
 the  Arts  and  Sciences,  and  endowed  with 
 competent  Salaries,  that  Adepts  may  read  in 
 them  to  all  the  Students  in  the  Univerfity, 
 who  are  required  to  attend  them ;  in  their 
 firft  Year  they  are  to  hear  the  Ledlures  in 
 Grammar  and  Rhetorickj  in  their  feeond,  in 
 Logick  and  moral  Philofophy;  in  their  third 
 and  fourth  Years,  in  Geometry  and  the  Greek 
 
 G  Lan- 
 
[50] 
 
 Language;  and  at  all  Times  they  arc  obliged 
 to  frequent  publick  Difputations  -,  and  in  all 
 thefe  Things  they  are  publickly  examined 
 before  their  Admiffion  to  a  Bachelor's  of  Arts 
 jDegree  :  in  like  Manner  they  are  required  to 
 apply  themfelves  to  the  Study  of  Geometry, 
 Metaphyficks,  Hiftory,  Aftronomy,  natural 
 Philofophy,  and  the  Greek  and  Hebrew 
 Languages  ;  they  muft  likewife  be  ftricflly 
 examined  in  all  thefe  Things  by  three  Maf- 
 ters  of  Arts,  who  muft  certify  under  their 
 Hands  that  they  have  made  a  laudable  Pro- 
 grefs  in  them  all,  before  they  can  have  a 
 Mafter's  of  Arts  Degree  conferred  upon  them. 
 Now,  Sir,  can  any  Man  of  common  Senfe 
 imagine  that  mean  Perfons  bred  up  in  low 
 mechanick  Trades,  void  of  all  the  Rudiments 
 of  Learning,  and  wholly  ignorant  in  thefe 
 antient  Languages,  are  properly  qualified  for 
 Members  of  a.  Society  peculiarly  inftituted 
 for  the  Encouragement  and  Promotion  of 
 Letters  :  this,  furely,  muft  be  a  fcandalous 
 Proftitution  of  the  Univerfity,  and  a  total 
 Defeating  of  every  End  of  it :  how  could 
 fuch  Perfons  take  an  Oath  in  Latin  at  their 
 Matriculation,  or  fwear  to  obferve  Statutes 
 which  they  could  not  read,  nor  probably 
 ever  propofed  to  underftand.  They  never 
 could  think  of  taking  any  Degree,  that  was 
 
 im- 
 
[  51  ] 
 
 impra<5ticable  :  but,  I  fuppofe,  they  hoped, 
 through  the  fame  Connivance  with  which 
 they  had  been  indulged  for  their  AdmiiTion 
 into  the  Hallj  to  procure  a  Teftimonial  for 
 Orders,  and  fo  to  have  flolen  irito  the  Church 
 as  they  had  into  the  Univerfity. 
 
 Your  Letter,  Sir,  to  the  Vice-Chancellor 
 of  Oxford,  is  an  ample,  though  undeligned. 
 Vindication  of  the  Expulfion  of  the  fix  Per- 
 fons  you  fo  loudly  declame  againft,  fo  that 
 very  little  more  need  be  added  to  it,  you  ac- 
 knowledge their  Difqualifications  in  Refpecl 
 to  Learning,  Trades,  (^c.  &c.  &c.  you  al- 
 low that  they  formed  and  frequented  Con- 
 venticles where  Praying  and  Preaching  Ex- 
 tempore were  ufed ;  to  all  thefe  Articles  of 
 Impeachment  you  fay  the  accufed  pleaded 
 guilty,  and  you  triumph  in  the  Accufation. 
 
 It  will  be  fufficient  therefore  to  fliew  you 
 in  a  brief  Manner,  that  the  Fellowihip  Meet- 
 ings, or  Brotherhoods,  or  Sifterhoods,  which 
 they  inftituted  and  upheld,  were  ilrieilily 
 fpeaking  Conventicles  prohibited  by  the  Laws 
 of  the  Land,  and  contrary  to  the  Canons 
 and  Conftitutions  of  the  Church,  and  the 
 local  Statutes  of  the  Univerfity. 
 
 By  the  22  Car.  II.  Chap.  i.  Se(ft.  i.  it 
 was  enaded  that  if  any  Perfon  above  the  Age 
 of  fixteen  fliould  be  prefent  at  any  AfTembly, 
 
 G   2  Con- 
 
[52    ] 
 
 Conventicle,  or  Meeting,  under  Colour  or 
 Pretence  of  any  Exercife  of  Religion  in  other 
 Manner  than  according  to  the  Liturgy  and 
 Pradlice  of  the  Church  of  England,  at  which 
 Conventicle  there  fhall  be  five  Perfons  or 
 more  alTembled  together,  over  and  befides 
 thofe  of  the  fame  Houfhold,  if  it  be  a  Houfe 
 where  there  is  a  Family  inhabiting,  or  if  it 
 be  in  a  Houfe  or  Field  or  Place  where  there 
 is  no  Family  inhabiting,  then  when  any  five 
 Perfons  or  more  are  fo  affembled,  every  one 
 fhall  be  fubjexft  to  the  Penalty  of  five  Shil- 
 lings for  the  firfi:  Offence,  and  ten  Shillings 
 for  the  fecond. 
 
 Se(ft.3.  Every  Perfon,  who  fhall  take  upon 
 him  to  preach  or  teach  in  any  fuch  Meeting, 
 Aflembly,  or  Conventicle,  fhall  forfet  twenty 
 Pounds  for  the  firfl  Offence,  and  forty  Pounds 
 for  the  fecond. 
 
 Sedl.  4.  If  any  Perfon  fhall  fuffer  any  fuch 
 Conventicle,  AfTembly,  or  unlawful  Meet- 
 ing, as  aforefaid,  to  be  held  in  his  Houfe, 
 Out-Houfe,  Barn,  Yard,  or  Back-fide,  fhall 
 forfeit  twenty  Pounds. 
 
 This  Adt  is  indeed  in  fome  Desree  cor- 
 rented  -,  and  fome  Conventicles  with  their 
 Teachers  are  permitted  under  certain  Re- 
 flri(5tions,  by  the  Ad:  of  the  firft  of  William 
 and  Mary,  Chap.  18,    which   is   called   the 
 
 Tole^ 
 
[  S3  ] 
 
 Toleration  Aft  ;  but  all  other  Conventicles 
 are  ftill  continued  to  be  forbidden  by  the 
 faid  Aa. 
 
 Thus,  Sedt.  i8.  AfTemblies  of  Perfons  in 
 any  Place  for  religious  Worfhip,  where  the 
 Doors  are  locked,  barred,  or  bolted,  during 
 the  Time  of  fuch  Meeting,  are  not  allowed 
 by  this  Ad:. 
 
 Again,  Se6t.  19.  no  Congregation  or  Af- 
 fembly  for  religious  Worfhip  Ihall  be  per- 
 mitted or  allowed  by  this  Ad:  until  fuch  Place 
 of  Meeting  fhall  be  certified  to  the  Biiliop  of 
 the  Diocefe,  or  Arch-Deacon  of  the  Arch- 
 Deaconry,  or  to  the  Juftices  of  the  Peace  at 
 their  general  Qaarter-Seffions  for  the  Coun- 
 ty, City,  or  Place  in  which  fuch  Meetings 
 (liall  be  held,  and  regiftered  in  the  faid  Bi- 
 fhop's  or  Arch-Deacon's  Court,  or  recorded 
 at  the  faid  general  Quarter-Seffions  of  the 
 Peace. 
 
 Hence  all  Conventicles,  AfTemblies,  or 
 Meetings,  as  defcribed  in  the  22  Car.  II. 
 Chap.  I.  and  not  regiflered  or  recorded  ac- 
 cording to  the  Toleration  Ad,  are  illicit  and 
 prohibited. 
 
 In  the  49th  Canon  ecclefiaflical  it  is  faid 
 that  no  Perfon  whatever,  not  examined  and 
 approved  by  the  Bifhop,  or  not  licenfed,  fliall 
 
 take 
 
C54] 
 
 take  upon  him  to  expound  any  where  any 
 Scripture  or  Matter  of  Dodtrine. 
 
 And  the  47th  Canon  is,  that  no  Perfons 
 fhall  meet  together  in  any  private  Houfe  or 
 elfewhere  to  confult  upon  any  Matter  or 
 Courfe  to  be  taken  by  them  which  may  any 
 "Way  tend  to  the  impeaching  or  depraving  of 
 the  Dodrine  of  the  Church  of  England,  or 
 of  the  Book  of  common  Prayer,  or  of  any 
 Part  of  the  Government  and  DifcipHne  now 
 eflabUfhed  in  the  Church  of  England  :  the 
 local  Statute  of  the  Univerfity  of  Oxford  is, 
 that  no  Perfon  of  whatever  Degree  or  Con- 
 dition he  be  fhall  inftitute,  or  by  any  Means 
 frequent,  illicit  Conventicles  within  the  Pre- 
 cind:s  of  the  Univerfity,  or  permit  them  to 
 be  in  his  Houfe  or  Chamber ;  and  they  are 
 to  be,  efleemed  illicit  Conventicles  in  which 
 any  Thing  is  deliberated  or  done  contrary  to 
 the  publick  Peace,  the  Dodtrine  or  Difcipline 
 of  the  Church,  or  the  Government  and  Peace 
 of  the  Univerfity,  or  in  which  Men  either 
 publicklyor  privately  aifemble  together  other- 
 wife  than  is  permitted  by  the  Laws  of  the 
 Realm,  the  Canons  of  the  Church,  and  the 
 Orders  of  the  Univerlity. 
 
 Every  Member  at  his  Matriculation  fwears 
 to  obferve  this  Statute  j  but  befides  this  ge- 
 neral Oath,   there  is  a  more  than  ordinary 
 
 Provi- 
 
[55] 
 
 Provilion  made  for  the  Prevention  and  Sup- 
 preffion  of  Conventicles,  for  every  Perfon  at 
 his  Admiffion  to  every  Degree  is  in  particu- 
 lar required  to  fwear  that  he  will  not  give 
 any  Encouragement  to  Conventicles  either  by 
 his  Prefence,  or  by  any  tacit  or  exprefs  Ap- 
 probation of  them,  but  will  ftrive  by  all  pof- 
 lible  Means  to  fupprefs  them.   (Stat.  Tit. IX. 
 
 §•6.) 
 
 From  all  which  it  is  very  evident  that 
 Meetings  held  in  private  Chambers,  Lodg- 
 ings, or  Houfes  within  the  Precinds  of  the 
 Univerfity  where  all  Kinds  of  Perfons  of  any 
 Trade  or  Profeffion  and  of  both  Sexes  were 
 affembled,  and  where  extempore  Prayers  and 
 Preachments  were  ufed  by  Women  as  well 
 as  Men,  and  where  finging  Pfalms  or  Hymns 
 or  other  religious  Exercifes  were  pradliced, 
 were  truly  and  properly  illicit  Conventicles 
 within  the  afore-mentioned  Defcription  of 
 them,  for  they  were  Afl'emblies  indicflable 
 by  the  Laws  of  the  Land,  they  were  fepe- 
 rate  Congregations  fomenting  Schifms  and 
 Divifions  in  the  Church,  contrary  to  its  Dif- 
 cipline.  Doctrines,  Liturgy,  and  Canons  ; 
 fubverfive  of  the  Peace  of  the  Community  in 
 general,  and  in  an  efpecial  Manner  trampling 
 upon  the  Rules  and  Orders  of  the  Univcrlity : 
 fo  that  fuch  Conventicles  were  dangerous  to 
 
 the 
 
[56] 
 
 the  State,  the  Church,  and  the  Univerlity  y 
 and  therefore  they  could  not  be  too  foon  fup- 
 prelTed,  nor  its  Members  too  foon  difperfed. 
 
 In  your  Spirit  of  Prophecy  you  fay  that 
 wherever  this  A61  of  Expullion  is  recorded  (and 
 recorded  it  will  be  to  the  latefl  Poflerity)  it 
 will  be  mentioned  to  the  Honour  of  Dr  Dixon 
 (and  for  acting  thus  he  will  have  the  Thanks 
 of  all  moderate,  ferious,  fober-minded  Chrif- 
 tians  in  the  three  Kingdoms)  that  he  had  no 
 Hand  in,  but  did  all  he  poffibly  could  to  pre- 
 vent thefe  young  Mens  Expulfion.  (Page  21.) 
 
 By  all  moderate,  ferious,  fober-minded 
 Chriilians  in  the  three  Kingdoms  I  fuppofe 
 you  mean  the  Methodifts,  though  thefe  Epi- 
 thets but  ill  fuit  with  fuch  warm  Zealots, 
 for  I  cannot  conceive  what  Thanks  he  can 
 have  from  any  other  Perfons  :  but  as  I  live 
 at  feme  Diftance  from  Oxford,  and  do  not 
 know  any  more  of  his  Condud:  than  what 
 common  Fame,  or  you.  Sir,  have  reported 
 of  him ;  I  will  not  pronounce  any  Thing 
 abfolutely  concerning  him. 
 
 But  this  I  will  venture  to  ailert,  that  fhould 
 any  Head  of  a  Houfe,  a  Doctor  and  in  Or- 
 ders, wilfully  and  deliberately  admit  fuch 
 Perfons  as  are  here  reprefented  into  his  So- 
 ciety, (liould  he  himfelf  frequent  or  abet  fuch 
 illicit  Conventicles,  and  fliould  he  for  their 
 
 Sakes 
 
[57] 
 
 Sakes  neglect  the  Difcipllne  of  his  Houfe, 
 and  be  wilHng  to  give  them  Teftimonials, 
 and  apply  his  Intereft  for  getting  them  into 
 Orders,  then  I  would  fay  that  he  would  de- 
 ferve  no  Thanks  from  the  Church,  the  Uni- 
 verlity,  or  his  own  Houfe. 
 
 For  what  Thanks  can  be  due  to  him  from 
 the  Church,  when  being  one  of  its  Watch- 
 men he  fliould  let  in  thofe  Enemies  who 
 would  betray  and  deftroy  it  ?  and  how  do  you 
 think  the  Clergy  would  ftand  affected  to- 
 wards him,  when  being  himfelf  a  Priell  and 
 ProfefTor  of  Divinity  he  would  be  labouring 
 to  bring  his  own  Order  into  the  utmoft  Con- 
 tempt by  making  like  'Jeroboamy  Priefts  of 
 the  lowed  of  the  People,  and  introducing 
 Quacks  and  Mountebanks  into  their  Defl<.s 
 and  Pulpits ;  and  Barbers  and  Coblers  into 
 the  Stalls  of  the  Church  ? 
 
 How  do  you  think  it  will  appear  in  the 
 Records  of  the  Univerfity,  or  of  his  own 
 College,  if  being  diftinguifhed  with  the  Ho- 
 nour of  a  Governour  in  that  illuftrious  Seat 
 of  Learning,  and  having  the  Care  and  Edu- 
 cation of  young  Men  committed  to  his 
 Charge  he  fliould  infamoufly  abufe  his  Truft, 
 by  admitting  Perfons  into  his  Society  with- 
 out examining  into  their  Qualifications  of 
 Rank,  Fortune,  or  Learning,  by  exempting 
 
 H  them 
 
[  58  ] 
 
 them  from  the  Exercifes  and  Difcipline  of 
 his  Houfe,  encouraging  or  conniving  at  thefe 
 Irregulars  in  forming  and  frequenting  Con- 
 venticles, and  there  unlicenfed  and  unappro- 
 ved of,  taking  upon  themfelves  to  pray  ex- 
 tempore and  expound  Scripture  and  Matters 
 of  Do(5lrine  ;  and  if  he  Ihould  endeavour  to 
 carry  them  through  the  Univerfity  with  a 
 View  of  getting  them  into  holy  Orders :  would 
 not  this  be  ad:ing  contrary  to  all  the  Rules 
 of  Honour  and  Confcience,  and  a  flagrant 
 Violation  of  his  Duty  and  Gratitude  to  his 
 Univerfity  and  his  College  ?  and  would  he 
 not  be  delivered  down  with  Infamy  to  Pof- 
 terity  ?" 
 
 Where  fuch  a  Charge  can  be  proved  upon 
 any  Governour  he  ihould  not  be  treated  with 
 Lenity  -,  the  like  Punifliment  fliould  be  in- 
 flicted upon  him  as  upon  the  other  Delin- 
 quents ;  and  if  the  Head  together  with  the 
 Limbs  ihould  fuffer  Amputation  I  will  anfwer 
 for  it,  it  would  be  widely  different  from  the 
 Lyrnean  Head,  (Page  31)  for  there  would  ne- 
 ver fpring  up  fuch  another.  In  all  fuch  Cafes  I 
 ihould  think  it  highly  incumbent  upon  the 
 Vice- Chancellor,  or  his  Deputy,  to  have  the 
 Members  of  fuch  a  College,  who  ihould  of- 
 fer themfelves  for  Matriculation,  itridtly  ex- 
 amined as  to  their  Learning  and  other  Qua- 
 lifications : 
 
[  59  ] 
 
 lificatlons  :  and  the  Vifitor  likewlfe,  for  the 
 Prevention  of  any  fuch  future  Abufes,  and 
 preferving  the  Honour  and  Credit  of  the  Uni- 
 verfity,  fhould  frequently  interpofe  his  Au- 
 thority in  feeing  the  DifcipHne  and  Exercifes 
 of  his  College  duly  kept  up. 
 
 The  Expulfion  of  thefe  fix  Members,  I 
 find,  hath  been  the  Caufe  of  much  Grief, 
 Lamentation,  and  Woe,  among  all  your  Fra- 
 ternities ;  and  by  your  bitter  Exclamations 
 againft  the  AfTeiTors,  for  this  atrocious  Sen- 
 tence, you  feem  to  be  forely  hurt  through 
 the  Sides  of  thefe  Exiles;  from  which  it  is 
 flirewdly  fufpedted  that  you  had  not  only  a 
 Hand  in  fending  them  to  Edmund-Hall,  but 
 largely  contributed  to  their  Support  there. 
 
 But  what  is  to  be  done  with  thefe  Exiles 
 upon  this  grievous  Difappointment  ?  Now, 
 Sir,  I  will,  unaiked,  give  you  very  frankly 
 and  honeilly  the  beft  Advice  I  cai\  upon  this 
 mournful  Occaiion. 
 
 I  am  for  Proceeding  upon  the  good  old 
 Adage,  Ne  Sutor  ultra  Crepidam,  let  them  re- 
 turn Home  and  repair  to  their  Shops,  and 
 through  an  inceffant  Application  to  their  re- 
 fpedlive  Callings  let  them  endeavour  to  get 
 an  honeft  and  reputable  Livelihood  ;  and  if 
 they  will  promife  to  continue  there,  and  go 
 regularly  to  their  parilh  Church,  and  behave 
 
 with 
 
[6o] 
 
 with  Modefty  and  Submiflion  to  their  Paftors, 
 fhould  any  of  them  live  near  me  or  withia 
 my  Knowledge  I  will  not  only  employ  them 
 myfelf,  for  what  I  fhould  Want  in  their  Way, 
 but  will  recommend  them  to  my  Friends  and 
 Acquaintance  :  but  fhould  this  rough  Phy- 
 fick  be  not  Urong  enough  to  bring  them  to 
 their  Senfes  and  their  Callings,  then  the  befl 
 Thing  that  their  Friends  can  do  for  them, 
 would  be  to  get  them  a  Place  among  the  In- 
 curables at  Bethlehem,  or  St*  Luke's  Hofpital. 
 And  here.  Sir,  I  mufl  obferve  to  you  that 
 the  Confequences  of  an  erroneous  Confcience 
 are  very  alarming  in  every  Species  of  it,  and 
 in  fome  are  worfe  than  any  Kinds  of  an  evil 
 Confcience  :  we  fhould  do  well  then  to  con-^ 
 iider  how  incumbent  it  is  upon  us  not  only 
 to  do  what  we  think  to  be  right  but  to  take 
 all  pofTible  Care  that  we  think  right,  for 
 there  is  a  great  Deal  more  in  doing  well  than 
 meaning  well,  the  Intention  mufl  be  jufl, 
 as  well  as  fincere :  and  we  mufl  aft  both  rea- 
 fonably  and  confcientioufly,  otherwife  we  may 
 be  mofl  out  of  our  Senfes  when  we  take  our- 
 felves  to  be  moft  in  them,  and  may  be  mofl 
 enormoufly  wicked  when  we  are  confident 
 that  we  are  mofl  perfectly  upright. .  There 
 is  likewlfe  a  moil  deplorable  Clrcumflance 
 in  every  Species  of  an  erroneous  Confcience, 
 
 and 
 
[6i  ] 
 
 and  which  deferves  dur  moft  ferious  Atten- 
 tion and  Confideration,  viz.  that  it  is  ac- 
 companied with  an  Inferifibility  of  its  Evil, 
 which  renders  it  moft  defperate  and  moft  in- 
 curable :  for  the  Ignorance  which  brings  it 
 conceals  it  from  us,  and  continues  us  in  it  : 
 falfe  Confidences,  fays  an  ingenious  Author, 
 are  like  feather  Beds,  which  provoke  found 
 Sleep,  and  deaden  all  Bullets  that  are  (liot 
 againft  them  :  moft  other  Diforders  alarm 
 us  with  their  Pains,  and  make  us  know  and 
 feel  our  Danger,  he  who  afts  againft  Know- 
 ledge is  generally  ftruck  with  the  Senfe  of 
 Guilt ;  Confcience  probes  his  Wounds  and 
 prefcribes  his  Remedy,  and  confequently  there 
 is  fome  Hopes  of  his  Recovery ;  but  an  er- 
 roneus  Confcience  is  like  fome  Kinds  of  Con- 
 fumptions,  which  flatter  their  Patients  and 
 give  them  falfe  Spirits,  through  which  they 
 ^re  apt  to  think  themfelves  in  full  Health, 
 and  are  leaft  apprehenfive  of  dying  when  they 
 are  dropping  into  their  Graves,  thus  the  blind 
 Zealot  is  a  Bubble  to  his  ovv^n  Diftemper, 
 and  he  is  fo  far  worfe  than  other  lick  Per- 
 fons,  that  he  muft  firft  be  reduced  to  a  Senfe 
 of  his  own  Illnefs,  and  fet  on  a  Par  with  o- 
 ther  Patients  before  his  Cure  can  be  at- 
 tempted, 
 
 Confider 
 
C  62  3 
 
 Confider  then.  Sir,  how  terrible  a  Thing 
 it  is  to  be  in  the  moft  imminent  Danger 
 without  any  Apprehenfion  of  it,  and  to  have 
 our  Watchman  fafl  afleep  or  to  cry  all  is  fafe  ^ 
 when  the  Enemy  is  upon  us :  furely  we  ought 
 to  take  a  fpecial  Care  how  we  fet  up  a  falfe 
 Prophet  or  a  falfe  Judge  in  our  Breafts,  who 
 will  fpeak  lying  Divinations  and  fee  Vilions 
 of  Peace  when  there  is  no  Peace  ^  or  who 
 will  acquit  and  applaud  us  when  the  God  of 
 Truth,  who  is  greater  than  our  Confciences, 
 will  condemn  and  punifh  us. 
 
 If,  Reverend  Sir,  you  will  allow  me  the 
 Suppofition,  I  make  no  Doubt  but  you  will 
 concur  with  me  in  my  Conclufion  and  Re- 
 queft,  which  are,  that  if  your  religious  Prin- 
 ciples are  erroneous,  they  are  of  fuch  long 
 {landing  that  they  cannot  be  redtified  by  any 
 natural  Means  -,  but  what  is  impoffible  with 
 Men  is  poflible  with  God  ;  that  the  Son  of 
 Righteoufnefs  therefore  may  rife  with  Heal- 
 ing in  his  Wings  upon  you  and  illumine  your 
 Mind  with  his  divine  all-piercing  Rays  of 
 Truth,  and  that  the  great  Shepherd^f  the 
 Sheep  may  bring  you  back  to  his  Fold  from 
 which  you  have  ftrayed,  is  the  fervent  Prayer 
 of  your  fincere  Friend, 
 
 w.  c. 
 
 \. 
 
A 
 
 LETTER 
 
 T  O  T  H  E 
 
 AUTHOR 
 
 O  F   A 
 
 PAMPHLET, 
 
 INTITLED, 
 
 Pietas  Oxonienfis. 
 
 *'  Where  two  extremes  are  propofed,  either  in  matters 
 *'  of  Speculation  or  Practice,  and  neither  of  them 
 "  has  certain  and  convincing  Evidence^  it  is  generally 
 "  fafeft  to  take  the  middle  Way.  Moderation  is  more 
 **  likely  to  come  near  the  Truth,  than  doubtful  Ex- 
 «'  tremes."  Dr  Watts. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed  for  E.  Johnson,  (N*'  12.)  in  Ave-Mary  Lane, 
 near  Stationer's-Hall. 
 
 MDCCLXVIII. 
 (Price  SIX-PENCE.) 
 
f^^  r^^  <^^A  <^^  <^^  -^^^  '^^ 
 
 LETTER,    &c. 
 
 S  I  R, 
 
 ^^^i..^^  T  is  not  my  Defigil  in  the  follow* 
 /  I  r  ^"S  Pages,  to  enter  upon  any  li- 
 *^^  ^  terary  Difpute  refpedbing  either 
 Do6lrines  or  Principles  j  nor  would 
 I  be  underftood  to  impeach  the  goodnefs  of 
 your  Intention,  or  detract  from  the  merit 
 of  a  late  Performance,  intitled,  Pi  etas 
 OxoNiENSis;  wherein  you  undertake,  with 
 great  j  aft  ice,  to  prove  what  almoft  all  con- 
 fiderate  People  are  now  very  ready  to  give 
 their  Aflent  to,  namely,  that  the  Proceedings 
 of  a  learned  Body  were  attended  with  an 
 unbecoming  (not  to  fay  illegal)  feverity  and 
 rigour.  But  as  we  can  only  judge  of  the 
 tendency  of  Things  by  their  EfFe6ls,  I  am 
 inclined  to  believe  your  performance  had 
 A  2  been 
 
[     4    ] 
 
 been  attended  with  much  better  Confeqiienccs 
 had  you  refled  the  matter  there  j  but  we 
 find  in  the  procefs  of  your  Work,  an  at- 
 tempt to  maintain  certain  particular  Doc- 
 trines, which  the  wifdom  of  former  ages 
 was  not  able  to  fettle,  and  which  hitherto 
 have  never  been  clearly  explained  by  any 
 Man  i  and  I  make  no  doubt,  but  that  who- 
 ever remains  diflatisfied  till  they  are  fet  in  a 
 clear  unclouded  View,  may  wait  with  Ho- 
 race's Clown, 
 
 ■^^ "  dum  dejiuat  Amnh 
 
 ."  In  omne  volubilis  avum,'* 
 
 It  might  have  been  a  fufHcient  Vindication 
 of  the  young  Men  who  were  obje6led  to,  on 
 account  of  certain  tenets  (among  other  things) 
 that  the  f^me  tenets  have  been  continually 
 held  by  many  great  and  good  Men  fmce  the 
 Reformation,  at  leaft,  who  for  the  exem- 
 plarinefs  of  their  piety,  as  well  as  their  firm 
 attachment  to  the  eftabliflied  Church  of 
 England,  may  be  juftly  fliled  the  more  ex- 
 cellent of  the  earth,  Fathers  of  the  Church, 
 **  Men  of  renown,  who  were  for  a  name 
 '*  and  fi  praife  in  their  day  and  generation/' 
 
 Not 
 
[    5    ] 
 
 Not  that  this  is  any  conclufive  argument  in 
 defence  of  their  particular  principles,  fince 
 we  may  admire  and  efteem  the  Men,  without 
 fully  embracing  all  their  fentiments ;  nor  will 
 any  truly  good  man  make  an  exa6l  confor- 
 mity to  their  opinions  in  difputable  points 
 the  ONLY  Criterion  of  goodnefs  in  another. 
 
 A  very  little  real  knowledge  of  human 
 nature,  and  its  deceit fulnefs,  will  foon  con- 
 vince us  with  what  difficulty  we  get  rid  of 
 that  darling  pafiion,  Self-love:  nor  has  it 
 been  faid  without  great  propriety,  that  a  man 
 who  fo  conquers  this  enemy  as  wholly  to 
 fubdue  it  in  himfelf,  does  more  than  even 
 Alexander,  though  he  had  conquered  the 
 world.  pROTEUS-like,  its  difguifes  and  fpe- 
 cious  artifices  are  fo  many  and  various,  that 
 nothing  lefs  than  an  underftanding  fpiritually 
 enlightened  can  difcern  its  fecret  operations. 
 
 Hence  it  is  no  marvel,  that  the  beft  of 
 men  are  influenced  in  fome  meafure  by  fo 
 fly  and  infinuating  a  Gueft,  and  at  one  time 
 or  other  are  led  to  imagine,  they  are  urging 
 the  didlates  of  Truth  and  found  Judgment, 
 when  in  fad  they  are  nothing  but  the  fond 
 
 perfuafions 
 
f  6  ] 
 
 perfuafions  of  Opinion,  ftrengthened  by 
 Habit,  and  confirmed  by  Inclination  :  nor  is 
 it  to  be  deemed  a  matter  of  furprife,  if  we 
 often  lofe  our  way  by  following  a  falfe  light, 
 which  when  more  clofely  purfued,  is  found 
 to  be  but  a  delufive  vapour  of  the  earth. 
 
 But,  however,  not  to  fatigue  you  with  a 
 tedious  Introdudiion,  I  come  now  to  afllgn 
 the  Reafons  for  my  prefent  writing.  In  page 
 35,  &c.  of  your  pamphlet,  I  find  it  pofitively 
 ailerted  that  "  the  Articles  and  Services  of 
 *'  the  Church  of  England  are  full  of  ftrong 
 "  Calvinifm,  fuch  as  ahfolute  EkElion^  Repro- 
 "  bation^  and  final  Perjevcra7ice :"  But  before 
 I  proceed  to  any  Remarks  upon  this  alTertion, 
 give  me  leave  to  obferve,  that  almoft  all  your 
 arguments  produced  in  order  to  fupport 
 thefe  particular  points  of  do6lrines,  (you  fay) 
 are  founded  upon  the  authority  of  our 
 Church  i  therefore  I  (hall  make  it  my  bufi- 
 nefs  to  confine  myfelf  to  the  fame  authority, 
 without  any  intended  deviation  at  ail.  To 
 return  then  to  your  afiertion,  viz.  *'  That 
 "  the  Church  holds  the  do6lrine  of  abjclufe 
 * '  EleBion,  Reprobation^  and  final  Ver fever ance ;  ** 
 This  induced  me  to  take  up  my  Prayer-book; 
 
 and 
 
[    7    ] 
 
 and  having  carefully  read  it  over,  you  muft 
 excufe  me,  Sir,  if  I  fay,  I  cannot  find,  from 
 the  beginning  to  the  end,  any  thing  that  does 
 at  all  favour  fuch  dodlrines,  but  rather  the 
 reverfe,  excepting  the  Seventeenth  Article; 
 and  that  is  held  forth  in  fo  mild  a  manner, 
 as  to  juftify  only  a  particular  Ele6lion,  (what 
 this  Eledion  is  may  appear  hereafter. ) 
 Now,  Sir,  if  I  may  be  allowed  the  liberty 
 you  have  taken  in  many  particulars,  of  put- 
 ting my  own  meaning  on  the  Seventeenth 
 Article,  and  laying  down  the  plain  literal 
 fenfe  of  the  following  paflages,  (though  many 
 more  of  the  fame  import  might  be  produced) 
 there  is  nothing  in  the  whole  Church-Service, 
 (Articles,  Prayers,  &c.)  as  it  now  ftands,  or 
 as  it  has  been  fmce  the  reign  of  Queen 
 Elizabeth,  which  can  at  all  juftify  fuch 
 do(5trines. 
 
 In  Article  the  Second,  our  Saviour  is  faid 
 tobe  '*  zfacrifice,  not  only  for  original  guilty  but 
 "  alfo  for  the  aBiial  fins  of  men  ;"  and  to  fee 
 that  this  ought  not  to  be  underilood  in  a  con- 
 fined or  limited  {tnic^  we  need  only  compare 
 it  with  the  Thirty-firft  Article,  which  fays, 
 **  that  the  offering  of  Christ  cnce  made^  is 
 
 "  that 
 
[     8     ] 
 
 "  that  perfeSI  Redemption^  Propitiation^  and 
 ^'  SatisJaBion  for  all  the  Jins  of  the 
 *^  WHOLE  world,  both  original  and  aBual:*^ 
 alfo  the  Communion-Service,  fpeaking  of  the 
 fame  thin^',  fays,  "  that  by  his  one  oblation 
 **  of  himjelf  once  offer ed^  he  made  a  full ^  per- 
 ^^feB^andfufficientfacrifice^  oblation^  and  fa- 
 **  tisfaBion  for  the  Jins  of  the  whole  world:'' 
 Moreover,  in  our  Church  Catechifm,  the 
 fecond  anfwer  to  the  Queftion,  "  what  doft 
 *'  thou  chiefly  learn  by  thefe  articles  of  thy 
 "  belief?"  is,  "  I  believe  in  God  the  Son, 
 "  who  hath  redeemed  me  and  all  man- 
 **  kind."  What  ftill  flrengthens,  and  in 
 fome  meafure  confirms  me  in  the  opinion 
 that  the  above  iliould  be  taken  in  the  moft 
 fimple  and  literal  fenfe,  is,  that  when  the 
 Minifter  in  the  Communion- Service  offers 
 the  Bread  and  Wine,  he  declares,  **  that 
 "  Christ  died,  and  that  his  Blood  was 
 "  given  for  every  refpeftive  communicant i'* 
 though  at  the  fame  time  he  may  fee  from  a 
 perfonal  knowledge  (if  he  has  been  but  a 
 fmail  time  in  the  Parifli)  that  many  who 
 come  to  the  table,  have  no  marks  at  all  of 
 being  borji  again^  or  of  being  the  children  of 
 God:  and  yet,  how  could  any  confceniious 
 
 Minifler 
 
[    9    ] 
 
 MInifter  make  fuch  a  folemn  declaration, 
 unlefs  he  believed  the  Sacrifice  and  Death  of 
 Christ  extended  to  the  whole  iDorld,  or  to 
 ALL  mankind  J  which  fliould  rather,  in  con- 
 formity to  the  rigid  dodtrine  of  Calvin,  run 
 thus,  "  The  body  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
 **  Christ  (iy  it  was  given  and  decreed  for 
 **  thee)  preferve  thy  body  and  foul,  ^c. 
 •*  Take,  and  eat  this,  in  remembrance  that 
 "  ChrisI*  died  for  thee^  (iF  eleBedJ  then  thoU 
 *'  mayeft  feed  on  him  in  thy  heart  by  faith 
 *•  with  thanksgiving." 
 
 Had  the  compilers  of  our  Church-Arti- 
 cles, Service,  ^c.  intended  the  interpretation 
 of  the  above  fliould  have  been  fo  foreign  to 
 the  plain  fenfe  as  you  would  have  it,  they 
 ought  to  have  been  more  confident,  and  not 
 to  have  laid  a  faithful  Minifter  under  the 
 difficulty  either  of  declaring  what  in  his 
 Confcience  he  believed  to  be  a  falfity,  or  of 
 being  compelled  to  the  necefiity  of  quiting 
 the  Church.  Befides,  a  few  words  added  to, 
 or  altered  in  thofe  paflTages  I  have  quoted, 
 might  eafily  have  brought  the  fenfe  to  your 
 interpretation  j  fuch  as,  '*  Christ  was  a 
 "  propitiation  and  fatisfadion  for  the  fins  of 
 
 B  **  all 
 
[       10      ] 
 
 "  all  HIS  people-^viis  eleB — or  his  chofenr^ 
 Had  this  been  the  cafe,  our  Church  would 
 have  fupported  you  in  your  opinion  ("  that 
 "  what  is  faid  of  Christ  dying  for  all  men, 
 "  having  redeemed  all  mankind,  and  being 
 **  a  propitiation  for  the  fuis  of  the  w^orld  ; 
 *'  means,  that  his  facrifice  and  undertaking 
 "  are  hifriite  and  all-fufficient^  he  being  the 
 "  very  and  eternal  God  :"  *  )   And  I  fhould 
 have  fuppofed  that  your  proof  upon  proof, 
 which,   you  fay,  might  have  been  produced 
 in  favour  of  what  you  have  afferted,  muft, 
 when  known,  have  been  worth  attending  to : 
 But  that  there  is  any  propriety  in  your  af- 
 firming, that  the  words  all  mankind,  the 
 WHOLE  WORLD,  ^c.  only  mean  a  very  fmall 
 part  of  the  iiohole  worlds  and  of  all  mankind^ 
 is  what  I  am  not  able  to  difcern ;  and  am 
 rather  inclined  to  believe,  you  have  made 
 them  fpeak  a  language  never  intended  by 
 the  original  Authors ;  if  fo,   you  have  no 
 reafon  to  be  difpleafed  with  any  one  who 
 fiiall  view  them  in  a  different  light. 
 
 In  regard  to  the  Seventeenth  Article,  what 
 js  there  mentioned  of  Predellination  and 
 Election,  inufi;  be  underftood  of  God's  e- 
 
 fpeciai 
 
 *  See  PiETAs  OxoNlENsis,  page  55. 
 
[  "  ] 
 
 fpecial  love  iofome  of  his  eminent  Saints,  and 
 not  as  the  one  only  way  of  his  dealing  with 
 all  thofe  who  fliall  eventually  be  heirs  of 
 falvation  ;  otherwife  the  latter  claufe  of  the 
 Article  would  have  been  quite  needlefs, 
 which  fays,  **  Gon's  promt fes  miiji  be  received 
 **  in  fuch  wife  as  they  be  generally  fet  forth  to  us 
 "  in  holy  Scripture :"  Then  the  queftion  will 
 be,  how  are  thofe  promifes  held  forth  in  holy 
 Writ?  —  why,  to  "  every  creature — whofo- 
 *'  ever  will — to  the  ends  of  the  earth  3"  for 
 God  declares  "  heisnorefpedter  of  perfons;'* 
 and,  as  it  is  exprefled  in  the  Morning- Service 
 of  our  Church,  "  he  defireth  not  the  death 
 "  of  a  finner,  but  rather  that  he  may  turn 
 "  from  his  wickednefs  and  live." 
 
 But  further,  that  this  Article  of  Predefli- 
 nation  and  Election  muft  be  underftood  in 
 a  limited  fenfe  (as  to  fome  great  Inftruments 
 or  eminent  Saints  of  God)  is  evident;  other- 
 wife  it  would  contradict  all  the  feveral  paf- 
 fages  I  have  mentioned  before,  and  alfo  what 
 is  pofitively  declared  in  the  Sixteenth  Article, 
 and  in  our  Church  Catechifm.  But  here  I 
 fliall  only  mention  the  Article  which  fays, 
 **  that  after  we  have  received  the  Holy 
 B  2  Ghost, 
 
[  li  ] 
 
 *^  Ghost,  we  may  depart  from  grace  given." 
 This  Article,  I  know,  has  given  great  offence 
 to  many  zealous  Calvinifts  j  an  inftance  of 
 which  I  will  now  produce  —You  mention, 
 *'  that  at  the  famous  Proteftant  Synod  of 
 '?'  Dort,  the  do6lrines  of  univerfal  Redemption, 
 *'  and  falling  from  Grace ^  were  condemned  hy 
 f*  all  the  reformed  Churches:"  but  it  is  not 
 probable  the  Bilhops,©'^.  fent  by  King  James 
 the  Firft  concurred  in  the  faid  refolution ;  not 
 only  becaufe  the  faid  Sixteenth  Article  con- 
 tradids  it,  by  faying,  *'  we  may  after  we 
 **  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost  depart 
 **  from  grace  given  j''  but  at  a  Conference 
 at  Hampton-Court  before  the  faid  King,  Dodlor 
 Reynolds  and  fome  Divines  (who  were  all 
 Jircng  Calvinifts)  adhering  to  him,  wanted 
 the  faid  Article  to  be  explained  by  fome 
 words  added  thereto;— fuch  as,  "  we  may 
 *'  depart  from  grace  given  ;"  yet  neither  totally^ 
 nox  finally  *  :  but  this  motion  was  overruled. 
 Therefore  it  is  very  plain,  if  thofe  Gentlemen 
 ^id  concur  in  the  faid  refolution,  their  opi- 
 nions were  never  adopted  as  Articles  of  Faith; 
 f  nd  that  our  Church  doth  hold  we  may  fall 
 
 from 
 
 *  See  Do£!:or  Barlow's  Account  of  the  Conference 
 at  Hampton-Court. 
 
■    f     '3    ] 
 
 from  grace  5  or  what  need  was  there  for 
 Po<flor  Reynolds  and  others  wanting  the 
 faid  Article  to  be  altered  ? 
 
 A  fecond  proof  that  our  Church  allows  it 
 poffible  for  its  members  to  fall  from  grace, 
 is,  that  otherwife  all  who  have  been  baptifed 
 muft  be  faved  3  for  in  the  Office  of  Baptifm 
 it  is  faid,  the  child  or  perfon  is  "  regenerate 
 **  and  grafted  into  Christ's  Church,  for 
 "  which  all  prefent  are  called  upon  to  give 
 *'  thanks;''  here  it  is  plain  fome  benefit  is 
 fuppofed  to  be  received,  or  it  would  be  abfurd 
 to  give  thanks  j  what  this  benefit  is,  I  will 
 not  take  upon  me  precifely  to  determine;  but 
 Regeneration,  in  its  loweft  fenfe,  muft  mean 
 either  the  having  the  Grace  of  God,  or  being 
 put  into  a  falvable  ftate :  therefore,  if  it  be 
 true,  that  our  Church  declares  Christ  died 
 for  ALL  mankind,  the  whole  worldy  &c.  and 
 that  we  may  fall  jrom  grace,  which  it  moft 
 certainly  does,  if  any  precife  meaning  can  be 
 fi^ed  to  words,  then,  to  avoid  the  greateft 
 abfurdity  and  contradi<5lion,  the  Predeftina-^ 
 tion  and  Election  mentioned  in  the  Sevens 
 teenth  Article  muft  be  ui>derftood  of  fora? 
 great  Inftruments  or  eminent  Saint^.  .jj;j^3i 
 
 You 
 
[     H    ] 
 
 You  feem  to  lay  great  ftrefs  on  the  Lam- 
 beth Articles,  becaufe  they  were  fent  to  and 
 received  by  the  Univerfity  of  Cambridge,  to 
 fettle  feme  differences  there  j  and  thefe  you 
 would  produce  as  proofs  of  our  Church  hold- 
 ing Calviniftical  do6lrines ;  but  they  will  not 
 ferve  your  purpofe  fo  fully,  perhaps,  if  we 
 confider  that  fome  years  after  (in  the  fame 
 reign)  before  King  James  the  Firft,  at  the 
 Conference  at  Hampton-Court ,  the  aforefaid 
 Do6lor  Reynolds,   and  others  with  him, 
 wanted  the  faid  nine  Articles  to  be  added  to 
 the  book  of  XXXIX  Articles. — In  anfwer 
 to  which,  the  Bifhop  of  London  (though  a 
 moderate  Calvinift)  took  occafion  to  obferve 
 to  his  Majefty,  "  how  very  many  in  thefe 
 **  days  neglect  holinefs  of  life,  prefuming  too 
 "  much  upon  perfifting  in  Grace,  laying  all 
 "  their  religion  upon  Predeftination ;  if  I 
 **  fhall  be  faved,  I  fhall  be  faved  -,  which  he 
 "  termed  a  defperate  do6lrine,  fliewing  it  to 
 "  be  contrary  to  good  divinity,  and  the  true 
 <*  do6lrine  of  Predeftination;"  fo  that  al- 
 though thefe  nine  Articles  were  received  at 
 the  Univerfity  of  Cambridge^  yet  you  fee  foon 
 after  (in  the  fame  King's  reign)  they  were 
 rejeded,  and  that  at  a  more  confiderable 
 
 Conference  : 
 
[     '5    ] 
 
 Conference:  therefore  your  quoting  them 
 proves  nothing  j  efpecially  as  they  never  vt^ere 
 by  our  Church  admitted  as  Articles  of  Faith. 
 
 Another  thing  upon  which  you  feem  to 
 lay  full  as  much  ftrefs,  is  the  bad  Gondu6l 
 and  principles  of  Barret,  becaufe  many  of 
 them  were  contrary  to  fome  of  the  funda- 
 mental do6lrines  of  Chriftianity,   but  more 
 efpecially  to  thofe  of  Calvinifm :  now,  though 
 I  muft  confefs  I  know  very  little  of  his  con- 
 du6t  in  general,  or  of  this  affair  in  particu- 
 lar, yet  I  cannot  fee  with  what  propriety  the 
 erroneous  part  of  his  principles  Ihould  be 
 charged  on   thofe   who   hold   other  parts 
 thereof  that  may  be  true,  though  contrary 
 to  Calvinifm ;   and   permit  me  to  obferve, 
 that  it  was  faid  of  the  Calvinifts  in  thofe 
 days,  "  that  they  perfecuted  all  people  who 
 *'  differed  from  them  in  fentiments,  as  much 
 "  in  fpirit  and  temper  as  ever  the  Roman 
 **  Catholicks  did  the  Proteftants :"  and  might 
 not  his  Recantation  be  a  forced  one  ?  Befides, 
 what  would  the  Calvinifts  think  of  theoppo- 
 fitepartyjif  they  were  to  be  accufed  by  them  of 
 being  all  Mahometans,  becaufe  in  common 
 with  the  Turks,  they  are  fuch  ftrenuous  af- 
 
 ferters 
 
[     i6    ] 
 
 fertcrs  of  the  do6lrine  of  abfolute  Eleflioiri 
 and  Reprobation  ? 
 
 Again,  touching  thcCatechifm  youtran^ 
 fcribe  from  feme  old  editions  of  the  Bifhops 
 Bible,  together  with  the  Confeflion  of  Faith 
 bound  up  with  the  old  common  prayer-book; 
 we  have  your  own  declaration  for  it,  that 
 they  have  ceafed  to  be  printed  of  a  long 
 time :  if  this  be  true,  any  fubfcription  that  I 
 may  have  made  to  thefe  books,  as  a  member 
 of  the  Church  of  England,  can  by  no  means 
 neceflitate  me  to  hold  the  opinions  once  con- 
 tained in  them,  nor  can  any  impartial  perfon 
 pronounce  me  an  erroneous  Churchman  for 
 a  difbelief  of  them. — And,  indeed,  I  know 
 not  whether  it  may  not  be  looked  upon  as  a 
 diftinguifliing  mark  of  the  wifdom  of  our 
 Church,  which  has  thought  proper  to  omit 
 publifhing  the  aforefaid  Catechifm  and  Con- 
 feffion. — This  however  is  certain,  that  your 
 inference  is  by  no  means  juft,  if  I  underftand 
 it  aright,  which  feems  to  intimate  that  a 
 Clergyman  who  fhould  not  preach  the  doc- 
 trines held  forth  in  that  Catechifm  and  in  the 
 nine  Lambeth  Articles,  &c,  would  render 
 
 himfelf 
 
[     '7    ] 
 
 himfelf  obnoxious  to  the  fliameful  charge  of 
 perjury.— For  to  ftate  the  argument. 
 
 .Certain  do6lrines  have  been  maintained 
 by  certain  members  of  the  Church  of  EnglanJ, 
 —but  the  conflitution  of  the  eftabhlhed 
 Church  does  not  dire6lly  confift  in  a  behef 
 of  thofe  do6lrines, — Therefore  whoever  does 
 not  make  them  an  Article  of  his  Faith,  is  not 
 a  true  member  of  the  Church  of  England. 
 
 Very  httle  fagacity  is  required  to  fee  the 
 fallacy  of  this  way  of  reafoning ;  befides  if  it 
 be  true  that  whatever  has  been  received  as 
 matter  of  Faith  by  our  Church  in  former 
 ages,  is  in  full  force  now  5  your  argument 
 will  prove  as  much  for  Tranfubftantiation 
 as  Reprobation ;  the  former  of  which  was 
 indeed  allowed  by  our  Church  before  its 
 Reformation  :  but,  notwithftanding  all  that 
 can  be  faid,  this,  I  think,  is  fufficiently  evi- 
 dent, that  the  grand  Teft  by  which  every 
 member  of  the  eftablifhed  Church  ought  to 
 be  tried,  is  this,  What  is  its  prefent  conflitu- 
 tion? whether  it  be  now  what  it  was  when 
 I  was  admitted  into  it?  if  it  be,  and  I  con- 
 fcentioully  think  it  good  and  right,  it  is  of 
 C  no 
 
[     i8    ] 
 
 no  concern  to  me  what  it  was  before.- 
 
 From  all  which  1  would  only  draw  this  con- 
 clufion,  that  a  Minifter  cannot  be  looked 
 upon  as  perjured,  for  not  holding  what  was 
 once  in  the  Church,  before  he  belonged  to  it. 
 
 And  now  after  all  that  has  been  faid,  it 
 remains  ftill  to  be  proved,  that  our  Church 
 does  indeed  hold  forth  thefe  do61:rines  in  the 
 very  light  in  which  you  reprefent  them;  for 
 it  appears  from  the  Account  of  a  dignified 
 Writer,    that   "   the   do6lrine   of  abfolute 
 *'  Predeftination  *  never  gained  any  confi- 
 "  derable  credit  in  any  Church  in  the  world 
 **  ^for  the  firft  fifteen  hundred  years ;  it  was 
 **  broached  by  one  Lucidus,  a  Prefbyter  in 
 *'  France^  about  the  year  of  our  Lord  five 
 "  hundred,   of  which  the  Pelagian  Herefy 
 **  was  the  occafion  ;  but  quickly  condemned 
 *'  by  two  Councils,  one  at  Arks,  the  other 
 *'  at  Lyons.     About   three   hundred   years 
 "  after,  it  was  revived  by  Godscalcus,  a 
 *'  perfon  of  ill  fame,  but  condemned  again 
 *^  by  a  Council  at  Mentz }  whereas  the  con- 
 **  trary  doctrine  was  never  doubted  of  by 
 
 "  the 
 
 *  Fowler  Bifhop  of  Gkucejlery  vide  his  Chriftiasi 
 Liberty. 
 
[     t9     I 
 
 "  the  Fathers  of  the  firft  three  hundred 
 "  years,  and  is  as  exprefly  aflerted  in  the 
 "  mod  ancient  Confeffions  of  the  reformed 
 "  Churches  beyond  fea,  and  alfo  in  the  Ar- 
 *'  tides,  HomiUes,  and  Catechifm  of  our 
 **  Church."  And  thofe  holy  Martyrs  which 
 you  produce  as  Champions  of  your  own 
 caufe,  have  as  plainly  given  their  teftimony 
 to  a  contrary  opinion  as  I  can  defire.— for 
 "  Archbifliop  Cranmer,  in  the  Preface  to 
 "  his  Book  againft  Gardiner,  hath  thele 
 <*  words,— that  Christ  made  a  facrifice  and 
 *'  oblation  of  his  Body  upon  the  Crois,  which 
 **  was  2.  full  redemption,  fatisfa6fion,  and 
 **  propitiation  for    the   fins   of    the   whole 
 
 Also,  ''  Bifliop  Latimer,  in  his  Sermon 
 "  on  the  firft  Sunday  after  the  Epiphany, 
 "  tells  us,  that  Jefus  is  anil^/^r^i£;  word,  which 
 *'  fignitieth  in  our  Englifl^  Tongue,  a  Saviour 
 "  and  Redeemer  of  all  mankind  bor-n  into  the 
 **  world:  and  again  in  another  Sermon,  that 
 "  Christ  fl:ied  as  much  blood  for  Judasy  as 
 **  he  did  for  Peter ;  Peter  believed  it,  and 
 "  therefore  was  faved  ;  Judas  would  not 
 *'  believe  it,  and  therefore  was  condemned; 
 C  2  "  the 
 
[      2P      ] 
 
 '*  the  fault  being  in  him  only,  and  in  no- 
 «  body  elfe." 
 
 A  third  teftimony,  is  that  of  Bifhop 
 Hooper,  who  faith,   *'  that  Cain  was  no 
 
 "  more  excluded  from  the  Promife  of  Christ 
 
 **  till  he  excluded  himfelf,  than  Abel;  Sauly 
 
 "  than  David ;    Judas ^  than  Peter  -,   Efau, 
 
 *■  than   Jacob:"   and   again,  **   it  is  not  a 
 
 *'  Chriftian  Man's  part  to  attribute  his  Sal- 
 
 "  vation  to  his  own  free  will,  with  the  Pe- 
 
 **  Iagia?j,  and  extenuate  original  fin  j  nor  to 
 
 **  make  God  the  author  of  ill  and  damna- 
 
 "  tion,  with  the  Manicb.ee  j  nor  yet  to  fay, 
 
 f'  that  God  hath   vviitten  fatal  laws,   and 
 
 *'  with  necefiity  of  deftiny,  violently  pulleth 
 
 "  the  one  by  the  hair   into  heaven,   and 
 
 **  thrufleth  the  other  headlong  into  hell.-' 
 
 I  fhould  not  have  been  fo  ready  in  bring- 
 ing thefe Evidences  againfl  your  affirmations, 
 was  I  not  well  aflured  that  the  memory  of 
 our  Church-reformers  is  had  in  fuch  high 
 efteem  and  veneration  among  the  generality 
 of  ferious  people,  that  the  very  mention  of 
 their  names  has  greater  influence  upon  their 
 minds  than  the  mofl  powerful  arguments  j 
 
 and 
 
[      21       ] 
 
 and  an  ipfe  dixit  from  any  of  them,  may  be 
 a  fufficient  authority  for  implicit  credit  to 
 thofe,  who  have  neither  time  nor  inclination 
 to  examine  into  the  truth  of  things. 
 
 You  will  remember,  Sir,  that  I  do  not 
 take  upon  me  to  juftify  the  generality  of  the 
 Clergy,  more  efpecially  thofe  who  were  the 
 firfl  movers  in  expelling  the  young  Gentle- 
 men from  the  U y  ;  fmce  I  am  per- 
 
 fuaded  the  greater  part  of  them  do  neither 
 preach  nor  hold  the  fundamental  Truths  of 
 the  Chriftian  Religion,  as  fet  forth  by  our 
 Church  J  neverthelefs,  I  cannot  help  thinking 
 that  the  Author  of  Pietas  Oxoniensis 
 fhould  have  been  a  little  more  cautious,  and 
 not  fo  feverely  have  cenfured  and  condemned 
 a  great  part  of  the  pious,  converted  members 
 of  the  Church  of  England^  who  highly  ap- 
 prove of  her  dodrines,  and  love  to  attend 
 the  miniftry  of  thofe  who  preach  them, 
 though  they  are  humble  and  modeft  in  the 
 great  points  olEleHion^ final  Ferjeverance^  &c. 
 — I  fay,  humble  and  modeft,  becaufe,  they 
 well  know  that  great  Saints  and  holy  men, 
 whofe  aim  was  to  live  and  die  in  the  Faith 
 of  Christ,  have  differed  about  thefe  doc- 
 trines 
 
[       22      ] 
 
 trines,  vide  Bifliop  Reynolds,  Sanderson, 
 Hall,  Dr  Hammond,  and  the  writings  of 
 T I L E N u s  i  fee  examination  o/'Tilenus  before 
 the  triers  of  Utopia,  and  his  Calvinifis  Cabinet 
 unlocked. 
 
 And  now,  Sir,  as  I  am  drawing  near  to 
 a  conclufion,  permit  me  to  obferve  what 
 particularly  induced  me  to  take  up  my  pen, 
 and  write  to  you  in  this  public  manner; 
 When  your  pamphlet  firfl  appeared,  I  em- 
 braced the  earlieft  opportunity  of  perufing 
 it,  and  without  much  confideration  perceived 
 your  earneftnefs  in  fupporting  thofe  particu- 
 lar dodrines  above  mentioned ;  now  though 
 I  could  not  altogether  agree  thereto,  yet  as  I 
 thought  it  my  duty  to  exercife  modefty  and 
 candour,  I  fhould  have  endeavoured  to  pafs 
 by  thofe  fentiments  with  indifference,  rather 
 than  cavil  at  them  becaufe  they  feemed  to 
 clafh  with  my  own  j  but  fince  then,  having 
 been  in  company  with  fome  great  favourers 
 of  thefe  principles,  whofe  opinions  have  not 
 been  at  all  weakned  by  your  publication,  and 
 who  now  think  proper  to  make  the  belief  of 
 thefe  do6lrines  effential  to  falvation,  a  per- 
 fuafion  entered  my  mind,  that  it  might  not 
 
 be 
 
[       23       ] 
 
 be  amlfs  to  examine  whether  thefe  things 
 were  fo  or  not:  Seeing  then  that  every  man 
 has  a  right  of  private  judgment  (and,  as 
 Solomon  fays,  If  thou  wilt  be  wife^  be  wife  for 
 ihyjelj)  it  appeared  to  me  by  no  means  ex- 
 ceptionable if  I  fliould  take  the  hberty  of 
 fpeaking  that  judgment.  I  have  been  the 
 more  free  in  opening  my  mind  upon  this 
 occafion,  becaufe  I  fee  fo  few  good  effects 
 arifing  from  the  do6lrine  above  objected 
 to,  fmce  its  too  common  tendency,  as  far  as 
 I  have  been  able  to  judge,  is  to  warm  the 
 imagination,  render  its  Advocates  dogmatical, 
 contradt  the  Sphere  of  their  affedlion,  and 
 while  it  engages  their  whole  thoughts,  ne- 
 cefTarily  fhuts  up  the  entrance  to  a  more 
 becoming  condu6l,  and  more  ufeful  engage- 
 ments. 
 
 Nor  are  thefe  bad  effetSls  to  be  limited 
 only  to  certain  times  and  circumftances;  for 
 we  find  Calvin  himfelf,  though  in  all  other 
 refpects  a  pious  and  judicious  man,  yet  from 
 a  certain  bigotry  of  fpirit,  refulting  I  doubt 
 not  from  his  having  carried  thefe  particular 
 points  to  their  excefs,   branding  Luther 
 
 with 
 
[     24     ] 
 
 with  as  fevere,  as  they  were  unjuft,  appella- 
 tions, and  burning  the  heretic  Servetus  j 
 alfo,  it  is  too  notorious,  that  many  who  have 
 thought  proper  to  call  themfelves  after  his 
 name,  have  not  only  been  exceeding  eager  in 
 defending  this  pillar  and  ground  of  the  Truth, 
 as  they  think  it;  but,  to  the  difgrace  of 
 that  meeknefs  and  lowlinefs  of  heart,  which 
 fhould  teach  us  to  "  efteem  every  one  better 
 "  than  ourfelves,"  have  been  too  adlive  in 
 venting  bitter  refleflions  againft  thofe  who 
 cannot  fee  with  the  fame  eyes  as  themfelves; 
 and  at  the  fame  time  that  they  have  looked 
 upon  them  as  Papifts,  Jefuits,  &c.  have  been 
 fo  very  harfh  as  to  give  this  title  to  their 
 principles,  viz.  the  doSirine  of  devils. 
 
 Now  it  were  eafy  for  me  to  produce  in- 
 flances  wherein  people  firmly  attached  to 
 your  opinions,  have  declared  their  fentiments 
 in  fuch  a  manner,  that  the  bare  repeating 
 of  them  would  be  exceedingly  (hocking  to 
 every  one  who  is  not  a  fteady  Partizan  in  the 
 fame  caufe ;  but  fhould  I  do  this,  it  might 
 perhaps  with  juftice  be  deemed  a  fpirit  of 
 oppofition  in  me,  and  bear  too  much  refem- 
 
 blance 
 
[      25      ] 
 
 blance  to  the  law  of  retaliation.  And  though 
 it  is  not  ahogether  fair  to  argue  from  the 
 abufe  againft  the  truth  of  any  do6lrine,  yet 
 it  may  ferve  to  teach  us  "  in  all  thnigs 
 whatfoever  we  do,  to  confider  the  end  thereof 
 that  we  may  not  do  amifs." 
 
 You  know,  Sir,  with  what  defign  I  fet 
 out ;  I  hope  I  have  not  erred  from  it :  and 
 now  whether  your  conclufion,  "  that  every 
 "  perfon  profefling  himfelf  of  the  Church  of 
 "  England,  who  does  not  hold  thefe  parti- 
 "  cular  points  of  do6lrine  under  confidera- 
 *'  tion,  is  an  erroneous  member  thereof  j"  I 
 leave  every  unbiafed  and  candid  perfon  to 
 judge  for  himfelf:  and  may  that  God  in 
 whom  we  live  and  move  and  have  our  being, 
 whofe  we  are,  and  from  whom  every  good 
 and  perfect  gift  cometh,  may  He,  who  knows 
 our  ignorance  and  liablenefs  to  error,  lead 
 us  into  all  truth,  keep  us  ftedfaft  in  the 
 faith,  root  us  in  that  Charity  without  which 
 we  are  nothing,  and  give  us  more  of  *'  the 
 *'  Wifdom  which  is  from  above,  and  which 
 "•'  is  pure,  peaceable,  gentle,  eafy  to  be  in- 
 treated, 
 
[      26      J 
 
 **  treated,  full  of  Mercy,  and  good  Fruits, 
 "  without  partiality^  and  without  hypo- 
 «  crify." 
 
 /  am.  Sir, 
 
 JVith  all  refpe^i 
 
 your  mojl  obedient^ 
 
 humlle  fcrvant. 
 
 A  Member  of  the  Church 
 OF  Englanc. 
 
 Aug.  4.  1768. 
 
A    N 
 
 ANSWER 
 
 T  O     A 
 
 PAMPHLET, 
 
 ENTITLED 
 
 Pietas    Oxonienfis, 
 
 O    R 
 
 A    FULL    and    IMPARTIAL    ACCOUNT 
 
 of  the  Expulfion  of  Six  Students  from 
 St.  Edmu?id-Hall,    Oxford, 
 
 I   N      A 
 
 LETTER   to    the    AUTHOR. 
 
 By    THOMAS    NOWELL,    D.  D. 
 
 Principal  of  St.  Mary  Hall,  and  Public  Orator  of 
 the  Univerfity  of  Oxford. 
 
 Beloved,  believe  not  every  Spirit,  but  try  the  Spirits,  whether 
 they  be  of  God  \  becaufe  many  falfe  Prophets  are  gone  out 
 into  the  world. 
 
 OXFORD, 
 
 At  the  Clarendon-Press.  MDCCLXVIIT. 
 Sold  by  Daniel  Prince.  And  by  John  Rhington  i.i  St.  Paul's 
 Church-yard,  London. 
 
Imprimatur. 
 
 N.   Wetherell,    Vice-Can. 
 Coll.  Univ.  051.  19"°.  1768. 
 
[  ^  ] 
 
 SIR, 
 
 THE  ad  of  difcipline  exercifed  upon  fix 
 members  of  St.  Edmund-Hall  by  the 
 Vice-ChanceJlor,  in  confcquence  of  a  fo- 
 lemn  appeal  made  to  him,  as  Vifitor  of  that  Hall, 
 however  commendable  in  itfelf,  and  pleafino-  to 
 the  true  friends  of  learning  and  religion,  yec 
 could  not  fail  to  draw  upon  him,  and  his  afTef- 
 fors,  the  indignation  and  refentment  of  a  fet  of 
 men,  who  are  enemies  to  botii.  Their  views  of 
 filling  the  church  with  their  votaries  have  by  this 
 feafonable  interpofition  been  difappointed;  and  the 
 plan,  which  they  have  for  fome  time  been  labour 
 ing  to  accomplifh,  is  at  prefent  difconcerted  at 
 leaft,  if  not  entirely  defeated.  The  rao-e  of  their 
 difappointment  has  vented  itfelf  in  the  common 
 News-papers  in  foul  invedtives,  and  railino-  accu- 
 fations ;  which,  as  they  carry  with  them  their  own 
 confutation,  are  beil  treated  with  negled,  and 
 paffed  over  in  fijence. 
 
 A  Th  E 
 
[ 
 
 The  firll  who  undertook  to  patronize  their  caufc 
 by  a  formal  defence  was  the  Rev.  Mr.  Whitefield ; 
 and  certainly  it  was  very  proper  that  He  fhould  be 
 their  advocate,  who  may  be  juftly  reputed  the 
 leader  of  their  fed ;  that  He  fhould  be  their 
 champion,  under  whofe  banner  they  are  enlifted. 
 I  confefs  it  gave  me  fenfible  pleafure  to  fee  him 
 ftep  forward  in  their  vindication,  as  it  flrongly 
 marks  the  complexion  and  charafters  of  thefe 
 young  men,  difcovers  the  principles  by  which  they 
 are  adluated,  and  muft  convince  the  fober  part  of 
 mankind  of  the  propriety  and  expedience  of  that 
 cenfure,  which  they  have  incurred. 
 
 With  this  obfervation  I  leave  his  performance 
 to  the  admiration  of  thofe,  whofe  applaufe  it 
 courts,  whofe  fentiments  it  flatters,  and  for  whofe 
 judgment  and  tafte  it  is  calculated.  Neither 
 fhould  I  have  thought  myfelf  obliged  to  pay  any 
 regard  to  what  you  have  advanced  either  in  fa- 
 vour of  them,  or  to  the  prejudice  of  the  Vice- 
 Chancellor  and  his  aifeflbrs,  had  you  brought  only 
 a  general  charge  againft  them,  and  been  contented 
 to  complain  of  the  feverity,  or  even  iniquity  of  a 
 fentence,  by  which  you  may  fancy  the  Church  will 
 be  deprived  of  fo  many  godly  teachers,  and  yourfelf 
 perhaps  of  the  fruit  of  your  labours. 
 
 But  fince  you  have  thought  proper  to  fix  a  par- 
 ticular charge  of  ^difTimulation  and  prevarication 
 a  P.  §.  on 
 
[     3     ] 
 
 on  the  Vice-Chancellor  •,   of  ^  partiality,   imperti- 
 nence, and  want  of  integrity,  on  me  ;   as  well  as 
 the  general   one  of  cruelty,    oppreflion,    and  in- 
 juftice,   on  all;   filence  may  now  be  interpreted 
 into  a  confeflion  of  guilt:   a  regard  therefore  to 
 our  private  charaders,  thus  openly  attacked,  and 
 perfonally  vilified,  requires  that  a  charge  fo  inju- 
 rious to  our  reputation  fhould  be  as  publicly  re- 
 futed.   Tho'  this  may  effectually  be  done  by  bare- 
 ly dating  the   fads   alleged   againft  us,    placing 
 them  in  their  true  light,  and  clearing  them  from 
 the  artful  mifreprelentation  by  which  You  have 
 difguifed  them  -,  yet  for  the  fatisfa6lion  of  the  pub- 
 lic, who  have  been  greatly  abufed,  and  impofed 
 upon  by  your   "  full   and   impartial  account,"    I 
 chufe  to  enter  more  largely  into  the  fubjed,  and 
 to  attend  you   thro'  the  whole  progrefs  of  your 
 work  ;  from  a  fair  examination  of  which  the  world 
 will  be  able  to  judge  "  ''  how  far  thefe  fix  mem- 
 bers have,  or  have  not,  deferved  the  punifhment 
 inflided   upon    them-,"   and   whether   in  the  de- 
 fence of  their  caufe  you  have  been  guided  by  that 
 "  <=  Spirit  of  wifdom,  truth,  love,  and  candor,"  by 
 which  alone  you  profefs  to  be  afluated.    And  if  I 
 enter  into  a  difcufiion  of  the  dodrinal  points,  it 
 is  with  a  view  to  bring  back  to  the  profefllon  of 
 the  true  faith  thofe  deluded  perfon*,  who  are  now 
 carried  away  with  every  wind  of  vain  doflrine  by 
 the  fieight  of  men,  and  cunning  craftinefs  where- 
 by they  lie  in  wait  to  deceive. 
 
 a  P.  64.  85.  b  Dedic.  vr.  c  P.  2. 
 
 A  2  To 
 
[    4    ] 
 
 To  begin  with  your  dedication.  —  Had  your 
 book  been  written  in  defence  of  the  eftabliflied 
 rules  and  ordinances  of  the  church  of  England, 
 or  in  fupport  of  the  laws  and  dilcipline  of  the 
 Univerfity  of  Oxford,  you  might  with  the  greateft 
 propriety  and  confidence  have  dedicated  it  to  the 
 Protedlion  and  Patronage  of  the  Chancellor ;  whofe 
 illuftrious  chara6ler,  diftinguifhed  abihties,  and 
 zealous  attachment  to  the  true  interefls  of  both, 
 refled  the  higheft  honour  on  himfelf,  and  thefe 
 ancient  feats  of  learning  and  religion,  over  which 
 
 he  prefides. But  to  folicit  his  patronage  and 
 
 proteflion,  while  you  are  undermining  his  autho- 
 rity, and  expofing  to  ridicule  and  contempt  the 
 venerable  body  over  which  he  prefides ;  to  claim 
 the  fanflion  of  his  name,  in  order  to  fix  a  mark 
 of  infamy  on  thofe,  who  have  adled  by  his  com- 
 
 miffion,   and  with  his   approbation What  is 
 
 this,  but  to  tread  in  the  fteps  of  the  old  puritans, 
 who  moft  dutifully  addrefied  the  King,  and  made 
 the  moit  folemn  profeflions  of  loyalty  and  obe- 
 dience to  his  perfon  and  government,  while  they 
 were  meditating  the  deftrudion  of  both  ?  Nor  is 
 it  to  be  wondered  at  that  you  fliouid  imitate  the 
 conduit  of  men,  whofe  principles  you  have  adopt- 
 ed, and  whofe  tenets  you  fo  ftrenuoufly  maintain. 
 
 After  this  very  extraordinary  addrefs  to  the 
 Chancellor,  you  proceed  to  inform  his  Lordfhip, 
 
 "  ^  that 
 
[    5    ] 
 
 "  ^  that  however  the  late  fentence  may  have  the 
 appearance  of  an  Univerfity-Adl,  yet  it  rs  the 
 higheft  injuftice  to  that  ancient  and  refpetflable 
 feminary  of  true  piety  and  learning  to  look 
 upon  it  in  this  light.'*  The  Chancellor  was 
 before  too  well  acqijainted  with  the  nature  and 
 circumftances  of  the  whole  proceeding  to  want 
 this  information :  Nor  is  there  any  danger  that 
 "  ^  it  may  pafs  for  fuch  in  hiftory,  when  children's 
 children  fhall  read  the  dire  account,"  unlefs 
 they  are  milled  by  your  reprefentation  of  it.  For 
 it  was  never  pretended  to  be  an  Univerfity- 
 A61;  to  conftitute  it  fuch,  it  mud  have  had  the 
 fanclion  of  convocation,  to  which  this  complaint 
 was  not,  nor  indeed  could  with  any  propriety  be 
 fubmitted.  The  depofitions  of  Mr.  H'tgfon  were 
 made  before  the  Vice-Chancellor  as  Vifitor  of  Ed- 
 mund-Hall, and  he  pronounced  the  fentence  by 
 his  vifitatoriaj  authority,  in  which  capacity  alone 
 he  a6led  by  the  advice  of  the  Heads  of  Houfes, 
 and  with  the  afllllance  of  three  of  them,  to  whom 
 was  afterwards  added  the  then  fenior  Prodor,  That 
 I  happened  to  be  one  of  that  number  was  not  the 
 effect  of  my  own  inclination,  or  the  Vice-Chan- 
 cellor's appointment,  but  merely  in  compliance 
 with  the  requefl  of  Dr.  Dixon,  the  Principal  of 
 St.  Edmund-Hall ;  for  whom  I  then  had,  and  Itill 
 retain,  the  fincereft  regard  •,  and  who,  I  am  per- 
 fuaded,  when  he  defired  me  to  appear,  on  that 
 occafion,  never  meant  that  my  friendlhip  for  him 
 
 a  Dedic.  P.  v.  b  Ibid. 
 
 A  3  Ihould 
 
[     6     ] 
 
 Ihouid  warp  my  judgment,  or  influence  my  de- 
 termination: and  on  the  other  hand  I  folemnly 
 declare  that  no  motives  but  thofe  of  truth  and 
 jufticej  no  affedion,  but  for  the  welfare  of  the 
 Church  and  Univerfity,  diredled  my  opinion,  and 
 determined  my  fentiments.  Nor  do  I  apprehend 
 that  any  *'  ^ great  and. eminent  men  in  the  Uni- 
 verfity have  teftified  their  difapprobation  of  what 
 was  then  done;"  but  on  the  contrary  have  rea- 
 fon  to  believe  that  had  all  the  Heads  of  Houfes, 
 and  every  man  of  eminence  in  the  Univerfity 
 been  prefent,  they  would  have  confirmed  the  fen- 
 tence  by  their  unanimous  voice.  I  farther  declare 
 that  in  a  converfation  with  the  Principal  fometime 
 before  the  vifitation.  He  afiTured  me  that,  if  any 
 of  the  young  men  accufed  appeared  to  be  impro- 
 per members  of  his  fociety,  tho'  he  gave  them 
 all  a  good  charadler,  he  fhould  readily  acquiefce 
 in  their  removal.  Had  he  not  given  me  this  af- 
 furancc,  I  fhould  certainly  have  declined  an  invi- 
 dious office,  in  which  friendfhip  and  duty  could 
 not  be  united,  but  muft  one  of  them  be  facrificed 
 to  the  other. 
 
 What  I  have  here  faid  of  myfelf,  may  with  equal 
 truth  be  applied  to  the  Provoft  of  Slueen's,  who 
 alfo  became  one  of  the  afl^effors  by  the  defire  of 
 Dr.  Dixon,  in  confequence  of  a  long  intimacy  and 
 friendfhip  which  had  fubfifted  between  them  ;  and 
 who,  as  Patron  of  Edmund-Hall^  was  himfelf  inte- 
 a  Dedic.  v. 
 
 refted 
 
[    7    ] 
 
 reftcd  in  the  honour  and  reputation  of  it,  and 
 could  not  therefore  be  fuppofed  to  be  defirous  of 
 bringing  any  of  its  members  into  difgrace,  or  fix- 
 ing any  Itigma  or  opprobrium  on  them,  but  what 
 they  Ihould  appear  upon  examination  to  deferve. 
 
 To  thefe  the  Vice-Chancellor  thought  fit  to  add 
 the  Prefident  of  Corpus  Chrijii  College,  his  fenior 
 Pro-Vice-Chancellor,  and  Lady  Margaret's  Profeflbr 
 of  Divinity,  and  one  who  had  always  lived  in  the 
 greateft  friendfhip  and  intimacy  with  Dr.  Dixon. 
 The  Prefident  was  fenfible  this  might  be  an  invi- 
 dious office,  and  would  willingly  have  declined  it : 
 but  being  prejfTed  by  the  Vice-Chancellor  to  give 
 him  his  afiiftance,  he  thought  he  could  not  with 
 decency  refufe  it.  He  had  no  connections,  nor  ac- 
 quaintance, with  Mr.  Htgfon,  but  entered  on  this 
 Office  with  (Irong  inclinations  to  favour  the  Princi- 
 pal, as  far  as  truth  and  juftice  would  permit. 
 
 Let  me  add  that,  from  fome  circumftances 
 which  happened  at  a  previous  meeting  in  the  Prin- 
 cipal's lodgings,  the  Vice-Chancellor  and  his  aflef- 
 fors  had  conceived  rather  an  unfavourable  opinion 
 of  Mr.  Higfon's  caufe,  which  nothing  but  the  force 
 of  evidence  produced  at  the  examination  could 
 have  altered. 
 
 I  CANNOT  difmifs  this  point  without  commending 
 the  candor  of  the  Vice-Chancellor,  who  permitted 
 the  Principal  himfelf  to  nominate  two  out  of  the 
 three  afleflbrs,  who  were  at  firft  appointed  to  aflift 
 
 himj 
 
[     8     ] 
 
 him  \  the  fourth  was,  as  I  before  obferved,  added 
 afterwards  at  the  requell  of  Mr.  Higfon,  who  had 
 ungeneroufly  expreffed  fome  apprehenfions  of  par- 
 tiality in  the  other  afleflbrs  to  the  caufe  of  the 
 Principal. 
 
 You  conclude  this  dedication  with  declaring 
 that  "  you  have  been  particularly  careful  not  to 
 affert  any  thing  upon  hear-fay  evidence,  but  have 
 taken  much  pains  to  trace  up  every  circumftance 
 and  fad  you  have  alleged  to  the  fountain-head." 
 The  truth  or  faliliood  of  this  declaration  will  beft 
 appear  from  an  examination  of  your  "full  and  im- 
 partial account"  &c,  to  which  I  now  haften. 
 
 YO  U  preface  this  account  with  profeflions  of 
 the  highefl  veneration  for  the  dodrine  and 
 difcipline  "  =>  of  the  eftablifhed  Church,  into  whofe 
 communion  you  were  in  your  infancy  baptized, 
 and  whofe  caufe,  ^  together  with  that  of  violated 
 truth,  trampled  laws,  and  injured  innocence,  you 
 now  mean  to  defend."  When  you  made  thefe 
 profeflions  you  would  have  done  well  to  have 
 confidered  the  nature  and  importance  of  them. 
 Your  veneration  for  the  dodtrine  and  difcipline 
 of  the  Church  of  England,  had  it  been  real,  would 
 not  have  permitted  you  to  advance  tenets  fo  con- 
 trary to  the  one,  and  fubverfive  of  the  other,  or 
 to  defend  thofe  who  have  been  convided  of  ading 
 
 a  P.  I.  b  P.  2. 
 
 in 
 
[    9    ] 
 
 in  contradi6lion  to  both  -r—  You  would  not  have 
 violated  that  truth,  for  which  you  pretend  to  be 
 an  advocate ;  or  have  trampled  on  thole  laws, 
 you  are  by  the  moft  folemn  obligations  bound  to 
 obferve. — You  would  not  have  injured  that  in- 
 nocence in  others,  which  you  falfely  attribute  to 
 thole,  whofe  guilt  became  notorious  by  their  own 
 confeflion  and  the  cleareft  evidence. 
 
 "  ^  A  s    to  the  fix    members   expelled   from 
 Edmund-Hall,^*  you   fay,    "  I  had  very  little   ac- 
 quaintance with  any  of  them,  and  fome  of  them 
 were  totally   unknown  to  me  till   after  the  fen- 
 tence  was  pafled,  fo  that  I  am  in  lefs  danger  of 
 partiality  on  that  account."    I  beg.  Sir,  that  you 
 would  recoiled  whether  fome  of  thefe  young  men 
 had  not  attended  the  meetings  of  a  perfon  with 
 whom  you  are  intimately  connedled  ?  were  not  his 
 clifciples  ?    Whether  they  did  not  all  of  them  af- 
 femble  at  his  chambers   foon  after    their  expul- 
 fion  ?  — which  probably  was  the  fountain-head  from 
 whence  you  derived  your  intelligence,  and  where 
 the  plan  of  your  dt^fence  was   concerted.     Whe- 
 ther therefore  from   all  thefe  confiderations  their 
 caufe  may  not  in  fome  meafure  be  deemed  your 
 own  ?    and   whether  there  was  not  confequently 
 fome  danger  of  partiality  on  that  account  ?    Not 
 to  mention  the  undue  influence  you  lie  under  from 
 a  blind  attachment  to  your  feft,  which  dilcovers 
 itfclf  in  every  page  of  your  book. 
 
 a  P.  2. 
 
 You 
 
-  [       10       ] 
 
 Yoir  next  invoke  the  graces  of  "  ^  wifdom, 
 truth,  love,  and  candor",  which  you  feem  to  in- 
 troduce here  only  to  take  your  leave  of  them  ; 
 for  fcarce  any  footfteps  of  either  of  them  are  to 
 be  found  in  any  fubfequent  part  of  your  work. 
 
 What  ^paffed  between  Mr.  Higfon  and  the  Prin- 
 cipal, before  he  had  made  his  complaint  to  the 
 Vice-Chancellor ;  what  may  be  Mr.  Higfon''^  '^natu- 
 ral difpofition ;  what  diforders  of  body  or  mind 
 he  may  have  laboured  under  ;  or  what  differences 
 may  have  liibfifted  between  the  Principal  and  him, 
 are  fecrets  which  I  have  no  right  to  pry  into,  as 
 they  no  way  relate  to  the  prefent  queftion.  And  I 
 think  yourreprefentation  offome  of  thefe  particulars 
 is  equally  impertinent  and  uncharitable.  Are  you 
 acquainted  with  Mr.  Higfon  ?  do  you  know  him 
 to  be  of  "a  proud  revengeful  difpofition"?  or 
 have  you  given  this  character  of  him  upon  hear- 
 fay  evidence  ?  The  charge  of  infanity  is  ftill  more 
 cruel,  and  your  feigned  pity  the  greateft  infult. 
 
 Nor  am  I  at  all  concerned  to  enquire  whether 
 Mr.  Higfon  a6led  of  himfelf ;  or  was  made,  what 
 you  term  him,  "  ^  the  tool  or  cat's-paw  of  others 
 to  perpetrate  what,  through  fhame  or  fear,  they 
 durft  not  undertake  themfelves"  -,  tho'  I  am  in- 
 clined from  his  own  declaration  upon  oath  to  be- 
 lieve the  former  j    and  that  he  was  induced  to  it 
 
 a  P.  2.  b  Ibid.  c  P.  3.    ,         d  P.  4. 
 
 from 
 
[  "  ] 
 
 from  a  fenfe  of  the  difgrace  brought  upon  that 
 fociety  by  the  admifTion  of  pcrfons  totally  unfit  to 
 become  members  of  the  Univerfity. 
 
 The  afFe6tion  of  a  Tutor  for  his  pupils  natu- 
 rally prejudices  him  in  their  favour,  and  will  pre- 
 vail on  him  rather  to  conceal  than  expofc  their 
 failings  and  imperfedtions,  v^here  he  can  do  it 
 confiflently  with  the  principles  of  duty  and  con- 
 fcience — While  a  regard  to  his  own  interell,  as 
 well  as  theirs,  will  not  eafily  fuffer  him  to  facrifice 
 both  either  to  his  own  private  refentment,  or  the 
 malevolent  fuggeftions  of  others  •,  much  lefs  to 
 become  without  the  greatefl  neceflity  their  public 
 accufer.  But  whatever  were  his  motives,  I  am 
 convinced  that  neither  the  Vice-Chancellor,  nor 
 his  afTeflbrs  were  in  the  lead  degree  influenced 
 by  them,  or  by  any  other  confideration  than  that 
 of  truth,  and  the  honour  and  welfare  of  the 
 Univerfity.  They  therefore  heartily  defpife  the 
 infmuation  of  their  being  a  led  and  influenced i)y 
 a  mad-man  to  pafs,  what  you  call,  ''the  moft  cruel' 
 and  ignominious  fentence  which  can  poflibly  be  in- 
 flidted  by  the  Univerfity ;  into  the  merits  of  which 
 we  come  now  to  enquire. 
 
 But  before  you  proceed  to  the  particular  charges, 
 you  loudly  complain  of  the  moft  unprecedented, 
 illegal,  and  arbitrary  proceedings  —  viz.  —  "<^that 
 all  the  witnelTes  againft  the  parties  accufed  were 
 
 »  P.  4-  b  P.  68,  c  P.  9. 
 
 "  examined 
 
[  12  ] 
 
 examined  without  being  put  to  their  oath,  except 
 one,  a  very  worthy  confcientious  man,  who  was 
 juftly  fuppofed  to  be  their  friend ;  that  not  only 
 whatever  thefe  witnefTes  advanced  from  their  own 
 perfonal  knowledge,  but  likewife  every  idle  re- 
 port they  had  picked  up  by  hear-fay  was  admit- 
 ted as  genuine  and  charged  upon  thefe  young 
 men  ;  who  were  even  compelled  to  turn  their 
 own  accufers,  or  elfe  be  condemned  for  contu- 
 macious behaviour".  I  fhall  confider  thefe  feve- 
 ral  articles  of  accufation,  which,  I  confefs,  appear 
 very  formidable,  and  give  an  anfwer  to  each  of 
 them  diftinflly. 
 
 It  is  true  the  witnefTes  were  examined  without 
 being  put  to  their  oath,  nor  was  it  thought  ne- 
 ceffary  that  the  evidence  Ihould  be  taken  upon 
 oath.  The  Vice-Chancellc*r  acted  not  in  this  cafe 
 in  a  judicial  capacity,  as  if  the  proceedings  had 
 been  in  his  court,  but  in  a  vifitatorial  one,  (a  dif- 
 tinclion  which  I  am  again  obliged  to  remind  you 
 of)  and  therefore  did  not  require  ftriftly  legal 
 proof,  but  only  the  teftimony  of  credible  wit- 
 nefTes. This  is  the  common  method  of  proceed- 
 ing in  all  enquiries  made  into  the  condud  of  per- 
 fons,  who,  for  any  crime  laid  to  their  charge,  are 
 cited  or  convened  before  their  refpedlive  focie- 
 ties  ;  where  upon  fuch  proof,  as  the  Head  and 
 Fellows  deem  fufficient,  they  infiid  a  punilhment 
 according  to  the  nacure  of  the  offence,  without 
 the  formality  of  a  judicial  procefs ;  and  this  even 
 
 to 
 
t     '3     ] 
 
 to  expulfion  ;  of  which,  notwithftanding  what  you 
 alTert  in  page  17.  with  a  mahcious  defign  to  ex- 
 pofe  the  Univerfity  as  the  common  fink  of  drunk- 
 ennefs,  rioting,  gaming,  and  every  other  enor- 
 mity, I  could  give  you  many  inftances ;  and  one 
 in  particular  for  irreligious  and  blafphemous  te- 
 nets i  to  the  inflidion  of  which  I  myfelf  was  chiefly 
 inftrumental.  Had  the  parties  accufcd  obje<5ted  to 
 the  evidence  thus  taken,  it  might  then  have  been 
 proper  that  it  iliould  be  given  upon  oath ;  but 
 the  truth  is,  they  confelTed  every  thing  material 
 that  was  alleged  againft  them,  and  confequently 
 there  was  no  occaiion  for  this  confirmation  of  it. 
 Mr.  Greaves  was  indeed  put  to  his  oath  at  the  de- 
 fire  of  Mr.  Higfon,  who  apprehended  he  would 
 not  give  his  teflimony  unlefs  he  became  thus 
 obliged  to  do  it.  Had  the  other  party  made  the 
 fame  requeft,  it  would  undoubtedly  have  been 
 granted  ;  but  confcious  that  it  would  have  been 
 of  no  fervice  to  them  on  their  trial,  they  chofe 
 to  referve  this  circumflance  as  matter  of  future 
 complaint  to  the  world,  and  a  pretence  for  crying 
 out  perfecution,  ftar-chamber,  &c.  &c. 
 
 Whether  the  Vice-Chancellor  admitted  every 
 idle  report  that  had  been  picked  up  by  hear-fay ; 
 or  whether  thefe  young  men  were  obliged  to  turn 
 their  own  accufers,  or  elfe  be  condemned  for  con- 
 tumacious* behaviour,  will  belli  appear  from  the 
 minutes  of  the  examination,  which  I  began  to 
 take  for  my  own  private  fatisfadion,   the  regiftrar 
 
 being 
 
[     H    ] 
 
 being  prefent  to  a(5t  in  that  capacity  ex  officio  \ 
 who,  obferving  that  I  was  very  punftual  in  noting 
 every  circumftance,  requefted  me  to  continue  my 
 obfervations ;  in  confequnce  of  which  I,  as  you 
 call  it,  "  ^  officiated  as  fecretary"  —  With  what 
 fidelity  I  officiated,  the  minutes  themfelves  will 
 evince  •,  but  I  beg  leave  to  inform  you,  that  they 
 were  examined  article  by  article  by  the  Vice- 
 Chancellor  and  all  the  aflelTors,  before  he  pro- 
 ceeded to  fentence  •,  and  were  unanimoufly  aflent- 
 ed  to,  as  faithfully  recording  every  material  cir- 
 cumftance of  the  examination.  As  they  will  be 
 inferted  in  their  proper  place,  I  Ihall  forbear  to 
 make  any  refledions  on  thefe,  and  the  many 
 other  falfe  and  injurious  infinuations,  with  which 
 your  pamphlet  abounds,  till  I  come  to  that  part 
 of  the  proceedings  •,  when  the  world  will  be  able 
 to  judge  whether  "•'both  law  and  juftice,  as 
 well  as  religion  and  confcience,  were  put  out  of 
 the  queftion  in  this  tranfadlion." 
 
 By  what  method  Mr.  Uigfon  <^ procured  the 
 evidence  he  produced,  which  is  your  next  com- 
 plaint, was  by  no  means  material  to  the  Vice- 
 Chancellor,  who  was  only  concerned  to  be  inform- 
 ed of  the  truth.  Yet,  as  if  foreieeing  what  mif- 
 reprefentations  would  be  given  of  his  conduct,  he 
 was  cautious  even  in  this  point,  and  did  not  ad- 
 mit the  evidence  of  the  clergyman,  whofe  cha- 
 radler  you  load  with  fo  much  infamy,  till  what  was 
 
 a  p.  64..  b  p.  6.  c  Ibid. 
 
 advanced 
 
[     '5     ] 
 
 advanced  in  his  letter  concerning  Mr.  Joms  had 
 
 been  confirmed  by  Mr. a  gentleman  of 
 
 Chrijl  Churchy  who  was  prefenc  at  the  examination, 
 bore  teilimony  to  the  fair  reputation  of  that  cler- 
 gyman, and  declared  that  he  had  received  from 
 his  own  mouth  every  circumftance  mentioned  in 
 the  ktter. 
 
 Yo  u  likewife  ^  complain  that  a  copy  of  the  ar- 
 ticles was  refufed  the  unhappy  fufferers  after  they 
 were  expelled  ;  and  in  your  ^  note  upon  this  place 
 you  reprefent  the  Vice-Chancellor  as  ading  a  very 
 inconfiltent,  not  to  fay  a  bafe,  part,  difapproving 
 in  private  what  he  had  done  in  public;  laying 
 the  odium  of  his  conduft  on  the  other  Heads  of 
 Houfes ;  "  and  by  a  foothing  fpeech  to  the  young 
 men  in  private  hoping  to  fhake  off  a  little  dirt 
 from  himfelf"  —  or  rather  throwing  a  great  deal 
 both  on  himfelf  and  his  afleflbrs.  That  there 
 was  no  injuftice  in  refufing  a  copy  of  the  articles 
 is  evident  from  the  common  praftife  of  the  courts 
 of  law  on  like  occafions,  of  which  we  have  a  very 
 
 recent  inftance  in  the  cafe  of  Mr.  W s :  —  that 
 
 a  copy  was  refufed,  was  the  refult  of  the  Vice- 
 Chancellor's  own  opinion  and  determination,  fe- 
 conded  by  that  of  the  other  afielTors ;  for  my  own 
 part,  I  thought  it  quite  a  matter  of  indifference  -, 
 but  he  forefaw  what  ufe  would  be  made  of  it, 
 and  therefore  prudently  referved  it,  till  your  mif- 
 reprefentations  had  made  it  necelTary  to  be  pub- 
 
 a  P.  7.  b  P.  8. 
 
 liflied 
 
[     16     ] 
 
 lifhed  in  his  vindication.  In  the  ^  conclufion  in- 
 deed of  your  performance  by  way  of  foftening 
 matters,  and  foothing  him,  who  equally  defpifes 
 your  cenfure  and  your  praife,  you  qualify  thefe 
 expreffions,  by  faying  that  he  only  intimated  as 
 much ;  which  in  my  opinion  is  refieding  llill 
 greater  difhonour  upon  him ;  making  him  mean 
 enough  to  be  defirous  that  Mr.  Grove  and  Mr. 
 Middleton  fliould  think  he  meant  to  infinuate,  what 
 he  dared  not  openly  avow  to  them.  The  truth 
 is,  the  Vice-Chancellor,  as  every  man  of  huma- 
 nity naturally  would,  exprefled  to  thofe  gentle- 
 men his  concern  for  being  obliged  to  pafs  fo  fe- 
 vere  a  fentence  on  them,  not  thereby  intimating 
 that  he  thought  they  did  not  juftly  deferve  the 
 punifhment,  but  quite  the  contrary,  lamenting 
 that  their  mifcondud  had  compelled  him  againffc 
 his  inclination  to  exercife  fo  difagreeable  an  a6t 
 of  difcipline.  The  murtherer,  when  condemned 
 by  his  judge,  who  generally  tempers  his  fentence 
 with  expreffions  of  pity  and  compafTion,  may 
 with  equal  reafon  infer  from  thofe  expreffions, 
 that  he  did  not  deferve  fo  fevere  a  punifhment. 
 The  thanks  given  to  Mr.  Higfon  by  the  Vice- 
 Chancellor  were  in  the  name,  and  with  the  ap- 
 probation of  all  the  affeffors,  who  confidered  him 
 as  facrificing  his  own  intereft  to  the  welfare  and 
 reputation  of  the  Univerfity,  and  therefore  en- 
 titled to  this  mark  of  their  approbation. 
 
 a  Pag.  85. 
 
 I   MUST 
 
[     17        ] 
 
 I  M  u  s  T  beg  leave  to  add,  by  way  of  anfwer 
 to  the  laft  part  of  your  note,  that  the  Vice-Chan- 
 cellor  did  not   inflift  this  punilhment   "  for  the 
 fake  of   obliging   any   perfons   whatever ;  '*    nor 
 was  there  any  danger  that  "the  pious  harmlefs 
 youths  would  be   thereby   reduced   to   the  very 
 want  of   bread,"   fince  moft   of  them  had  been 
 brought  up  to  employments  more  fuitable  to  their 
 capacities,    and    ftation    in    life,    whereby   they 
 might  get  an  honeft  livehhood ;    but  which  they 
 had  deferted   in  order  to  intrude  themfelves  into 
 an  office,  for  which  they  were  utterly  unqualified. 
 It  was  kindnefs  therefore,  and  not  cruelty,  to  fend 
 them  back  to  their  own  proper  bufmefs ;  not  that, 
 were  the  confequences  of  their  amotion  even  fuch 
 as  you  reprefent  them,  they  would  be  chargeable 
 on  the  Vice-Chancellor,  but  on  themfelves ;   not 
 on  him,  who  was  obliged  ex  officio  to  inflift  the 
 punifhmentj   but  on  them,  who  had  juftly  incur- 
 red it. 
 
 We  come  now  to  the  articles  of  accufation, 
 which  were  exhibited  to  the  Vice-Chancellor  by 
 Mr.  Higfon  in  the  form  of  depofitions,  of  which 
 the  following  is  an  exad  copy. 
 
 B  Before 
 
[         i8    3 
 
 Before  the  reverend  and  worfliipful  David 
 DuRELL,  Doftor  of  Divinity,  Vice-Chancellor 
 of  the  Univerfity  of  Oxford,  Vifitor  of  St. 
 Edmund-Hall  in  the  faid  Univerfity  of  Oxford, 
 John  Higson  Mafter  of  Arts,  Vice-Principal 
 and  Tutor  of  the  faid  Hall,  appointed  and 
 admitted  as  fuch,  by  Thomas  Shaw  Dodor 
 in  Divinity,  Principal  of  the  faid  Hall  for  the 
 time  being,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thou- 
 fand  feven  hundred  and  fifty  one,  and  ap- 
 proved, and  confirmed  by  the  reverend  and 
 worfhipful  John  Brown  Do6lor  in  Divinity, 
 Vice-Chancellor  of  the  Univerfity  of  Oxford 
 for  the  time  being,  as  the  ftatutes  in  that  cafe 
 made  and  provided  dire6l,  begs  leave  to  pro- 
 pound and  offer  fome  articles  of  accufation 
 againft  the  following  perfons,  fcholars  of  the 
 faid  Hall,  Benjamin  Kay,  James  Mat- 
 thews, Thomas  Jones,  Thomas  Grove, 
 Erasmus  Middleton,  Benjamin  Blatch, 
 and  Joseph  Shipman,  and  other  Matters 
 relative  thereto. 
 
 i/.  That  the  aforefaid  James  Matthews,  Tho-. 
 mas  Jones,  and  Joseph  Shipman  were  bred 
 to  trades,  and  that  the  three  laft  mentioned  per- 
 fons, as  alfo  Erasmus  Middleton  and  Ben- 
 jamin Blatch  were,  at  the  refpedive  time  of 
 Entrance  in  the  faid  Hall,  and  at  prefent  are, 
 
 ^  deftitute  of  fuch  a  knowledge  in  the  learned  lan- 
 guages 
 
[     '9    ] 
 
 o-uages  as  is  neceflary  for  performing  the  ufual 
 exercifes  of  the  faid  Hall  and  of  the  Univerfity. 
 
 2dly^  That  the  aforefaid  Benjamin  Kay,  James 
 Matthews,  Thomas  Jones,  Thomas  Grove, 
 Erasmus  Middleton,  and  Joseph  Shipman 
 are  enemies  to  the  dodrine  and  difcipline  of  the 
 Church  of  England,  which  appeareth  either  by 
 their  preaching  or  expounding  in,  or  frequent- 
 ing, illicit  conventicles,  and  by  feveral  other 
 adtions,  and  exprefTions,  contrary  to  the  ftatutes 
 of  the  Univerfity  and  the  laws  of  this  realm. 
 
 3J/y,  That  the  aforefaid  Erasmus  Middleton 
 is  moreover  an  enemy  to  the  do6trine  and  dif- 
 cipline of  the  Church  of  England,  as  appears 
 by  his  ofiiciating  as  a  minifter  in  holy  orders, 
 altho'  a  layman,  in  the  parifh  Church  oi  Chevely, 
 or  in  one  of  the  Chapels  of  Eafe  belonging  and 
 appertaining  unto  the  faid  Church  of  Chtvely  in 
 the  county  of  Berks,  and  diocefe  of  Salijbury. 
 
 ^thly.  The  aforefaid  James  Matthews,  Eras- 
 mus Middleton,  and  Benjamin  Blatch, 
 have  behaved  indecently  towards  the  faid  Higfon 
 Vice-Principal  and  'I'utor,  either  by  neglecting 
 to  attend  his  leftures,  or  mifbehaving  them- 
 felves,  when  at  them  ;  or  by  going  out  of  the 
 Univerfity  without  his  the  faid  Higfon's  leave, 
 contrary  to  the  difcipline  and  good  order  of  the 
 faid  Hap. 
 
 B  2  ^thly. 
 
[      20      ] 
 
 ^thlyy  That  the  above  premifes  are  true,  public, 
 and  notorious,  and  what  the  faid  parties  named 
 jointly  and  feverally  know  in  their  confciences 
 to  be  true. 
 
 6thly,  That  by  the  ftatutes  and  ufage  of  the  Uni- 
 verfity  the  faid  Hall  is  notOrioufly  fubjeft  to  the 
 vifitation  of  the  Vice-Chancellor  of  Oxford  for 
 the  time  being. 
 
 phly.  And  laftlyj  That  the  faid  Higfon  from  a 
 regard  to  the  honour  and  welfare  of  the  Uni- 
 verfity  in  general,  and  the  faid  Hall  in  parti- 
 cular, and  aduated  by  every  principle  religious 
 and  civil,  makes  this  application  to  you  the 
 faid  Vice-Chancellor,  as  Vifitor;  and  not  con- 
 fining himfelf  to  any  fuperfluous  proof,  but  on- 
 ly fo  far  as  he  fliall  prove  in  the  premifes,  that 
 he  may  obtain  in  his  prayer,  he  prays  that  thefe 
 perfons,  againft  whom  thefe  articles  are  exhi- 
 bited, may  be  treated  and  dealt  with  according 
 to  their  demerits,  and  as  the  ftatutes  of  the  Hall, 
 and  the  Univerfity  require,  as  far  as  it  Ihall  feem 
 good  to  your  wifdom  and  jultice,  humbly  im- 
 ploring the  aid  of  your  worfliip's  office. 
 
 Oxon.  St.  Edmund-Hall,  February  the  twenty- 
 ninth,  1768. 
 
 J.    HiGSON. 
 
 Sworn  before  me  on  the 
 day  and  year  above- 
 written 
 
 D.  J)\]KV.hi.i  Vice-Chancellor. 
 
t      21       ] 
 
 The  Vice-Chancellor  in  confequence  of  thefe 
 depofitions,  having  previoufly  confuked  the  Heads 
 of  Houfes,  and  notified  their  opinion  to  the  Prin- 
 cipal, who  exprefled  his  approbation  of  it,  caufed 
 a  citation  to  be  fixed  on  the  chapel-door  of  Ed- 
 mund-Hall, requiring  the  parties  accufed  to  appear 
 on  a  day  and  hour  therein  fpecified,  to  anfwer  the 
 feveral  charges  brought  againft  them.  Soon  after 
 the  citation  was  put  up,  Mr.  Grove,  one  of  the 
 perfons  accufed,  took  his  name  out  of  the  Hall- 
 books,  in  order  to  efcape  the  ccnfure  which,  he 
 had  reafon  to  apprehend,  might  be  inflicted  on 
 him  ;  but  upon  better  advice  he  returned,  and 
 was  re-admitted  by  the  Principal,  the  Vice  Chan- 
 cellor not  being  confuked  in  either  of  thefe  points  : 
 however  no  notice  was  taken  of  this  unwarrantable 
 behaviour  of  Mr.  Grove  at  the  examination,  tho* 
 the  Vice-Chancellor  might  with  great  propriety 
 have  animadverted  upon  it. 
 
 When  the  day  arrived,  he  and  his  alTeflbrs  came 
 to  the  Principal's  lodgings,  and  from  thence  pro- 
 ceeded to  the  common  Hall,  intending  to  exa- 
 mine into  the  grounds  of  the  complaint  in  a  pri- 
 vate manner  :  when  they  came  there,  they  found 
 a  great  number  of  gownfmen  of  all  degrees  af- 
 fembled  to  hear  the  examination  :  however  the 
 Vice-Chancellor  thought  this  unexpe6led  audience 
 would  be  no  obllrudtion  to  the  proceedings,  and 
 
 B  3  confc- 
 
f       22       ] 
 
 confequently  that  there  was  no  reafon  on  that  ac- 
 count for  deferring  them;  but  rather  the  reverfe; 
 as  by  this  means  the  whole  Univerfity  would  be- 
 come acquainted  with  the  nature  of  the  accufa- 
 tion,  the  grounds  of  the  proof,  andj  I  will  add, 
 the  impartiality  of  the  Vifitor.    After  the  articles 
 of  accufation  were  read,  Mr.  Higfon  proceeded  to 
 his  proofs  in  fupport  of  them ;   the  fubftance  of 
 which  I  took  down  with  what  exadnefs  I  could 
 in  the  following  minutes.     I  fhall  make  no  apo- 
 logy for  any  inaccuracy  which  may  appear  either 
 in  the  form  or  flile  of  thefe  memorandums,  which 
 were  taken  without  any  connexion,  in  the  order 
 in  which  they  now  fland,  merely  for  my  own  pri- 
 vate fatisfadion,  without  the  leaft  thought  of  their 
 being  made  public.    Let  me  only  obferve  that, 
 while  I  was  employed  in  taking  thefe  minutes,  I 
 did  not  fuppofe  that  the  Vice-Chancellor  and  the 
 pther  afleflbrs  were  inattentive  to  what  was  going 
 forward,  or  that  the  whole  was  to  reft  on  what  I 
 had  minuted  down  :    but  on  the  contrary  had  rea- 
 fon to  believe  that  whatever  circumftance  might 
 efcape  my  notice  would  be  fupplied  by  the  recol- 
 leftion  of  the  other  gentlemen;   which  was  the 
 real  cafe. 
 
 Mi  n  ut  e  s 
 
[      23       ] 
 
 Minutes  of  the  accufation  brought  againfl 
 James  Matthews,  Thomas  Jones,  Jo- 
 seph Shipman,  Erasmus  Middleton, 
 Benjamin  Kay,  Thomas  Grove,  and  Ben- 
 jamin Blatch  of  Edmund- Hall -y  their  exa- 
 mination, &c. 
 
 James  Matthews.  Accufed  that  he  was  brought 
 up  to  the  trade  of  a  weaver  —  that  he  had  kept 
 a  tap-houfe  —  confefled  —  Accufed  that  he  is 
 totally  ignorant  of  the  Greek  and  Latin  langua- 
 ges, which  appeared  by  his  declining  all  exami- 
 nation —  faid  that  he  had  been  under  the  tui- 
 tion of  two  clergymen  for  five  years  —  viz.  Mr. 
 Davies  and  Newton ;  though  it  did  not  appear 
 that  he  had  during  that  time  made  any  profici- 
 ency in  learning  —  was  about  thirty  years  old 
 —  accufed  of  being  a  reputed  methodift  by  the 
 evidence  of  Mr.  Atkins  formerly  of  Queen's- 
 College  —  that  he  was  alTiftant  to  Mr.  Davies  a 
 reputed  methodift,  that  he  was  inftrufted  by 
 Mr.  Fletcher  a  reputed  methodift, — that  he  main- 
 tained the  neceflity  of  the  fenfible  impulfe  of 
 the  holy  Spirit  —  that  he  entered  himfelf  of 
 Edmund-Hall,  with  a  defign  to  get  into  holy  Or- 
 ders, for  which  he  had  offered  himfelr  a  candi- 
 date, tho'  he  ftill  continues  to  be  wholly  iUite- 
 rate,  and  incapable  of  doing  the  exercifes  of  the 
 Hall  —  proved — That  he  had  frequented  illicit 
 conventicles  held  in  a  private  houfe  in  Oxford — 
 
 con- 
 
[      24      ] 
 
 fefled.  He  produced  two  teftimonials,  one  vouch- 
 ed by  the  Bifhop  of  Litchfield  and  Coventry,  the 
 other  by  the  Bifhop  of  Worcejier, 
 
 Thomas  Jones.    Accufed  that  he  had  been 
 brought  up  to  the  trade  of  a  barber,  which  he 
 had  followed  very  lately — confefled — Had  made 
 a  very  fmall  proficiency  in  the  Greek  and  Latin 
 languages— was  two  years  {landing,  and  ftill  in- 
 capable of  performing  the  ftatutable  exercifes 
 of  the  Hall  —  that  he  had  been  at  the  meetings 
 at  Mrs  Bur  bridged  —  that  he  had  expounded 
 the  fcriptures  to  a  mixed  congregation  at  Whea- 
 ton-Ajton,  tho'not  in  holy  Orders,  and  prayed  ex- 
 tempore. All  this  he  confefled.  He  urged  in  his 
 defence  that  he  had  afked  his  Tutor  whether  he 
 thought  it  wrong  for  him  to  pray  or  inflru6t 
 in  a  private  family,  and  that  his  Tutor  anfwered, 
 he  did  not,  which  he  faid,  was  the  reafon  of  his 
 continuing  to  do  it. 
 
 Joseph  Shipman.  Accufed  that  he  had  been 
 brought  up  to  the  trade  of  a  draper,  and  that  he 
 was  totally  illiterate ;  which  appeared  on  his  exa- 
 mination —  accufed  that  he  had  preached  or  ex- 
 pounded to  a  mixt  aflembly  of  people,  tho'  not 
 in  Orders,  and  prayed  extempore  - —  all  which 
 he  confefled. 
 
 Erasmus  Middleton  —  confefles  to  have  done 
 duty  in  a  chapel  of  eale  belonging  to  Qbeveley^ 
 
 not 
 
[       25       ] 
 
 not  being  in  holy  Orders,  three  years  before  he 
 entered  of  the  Univerfity,  but  not  fince.    That 
 he  was  difcarded  by  his  father  for  being  conned- 
 ed  with  the  methodifts  —  That  he  had  been  re- 
 fufed  Orders  by  the  Billiop  of  Hereford^  that  he 
 had  written  a  letter  to  the  Bifhop  acknowledging 
 his  Fault,  and  recanting  his  errors — That  he  was 
 now  in  hopes  of  being  reconciled  to  his  father  — 
 That  he  had  been  maintained  by  his  friends,  but 
 did  not  explain  who  thofe  friends  were  —  Ac- 
 cufed  that  he  was  deficient  in  learning —  that  he 
 was  attached  to  Mr.  Haweis,  who  had  boafted 
 that  they  fhould  be  able  to  get  him  into  Orders. 
 That  he  holds  that  faith  without  works  is  the 
 fole  condition  of  falvation  —  that  the  immediate 
 impulfe  of  the  fpirit  is  to  be  waited  for  —  that 
 he  denies  all  necefiity  of  works  —  that  he  had 
 taken  frequent  occafion  to  perplex  and  vex  his 
 Tutor  —  Part  of  this  charge,  elpecially  concern- 
 ing his  tenets,  he  denied,  tho'  proved  by  the  evi- 
 dence of  two  gentlemen  of  the  Hall. 
 
 Benjamin  Kay.  Confefles  that  he  has  been  pre- 
 fent  at  the  meetings  held  in  the  houfe  of  Mrs 
 Durbridre  where  he  had  heard  extempore  prayers 
 frequently  offered  up  by  one  Heivett  a.  ftaymaker, 
 that  Ibmetimes  Mrs  Durbridge  has  read  to  them 
 —  Accufed  that  he  endeavoured  to  perfuade  a 
 young  man  of  Magdalen -College^  who  was  fent  in- 
 to the  country  for  having  been  tainted  with  cal- 
 viniftical  and  methodiftical  principles,   to  leave 
 
 his 
 
[      26      ] 
 
 his  father  —  that  he  talked  of  their  meeting  with 
 great  oppofition,  meaning  from  the  Univerfity 
 ' —  of  this  there  was  not  fufficient  evidence  — 
 that  he  holds,  that  the  fpirit  of  God  works  ir- 
 refiftibly  —  that  once  a  child  of  God  always  a 
 a  child  of  God  —  that  he  holds  abfolute  eleftion 
 —  that  he  had  endeavoured  to  inftil  the  fame 
 principles  into  others,  and  exhorted  them  to  con- 
 tinue ftedfaflly  in  them  again  ft  all  oppofition  — 
 Some  of  thefe  tenets  he  feem'd  to  deny,  tho*  it 
 was  fully  proved  by  the  evidence  of  Mr.  Wellifiy 
 commoner  of  the  Hall. 
 
 Thomas  Grove  —  Accufed  that  he  had  preached 
 to  a  mixt  allembly  of  people  called  methodifts, 
 not  being  in  Orders,  which  he  confefled,  and 
 like  wife  that  he  prayed  extempore  —  that  he  could 
 not  fall  down  upon  his  knees,  and  worfhip  God 
 in  the  form  of  the  church  of  England,  though  he 
 thought  it  a  good  form  ;  proved  by  the  evidence 
 of  Mr.  Bromhead. 
 
 Benjamin  Blatch.  A  gentleman,  who  has  not 
 had  any  fchool-learning,  is  not  certain  whether 
 he  fhall  purfue  any  profefTion  —  and  therefore 
 dilmiffed. 
 
 This,  Sir,  is  the  fubftance  of  what  appeared  to 
 me  material  during  the  courfe  of  the  examination, 
 put  down  indeed  in  a  hafty  manner,  as  the  time 
 would  permit,  but  with  fidelity  and  without  aggra- 
 vation : 
 
[       27       ] 
 
 vation:  and,  tho'  I  had  omitted  fome  circumftances 
 which  occurred  to  the  other  aflefTors,  yet  I  am  con- 
 fcious  of  having  placed  nothing  to  the  account  of 
 the  parties  accufed,  buu  what  was  urged  and  proved 
 againft  them,  though  the  proof  itfelf  be  not  always 
 mentioned ;  taking  notice  at  the  Jame  time  of  what- 
 ever was  urged  by  any  of  them,  either  in  their  de- 
 fence, or  extenuation  of  their  crime.  How  little  I 
 have  deferved  the  fevere  cenfure  contained  in  your 
 note  p.  64.  will  appear  from  my  minutes  of  Mr. 
 Middleton's  examination ;  from  which  the  world  will 
 be  able  to  judge  whether  you,  or  I,  have  been  guilty 
 of  putting  down  a  falfe  accufation,  as  true  j  and 
 whether  the  ^  Spirit  of  truth,  love,  and  candor  in- 
 fluenced your  heart,  and  guided  your  pen,  when  you 
 wrote  that  malicious  flander. 
 
 When  we  met  at  the  Vice-Chancellor's  lodgings 
 to  review  all  that  had  palled  at  the  LxaminaiKn, 
 every  circumllance  recorded  in  che  i.bo'\::  mhiLhes 
 was  thoroughly  canvailed  :  fome  particulcxr^  not 
 mentioned  in  them  rccolle61:ed ;  and  the  whole  of 
 the  accufation,  proof,  and  defence,  duly  weighed, 
 and  maturelv  confidered :  when  we  camt  ■  i  cin 
 unanimous  determination  ;  which,  tocretiicr  wi  h  the 
 reafons  whereon  it  was  founded,  is  i"lly  xp'efTed 
 in  the  fentence  pronounced  by  the.  V  ic"-Chn  .^Jlor, 
 of  which  the  ioiiowing  is  an  cxadt  cc^^y. 
 
 a  p.  2. 
 
 Oxford 
 
[     28     ] 
 
 Oxfordy  March  iifh,  1768. 
 
 I.  It  having  appeared  to  me  D.  Durell,  Vice- 
 Chancellor  of  the  Univerficy  of  Oxford,  and  im- 
 doubted  Vifitor  of  St.  Edmund-Hall  within  the  faid 
 Univerfity,  upon  due  information  and  examination, 
 that  James  Matthews  of  the  faid  Hall,  had  been  ori- 
 ginally brought  up  to  the  trade  of  a  weaver,  and 
 afterwards  followed  the  low  occupation  of  keep- 
 ing a  tap-houfe  ;  that,  afterwards,  having  connect- 
 ed himfelf  with  known  methodifts,  he  did,  with- 
 out any  the  leaft  proficiency  in  fchool  knowledge, 
 enter  himfelf  of  St.  Edmund-Hall  aforefaid,  with  a 
 dcfign  to  get  into  holy  Ordei-s;  and  that  he  ftill 
 continues  to  be  wholly  illiterate,  incapable  of  doing 
 the  ftatutable  exercifes'  of  the  Hall,  and  confe- 
 quently  more  incapable  of  being  quahfied  for  holy 
 Orders,  for  which  he  had  lately  offered  himfelf  a 
 candidate.  Moreover  it  having  appeared  by  his  own 
 confefTion,  that  he  had  frequented  illicit  conventicles 
 
 held  in  a  private  houfe  in  the  city  of  Oxford. 
 
 Therefore  I  D.  Durell,  by  virtue  of  my  vifita- 
 torial  power,  and  with  the  advice  and  opinion  of 
 the  Reverend  Thomas  Randolph,  D.  D.  Prefi- 
 dent  of  C.  C.  C.  and  Margaret  ProfefTor  of  Divinity 
 in  this  Univerfity,  of  the  Reverend  Thomas  Fo- 
 thergill  D.  D.  Provoft  of  ^/^^/7VC(?//^^(?,  of  the 
 Reverend  Thomas  Nowell  D.  D.  Principal  of 
 St.  Mary-Hally  and  Public  Orator,  and  of  the  Re- 
 verend Francis  Atterbury  M.  A.  Senior  Proc- 
 tor 
 
[       29       ] 
 
 tor  of  this  Univerfity,  my  feveral  afielTors  recrn- 
 larly  appointed  on  this  occafion,  do  expel  the  laid 
 James  Matthews  from  the  faid  Hall,  and  do  here- 
 by pronounce  him  expelled. 
 
 II.  It  having  alfo  appeared  to  me  that  I'homas  Jones 
 of  St.  Edmund-Hall  had  been  brought  up  to  the 
 trade  of  a  barber,  which  occupation  he  had  fol- 
 lowed very  lately  -,  that  he  had  made  but  a  fmall 
 proficiency  in  learning,  and  was  incapable  of  per- 
 forming the  ftatutable  exercifes  of  the  faid  Hall : 
 and,  moreover,  it  having  appeared  by  his  own 
 confeffion,  that  he  had  frequented  illicit  conven- 
 ticles in  a  private  houfe  in  this  town,  and  that  he 
 had  himfelf  held  an  aflembly  for  public  worfhip 
 2ii  Wheat -AJion\  in  which  he  himfelf,  though  not 
 in  holy  Orders,  had  publicly  expounded  the 
 holy  Scriptures  to  a  mixt  congregation,  and  of- 
 fered up  extempore  prayers. Therefore  I 
 
 D.  DuRELL,  by  virtue  of  my  vifitatorial  pow- 
 er, and  with  the  advice  and  opinion  of  each  and 
 every  one  of  my  aflefTors,  the  reverend  perfons 
 aforenamed,  do  expel  the  faid  Thomas  Jones,  from 
 the  faid  Hall  j  and  hereby  pronounce  him  alfo 
 expelled. 
 
 III.  It  having  alfo  appeared  to  me  that  Jcfepb 
 Shipman  of  St.  Edmund. Hall  aforefaid  had  been  a 
 draper-,  was  very  illiterate,  and  incapable  of  per- 
 forming the  ftatutable  exercifes  of  the  faid  Hall. 
 
 Moreover 
 
[    30    ] 
 
 Moreover,  it  having  appeared  by  his  own  con- 
 feffion,  that  he  had  expounded  publicly,  though 
 not  in  holy  Orders,  the  holy  Scriptures  to  a  mixt 
 congregation,   and  offered  up  extempore  prayers. 
 
 Therefore  I  D.  Durell,  by  virtue  of  my 
 
 vifitatorial  power,  and  with  the  advice  and  opi- 
 nion of  each  and  every  one  of  my  afleffors,  the 
 reverend  perfons  aforenamed,  do  expel  the  faid 
 Jofeph  Shipman  from  the  faid  Hall  j  and  hereby 
 pronounce  him  alfo  expelled. 
 
 IV.  I T  having  alfo  appeared  to  me,  that  Erafmus 
 Middleton  of  St.  Edmund-Hall  aforefaid,  by  his 
 own  confeflion,  had  formerly  officiated  in  the 
 chapel  of  eafe  belonging  to  the  parifh  of  Chevely 
 in  the  county  of  Berks^  not  being  in  holy  Or- 
 ders; that  he  had  been  rejeded  from  holy  Orders 
 by  the  Bifliop  of  Hereford  for  the  faid  offence  i 
 that  he  was  difcarded  by  his  father  for  being  con- 
 ne6led  with  the  people  called  Methodifis ;  and 
 that  he  ftill  lies  under  his  father's  difpleafure  for 
 the  fame.  Moreover,  it  having  appeared  by  cre- 
 dible witneffes,  that  he  is  flill  connedled  with  the 
 faid  people,  and  profeffes  their  doctrines.  Viz. 
 that  "  Faith  without  works  is  the  fole  condition 
 of  falvation  ;  that  there  is  no  neceffity  of  works 
 —  that  the  immediate  impuife  of  the  Spirit  is 
 
 to  be  waited  for." Therefore  I  D.  Durell, 
 
 by  virtue  of  my  vifitatorial  power,    and  with 
 the  advice  and  opinion  of  each  and  every  one 
 of  my  afTefiors,  the  reverend  perfons  afore- men- 
 tioned. 
 
[     31     ] 
 
 tioned,  do  expel  the  faid  Erafmus  Middleton  from 
 the  faid  Hall,  and  hereby  pronounce  him  alfo 
 expelled. 
 
 V.  It  having  alfo  appeared  to  me  that  Benjamin 
 Kay  of  the  faid  Hall,  by  his  own  confefTion,  had 
 frequented  illicit  conventicles  in  a  private  houfe 
 in  this  town ;  where  he  had  heard  extempore 
 prayers  frequently  offered  up  by  one  Hewett,  a 
 ftaymaker.  Moreover,  it  having  been  proved  by 
 fufficient  evidence  that  he  held  methodiftical  prin- 
 ciples ;  viz.  "  the  docftrine  of  abfolute  eleftion  5 
 that  the  Spirit  of  God  works  irrefiflibly ;  that 
 once  a  child  of  God  always  a  child  of  God  :" 
 that  he  had  endeavoured  to  inftil  the  fame  prin- 
 ciples into  others,  and  exhorted  them  to  continue 
 
 ftedfaftly  in  them  againft  all  oppofition. 
 
 Therefore  I  D.  Durell,  by  virtue  of  my  vifi- 
 tatorial  power,  and  with  the  advice  and  opinion 
 of  each  and  every  one  of  my  affefTors,  the  reve- 
 rend perfons  before- men  tioned,  do  expel  the  faid 
 Benjamin  Kay  from  the  faid  Hall,  and  hereby 
 pronounce  him  alfo  expelled. 
 
 VI.  It  having  alfo  appeared  to  me  that  Thomas 
 Grove  of  St.  Edmund-Hall  aforefaid,  though  not 
 in  holy  Orders,  had,  by  his  own  confefTion,  lately 
 preached  to  an  affembly  of  people  called  Metho- 
 dijls  in  a  barn,   and  had  offered  up  extempore 
 
 prayers  in  that  congregation. Therefore  I 
 
 D.  Durell,  by  virtue  of  my  vifitatorial  power, 
 
 and 
 
[      32      1 
 
 and  with  the  advice  and  opinion  of  each  and  every 
 one  of  my  affefiTors,  the  reverend  perfons  before- 
 named,  do  expel  the  faid  'Thomas  Grove  from 
 the  faid  Hall,  and  hereby  pronounce  him  alfo 
 expelled. 
 
 Such,  Sir,  was  the  fentence,  which  you  repre- 
 fent  to  be  the  moil  cruel  and  unjuft  that  ever  was 
 palTed  •,  and  fuch  the  reafons  on  which  it  was 
 founded,  I  fhall  not  flay  to  make  any  general  ob- 
 fervations  on  it,  but  hailen  to  anfwer  the  particu- 
 lar objedions  you  have  urged  againft  it,  article  by 
 article. 
 
 But  before  I  proceed,  I  cannot  help  obferving 
 that  under  a  pretence  of  ^  greater  method  and  per- 
 fpicuity  you  have  inverted  the  order  of  the  charge, 
 even  as  it  flands  in  your  own  articles  of  accufation. 
 The  order  in  which  it  flood  on  the  examination, 
 and  which  is  moil  natural,  was  this —  ifl,  the  ac- 
 cufation of  feme  of  them  being  brought  up  to 
 trade ;  which  would  have  had  no  weight,  had  it 
 not  been  conne6led  with  the  fecond  —  viz.  that  they 
 were  totally  ilUterate,  and  incapable  of  performing 
 the  flatutable  exercifes  of  the  Univerfity,  and  their 
 Hall  —  then  followed  the  third  —  viz.  that  they 
 had  frequented  illicit  conventicles,  in  which  they 
 had  preached,  and  prayed  extempore  ;  and  that  one 
 
 a  P.  II. 
 
 of 
 
[    33    ] 
 
 of  them  had  officiated  as  a  minifter  in  holy  Orders, 
 though  a  layman ;  —  the  4th  was,  that  they  held  and 
 maintained  tenets  contrary  to  the  doflrine  of  the 
 church  of  England;  however,  that  I  may  not  be 
 obliged  to  turn  over  your  book  backwards  and  for- 
 wards to  reduce  it  to  regularity  and  method,  I  fhall 
 take  it  as  it  Hands,  and  attend  you  page  by  page, 
 as  nearly  as  I  can,  through  the  whole  labyrinth  of 
 your  work. 
 
 *  The  firft  charge  you  confider  is  that  of  attend- 
 ing illicit  conventicles.  To  afcertain  what  is  a  con- 
 venticle you  quote  Jacobs  law  dicTtionary,  but  with 
 great  partiality,  and  want  of  fidelity  ;  you  adopt 
 only  what  may  bed  ferve  your  turn,  leaving  out 
 what  makes  againft  you,  though  immediately  con- 
 nefted  with  what  you  quote  :  thus,  you  drop  the 
 definition  of  a  conventicle,  which  is  "  a  private  af- 
 fembly  for  the  exercife  of  religion,"  but  take  the 
 words  immediately  following  it  •,  and  here  you  (lop ; 
 paying  no  regard  to  Mr.  JacoFs  quotation  from 
 22  Car,  II.  which  declares  what  conventicles  are 
 illegal.  Nor  are  you  more  faithful  in  quoting  that 
 a6l  of  parliament  i  you  give  us  the  preamble,  but 
 conceal  the  part,  which  alone  relates  to  the  point 
 in  queftion,  where  it  is  enadled  that,  if  any  perfon 
 above  the  age  of  fixteen  fliall  be  prefent  at  any  af- 
 fembly,  conventicle,  or  meeting,  under  colour  or 
 pretence  of  any  exercife  of  religion  in  other  manner 
 than  according  to^  the  liturgy  and  pradice  of  the 
 
 a  P.  12. 
 
 C  church 
 
r  34  J 
 
 church  of  England,  at  which  conventicle  there  fhall 
 be  five  perfons  or  more  aflembled  together  over  and 
 befides  thofe  of  the  fame  houfhold,  if  it  be  a  houfe 
 where  there  is  a  family  inhabiting ;  or  if  it  be  in  a 
 houfe,  or  field,  or  place  where  there  is  no  family  in- 
 habiting, then,  when  any  five  perfons  or  more  are 
 fo  affembled,  every  one  fhall  be  fubje6t  to  the  pe- 
 nalty of  five  (hillings  for  the  firfl  offence,  and  ten 
 Ihillings  for  the  fecond. 
 
 Sect.  3.  Every  perfon,  who  fhall  take  upon  him 
 to  preach  or  teach  in  any  fuch  meeting,  affembly, 
 or  conventicle,  fhall  forfeit  twenty  pounds  for  the 
 firfl  offence,  and  forty  pounds  for  the  fecond. 
 
 Sect.  4.  If  any  perfon  fhall  fuffer  any  fuch  con- 
 venticle, affembly,  or  unlawful  meeting,  as  afore- 
 faid,  to  be  held  in  his  houfe,  out-houfe,  barn,  yard, 
 or  back- fide,  fhall  forfeit  twenty  pounds. 
 
 This  aft,  as  the  author  of  the  remarks  upon 
 Mr.  JVhitejieWs,  letter  obferves,  is  indeed  in  Ibme 
 degree  altered  by  the  toleration-a«5t ;  by  which  fome 
 conventicles  are  permitted  under  certain  reflridions ; 
 but  all  other  conventicles,  which  come  not  under  the 
 defcription  given  of  fuch  as  are  thereby  permitted, 
 are  flill  continued  to  be  forbidden  by  the  22  Gar.  II. 
 
 Thus  fed.  19.    No  congregation,  or  affembly 
 for  religious  worfhip  fhall  be  permitted  or  allowed 
 by  this  ad,  until  fuch  place  of  meeting  fhall  be  cer- 
 tified 
 
t    35    ] 
 
 tified  to  the  Bilhop  of  the  diocefe,  or  Arch-deacon 
 <vf  the  arch-deacoRry,    or  to  the  Juftices  of  the 
 peace  at  their  general  quarter- feiTions  for  the  coun- 
 ty, city,  or  place,  in  which  fuch  meetings  fhall  be 
 held,  and  regiftered  in  the  faid  Bifhop's  or  Arch- 
 deacon's court,  or  recorded  at  the  faid  general  quar- 
 ter-feiTions  of  the  peace.    Hence  all  conventicles, 
 affemblics,  or  meetings,  as  defcribed  in  22  Car.  II. 
 chap.  I.  and  not  regiftered  or  recorded  according 
 the  toleration-a6t,  are  illicit  and  prohibited.    The 
 meetings  therefore  which  thefe  gentlemen  attended 
 were  certainly  conventicles,  being  "  private  aflem- 
 blies  for  the  exercife  of  religion  ;'*  and  they  were 
 illicit  conventicles,  "  there  being  more  than  five  per- 
 fons  aflembled  there,  befides  thofe  of  the  fame  houf- 
 hold."    Nor  does  the  law  require  proof  of  any  dan- 
 gerous pradlices  carried  on   at  fuch  meetings  -,    it 
 provides  a  fpeedy  remedy  againft  the  dangers,  which 
 may  poflibly,  and  will  probably,    arife  from  fuch 
 meetings ;  and  forbids  them,  becaufe  fedaries  have, 
 or  may,  at  fuch  meetings,  contrive  infurreftions. 
 
 Not  being  acquainted  with  the  ^Kentijh  ^ory  to 
 which  you  appeal  as  decifive  in  this  point,  I  cannot 
 contradid  you  with  regard  to  the  fad  itfelf,  but 
 have  great  reafon  to  fuppofe  it  did  not  turn  on  that 
 hinge,  on  which  you  reft  it.  The  conventicle  might 
 be  illicit,  and  yet  the  Juftice  of  peace  become  liable 
 to  puniftiment  for  having  taken  unwarrantable  and 
 illegal  meafures  to  fupprefs  it  •,  he  might  therefore 
 
 a  P.  14. 
 
 C  2  be 
 
[    36    ] 
 
 be  glad  to  compound  matters,  and  make  them  up 
 in  the  manner  you  relate ;  a  cafe  which,  I  appre- 
 hend, frequently  happens.  And  as  to  the  ^  religi- 
 ous focieties  in  Queen  June's  time  -,  if  they  were 
 compofed  of  Lords  fpiritual  and  temporal,  &c.  I 
 will  take  upon  me  to  pronounce  that  they  did  not 
 permit  laymen,  barbers,  weavers,  flaymakers,  &c. 
 to  pray  extempore,  or  to  preach,  and  expound  the 
 fcriptures  to  them  —  But  that  members  of  the 
 church  of  England  may  be,  and  adually  have  been, 
 cenfured  for  frequenting  illicit  conventicles  is  very 
 evident  from  Queen  Elizabeths  circular  letter  to 
 the  Bifhops  throughout  England ;  in  which  your 
 meetings  are  exadlly  defcribed,  and  the  pernicious 
 tendency  of  them  fully  fet  forth  —  The  following 
 is  a  copy  of  it,  taken  from  Stripers  life  of  Arch- 
 bifhop  Grindal  —  Appendix  P.  ^^ 
 
 The  Queen  to  the  Bifhops  throughout 
 'England  for  the  fuppreffing  the  exercife 
 called  prophefying,  &c. 
 
 RIGHT  Reverend  Father  in  God,  we  greet 
 you  well.  We  hear  to  our  great  grief,  that  in  fun- 
 dry  parts  of  our  realm  there  are  no  fmall  number 
 of  perfons  prefuming  to  be  teachers  and  preachers 
 of  the  church  (though  neither  lawfully  thereunto 
 called,  nor  yet  fit  for  the  fame)  which,  contrary  to 
 our  laws  eftabiiilied  for  the  public  divine  fervice  of 
 
 a  P.  15. 
 
 Almighty 
 
[     37    ] 
 
 Almighty  God,  and  the  adminiftration  of  his  holy 
 facraments  within  this  church  of  England,  do  daily 
 devile,  imagine,  propound  and  put  in  execution 
 fundry  new  rites  and  forms  in  the  church,  as  well 
 by  their  unordinate  preaching,  reading,  and  mi- 
 niftring  the  facraments,  as  by  procuring  unlaw- 
 fully of  aflemblies,  and  great  number  of  our  peo- 
 ple out  of  their  ordinary  parifhes,  and  from  places 
 far  diftant  (and  that  alfo  fome  of  our  fubje6ts  of 
 good  calling,  tho'  therein  not  well  advifed)  to  be 
 hearers  of  their  difputations,  and  new  devifed  opi- 
 nions upon  points  of  divinity,  far  unmeet  for  vul- 
 gar people  :  which  manner  of  innovation,  they  in 
 fome  places  term  prophefyings,  and  in  fome  other 
 places  exercifes.  By  which  manner  of  aflemblies 
 great  numbers  of  our  people,  efpecially  the  vulgar 
 fort  (meet  to  be  otherwife  occupied,  with  honeft 
 labour,  for  their  living)  are  brought  to  idlenefs, 
 and  feduced;  and  in  manner  fchifmatically  divi- 
 ded among  themfelves  into  variety  of  dangerous 
 opinions,  not  only  in  towns  and  parifhes,  but  even 
 in  fome  families,  and  manifeftly  thereby  encou- 
 raged to  the  violation  of  our  laws,  and  to  the 
 breach  of  common  order,  and  finally  to  the  offence 
 of  all  our  quiet  fubjedls,  that  defire  to  live,  and 
 ferve  God  according  to  the  uniform  orders  efla- 
 blilhed  in  the  church  :  whereof  the  fequel  cannot 
 but  be  dangerous  to  be  fuffered. 
 
 Wherefore  confidering  it  fliould  be  the  duty 
 of  the  Bifhops,  being  the  principal  ordinary  officers 
 
 C  3  in 
 
[    38    ] 
 
 in  the  church  of  God,  as  you  are  one,  to  fee  thefc 
 diforders  againft  the  honour  of  God,  and  quietnefs 
 of  the  church  reformed;  and  that  we  fee  that  by 
 the  encreafe  of  thefe,  through  fufferance,  great  dan- 
 ger may  enfue,  even  to  the  decay  of  chriftian  faith, 
 •whereof  we  are  by  God  appointed  the  defender ; 
 befide  the  other  great  inconveniences,  to  the  Dif- 
 turbance  of  our  peaceable  government:  we  there- 
 fore according  to  the  authority  we  have,  do  charge 
 and  command  you,  as  the  bifhop  of  that  diocefe, 
 with  all  manner  of  diligence,  to  take  order  through 
 your  diocefe,  as  well  in  places  exempt  as  other- 
 wife,  that  no  manner  of  public  and  divine  fervice, 
 nor  other  form  of  adminiftration  of  the  holy  facra- 
 ments,  nor  any  other  rites  and  ceremonies,  be  in 
 any  fort  ufed  in  the  church,  but  diredly  according 
 to  the  orders  eftablifhed  by  our  laws  :  neither  that 
 any  manner  of  perfon  be  fuffered  within  your  dio- 
 cefe to  preach,  teach,  read,  or  exercife  any  func- 
 tion in  the  church,  but  fuch  as  fhall  be  lawfully 
 approved  and  licenfed,   as  perfons  able  for  their 
 knowledge,  and  conformable  to  the  miniftry  in  the 
 rights  and  ceremonies  of  this  church  of  England. 
 And  where  there  fhall  not  be  fufficient,  able  per- 
 fons for  learning  in  any  cures,  to  preach  and  in- 
 ltru6l  your  cures  as  were  requifite,  there  fhall  you 
 limit  the  curates  to  read  the  pubhc  homihes,  ac- 
 cording to  the  injundions  heretofore  by  us  given 
 for  like  cafes. 
 
 And 
 
t    39    ] 
 
 And  furthermore,  confi(dering  for  the  great 
 abufes  that  have  been  in  fundry  places  of  our  realm, 
 by  reafon  of  the  aforefaid  aflemblies  called  exer- 
 cifes',  and  for  that  the  fame  are  not,  nor  have  not, 
 been  appointed  nor  warranted  by  us,  or  by  our 
 laws,  we  will  and  ftraitly  charge  you,  that  you  do 
 caufe  the  fame  forthwith  to  ceafe,  and  not  to  be 
 ufed :  but  if  any  (hall  attempt,  or  continue,  or  re- 
 new the  fame,  we  will  you  not  only  to  commit 
 them  unto  prifon,  as  maintainers  of  diforders,  but 
 alfo  to  advife  us,  or  our  council,  of  the  names  and 
 qualities  of  them,  and  of  their  maintainers  and 
 abetters:  that  thereupon,  for  better  example,  their 
 punifliment  may  be  made  more  Iharp  for  their  re- 
 formation. 
 
 A  N  D  in  thefe  things  we  charge  you  to  be  care- 
 ful and  vigilant,  as  by  your  negligence,  if  we 
 fhould  hear  of  any  perfon  attempting  to  offend  in 
 the  premifes  without  their  corredion,  or  informa- 
 tion to  us,  we  be  not  forced  to  make  fome  ex- 
 ample in  reforming  of  you  according  to  your  de- 
 ferts. 
 
 Given  under  our  fignet  at  our  manor  of  Green- 
 wich^ the  7^1^  day  of  May  1577,  in  the  xix^ 
 year  of  our  reign. 
 
 Yoir 
 
[    40    ] 
 
 You  next  appeal  to  the  canons  of  the  church ; 
 or  rather  having  put  your  own  conftrudion  on  one 
 of  them,  you  infer  in  general  that  "  from  their 
 a  authority  llkewife  it  is  moft  clear  that  there  is  no 
 prohibition  laid  on  any  member  of  the  church  of 
 England  for  meeting  together  for  religious  purpo- 
 its^  ( I  quote  your  own  words  though  they  are  not 
 very  grammatical)  provided  fuch  meeting  tend 
 not  to  the  impeaching  or  depraving  the  dodlrine 
 of  the  church  of  England,  the  book  of  common 
 prayer,  the  public  peace,  nor  any  part  of  the  go- 
 vernment and  difcipline  eftablifhed  in  the  church.'* 
 Suppofmg  this  to  be  the  cafe,  I  believe  the  meet- 
 ings which  thefe  men  frequented,  and  in  which 
 fome  of  them  officiated,  will  juftly  come  under  the 
 above  defcription,  and  manifeftly  tended  to  the 
 impeaching  and  depraving  the  doftrine  of  the 
 church  of  England,  the  book  of  common  prayer, 
 and  the  government  and  difcipline  of  the  church. 
 
 But  is  this  the  only  canon  of  the  church  which 
 relates  to  the  point  in  queftion  ?  does  not  the  71ft 
 canon  forbid  even  miniflers  to  preach,  or  admi- 
 nifter  the  holy  communion,  in  any  private  houfe, 
 except  it  be  in  times  of  neceility;  upon  pain  of 
 fufpenfion  for  the  firft  offence,  and  excommunication 
 for  the  fecond  ?  Laymen  therefore  are  a  fortiori 
 prohibited  from  prefuming  to  do  either.  Nor  ^  are 
 all  minillers  permitted  even  to  expound  anyfcripture 
 a  P.  £3.  h  49.  can. 
 
 or 
 
[    41     ] 
 
 or  matter  of  dodlrine,  in  their  own  cure,  or  elfe- 
 where ;  but  fuch  only  as  have  been  examined  and 
 appioved  by  the  Bifhop  of  the  diocefe,  or  licenfed. 
 Will  you  now  fay  that  thefe  meetings  in  private 
 houfes,  in  which  not  only  minifters,  but  illiterate 
 laymen  take  upon  them  to  preach,  and  expound 
 the  Icriptures,  are  not  prohibited  by,  or  that  the 
 perfons  guilty  of  fuch  prciumption  do  not  offend 
 againft,  the  canons  of  the  church  ?  And  if  they 
 offend  againft  the  canons  of  the  church,  they  cer- 
 tainly incur  the  penalty  of  the  ftatutes  of  the  Uni- 
 verfity ;  which  forbid  all  perfons  to  frequent  illicit 
 conventicles  under  pain  of  expulfion ;  and  call  all 
 fuch  conventicles  illicit,  in  which  men  meet  either 
 publicly  or  privately  in  a  way  not  allowed  by  the 
 ftatutes  of  the  realm,  or  the  canons  of  the  church, 
 or  the  rules  of  the  Univerfity ;  they  are  prohibited 
 by  the  two  former,  and  confequently  muft  be  a 
 violation  of  the  latter.  Befides,  thefe  young  men, 
 had  they  been  capable  of  conftruing  the  Univerfity 
 ftatutes,  which  they  had  fworn  to  obferve,  muft 
 have  known  that  all  fcholars  are  forbidden  to  fre- 
 quent the  houfes  of  townfmen,  and  confequently 
 that  meetings  held  at  fuch  houfes  are  not  allowed 
 by  the  rules  of  the  Univerfity.  And  furely  in  this 
 place  there  can  be  no  occafion  or  pretence  for  fuch 
 religious  meetings  :  there  are  prayers  here  in  every 
 chapel  twice  a  day  •,  there  are  fermons  at  the  Uni- 
 verfity church  twice  every  Sunday,  and  once  every 
 holiday  -,  befides  other  occafional  fermons.  If  this 
 were  not  fufficient,  thofe  pious  gentlemen  might 
 
 have 
 
[      42      ] 
 
 have  joined  together  in  prayer  within  their  own 
 halls,  or  colleges.    But  to  hold  fuch  meetings  in 
 private  hoiifes  in  the  town  was  dire6tly  contrary  to 
 the  difcipline  and  rules  of  the  Univerfity,  to  the 
 canons  of  the  church,  and  the  ftatutes  of  the  realm ; 
 I  may  add,  to  the  articles  likewife ;  which,  at  their 
 admiflion  into  the  Univerfity,  they  fubfcribed  to. 
 The  23d  article  exprefsly  declares,  that  it  is  not 
 lawful  for  any  man  to  take  upon  himfelf  the  office 
 of  preaching,  before  he  is  lawfully  called. — "  ^But 
 was  it  the  defign  of  the  legiflature  to  prohibit  all 
 members  of  the  church  from  joining  together  in 
 prayer  for  the  welfare  of  the  church,  unlefs  it  were 
 within  the  confecrated  walls  ?"  —  was  this  all  that 
 was  done  .''  was  there  not  expounding  ?  were  there 
 not  extempore  prayers  offered  up  .^^  and  that  by 
 perfons  unauthorized  to  do  either.   ^  "  But  if  upon 
 any  occafion  there  happened  to  be  half  a  dozen 
 guefts,  or  ftrangers  prefent  at  the  ftated  family- 
 worfhip  in   a  houfe"  —  was  then  the  prefence  of 
 thefe  guefts  only  accidental,  or  once  upon  an  oc- 
 cafion ?    I  am  well  acquainted  with  the  nature  of 
 thefe  meetings  in  general,  and  the  numbers  which, 
 deferting  their  own  parifh  church,  flock  together 
 from  all  parts  of  the  neighbourhood  to   attend 
 them  ;   I  have  frequently  been  an  eye  witnefs  of 
 the  vain  felf-fufficiency  of   thefe  gifted  teachers, 
 and  of  the  ignorant  zeal,  and  ftupid  admiration  of 
 their  hearers :  I  cannot  therefore  be  impofed  upon 
 by  your  reprefentation  of  them.    Yet  fuppofing 
 
 a  P.  14.  b  Ibid. 
 
 there 
 
[    43     ] 
 
 there  were  only  five  thus  prefent,  it  is  contrary  to 
 the  exprefs  words  of  the  adl  of  Parliament  cited 
 by  you  -,   and  which,   one  would  have  thought, 
 muft  have  flared  you  in  the  face,  as  they  follow 
 immediately  after  thofe  you  have  quoted.    Strange 
 it  is  indeed  that  undergraduates  in  the  Univerfity, 
 greatly  deficient  in  learning  and  abilities,  without 
 regular  orders,  or  mifTion,  fliould  think  themfelves 
 qualified,  or  authorized,  to  expound  the  fcriptures 
 in  a  mixt  congregation,  and  to  offer  up  extempore 
 prayers  for,  and  in  the  name  of,  fuch  congrega- 
 tion :   and  ftill  more  ftrange  is  it  that  a  filly  wo- 
 man, or  illiterate  ftaymaker,  fhould  prefume  to  do 
 this;  and  that  thefe  gentlemen  fhould,  by  their 
 attendance  at  thofe  meetings,  uphold  and  encou- 
 rage fuch  prefumption.    Nay,  one  of  them  was 
 convidted  of  officiating,  tho'  not  in  orders,  as  a  cu- 
 rate in  a  country  parifh  church  :  » this  indeed  you 
 allow  to    have  been   a  "  very  high   indifcretion  ; 
 though   you    mufl  believe   that    his  motive  was 
 good;"    that  is,  you  are  refolved  to  believe  no- 
 thing bad  of  him,  tho'  ever  fo  true,    and  every 
 thing  good,  however  falfe.    But  why  muft  his  mo- 
 tive be  good  ?  b  u  becaufe,  fay  you,  he  could  have 
 no  temporal  intereft  in  what  he  did"  —  that  is 
 more  than  I  know,  or  you  can  be  certain  of — But 
 might  not  his  motive  be  pride,  arrogance,  felf- 
 conceit,  prefumption  ?   and  call  you  thefe  muiives 
 good  ?  you  urge  likewife  that  this  <=  was  before  he 
 was  a  member  of  the  Univerfity,  and  that  lie  had 
 
 a  P.  23.  b  Ibid,  c  P.  24. 
 
 behaved 
 
[     44    ] 
 
 behaved  ever  fince  with  the  greateft  regularity. 
 Had  this  daring  impiety  been  known  before  his 
 admifllon,  the  Vice-Chancellor  would  not  have  per- 
 mitted him  to  become  a  member  of  the  Univer- 
 fity ;  as  foon  as  it  was  known,  it  was  a  fufficient 
 reafon  to  remove  him.  An  indifcretion  is  furely  a 
 very  mild  term  for  a  high  offence  againft  the  laws 
 both  of  God  and  his  country,  the  fm  of  Korah, 
 Bathan^  and  Ahiram.  Nor  did  it  appear  that  he 
 had  behaved  ever  fmce  with  the  greateft  regulari- 
 ty, but  juft  the  contrary. 
 
 Three  others  were  alfo  convided  of  preaching, 
 or  expounding,  as  they  call  it,  in  congregations 
 in  the  country.  I  wonder  how  they  could  think 
 themfelves  called  or  qualified  fo  to  do,  unlefs  they 
 had  the  gift  of  immediate  and  extraordinary  infpi- 
 ration ;  and  this  you  feem  to  think  they  had,  as 
 you  compare  their  cafe  with  that  of  Chrift  and  his 
 Apoftles.  But  if  this  were  really  the  cafe,  what 
 bufinefs  had  they  here  ?  They  had  no  occafion  to 
 come  to  the  Univerfity  for  inftruftion  or  degrees, 
 or  to  apply  for  orders.  They  were  mifpending 
 their  time  ;  not  ftanding  in  need  of  any  qualifica- 
 tion, they  could  be  fuppofed  to  acquire  here  — 
 But  this  point  will  be  more  fully  confidered  in  its 
 proper  place.  The  other  two  confefi^ed  that  they 
 had  frequented  thefe  meetings — All  of  them  had 
 therefore  incurred  the  penalty  of  expulfion  under 
 this  firft  charge. 
 
 You 
 
[    4S     3 
 
 You  fay  in  their  defence,  "  ^  that  they  did 
 abftain  from  thefe  meetings,  as  foon  as  ever  they 
 were  told  that  they  were  contrary  to  the  will  of 
 thofe,  who  had  the  authority  over  them  in  the 
 Univerfity,  and  that  not  one  of  them  had  been 
 prefent  at  any  fuch  meetings  for  fome  months  before 
 their  expulfion  ;  but  all  declared  it  was  their  de- 
 termination not  to  attend  them  again" — But  how 
 does  this  declaration  agree  with  their  prefent  be- 
 haviour ?  was  it  not  a  mere  jefuitical  one,  made 
 only  to  ferve  their  turn  at  that  time  ?  but  not  an- 
 fwering  their  purpofe  then,  they  have  ever  fmce 
 totally  difregarded  it,  and  a6led  in  open  violation 
 of  it.  For  (I  aflert  it  on  very  good  authority) 
 they  are  now,  and  have  been  for  fome  time,  preach- 
 ing, and  expounding,  and  holding  thefe  meetings 
 up  and  down  the  country,  to  the  reproach  of  their 
 condufl,  but  to  the  full  juftification  of  the  Vice- 
 Chancellor's  fentence  —  A  fentence  which  you 
 call  mod  cruel  and  ignominious  j  and  tell  us  that 
 "  ^  only  one  example  can  be  produced  within  thefe 
 hundred  years  of  fo  public  an  inflidion  of  a  like 
 punifhment"  — - 1  have  already  refuted  this  affer- 
 tion  J  and  could  give  you  many  inftances  of  the 
 like  punifhment,  did  I  think  it  confident  with 
 charity  to  rip  up  private  charaders,  and  again  ex- 
 pofe  thofe,  who  have  already  fuffered  for,  and,  I 
 hope,  long  ago  repented  of  their  crimes.  But  I 
 muft  take  the  liberty  to  tell  you  that  you  have 
 
 «  P.  16.  b  P.  17. 
 
 greatly 
 
[    46    ] 
 
 greatly  mifreprefented  the  fail  you  allude  to.  If 
 you  mean  Mr. of  H—f — d  C it  is  noto- 
 rious that  he  was  expelled  the  Univerfity  by  a 
 public  ad  of  convocation  —  If  you  allude  to  an 
 affair  which  happened  forty  years  ago  at  A — d — », 
 
 wherein  fome   perfons  of  M — d — n  C were 
 
 concerned ;  the  perfons  guilty  of  that  ad  of  im- 
 piety, tho'  not  fuch  as  you  reprefent  it,  were  like- 
 wife  expelled,  and  the  fentence  of  their  expulfion 
 now  ftands  recorded  on  the  college  regifter,  ex- 
 prefled  in  terms  of  the  greateft  abhorrence.  —  But 
 you  relate  nothing  upon  hearfay  — 
 
 The  next  charge  againft  thefe  perfons,  in  the 
 order  in  which  you  place  it,  was,  that  ^  three  of 
 them  were  bred  to  trades.    You  allow  the  charge  ; 
 but   plead    that   St.    Paul    was   a    tent -maker; 
 that  David  was  called  from  the  fheepfold ;  that 
 Amos  was  an  herdfman,  our  Lord  himfelf  a  car- 
 penter, and  his  Apoitles  filhermen  — What  trifling 
 is  this  ?    when  you.  will  fhew  that  thefe  men  have 
 the  fame  divine  mifTion,  which  the  prophets  and 
 apoflles  had,  and  bring  the  fame  proof  of  it  from 
 the  gift  of  miracles  and  prophecy,  then  we  will 
 allow  them  to  do,  as  the  prophets  and  apoftles  did. 
 But  ^  feveral  worthy  prelates  were  bred  to  trades : 
 it  may  be  fo.     Some  perfons  have  been  fent  to 
 fchool,  and,  their  parents  not  being  able  to  main- 
 tain them  at  the  Univerfity,  have  been  afterwards 
 put  out  to  trades :  but  having  imbibed  a  relifh  for 
 
 a  P.  i8.  '     b  P.  ig. 
 
 learning 
 
[    47    1 
 
 learning,  and  having  in  confequence  a  diflike  for 
 the  bufinefs  of  trade,  they  have  met  with  friends, 
 who  have  fupported  them  here.  Others  have  been 
 originally  bred  to  trades,  but  difcovering  a  genius 
 for  learning,  they  have  been  fent  to  fchool,  and, 
 after  a  proper  education  there,  have  entered  them- 
 felves  in  the  Univerfity ;  and  fome  of  thefe  per- 
 fons  have  become  afterwards  eminent  in  the  learn- 
 ed profeflions.  But  as  you  have  had  the  confidence 
 to  (belter  the  illiberal  education  and  low  ignorance 
 of  thefe  men  under  the  fanftion  of  a  very  learned 
 and  venerable  charader,  I  beg  leave  to  contradidt 
 your  account  of  that  eminent  prelate's  education 
 upon  the  beft  authority,  which  is,  his  own.  That 
 dignitary,  by  whofe  death  the  church  of  England 
 is  deprived  of  her  greateft  Ornament,  and  bell 
 fupport,  being  juftly  offended  at  the  liberty  you 
 have  taken  with  him,  drew  up  with  his  own  hand 
 the'folloWing  account  of  the  manner  in  which  he 
 was  educated,  before  he  became  a  member  of  the 
 Univerfity  :  which  he  defired  might  be  here  in- 
 ferted  in  anfwer  to  your  mifreprefentation  of  it.-— 
 His  words  are  thefe,  "  Whereas  it  is  afferted  in  a 
 pamphlet  entitled  Pietas  Oxonienfts^  p.  19.  that  a 
 very  great  dignitary  in  the  church  was  educated 
 in  the  profefTion  of  a  man- midwife  among  the  dif- 
 fenters  :  the  real  faft  is  this,  that  the  perfon  fup- 
 pofed  to  be  meant  was  educated  firft  in  a  public 
 grammar  fchool,  then  for  five  or  fix  years  in  dif- 
 fenting  Academies,  then  for  two  years  purfued 
 tis  ftudies  privately  j   that  in  the  year  1716,  and 
 
 mot 
 
[    48    ] 
 
 not  before,  he  9,pplied  himfelf  to  the  ftudy  of  phy-^ 
 fie,   which  he  continued  till  near  the  middle  of 
 
 1720,  and  not  longer;  that,  during  this  time, 
 among  many  other  courfes  of  ledures,  he  attended 
 (at  Paris  only)  one  in  midwifery ;  but  that  he  ne- 
 ver profelTed,  nor  pradlifed,  nor  intended  to  prac- 
 tife  that,  or  any  other  branch  of  furgery,  nor  ever 
 a6ted  as  a  phyfician,  otherwife  than  occafionally 
 among  the  pooreft  of  his  Parifhioners."  This  is 
 the  account  that  great  prelate  gives  of  himfelf.  I 
 think  it  neceffary  to  add,  that  he  was  admitted  a 
 gentleman  commoner  of  F^eter  college  in  April 
 
 1 72 1,  being  then  twenty^jears  old ;  and  had  the 
 degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts  conferred  on  him  in 
 the  a6l  term  following,  in  confequence  of  the  flu- 
 dies  he  had  purfued,  and  t*he  progrefs  he  had  made 
 in  literary  accomplilhments.  The  letter,  by  which 
 theChancellorexp relied  his  alTent  to  that  favour,  con- 
 tains a  very  remarkable  circumftance,  which  ought 
 not  to  be  omitted,  and  upon  which  the  petition 
 was  founded.  It  is  this,  "that,  contrary  to  his  own 
 inclinations,  he  was  fent  by  his  guardians  to  the 
 Univerfity  of  Leyden,  where  he  proceeded  regu- 
 larly to  the  degree  of  Dodtor  of  phyfic,  as  appear- 
 ed by  the  printed  exercife  which  he  performed  on 
 that  occafion."  His  charadler  from  this  time  be- 
 came too  well  known  in  the  learned  world  to  need 
 any  farther  account  of  it  here. 
 
 Nor  are  you  more  happy  in  the  other  inftances, 
 by  which  you  would  countenance  the  ignorance  of 
 
 thefc 
 
[    49     ] 
 
 thefe  men.  The  great  cardinal  JVoolfcy^  of  what- 
 ever quality  or  occupation  his  father  might  have 
 been,  (though  it  appears  by  his  will  that  he  was  a 
 man  of  no  mean  circumftances)  was  bred  up  from 
 his  infancy  to  learning,  in  which  he  made  fo  rapid 
 a  progrefs,  tliat  he  took  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of 
 Arts  in  this  Univerfity  when  he  was  only  14  years 
 of  age  -,  and  was  at  that  time  dillinguilhed  for  his 
 abilities  in  every  branch  of  literature.  Suppofing 
 then  that  his  father  was  a  butcher,  will  that  juftify 
 you''  affertion  that  the  fon  was  bred  up  in  a  butch- 
 er's (hop  ?  unlefs  you  mean  that  every  fon  muft  be 
 of  the  fame  occupation  as  his  father. 
 
 Bishop  MaMax  likewife  was  from  a  child  bred 
 up  at  a  regular  grammar  fchool  :  but  havino-  the 
 misfortune  to  lofe  his  father,  he  fell  into  the  hands 
 of  friends  who  were  Diflenters,  and  were  therefore 
 unwilling  that  he  (hould  be  ordained  according  to 
 the  rites  of  the  Church  of  England-,  while  he  on 
 the  other  hand  was  old  enouf^h  to  declare  acainfl: 
 taking  Orders  in  their  Church:  They  therefore 
 put  him  to  a  paftry-cook  upon  trial,  but  before  he 
 v^as  bound  apprentice,  the  mafter  came  to  his  re- 
 lations, and  told  them  that  the  boy  was  not  fie 
 for  his  trade,  and  was  fure  he  would  never  make 
 any  thing  of  it,  that  he  was  continually  reading 
 books  of  learning  above  his  (the  mailer's)  compre- 
 henfion,  and  therefore  advifed  that  they  fliould 
 take  him  away,  and  fend  him  back  to  fchool  to 
 follow,  the  bent  of  his  inclination.     This  was  ac- 
 
 D  cordingly 
 
[    5°    ] 
 
 cordingly  done,  and  from  fchool  he  was  entered  of 
 ^ieen\  College.  I  need  not  inform  you  what 
 figure  he  made  in  life. 
 
 You  may  depend  upon  the  truth  of  the  above 
 relation  \  which  is  given  by  a  very  eminent  Per- 
 fon,  who  received  it  from  the  bifliop's  own  mouth. 
 
 The  late  Pro6lor  was  educated  on  the  founda- 
 tion at  IVeftminfter^  and  from  thence  eledled  a  Stu- 
 dent of  Chriji  Church :  after  feveral  year's  refidence 
 in  the  Univerfity  he  ferved  his  country  for  fome 
 fliort  time,  not  in  the  army,  but  in  a  county  mi- 
 litia.— To  what  purpofe  then  have  you  introduced 
 any  of  thefe  inftances  ?  how  different  is  the  cafe  of 
 every  one  of  them  from  that  of  the  perfons  re- 
 moved from  hence  by  the  Vice-Chancellor  ?  when 
 they  lefc  their  trades,  they  did  not  go  to  any 
 regular  fchool,  but  were  lent  to  the  houfe  of  fome 
 private  clergyman,  where  they  might  polTibly  im- 
 bibe the  principles  of  methodifm,  and  a  contempt 
 for  human  knowledge,  but  appeared  to  have  made 
 no  proficiency  in  the  languages,  or  any  part  of 
 learning.  Nay,  one  of  them,  tho'  totally  illi- 
 terate, was  afliftant  to  one  of  thofe  clergymen  % 
 from  whence  we  may  fairly  conclude  what  fore  of 
 learning  was  cultivated  under  his  tuition.  Their 
 being  bred  to  trades  therefore  was  not  charged 
 upon  them  as  a  crime,  nor  would  it  have  been 
 made  any  objedtion  at  all,  if  they  had  appeared  to 
 have  made  a  proper  proficiency  in  learning,  but 
 
 the 
 
[     5'     ] 
 
 the  contrary  appeared  moft  plainly.     Which  is  the 
 third  charge  you  confider. 
 
 You  affe6t  to  laugh  at  this  charge  as  full  of  ab- 
 furdity  —  "  ^  if  they  were  backward  in  their  flu- 
 dies,  was  not  this  the  beft  reafon  in  the  world 
 why  they  fhould  be  fuffered  to  purfue  them? 
 Would  i^you  drive  a  man  from  the  feat  of  learning 
 and  knowledge,  becaufe  he  is  yet  deficient  in  the 
 knowledge  of  the  languages  ?"  If  this  be  juft  rea- 
 foning,  then  the  moft  ignorant  perfons  are  the 
 the  moft  proper  to  become  members  of  the  Uni- 
 verfity ;  then  ought  our  Colleges  and  Halls  to  be 
 filled  with  mechanics  and  plowmen.  Surely  fome 
 qualifications  of  fchool  learning  are  neceftary  in 
 thofe  who  have  any  reafon  to  expe6l  improvement 
 here.  The  fphere  of  the  Univerfity,  efpecially  in 
 its  prefent  ftate,  is  rather  the  fciences  than  the  firft 
 elements  of  learning.  Can  it  be  expedled  that 
 perfons,  whofe  early  years  have  been  eno-a&ed  in 
 the  purfuit  of  fuch  employments,  as  fuppofc  a  to- 
 tal inattention  to  lludy,  fhould,  when  they  arrive 
 to  the  ftate  of  manhood  (which  was  the  cafe  of 
 thefe  men)  be  qualified  for  a  learned  profelTion,  or 
 capable  of  receiving  academical  knowledge  ?  Such 
 knowledge,  to  borrow  the  ingenious  metaphor 
 which  you  have  adopted  from  a  news  paper,  was 
 too  ftrong  meat  for  fuch  weak  ftomachs.  If  a 
 perfon  can  neither  conftrue  the  ftatutes,  which  are 
 his  rule  of  a6tion,  nor  perform  the  exercifes  re- 
 a  P.  ig.  b  p.  20. 
 
 D  2  quired 
 
[       52      ] 
 
 quired  both  in  the  Univerfity,  and  in  every  Col- 
 lege and  Hall,  he  is  not  likely  to  improve  much 
 here  :  Such  an  ignorant  perfon  is  not  fit  to  be  ad- 
 mitted here,  nor  is  it  any  injury  to  remove  him 
 from  hence.  And  it  is  more  efpecially  neceflary 
 ib  to  do,  if  it  fhall  appear  that  he  entertains  hopes 
 by  this  means  to  thrufl  himfelf  into  the  miniftry. 
 
 But  "  ^  can  their  tutor,"  fay  you,  "  deny  that 
 they  had  made  confiderable  progrefs  in  their  learn- 
 ing, fmce  they  entered  at  the  Hall  ?"  Yes,  he  can, 
 and  did  deny  it  -,  this  was  part  of  his  charge  againft 
 them,  and  their  examination  iliewed  that  they  had 
 made  no  fuch  progrefs.  But  you  feem  to  think 
 their  ^  *'  literary  abilities  were  not  put  to  a  proper 
 trial."  Their  examination  was  very  eafy  •,  they 
 were  only  required  to  conftrue  the  Greek  teftament, 
 and  the  flatutes  of  the  Univerfity  •,  and  could  do 
 neither.  They  were  allowed  all  the  time  to  recol- 
 ledl  themfelves,  and  to  confider  the  paflagcs  pro- 
 pofed  to  them,  that  they  could  defire.  If  they 
 "  ^  were  under  much  confufion  and  difcompofure  in 
 fuch  a  public  place,"  why  did  they  not  defire  a 
 more  private  examination  ?  This  the  Vice-Chan- 
 cellor and  his  AlTeflbrs  would  have  readily  confen- 
 ted  to,  but  none  of  them  made  any  fuch  appHca- 
 tion.  But  they  did  not  appear  to  be  under  the 
 lead  confufion  or  difcompofure — they  had  been 
 ufed  to  fpeak  before  much  larger  aifemblies,  and 
 it  was  obferved  that  they  did  not  want  confidence 
 
 a  P.  20.  b  Ibid.  c  Ibid. 
 
 on 
 
[    53     ] 
 
 on  this  occafion.  * "  But  there  were  very  many 
 perfons  of  the  Hall,  equally,  if  not  more  defi- 
 cient." I  hope  not.  There  was  only  one  perfon 
 more  accufed  ;  who,  confcfllng  his  ignorance,  de- 
 clined all  examination  i  but  as  he  was  reprefented 
 to  be  a  man  of  fortune,  and  declared  that  he  was 
 not  defigned  for  holy  orders,  the  Vice-Chancellor 
 did  not  think  fit  to  remove  him  for  this  reafon 
 only,  though  he  was  fuppofcd  to  be  one  of  the 
 ^  righteous  over-much,  as  you  exprefs  it.  If  there 
 were  any  others  equally  illiterate,  they  ought  to 
 have  been  particularly  accufed,  and  application 
 made  to  the  Vifitor  for  their  removal :  I  am  fatis- 
 fied  he  would  have  been  ready  to  hear  and  redrefs 
 fuch  complaint.  He  was  at  that  time  examining 
 into  the  articles  of  accufation  brought  againft  par- 
 ticular members  of  that  fociety  by  Mr.  Higfon,  he 
 could  not  therefore  with  propriety  proceed  to  any 
 other  matter  of  grievance  not  alleged  in  thofe 
 articles  i  but  the  Principal,  who  defired  that  others 
 might  he  examined,  was  requefted,  if  he  had  mat- 
 ter of  complaint  againft  any  of  his  members  to  ex- 
 hibit it,  and  the  Vice-Chancellor  would  appoint  a 
 day  for  hearing  it :  but  he  declined  the  propofal. 
 Befides,  I  apprehend,  he  might  himfelf  remove 
 any  members  from  his  fociety,  whom  he  conceived 
 to  be  a  difgrace  to  it ;  and  if  the  ^  Tutor  had  intro- 
 duced any  fuch  illiterate  pupils  into  the  Hall,  in 
 which  cafe  I  fhould  think  him  very  culpable  (tho* 
 he  could  not  have  done  this  without  the  confent  of 
 a  P.  20.  b  P.  21.  c  Ibid. 
 
 D  3  the 
 
[    54    ] 
 
 the  Principal)  it  was  in  the  Principal's  option  whe- 
 ther they  Ihould  continue  there,  and  be  permitted 
 "  juft  to  keep  their  terms,  and  get  into  orders,** 
 to  the  difgrace  of  the  Church  and  the  Univerfity. 
 
 But  the  truth  is,  you,  if  you  are  confiftent  with 
 your  own  principles,  think  no  one  difqualified  to  be- 
 come or  continue  a  member  of  the  Univerfity  on 
 account  of  ^  age,  ignorance,  or  former  occupation  ; 
 you  exclaim  loudly  againft  fuch  removals.  The 
 proceedings  in  this  cafe  have  been  called  tyranny 
 and  perfecution  ;  the  Vice-  Chancellor  and  his  af- 
 feflbrs  have  been  compared  to  Bonner  and  the  popifh 
 perfecutors.  You  call  it  "  the  moft  fevere  punifh- 
 ment  an  Univerfity  can  inflid  ;  a  cruel  ignomini- 
 nious  fentence ;  turning  them  out  to  ftarve  j  a 
 punifhment  which  may  reduce"  them  to  the  very 
 want  of  bread,  and  call  a  lafting  ftigma  upon  their 
 names  and  charaflers."  Happy  thefe  gentlemen, 
 to  find  fo  eloquent  and  zealous  an  advocate  !  But 
 where  after  all  was  the  great  injury  done  them  ? 
 they  were  deprived  of  neither  liberty,  property, 
 nor  life  ;  they  were  of  no  foundation,  had  no  free- 
 hold in  the  Univerfity,  nor  received  one  fliilling 
 profit  from  the  Hall  •,  but  were  mifpending  both 
 their  money  and  their  time.  Nor  had  they  any 
 character  to  lofe  ;  if  henceforth  they  are  known  to 
 be  illiterate,  that  could  only  be  a  reproach  to 
 them  while  they  affumed  the  charadler  of  gownf- 
 nien ;  but  can  be  none,  while  they  a(5t  in  their 
 a  P.  21. 
 
 own 
 
[    S5    ] 
 
 own  proper  one  of  weaver,   barber,    or  tapder. 
 The  Vice-Chancellor  had  as  much  right  and  reafon 
 to  remove  them  from  the  Univerfity,  as  a  fchool- 
 mafter  has  to  remove  fcholars  from  his  fchool,  w!io 
 are  incapable  of  making    any  proficiency   there. 
 They  were  not  qualified  to  improve  in  academical 
 ftudies,  nor  capable  of  performing  the  exercifes  of 
 the  Univerfity  and  the  Hall.     It  was  therefore  no 
 injury  (I  repeat  it  again)  but  rather  a  kindnefs  to 
 fend  them  from  a  place,  where  they  were  mif-em- 
 ploying   their   time,    and   abufing  the   ill-placed 
 kindnefs  of  their  friends,  who  fupported  them  here 
 in  idlenefs,  that  they  might  follow  their  refpetflive 
 trades  elfewhere,  and   get  their  livelihood  in   an 
 honeft,  and  reputable  manner.     Mr.  J — s  makes 
 a  good  perriwig  •,  he  need  not  ftarve,  he  may  get 
 his  bread  by  his  proper  profefllon.    Mr.  M — s  and 
 Mr.  S — n  may  maintain  themfelves  and  ferve  their 
 country  better  at  the  loom,  or  at  the  tap,  or  be- 
 hind the  counter,  than  they  were  likely  to  do  in 
 the  pulpit  —  traftent    fabrilia  fabri.  —  The   lait 
 gentleman,  we  were  afllired  from  his  miftrefs,  bore 
 a  very  good  charadler,  and  behaved  with  diligence 
 and  fidelity  in  her  fervice,  till  he  was  feduced  by 
 the  Methodifts  ;  when  idlenefs  fucceeded  to  dili- 
 gence, and  negligence  took  the  place  of  fidelity  ; 
 let  him  return  to  her  fervice,  and  by  a  faithful  dif- 
 charge  of  his  duty  recover  his  loll  reputation. 
 
 If  thefe  gentlemen  have  by  our  fentence  been 
 debarred  from  entering  into  the  miniitry,  this  is 
 
 alio 
 
[    56    ] 
 
 alfo  no  injury,  but  rather  a  kindnefs  to  them,  as 
 well  as  a  fervice  done  to  the  pubhc.    They  are  pre- 
 vented from  expofing  themfelves,  and  mifleading 
 others.     I  beg  leave  to  recommend  to  their  ferious 
 perufal  the  excellent  fermon  of  Bifhop  BuU^  con- 
 cerning the  great  difficulty  and  danger  of  the  prieftly 
 office.     "  How  horrible  (fays  that  worthy  prelate) 
 is   the  confidence,  or  rather  impudence  of  thofe 
 mechanics,  that  have  leapt  from  the  fhop-board,  or 
 the  plough,  into  the  pulpit,  and  thus,  per  faltum, 
 by  a  prodigious  leap  commenced  teachers !  what 
 fhall  we  fay  to  thefe  mountebanks  in  the  Church, 
 thefe  empirics  in  theology  ?  I  can  only  fay  this,  I 
 can  never  fufficiently  admire  either  their  boldnefs  in 
 adventuring  to  be  teachers,  or  the  childifh  folly  and 
 fimplicity  of  thofe  that  give  themfelves  up  to  be 
 their  difciples.     'Tis  a  miracle  that  any  fuch  perfon 
 fliould  dare  to  preach,  or,  if  he  do,  that  any  man 
 in  his  right  wits  Ihould  vouchfafe  to  hear  him."  — 
 If   Mr.    Higfon    has    introduced  a  others  of    the 
 fame  (lamp,  the  above  refledlion  will  be  equally 
 worthy  of  their  attention. 
 
 And  here,  fir,  it  will  be  proper  to  introduce  Mr. 
 Welling^  who,  you  tell  us,  had  alTerted,  as  appeared 
 iipon  the  trial,  that  "  whofoever  believeth  the  mi- 
 racles of  our  Saviour,  or  of  Mofes,  muft  be  a  knave 
 or  a  fool  -,  and  is  well  known  in  the  Hall  by  the 
 name  of  the  Infidel  ^"   If  this  were   his  known 
 
 JL    P.    21.  b   P.     22, 
 
 charader 
 
[   n  ] 
 
 charafter,  why  was  he  permitted  to  continue  a 
 member  of  a  fociety  devoted  to  a  rehgious  educa- 
 tion ?  why  was  he  not  expelled  from  it  ?  —  When 
 this  circumftance  was  mentioned  by  way  of  recrimi- 
 nation, we  applied  to  the  Principal  for  the  truth  of 
 it,  and  defired  that  he  might  be  formally  proceeded 
 againft.  The  Principal  fo  far  from  fupporting  the 
 charge,  declared  that  he  .had  no  objection  to  Mr. 
 Wellin^%  charader,  nor  had  ever  heard  any  ill  of 
 him.  However  the  Vice-Chancellor  and  his  aflef- 
 fors  thought  a  charge  of  this  nature,  which  they 
 held  in  much  greater  deteftation  than  you-  would 
 reprefent  them  to  do,  ought  to  be  thoroughly  exa- 
 mined into  •,  he  therefore  ordered  the  two  gentle- 
 men, to  whofe  teftimony  Mr.  Kay  appealed  in  fup- 
 port  of  it,  viz.  Mr.  Wrighte  and  Mr.  Brown  to  at- 
 tend him.  He  took  their  depofitions  upon  oath, 
 and  the  whole  of  their  evidence  is  contained  in  the 
 following  affidavits. 
 
 Oxford,  ?  The  information  of  William  Wrighte, 
 *  gentleman  commoner  of  St.  Edmund-Hall 
 in  the  Univerfity  of  Oxjord,  taken  on  oath 
 before  me,  David  Durell,  Dodor  in 
 Divinity,  Vice-Chancellor,  and  one  of  his 
 Majefty'sju dices  of  the  peace  in  and  for 
 the  faid  Univerfity,  this  twelfth  day  of 
 March,  1768  i 
 
 Who  faith,  that  on  laft  St.  John'^  day  the  baptifl:, 
 (viz.  the  24th  of  June,  iy6j,)  he  this  informant 
 
 was 
 
[    58    j 
 
 was  walking  in  New  College  gardens,  and  was 
 there  joined  by  John  Welling  and  Erafmus  Middle- 
 Ion.,  commoners  of  Edmund  Hall  aforefaid,  when 
 he  the  laid  fVrighte  perceiving  the  faid  fVelling  to 
 be  concerned  in  liquor,  took  occafion  to  expoftu- 
 Jate  with  him  thereon :  a  difpute  then  arofe  be- 
 tween the  faid  Welling  and  Middleton  concerning 
 fome  points  in  religion,  the  particulars  of  which 
 he  this  informant  does  not  recoiled,  only  that 
 the  miracles  of  Mofes  were  introduced  in  the 
 difpute  ;  when  the  faid  Welling  addrefiing  himfelf 
 to  the  faid  Middleton^  ufed  fome  fuch  exprefllon 
 as  the  following,  "  What,  fool,  do  you  believe 
 in  the  miracles  of  Mofes  V^  or  words  to  that 
 effed,  upon  which  he  the  faid  informant  repro- 
 ved him  feverely,  and  threatened  him  much.  That 
 night,  or  the  next  day  the  faid  Welling  came  to 
 aflc  the  faid  informant's  pardon  for  his  behaviour 
 that  day  or  the  preceding  day  :  upon  which  he  the 
 faid  informant  told  him,  that  if  he  again  beha- 
 ved in  the  like  manner,  he  would  acquaint  the 
 Vice- Principal  with  it,  and  added,  that  if  he  had 
 thought  he  had  been  in  earned  in  regard  to  the 
 exprefllon,  which  had  fo  much  offended  him 
 the  day  before  or  that  day,  he  would  break  all 
 connedion  with  him,  or  to  that  effed. 
 
 The  faid  informant  further  faith,  that  In  feveral 
 converfations  he  has  had  with  the  faid  Wellhig^ 
 he  has  taken  occafion  to  examine  into  his  real 
 fentiments  in  regard  to^the  miracles  of  Mojes^ 
 
 and 
 
[    59    ] 
 
 and  other  points  of  revelation :  when  the  faid 
 JVelling  has  declared,  and  particularly  in  a  late 
 converfation,  his  unfeigned  aflent  to,  and  belief 
 of  divine  revelation  in  general,  and  of  the  mi- 
 racles wrought  by  Mofes  in  particular.  And  he 
 the  faid  informant  faith,  that  he  has  no  fort  of 
 reafon  to  fufpedl  the  veracity  of  the  faid  JVelling 
 in  the  faid  declaration. 
 
 William     Wrighte. 
 
 Sworn  before  me  on  the 
 day  and  year  above- 
 written 
 
 D.  DuRELL,  Vice-Chancellor. 
 
 Oxford^'iTht  information  of  William  BroA^n, 
 ^  commoner,  of  St.  Edmund-Hall^  within 
 the  Univerfity  of  Oxford^  taken  on  oath 
 before  me,  David  Durell,  Doftor  in 
 Divinity,  Vice-Chancellor  of  the  Univer-r 
 fity,  and  one  of  his  Majefty's  juftices  of 
 the  peace  in  and  for  the  faid  Univerfity, 
 this  twelfth  day  of  March,  1768  ; 
 
 Who  faith,  that  in  feveral  converfations  he  has  had 
 y^'whjohn  Welling,  commoner  of  the  faid  Hall,  on 
 religious  fubjefts,  he  has  found  that  he  the  faid 
 IVelling  has  ufed  many  free  exprelTions,  which  he 
 does  not  now  remember,  but  which  argued  a 
 fufpicion  of  a  difbelief  of  divine  revelation  :  but 
 
 upon 
 
[    6o    3 
 
 upon  a  very  particular  enquiry,  made  at  repeated 
 times  by  the  faid  informant,  into  the  faid  Wei- 
 ling's  real  opinion  of  the  truth  of  all  the  divine 
 revelations,  he  the  faid  IVelling  hath  as  often  de- 
 clared his  unfeigned  affent  to  all  revealed  truth 
 contained  in  the  holy  fcriptures. 
 
 This  informant  further  faith,  that  he  has  no  reafon 
 now  to  fufpedt  that  the  faid  Welling  diflembled, 
 when  he  folemnly  declared  his  real  belief  of  the 
 truth  of  divine  revelations  -,  and  does  not  fufpeft 
 his  being  in  the  leaft  difaffedted  to  the  doctrines 
 or  difcipline  of  the  Church  of  England. 
 
 WitLiAAf  Brown. 
 
 Sworn  before  me  on  the 
 day  and  year  above- 
 written 
 
 D.  DuRELL,  Vice-Chancellor. 
 
 The  Vice-Chancellor  having  taken  thefe  depofi- 
 tions,  made  enquiry  after  Mr.  Welling  ;  but  was  in- 
 formed that  he  was  gone  out  of  town,  and  would 
 not  return  till  Eafter  term  j  he  defired  directions 
 to  him,  but  the  Principal  knew  not  where  to  ad- 
 drefs  him.  The  Vice -Chancellor  then  proceeded 
 to  lay  the  above  affidavits  before  the  Heads  of 
 Houfes  i  who  were  of  opinion  that  they  did  not  con- 
 tain 
 
[     6i     ] 
 
 tain  fufficient  matter  for   a   public    citation,    but 
 advifed  that  the  party  accufed  (hould,  on  his  return 
 to  the  Univerfity,   be  fummoned  before  them  to 
 give  an  account  of  his  principles,  and  make  fuch 
 fatisfaftion  as  Ihould  appear  to  them  proper  and 
 fufficient.     Accordingly  he   waited   on  the   Vice- 
 Chancellor  on  the  15th  of  May,  and  fliewed  him  a 
 letter  from  Mr.  Higjon^  in  anfwer  to  an  application 
 he  had  made  for  Teftimonials  for   holy  Orders: 
 wherein  Mr.  H.  declared  that  he  had  no  objedlion 
 to   figning    fuch    Teftimonials,    provided   he  was 
 afllired  by  the  Vice-Chancellor  that  he  had  given 
 iatisfadion  to  the  Univerfity  in  refpedl  to  the  charge 
 of  infidelity,  which  had  been  brought  againft  him. 
 He  protefted  that  there  was  no  real  foundation  for 
 this  charge,  and  was  very  defirous  to  give  all  pofllble 
 alTurances  of  his  innocence.      The  Vice-Chancellor 
 told  him  that  he  muft  appear  the  day  following  be- 
 fore the  Heads  of  Houfes.     He  attended  accord- 
 ingly i  and   being  called  in,  was  acquainted  with 
 the  heinous  nature  of  the  crime  laid  to  his  charec, 
 and  underwent  a  very  ftridl  examination  with  refpe6t 
 to  his  religious  principles.    He  exprefled  great  con- 
 cern for  having  laid  himfelf  open  to  the  fufpicion  of 
 infidelity,  and  declared  before  the  Meeting  the  fub- 
 Itance  of  what  is  contained  in  the  affidavit  here  an- 
 nexed;   which  was  read   by   him   publicly   in  the 
 Convocation  Houfe  the  next  day,  before  the  Mem- 
 bers of  Congregation  there  aflcmbled,    cxadly  as 
 it  is  here  printed,    and  not  in  latin,  as   you  alfcrt 
 
 to 
 
[       62       ] 
 
 in  the  note  p.   23d.     This  is  another  inftance  of 
 your  afferting  nothing  upon  hear-fay  evidence. 
 
 WHEREAS   it  hath    been    alleged    upon 
 oath  before  the  Reverend  the  Vice-Chancel - 
 lor,  againft  me  John  Welling,  that  on  the 
 24th  of  June,    1767,   in  converfation  with 
 Mr.  Wrighte  and  Mr.  Middleton  of  Edmund- 
 Hall,  in  this  Univerfity,  I  made  ule  of  certain 
 expreflions  tending  to  difparage  the  truth  of 
 revelation  ;  and  in  particular  the  miracles  of 
 Mofes :  I  do  hereby  declare  my  unfeigned  af- 
 fent  to,  and  belief  of,  divine  revelation  in  gene- 
 ral, and  of  the  miracles  wrought  by  Mofes  in 
 particular :    And   I    do  aver   that  I  was  in- 
 toxicated in  liquor  (for  which  very  criminal 
 excefs  I  am    moft    fincerely    forry)   when   I 
 uttered    thofe    expreflions ;    and  whereas  by 
 the  ufe   of  thofe   expreflions   I   have   given 
 but  too  jufl:  occafion  of  fcandal  and  offence 
 to    the  Vice  -  Chancellor    and    Members    of 
 this  Univerfity;   I  do  hereby  aflc  pardon  of 
 them   for  the  fame-,   and  I  do  further  molt 
 folemnly  protefl:,    that  however  unguarded  I 
 may  have  been  in  the  ufe  of  thofe,    or  any 
 expreflions    whatfoever    concerning    religion, 
 they  were  not  declarative   of   my  real  prin- 
 ciples,   in    as   much    as  thofe  principles  are, 
 and   ever    have   been,    and  I  trufl;  will  ever 
 continue  to  be,  diametrically  oppofite  to  fcep- 
 
 ticifm 
 
[     63     ] 
 
 ticifm  and  infidelity,    which   from  my  heart 
 I  deteft  and  abhor. 
 
 Witnefs  my  hand, 
 
 JoH  N    We  l  l  I  n  g. 
 
 Sworn  before  me 
 the  ninth  day  of 
 May,  1768. 
 
 D.  DuRELL,  Vice-Chancellor. 
 
 We  whofe  names  are  underwritten,  do  certify 
 that  John  Welling  read  the  above  declaration 
 publickly  in  Congregation,  this  tenth  day  of 
 May,  1768, 
 
 D.  Durell,  Vice-Chancellor. 
 B.  Wheeler,  Senior  Proftor. 
 
 E.  Whit  MORE,  Junior  Prodtor, 
 
 Let  me  now  alk  you  what  apology  can  you 
 make  to  the  Vice-Chancellor  and  Heads  of  Houfes, 
 whofe  charafters  you  have  afperfed,  by  a  bafe  infi- 
 nuation  that  they  prefer  infidelity  to  methodifm  ? 
 what  atonement  to  the  Univerfity,  which  is  greatly 
 injured  by  your  unjuft  and  uncharitable  cenfures  ? 
 What  anfwer  to  your  own  confcience,  which  muft 
 reproach  you  with  having  endeavoured  to  vilify  the 
 governors  of  this  venerable  feat  of  learning  and 
 piety,  thereby  weakening  the  hands  of  difcipline, 
 and  wounding  even  religion  herfelf  ? 
 
 Im 
 
[    64    ] 
 
 In  your  note  p.  79.  you  give  us  a  particular  hif- 
 tory  of  the  birth,  Hfe,  and  converfation  of  Mr. 
 Welling.  How  you  have  been  able  to  trace  this 
 poor  beggar- boy  from  the  Foundling  Hofpital,  thro* 
 the  feveral  dark  windings  and  dirty  channels  thro' 
 which  he  waded  to  the  Univerfity ;  or  how  he  ever 
 got  there  by  fuch  arts,  is  a  myftery  to  me.  If 
 your  ftory  be  a  true  one,  he  is  certainly  a  very  de- 
 teftable  charader,  and  not  worthy  to  be  a  member 
 of  the  Univerfity.  But  to  what  purpofe  have  you 
 introduced  it  here  ?  With  what  view  have  you 
 raked  into  this  filthy  kennel  ?  His  admiffion  here 
 under  fuch  circumftances  can  be  no  reflexion  on 
 the  Vice-Chancellor,  who  could  not  be  fuppofed  to 
 be  acquainted  with  them  ;  it  can  be  no  refledtion  on 
 his  Tutor,  in  whofe  abfence  he  was  entered ;  who 
 was  quite  unacquainted  with  his  family  and  connec- 
 tions, who,  and  whence  he  was,  and  particularly 
 made  this  an  article  of  complaint.  Neither  can 
 it  refle6t  on  thofe  who  figned  his  Teftimonials  for 
 Orders,  or  on  the  Bifhop,  who  ordained  him 
 TO  A  CURE  OF  SOULS,  unlcfs  you  can  fuppofe 
 that  they  were  previoufly  acquainted  with  this  dark 
 fide  of  his  charadler  •,  which  I  am  perfuaded  was 
 entirely  concealed  from  them,  till  you  hung  it 
 out  to  public  view  ;  whether  in  its  proper  co- 
 lours or  not,  I  leave  himfelf  to  (hew.  This  black 
 ftory,  which  however  I  have  good  reafon  to  believe 
 is  ip-ifreprefented,  will  indeed  fuggeft  one  caution  to 
 the  Heads  of  Colleges  and  Halls,  viz.  not  to  admit 
 any  one  a  member  of  their  fociety,  without  enqui- 
 
[    65    ] 
 
 ring  into  his  family,  his  education,  and  morals. 
 The  Vice-Chancellor  does  this,  as  far  as  he  pru- 
 dently can,  at  the  matriculation  of  every  perfon : 
 who  gives  an  account  of  his  age,  quality,  his  fa- 
 ther's name,  and  place  of  abode  ;  all  which  is  re- 
 giflered  in  the  matriculation-book,  and  fuppofed 
 to  be  well  known  to  the  Governor  or  Tutor  of  the 
 fociety  into  which  he  is  entered. 
 
 I  NOW  proceed  to  the  cafe  of  thofe  gentlemen, 
 who  '^  "  were  fuffered  to  take  their  names  out  of 
 the  book  of  Edmund-Hall,  and  to  enter  at  Magda- 
 len-Hall;  which  you  reprefent  to  be  done  in  order 
 to  call  a  greater  ftigma  and  opprobrium  on  Ed- 
 mund-Hall, and  the  worthy  Principal  of  it  j  and 
 this,  after  Mr.  Vice-Chancellor  had  told  Mr. 
 Grove,  and  folemnly  given  his  word  to  the  Princi- 
 pal, that  unlefs  the  expelled  young  men  were  re- 
 ceived again  into  the  Univerfity,  none  of  the 
 others  fhould  have  liberty  to  leave  his  Hall,  and 
 to  enter  elfewhere. — Heu  I  prifca  fides  ! "  Is  it  thus 
 you  defend  the  caufe  of  violated  truth,  and  injured 
 innocence  ?  Is  this  your  love  of  candor  ?  this  your 
 reverence  for  authority?  fuch  an  accufation  brought 
 againft  the  chief  magiftrate  of  the  Univerfity  ought 
 at  leaft  to  be  well  fupported,  and  urged  with  mo- 
 defly.  But  you  were  confcious  your  caufe  required' 
 other  arts  than  tliefe;  to  apply  your  own  quotation  >» 
 
 Non  tali  auxilio,  nee  defenforibus  iltis 
 
 Tempus  eget. 
 
 a  P.  23.  b  P.  83. 
 
 E  Bold 
 
[     66     ] 
 
 Bold  afiertion  muft  fupply  the  place  of  proof,  and 
 vehement  exclamation  give  to  falfhood  the  air  of 
 truth  ;  which  however,  upon  the  flighteft  touch 
 will  return  to  her  proper  fhape,  and  appear  in  her 
 own  deformity.  The  real  fad:  is  this  ;  Mr.  Grove, 
 after  his  expulfion,  applied  to  the  Vice-Chancellor 
 to  be  re-admitted  into  fome  College  or  Hall,  on 
 condition  of  his  making  a  recantation  of  his  errors, 
 and'giving  fecurity  to  the  Univerfity  for  his  future 
 good  behaviour.  The  Vice-Chancellor  referred 
 him  to  the  Chancellor,  to  whom  he  prefented  a 
 petition  •,  which  was  again  referred  by  the  Chan- 
 cellor to  the  Vice-Chancellor  ;  who,  to  oblige  Mr. 
 Grove^  fixed  upon  the  firft  vacant  hour  in  the  next 
 day  after  he  received  it,  in  order  to  deliberate 
 with  his  afleffors  upon  the  fubje6t  of  it.  At  the 
 fame  time  they  took  into  their  conPideration  ano- 
 ther petition,  which  had  been  prefented  by  three 
 gentlemen  of  the  fame  Hall  to  the  Chancellor,  but 
 was  alfo  referred  to  the  Vice-Chancellor's  determi- 
 nation. In  regard  to  Mr.  Grove ^  they  were  una- 
 nimous in  their  opinion  that  he  ought  not  to  be 
 received  again  into  the  Univerfity :  but  with  re- 
 fpe6l  to  the  other  petitioners,  it  was  judged  expe- 
 dient that  perfuafion  lliould  be  ufed  to  induce 
 them  to  continue  of  the  Hall,  as  the  caufe  of  their 
 complaint  had  been  removed  by  the  late  expul- 
 fion •,  and  indeed  alfo  thro'  motives  of  tendernefs 
 to  the  Principal,  that  by  their  continuance  there 
 that  Houfe  might  recover  its  credit.  But  if  the 
 method  here  recommended  fhould  prove  ineffec- 
 tual. 
 
[    67    ] 
 
 tual,  they  all  agreed  that  the  Vice -Chancellor 
 would  then  be  obliged  to  call  upon  the  Principal 
 (as  the  ftatute  direfts)  to  fhew  caufe  why  their  pe- 
 tition fhould  not  be  granted. 
 
 Mr.  Grove  called  upon  the  Vice-Chancellor  that 
 evening  for  an  anfwer  ;  when  he  was  told  the  Vice- 
 Chancellor  and  his  afleffors  could  not  confent  to  his 
 being  re-infta'ied ;  and  that  the  other  gentlemen 
 were  not  allowed  for  the  prefent  to  leave  the  Hall. 
 This  was  all  that  pafled  between  them.  The 
 beginning  of  the  week  following  the  Principal  of 
 Edmund-Hall  called  upon  the  V ice-Chancellor  to 
 defire  him  to  recommend  a  Tutor  for  his  Hall: 
 at  which  time  the  Vice-Chancellor  acquainted  him 
 wich  the  fubftance  of  what  had  pafled  at  the  meeting 
 on  the  Saturday  preceding  ;  exprefsly  adding  that, 
 if  the  gentlemen  who  had  petitioned  for  leave  to 
 remove  to  another  focicty,  could  not  be  prevail- 
 ed on  to  continue  of  the  Kail,  he  muft  expert 
 to  be  called  upon  to  give  his  reafons  againft  their 
 departure. 
 
 This  is  the  exa6l  ftate  of  the  cafe:  and  if  the 
 Vice -Chancellor's  bare  word  will  not  be  admit- 
 ted, he  is  ready  to  confirm  it  upon  oath.  He  has 
 fince  called  upon  the  Principal,  and,  in  my  pre- 
 fence,  queltioned  him  in  relation  to  the  charge 
 brought  againft  him  on  this  head.  The  Princi- 
 pal's anfwer  was,  that  he  underftood  the  deter- 
 mination of  both   the  petitions   had  been  final ; 
 
 and 
 
[    68    ] 
 
 and  did  not  remember  that  any  thing  farther  was 
 faid  on  the  fubjed :  but  abfolutely  cleared  the 
 Vice-Chancellor  of  having  made  any  promife,  or 
 having  intimated  a  fingle  word  of  any  condition, 
 on  which  the  fuppofed  breach  of  promife  is  found- 
 ed. You  will  now,  I  hope,  do  him  the  juftice  to 
 retraft  what  you  have  faid,  and  beg  his  pardon  for 
 the  injury  you  have  done  him. 
 
 Another  petition  was  fome  time  after  prefen ted 
 to  the  Vice-Chancellor  by  fix  members  of  Ed- 
 mund-Hall  y  defiring  his  leave  to  quit  it :  This  he 
 laid  before  the  Heads  of  Houfes  at  that  meeting, 
 in  which  an  enquiry  was  made  into  Mr.  Welling^ 
 affair,  and  fent  for  the  Principal  of  the  Hall  to 
 know  what  objtdion  he  had  againft  granting  it : 
 but  none  being  urged,  at  leaft  none  that  was 
 thought  fatisfadtory,  and  the  Principal  ftill  conti- 
 nuing to  refufe  them  leave,  the  Vice-Chancellor 
 put  the  queflion  diftindlly  to  all  then  preient, 
 who  were  not  lefs  than  fixteen,  whether  they 
 would  advife  him  to  give  the  petitioners  the  pro- 
 per inftrumcnt  for  that  purpofe  •,  when  all  (the 
 Principal  excepted)  readily  concurred  to  recom- 
 mend that  meafure  ;  and  if  you  are  at  all  ac- 
 quainted with  the  ftatutes  of  the  Univerfity,  you 
 muft  know  it  was  not  in  the  Vice-Chancellor's 
 power  to  make  the  promife  you  charge  wkh  himiv^^r 
 
 We  come  now  to  tliat  article  on  which  you  feem 
 to  lay   the   greateft  ftrefs,    and  difplay  all  your 
 
 eloquence 
 
[     69     ] 
 
 eloquence,    fliall  I  call  it  ?    or  rather  virulence. 
 You  not  only  alTert  that  all  "  "^  the  do(flrines  which 
 thefe  fix  ftudents  were  expelled  for  maintaining 
 are  the  very  fundamental  avowed  dodrines  of  the 
 Church  of  England ;  but  call  thofe  who  hold  the 
 contrary  opinions,  ^  a  peftilent  feditious  fe6l,  dan- 
 gerous heretics  and  fchifmatics :  "  Incendiaries  in 
 the  church,  who  had  impioufly  and  hypocritically 
 fet  their  hands  to  do6lrines,  which  in  their  hearts 
 they  never  afiented  to  :  and  call  their  opinions  ^  the 
 pride-foothing  Arminian   herefy,  dodrines  of  de- 
 vils ;  and  rank  them  with  the  blafphemies  oi Arius^ 
 PelagiuSy  and  Socinus  ;  ^  you  affirm  them  to  be  the 
 known,  avowed,  received  tenets  of  the  Church  of 
 Rome,  compared  with   which  tranfubftantiation  is 
 an   harmlefs  error." — Is  this  the  language  of  one 
 guided   by  a  fpirit  of  wifdom,    truth,  love,  and 
 candor  ?  Is  it  confident  with  chriftian  charity  or 
 decency  ?    The  points   which  you  pronounce  fo 
 confidently  upon,  are  generally  acknowledged  to 
 be  abftrufe  and  difficult  points:  and  wife  and  good 
 men  have  always  differed  about  them.     Lefs  con- 
 fidence therefore,  and   more  charity  would   have 
 better  become  you.     Thefe  points  have  been  dif- 
 puted   in   almofi:  all  ages  of  the  chriftian  church, 
 both    before,    and    fince   the   council   of  ^  Trcni ; 
 imong  the  Papifts,  between  the  T'homijis  and  the 
 Scotijls  i    the   Dominicans    and     the    Fra?icij'cans  ; 
 
 a  P.  29.        b  P.  33.        c  Ibid.         d  Ibid.         e  P.  73. 
 f  See  F.  P<iurs  Hift.  of  the  Council  of  Tn/it,  b.  ii. 
 
 E  3  among 
 
[    7°    ] 
 
 among  the  Proteftants,  from  the  firft  beginning  of 
 the  reformation,  between  the  Lutherans  and  the 
 Calvinifts.  What  pretence  then  have  you  to  call 
 your  own  notions  the  principles  of  the  reforma- 
 tion, and  the  contrary  opinions  the  avowed  tenets 
 of  the  Church  of  Rome  ?  You  ought  to  have 
 known,  that  the  doftrines,  againfl:  which  you  inveigh 
 with  fo  much  bitternefs,  have  been  maintained 
 by  many  of  the  brightefl  ornaments  of  our  church, 
 and  the  principal  advocates  againil  the  errors  of 
 popery  ;  fuch  as  Land,  Hammond,  Bull,  T'illotfon^ 
 Sharp,  Siillingjleet,  and  many  others  •,  and  that  our 
 articles  have  been  vindicated  from  the  charge  of 
 Calvinifm  by  Bp  Bull,  Dr.  JVaterland,  and  feveral 
 other  religious  and  learned  men.  Suppofing  that 
 they,  and  we,  are  miftaken  in  the  fenfe  we  put  upon 
 our  articles,  yet  furely,  unlefs  you  can  fee  our 
 hearts,  you  cannot  cenfure  us  for  fubfcribing  to 
 what  we  believe  hot  a  word  of.  The  fame  railing 
 accufations  have  been  frequently  brought  againfl 
 vis  by  Arians  and  Socinians,  and  as  frequently  an- 
 fwered.  They  have  been  very  lately  urged  with 
 great  bitternefs  in  that  virulent  and  abufive  pam- 
 phlet, called  the  ConfefTional.  It  is  very  ftrange 
 that  you  Ihould  repeat  the  fame  calumnies,  which 
 have  been  To  lately  and  fo  fully  anfwered  in  thofe 
 three  excellent  letters  addrefled  to  the  author  of 
 the  ConfefTional,  without  taking  any  notice  of  the 
 gnfwers  therein  given. 
 
 But 
 
[    71     ] 
 
 But  you  tell  us  that  "  a  the  Univerfity  of  Ox- 
 ford have  expelled  her  members  for  believing  thofe 
 very  doftrines  which  Cranmer  and  Ridley  were  mar- 
 tyred within  her  walls  for  defending."  Here,  fir, 
 you  make  their  expulfion  an  a6l  of  the  Univerfity, 
 though  in  your  dedication  you  tell  us,  that  it  is 
 the  highefl:  injufi:ice  to  that  ancient  and  refpedlable 
 feminary  of  true  piety  and  learning  to  look  upon 
 it  in  this  light.  In  what  light  then  mufi:  we  look 
 upon  you,  who  are  guilty  of  this  injuftice?  But  were 
 Cranmer  and  Ridley  martyred  for  maintaining  thefe 
 do(5lrines  ?  and  mull  we  take  your  word  for  this  ? 
 for  you  have  not  vouchfafed  to  give  the  leaft  proof 
 of  it.  I  beg  leave  to  tell  you  that  Cranmer  and 
 Ridley  were  condemned  and  martyred  for  denying 
 tranfubftantiation  b,  the  facrifice  of  the  mafs,  and 
 the  Pope's  fupremacy.  What  their  opinions  were 
 with  regard  to  the  dodlrines  of  free  agency,  ^c. 
 may  be  feen  in  the  book  called  ^  Pia  et  Catholica 
 Inftitutio,  or  Erudition  of  a  Chriftian  Man,  pub- 
 liflied  1543,  by  the  King's  authority,  and  autho- 
 rized by  the  bifhops,  with  Abp  Cranmer  at  the 
 head  of  them. — With  regard  to  free-will  they  thus 
 
 a  P.  27. 
 
 b  S/rype's  Mem.  of  Cninmer,  b.  iii.  c.  10.  Dr.  Rialey'i 
 Life  of  Bp  Ridley,  b.  v.  1 1 . 
 
 c  Strype's  Mem.  oi  Cranmer,  b.  i.  c.  20.  Burr.cfs  Hift.  of 
 rhe  Reformation,  vol.  i.  a 86,  Lc.  Ridley' i  Life  of  Ridley^ 
 f.   345,  &c. 
 
 cxprefs 
 
[      72      ] 
 
 cxprefs  themfelves  "  ^  Nee  liberum  arbitrium  ita 
 pricdicent,  ut  gratiam  Dei  afficiant  contumelia, 
 »ec  gratiam  fie  efFerant,  ut  libero  arbitrio  locum 
 non  relinquant."  Again — "  ''  Deo  fapientifTimo  vi- 
 fum  efb,  ut  homo  invitatus  per  gratiam,  quam 
 poteft,  fi  velit,  compledi  vel  afpernari,  in  juftifica- 
 tionis  fuas  opere  non  fit  otiofus."  Again- — "  « Hoe 
 fane  folius  eft  gratiae  beneficium,  quod  primo  vo- 
 luntates  ad  bonum  moventur  et  excitantur,  at  in 
 tentatione  refiftere  ae  vineere,  in  bonis  his  adio- 
 nibus  perfeverare,  et  progredi  in  ftudio,  illud 
 utique  et  gratias  eft,  et  noftri  fimul  arbitrii  et 
 conatus." 
 
 With  regard  to  Eledion  and  Perfeverance  it  is 
 there  faid,  "  '^  nifi  tota  mente  in  bona  opera  in- 
 cumberemus,  confeftim  ex  Dei  gratia,  et  ftatu  juf- 
 
 a  "  Let  them  not  fo  extol  free  will,  as  to  do  defpite  to  the 
 grace  of  God,  nor  (o  magnify  grace,  as  to  leave  no  room  for 
 free   will. 
 
 b  '*  It  fcemed  good  to  the  wifdom  of  God,  that  Man  being 
 invited  by  grace,  which  he  may,  if  he  pleafes,  either  embrace 
 or  rcjcft,  fnould  not  be  idle  in  the  work  of  his  juftification." 
 
 c  "  This  indeed  is  the  gift  of  grace  alone,  that  our  w'ills 
 arc  at  firft  moved  and  excited  to  good  ;  bnt  in  tempta- 
 tion to  refill,  and  overcome,  to  perlcvcre  in  thefe  good  ac^ 
 tion-s  and  to  advance  in  the  progrefs  of  virtue,  that  is  the  joint 
 effedl  both  of  grace,  and  our  own  will  and  endeavours." 
 
 d  "  Did  we  not  apply  our  whole  mind  to  good  works,  we 
 fhould  fall  from  the  grace  of  God,  and  ftate  of  juftification,  in 
 which  we  were  placed,  aqd  aggin  be  brought  under  the  bon- 
 dags  of  fill," 
 
 titias 
 
t    73     ] 
 
 titias,  In  quern  evedi  eramus,  excideremus,  atque 
 iterum  in  peccati  fervitutem  redigeremur."  Again, 
 "  ^  Caeterum  an  fingularis  aliqua  fit  per  fidem  no- 
 titia,  qua  quifquam  certe  apud  fe  ftatuere  et  fibi 
 confirmare  pofiit  efle  fe  de  numero  prsedeftinato- 
 rum,  et  eorum  qui  in  chriftiana  vocatione  ad 
 finem  ufque  perfeveraturi  funt,  non  eft  ut  in  pras- 
 fentia  dicamus,  cum  nullam  hujufmodi  notitiam, 
 aut  certitudinem  vel  divinarum  literarum  tefti- 
 monio,  vel  fandlorum  patrum  fcriptis  traditam 
 commendatamve  habeamus.'*  Again,  —  " '^  Mo- 
 nendi  funt  homines  ne  damnationem  fuam  Deo 
 afcribant,  fed  fibi,  fuoque  vitio  acceptam  referant-, 
 qui  tot  Dei  beneficiis  ac  donis  pro  fuse  voluntatis 
 malitia  et  libidine  ingrati  abutuntur." 
 
 Lastly,  with  regard  to  good  works,  they  tell 
 us,  "  *=  vifum  eft  Deo  ut  homo  in  juftificationis 
 
 a  "  Whether  there  be  any  diftinfl  and  particular  knowledge 
 given  through  faith,  whereby  a  perion  may  be  able  certainly  to 
 determine,  and  affure  himfelf  that  he  is  of  the  number  of  the 
 predcllined,  and  of  them  who  fhall  perfevere  to  the  end  in  their 
 chriftian  calling,  there  is  no  occafion  at  prefent  to  enlarge  on  j 
 fmce  we  have  no  fuch  knowledge  or  certainty  delivered,  or  re- 
 commended to  us,  either  by  the  tcftimony  of  the  holy  fcriptures, 
 or  the  writings  of  the  holy  fathers." 
 
 b  "  Men  are  to  be  admonifhed  not  to  afcribe  their  own  dam- 
 nation to  God,  but  to  themfelves  and  their  own  vices,  who 
 through  the  malice  and  lull  of  their  own  will,  ungratefully  abufe 
 fo  many  blefllngs  and  gifts  of  God." 
 
 c  "  It  fecmed  good  to  the  Almighty  that  man  fliould  not  be 
 idle  in  the  work  of  juftification,  but  by  raifing  his  mind,  and 
 by  obedience,  ufc  his  own  endeavours  to  accjuirc  it," 
 
 opere 
 
[    74    ] 
 
 opere  non  Ht  otiofus,  fed  per  aflenfum  animi  et 
 obedientiam  ad  juftificationem  adipifcendam  fu^m 
 fibi  operam  accommodet." 
 
 The  fame  do6i:rine  is  taught  in  the  ^Reforma- 
 tio Legum,  publifhed  by  our  firfl  reformers. 
 There  we  read  "  ^  Quapropter  omnes  nobis  admo- 
 nendi  funt  ut  in  a6lionibus  fufcipiendis  ad  decreta 
 prsedeftinationis  fe  non  referanr,  cum  et  promiffi- 
 ones  bonis,  et  minas  malis,  in  facris  fcripturis 
 generaliter  propofitas  contemplemur  S"  Again, 
 *'  ^  Etiam  illi  de  juftificatis  perverse  fentiunt,  qui 
 credunt  illos^  poftquam  jufti  fimul  fafti  funt,  in 
 peccatum  non  pofTe  incidere  ;  aut  fi  forte  quic- 
 
 a  This  Reformatio  Legum  was  drawn  up  by  commiflioners 
 appointed  by  King  Edward  VI.  It  is  a  fyftem  of  ecclefiaf- 
 tical  laws,  and  is  fuppofed  to  have  been  compiled  chiefly  by 
 Archbiihop  Cranmer,  who  was  at  the  head  of  that  commif- 
 fion.  The  King  dying  foon  after,  thefe  laws  were  never 
 confirmed  by  any  authority,  nor  were  they  publifhed  till  the 
 reign  of  Qiieen  Elizabeth.  They  were  then  publifhed  by  John 
 FeXy  with  ]L\r\z  Edward''s  commifTion  bearing  date  Nov,  ii. 
 1551.  See  Sfrype's  Mem.  Vol.  II.  b.  ii.  p.  303.  Life  of 
 Cranmer,  b,  ii.  c.  26.  p.  270,  Barnet''s  Hift.  Ref.  Vol.  II. 
 p.  2.  b.  i,  p.  196,  &c. 
 
 b  "  Wherefore  all  are  to  be  admonifhed  by  us  that  in 
 their  undertakings  and  adlions,  they  are  not  to  refer  themfelves 
 to  the  decrees  of  prcdcflination,  fuice  in  the  holy  fcriptures  we 
 fee  promifes  to  good  aflions,  and  threats  to  bad  ones,  propofed 
 in  general  terms. 
 
 c  De  Ha^res.   cap.    22. 
 
 d  "  They  form  very  perverfe  notions  of  the  juflified,  who 
 believe  that   after  they  are  once  made  juft,    they  cannot   fall 
 
 into 
 
[     IS     ] 
 quam  eorum  faciunt  quse  Dei  legibus  prohibentur, 
 ea  Deum  pro  peccatis  non  accipere  \" 
 
 Let  us  next  fee  what  were  Latimer's  fentiments 
 on  thefe  points  —  "  t  We  need  not  (fays  he)  go 
 about  to  trouble  ourfelves  with  curious  queftions 
 of  the  predeftination  of  God  ;  but  let  us  rather  en- 
 deavour ourfelves,  that  we  may  be  in  Chrift ;  for 
 when  we  be  in  him,  then  are  we  well,  and  then 
 we  may  be  fure  that  we  are  ordained  to  everlaft- 
 ing  life.— But  you  will  fay,  how  fhall  I  know  that 
 I  am  in  the  book  of  life  ?  how  fhall  I  try  myfelf 
 to  be  eledt  of  God  to  everlaiting  life  ?  I  anfwer, 
 firfl,  we  may  know  that  we  may  one  time  be  in  the 
 book,  and  another  time  come  out  again  ;  as  ap- 
 peareth  by  David,  which  was  written  in  the  book 
 of  life  i  but  when  he  finned,  he  at  the  fame  time 
 was  out  of  the  book  of  the  favour  of  God,  until 
 he  had  repented,  and  was  forry  for  his  faults.  So 
 we  may  be  in  the  book  one  time,  and  afterward, 
 when  we  forget  God  and  his  word,  and  do  wick- 
 edly, we  come  out  of  the  book,  that  is,  out  of 
 Chrift.  And  in  that  book  are  written  all  believ- 
 ers. But  I  will  tell  you  how  you  fhall  know 
 when  you  are  in  the  book :  and  there  are  three 
 fpecial  notes,  whereby  you  may  know  the  fame ; 
 
 into   fm;    or,  if  by  chance  they  (hould  do  any  thing  prohi- 
 bited by  the  laws  of  God,  that  God  does  not  impute  it  as  fin." 
 
 a  l)e  Haeres.  cap,  9.  b  Serin,  on  3d  Sunday  after  the 
 Epiphany. 
 
 the 
 
I  76  ] 
 
 the  firfl:  note  is,  that  you  know  your  fin,  and  feel 
 your  own  wretchednefs ;  then  followeth  the  fecond 
 point,  which  is  faith  in  Chrift ;  that  is,  when  you 
 believe  moft  ftedfaflly  and  undoubtedly,  that  God 
 the  heavenly  Father  thro'  his  Son  will  deliver  you 
 from  your  fins.  The  third  point  is,  when  you 
 have  an  earneft  defire  to  amendment,  and  hatred 
 againft  fin,  and  fiiudy  to  live  after  God's  will  and 
 commandments,  as  much  as  is  poflible  for  you 
 to  do." 
 
 Again — '*  ^  The  promifes  of  Chrift  our  Saviour 
 are  general :  he  made  a  general  proclamation,  fay- 
 ing, whofoever  believeth  on  m.e  hath  everlafting 
 life.  He  faith,  come  to  me  all  ye  that  labour  and 
 are  laden,  and  I  will  eafe  you. — Mark,  here  he 
 faith,  come  all  ye-,  wherefore  then  fhould  any 
 man  defpair,  or  fliut  himielf  out  from  the  promi- 
 fes of  Chrift,  which  be  general,  and  pertain  to  the 
 whole  world  .?  He  that  leaveth  his  wickednefs  and 
 fins,  is  content  to  amend  his  life,  and  then  believ- 
 ing in  Chrift,  feeketh  falvation  and  everlafting  life 
 by  him,  no  doubt  that  man  or  woman,  whofoever 
 he  or  they  be,  fiiall  be  faved."  The  holy  martyr 
 Biftiop  Hooper  infifts  ftrongly  on  the  do6lrine  of 
 univerfal  redemption  throughout  the  preface  to  his 
 declaration  of  the  ten  commandments.  The  whole 
 is  well  worth  reading;  I  fiiall  feled:  fome  paflTages. 
 He  faith,  "  that  as  far  extendeth  the^  virtue  and 
 
 a  Sermon  on  Matt.  ^xii.   2,  &c. 
 
 ftrength 
 
[  n  ] 
 
 flrength  of  God's  promife  to  fave  men,  as  the  ri- 
 gour and  juftice  of  the  law  for  fin  to  damn  men; 
 for  as  by  the  offence  and  fin  of  one  man  death  was 
 extended  and  made  common  to  all  men  unto  con- 
 demnation, as  Paul  faith,  Rom,  v.  fo  by  the  juftice 
 of  one  is  derived  life  unto  all  men  to  juftification. 
 If  all  then  fhall  be  faved,  what  is  to  be  faid  of 
 thofe  that  St.  Feter  fpeaketh  of,  that  fhall  perifli 
 for  their  falfe  doftrine  ?  And  likewife  Chrift  faith, 
 that  the  gate  is  ftreight  that  leadeth  to  life,  and  few 
 enter.  Matt,  vii.     Thus  the  fcripture  anfwereth, 
 that  the  promife  of  grace  appcrtaineth  unto  every 
 fort  of  men  in  the  world,  and  comprehendeth  them 
 all,  howbeit  within  certain  limits  and  bounds,  the 
 which  if  men  negledb,  or  pafs  over,  they  exclude 
 themfelves  from  the  promife  in  Chrift  :   As  Cain 
 was  no  more  excluded,  till  he  excluded  himfelf, 
 than  Abel ;  Saul  than  David  -,  Judas  than  Peter  ; 
 Efau  than  Jacob.^^     This  holy  man  goes  on  to  ex- 
 plain Rom.  ix.  and  fhews  that  the  acceptation  of 
 Jacobs    and    reprobation  of  Efau  was  only   con- 
 cerning   the    promifes    of  the    earth,    not    that 
 Efau  was  diftieryted  of  eternal  life,  but  that  he 
 fhould  be   inferior  to    his   brother  Jacob  in    this 
 world,  which  prophecy  was  fulfilled  in  their  pof- 
 
 terities,  and  not  in  the  perfons  themfelves.  
 
 Again  —  "  It  is  our  office  to  fee  we  exclude  not 
 ourfelves  from  the  general  grace  promifed  to  all 
 men.  It  is  not  a  chriftian  man's  part  to  attribute 
 his  falvation  to  his  own  free  will  with  the  Pelagian, 
 
 and 
 
[    78    ] 
 
 and  to  extenuate  original  fin :  Nor  to  make  God  the 
 author  of  ill,  and  our  damnation,  with  the  Ma- 
 nichee.  Nor  yet  to  fay  God  hath  written  fatal 
 laws,  as  the  Stoic  ;  and  with  the  neceflity  of  def- 
 tiny  violently  pulleth  one  by  the  hair  into  heaven, 
 and  thrufleth  the  other  headlong  into  hell.  But 
 afcertain  thyfelf  by  the  fcripture,  what  be  the 
 caufes  of  reprobation,  and  what  of  eledlion.  The 
 caufe  of  rejedion  or  damnation  is  fin  in  man, 
 which  will  not  hear,  neither  receive  the  promifes 
 of  the  gofpel,  will  not  fludy  to  live  thereafter,  &c. 
 So  we  judge  of  eledlion  by  the  event,  or  fuccefs 
 that  happeneth  in  the  life  of  man :  thofe  only  to 
 be  elected  that  by  faith  apprehend  the  mercy  pro- 
 mifed  in  Chrift,  otherwife  we  fhould  not  judge  of 
 election.  For  Paul  faith  plainly,  Rom.  viii.  that 
 they  that  be  led  by  the  fpirit  of  God  are  the 
 children  of  God,  and  that  the  fpirit  of  God  doth 
 teflify  with  our  fpirits,  that  we  are  the  children 
 of  God.  Being  admonifhed  by  the  fcripture  we 
 muft  leave  fm,  and  do  the  works  commanded 
 of  God,  or  elfe  it  is  a  carnal  opinion,  that  we 
 have  blinded  ourfelves  withal,  of  fatal  deftiny, 
 and  will  not  fave  us." 
 
 And  the  fame  opinions  bifliop  Ridley  feems  to 
 have  held  :  for  in  a  treatife  of  his  publilhed  by 
 Mr.  Fox  in  his  ads  and  monuments,  he  thus  in- 
 terprets that  text,  I  John  iii.  9.  whofoever  is  born 
 of  God  doth  not  commit  fm  j    for   his  feed  re- 
 
 maineth 
 
[    79    ] 
 
 maineth  in  him  ;  "  he  meaneth  fo  long  as  that  feed 
 doth  abide  in  him,  he  cannot  fin." 
 
 If  then  we  may  be  permitted  to  form  our  judo-- 
 ment  of  the  dodlrines  which  Cranmer,  Ridley^  and 
 our  firll  reformers  held  and  maintained,  from  their 
 own  writings  and  not  from  your  affertions,  the 
 Univerfity  of  Oxford,  »  once  the  nurfmg  mother  of 
 fo  many  faithful  fons  of  the  Anglican  church,  is 
 ftill  worthy  of  that  high  charadler,  and  has  by  this 
 a6t  of  difcipline  approved  herfelf  fuch.  That  thefe 
 dodrines  are  confiftent  with  our  articles  of  religion, 
 and  the  homilies  of  our  church,  will  be  Ihewn  in 
 its  proper  place.  But  before  I  proceed  to  the  dif- 
 cuflion  of  this  point,  it  will  be  proper  to  confider 
 the  authority  of  that  evidence  by  which  you  endea- 
 vour to  fupport  the  contrary  dodrines  of  predefti- 
 nation,  reprobation,  &c.  as  the  genuine  doctrines 
 of  the  Church  of  England.  And  firft  you  infer  it 
 from  the  cenfures  inflifted  upon  Mr  Barrett  of  Caius 
 College,  Cambridge,  for  which  we  have  the  autho- 
 rity of  that  loyal  and  godly  author  Mr.  Prynne. 
 To  the  like  objeftions  urged  by  the  author  of  the 
 Confefllonal,  I  (hall  give  the  anfwer  already  given 
 by  the  Letter-writer.  *'  ^  Mr.  Strype  in  his  life 
 of  JVhitgift,  p.  435.  faith,  that  till  about  the 
 year  1595,  Calvin's  way  of  explaining  the  divine 
 decrees  was  not  entertained  by  many  learned  men 
 in  the  Univerfity  of  Cambridge^.     But  thefe  opi- 
 
 a  P.  27.  b  Letter  3d,  p.  99.  c  Ibid.  p.  35. 
 
 nions 
 
[     8o    ] 
 
 nions  were  introduced  by  fome  of  our  divines, 
 *who,  during  the  perfecution  under  Qiieen  Mary^ 
 had  fled  to  Geneva  and  Zurich,  There  they  im- 
 bibed much  Calvinifm  in  church  government  and 
 difcipline,  and  fome  rigid  opinions  in  point  of 
 dodlrine :  and  Dr.  Whitaker  being  made  Queen's 
 ProfefTor  of  Divinity  at  Cambridge ,  and  Dr.  Hum- 
 phreys at  Oxford^  thefe  opinions  prevailed  much 
 in  both  the  Univerfities,  about  the  latter  end  of 
 Queen  Elizabeth's  reign.  But  "  ^  although  Cal- 
 vinifm prevailed  much  in  her  reign  both  in  the 
 fchools,  and  in  the  pulpit,  yet  it  was  not  un- 
 derflood  to  be  certainly  the  fenfe  of  our  articles 
 even  by  thofe  who  held  this  doftrine  ;  for  though 
 they  thought  fit  to  cenfure  Barrett,  they  durft 
 not  venture  to  affert  that  his  opinions  were  con- 
 trary to  our  articles ;  for  in  their  letter  to  the 
 Archbiihop  ^  they  fay,  that  they  are  fully  per- 
 fuaded  that  Barrett  had  taught  untruth,  if  not 
 againft  the  articles,  yet  againft  the  religion  of 
 our  church,  publickly  received  and  always  held 
 in  her  Majefty's  reign,  and  maintained  in  all 
 fermons,  difputations,  and  leftures.'*  And  even 
 this  plea  (weak  as  it  would  have  been,  though 
 true)  was  utterly  falfe,  and  diredly  contrary  to 
 the  Archbifliop's  declaration :  nay  they  plainly  ac- 
 knowledge that  thefe  points  were  not  concluded 
 and  defined  by  public  authority  ;  and  in  their 
 fecond  admonition  to  the  parliament,  p.  43.  they 
 
 a  p.  35.         b  Strype's  Life  of  IVhUsift,  App.  N°.  25. 
 
 acknowledge 
 
[     8i     ] 
 
 acknowledge,  "  indeed  the  book  of  articles  fpeak- 
 eth  very  dangeroufly  of  falling  from  grace,  which 
 is  to  be  reformed,  becaufe  it  too  much  inclineth 
 to  their  error." — Meaning  the  error  of  thofe  who 
 now  are  called  Arminians. 
 
 The  Archbifhop  cenfured  their  rafh  and  hafty 
 proceedings   againft   Barrett^    for    that    in   fome 
 points  of  his  retraftation  they  had  made  him  to  af- 
 firm that  "  which  was  contrary  to  the  do61:rine 
 holden  and  exprefled  by  many  found  and  learned 
 divines  in  the  Church  of  England,  and  in  other 
 Churches  likewife,  men  of  beft  account  •,  and  that 
 which,  for  his  own  part,he  thought  to  be  falfe  and 
 contrary  to  the  fcriptures  •,  for  the  fcriptures  were 
 plain,  that  God  by  his  abfolute  will  did  not  hate 
 and  rejedl  any   man  without  an  eye  to  his  fm  *, 
 there   might    be  impiety  in   believing  the   one, 
 there  could  be  none  in  believing  the  other :  nei- 
 ther was  it  contrary  to  any  article  of  religion  efta- 
 blilhed  by  authority  in  the  Church  of  England^  but 
 rather  agreeable  thereunto  *." 
 
 And  that  thefe  doftrines  were  not  then  uni- 
 verfally  held  appears  farther  from  the  "  ^  learned 
 Hooker's  fermons  at  the  Temple,  where  he  preached 
 what  you  call  Arminianifm  j  that  predeftination 
 was  not  the  abfolute  will  of  God,  but  conditi- 
 onal ;  that  the  doings  of  the  wicked  were  not  of 
 
 a  Strype's  Life   of  Whitgift,  P.  44I.  b  Lett.   3. 
 
 P.  36.  37-  ^  , 
 
 F  the 
 
[       82       ] 
 
 the  will  of  God  pofitive,  but  only  permilllve;  that 
 reprobates  are  not  rejedled  but  for  the  evil  works 
 which  God  did  forefee  they  will  commit.  And 
 when  his  opponent  called  for  his  authorities  in 
 expounding  Sr.  Paul  againft  the  judgment  of  all 
 churches  and  all  good  writers,  Hooker  replied,  that 
 the  fentences  which  he  might  have  cited  out  of  all 
 church  confefTions,  together  with  the  beft  learned 
 monuments  of  former  times,  and  not  the  meaneft 
 of  our  own,  were  more  in  number  than  perhaps 
 he  willingly  would  have  heard  of  ^". 
 
 In  the  next  place  we  are  prefented  with  the  fa- 
 mous Lambeth  articles  ;  which  we  have  nothing  to 
 do  with,  they  being  no  part  of  our  faith,  nor  ever 
 eftabliihed  by  any  legal  authority,  but  rather 
 forced  upon  the  Univerfity  in  oppofition  to  that 
 authority-  Thefe  too  are  urged  againlt  us  by  the 
 .author  of  the  ConfelTional,  and  every  thing  that  he 
 or  you  have  faid,  is  fully  anfwered  by  the  Let- 
 ter writer''.  Thefe  articles  were  drawn  up  by 
 Dr.  PVkitaker  and  other  Calvinijis  at  Cambridge. 
 And  the  reafon  why  they  drew  them  up  was,  be- 
 caufe  the  39  articles  were  not  fufficient  for  their 
 purpofe,  "  thofe  points  being  (as  they  themfelves 
 acknowledged)  not  concluded  and  defined  by  pub- 
 lic authority."  The  good  Archbifhop,  though 
 he  had  before  exprefled  his  diflike  of  their  proceed- 
 ings againft  Barrett  -,  yet  was  prevailed  upon  to 
 
 a  Anfvver  to  Traveri''i  Supplicatign,'  feft.  12,  8c  2^. 
 b  Third  letter,  p.  61,  76  &c, 
 
 agree 
 
[    83    ] 
 
 agree  to  thefe  articles  for  the  fake  of  peace ;  pray- 
 ing to  take  care  that  nothing  fhould  be  pubhcly 
 taught  to  the  contrary,  and  that  alfo  in  teaching 
 them  difcretion  and  moderation  fhould  be  ufed 
 that  fuch  as  fhould  be  in  fome  points  differing  in 
 judgment,  might  not  be  of  purpofe  flung,  or 
 juflly  grieved :  "  And  that  the  proportions  never- 
 thelefs  mufl  be  fo  taken  and  ufed  as  their  private 
 judgments,  thinking  them  to  be  true  and  corref- 
 pondent  to  the  doctrine  profefTed  in  the  Church  of 
 England,  and  eftablifhed  by  the  laws  of  the  land  • 
 and  not  as  laws  and  decrees^."  But  thefe  articles 
 gave  great  ofl^ence,  not  only  in  the  Univerfity  but 
 at  Court.  The  Qiieen  was  greatly  difpleafed  with 
 them.  And  therefore  the  Archbifliop  wrote  to 
 Cambridge,  "  defiring  the  Vice-Chancellor  fo  to 
 ule  the  faid  prnpofitions  as  there  might  be  no  pub- 
 lication of  them  otherwife  than  in  private."  Not- 
 withftanding  which  the  Qiieen  refented  what  the 
 Archbifhop  and  the  reft  had  done,  and  commanded 
 her  fecretary  to  fend  unto  his  Grace,  to  acquaint 
 him  "  that  fhe  miflikcd  much  that  any  allowance 
 'had  been  given  by  his  Grace,  and  the  refl,  of  any 
 fuch  points  to  be  difputed,  being  a  matter  tender 
 and  dangerous  to  weak  ignorant  minds :  and  there- 
 upon that  fhe  required  his  Grace  to  fuipend  themi>." 
 And  Lord  Burleigh,  Chancellor  of  the  Univerfity  re- 
 primanded the  Heads  of  Houfes  on  this  occafion, 
 
 a  Strype's  Life  onvhitgift,  P.   462. 
 
 b  Ibid.  C.  18.     Hcylif.'i  Hill.  Prcfb.  b.  x,  §.  7.     Hift.  of 
 '       Lamb,  art, 
 
 F  2  telling 
 
[    84    ] 
 
 telling  them  "  as  good  and  ancient  were  of  ano- 
 ther judgment  :"  and  that  as  for  Baro  whom  they 
 had  cenfured,  "  Ye  may  punifti  him,    (fays  he) 
 if  ye  will  -,    but  ye   (hall   do   it   for  well  doing, 
 in  holding  the  truth,  in  my  opinions"  And  he  de- 
 livered his  opinion,  to  the  Queen  both  of  ithe  doc- 
 trine itfeif  and  its  pernicious  confequences,   con- 
 fidered  even  in  a  civil  view,  thus ;  *'  ^  It  is  not, 
 faith  he,  difficult  to  perceive  what  thcfe  men  aim 
 at,  for  they  think  and  teach  that  whatever  human 
 tranfadions  are  carried  on,  whether  good  or  bad, 
 they  are  all  bound  up  by  the  law  of  an  immutable 
 decree  •,  and  that  this   necelTity  is  impofed  even 
 upon  the  wills  of  men,  that  they  cannot  will  other- 
 wife  than  they  do  will.    If  thefc  opinions,  moft  au- 
 guft  Sovereign,  be  true,  in  vain  both  myfelf  and 
 your  Majefty's  other  faithful  fervants  anxioufly,  and 
 with  much  hefitation,  deliberate  what  upon  every 
 occafion  ought  to  be  done,  what  may  be  moft 
 conducive  to  your  own  welfar*  and  that  of  the 
 kingdom:  fmce  all  confultation  muft  be  foolifh 
 and  vain  concerning  thefe  matters,  which  muft  ne- 
 ceflarily  happen."     ^Nay  we  are  told,    that  the 
 Queen  threatened  the  Archbiftiop  with  a  premu- 
 nire  for  what  he  had  done  in  thefe  matters.     And 
 thus  thefe  articles  were  repealed  and  fupprefled. 
 And  when  afterwards  at  the  conference  at  Hamp- 
 ton- courts  it  was  moved  to  add  thefe  after tions  to 
 
 a  Sttype^s  Life  of  Whitgifty  P.  441.     Hey/in''s  Hift.  b.  xi, 
 ^.  J,        b  See  Ellis  Lam^,  art.  Hift.  !>.  7.        c  Ibid. 
 
 the 
 
[    85    J 
 
 the  book  of  the  39  articles,  this  propofal  was  rejec- 
 ted. To  what  purpofe  then  do  you  urge  the  au- 
 thority of  the  Lambeth  articles,  to  which  we  never 
 fi>bfcribed,  which  were  never  eftabliihed,  nor  in- 
 tended as  laws  for  public  ufe,  but  only  as  a  tem- 
 porary expedient  to  procure  peace  at  that  time  at 
 Cambridge^  and  which  were  recalled  and  fupprefled 
 as  foon  as  publiflied  ?  Had  you  been  acquainted 
 with  the  hiftory  of  them,  how  they  were  firft  ob- 
 tained and  impofed,  and  afterwards  fupprefled,  you 
 would  certainly  have  thought  it  more  prudent  not 
 to  have  mentioned  them. 
 
 Still  lefs  to  your  purpofe  are  the  queflions  and 
 anfwers  bound  up  with  fome  old  bibles.  If  any  bi- 
 fhops,  or  others  concerned  in  publifhing  an  edition- 
 of  the  bible,  fliall  think  fit  to  anntrx  a  fyftem  of 
 their  own  notions  to  it,  this  does  not  make  their 
 notions  gofpel,  or  give  them  the  fanftion  of  pub- 
 lic authority.     But  that  thefe  queflions  and  anfwers 
 were  bound  up  in  all  the  editions  of  Queen  Eliza- 
 beth's, bibles  is  not  true.    They  appear  in  neither  of 
 Archbifhop  Parker's  editions,  nor  in  Barker's  of 
 1599.  You  will,  I  believe,  find  fome  difficulty  in  re- 
 conciling your  account  with  chronology.    You  tell 
 us  they  were  bound  up  with  the  Qnly  bible  in  ufe  in 
 Queen  Elizabeth's  time ;  and  in  confirmation  of  ic 
 produce  the  edition  of  1607,  fome  time  after  the 
 Queen's  death.    I  do  not  fo  much  wonder  that  they 
 fhould  have  crept  into  fome  editions  of  the  bible  in 
 K.  Jame^  I.  reign,  when  the  puritans  began  to 
 
 F  3  take 
 
[    86    ] 
 
 take  greater  liberties  in  impofing  their  tenets; 
 though  it  fliould  feem  from  the  edition  (or  rather 
 new  verfion)  publjfhed  by  that  King's  authority  in 
 i6i  I,  in  which  thefe  queftions  and  anfwers  are  not 
 inferted,  that  they  were  then  difcountenanced. 
 
 But  to  be  more  particular.  —  ^In  page  45,  the 
 lafl  paragragh,  and  page  49,  you  aflert  what  is 
 not  true  —  "  That  thefe  queftions  and  anfwers 
 concerning  predeftination  —  were  always  printed 
 at  the  end  of  the  old  teftament,  and  bound  up 
 and  fold,  cum  privikgio^  with  this  authorized  tranf- 
 lation  of  the  bible,  till  about  the  year  1 61 5" — .  It 
 appears  from  p.  45,  that  you  mean  the  Bifiofs 
 hiblc.  *^  I  apprehend  thefe  queftions  &c.  were 
 never  bound  up  with  the  BiHiop's  bible,  at  leaft 
 Lewis  in  his  hiilory  of  the  tranflations  of  the  bible 
 from  p.  235  to  264,  mentions  eight  editions  of  it, 
 and  takes  no  notice  of  thefe  queftions  &c.  being 
 printed  with  them,  and  he  is  very  particular  in 
 ^giving  the  contents  of  them.  Bur,  as  will  appear 
 hereafter,  he  takes  particular  notice  when  they  were 
 inferted  in  the  Geneva  bible.  A  friend  of  mine  has 
 the  beft  edition  of  the  Bifhop's  bible  printed  in  1572, 
 fol.  which  has  fome  corredlions  of  the  firft  edition 
 of  it  in  156S.  In  that  edition  the  queftions  &c. 
 do  not  appear,     Nor  indeed  could  they  with  any 
 
 a  The  following  account  cf  this  matter  was  communicated 
 to  me  by  a  very  judicious  friend,  who  is  well  acquainted  with 
 {hp  feveral  editions  of  the  bible,  and  the  occafions  of  them. 
 
 confiftency 
 
[     8/    ] 
 
 confiftency  appear  there,  for  Arcbifhop  Parker, 
 the  great  promoter  of  this  tranflation,  in  his  pre- 
 face aflerts  the  direft  oppofite  to  the  third  quef- 
 tion  and  anfwer.  He  aflerts  there  —  after  quoting 
 the  text,  Search  the  fcriptures,  for  in  them  &c. 
 "  Thefe  woordes  were  firil  fpoken  unto  the  Jewes 
 ULiour  Saviour,  but  by  him  in  his  do6lrine  ment  to 
 al :  for  they  conceme  al,  of  what  nation,  of  what 
 tongue,  of  what  profefllon  foever  any  man  be. 
 For  to  al  belongeth  it  to  be  called  unto  eternal 
 lyfe,  fo  many  as  by  the  witnelTe  of  the  fcriptures 
 defire  to  finde  eternal  lyfe.  No  man,  woman,  or 
 chylde,  is  excluded  from  this  falvation,  and  there- 
 fore to  every  of  them  is  this  fpoken,  proportionally 
 yet,  and  in  their  degrees,  and  ages,  and  as  the 
 reafon  and  congruitie  of  their  vocation  may  afk." 
 Again  a  little  lower  after  quoting  ^<?/^^^  i.  v.  8. 
 He  adds  "  Yet  as  wel  fpake  almightie  God  this 
 precept  to  al  his  people  in  the  dire6lions  of  their 
 wayes  to  hymwarde,  as  he  ment  it  io  Jofuah:  For 
 that  he  hath  care  of  al,  he  accepteth  no  man's  per- 
 Ibn,  his  wyl  is  that  al  mennefhould  be  faved,  his  wyl 
 is  that  al  menne  Ihould  comme  to  the  way  of  trueth : 
 How  could  this  be  more  conveniently  declared  by 
 God  to  man,  then  when  Chrift  his  wel  beloved 
 Son  our  moft  loving  Saviour,  the  way,  the  trueth, 
 and  the  lyfe  of  us  al,  dyd  byd  us  openly  fearche 
 the  fcriptures,  alTuring  us  herein  to  finde  eternal 
 life,  to  finde  ful  teftification  of  al  his  graces  and 
 benefits  towardes  us  in  the  treafure  therof  ?  There- 
 fore it  is  moft  convenient  tliat  we  Ihould  al  fuppofe 
 
 that 
 
[    88    ] 
 
 that  Chrifte  fpake  to  us  al  in  this  his  precept  of 
 fearching  the  fcriptures."  How  then"do  you  make 
 it  out,  that  thefe  queftions  and  anfwers  touching 
 the  dodlrine  of  predeflination  were,  by  order  of 
 the  faid  godly  Biihops,  bound  up  with  this  fame 
 bible?  Or  how  do  thefe  queftions  and  anfwers 
 clearly  demonftrate  the  fenfe  of  our  Church 
 touching  the  doftrines  in  queftion  ?  It  fhould  feem 
 from  the  above  quotations,  that  the  dodlrine  of 
 our  Church,  at  that  critical  time,  was  direftly 
 oppofite  to  what  is  contained  in  the  queftions 
 and  anfwers,  viz.  the  dodrine  of  univerfal  re- 
 demption. 
 
 From  page  264  to  page  276,  Lewis  gives  an 
 account  of  the  editions  of  the  Geneva  bible.  The 
 firft  of  which,  printed  in  England,  was  in  1572.  It 
 appears  p.  234.  oi  Lewis,  from  a  letter  of  Archbi- 
 fhop  Parker,  that  this  bible  was  never  intended 
 for  public  ufe,  but  admitted  to  be  printed  for 
 the  ufe  of  private  famihes.  The  firft  edition  prin- 
 ted at  Geneva  was  in  the  year  15^.  Lewis  p. 
 276  takes  notice,  that  in  one  printed  1583,  fol. 
 certaine  queftions  and  anfwers  touching  the 
 dodlrine  of  predeftination,  &c.  were  inferted.  He 
 adds  in  a  note  — "  Thefe,  I  obferve,  were  re- 
 printed in  the  editions,  4:0.  1592,  161 5."  'Tis 
 probable  thefe  queftions  and  anfwers  might  be  firft 
 joined  to  the  Geneva  bible  of  1583.  That  they 
 were  not  always  printed  with  it,  an  edition  of  it  in 
 1599,  4^°*    ^"  "^y  poffcflion  can  teftify.     Thefe 
 
 queftions 
 
[    89    ] 
 
 queflions  and  anfwers  therefore  can  only  demon- 
 ftrate  the  fenfe  of  the  church  of  Geneva^  or  of  the 
 followers  of  that  church,  touching  the  docftrines  in 
 queftion. 
 
 The  confeflion  of  faith  quoted  by  you  p.  53.  is 
 bound  up  at  the  end  of  my  Geneva  bible  of  1599. 
 Therefore  you  conclude  a  little  too  faft,  that  the 
 dodlrines  mentioned  in  it  —  "  are  the  ancient,  un- 
 doubted, received  tenets  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
 land." I  know  not  that  it  ever  was  joined  to  the 
 authorized  tranflations. 
 
 The  patrons  of  the  Geneva  bible  made  ufe  of  all 
 their  power  to  get  it  eftablilhed  as  the  authorized 
 tranflation,  but  they  never  could  obtain  any  more 
 than  to  have  it  printed  here  for  the  ufe  of  pri- 
 vate families.  Cranmer's  bible  was  always  ufed 
 in  churches  'till  the  Bilhop*s  was  printed  in  1568, 
 which  fuperfeded  itj  and  James  the  Ill's  fucceeded 
 that  in  1611." 
 
 Your  quotation  from  the  catechifm  afcribed  to 
 Bifhop  Ponet  may  feem  more  to  your  purpofe  -,  that 
 catechifm  being  fet  forth  by  command  of  King 
 Edward  VI.  But  neither  does  that  come  up  to 
 your  point.  The  free-agency  of  man  is  not  there 
 denied,  nor  univerfal  redemption  :  nor  is  the  in- 
 defeftibility  of  the  eleft  aflerted.  Thi*  catechifm 
 it  is  true,  fpeaks  in  pretty  high  terms  of  elec- 
 tion 
 
[     9°    ] 
 
 tion  and  predeftination.  But  you  would  have  giwi 
 ven  a  more  fair  reprefentation  of  the  dodlrine 
 therein  contained,  had  yoCi  not  omitted  the  follow- 
 ing paffage  which  immediately  precedes  your  quo- 
 tation, viz:  "  To  the  church  properly  belong 
 thofe  who  truly  fear,  honour,  and  worfhip  God, 
 wholly  applying  their  minds  to  live  an  holy  and 
 godly  life,  and  who  placing  their  only  hope  and 
 confidence  in  him,  expe6b  with  certainty  the  blef- 
 fing  of  eternal  life."  After  which  follows — "  As 
 many  as  are  in  this  faith  fledfaft  were  chofen, 
 predefhinated  &c."  We  fee  then  that  in  this 
 autiior's  opinion,  thofe  only  are  ele6l  and  predefti- 
 nated,  who  truly  fear  God  and  live  a  holy  and 
 godly  life;  the  only  fruits  by  which  the  good  tree 
 may  be  known  ^. 
 
 But  who  would  have  thought  that  we  fliould  be 
 prefled  with  the  authority  of  the  fynod  of  Dort? 
 and  be  told  that  the  abettors  of  the  dodrines  of 
 free-will  &c.  were  deprived  and  debarred  by  this 
 fynod  FROM  all  offices  in  any  University  ? 
 How  do  the  decrees  of  this  fynod  concern  us  ? 
 Were  they  ever  received  in  "England  or  in  this  Uni- 
 verfity  ?  And  what  do  you  mean  by  faying  that 
 thefe  errors  were  condemned  by  all  the  reformed 
 churches  ?  It  was  only  a  national  fynod,  and  it 
 
 .  a  The  judicious  reader  is  defired  to  confult  Heylin''s  hift. 
 quinq.  artic.  r>.  x.  chap.  15.  at  the  beginning  ;  where  this  quo- 
 tation from  Bii(hop  Ponet''s  catechifm  is  fet  in  a  clear  and  mofl 
 fatisfaflory  light.  This  hiftory  is  an  anfwer  to  Prynn's  Anti- 
 arminianifm,  in  which  may  be  found  this  and  moft  cf  your 
 other  arguments. 
 
[    9'    ] 
 
 calls  itfelf  {o :  and  its  fentence  againfl  the  remon- 
 ftrants  is  direded  only  to  all  and  fingular  the  paf- 
 tors  &c.  in  fcsderaio  Belgio,  "  in  the  united  Pro- 
 vinces." Its  authority  was  never  owned  by  the  Lu- 
 theran churches,  or  here  in  England.  Divines  of 
 other  nations  were  indeed  invited  to  this  fynod :  but 
 not  many  came.  Our  King  James  fent  there  not 
 five  Bifhops  and  Doctors  in  Divinity,  but  only  one 
 Bifhop  and  three  other  Docftors  in  Divinity,  and 
 afterwards  he  fent  Dr.  Baicanqual,  a  Scotchman.  If 
 thefe  entered  the  fynod  rigid  Calvinifts,  they  came 
 from  it  much  lefs  fo.  If  they  figned  the  decrees 
 of  the  fynod,  they  did  it  with  reftridions  and  limita- 
 tions \  They  offered  thefe  three  propofitions  as 
 their  fentiments,  which  they  fay  were  in  like  man- 
 ner approved  by  the  foreign  Divines.  I.  "  ^  Deus 
 lapfi  humani  generis  miferatus,  mifit  filium  fuum, 
 qui  feipfum  dedit  pretium  redemptionis  pro  pecca- 
 tis  totius  mundi."  II.  "  In  hoc  merito  mortis 
 Chrifti  fundatur  univerfale  promiflum  evangelicum, 
 
 a  Hahs''s  Golden  Remains. 
 
 b  God  having  compaffion  on  the  finful  race  of  man,  fent  his 
 own  Son,  who  gave  himfelf  a  ranfom  for  the  fins  of  the  whole 
 world.  II.  In  this  merit  of  Chrift's  death  is  founded  the  uni- 
 verfal  promife  of  the  gofpel ;  according  to  which  all  that  be- 
 lieve in  Chrift  may  adlually  receive  remiffion  of  fins,  and 
 life  eternal.  III.  As  according  to  this  evangelical  promife  fal- 
 vation  is  offered  to  all  men,  the  adminfftration  of  God's 
 grace  in  the  church  is  fuch,  as  is  fufficient  to  convince  all  im- 
 penitent and  incredulous  men,  that  they  have  perifhed,  and 
 forfeited  the  benefits  offered  them,  through  their  own  voluntary 
 fault,  and  through  negledl  or  contempt  of  the  gofpel, 
 
 juxta 
 
•        t    9*    ] 
 
 juxta  quod  omnes  in  Chriflum  credentes  rcmifllo- 
 nem  peccatorum  &  vitam  aeternam  reipsa  confc- 
 quantur.'*  III.  "  In  ecclefia,  uti  juxta  hoc  pro- 
 mifTum  evangelicum  falus  omnibus  offertur,  ea  eft 
 adminiftratio  gratias  fuae,  quas  fufficit  ad  convincen- 
 dum  omnes  impasnitentes  &  incredulos,  quod  fua 
 culpa  voluntaria,  vel  negledtu,  vel  contemptu  evan- 
 gel ii  perierint,  &  beneficia  oblata  amiferint/* 
 
 These  are  opinions  very  different  from  yours, 
 and  plainly  affert  univerfal  redemption  and  free- 
 agency.  It  was  indeed  in  a  great  meafure  owing 
 to  the  heats  and  violence,  with  which  matters 
 were  carried  in  that  fynod,  and  the  great  feverity 
 of  the  horrible  decrees  there  framed,  that  our  Eng- 
 lijh  Divines,  who  attended  that  fynod,  began  to  have 
 lefs  reverence  for  the  do<5lrines  of  Calvin.  Thus  it 
 fared  with  the  learned  Mr.  Hales,  who  went  thither 
 a  rigid  Calvinift :  *•  but  there  I  bid  John  Calvin 
 good  night,"  faid  he  to  his  friend  Mr.  Farindon  ^ 
 And  Bifhop  Hall,  one  of  thefe  Divines,  pubHlhed 
 afterwards  a  fmall  piece  entitled,  via  media,  "  the 
 way  of  peace  in  thefe  five  bufy  articles,  commonly 
 known  by  the  name  of  Anninius."  Here  he  endea- 
 vours to  reconcile  both  parties  by  fetting  forth  fuch 
 propofitions,  as  he  thought  both  might  agree  in ; 
 and  tells  us  that  the  Church  of  England,  in  her  ar- 
 ticles, goes  a  mid- way  betwixt  both.  Among  thefe 
 propofitions  (though  I  cannot  fubfcribe  to  all  of 
 
 a  Mr.  Farindon"!,  letter  prefixed  to  his  Golden  Remams, 
 
 them 
 
[    93    3 
 
 them)  there  are  thefe  following ;  viz.  "  God  does 
 •neither  aftually  damn,  or  appoint  any  foul  to  dam- 
 nation, without  the  confideration  and  refpeft  of 
 fin."  "  God  pitying  the  woful  condition  of  man, 
 fallen  by  his  free-will  into  fm  and  perdition,  fent 
 his  own  Son  that  he  fhould  give  himfelf  a  ranfom 
 for  the  fins  of  the  whole  world."  "  In  working 
 upon  the  will,  God  does  not  overthrow  the  nature 
 of  the  will,  but  caufeth  it  to  work  after  its  own  na- 
 tive manner,  freely  and  willingly."  So  much  for 
 the  famous  fynod  of  Dort ! 
 
 You  had  better  have  forborne  to  ptit  us  in  mind 
 of  what  pafled  in  the  fucceeding  reigns,  or  to  have 
 made  mention  of  that  honourable  Houfe  of 
 Commons.     I  defire  you  to  confider  what  fadlion 
 it  was,  which  then  prevailed  towards  the  overthrow 
 of  the  Church.     Was  it  not  that  of  the  Puritans  ? 
 And  were  not  the  dodtrines  of  Calvinifm  their  lead- 
 ing principles  ?  Did  they  not  hold  thefe  very  te- 
 nets of  ele(51:ion,  abfolute  predeftination  &c.  which 
 you  fo  warmly  efpoufe  ?  Thefe  were  the  men  whch 
 cried  out,  ^  The  Church,  The  Church, — the  Tem- 
 ple of  the  Lord  are  we ;   who  called  themfelves 
 "  the  eledt  people  of  God,"  "  his  fheep,"  "  his 
 chofen,"  "  his  faints  •,"  who  fancied  themfelves  act- 
 ing under  the  influences  of  the  fpirit,  and  guided 
 by  his  infpiration  :  and  under  this  perfuafion  broke 
 Qut  into  treafon  and  rebellion,  murdered  the  beft 
 
 a  P.  73. 
 
 of 
 
[     94     ] 
 
 of  Kings,  and  overthrew  our  excellent  couflitutlon 
 both  in  church  and  ftate.  The  doctrines  which 
 you  would  father  upon  Cranmer  and  Ridley  were 
 really  thofe  of  Prynn,  Hugh  Peters,  Marjhall,  Owen, 
 and  others,  who  compofed  the  alTembly  of  Divines, 
 "  moft  of  whom  were  (according  to  my  Lord 
 Clarendon  ^)  declared  and  avowed  enemies  to  the 
 dodlrine  and  difcipline  of  the  C\\urc\i  oi  England -, 
 fome  of  them  infamous  in  their  lives  and  conver- 
 fations  j  and  moft  of  them  of  very  mean  parts  in 
 learning,  if  not  of  fcandalous  ignorance,  and  of  no 
 other  reputation  than  of  malice  to  the  Church  of 
 England" 
 
 We  come  now  to  the  articles  of  religion.  With 
 regard  to  them,  I  would  obferve  in  general  that  they 
 were  drawn  up  with  great  moderation  •,  and  thofe 
 in  particular  which  treat  of  thefe  difficult  points  of 
 free-will  &c.  were  purpofely  worded  in  general 
 terms,  that  perfons  who  were  of  different  perfwa- 
 lions  in  feveral  particulars  relating  to  them  might 
 yet  agree  in  the  general  dodlrines  there  delivered. 
 They  went  (as  Bifhop  Hall  obferves)  a  mid-way 
 between  both,  guarding  againft  the  extremities 
 on  each  fide ;  on  one  hand  condemning  the  Pa- 
 pifts,  who  afcribed  a  merit  to  good  works,  and 
 on  the  other  the  Antinomians,  who  denied  the  ne- 
 ceflity  of  them.  We  have  an  inftance  of  the  like 
 moderation  in  the  23d  article,  which  teaches  "  that 
 
 a  Hift.  Reb.  vol.  i.  b.  5.  p.  415. 
 
 it 
 
[     95    ] 
 
 it  is  not  lawful  for  any  man  to  take  upon  him- 
 felf  the  office  of  publick  preaching  or  miniftering 
 the  facraments  in  the  congregation  before  he  be  law- 
 fully called;"  and  that  "  thofe  we  ought  to  judge 
 lawfully  called,  which  be  chofen  and  called  to  this 
 "work,  by  men  who  have  publick  authority  given 
 them  in  the  congregation  to  call  and  fend  minif- 
 ters  into  the  Lord's  vineyard."  Who  thefe  men 
 are  is  not  here  determined.  The  compilers  were 
 not  willing  to  condemn  or  unchurch  the  reformed 
 churches  abroad,  where  epifcopacy  was  not  efta- 
 blilhed,  and  therefore  prudently  avoided  determi- 
 ning the  queftioH,  whether  epifcopal  ordination  is 
 ncceffary.  Thofe  who  hold,  and  thofe  who  deny 
 the  necefllty  of  epifcopal  ordination,  may  both 
 fubfcribe  to  this  article :  thofe  only  are  condemned 
 by  it,  who  hold  that  a  man  may  preach  without 
 any  lawful  vocation.  The  fame  moderation  the 
 compilers  of  our  articles  have  obferved  in  the 
 points  before  us.  The  Proteftant  churches  abroad 
 were  divided  in  thefe  points  :  fome  held  with  Z-«- 
 ther,  and  fome  with  Calvin.  Cranmer  and  Ridley 
 therefore,  and  the  other  compilers  of  our  articles, 
 exprefled  them  purpofely  in  general  terms,  fo  as  to 
 include  all  moderate  men  on  both  fides,  and  con- 
 demn only  the  extremities  on  either. 
 
 But  we  are  told  that  "  ^  thefe  articles  were  drawn 
 up  on  purpofc  to  prevent  diverfity  of  opinions,  and 
 
 a  P.  32. 
 
 therefore 
 
t  96  ] 
 
 -therefore  the  compilers  of  them  were  particularly 
 careful  to  avoid  the  pofTibility  of  an  ambiguous  ex- 
 preflion."  The  very  fame  objedtions  were  fomc 
 time  ago  made  by  Dr.  Clarke^  and  have  been  lately 
 renewed  by  the  author  of  the  ConfefTional,  and  have 
 received  a  fufficient  anfwer  both  from  Dr.  Waterland 
 and  the  Letter- writer  ^  "  The  compilers  could  only 
 mean  diverfity  of  opinions  about  opinions  exprefled 
 and  decided  in  the  articles,  and  not  about  others." 
 
 The  fame  Letter-writer  diftinguifhes  between 
 general  propofitions  and  ambiguous  or  equivocal 
 ones  ;  and  fo  did  Dr.  Waterland  before  him  ^  "  It 
 is  not  fairly  fuggefted  (fays  that  excellent  writer) 
 that  when  men  of  different  fentiments,  as  to  parti- 
 cular explications,  fubfcribe  to  the  fame  general 
 words,  that  they  fubfcribe  in  contradictory,  or  even 
 in  different  fenfes.  Both  fubfcribe  to  the  fame  ge- 
 neral propofitions,  and  both  in  the  fame  fenfe,  only 
 they  differ  in  the  particulars  relating  to  it :  which 
 is  not  differing,  (at  leaft  it  need  not  be)  about  the 
 fenfe  of  the  article,  but  about  particulars  not  con- 
 tained in  the  article.'*  His  meaning  may  be  il- 
 luftrated  by  the  following  inftance  :  We  all  fub- 
 fcribe to  this  propofition,  viz.  Subjefts  ought  ta 
 be  obedient  to  their  lawful  fovereign  ;  though  we 
 may  differ  about  the  motives  of  that  obedience, 
 and  the  authority  on  which  it  is  founded ;  fome 
 
 a  Letter  2d,  p.   i  36. 
 
 b  Cafe  of  Aiian  fubfcription,  p,  40- 
 
 thinking 
 
[    97    ] 
 
 thinking  it  to  be  of  divine  right,  others,  that  it  is 
 derived  merely  from  the  compa6t  between  King 
 and  people.     What  you  add  about  the  "  » King's 
 declaration  prefixed  to  the  articles"  is  alfo  there 
 fully  anfwered.     We  fay   then  that  the  articles  are 
 clear,  as  far  as  they  go  :    but  they  leave   many 
 things  relating  to  the  points  treated  of  undetermi- 
 ned.    Thus  the  23d  article  clearly  condemns  all 
 who  take  upon  them  to  preach,  or  adminifter  the 
 facraments,  without  any  outward  ordination  :  but 
 they  leave  it  undetermined  whether  it  is  necefTary 
 that  that  ordination  Ihould  be  conferred  by  a  Bi- 
 fliop.     And  thus  alfo  the  articles  before  us  clearly 
 condemn  the  Papifts,  who  hold  the  merit  of  good 
 works  ;  and  the  Pelagians,  who  condemn  the  ne- 
 ceflity  of  grace,  and  hold  that  original  fin  ftandeth 
 only  in  the  following  of  Adam  ;  they  condemn  alfo 
 thofe  rigours  of  Calvinifm,  which  you  efpoufe.-^ 
 But  (as  the  above-cited  Letter-writer  obferves)  "  all 
 intermediate  opinions,  how  to  reconcile  God's  pre- 
 fcience  of  a  certainty  of  events  with  free-agency, 
 the  unequal  vouchfafements  of  the  means  of  grace, 
 their  fufficiency  and  efficacy,  the  co-operations  of 
 grace  and  free-will  &c.  are  left  undetermined.     Be- 
 twixt the  extremes  which  are  condemned  (fays  the 
 fame  writer)  nice  queftions  may  exercife  the  fubtlc- 
 ties  of  the  fchools,  which  our  articles  meddle  not 
 with.     Their  purpofe  is  to  recommend  fuch  a  re- 
 conciliation of  grace  and  free  will,  God's  decrees, 
 
 a  P.  32. 
 
 G  and 
 
[    98     ] 
 
 and  his  general  promifes,  as  may  teach  us  to  avoid 
 defpair  and  unclean  living,  and  influence  us  to  fol- 
 low in  our  doings  that  will  of  God  exprefsly  de- 
 clared to  us  in  the  word  of  God.  But  to  defcend 
 to  particulars  : 
 
 Firft,    Of  Free-will. 
 
 We  acknowledge  with  the  article  the  great  cor- 
 ruption and  depravity  of  human  nature,  the  necei- 
 fity  of  grace,  and  the  inability  of  man  without  the 
 afliftance  of  God's  grace  to  perform  any  good 
 works.  How  injurious  therefore  is  your  infinua- 
 tion  "  that  any  of  thefe  men  were  expelled  becaufe 
 they  held  the  a  influences  of  the  holy  fpirit  necef- 
 fary  to  conft:itute  every  one  a  child  of  God."  There 
 was  no  fuch  article  of  accufation,  and  God  forbid 
 that  there  ever  fliould.  You  mufl:  be  fenfible  that 
 you  have  fhamefully  mifreprefented  this  matter,  and 
 that  they  were  accufed  not  of  holding  the  influences, 
 but  the  fupernatural,  extraordinary,  and  irrefiftible 
 influences  of  the  holy  fpirit.  But  to  return  —  as 
 God  is  ready  to  aftbrd  his  grace  to  all  who  will 
 concur  with  it,  fo  'tis  left  to  man's  free  choice, 
 whether  he  will  concur  with  it,  or  no.  And  there- 
 fore, if  he  periflies  for  want  of  this  grace,  'tis  en- 
 tirely his  own  fault.  Will  you  then  fay  that  the 
 dodrine  of  man's  free-will  to  good  or  evil  was  held 
 in  utter  abhorrence  by  our  reformers .''  The  con- 
 trary has  appearedby  quotations  from  the  Pia  et  Ca- 
 
 a  P.  6j. 
 
 tholica 
 
[    99     ] 
 
 tholica  Inftltutio  —  "  ^  Nee  liberum  arbitrium  ita 
 praedicent,  ut  gratiam  Dei  afficiant  contumelia,  nee 
 gratiam  fic  efferant  ut  libero  arbitrio  locum  non  re- 
 linquant  —  are  their  words.  And  one  of  the  arti- 
 cles of  religion  in  King  Edward  the  Vlth's  time 
 thus  expreffes  it  —  "  b  Gratia  Chrifti  voluntati  vio- 
 lentiam  nullam  infert ;  et  nemo  hac  de  causa,  cum 
 peccaverit,  feipfum  excufare  poteft,  quafi  nolens 
 aut  coadlus  peccaverit."  St.  Aujlin  alio  the  great 
 aflertor  of  the  neceffity  of  grace  againft  the  Pela- 
 gians, aflerts  the  freedom  of  man's  will  in  feveral 
 parts  of  his  works.  In  his  47th  epiftle  he  exhorts 
 chriftians,  "  *^  ut  in  fide  catholica  perfeverenr,  quse 
 neque  liberum  arbitrium  negat,  five  in  vitam  ma- 
 lam,  five  in  bonam,  neque  tantum  ei  tribuit,  ut 
 fine  gratia  Dei  valeat  aliquid.'*  Nay,  he  has 
 a  whole  book  de  gratia  et  libero  arbitrio,  written 
 purpofely  to  confute  the  error  of  thofe,  "  ^  qui  fic 
 
 a  **  Let  them  not  fo  extol  free  will,  as  to  do  defpite  to  the 
 gracp  of  God,  nor  fo  magnify  grace,  as  to  leave  no  room  for 
 free  will. 
 
 b  "  The  grace  of  Chrift  offers  no  violence  to  the  will,  and 
 no  one  may  on  this  account,  when  he  has  finned,  excufe  him- 
 felf,  as  if  he  had  fmned  involuntarily,  and  by  compulfion. 
 
 c  *•  That  they  would  perfevere  in  the  catholic  faith,  which 
 neither  denies  free-will,  whether  to  a  good  or  ba4  life,  nor  at- 
 tributes fo  much  to  it,  as  that  it  can  have  any  efficacy  without 
 the  grace  of  God." 
 
 d  "  Who  fo  defend  the  grace  of  God  as  to  deny  the  free-will 
 of  men,  or  think,  that  when  the  grace  of  God  is  alTerted,  free- 
 will is  denied." 
 
 G  2  gratia 
 
[  100  ] 
 gratiam  Dei  defendunt,  ut  negent  hominis'  liberum 
 arbitrium,  aut,  quiim  gratia  defenditur,  negari  ex- 
 iftiment  liberum  arbitrium."  And  he  there  proves 
 the  freedom  of  the  will  from  many  texts  of  fcrip- 
 ture.  And  indeed,  if  men  have  no  freedom  of 
 will,  there  can  be  neither  virtue  nor  vice,  reward 
 nor  punifhment.  To  fay  that  men  are  from  their 
 birth  laid  under  a  neceffity  of  finning,  is  to  make 
 God  the  author  of  fm.  But  I  choofe  to  urge  thefe 
 arguments  in  the  words  of  St.  Aujlin.  ''  ^  Nunc 
 vero  ufque  adeo  peccatum  voluntarium  eft  malum, 
 ut  nuUo  m.odo  fit  peccatum  fi  non  fit  voluntarium  : 
 et  hoc  quidem  ita  manifeftum  eft,  ut  nulla  hinc 
 dodlorum  paucitas,  nulla  indoftorum  turba  difllen- 
 tiat  •"."  Again  —  "  "^  Peccatum  fit  ab  anima  ratr- 
 onali,  cui  liberum  voluntatis  arbitrium  eft :  &  pos- 
 
 a  '*  Nov/  fin  is  fo  far  a  voluntary  evil,  that  it  can  by  no 
 means  be  fin,  if  it  be  not  voluntary  ;  and  this  is  indeed  fo  evi- 
 dent, that  neither  the  learned  few,  nor  illiterate  many  have  dif- 
 fentcd  from  it." 
 
 b  De  vera  relig.  lib.  i.  cap.  13. 
 
 c  *'  Sin  proceeds  from  a  rational  foul,  which  has  freedom 
 of  will;  and  the  jultice  of  God  inflids  punifiiment,  who  does 
 nothing  unjuftly.  Againft:  this  doftrine  the  Manichees  with 
 their  ufual  blindnefs  objcft  ;  and  though  they  are  convinced  that 
 nature  is  not  evil,  but  that  it  is  in  the  power  of  man  to  do  well 
 or  ill,  yet  fay  that  the  will  of  the  foul  is  not  free,  not  feeing 
 their  own  abfurdity  :  For  who  does  not  cry  out  that  it  is  abfurd 
 to  give  precepts  to  him  who  is  not  at  libertv  to  do  what  is  com- 
 manded, and  that  it  is  unjufl  to  condemn  him  who  had  it  not  in 
 his  power  to  fulfil  the  command  ?  And  the  wretches  do  not  per- 
 ceive that  they  afcribe  this  injuftice  and  iniquity  to  God. 
 
 nam 
 
[      loi     ] 
 
 nam  infligit  juftltia  Dei,  qui  nihil  faclt  injufte. 
 Adverfus  hssc  folita  ccecitate  Manichsei  iatrant,  et 
 cum  convincuntur  naturam  non  efle  malum,  fed  in 
 poteftate  efle  hominis  facere  bene  aut  male,  dicunt 
 non  efle  animse  liberam  volunratem,  et  non  vident 
 cscitatem  fuam.  Quis  enim  non  clamet  ftultuni 
 efle  praecepta  dare  ei,  cui  liberum  non  efl:  quod 
 praicipicur  facere,  Sc  iniquum  efle  eum  damnare, 
 cui  non  fuit  potefl:as  jufla  complere.  Et  has  injuf- 
 titias  &  iniquitates  miferi  non  intelligunt  Deo  fe 
 afcribere  "*.'*  Nay,  all  the  precepts  and  exhorta- 
 tions, the  promifes  and  threatnings  in  fcripture  fup- 
 pofe  man  to  be  a  free  agent.  "  i'  I  have  fet  before 
 you  life  and  death,  blefiing  and  curfing,  (faid  God 
 to  the  Jews)  therefore  choofe  life,  that  both  thou 
 and  thy  feed  may  live.  ^  Cafe  away  from  you  all 
 your  tranfgreflions  whereby  ye  have  tranfgrefled, 
 and  make  you  a  new  heart  and  a  new  fpirit,  for 
 why  will  ye  die,  O  houfe  oi  Tfrael?  for  I  have  no 
 pleafure  in  the  death  of  him  that  dieth,  faith  the 
 Lord  God  :  wherefore  turn  yourfelves  arid  live  ye." 
 And  with,  regard  to  the  heathen  nations  before  the 
 coming  of  Chrift,  we  are  told,  "  ^  that  the  Gen- 
 tiles which  had  not  the  law,  did  by  nature  the 
 things  contained  in  the  law  ;  and  that  the  work 
 of  the  law  was  written  in  their  hearts,  their 
 confcience  alfo  bearing  witnefs,  and  their  thoughts 
 the  mean  while  accufing,    or   elfe    excufing   one 
 
 a  De  fide  contra  Manich.  c.   lo. 
 
 b  Deut.  XXX.   19.         c  Ezek.  xviii.   31,  32.  Rom.  ii. 
 
 14,   15. 
 
 G  3  another. 
 
[       102      ] 
 
 another.  The  a  fame  fcriptures  which  teach  us 
 that  God  worketh  in  us  both  to  will  and  to 
 do  out  of  his  loving  kindnefs°  (as  it  fliould  be  tranf- 
 lated)  exhort  us  alfo  to  work  ^  our  own  falva- 
 tion ;  c  to  give  diligence  to  make  our  calling  and 
 eledion  fure ;  '^  to  lay  hold  on  eternal  life ;  ^  to 
 receive  not  the  grace  of  God  in  vain ;  and  f  to  grieve 
 not  the  holy  fpirit  of  God,  whereby  we  are  fealed 
 unto  the  day  of  redemption. 
 
 But  not  to  multiply  inflances  —  our  Saviour 
 afferts  the  freedom  of  man's  will  in  that  pathetical 
 addrefs  to  the  city  of  Jerufalem^  Matt.  23.  j/. 
 "  O  Jerufalem^  Jerufakm  &c."  I  choofe  to  infert 
 here  the  fentiments  of  the  celebrated  Erafmus  on 
 this  paflage  of  our  Saviour,  and  its  parallel  one 
 in  Luke  ig,  34.  becaufe  his  excellent  paraphrafe 
 on  the  gofpels,  you  know,  was  tranflated,  and 
 by  the  injunftions  of  King  Ed-ward  VI.  and 
 Queen  Elizabeth  was  ordered  to  be  placed  in 
 churches  for  the  inftruftion  of  the  people.  His 
 authority  then  ought  to  have  weight,  as  it  has 
 the  fandion  of  our  two  princely  leaders  in  the 
 reformation.  Matt.  23.  37.  "  Hierufalem^  Hie- 
 rufakm,  whiche  killeft  the  prophets,  and  ftoneft 
 to  death  them  that  be  fent  unto  the,  howe  often 
 have  I  travayled  to  gather  thy  chyldren  together 
 lyke  as  the  careful  hen,    fearyng    her   chickens, 
 
 a  Phil.  ii.  12,    13.       b  vxs^  tjjj  £t/^e>c<«j.       c  2  Pet.  i.   10. 
 d  I  Tjm.  vi,   ig,         c  2  Cor.  vi,  I.         f  Eph.  iv.  30. 
 
 dothc 
 
[     1^3     ] 
 
 dothe  cloke  them  together,  and  noryfhe  them  un- 
 der her  wynges,  and  thou  wouldeft  not.  No- 
 thing is  let  pafle  of  my  behalfe,  whereby  thou 
 mightefl  be  faved,  but  contrarywyfe  thou  haft  done 
 what  thou  canft  to  bryng  deftrudion  to  the,  and  to 
 exclude  falvation  from  the.  But  to  whom  free 
 wyll  is  once  gyven,  he  cannot  be  faved  agaynft  hys 
 wyll.  Your  wyll  ought  to  be  agreeable  unto  my 
 wyll."  fol.  Lxxxv.  Again  Luke  13.  34.  after  re- 
 peating the  text,  he  adds,  "  But  thy  ftubberncfle 
 hath  gon  beyond  my  goodnefs  :  and  as  though  thou 
 haddeft  even  vowed  and  beheafted  thy  felf  to  uttrc 
 ruine,  fo  dooeft  thou  refufe  all  thynges  whereby 
 thou  mighteft  bee  recovered  and  made  whole.'* 
 fol.    100. 
 
 As  to  the  next  article  of  Election  and  Repro- 
 bation, I  think  the  queftion  may  be  decided  by 
 what  has  been  faid  under  the  former  articles  •,  for  if 
 all  men  are  to  be  judged  according  to  their  works, 
 and  if  they  have  freedom  of  will  either  to  do  good 
 or  evil,  there  can  be  then  no  abfolute  and  irrefpec- 
 tive  decrees,  either  of  eledlion,  or  reprobation.  But 
 here  we  are  prefTed  with  the  authority  of  the  17th 
 article.  I  anfwer  in  the  words  of  the  letter  to  the 
 author  of  the  ConfefTional  a.  The  contrary  opinions 
 charged  on  the  17th  article,  are  not  contained  in 
 it,  but  are  eonfequences  drawn  by  different  men 
 from  different  parts  of  it,  which  the  article  was  not 
 
 a  Let.  2d.   p.  160. 
 
 framed 
 
[      104     ] 
 
 framed  to  maintain,  but  to  avoid.  The  artide  af- 
 ferts  a  predellination  to  life,  or  God's  everlafling 
 purpofe,  before  the  foundations  of  the  world  were 
 laid,  to  deliver  from  curfe  and  damnation  thofe, 
 whom  he  hath  chofen  in  Chrift  out  of  mankind, 
 and  to  bring  them  by  Chrift  to  everlafting  falva- 
 vation  -,  and  together  with  the  end  to  grant  alfo  the 
 means,  eifeftual  calling,  juftification,  adoption. 
 But  Vk?hcn  it  is  inferred  by  the  fatalift,  that  this  de- 
 cree is  irrefped;ive  and  abfolute,  without  faith  and 
 obedience  forefeen,  it  is  a  do6lrine  (whether  true  or 
 falfe)  fupcradded  to  the  article."  And  again,  fays 
 the  fame  excellent  writer  %  "  that  thefe  articles  are 
 fufceptible  of  a  fenfe,  that  is  what  you  call  Armi- 
 nianifm,  is  certain,  becaufe  the  compilers  meant  to 
 warn  people  againft  a  predeftination,  which  was 
 contrary  to  conditional  promifes,  not  to  afcribe 
 their  damnation  to  God,  but  to  their  own  fault, 
 and  to  accord  grace  and  free-will,  as  not  to  main- 
 tain either  to  the  denial  of  the  other.  This  appears 
 by  a  fummary  of  do(5lrines  publilhed  by  them  about 
 eight  years  before  the  articles  came  out,  and  from 
 the  Reformatio  Legum  drawn  up  in  the  fame  year." 
 
 I  WOULD  farther  obferve,  that  the  article  fpeaks 
 of  a  predeftination  decreed  by  God's  counfel  lecret 
 to  us,  and  to  be  difcerned  only  by  the  working 
 of  the  fpirit  of  Chrift  mortifying  the  works  of 
 the  fleih;    and   direfts    us  to  receive  God's  pro- 
 
 a-  Letter  3(^5  p,  g6. 
 
 mifes 
 
[     JOS     ] 
 
 mlfes  in  fuch  wife  as  they  be  generally  fet  forth  to 
 us  in  the  holy  fcripture :  But  there  we  (hall  find 
 all  thefe  promifes  conditional.  "  ^  If  thou  wilt 
 enter  into  life  keep  the  commandments  (faith  our 
 Saviour.)  ^  He  that  endureth  to  the  end  fhall  be 
 faved.  His  apoftle  exhorts  us  to  give  '^  diligence 
 to  make  our  calling  and  eledion  fure :  for  if  we  do 
 thefe  things  we  fhali  never  fall  •,  which  plainly  im- 
 plies, that,  unlefs  we  ufe  our  own  diligence,  our 
 calling  and  election  is  not  fure;  and  that,  if  we 
 take  not  care  to  do  thefe  things,  to  add  to  our 
 faith  virtue  &:c.  we  may  and /j^?// fall. 
 
 You  are  pleafed  to  give  us  feveral  proofs  of  your 
 notion  of  eledtion,  from  the  offices  of  the  Church 
 of  England  •,  I  wilh  you  had  chofen  to  do  it  from 
 fcripture,  which  is  our  rule  of  faith,  and  by  which 
 the  dodrines  of  our  Church  mult  be  ultimately 
 tried  -,  but  you  will  find  no  proof  there  of  any  ab- 
 folute  eledion,  without  any  refpeft  to  men's  faith 
 and  obedience. 
 
 But  fince  you  appeal  to  our  liturgy,  which  is 
 appointed  for  the  daily  fervice  of  the  Church,  and 
 may  therefore  be  fuppofed  to  contain  in  its  various 
 offices  the  pure  and  genuine  dodrines  of  the  gof- 
 pel,  it  will  not  be  improper  to  examine  it  more 
 minutely  with  refped  to  the  dodrines  of  free-will, 
 univerfal  redemption,  falling  from  grace  Sec. 
 
 a  Matt.  xix.   17.  b  Matt.  x.    22.     Mar.  xili.    13. 
 
 C  2  Pet.   i.    10, 
 
 The 
 
[     io6    ] 
 
 The  fentences  of  fcripture,  with  which  the  morn- 
 ing and  evening  prayer  are  appointed  to  begin, 
 fully  declare  the  free-will  of  man  ;  his  acceptance 
 with  God  whenever  he  fhall  turn  away  from  his 
 wickedncfs ;  and  God's  faithfulnefs  upon  our  con- 
 fellion  and  repentance  to  forgive  us  our  fins,  and 
 to  cleanfe  us  from  all  unrighteoufnefs.  —  The  ex- 
 hortation, confeflion,  and  abfolution  have  an  im- 
 mediate reference  to  thefe  fentences  and  are  framed 
 upon  the  dodrines  herein  contained.  In  the  ex- 
 hortation we  are  all  entreated  not  to  "  diflemble 
 nor  cloak  our  fins,  but  to  confefs  them  with  an 
 humble,  lowly,  penitent,  and  obedient  heart,  to 
 the  end  that  we  may  obtain  forgivenefs  of  the 
 fame:"  according  to  which  exhortation,  we  pro- 
 ceed to  confefiion. 
 
 In  the  abfolution  the  priefl:  declares  that  "  al- 
 mighty God  defireth  not  the  death  of  a  finner  but 
 rather  that  he  may  turn  from  his  wickednefs  and 
 live,"  and  by  divine  authority  pronounces  that 
 "  God   pardoneth   and   abfolveth   ail   them    that 
 
 truly  repent." What  words  can   more   fully 
 
 exprefs  his  gracious  promifes  to  all  men  if  they 
 will  repent,  or  the  power  which  he  has  given 
 to  all  men  by  repentance  and  faith  to  lay  hold  of 
 thofe  promifes  ? In  the  Lord's  prayer  we  pe- 
 tition God  not  to  lead  us  into  temptation,  which 
 implies  that  all,  the  very  beft  of  men,  are  liable 
 to   fall  into  temptations  and  divers  lufts,  which 
 
 may 
 
[     1^7    ] 
 
 may  drown  the  foul  in  perdition.  But  how  is 
 this  confident  with  an  abfolute  impoflibiky  of  fall- 
 ing from  grace?  —  The  hymn  called  Te  Deum 
 thus  celebrates  the  univerfal  redemption  by  the 
 incarnation  and  death  of  Chrift,  "  when  thou 
 tookefl  upon  thee  to  deliver  man  thou  didft  not 
 abhor  the  virgin's  womb  ;  when  thou  didft  over- 
 come the  fharpnefs  of  death,  thou  didft  open  the 
 
 kingdom   of  heaven  to  all  believers." The 
 
 fuffrages  offered  up  by  the  prieft  and  all  the 
 congregation  alternately,  are  quite  inconfiftent 
 with  your  notion  of  abfolute  predeftination  and 
 indefedible  aflurance.  •*  Grant  us  thy  falvation, — 
 take  not  thy  holy  fpirit  from  us." — From  the  pe- 
 tition, "  make  thy  chofcn  people  joyful,"  you  in- 
 fer indeed  your  do<5lrine  of  eledion  -,  but  the 
 word  chofen  or  eledl  in  ^  fcripture  fignifics  either 
 all  Chriftians  in  general,  or  ^  fuch  Chriftians  as 
 walk  worthy  of  the  vocation  by  which  they  are 
 called.  Nor  does  it  bear  a  different  fenfe  in  our 
 offices,  —  God  has  knit  together  his  eleft,  /.  e.  all 
 Chriftians  in  one  communion  and  fellowlhip  — God 
 the  Holy  Ghoft,  who  fandifieth  all  the  eledl  peo- 
 ple of  God,  i.  e.  all  Chriftians,  or  at  leaft  all  good 
 Chriftians,  who  are  ready  to  comply  with  his  mo- 
 tions. I  wonder  how  you  could  quote  this,  and 
 overlook   the   article   immediately   preceding    it, 
 
 a  2  Tim.  ii.  lo.  Col.  Hi.  12.  Titus  i.  i.  I  Pet.  i.  2. 
 2  John  i.  7.  1  Pet.  v.  13.  Rom.  xi.  7.  Ephef.  i.  4. 
 a  Thefl*.  ii.  13. 
 
 ii  Matt.  XX  iv.  24.  31.      Lukcxviii.  7.      Rom.  viii.  33. 
 
 which 
 
[     io8    ] 
 
 which  exprefsly  aflferts  the  univerfality  of  Chrift's 
 redemption,  "  I  believe  in  God  the  Son,  who 
 hath  redeemed  me  and  all  mankind."  All  thofe 
 therefore  whom  God  the  Son  hath  redeemed,  God 
 the  Holy  Ghoft  fan6lifies  i  but  both  only  on  con- 
 dition of  their  own  concurrence  and  compliance 
 with  the  terms  offered.  Laftly,  we  befeech  God 
 ihortly  to  accomplifh  the  number  of  his  eleft,  i.  e. 
 all  thofe  who  fhall  finally  perfevere  and  depart  in 
 the  true  faith  of  his  holy  name,  as  the  colled  it- 
 felf  explains  it. 
 
 The  word  ele6l  frequently  occurs  in  the  Romarj 
 breviary ;  the  Papifts  make  ufe  of  it  in  their  rituals 
 as  well  as  we  :  1  will  only  give  you  one  inftance  of 
 it ;  "  a  Dulciffime  domine  Jefu  Chrifte,  per  virtu- 
 tem  fandiflimse  paffionis  tuce  recipe  me  in  nume- 
 rum  ELECTORUM  tuorum."  So  that  if  the  ufe  of 
 this  v^ord  will  prove  the  compilers  of  our  liturgy 
 Predeflinarians,  it  will  prove  the  Church  oi  Rome 
 fo  too,  and  that  in  this  refped  it  is  as  ortliodox  as 
 Calvinifm  itfelf. 
 
 In  the  litany  we  befeech  God  to  ftrengthen  fuch 
 as  do  ftand,  and  to  raife  up  them  that  fall.  But 
 to  put  the  matter  beyond  all  doubt  I  refer  you  to 
 the  office  of  publick  baptifm  of  infants :  where 
 the  prieft,  after  having  read  the  gofpel  appointed 
 for  that  occafion  &c.  thus  addreffes  the  fponfors, 
 
 a  Modus  juvandi   moiientes, 
 
 "  Dearly 
 
t   109  ] 
 
 "  Dearly  beloved,  ye  have  brought  this  child  here 
 to  be  baptized,    ye  have  prayed  that  our  Lord 
 Jefus  Chrift  would  vouchfafe  to  receive  him,  to 
 releafe  him  from  his  fins,  to  fandtify  him  with  the 
 HolyGhofl:,  to  give  him  the  kingdom  of  heaven  and 
 cverlafting  life :  ye  have  heard  alfo  that  our  Lord 
 Jefus  Chrill  hath  promifed  in  his  gofpel  to  grant  all 
 thefe  things  that  ye  have  prayed  for ;  which  pro- 
 mife  he  for  his  part  will  moil  furely  keep  and  per- 
 form."    And  after  having  performed  the  office  of 
 baptifm,    he   thus  addrelTes   the   fupreme   being, 
 "  We  yield    thee  hearty  thanks,    mofl  merciful 
 Father,    that  it  hath  pleafed  thee    to  regenerate 
 this  infant  with  thy  holy  fpirit,    to   receive  him 
 for  thine  own  child  by  adoption  and  to  incorpo- 
 rate him  into  thy  holy  Church." 
 
 From  thefe  paffages  I  infer  that  it  is  the  plain 
 and  undoubted  dodlrine  of  our  Church  that  every 
 perfon,  who  is  by  baptifm  admitted  into  the  Chrif- 
 tian  covenant,  is  partaker  of  thefe  high  privileges, 
 and  becomes  thereby,  as  our  catechifm  fets  forth, 
 "  a  member  of  Chrift,  the  child  of  God,  and  an 
 inheritor  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven."     That  all 
 Chriftians  are  by  baptifm  admitted  into  a  ftate  of 
 grace,    and  will  moft  aflu redly,  if  they  perform 
 their  part,  be  entitled  to  the  "  promifes  of  God 
 made  to  them  in  that  facrament."    With  regard  to 
 infants  the  rubric  declares,  "  it  is  certain  by  God's 
 word  that  children  which  are  baptized,  dying  be- 
 fore they  commit   actual   fin,    are    undoubredly 
 
 faved 
 
[     no     ] 
 
 faved :"  with  refped  to  thofe  who  come  to  age  to 
 take  the  promifes  of  their  fureties  upon  themfelves, 
 they  have  the  fame  aflurances  on  God's  part,  if 
 they  will  on  their  part  perform  what  is  promifed 
 for  them,  which,  as  the  catechifm  declares  "  they 
 are  bound  to  perform."  Where  then  is  your  doc- 
 trine of  abfolute,  irrefpe6live  predeftination,  and  re- 
 probation, which  would  include  children  as  well 
 as  adults,  being  as  you  reprefent  it  "  an  abfolute 
 choice  of  fome  in  preference  of  others,  even  before 
 the  children  are  born,  or  have  done  good  or  evil." 
 p.  §^.  Let  me  obferve  that  our  Church  in  this 
 rubric  profefledly  declares  her  tenets  on  thefe 
 points,  to  which  therefore  any  ambiguous  expref- 
 fion,  which  may  occur  in  her  other  offices,  mull  be 
 reconciled,  unlefs  you  will  fuppofe  her  to  be  in- 
 confiftent  with  herielf. 
 
 As  to  the  do6lrine  of  absolute  reprobation, 
 it  is  no  where  taught  in  our  articles,  nor  in  the 
 fcriptures,  but  jufl  the  contrary.  Our  a  articles 
 fay  that  "  Chrilt  came  to  take  away  the  fins  of  the 
 world  j  and  that  b  Chrifl:  hath  made  a  perfed  re- 
 demption and  fatisfaftion  for  the  fins  of  the 
 whole  world."  Our  catechifm  teaches  us  that 
 "  the  Son  of  God  redeemed  all  mankind."  Our 
 communion-office  exprefsly  afierts  "  that  Chrifl 
 hath  made  a  full,  perfed,  and  fufficient  facrifice, 
 oblation,  and  fatisfadion  for  the  fins  of  the  whole 
 
 a  Art.   35.  b  Art.  31. 
 
 world 
 
[     ni     ] 
 
 world."    Our  colleds  declare  that  "  God  hateth 
 nothing  that  he  hath  made,  nor  would  the  death 
 of  a  finner,  but  rather  that  he  fhould  be  converted 
 and  live."     This  you  feem'  fenfible  of,  and  there- 
 fore tell  us  that  "  ^  where  we  find  any  exprelTions  in 
 our  church-fervice,  (and  I  fuppofe  in  fcripture  too) 
 of  Chriil  dying  for  all  men  &c.  thefe  mean  that 
 his  facrifice    and   undertaking   were    infinite  and 
 all  fuiRcient :  —  but  the  application  of  this  facri- 
 fice and  undertaking  is  every  where  confined  to  the 
 eleft  people  of  God,    to  his  fheep,    his  chofen, 
 his  church,  his  feed,    his  fpoufe,    his   members." 
 A  miferable  quibble    this !    Suppofe    an    a6t    of 
 grace  to  be    fet  forth  by  a  King,  declaring  his 
 royal  will,  that  all  debtors  in  every  prifon  through- 
 out his  dominions  Ihould  be  releafed  on  condition 
 that  they  would  prefent  an    humble    petition   to 
 him  by  the  hand  of  his  Son,  (who  had  difcharged 
 their  feveral  debts)  and  comply  with  other  terms 
 therein  fpecified  :  but  that  fecret  orders  had  been 
 previoufly  given  to  prevent  greateft  part  of  thofe 
 debtors  from  a  pofTibility  of  prcfenting  their  peti- 
 tion, or  performing  the  terms   required.     What 
 would  you  think  of  the  wifdom  or  mercy  of  fuch  a 
 King? — Such  is  the  charadler  under  which  you 
 reprefent  the  Majefty  of  heaven  ;  fuch  you  would 
 perfuade  us  are  his  dealings  with  the  children  of 
 men.     Had  you  faid  that  the  redemption  was  uni- 
 verfal,  but  its  application  was  confined  to  thofc 
 only  who  would  comply  with  the  terms  of  the  gof- 
 
 a  P.  55. 
 
 pel- 
 
[       112      ] 
 
 pel-covenant,  you  had  fpoken  the  words  of  fobef- 
 nefs  and  truth  :  But  it  is  an  infult  on  common 
 fenfe  to  acknowledge  that  God  hath  given  Chrift 
 to  be  a  propitiation  for  the  fms  of  the  whole  world, 
 and  at  the  fame  time  pretend,  ^  that  the  greateft 
 part  of  the  world,  are  without  any  fault  or  negle6l 
 of  their  own,  abfolutely  excluded  from  the  benefit 
 of  it ;  that  they  are  appointed  to  damnation,  re- 
 probated by  God  himfelf  unto  death  ^,  and  that 
 it  is  not  in  their  power  to  be  faved.  You  tell  ys 
 "  c  you  could  bring  proof  upon  proof  of  this  doc- 
 trine :"  and  why  did  not  you  ?  Thofe  fcripture 
 appellations  of  the  elefl  people  of  God  &c.  which 
 you  would  appropriate  to  yourfelf  and  your  {ed:, 
 are  applied  in  fcripture  to  Chriflians  in  general. 
 The  eled  and  chofen  of  God  are  all  good  Chrif- 
 tions  ;  '^  Chrift's  fheep  are  they,  who  hear  his  voice 
 and  follow  him,  and  ^  abound  in  good  works.  ^The 
 church  in  fcripture  fignifies  the  whole  body  of 
 Chriftians,  of  which  Chrift  is  the  head,  g  and  we 
 being  many  are  one  body  in  Chrift,  and  every 
 one  members  one  of  another. 
 
 That  the  do6lrine  of  univerfal  redemption  is 
 the  dodrine  of  the  Church  of  England  has  al- 
 ready appeared  from  her  articles  and  offices.  The 
 fame  dodtrine  is  alio  taught  in  her  homilies.  They 
 teach  "  ^  that  Chrift  fuffered    death   univerlally 
 
 a  P.  46.  b  Art,  Lamb.    i.  &  g.     P.  44,  45.  c  P. 
 
 rr.         d  Joh.  X.  3,  4.  e  Matt.  xxv.  32  &c.  f  Epli. 
 
 V.  2r%  SiC.        Rom.  xii.  5.       d  Second  horn,  on  the  paflion. 
 
 for 
 
[    "3    ] 
 
 for  all  men."     Again,  "  God  fo  loved  the  world, 
 faith  St.  Johriy    that  he  gave  his  only-begotten 
 Son,  that  whofoever  believeth  in  him,  fhould  not 
 perifh,  but  have  everlafling  life."     But  to  whom 
 did  he  give  him  ^.   He  gave  him  to  the  whole 
 world,  that  is  to  fay,  to  Adam  and  all  that  fliould 
 come  after  him.     That  this  was  alfo  the  do6lrine 
 of  our  firft  reformers,  appears  already  from  the 
 citations  produced  from  Bifhop  Hooper  and  hati- 
 mer.     To  thefe   might  be  added  the  teftimony  of 
 other  foreign  Proteftants,  and  thofe  of  the  primi- 
 tive writers.     "  ^  For  the  four  firft  ages,  fays  the 
 learned  Bilhop  Bull^  no  true  member  of  the  Ca- 
 tholic Church  ever  dreamt  of  that  predeftination, 
 which  fome  now  make  the  very  bafis  and  founda- 
 tion of  Chriftianity.     Thofe  pious  Chriftians,  illuf- 
 trious  both  in  their  life  and  death,  lived  and  died 
 in  the  firm  pdrfuafions  of  thofe  truths,  that  Chrift 
 was  the  common  Saviour  of  mankind,  that  no  one 
 to  whom  the  gofpel  of  Chrift  was  made  known 
 could  attain  eternal  happinefs  without  obeying  his 
 commands;  that  no  one  could  obey  thefe  com- 
 mands without  the  grace  and  fpirit  of  Chrift ;  that 
 the  grace  of  God  would  not  work  out  our  falva- 
 tion  without  the  concurrence  of  our  own  induftry  : 
 that  this  grace  was  wanting  to  no  man ;  that  he, 
 who  by  the  grace  of  God  was  in  a  ftate  of  falva- 
 tion,  might  by  his  own  fault  fall  from  that  ftate 
 and  perifti  eternally,  and  therefore  he  who  thought 
 he  ftandeth  ftiould  take  heed  left  he  fall."     But  I 
 rather  choofe  to  appeal  to  the  teftimony  of  fcrip- 
 a  BuUi  opera,  p.  682. 
 
 H  ture. 
 
[     iH    3 
 
 ture.  And  I  could  wifh  you  had  rather  confulted 
 your  bible,  than  had  recourfe  to  certain  queftions 
 and  anfwers  bound  up  with  it.  There  you  will 
 find  the  doftrine  of  univerfal  redemption  taught 
 in  the  plaineft  terms.  There  the  gofpel  is  called 
 the  ^  grace  of  God,  which  bringeth  falvation  to  all 
 men.  Our  Saviour  himfelf  declares  ^  "  that  .God 
 \  fo  loved  the  world,  that  whofoever  believeth  in 
 him  fhould  not  perifh,  but  have  everlafting  life." 
 St.  Paul  teaches  us,  ^  "  that  Chrift  Jefus  gave  him- 
 felf a  ranfom  for  all  •,  that  ^  he  died  for  all  j  ^  that 
 as  by  the  offence  of  one,  judgment  came  upon  all 
 men  to  condemnation,  even  fo  by  the  righteoufnefs 
 of  one  the  free  gift  came  upon  all  men  unto  jufti- 
 fication  of  life ;  ^  that  he  is  the  Saviour  of  all  men, 
 fpecially  of  thofe  that  believe.'*  St.  John  s  fays, 
 *'  Jefus  Chrift  is  the  propitiation  for  our  fins : 
 and  not  for  ours  only,  but  alfo  for  the  fms  of  the 
 whole  world."  Nay,  he  died  for  them  that  perifti,. 
 *'  ii  deftroy  not  him  with  thy  meat,  for  whom  Chrift 
 died,"  faith  the  apoftle.  Again,  "  •  Through  thy 
 knowledge  fliall  the  weak  brother  perifti,  for 
 whom  Chrift  died  ?"  Again,  we  are' told,  "  ^  that 
 God  would  have  all  men  to  be  faved ;  i  that  he  is 
 not  willing  that  any  ftiould  perifh,  but  that  all 
 
 Tit.  ii.  II. 
 
 b  Joh.  iii.  1 6.  c  1  Tim.  ii.  5,  6.  d  2  Cor.  v.  14, 
 
 c  Rom.  V.  18.  f  I  Tim.  iv.  10.  g  Joh.  ii.  i,  2, 
 
 h  Rom.  xiv.  15.  i  i  Cor.  viii.  11.  k  i  Tim.  ii.  4. 
 
 1  2  Pet.  iii.  9. 
 
 ihould 
 
[     "5    ] 
 
 Ihould  come  to  repentance."  How  dare  you  then 
 confine  the  application  of  this  redemption  to  the 
 Ele6l  only,  i.  e.  to  yourfelf  and  a  few  other  babes 
 of  grace  ?  Do  you  confider  the  dreadful  confe- 
 quences  of  this  doftrine  ?  a  dodtrine  injurious  both 
 to  God  and  man.  That  God  fhould  confign  over 
 the  greateft  part  of  mankind  to  everlafting  deftruc- 
 tion  before  they  were  born,  without  any  refpedl 
 to  their  good  or  evil  works ;  that  he  fhould  give 
 them  no  power  to  perform  any  good  work,  and 
 yet  fhould  damn  them  eternally  for  not  doing 
 what  they  were  under  an  abfolute  impofTibility  of 
 doing,  is  a  dodlrine,  which  it  is  impoITible  to  re- 
 concile to  any  notions,  which  we  can  form  of  God's 
 goodnefs,  holinefs,  orjuflice.  "  Thefe  wretches 
 do  not  underftand  that  they  afcribe  thefe  fms  and 
 iniquities  to  God"  (fays  St.  Aujtin).  But  to  this 
 you  think  it  fufficient  to  anfwer,  "  ^  O  man,  who 
 art  thou  that  repliefl  againft  God  ?"  6ut  St.  Paul 
 there  fpeaks  of  the  gifts  of  God,  which  he  dif- 
 perfes  arbitrarily,  according  to  his  good  pleafure 
 He  may  impart  the  clear  knowledge  of  his  will 
 to  one  nation  and  not  to  another,  without  any 
 impeachment  of  his  jultice.  '' But  with  regard  to 
 rewards  and  punifliments,  there  is  no  refpe6t  of 
 perfons  with  God  j  but  he  will  render  to  every 
 man  according  to  his  deeds.  But  you  are  pleafed 
 to  objed  againfl  making  the  Almighty  fpirit  de-. 
 
 a  P.  56.     Rom.  ix.  20. 
 
 b  Rom.  ii.  6  kc.      Sec  anfwer  to  the  Confeffional,  letter 
 iii.  p.   82. 
 
 H  2  pendent 
 
[     "6    ] 
 
 pendent  on  the  will  of  the  fallen  creature,  p.  7^, 
 And  do  not  you  fee  that  you  compliment  the  Om- 
 nipotence and  Sovereignty  of  God  at  the  expence 
 of  his  juftice,  holinefs  and  goodnefs  ?  Muft  not  the 
 fentence  of  a  righteous  judge  depend  on  the  beha- 
 viour of  thofe  over  whom  he  exercifes  judgment  ? 
 And  if  God  will  judge  the  world  in  righteoufnefs, 
 muft  not  his  decrees  with  regard  to  this  judgment, 
 in  this  refpe6t,  depend  on  the  a<ftions  of  his  crea- 
 tures, and  the  ufe  they  have  made  of  their 
 free-will  ? 
 
 Tell  me,  if  you  can,  how  God  can  lay  any 
 man  under  a  necelTity  of  fmning  confiftently  with 
 his  goodnefs  •,  or  how  he  can  fentence  a  man  lying 
 under  that  neceflity  to  eternal  damnation  confift- 
 ently with  his  juftice  and  righteoufnefs.  I  charge 
 not  you,  fir,  but  I  muft  charge  your  do6lrinc,  in 
 its  necefiary  confequences,  with  the  moft  glaring 
 abfurdity  and  grofs  impiety  againft  God  ;  I  wifti 
 too  you  would  confider  how  uncharitable  your  no- 
 tions are  with  regard  to  mankind.  Pray,  who  are 
 thefe  ftieep,  thefe  eled  people  of  God,  to  whom 
 you  and  your  afTociates  would  confine  the  benefits 
 of  Chrift's  redemption? — Yourfelves  only — all 
 the  reft  of  mankind  you  moft  charitably  confign 
 over  to  eternal  damnation.  The  heathen  world,  I 
 fuppofe,  are  not  to  be  reckoned  among  the  ele6l 
 people  of  God,  nor  belong  to  his  Church :  All 
 Heretics  and  Papifts  are  excluded,  for  they  are 
 limbs  of  anti-chrift,  hold  dodlrines  of  devils,  and 
 
 fhall 
 
[     "7    ] 
 
 (hall  be  damned  with  unquenchable  fire  :  And  all 
 Proteftants  too,  who  have  adopted  this  herefy  of 
 universal  redemption,  and  held  thefe  do6lrines  of 
 devils,  thefe  Poplfli  »  dodlrines  of  free-will,  condi- 
 tional falvation  &c.  fall  under  the  fame  cenfure, 
 and  are  alfo  to  be  damned  with  unquenchable  fire. 
 They  only  who  are  predeftinated,  who  feel  in 
 themfelves  the  motions  of  fpiritual  life,  and  an  af- 
 furance  of  their  own  falvation,  are  the  chofen 
 flock ;  all  others  are  excluded,  all  the  good  peo- 
 ple of  England,  except  the  Methodifts,  Mora- 
 vians and  Quakers  ;  all  the  Univerfity  of  Oxford^ 
 except  the  pious  congregation  of  Mrs.  Burbridge. 
 Thus  you  confine  that  Grace  of  God,  which  bring- 
 eth  falvation  to  all  men,  to  yourfelves  alone,  and 
 
 a  You  pretend,  p.  73,  to  be  much  alarmed  at  the  great  in- 
 creafe  of  Popery  in  our  land,  and  infmuate  that  we,  by  holding 
 the  doftrine  of  free-will  and  univerfal  redemption,  are  the  moft 
 ftrenuous  abettors  of  ir,  "  declaring  that  there  is  lefs  danger  to  be 
 apprehended  from  private  mafs-houfes  than  from  public  autho- 
 rized chairs  of  oratory."  But  let  me  tell  you,  that  the  only 
 quarter  from  whence  any  real  danger  may  be  apprehended  is 
 that,  from  whence  divifions  are  caufed,  and  fchifms  made  in  the 
 Church.  The  great  door  to  Popery  has  been  opened  by  the 
 prefumption  of  ignorant  and  fooHfh  men,  who  pretend  to  be 
 teachers,  and  fill  their  hearers  with  fpiritual  pride,  and  a  con- 
 tempt of  their  lawful  pallors  —  who  draw  them  from  what 
 you  call,  the  public  authorized  chairs  of  oratory,  into  private 
 focieties,  and  illicit  conventicles,  and  teach  them  to  neglefl  the 
 fervice,  and  defpife  the  ordinances  of  the  Church.  It  has  been 
 the  conftant  bufinefs  of  Papifts  to  fow  divifions  among  us,  from 
 whence  they  have  reaped  a  plentiful  harvefl,  to  the  increafe  of 
 which  you  and  your  friends  have  greatly  contributed. 
 
 H  3  damn 
 
[     ii8    ] 
 
 damn  all  others  who  are  not  of  your  fe6t  and  party  : 
 And  herein  you  are  more  uncharitable  than  the 
 Papifts  themfelves ;  they  admit  all  of  their  com- 
 munion, which  takes  in  a  large  body  of  Chrifdans. 
 You  exclude  even  your  fellow  Proteftants,  all  bnt 
 thofe,  who  in  thefe  abftrufe  and  difficult  points 
 hold  the  fame  tenets  with  yourfelves. 
 
 Your  dodlrine  of  Perseverance  is  nearly  al- 
 lied to  the  two  former  :  If  man  has  no  free-will, 
 but  is  abfolutely  predeflinated  to  eternal  falva- 
 tion,  then  we  muft  acknowledge  that  he  cannot 
 fall  from  grace.  On  the  other  hand,  if  we  may 
 fall  from  grace,  there  can  be  no  abfolute  decree  of 
 eledion.  And  here  you  and  your  difciples  hold, 
 that  he  who  is  once  a  child  of  God  is  always  a 
 child  of  God,  and  that  God  never  cafts  off  thole 
 whom  he  hath  once  received.  But  herein  you 
 contradi(5l  the  articles  of  the  Church  of  England,  to 
 which  you  have  fubfcribed,  and  therefore  are  fub- 
 je6t  to  the  fame  cenfures  you  lb  liberally  beftow  on 
 us.  The  1 6th  article  teaches  that,  after  we  have 
 received  the  Holy  Gholt,  we  may  depart  from 
 grace  given,  and  fall  into  fm  j  and  that  deadly  fin 
 is  here  meant,  appears  from  the  beginning  of  the 
 article.  It  follows  that  by  the  grace  of  God  we 
 may  rife  again,  which  plainly  implies  that  we  alfo 
 may  not  rife  again. 
 
 You  contradict  our  homilies.  Among  the  ho- 
 milies publidied  in  K.   Edward  the  Vlth's  time, 
 
 there 
 
[    »t9    I 
 
 there  is  one  concerning  the  danger  of  falling  from 
 God.  It  fpeaks  of  thofe  who  truly  believe  the  gof- 
 pel ;  "  be  transformed  to  the  image  of  Chrift  •,  be 
 made  partakers  of  the  heavenly  light,  and  of  the 
 holy  fpirit ;  and  be  fafiiioned  to  him  in  all  good- 
 nefs  requifite  to  the  children  of  God  •,"  and  fays 
 that  "  if  they  after  negled  the  fame,  if  they  be 
 unthankful  unto  him  ;  if  they  order  not  their  lives 
 according  to  his  example  and  doflrine  &c.  he 
 will  take  away  from  them  his  kingdom  &"C.  and 
 if  they  remain  difobedient  to  his  word  and  will, 
 they  fhall  never  enter  into  his  reft,  which  is  the 
 kingdom  of  heaven.'* 
 
 In  the  fecond  homily  on  the  fame  lubjed  we 
 are  told,  "  that  if  we,  who  are  the  chofen  vine- 
 yard of  God,  bring  not  forth  good  grapes,  that  is 
 to  fay,  good  works,  —  he  will  let  us  lie  wafte,  will 
 give  us  over  J  he  will  turn  away  from  us,  he  will 
 dig  and  delve  no  more  about  us  —  he  will  fuffer 
 us  to  bring  forth  brambles,  bryars  and  thorns  ;  all 
 naughtinels,  all  vice  ;  and  that  fo  abundantly,  that 
 they  fhall  clean  overthrow  us,  choke,  ftrangle,  and 
 utterly  deftroy  us  ;'*  and  applying  this  parable,  the 
 homily  adds,  "  Let  us  beware  therefore,  good 
 chriftian  people,  left  that  we  reje6ling  or  cafting 
 away  God's  word,  be  at  length  caft  off  fo  far,  that 
 we  become  as  the  children  of  unbelief,  in  a  damna- 
 ble ftate.'* 
 
 The 
 
[       120      ] 
 
 The  fame  doflrine  is  taught  in  the  fecond 
 book  of  homilies  publifhed  in  Queen  Elizabeth^s 
 time.  "  ^  Thefe  things  well  conftdered,  let  us 
 now  in  the  reft  of  our  life  declare  our  faith  that 
 we  have  in  this  moft  fruitful  article,  by  framing 
 ourfelves  therunto,  in  rifing  daily  from  fm  to  righ- 
 teoufnefs,  and  holinefs  of  life :  for  what  fhall  it 
 avail  us  (faith  St,  Peter)  to  be  efcaped .  and  deli- 
 vered from  the  filthinefs  of  the  world,  through 
 the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  and  Saviour  Jefus 
 Chrift,  if  we  be  entangled  again  therewith,  and 
 be  overcome  again  ?  Certainly  it  had  been  bet- 
 ter, (faith  he)  never  to  have  known  the  way  of 
 righteoufnefs,  than  after  it  is  known,  to  turn  back 
 again  from  the  holy  commandment  of  God  given 
 unto  us  —  What  a  fhame  were  it  for  us  being 
 fo  clearly  and  freely  wafhed  from  our  fins,  to 
 return  to  the  filthinefs  thereof  again  :  What  a 
 folly  were  it,  thus  endowed  with  righteoufnefs, 
 to  lofe  it  again  ?  What  a  madnefs  were  it  to  lofe 
 the  inheritance  that  we  be  now  fet  in,  for  the  vile 
 and  tranfitory  pleafure  of  fin  ?  And  what  an 
 unkindnefs  fhould  it  be,  where  our  Saviour  Chrift 
 is  come  to  us,  to  dwell  with  us  as  our  gueft, 
 to  drive  him  from  us,  to  banifh  him  violently 
 out  of  our  fouls,  and  inftead  of  him,  in  whom  is 
 all  grace  and  virtue,  to  receive  the  ungracious 
 fpirit  of  the  devil  ?"  &c. 
 
 • 
 9  Sermon  of  the  refurredion,  p.  193. 
 
 You 
 
[       '2'       J 
 
 You  differ  from  our  firft  reformers,  as  appears 
 from  the  quotations  already  produced  from  Pia 
 ct  Catholica  Inftitutio  —  Reformatio  Legum — Bp 
 Hoofer  and  Latimer.  —  They  held  that  we  might 
 fall  from  grace,  and  a  flate  of  righteoufnefs ;  "  that 
 thofe  who  were  written  in  the  book  of  life  might 
 again  be  blotted  out  of  it."  You  differ  from  the 
 firft  reformers  in  Germany^  and  from  their  confef- 
 fions,  on  the  plan  of  which  our  own  articles  were 
 firft  formed.  ^  The  confeflion  of  Augfburg^  the 
 firft  fummary  of  Proteftant  faith,  condemns  the 
 Anabaptifts,  who  denied  that  thofe  who  were  once 
 juftified  could  lofe  the  Holy  Ghoft.  ^  The  ^^;^- 
 cnick  confefljon  compiled  by  Melanchton  1551,  with 
 defign  to  offer  it  to  the  council  of  Trent^  in  the  name 
 of  all  the  Proteftants,  and  unanimoufly  approved 
 by  the  German  divines,  fays  —  "  ex  fimilibus  dic- 
 tis  manifeftum  eft  aliquos  renatos  contriftare  et  ex- 
 cutere  fpiritum  fandum,  et  rurfus  abjici  a  Deo,  ac 
 fieri  reos  irae  Dei,  et  asternarum  pasnarum." 
 
 But,  what  is  ftill  worfe,  you  contradid  the 
 holy  fcriptures.  The  prophet  Ezekiel  c  puts  the 
 very  cafe  of  a  man  in  a  ftate  of  falvation,  in  God's 
 favour,  who  afterwards  turns  from  his  righteouf- 
 nefs, and  finally  perifties  —  when  I  ftiall  fay  to  the 
 righteous  that  he  fhall  furely  live,  if  he  truft  to  his 
 
 a  Art.  12.         b  Sleidan''s  Hift.  Ref.  b.  xxli.  p.  510. 
 c  Ezek.  xxxiii.  13.  xviii.  24.     See  Dr   Raiidolph''i  fcrmon 
 on  Kom.  viji.  16. 
 
 own 
 
[     122      ] 
 
 own  righteoufnefs,  and  commit  iniquity,    all  his 
 righteoufnefs  fhall  not  be  remembered,  but  for 
 his  iniquity  that  he  hath  committed,  he  fhall  die  for 
 it.     In  the  fcriptures  of  the  New  Teftament  we 
 are  exhorted  ^  to  work  out  our  own  falvation  with 
 fear  and  trembling  ;  ^  to  give  diligence  to  make 
 our  calling  and  eleflion  fure  ;  <=  not  to  be  high- 
 minded,  but  fear,  left  we  alfo  be  cut  off;  '^he  that 
 thinketh  he  ftandeth  is  admonilhed  to  take  heed 
 left  he  fall.    We  read  of  fome  ^  who  were  once  en- 
 ligtened  and  had  tafted  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and 
 were  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  and  had 
 tafted  the  good  word  of  God,  and  the  powers  of 
 the  world  to  come,   who  have  afterwards  fallen 
 away,  and  that  fo  totally  and  finally,  that  it  was 
 impoflible  to  renew  them  again  unto  repentance. 
 And  of  others  we  ^read,  who  had  efcaped  the  pol- 
 lution of  the  world  through  the  knowledge  of  the 
 Lord  and  Saviour  Jefus  Chrift,  who  have  been 
 again  entangled  therein,  and  overcome,  whofe  lat- 
 ter end  was  worfe  than  the  beginning.    The  great 
 Apoftle  St.  Paul  fpeaks  with  great  diffidence  and 
 doubt  of  his  own  falvation — s  Brethren,  fays  he, 
 I  count  not  myfelf  to  have  apprehended,  but  this 
 one  thing  I  do,  forgetting  thofe  things  which  are 
 behind,  and  reaching  forth  unto  thofe  things  which 
 are  before,  I  prefs  toward  the  mark  for  the  prize 
 of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Chrift  Jefus.     And 
 
 a  Phil.  ii.  12.  b  2  Pet.  i,  10.  c  Rom.  xi.  zo  &c. 
 
 d  1  Cor.  X.  12.  e  Heb.  vi.  4  &c.  f  2  Pet.  ii.  20. 
 
 g  Phil.  iii.  1 3  Sec. 
 
 again 
 
[     J23     ] 
 
 again  in  another  a  place,  I  keep  under  my  body 
 and  bring  it  into  fubjedlion,  left  that  by  any 
 means,  when  I  have  preached  to  others,  I  myfelf 
 ftiould  be  a  caft-away  or  ^  reprobate. 
 
 As  to  the  do6lrine  of  Justification  by  faith, 
 let  us  fee  wherein  we  differ.     Firft  then,  we  all 
 hold  that  we  are  juftified  freely  by  God's  grace, 
 that  there  is  no  merit  in  good  works,  that  \ve  are 
 not  to  place  our  dependance,  or  reft  our  plea  on 
 any  works  that  we  have  done  or  can  do,  but  only 
 on  the  mercy  of  God,  and  the  merits  of  our  Re- 
 deemer.    And  on  the  other  hand  I  ftiould  hope 
 that  all,  who  believe  the  gofpel,  would  agree  that 
 good  w6rks  are   the  neceffary  condition  both  of 
 our  juftification  and  falvation.     Whether  we  confi- 
 der  the  firft  juftification  of  perfons  received  into 
 the  Chriftian  church,  —  the  fcripture  teaches  us 
 that  repentance,  which  confifts  in   ceafing  to  do 
 evil,  and  learning  to  do  well,  is  neceffary  as  pre- 
 vious to  this  juftification.     John  the  Baptijl  ^  pre- 
 pared  the    way   of  the  Lord  by  preaching  the 
 baptifm  of  repentance  for  remiffion  of  fins. 
 The  firft  dodlrine  which  our  Saviour  himfelf  preach- 
 ed was  —  "  '^  Repent  ye,  and  beUeve  the  gofpel.'* 
 And  with  the  fame  doftrine  his  apoftles  opened 
 their  commiffion  —  "a Repent  and  be  baptized 
 every  one    of  you  in  the  name  of  Jefus  Chrift, 
 
 a  1  Cor.  ix.  27.         b  x^e)cii/.cs,       c  Luke  iii.  3.       d  Mar. 
 i.  15.        c  A6ls  ii.   38. 
 
 for 
 
[      124       ] 
 
 for  the  remlflion  of  fins." — Or  if  we  aflc  what  is  the 
 condition  of  our  final  juftification  at  the  day  of 
 judgment,  both  Chrift  and  his  apoftles  will  inform 
 us  ^  that  God  will  then  render  to  every  man  ac- 
 cording to  his  works.  What  do  you  mean  then 
 by  cenfuring  thofe  "  ''who  look  to;a  righteoufnefs 
 of  their  own,  made  up  of  terms,  qualifications, 
 conditions,  and  fuch  like  trumpery,  for  acceptance 
 before  God  ?"  and  afferting  "  '^  that  works  are  no 
 parts  or  conditions  of  our  juftification  ?"  Parts  or 
 conditions  —  Are  thefe  fynonymous  terms  ?  Pray, 
 fir,  what  do  you  underftand  by  parts  ?  We  hold, 
 as  well  as  you,  that  juftification  is  the  aft  of  God 
 alone,  conferred  on  us  freely  by  his  grace  j  —  that 
 our  own  good  works  have  no  proper  efficiency  in 
 the  ad:  of  our  juftification  ;  have  no  worth  or  me- 
 rit in  them  j — that  ^  we  have  all  finned,  and  come 
 fhort  of  the  glory  of  God,  and  can  be  juftified 
 and  faved  only  by  faith,  by  a  reliance  on  the  mer- 
 cies and  merits  of  Chrift.  But  that  good  works, 
 though  imperfed  and  worthlefs,  are  yet  required 
 by  God,  as  neceflary  terms,  quahfications  and  con- 
 ditions, both  of  our  juftification  and  falvation,  and 
 that  we  cannot  be  juftified  and  faved  without  them, 
 you  cannot  deny,  without  denying  all  the  fcriptures 
 from  one  end  to  the  other  -,  and  contradifting  the 
 very  homilies,  to  which  you  appeal.  "  If  thou 
 wilt  enter  into  life,  keep  the  commandments," 
 faith  our  Saviour  ^     "  Without  holinefs  no  man 
 
 a  Mat.  xvi.  27.     Rom.  ii.  6.  b  P.  6r.  c  Ibid 
 
 d  Rom.  iii.  23.  c  Matt.  xix.  17. 
 
 fhall 
 
[       '2J       ] 
 
 fiiall  fee  the  Lord,"  faith  the  Apoftle ".  After  ha- 
 ving quoted  the  homily,  you  tell  us  with  an  air  of 
 triumph — "  ^  Here  is  no  mention  of  works  either 
 as  conditions  or  as  parts  of  juflification,  which,  as 
 plain  as  words  can  make  it,  is  attributed  only  to 
 faith."  I  fhould  wonder  indeed  if  there  were  any 
 mention  of  works,  after  the  pains  you  have  taken 
 to  fupprefs  it,  and  when  by  your  unfair  method  of 
 quotation  you  have  forced  it  to  fpeak  only  your 
 own  language.  But  had  you  proceeded  only  one 
 fentence  further,  you  would  have  found  the  ho- 
 mily not  fo  filcnt  on  that  head  as  you  would  wil- 
 lingly reprefent  it  to  be,  for  it  immediately  foh 
 lows,  "  <=  And  yet  that  faith  doth  not  exclude  re- 
 pentance, hope,  love,  dread,  and  the  fear  of  God 
 to  be  joined  with  true  faith  in  every  man  that  is 
 juftified,  but  it  excludeth  them  from  the  office  of 
 juftifying  :  fo  that  although  they  be  all  prefent  to- 
 gether in  him  that  is  juftified,  yet  they  juftify  not 
 altogether.  Nor  doth  that  faith  alfo  exclude  the 
 juftice  of  our  good  works  neceflarily  to  be  done 
 afterwards  of  duty  towards  God,  (for  we  are  moll 
 bounden  to  ferve  God  in  doing  good  deeds  com- 
 manded by  him  in  holy  fcripture,  all  the  days  of 
 our  life)  but  it  excludeth  them,  fo  that  we  may 
 not  do  them  to  the  intent  to  be  made  good  by  the 
 doing  of  them." 
 
 a  Heb.  xii.  14.     See  Bu//i  op.  p.  509,  655  &c.      b  P.  59. 
 c  Homily  of  falvaiion,  part  i.  c.  i. 
 
 Nor 
 
[       126      ] 
 
 Nor  is  your  other  extract  lefs  partial,  where 
 you  have  omitted  the  words  immediately  follow- 
 ing it  for  very  obvious  reafons,  becaufe  they  ex- 
 plain the  fenfe  in  which  the  Greek  and  Latin  Fa- 
 thers hold  juftification  by  faith  only.  "^Never- 
 thelefs  (fays  the  homily)  this  fentence,  "that  we 
 be  juftified  by  faith  only",  is  not  fo  meant  by 
 them  (the  fathers)  that  the  faid  justifying  faith 
 is  ALONE  in  man,  without  true  repentance,  hope, 
 charity,  dread  and  the  fear  of  God  at  any  time 
 and  occafion ;  for  when  they  fay  we  be  juftified 
 freely,  they  mean  not  that  we  ihould  or  might 
 afterwards  be  idle,  and  that  nothing  Ihould  be 
 required  on  our  part  afterwards ;  neither  mean 
 they  fo  to  be  juftified  without  our  good  works, 
 that  we  Ihould  do  no  good  works  at  all,  as  fhall 
 be  more  exprefied  at  large  hereafter :  But  this 
 propofition,  that  we  be  juftified  by  faith  only, 
 freely  and  without  good  works,  is  fpoken  for  to 
 take  away  clearly  all  merit  of  our  works,  as  being 
 infufiicient  to  deferve  our  juftification  at  God's 
 hands,  and  thereby  moft  plainly  to  exprefs  the 
 weaknefs  of  man,  and  the  goodnefs  of  God ;  the 
 imperfednefs  of  our  own  works,  and  the  moft 
 abundant  grace  of  our  Saviour  Chrift."  b  Thefe, 
 fir,  are  the  words  of  our  church. 
 
 The  fame  doflrine  is  fully  exprefled  in  the  Pia 
 ct  Catholica  Inftitutio  j  I  will  tranfcribe  a  paflage 
 
 a  Homily  of  Salvation,  part  ii.  c.  3.  b  P.  61. 
 
 or 
 
t   127  ] 
 
 or  two  from  the  original  %  which  was  not  In  my 
 hands  when  the  former  part  of  this  Letter  was 
 written.  In  the  chapter  on  faith,  page  i,  2,  we 
 thus  read,  "  Faithe  in  the  feconde  acception  is 
 confydered  as  it  hathe  hope  and  charitie  annexed 
 and  joyned  unto  it ;  and  faith  fo  taken,  fignifyeth 
 not  only  the  belefe  and  perfuafion  before  men- 
 cioned  in  the  fyrft  acception,  bat  alfo  a  fure  confi- 
 dence and  hope,  to  atteyn  whatfoever  God  hath 
 promyfed  for  Chriftis  fake,  and  an  hearty  love  to 
 God,  and  obedience  to  his  commaundements.^ 
 And  this  faithe  every  Chriften  man  profefleth  and 
 covenaunteth  to  kepe,  when  he  receeyveth  the 
 facrament  of  baptyfme. 
 
 Fo  R  declaration  whereof  it  is  to  be  noted, 
 that  all  the  promyfes  of  God,  made  to  man  after 
 the  fall  of  Adam^  for  Chriftis  fake,  be  made  under 
 
 a  The  Pia  et  Catholica  Inftitutio,  is  only  a  tranflation  of  a 
 book  entitled,  "  A  neceflkry  doftrine  and  erudition  for  any 
 Chriften  man  &c."  which  was  firft  printed  in  the  year  1537, 
 under  this  title,  **  The  inftitution  of  a  Chriften  man."  But 
 King  Henry  the  eighth  intending  to  put  it  forth  under  his  own 
 anthority,  correfted  it  firft  with  his  own  hand,  (which  copy 
 with  the  MS.  correftions  in  the  King's  own  hand,  was  in  the 
 Cotton  library)  and  then  fent  it  to  Archbifhop  Cranmery  who 
 took  fo  great  pains  with  it,  that  in  a  letter  the  Archbifhop  de- 
 clares, "  becaufe  the  book  being '_to  come  out  by  the  King's 
 cenfure  and  judgment,  he  would  have  nothing  in  the  fame, 
 which  Momus  himfelf  could  reprehend,"  I  have  made  the 
 above  quotations  from  this  edition  of  the  King's  printed  in 
 the  year  1543. 
 
 this 
 
t       12«       ] 
 
 this  condition,  that  man  fhoulde  beleve  in  God, 
 and  with  the  grace  of  God  gyven  for  Chryfte, 
 endevour  hym  felfe  to  accomplifhe  Goddis  com- 
 mandements.  The  Churchc  therefore  (intendyngc 
 that  man  fhulde  always  have  in  mynde  howe  the 
 promyfes  of  God  be  made  upon  condition,  and 
 without  kepyng  of  the  condition,  no  man  is  par- 
 taker of  Goddis  promifes)  hath  taught  and  ordeyn- 
 ed,  that  men  before  they  receyue  baptifme,  fhall 
 promyfe  and  covenaunt  to  fulfylle  the  fayde  condi- 
 tion, and  to  forfake  the  deuyll  and  the  worlde,  and 
 to  ferve  onely  God.  And  of  this  efpeciall  cove- 
 nant, whereby  man  byndeth  hymfelfe  to  God,  he 
 is  called  in  latin,  fidelis,  faithful! ;  and  he  that 
 never  made  the  fame  covenaunt,  or  after  he  hath 
 made  it,  renounceth  and  refufeth  the  fame,  is 
 called  amongcs  Chriften  men,  infidelis,  unfaithful, 
 or  heathen. 
 
 NowE  of  that  which  is  before  faide,  it  is  mani- 
 fefl,  that  faithe  (as  it  is  taken  in  the  fecond  ac- 
 ception)  is  the  pcrfe6t  fay  the  of  a  trewe  Chriften 
 man,  and  conteyneth  the  obedience  to  the  hole  doc- 
 trine and  religion  of  Chrift.  And  thus  is  faythe 
 taken  of  Saynt  Paule,  and  in  other  places  of  fcrip- 
 ture  where  it  is  fayde,  that  we  be  juftificd  by 
 faith.  In  whych  places  men  may  not  thynke, 
 that  we  be  juftified  by  faithe,  as  it  is  a  feverall 
 vertue,  feparated  from  hope  and  charitie,  feare  of 
 God  and  repentaunce,  but  by  it  is  ment  faith, 
 neither  onely  ne  alone,  but  with  the.  forefaid  ver- 
 
 tues 
 
[       129       ] 
 
 tues  coupled  together,  conteynyng  (as  it  is  afore- 
 fayd)  the  obedience  to  tlie  hole  dodrine  and  reli- 
 gion of  Chrill." 
 
 The  judicious  Hooker  fpeaks  the  fame  lan- 
 guage —  "  ^  Adtual  righteoufnefs,  fays  he,  which 
 is  the  righteoufnels  of  good  works  fucceedeth  all, 
 followeth  after  all,  both  in  order  and  time  :  which 
 being  attentively  marked,    fheweth  plainly  how 
 the  faith  of  true  believers  cannot  be  divorced  from 
 hope  and  love ;  how  faith  is  a  part  of  fandifica- 
 tion,    and   yet  unto  juftification  neceflary ;    how 
 faith  is  perfedted  by  good  works,  and  not   works 
 of  ours  without  faith ;  and  finally,  how  our  fathers 
 might  hold  that  we  are  juftified  by  faith  alone,  and 
 yet  hold  truly  that  without  works  we  are  not  jufti- 
 fied.    This  likewife   is   the  dodrine  both  of  St, 
 Paul  and  St.  James.     But  for  a  fuller  difcufllon  of 
 this  matter,  I  beg  leave  to  refer  you  to  that  excel- 
 lent treatife  of  Bilhop   Bull,  entitled,  Harmon ia 
 Apoftolica.     In  the  conclufion  of  that  work,  the 
 learned  and  pious  author  warns  us  to  beware  of 
 four  errors  in  this  article  of  juftification.     Firft, 
 that  of  the  Papifts,  who  afcribe  a  merit  to  good 
 works.     Secondly,  that  of  the  Antinomians,  who 
 deny  the  neceftity  of  good  works.     Thirdly,  that 
 of  the  Pelagians,  who  deny  the  neceflity  of  grace. 
 Fourthly,  that  of  the  Manicheans,  who  deny  all 
 free-will. 
 
 a  Seft.  21. 
 
 I  I    HAVE 
 
[    130    ] 
 
 I  HAVE  now  gone  through  the  feveral  points  of 
 doftiine,  which  you  have  with  greater  confidence 
 than  truth  pronounced  to  be  the  ^  very  fundamen- 
 tal avowed  dodirines  of  the  Church  of  England ; 
 but  which  may  now  pofTibly  appear  in  a  different 
 lio-ht  even  to  you,  or  at  ieaft  to  others,  who  might 
 have  been  deceived  by  the  falfe  gloffes  by  which 
 tj  (TU  difguifed  them. 
 
 Indeed  you  are  fometimes  oWiged,  in  fpite  of 
 your  principles,  to  fpeak  the  language  of  common 
 ienfe,  when  your  caufe  requires  it.  When  you  in- 
 veigh with  great  indecency  of  expreflion  againfl 
 *'  thofe  fubtle  ferpents  ^  who  lurk  within  the  bolbm 
 of  the  Church  only  to  prey  upon  her  vitals,  and 
 Xvho  for  the  fake  of  filthy  lucre  carry  on  a  folemn 
 farce  of  fubfcribing  to  articles,  which  many  of  the 
 fubfcribers  no  more  believe  than  they  do  mother 
 'Goofe\  tales"  &c.  You  tell  us  "  "  that  this  impious 
 ■jefuitical  equivocation,  without  speedy  repent- 
 ance, MUST  DRAW  DOWN  THE  VENGEANCE  OF 
 A     LONG-SUFFERING     GoD      UPON      OUR     LaND." 
 
 Thefe  words,  if  they  have  any  meaning,  imply 
 that  even  thefe  fubtle  ferpents,  who  prey  upon  the 
 vitals  of  the  Church  -,  who  would  overthrow  her 
 very  foundation ;  who  are  guilty  of  the  mofl  horrid 
 mockery,  and  impious  jefuitical  equivocation,  may 
 yet,  if  they  will,  repent ;  and  by  a  fpeedy  repent- 
 ance avert  the  juft  vengeance  of  God,  whom  you 
 yourfelf  reprefent  as  long-suffering,    i.  e. 
 
 a  P.  21.  b  P.  73.  c  P.  74. 
 
 forbearing 
 
[    '3'     ] 
 
 forbearing  punifhment  in  hopes  of  amendment, 
 being  not  willing  that  any  fhould  perifli,  but  that 
 all  fhould  repent,  and  be  faved.  But  how  is  all 
 this  confiftent  with  your  doflrine  of  abfolute  de- 
 crees, denial  of  free-will,  and  univerfal  grSce  of- 
 fered to  all,  who  will  lay  hold  of  it  ?  &c. 
 
 Another  point  yet  remains,  which  you  have 
 the  alTurance  to  tell  the  world  was  an  article  of  ac- 
 cufation  againft  thefe  fix  Students,  viz.  "  ^  that 
 they  hold  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  necef- 
 fary  to  conftitute  every  one  a  child  of  God."  I  have 
 already  confuted  the  bafe  calumny,  which  was  fug- 
 gelled  to  you,  not  by  the  fpirit  of  truth,  but  by  the 
 father  of  lies :  You  cannot  but  know  that  we  all 
 hold  the  neceflity  of  grace,  and  of  the  afllftance  of 
 the  Holy  Spirit,  and  teach,  that  without  this  afllft- 
 ance  we  can  do  no  good  thing.  Mod  of  us  have 
 not  only  offered  thefe  petitions  for  the  infpiration 
 and  comfort  of  the  Holy  Ghofl  in  the  ^  defk,  but 
 from  the  Univerfity  pulpit  alfo ;  and  I  may  chal- 
 lenge you  to  produce  an  inflance,  during  the  whole 
 time  of  your  refidcnce  in  the  Univerfity,  of  one, 
 who  dared  to  affert  before  that  learned  and  religi- 
 ous body  "  c  that  it  is  a  proof  of  frenzy  and  en- 
 thufiafm  to  believe  God  will  vouchfafe  an  anfwer 
 to  them."  But  while  we  pray  for  the  Spirit,  and 
 teach  others  to  live  under  his  holy  influence,  we 
 diftinguifli   between  the  extraordinary   infpiration 
 
 a  P.  63.  b  P.  66.  c  Ibid. 
 
 I  2  which 
 
[       132      ] 
 
 which  was  conferred  on  the  Apoftles  and  firfl: 
 Chriftians,  and  the  ordinary  grace  of  the  fame 
 Spirit,  which  was  vouchfafed  to  them,  and  is  ftill 
 to  all  good  Chriftians  in  general,  to  enable  them 
 to  work  out  their  falvation.  Which  is  it  then, 
 which  you  and  your  difciples  claim  ?  If  only  the 
 latter ;  what  folly,  what  prefumption  is  it  to  com- 
 pare the  cafe  of  thefe  young  men  with  that  of  the 
 Apofl:les  and  our  blelTed  Saviour  himfelf  ?  I  won- 
 der not  at  all  atMr.  Whitefield^  but  ftand  amazed  to 
 find  "  ^  a  Mafter  of  Arts,  of  near  twenty  years 
 Handing  in  the  Univerfity"  argue  in  this  manner — 
 *'  Jefus  the  carpenter  was  bred  to  a  trade."  Pray, 
 fir,  confider  whom  you  are  fpeaking  of — the  Son 
 of  God  himfelf-,  ''who  received  not  the  fpirit  by 
 meafure  :  "  and  in  whom  dwelleth  all  the  fullnefs  of 
 the  Godhead  —  Luke  the  phyfician  and  ^  painter, 
 Matthew  the  publican,  Faul  the  tent-maker" — Per- 
 fons  immediately  commiflioned  and  infpired  by 
 God  —  were  moft,  if  not  all  of  them,  bred  to  trades 
 —  therefore  any  man  may  now,  without  any  fuch 
 extraordinary  commiflion  or  infpiration,  leap  from 
 the  fhop-board  into  the  pulpit  —  "  They  were  moft 
 of  them  deficient  in  the  learned  languages"  —  No, 
 they  were  not ;  they  had  the  gift  of  tongues  to 
 fupply  the  want  of  education,  they  fpoke  all  the 
 languages  of  the  known  e  world.     Will  thefe  men 
 
 a  p.  i6.  b  Joh.  iii.  35.  c  Col.  ii.  g. 
 
 d  Of  tius  you  have  no  better  proof  than  fome  legendary  wri- 
 tings and  relifts  in  popiih  chapels,  which  however,  when  they 
 fervc  your  turn,  may  be  good  authority.         e  A<Ss  ii.  5  &c. 
 
 pretend 
 
[     133     ] 
 
 pretend  to  have  the  fame  gifts  ?  Their  examina- 
 tion proved  they  had  not. "  They  all  ufed 
 
 extempore  prayer"  —  and  therefore  perfons  igno- 
 rant and  uninfpired  may  now  take  upon  them  to  ut- 
 ter whatever  comes  uppermofl  in  prayer  to  God  Al- 
 mighty, in  the  name  of  the  congregation.  — *'  But 
 St.  Paul  was  a  notorious  promoter  of  this  kind  of 
 prayer"  —  not  this  kind  ;  in  St.  Paul's  time  fpiri- 
 tual  gifts  abounded  in  the  Church  ;  many  Chrif- 
 tians  then  prayed  and  fang  with  the  fpirit :  ^  St. 
 Paul  direfts  them  how  they  fhould  ufe  thefe  gifts 
 to  the  edification  of  the  Chur(?h  ;  but  this  can  give 
 no  pretence  or  encouragement  to  ignorant  perfons, 
 to  pour  forth  extempore  prayer  in  the  congregation 
 without  either  fpirit  or  underftanding. 
 
 If  thefe  perfons,  who  have  unhappily  fallen  un- 
 der our  cenfure,  claimed  only  the  ordinary  grace 
 and  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  haw  came  they 
 to  think  themfelves  authorized  or  qualified  to 
 preach  or  expound,  as  they  call  it,  and  to  offer  up 
 prayers  of  their  own  in  a  mix'd  congregation  ?  The 
 ordinary  grace  of  the  fpirit  gives  men  no  new  fa- 
 culties :  it  only  aflifts  and  profpers  us  in  the  ufe  of 
 natural  means,  and  in  the  exercife  of  our  natural 
 or  acquired  abilities.  How  then  could  thefe  men 
 without  education,  and  without  knowledge,  totally 
 deficient  in  every  part  of  learning,  take  upon  them- 
 felves thefe  ofiices,  which  a  long  and  laborious  courfe 
 
 «  1   Cor.  xiv. 
 
 I  3  of 
 
[     134     ] 
 
 of  education  and  ftudy  is  generally  thought  neceffary 
 to  qualify  men  for  ?  Prayer  in  particular  is  a  feri- 
 ous  and  important  duty  —  "  a  Be  not  ralh  with  thy 
 mouth,  faith  the  preacher,  and  let  not  thine  heart 
 be  hafty  to  utter  any  thing  before  God ;  for  God 
 is  in  heaven,  and  thou  upon  earth."  When  we 
 come  before  the  great  Majefty  of  heaven,  even 
 in  private  prayer,  we  fliould  do  well  to  confider 
 before  hand  both  the  matter  and  form  of  what  we 
 have  to  offer;  and  take  particular  care  that  we 
 offer  nothing  unlawful,  indecent,  or  improper. 
 Much  lefs  an  prayers  be  made  in  a  public  congre- 
 gation with  any  propriety  or  decency,  without  a 
 pre-compofed  and  well  digefted  form.  If  perfons 
 uninfpired  and  untaught,  without  knowledge,  or 
 premeditation,  take  upon  them  to  be  the  mouth 
 of  the  congregation,  and  in  their  name  offer  up 
 their  own  crude  conceptions  to  the  great  God  of 
 heaven,  to  call  this  the  facrifice  of  fools,  is  a  very 
 mild  appellation.  The  Church  of  England  has  fuf' 
 ficiently  teftified  her  difapprobation  of  extempore 
 prayer  by  appointing  a  liturgy  or  form  of  public 
 prayer,  and  requiring  all  her  minifters  to  ufe  this 
 form,  and  none  other  :  to  put  up  therefore  fuch 
 extempore  prayers  in  mixed  congregations  or 
 conventicles,  wherever  they  are  held,  is  to  a6t 
 contrary  to  the  doftrine  and  difcipline  of  the 
 Church  of  England.  And  accordingly  our  divines 
 have  conftantly  maintained  and  defended  the  ne- 
 'e Eccles.  V.  2. 
 
 ceffity 
 
[     '35     ] 
 
 cefllty  and  expediency  of  public  forms  of  prayer, 
 and  fhewn  the  abfurdity  and  indecency  of  the  ufage 
 of  extempore  prayers,  againft  the  puritans  and  dif- 
 fenters,  whofe  pradice  and  language  (notwithftand- 
 ing  the  high  veneration  you  profefs  for  the  doc- 
 trine and  difcipline  of  the  eftabljflied  Church)  you 
 and  your  friends  adopt.  The  enthufiafts  in  the 
 laft  century,  who  overthrew  our  conftitution  both 
 in  Church  and  State,  talked  of  fitting  down,  and 
 waiting  for  the  fpirit,  bragged  of  the  influences  of 
 the  fpirit,  and  particularly  of  the  gift  of  prayer, 
 they  fpoke  difrefpedfully  of  our  liturgy,  and  fo 
 it  appeared  on  the  examination  that  fome  of  thefe 
 gentlemen  had  done  -,  they  condemned  all  public 
 forms  of  prayer,  and  called  it  (tinting  and  limiting 
 the  fpirit:  and  they  alfo  pleaded  the  example  of 
 Chrifl:  and  his  Apoftles;  but  I  don't  remember 
 that  any  of  them  ever  urged  the  example  of  "  ^  the 
 poor,  old,  blind  beggar,  Barinneus.** 
 
 I  M I G  H  T  purfue  you  through  every  article  of 
 your  comparifon,  and  expofe  the  abfurdity  (I  had 
 almoft  faid  blafphemy)  of  it,  were  I  not  fenfible 
 that  the  ludicrous  manner  in  which  you  have 
 treated  thofe  facred  charaders  cannot  even  be 
 thought  of  without  abhorrence. 
 
 1  SHALL  take  notice  of  one  point  more,  which 
 you  have  touched  on,  and  that  is  the  doctrine 
 OF  ASSURANCE,  whctcby  the  children  of  God  are 
 
 a  P.  70. 
 
 faid 
 
[     136    ] 
 
 faid  to  be  afiured  of  their  falvation.  You  are 
 pleafed  to  fay  "  ^  that  the  denial  of  this  affurance, 
 except  by  revelation,  is  the  very  doftrine  of  the 
 Council  of  'Trent,  and  a  main  pillar  of  popery. 
 If  the  Council  of  Trent  denied  this  dodlrine  of  af- 
 furance, fo  did  it  alfo  the  errors  of  Arius  and 
 Socinus  ;  and  you  may  as  well  call  the  denial  of  the 
 one  a  main  pillar  of  popery,  as  of  the  other.  For 
 though  both  thefe  dodtrines  are,  I  fear,  held  by 
 fome  Proteflants,  yet  are  they  contrary  to  the 
 doctrine  of  our  Church.  Our  articles  hold  that 
 men  may  fall  from  grace,  and  therefore  no  man 
 can  be  infallibly  fure  of  his  perfeverance.  Our 
 firft  reformers,  as  we  have  feen,  ^  held,  that  nei- 
 ther fcripture,  nor  the  writings  of  the  fathers  teach 
 any  fuch  knowledge  or  cetainty. 
 
 You  have  favoured  us  with  no  proof  of  this 
 your  doftrine  of  perfeverance,  I  fhall  therefore 
 content  myfelf  at  prefent  with  referring  you  to 
 Dr  Randolphs  fermon  on  Rom.  viii.  i6.  lately  pub- 
 lifhed.  Our  Margaret  Profeflbr  hath  there  lliewn, 
 that  to  do  the  works  of  God  is  the  only  mark 
 of  being  God's  children ;  that  we  can  have  no  af- 
 furance of  being  fuch,  but  from  the  teftimony 
 of  our  confciences :  that  as  to  the  perfeverance,  it 
 mull  depend  on  our  own  free  choice,  and  there- 
 fore we  can  have  no  infallible  affurance  of  it ; 
 and  that  the  do6lrine  of  fuch  affurance  is  a  falfe 
 and  dangerous  delufion, 
 
 »  P.  3x,  b  P.  73. 
 
 I  win. 
 
[     137     ] 
 
 1  Will  here  add  the  concluding  paflfage  of 
 the  chapter  on  faith  %  which  is  worthy  the  fe- 
 rious  confideration  of  all  thofe,  who  talk  fo  vainly 
 and  boaft  fo  confidently  of  their  falvation.  "  Truthe 
 it  is,  that  in  the  facramentes  inftituted  by  Chrift, 
 we  may  conftantly  beleve  the  workes  of  God  in 
 them  to  our  prefente  comforte,  and  application  of 
 his  grace  and  favour,  with  afluraunce  alio,  that  he 
 will  not  fayle  us,  if  we  falle  not  from  hym.'  Where- 
 fore fo  contynuinge  in  the  ftate  of  grace  with  hym, 
 we  may  beleve  undoubtedly  to  be  faved.  But 
 for  as  moche  as  oure  owne  frayltie  and  noughty- 
 neffe  ought  ever  to  be  feared  in  us,  it  is  therefore 
 expediente  for  us  to  lyue  in  contynuall  watche,  and 
 contynuall  fyght  with  our  ennemyes,  the  Dyuell, 
 the  flefhe,  and  the  worlde,  and  not  to  prefume 
 to  moche  of  oure  perfeveraunce  &  contynuance  in 
 the  ftate  of  grace,  whiche  on  our  behalfe  is  uncer- 
 tayne  and  unliable.  For  although  Goddis  pro- 
 myfes  made  in  Chrift  be  immutable,  yet  he  maketh 
 them  not  to  us,  but  with  condition,  fo  that  his 
 promyfe  ftandinge,  we  may  yet  fayle  of  the  pro- 
 myfe,  bycaufe  we  kepe  not  our  promyfe.  And 
 therefore  yf  we  afluredly  reckon  upon  the  ftate 
 of  our  felicitie,  as  grounded  upon  Goddis  promyfe, 
 and  do  not  therewith  remembre,  that  no  man  fhal 
 be  crowned,  onlefle  he  lawfully  fyght,  we  Ihall  tri- 
 umphe  before   the  vydorye,  and  fo  loke  in  vayne 
 
 5*66  "  a  neceflary  doftrine  and  erudition  for  «ny  Chriflcn 
 man."   Page  3. 
 
 for 
 
[     338    ] 
 
 for  that,  "whiche  is  not  otherwife  promifed,  but 
 under  a  condition.  And  this  every  chriften  man 
 muft  affuredly^  beleve."  We  muft  therefore  ^  prove 
 our  own  felves,  and  examine  into  our  own  lives 
 and  converfations,  and  if,  ^  on  an  impartial  enqui- 
 ry, our  hearts  condemn  us  not,  theii  have  we  con- 
 fidence towards  God.  You,  fir,  I  fuppofe,  are  pof- 
 feffed,  or  imagine  yourfelf  poffeffed,  of  this  aflu- 
 rance,  and  are  confident  that  you  are  one  of  the 
 eled  people  of  God,  one  of  his  children,  his  fheep 
 *  But  this  is  not  the  bleating  of  fheep,  which 
 we  hear.  Let  me  afli  you  ferioufly,  whether,  to 
 throw  out  perfonal  abufe,  '^  to  rip  up  private  cha- 
 raders,  to  revive  old  ftories,  many  of  them  falfe, 
 all  of  them  mifreprefented,  of  fuppofed  abufes  and 
 want  of  difcipline,  thirty  or  forty  years  ago ;  to 
 ufe  bitter  and  opprobrious  language,  to  call  thofe 
 who  differ  from  you  ^  a  peftilent,  feditious  fed, 
 holding  pride-foothing  dodrines,  ^doftrines  of  de- 
 vils; ^dangerous  heretics,  and  fcifmatics,  incendia- 
 ries in  the  Church  ;  to  caft  general  refleftions  on 
 the  mofl  refpe6lable  members  of  the  Univerfity, 
 where  there  are  s  many  great  dignified  divines  who 
 are  feen  napping  at  the  Univerfity  Church  moft 
 Sundays  throughout  the  year,  and  cannot  find  time 
 to  leave  the  common  room,  and  attend  the  even- 
 ing prayers  at  chapel ;  and  on  the  Clergy  ^  many 
 of  whom  fpend  their  time  in  idlenefs  and  feilfual 
 
 a  2  Cor.  xiii.  5. 
 
 b  I  Joh.  iii.  21. 
 
 c  P.  6.  19. 
 
 21.  79.         d  P.  33. 
 
 e  P.  52.         f  P.  6g. 
 
 g  P-7I. 
 
 h  P.  67. 
 
 indul- 
 
[     139     ] 
 
 indulgence,  and  ^  carry  on  a  folemn  farce  of  fub- 
 fcribing  to  articles,  which  they  no  more  believe 
 
 than  they  do  mother  Goofe\  tales. Let  me  alk 
 
 you,  whether  fuch  language  as  this  is  confiftenc 
 with  that  charity,  and  mecknefs  which  is  the  dif- 
 tinguifhing  charadler  of  Ch rift's  difciples.  ^You 
 feem  indeed  fenfible  that  you  have  declared  your 
 fentiments  too  plainly  :  and  therefore  would  vin- 
 dicate yourfclf  by  the  example  of  our  blefled  Sa- 
 viour, and  Martin  Luther.  As  to  Luther.,  let  me 
 defire  you  to  imitate  his  many  good  qualities,  and 
 not  his  failings.  He  has  been  cenfured  as  guilty 
 of  too  great  heat  and  acrimony  in  fome  of  his  ex- 
 preflions  j  but  when  you  honoured  him  with  the 
 title  of  the  couragious  champion  of  the  re- 
 formation, you  had  furely  forgotten  that  he 
 comes  under  the  fame  condemnation  with  us,  "  of 
 holding  the  do6trines  of  free-will,  and  univerfal  re- 
 demption, the  avowed  doftrines  of  the  Church  of 
 Rome^   compared  with  which  tranfubftantiation  is 
 
 an   harmlefs  error" How  will  you  reconcile 
 
 thefe  inconfiftences  ?  But  I  am  very  forry  you 
 fhould  fhelter  yourfelf  under  the  authority  of  our 
 Bleffed  Saviour.  "When  you  can  fhew  that  we  are 
 all  of  us  "  the  bittereft  enemies  of  true  godlinefs," 
 or  that  you  have  the  fame  authority,  as  our  Savi- 
 our, and  the  fame  knowledge  of  the  heart,  then 
 we  will  give  you  leave,  if  you  find  reafon,  to  call 
 us  fcribes,  and  Pharifees,  hypocrites.    As  you  can- 
 
 a  P.  74.  b  Ibid. 
 
 not 
 
[     HO     ] 
 
 not  do  this,  we  mufl  befeech  you  rather  to  learn 
 from  our  bleffed  faviour  ^  meeknefs,  and  lowlinefs 
 of  heart;  and  ^  to  put  away  from  you  all  bitter- 
 nefs,  and  wrath,  and  anger,  and  clamour,  and  evil- 
 ipeaking  with  all  malice. 
 
 When  you  complained  fo  bitterly  of  perfecu- 
 tion,  and  compared  the  proceedings  againft  thefe 
 young  men  to  thofe  of  the  ftar-chamber,  and  high 
 commiflion  -  court,  you  fhould  have  confidered 
 how  you  could  acquit  yourfelf,  and  your  friends,  of 
 the  fame  charge.  Who  perfecuted  Barrett,  and 
 others,  and  would  fain  have  impofed  the  Lambeth 
 articles  upon  them  ^  the  calvinifts  at  Cambridge, 
 whofe  caufe  you  efpoufe  and  defend.  Who  framed 
 the  horrible  decrees  of  the  fynod  of  Dort,  and 
 deprived  the  remonftrants  of  all  ecclesiasti- 
 cal    FUNCTIONS,      AND     ALL      OFFICES      IN     ANY 
 
 University:  drove  the  \^^vntd  Grotius  into  ba- 
 nifhment,  and  made  him  fly  for  his  life  ?  Your 
 friends  the  Calvinifts,  whofe  proceedings  you  '^men- 
 tion with  approbation.  Who  perfecuted,  nay,  hor- 
 ribly executed  the  Quakers  ?  The  good  Calvinifts 
 of  New  England^.  And  may  we  not  add,  that 
 the  fame  fpirit  of  perfecution  ftill  continues  among 
 them  ;  fmce  they  will  not  fuffer  a  Biftiop  of  the 
 Church  of  England  to  fet  foot  there,  for  the  dif- 
 charge  of  an  office  purely  fpiritual,  and  without 
 any  pretenfions  to  temporal  jurifdiftion  ?    Your 
 
 a  Matt.  xi.  29.  b  Eph.  iv.  31.  c  P.  57. 
 
 A  See  the  firft  Letter  to  the  Author  of  the  Confeffional  P.  43. 
 
 friend 
 
[     HI     ] 
 
 friend  Mr.  JVhitefield  in  his  letter  to  the  Vice-Chan- 
 cellor feems  willing  to  encourage  this  fpirit  of  his 
 Calvinian  friends,  and  invidiouily  calls  the  Bifhops 
 deftined  ior  America,  Lords  Billiops.  Nay  ^you  your- 
 felf  would  impofe  your  own  fenfe  of  the  articles  on 
 us,  and  would  fentence  all  thofe  who  deny  your  doc- 
 trines to  be  rejeded  as  heretics,  excommunicated, 
 and  expelled  the  Univerfity,  and  you  urge  the  exe- 
 cution of  that  fentence  ipfo  fa5fo  in  the  true  fpirit 
 of  your  admired  author  Mr.  Prynne,  with  an  — 
 "  Alafs  !  — Quid  leges  fine  moribus  vanse  profi- 
 ciunt  ?"  though  indeed  you  tremble  for  the  confe- 
 quences ;  and  are  afraid  our  colleges  would  be  in 
 danger  of  an  utter  defertion,  and  an  almoft  gene- 
 ral expulfion  enfue.  What  right  then  have  you  to 
 complain,  were  we  even  to  do  by  you,  as  you 
 would  do  by  us  ?  We  have  deprived  thefe  men  of 
 no  preferment,  or  emolument.  Nor  fhould  we 
 have  done  thus  much,  or  even  enquired  what  their 
 tenets  were  with  regard  to  thefe  points,  if  they 
 had  not  been  charged  with  other  matters,  for  which, 
 they  ought  to  have  been  removed  from  a  fociety 
 devoted  to  true  religion,  and  learning ;  viz.  fre- 
 quenting, and  holding  conventicles,  infufficiency, 
 ignorance,  mifbehaviour  to  their  tutor  ^c. 
 
 You  aflert  *=  indeed  that  though  Mr.  Grove  was 
 expelled  for  preaching  in  a  barn,  yet  "  he  really 
 never  did  it,  and  abfolutely  denied  it."    Do  you 
 
 a  P.  66.  b  P.  17,18. 
 
 mean, 
 
[      142      ] 
 
 mean.  Sir,  that  he  ne^ver  preached  at  all  ?  or  that 
 he  did  not  preach  in  a  barn  ?  or  a  field  ?  If  the 
 former;  it  was  proved  by  undoubted  evidence, 
 and  confeffed  by  himfelf  both  at  the  examination 
 and  afterwards  —  though  I  am  fmce  informed  that, 
 in  a  petition  prefented  to  the  late  Archbifhop,  he 
 has  denied  it.  If  the  latter  •,  it  is  a  mere  quibble, 
 it  being  very  immaterial  whether  the  preachment 
 was  made  in  a  barn,  or  a  malt-houfe,  in  a  field,  or 
 on  a  common  i  not  the  place,  but  the  adtion  was 
 condemned.  ^ 
 
 THOUGH  I  am  not  obliged  to  take  any 
 notice  of  your  poflfcript,  it  being  addrefled 
 to  a  perfon  totally  unknown  to  me,  yet  as  it  con- 
 tains, what  you  call,  "  three  very  material  points, 
 on  which  you  ground  the  caufe  you  have  defended, 
 
 and  to  which  you  publicly  call  for  an  anfwer" 
 
 (tho'  you  might  have  done  this  with  greater  pro- 
 priety, had  you  put  your  name  to  your  perform- 
 ance) I  beg  you  will  accept  the  following. 
 
 a  In  p.  26.  of  your  fecond  edition  you  go  farther,  and  tell 
 the  world  that  when  fentence  was  pafs'd  on  Mr.  Grove,  **he 
 denied  the  fafl ;  however  he  was  put  down  guilty  of  it  by 
 Dr.  N — L."  Now,  Sir,  it  will  appear  from  my  minutes  that 
 I  had  not  mentioned  the  word  barn  —  but  that  circumftance  of 
 the  place  was  recolleded  by  the  other  aireflbrs,  and  accordingly 
 was  inferted  in  the  fentence-by  the  Vice- Chancellor.  To  what. 
 Sir,  I  am  to  attribute  your  remarkable  attention  to  me  ?  Time 
 perhaps  may  explain  it. 
 
 First, 
 
[     H3    ] 
 
 First,  From  the  foregoing  account  of  the  pro- 
 ceedings, it  will  evidently  appear  that  you  have 
 greatly  mifreprefented  very  many  "  fadls  relative  to 
 the  trial  of  the  young  men;"  whether  thro*  want 
 of  information  or  candor,  muft  be  left  to  your  own 
 confcience,  and  that  Being  to  whom  you  fo  folemnly 
 appeal. 
 
 After  you  had  faid  all  the  ill-natured  things 
 you  could  invent,  you  give  the  reader  to  under- 
 ftand  that  you  could  have  faid  a  g'eat  deal  more, 
 and  compliment  your  own  rnaderation  by  telling 
 him  "  that  you  have  rather  extenuated  than  ag- 
 gravated." This  may  be  a  beautiful  figure  in  rhe- 
 toric; either  hyperbole,  or  a;  ofiopefis,  or  fome- 
 thing  fuperior  to  both  —  however,  I  hope,  the  can- 
 did reader  will  confider  it  only  as  a  flower  of  fpeech, 
 and  weigh  your  moderation  and  forbearance  "  in 
 the  balance  of  calm  reflection,  and  unbiafl'ed  judg- 
 ment." 
 
 What  you  mean  by  "the  haughty  overbearing 
 treatment  the  youths  met  with  at  their  trial,"  is 
 beyond  my  comprehenfion.  Sure  I  am,  that  the 
 Vice-Chancellor  and  his  afl^efllbrs  treated  them  with 
 the  greateft  candor  and  humanity :  and  if  any  of 
 the  vaft  croud,  which  were  prefent,  behaved  im- 
 properly, it  was  matter  of  great  concern  and  of- 
 fence to  them;  but  can  with  no  more  juftice  be 
 laid  to  their  charge,  then  any  noife,  which  may 
 happen  in  the  alTize-hall,  can  be  to  the  Judge  who 
 
 fits 
 
[    144    ] 
 
 fits  on  the  bench.  But,  in  fa6l,  the  young  men 
 met  with  no  ill-treatment  from  any  one  during  the 
 whole  examination,  which  was  carried  on  with  as 
 much  decency  as  could  be  expefled,  in  a  place  fo 
 crouded.  The  only  circumftance,  which  gave  of- 
 fence, was  the  great  throng  which  preiTed  into  the 
 chapel  to  hear  the  fentence,  not  with  that  reve- 
 rence which  became  the  place ;  but  their  behavi- 
 our in  it  was  proper  and  decent,  and  a  perfed: 
 filence  was  obferved  during  the  whole  time  that 
 the  Vice-Chancellor  pronounced  the  feveral  fen- 
 tences.  ^ 
 
 I  KNOW  not  what  "  veil  you  pretend  to  draw 
 over  the  moral  chara6ters  of  certain  perfons  who 
 were  very  a6live  againft  them,"  but  am  convinced 
 that  you  would  have  a6led  with  more  chriftian  cha- 
 rity, had  you  honeftly  expofed  what  you  pretend 
 to  conceal  —  you  now  flab  in  the  dark,  and  your 
 obfcure  infinuations  reach  much  farther  than  an 
 open  attack  could  poflibly  have  done.  If  you  have 
 any  charge  againft  the  moral  character  of  the  Vice- 
 Chancellor,  or  either  of  his  aflefTors,  you  ought, 
 in  juftice  to  the  reft,  to  have  openly  avowed  it. 
 I  flatter  myfelf  they  have  no  reafon  either  to  fue 
 to  your  mercy,  or  to  "  dread  your  power  of  ex- 
 poling  them." 
 
 a  N.  B.  The  Vicc-Chancellor  intended  to  pronounce  fen- 
 tence in  the  Hall,  where  the  examination  had  been  taken  j  but 
 finding  it  greatly  crouded,  it  was  propofed  to  adjourn  to  the 
 chapel  to  avoid  that  inconveniency. 
 
 What 
 
[     HS    ] 
 
 What  has  been  above  advanced  concerning 
 the  do6trines  of  the  Church  of  England,  will,  I 
 hope,  be  a  fufficient  reply  to  the  former  part  of 
 your  fecond  point.  "  I  wonder  how  you  can  a(k 
 what  I  think  of  Barrett  cafe,  and  whether  all  per- 
 fecution  is  confined  to  primitive  times."  For  an 
 anfwer  to  this  very  extraordinary  queftion  I  refer 
 
 you  to  page  140.  the   3d  point  deferves 
 
 none  —  But  if  you  ftill  perfift  to  demand  why  Mr. 
 Newton,  Davies,  and  Fletcher  (for  I  don't  remember 
 that  the  other  names  were  mentioned)  were  called 
 methodifls  j  I  refer  you  to  Mr.  Higfon  for  an 
 anfwer. 
 
 Be  pleafed  likewife  to  accept  the  following  fo- 
 lution  of  your  queries,  a 
 
 I  ft,  The  teftimony  of  Dr.  Dixon  was  not  fet  at 
 nought,  but  had  all  the  weight,  which  could  with 
 juftice  be  given  it.  When  particular  fads  were 
 urged  and  proved,  which  by  the  ftatutes  of  the 
 Univerfity,  and  of  the  Hall,  fubjeded  the  offend- 
 ers to  expulfion,  the  Vifitor  was  obliged  to  put 
 thofe  ftatutes  in  force,  unlefs  he  would  betray  the 
 duty  and  authority  of  his  office.  No  teftimony  to 
 their  charaders  could  alter  the  nature,  or  deftroy 
 the  force  of  the  proofs  brought  againft  them  — 
 For  an  anfwer  to  the  latter  part  of  this  query,  and 
 to  your  2d  —  I  refer  you  to  Mr.  M^elling'^  cafe 
 page  56"  ^A 
 
 ai  P.  84. 
 
 K  Br 
 
[     H6     ] 
 
 B  Y  way  of  folution  to  the  third,  I  beg  leave  to 
 aflfure  you  that  the  young  men  were  not  obhged  to 
 accufe  themfelves.  When  the  articles  of  accufation 
 were  produced  againft  each  of  them  feparately, 
 they  were  afl<:ed  whether  they  acknowledged  what 
 was  urged  againft  them  to  be  true.  If  they  did  — 
 no  farther  proof  was  required.  If  .they  did  not  — 
 Mr.  Higfon  then  proceeded  to  fupport  his  charge, 
 article  by  article ;  and  he  did  it  with  the  greateft 
 regularity,  and  clearnefs  imaginable.  If  you  do  not 
 chufe  to  acquiefce  in  this  account,  I  muft  refer  you 
 to  him  -,  who  has  all  the  evidence  by  him,  and  is 
 ready  to  produce  it,  whenever  he  fhall  be  properly 
 called  upon.  I  will  only  obferve  that,  had  they  been 
 queftioned  in  the  manner  you  reprefent,  it  is  no 
 more  than  what  is  ufually  done,  when  young  men 
 are  accufed  of  any  irregularity  before  the  gover- 
 nors of  their  refpedive  focieties.  Something  more 
 than  a  bare  denial  is  required ;  they  are  expected 
 to  anfwer  to  the  charge,  and  to  vindicate  them- 
 felves by  refuting,  or  difproving,  thematter  of  their 
 accufation — was  not  this  the  cafe,  it  is  impofTible 
 that  difcipline  could  be  maintained. 
 
 One  word  more  in  anfwer  to  your  N.  B.  and  I 
 have  done.  When  it  was  faid  that  the  young  men 
 had  their  tutor's  advice  in  every  ftep  they  took,  as 
 well  in  their  meetings  at  firft,  as  in  their  abfenting 
 themfelves  from  them  afterwards,  Mr.  Higfon  ex- 
 plain'd  this  matter,  by  declaring  that  Mr.  Jones  had 
 
 impo  fed 
 
[     J47    ] 
 
 impofed  upon  him  in  his  reprefentation  of  thefe 
 meetings  —  that  he  neither  mentioned  expounding 
 or  extempore  prayers ;  but  only  afked  whether  there 
 was  any  crime  in  a  few  friends  meeting  to  read  the 
 holy  fcriptures,  and  other  godly  books.  I  am  not 
 furprized  that  Mr.  Jones  fhould  deceive  his  tutor, 
 when  ""  you  have  endeavoured  to  impofe  the  fame 
 account  upon  the  world,  b 
 
 Whatever  Mr.  Grove^  Mr.  Middklon,  or  you 
 may  be  inclined  to  think,  I  am  fully  perfuaded  that 
 the  Vice-Chancellor  was  not  pufhed  on  by  the  vio- 
 lence of  others,  but  urged  by  an  affeftionate  regard 
 for  the  honour  and  welfare  of  the  Univerfity  "  to 
 carry  matters  to  the  lengths  they  were  carried  j"  — 
 with  reludlance  indeed  to  the  natural  fweetnefs  and 
 humanity  of  his  own  difpofition,  but  with  that  ftea- 
 dinefs  and  impartiality,  which  became  a  fcholar  and 
 a  magiftrate.  Nor  are  you  more  happy  in  the  proof 
 by  which  you  would  fupport  your  affertion  :  his 
 humanity  does  not  fland  in  need  of  your  compli- 
 ment at  the  expence  of  truth.  I  am  not  confcious 
 to  myfelf  of  having  afked  any  prying  or  imperti- 
 
 a  P.  14,  15. 
 
 b  In  your  fecond  edition  p.  24.  you  reprefent  me  as  in- 
 finuating  "  with  a  fneering  laugh"  that  Mr.  jfo/ies's  defence 
 of  himfclf  fhould  be  remembered  to  his  prejudice.  In  con- 
 futation of  this  unjuft  reflection  I  refer  you  to  my  minutes  of 
 Mr.  yones's  examination  page  24.  from  whence  it  will  appear, 
 that  I  have  faithfully  recorded  the  fubltance  of  his  defence. 
 By  the  fame  minutes  every  other  charge  brought  againlt  me 
 Hands  confuted. 
 
 nent 
 
[     h8    ] 
 
 flent  queftlons,  but  fuch  only  as  dire6Hy  tended  to 
 difcover,  what  I  was  appointed  to  enquire  into,  the 
 truth  ;  nor  did  the  Vice-Chancellor  ever  flop  me  in 
 fuch  enquiry ;  but  I  have  the  fatisfadlion  to  fay  that 
 my  condudt,  as  well  as  that  of  the  other  aflefTors, 
 met  with  his  entire  approbation.  Both  he,  and  they 
 were  indeed  fenfible  that  they  were  engaged  in  a 
 very  invidious  office;  and  that  their  proceedings, 
 however  upright  and  impartial,  would  be  cenfured, 
 and  mifreprefented,  by  thofe,  who  fhould  be  affefted 
 by  them.  They  could  not  expeft  to  efcape  the 
 fharpnefs  of  your  refentment,  who  have  not  fpared 
 even  the  place  of  your  education.  Reverence  and 
 afFedlion  will  naturally  induce  every  true  fon  of  our 
 Alma  Mate}\  to  be  tender  of  her  reputation,  to  ho- 
 nour her  virtues,  and  put  the  moft  favourable  con- 
 ftru6lion  on  her  failings.  But  you  have  taken  an 
 ill-natured  pleafure  in  expofing,  with  no  lefs  falf- 
 hood  than  malice,  what,  even  had  it  been  true,  hu- 
 manity would  have  endeavoured  to  conceal.  Her 
 lenity,  which  probably  yourfelf  have  experienced, 
 has  not  lefs  provoked  your  indignation  on  other  oc- 
 cafions,  than,  what  you  are  pleafed  to  call,  her  le- 
 verity  and  cruelty  on  this.  You  have  revived  the 
 long-forgotten  difgrace  of  fome  of  her  members, 
 and  raifed  fcandalous  reports  of  others,  merely  to 
 blacken  her  charader,  and  bring  upon  her  the  re- 
 proach of  the  public. 
 
 I  SINCERELY  forgivc  any  injury  you  may  have 
 intended  to  do  me,  but  I  know  not  how  you  will 
 
 forgive 
 
[^49] 
 
 forgive  yourfelf  for  that  done  to  the  Univerfity. 
 Whatever  zeal  you  may  pretend  for  religion,  while 
 you  bridle  not  your  tongue,  I  have  the  authority  of 
 an  apoftle  to  pronounce,  that  your  religion  is  vain 
 —Whatever  aflurances  you  may  flatter  yourfelf  with 
 of  God's  grace,  if  you  have  not  charity,  you  de- 
 ceive yourfelf —  however  you  may  fancy  that  you 
 feel  the  impulfes  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  yet  you  will  do 
 well  to  remember  that  hatred,  wrath,  Itrife,  evil- 
 fpeaking,  (lander  ii^c.  are  not  the  fruits  of  that 
 Spirit. 
 
 That  God  would  grant  both  you  and  me  by  his 
 Holy  Spirit  to  have  a  right  judgment  in  all  things  is 
 the  hearty  prayer  of. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 Your  molt  obedient. 
 
 St.  Mary.Hall, 
 Stpt,  10.  1768. 
 
 humble  Servant, 
 
 T.      N  O  W  E  L  L, 
 
[     '50    ] 
 
 P.  S.  I  was  In  hopes  you  would  have  favoured 
 the  world  with  your  name  fubfcribed  to  the  fecond 
 edition  of  your  performance,  and  that  I  fhould  have 
 had  the  pleafure  of  addrefling  myfelf  to  you  in  a 
 more  particular  manner,  in  my  poftfcript;  putting 
 you  in  mind  of  fome  circumftances  which  I  cannot 
 now  mention  with  propriety,  left  I  fliould  be  mif^ 
 taken  in  the  application  of  them  :  but  I  find  you 
 ftill  chufe  to  lie  concealed,  delighting  to  fhoot  your 
 arrows  in  the  dark,  even  bitter  words,  by  which, 
 though  your  name  be  concealed,  you  fully  difcover 
 what  manner  of  fpirit  you  are  of — a  practice,  which 
 feveral  of  your  friends  have  imitated,  who  convey 
 their  ftupid, illiberal  invedives  in  anonymous  Letters, 
 of  which  they  themfelves  feem  to  be  afliamed.  I 
 was  hkewife  led  by  your  advertifement  to  expect 
 that  vou  would  have  acknowledged  fome  errors, 
 which  you  muft  be  confcious  you  had  been  guilty 
 of  in  your  firft  edition,  but  I  perceive  you  ftill 
 perfift  in  them,  having  added  nothing  but  low  abufe 
 to  notorious  falfhood  —  I  envy  you  not  this  talent, 
 but  leave  you  in  quiet  poflelTion  of  it ;  and,  being 
 determined  to  follow  you  no  farther,  I  here  bid 
 you,  and  your  friends,  farewel. 
 
 ERRATA. 
 P.  48.  1.  13.  for  izccnty  r.  twenty  eight. 
 P.  68.  1.  3.  from  the  bottom  for  with  hm  r.  him  with. 
 P.  70.  1.  7.  from  ditto  for  pamphlet  r.  book. 
 P.  87.  1.7.  add  by  at  the  beginning  of  the  line. 
 P.  88.  ].  21.  for  1557.   r.  1560. 
 P.  102.  1.  4.  after  zvork  add  out. 
 P.  104.  1.  19.   after  and  add /o. 
 P.  142.  1.  I.   from  the  bottom  for  lam  r.  am  I. 
 
A    N 
 
 ANSWER 
 
 T  O     A 
 
 P  A  M  P  H  L  E  T, 
 
 ENTITLED 
 
 Pietas    Oxonienfis, 
 
 I    N      A 
 
 LETTER   to    the   AUTHOR. 
 
 WHEREIN 
 
 The  Grounds  of  the  Expulfion  of  Six  Members 
 from  St.  Edmund-Hall  are  fct  forth  j  an'd  the 
 Dodlrines  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  its  firll 
 Reformers,  fully  confidered,  and  vindicated. 
 
 By    T  H  O  M  A  S    N  O  W  E  L  L,    D.  D. 
 
 Principal  of  St.  Mary  Hall,  and  Public  Orator  of 
 
 the  Univerfity  of  Oxford. 
 
 The      SECOND      EDITION, 
 
 With  large  Additions^    and  a  Postscript,   occafioncd  bv 
 THE    Reply    of  the  fame    Author. 
 
 OXFORD, 
 
 At  the   Clarendon-Press.    MDCCLXIX. 
 
 Sold   by  Danibl    Prince. 
 And  by  John  Rivingion  in  5"/,  Paul's  Cburch-yarJ,  London, 
 
Imprimatur, 
 
 N.  Wetherell, 
 
 Vice-Can.  Oxon. 
 
 "Jan.  5.  1769. 
 
SIR, 
 
 TH  E  a6b  of  difcipline  exercifed  upon  fix 
 members  of  St.  Edmund-Hall  by  the  Vice- 
 Chancellor,  in  confequence  of  a  folemn 
 appeal  made  to  him,  as  Vifitor  of  that  Hall,  how- 
 ever commendable  in  itfelf,  and  pleafing  to  the 
 true  friends  of  learning  and  religion,  yet  could  not 
 fail  to  draw  upon  him,  and  his  aflefTors,  the  indig- 
 nation and  refentment  of  a  fet  of  men,  who  are  ene- 
 mies to  both.     Their  views  of  filling  the  church 
 with  their  votaries  have  by  this  feafonable  interpo- 
 fition  been  difappointed  j  and  the  plan,  which  they 
 have  for  fome  time  been  labouring  to  accomplilh, 
 is  at  prefent  difconcerted  at  leaft,  if  not  entirely 
 defeated.     The  rage  of  their  difappointment  has 
 vented  itfelf  in  the  common  News-papers  in  foul 
 invedives,  and  railing  accufations ;  which,  as  they 
 carry  with  them  their  own  confutation,  are  beft 
 treated  with  negled,  and  pafled  over  in  filence. 
 
 The  firft  who  undertook  to  patronize  their  caufe 
 by  a  formal  defence  was  the  Rev.  Mr.  JVhitefield-^ 
 and  certainly  it  was  very  proper  that  He  Ihould  be 
 their  advocate,  who  may  be  juftly  reputed  the 
 leader  of  their  fedl ;  that  He  fliould  be  their  cham- 
 pion, under  whole  banner  they  are  enlifted.  I 
 confefs  it  gave  me  fenfible  pleafure  to  fee  him  ftep 
 forward  in  their  vindication,  as  it  ftrongly  marks 
 the  complexion  and  characters  of  thele  young  men, 
 
 A  difcovers 
 
[      2      ] 
 
 difcovers  the  principles  by  which  they  are  actuated, 
 and  muft  convince  the  fober  part  of  mankind  of  the 
 propriety  and  expedience  of  that  cenfure,  which 
 they  have  incurred.  With  this  obfervation  Heave 
 his  performance  to  the  admiration  of  thofe,  whofe 
 applaufe  it  courts,  whofe  fentiments  it  flatters,  and 
 for  whofe  judgment  and  tafte  it  is  calculated.  Nei- 
 ther fhould  I  have  thought  myfelf  obliged  to  pay 
 any  regard  to  what  you  have  advanced  either  in 
 favour  of  them,  or  to  the  prejudice  of  the  Vice- 
 Chancellor  and  his  afleflbrs,  had  you  brought  only 
 a  general  charge  againfl  them,  and  been  contented 
 to  complain  of  the  feverity,  or  even  iniquity  of  a 
 fcntcnce,  by  which  you  may  fancy  the  Church  will 
 be  deprived  of  fo  many  godly  teachers,  and  your- 
 fclf  perhaps  of  the  fruit  of  your  labours. 
 
 But  fince  you  have  thought  proper  to  fix  a  par- 
 ticular charge  of  ^  difllmulation  and  prevarication 
 on  the  Vice-Chancellor ;  of  ^  partiality,  imperti- 
 nence, and  want  of  integrity,  on  me ;  as  well  as 
 the  general  one  of  cruelty,  opprefllon,  and  injuf- 
 tice,  on  all ;  filence  may  now  be  interpreted  into 
 a  confeflion  of  guilt ;  a  regard  therefore  to  our 
 private  charadters,  thus  openly  attacked,  and  per- 
 fonally  vilified,  requires  that  a  charge  {b  injurious 
 to  our  reputation  Ihould  be  as  publicly  refuted. 
 Though  this  may  efi^edtually  be  done  by  barely 
 ftating  the  fadts  alleged  againfl:  us,  placing  them 
 in  their  true  light,  and  clearing  them  from  the 
 artful  mifreprefentations  by  which  You  have  dif- 
 a  P.  8.  b  P.  64,  85. 
 
 guifed 
 
[    3    ] 
 
 guifed  them  -,  yet  for  the  fatisfadion  of  the  pub- 
 lic, who  have  been  greatly  abufed,  and  impofed 
 upon  by  your  "  full  and  impartial  account,"  I 
 chufe  to  enter  more  largely  into  the  fubjed,  and 
 to  attend  you  through  the  whole  progrefs  of  your 
 work  ;  from  a  fair  examination  of  which  the  world 
 will  be  able  to  judge  '*  ^  how  far  thefe  fix  mem- 
 "  bers  have,  or  have  not,  deferved  the  punifliment 
 "  inflidled  upon  them  ;'*  and  whether  in  the  de- 
 fence of  their  caufe  you  have  been  guided  by  that 
 "  ^  Spirit  of  wifdom,  truth,  love,  and  candor,"  by 
 which  alone  you  profefs  to  be  aduated.  And  if  I 
 enter  into  a  difculfion  of  the  doflrinal  points,  it  is 
 with  a  view  to  bring  back  to  the  profellion  of  the 
 true  faith  thofe  deluded  perfons,  who  are  now  car- 
 ried away  with  every  wind  of  vain  dodlrine  by  the 
 Height  of  men,  and  cunning  craftinefs  whereby 
 they  lie  in  wait  to  deceive. 
 
 To  begin  with  your  dedication. — Had  your  book 
 been  written  in  defence  of  the  eftablilhed  rules  and 
 ordinances  of  the  church  of  England^  or  in  fupporc 
 of  the  laws  and  difcipline  of  the  Univerfity  of  Ox- 
 fordi  you  might  with  the  greateft  propriety  and 
 confidence  have  dedicated  it  to  the  protedion  and 
 patronage  of  the  Chancellor  ;  whofe  illuftrious  cha- 
 radler,  diftinguilhed  abihties,  and  zealous  attach- 
 ment to  the  true  interefts  of  both,  refledt  the  higheft 
 honour  on  himfelf,  and  thefe  ancient  feats  of  learn- 
 ing and  religion,  over  which  he  prefides. But 
 
 to  folicit  his  patronage  and  proteftion,  while  you 
 
 X  Dedic.  VI.  b  P.  2. 
 
 A  2  arc 
 
[    4    ] 
 
 are  undermining  his  authority,  and  expofing  to  ri- 
 dicule and  contempt  the  venerable  body,  over  which 
 he  prefides ;  to  claim  the  fanftion  of  his  name,  in 
 ■order  to  fix  a  mark  of  infamy  on  thofe,  who  have 
 a6ted  by  his  commifllon,  and  with  his  approba- 
 tion.   What  is  this  but  to  tread  in  the  fteps  of 
 
 the  old  puritans,  who  mod  dutifully  addreffed  the 
 King,  and  made  the  mod  folemn  profeflions  of 
 loyalty  and  obedience  to  his  perfon  and  govern- 
 ment, while  they  were  meditating  the  deftrudlion 
 of  both  ?  Nor  is  it  to  be  wondered  at  that  you 
 fhould  imitate  the  condud  of  men,  whofe  princi- 
 ples you  have  adopted,  and  whofe  tenets  you  fo 
 ftrenuoufly  maintain. 
 
 After  this  very  extraordinary  addrefs  to  the 
 Chancellor,  you  proceed  to  inform  his  Lordfhip, 
 "  ^  that  however  the  late  fentence  may  have  the 
 *'  appearance  of  an  Univerfity-Aft,  yet  it  is  the 
 "  highell  injuftice  to  that  ancient  and  refpedlable 
 *'  feminary  of  true  piety  and  learning  to  look  upon 
 "  it  in  this  light."  The  Chancellor  was  before  too 
 well  acquainted  with  the  nature  and  circumftances 
 of  the  whole  proceeding  to  want  this  information : 
 Nor  is  there  any  danger  that  "i^  it  may  pafs  for  fuch 
 "  in  hiftory,  when  children's  children  fhall  read 
 "  the  dire  account,"  unlefs  they  are  milled  by 
 your  mifreprefenration  of  it.  For  it  was  never  pre- 
 tended to  be  an  Univerfity-A6l  j  to  conftitute  it 
 fuch,  it  mufl  have  had  the  fandlion  of  convocation, 
 to  which  this  complaint  was  not,  nor  indeed  could 
 
 a  Dedic.  P.  v,  b  Ibid. 
 
 with 
 
[    5    ] 
 
 with  any  propriety  be  fubmitted.  The  depofitions 
 of  Mr.  Higfon  were  made  before  the  Vice-Chancel- 
 lor  as  Vifitor  of  Edmund-Hall^  and  he  pronounced 
 the  fentence  by  his  vifitatorial  authority,  in  which 
 capacity  alone  he  aded  by  the  advice  of  the  Heads 
 of  Houfes,  and  with  the  afliftance  of  three  of  them, 
 to  whom  was  afterwards  added  the  then  fenior 
 Prodlor.  That  I  happened  to  be  one  of  that  num- 
 ber was  not  the  effeft  of  my  own  inclination,  or  the 
 Vice-Chancellor's  appointment,  but  merely  in  com- 
 pliance with  the  requeft  of  Dr.  Dixon,  for  whom, 
 notwithftanding  the  illiberal  treatment  I  have  met 
 with  on  his  account,  I  have  the  fincereft  regard ; 
 and  who,  I  am  perfuaded,  when  he  defired  me  to 
 appear  on  that  occafion,  never  meant  that  my 
 friendfhip  for  him  Ihould  warp  my  judgment,  or 
 influence  my  determination :  and  on  the  other 
 hand  I  folemnly  declare  that  no  motives  but  thofe 
 of  truth  and  juftice  ;  no  afledion,  but  for  the  wel- 
 fare of  the  Church  and  Univerfity,  dircded  my 
 opinion,  and  determined  my  fentiments.  Nor  do 
 I  apprehend  that  any  "  ^  great  and  eminent  men 
 "  in  the  Univerfity  have  teftified  their  difapproba- 
 "  tion  of  what  was  then  done ;"  but  on  the  con- 
 trary have  reafon  to  believe  that  had  all  the  Heads 
 of  Houfes,  and  every  man  of  eminence  in  the  Uni- 
 verfity been  prefent,  they  would  have  confirmed 
 the  fentence  by  their  unanimous  voice.  I  farther 
 declare  that  in  a  converfation  with  the  Principal 
 fometime  before  the  vifitation.  He  afTured  me  that, 
 if  any  of  the  young  men  accufed  appeared  to  be 
 a  Dedic.   P.  v. 
 
 A  3  improper 
 
[    6     ] 
 
 improper  members  of  his  fociety,  though  he  gave 
 them  all  a  good  charadler,  he  Ihould  readily  ac- 
 quiefce  in  their  removal.  Had  he  not  given  me 
 this  aflurance,  I  fhould  certainly  have  declined  an 
 invidious  office,  in  which  friendfhip  and  duty  could 
 not  be  united,  but  muft  one  of  them  be  facrificed 
 to  the  other. 
 
 What  I  have  here  faid  of  myfelf,  may  with  equal 
 truth  be  applied  to  the  Provoft  of  ^een^s,  who 
 alfo  became  one  of  the  afleflbrs  by  the  defire  of 
 Dr.  Dixon^  in  confequence  of  a  long  intimacy  and 
 friendfliip  which  had  fubfifled  between  them  ;  and 
 who,  as  patron  of  Edmund^Hall,  was  himfelf  inte- 
 refted  in  the  honour  and  reputation  of  it,  and  could 
 not  therefore  be  fuppofed  to  be  defirous  of  bring- 
 ing any  of  its  members  into  difgrace,  or  fixing 
 any   itigma   or   opprobrium  on  them,    but  what 
 they  fhould  appear  upon  examination  to  deferve. 
 To  thefe  the  Vice-Chancellor  thought  fit  to  add 
 the  Prefident  of  Corpus  Chrijii  College,   his  fenior 
 Pro-Vice-Chancellor,  and  Lady  Mcirgarefs  Profef- 
 for  of  Divinity,  and  one  who  had  always  lived  in  the 
 greateft  friendfhip  and  intimacy  with  Dr.  Dixon. 
 The  Prefident  was  fenfible  this  might  be  an  invi- 
 dious office,  and  would  willingly  have  declined  it: 
 but  being  prefTed  by  the  Vice-Chancellor  to  give 
 him  his  affiflance,  he  thought  he  could  not  with 
 decency  refufe  it.    He  had  no  connexions,  nor  ac- 
 quaintance, with  Mr.  Higfony  but  entered  on  this 
 office  with  ftrong  inclinations  to  favour  the  Princi- 
 pal, as  far  as  truth  and  juflice  would  permit. 
 
 Let 
 
[    7    J 
 
 Let  mc  add  that,  from  fome  circumftances 
 which  happened  at  a  previous  meeting  in  the  Prin- 
 cipal's lodgings,  the  Vice -Chancellor  and  his  aflef- 
 fors  had  conceived  rather  an  unfavourable  opinion 
 of  Mr.  Hig[orC%  caufe,  which  nothing  but  the  force 
 of  evidence  produced  at  the  examination  could 
 have  altered. 
 
 I  cannot  difmifs  this  point  without  commending 
 the  candor  of  the  Vice-Chancellor,  who  permitted 
 the  Principal  himfelf  ^  to  nominate  two  out  of  the 
 three  afleflbrs,  who  were  at  firft  appointed  to  afllfl: 
 him  ;  the  fourth  was,  as  I  before  obferved,  added 
 afterwards  at  the  requeft  of  Mr.  Higfon,  who  had 
 ungeneroufly  exprefTed  fome  apprehenfions  of  par- 
 tiality in  the  other  aflefTors  to  the  caufe  of  the 
 Principal. 
 
 You  conclude  this  dedication  with  declaring 
 that  "  you  have  been  particularly  careful  not  to 
 
 a  In  your  reply  you  deny  that  Dr.  Dixon  had  the  original 
 "  appointment  of  any  of  the  aflclTors.'"  But  he  has  acknow- 
 ledged, in  a  conference  at  the  prefent  Vice-Chancellor's  lodg- 
 ings,  that  he  did  requeft  the  late  Vice-Chancellor  to  appoint  the 
 Provoft  of  i^ee?i''s  College  and  myl'elf  to  be  of  that  number. 
 And  declared  farther,  that,  had  he  been  to  chufe  for  himfelf,  he 
 could  not  have  fixed  upon  four  perfons,  of  whom  he  entertained 
 a  higher  opinion,  than  the  Principal  of  Hertford,  the  Prcfident  of 
 C.  C.  C.  the  Provoft  of  i^een''s,  and  the  Principal  of  St.  Mtiry 
 Hall.  But  I  fliall  not  detain  the  reader  at  prefent  with  Dr. 
 Dixon'' s  fentimcnts,  as  I  fl>all  have  occafion  to  fpcak  more  fully 
 on  ihc  fubjedl  of  ihai  confeience  in  my  poftfcript. 
 
 aflert 
 
[    8    ] 
 
 "  aflert  any  thing  upon  hcar-fay  evidence,  but 
 "  have  taken  much  pains  to  trace  up  every  cir- 
 **  cumftance  and  faft  you  have  alleged  to  the 
 "  fountain-head."  The  truth  or  fallhood  of  this 
 declaration  will  bcft  appear  from  an  examination 
 of  your  "  full  and  impartial  account"  &c,  to 
 "  which  I  now  haften. 
 
 YOU  preface  this  account  with  profeffions  of 
 the  higheft  veneration  for  the  do6lrine  and 
 difcipHne  "  ^  of  the  eftablifhed  Church,  into  whofe 
 *'  communion  you  were  in  your  infancy  baptized, 
 "  and  whofe  caufe,  ^  together  with  that  of  violated 
 **  truth,  trampled  laws,  and  injured  innocence,  you 
 *'  now  mean  to  defend."     When  you  i  ade  thefe 
 profeffions,    you  would   have  done  well  to  have 
 confidered   the  nature   and  importance  of  them. 
 Your  veneration  for   the   doftrine  and   difcipline 
 of  the  Church  of  England,  had  it  been  real,  would 
 not  have  permitted  you  to  advance  tenets  fo  con- 
 trary to  the  one,  and  fubverfive  of  the  other,  or 
 to  defend  thofe  who  have  been  convidled  of  ading 
 in  contradidion   to  both  —  You   would  not  have 
 violated  that  truth,  for  which  you  pretend  to  be 
 an  advocate ;    or    have    trampled  on  thofe  laws, 
 you  are  by  the  mod  folemn  obligations  bound  to 
 ©bferve.  —  You  would  not  have  injured  that  inno- 
 cence in   others,    which   you  falfely  attribute  to 
 thofe,  whofe  guilt  became  notorious  by  their  own 
 ^onfeflion,   and  the  clearelt  evidence, 
 a  P.  I,  1?  p.  2. 
 
 ^*  As 
 
[     9    ] 
 
 "  a  A  s    to    the   fix   members   expelled  from 
 "  Edmund-Hall y^*  you  fay,  "  I  had  very  little  ac- 
 *'  ''  quaintance  with  any  of  them,  and  fome  of  them 
 "  were  totally  unknown  to  me  till  after  the  fen- 
 "  tence  was  paffed,  fo  that  I  am  in  lefs  danger  of 
 "  partiality  on  that  ''account."    I  beg,  Sir,  that  you 
 would  recoiled  whether  fome  of  thefe  young  men 
 had  not  attended  the  meetings  of  a  perfon  with 
 whom  you  are  intimately  conneded  ?  were  not  his 
 difciples  ?  Whether  they  did  not  all  of  them  affem- 
 ble  at  his  chambers  foon  after  their  expulfion  ?  — 
 which  probably  was  the  fountain-head  from  whence 
 you  derived  your  intelligence,  and  where  the  plan 
 of  your  defence  was  concerted.    Whether  therefore 
 from  all  thefe  confiderations  their  caufe  may  not  in 
 fome  meafure  be  deemed  your  own  ?  and  whether 
 there  was  not  confequently  fome  danger  of  par- 
 tiahty  on  that  account.?  Not  to  mention  the  un- 
 due influence  you  lie  under  from  a  blind  attach- 
 ment to  your  feft,  which  difcovers  itfelf  in  every 
 page  of  your  book. 
 
 You  next  invoke  the  graces  of  "  c  wifdom, 
 "  truth,  love,  and  candor,"  which  you  feem  to  in- 
 troduce here  only   to  take  your  leave   of  them  ; 
 
 a  P.    2. 
 
 b  Yet  it  appears  from  your  reply  that  you  were  fo  much  in- 
 terefted  in  the  caufe,  that  you  held  a  correfpondei.c^  with  them* 
 and  were  particularly  informed  of  every  thing  that  pafled  from 
 the  firft  meeting  at  the  Principal's  Lodgings  to  the  day  of  the 
 cxamijiation.  c  P.   2. 
 
 for 
 
[       10      ] 
 
 for  fcarce  any '  footfteps  of  either  of  them  arc  to  be 
 found  in  any  fubfequent  part  of  your  work. 
 
 What  ^  pafied  between  the  Principal  and  Mr. 
 Higfon^  before  he  had  made  his  complaint  to  the 
 Vice-Chancellor  ^  what  may  be  Mr.  Higfon's  c  natu- 
 ral difpofition-,  what  diforders  of  body  or  mind  he 
 may  have  laboured  under  j  or  what  differences  may 
 have  fubfifted  between  the  Principal  and  him,  are 
 fecrets  which  I  have  no  right  to  pry  into,  as  they 
 no  way  relate  to  the  prefent  queftion.  And  I  think 
 your  reprefentation  of  fome  of  thefe  particulars  is 
 equally  impertinent  and  uncharitable.  Are  you  ac- 
 quainted with  Mr.  Higfon  ?  do  you  know  him  to 
 be  of  "  a  proud  revengeful  difpofition  ?"  or  have 
 you  given  this  charaftcr  of  him  upon  hearfay 
 evidence  ?  The  charge  of  infanity  is  ftill  more 
 cruel,  and  your  feigned  pity  the  greateft  infult. 
 Nor  am  I  at  all  concerned  to  enquire  whether 
 Mr.  Higfon  aded  of  himfelf  •,  or  was  made,  what 
 you  term  him,  "  '^  the  tool  or  cat's-paw  of  others 
 "  to  perpetrate  what,  through  fhame  or  fear,  they 
 "  durft  not  undertake  themfelves;"  tho'  I  am  in- 
 clined from  his  own  declaration  upon  oath  to  be- 
 lieve the  former ;  and  that  he  was  induced  to  it 
 trom  a  fenfe  of  the  difgrace  brought  upon  that  fo- 
 
 a  You  arc  very  angry  witli  me  for  this  reprefentation  of 
 yoTir  work.  ]Jiu  Dr.  Dixon  acknowledged  the  truth  of  it, 
 and  told  you  "  that  the  fpirit  in  which  it  was  written  could 
 "  do  no  fervice  to  your  caufe." 
 
 b  P.  2.  c  P.  3.  d  P.  4. 
 
 cietv 
 
[  "  ] 
 
 ciety  by  the  admiflion  of  perfons  totally  unfit  to 
 become  members  of  the  Univerfity. 
 
 The  affediion  of  a  Tutor  for  his  pupils  natu- 
 rally prejudices  him  in  their  favour,  and  will  pre- 
 vail on  him  rather  to  conceal  than  expofe  their 
 failings  and  imperfedions,  where  he  can  do  it 
 confiftently  with  the  principles  of  duty  and  con- 
 fcience — While  a  regard  to  his  own  intereft,  as 
 well  as  theirs,  will  not  eafily  fuffer  him  to  facrifice 
 both  either  to  his  own  private  refentment,  or  the 
 malevolent  fuggeftions  of  others ;  much  lefs  to 
 become  without  the  greateft  neceflity  their  public 
 accufer.  But  whatever  were  his  motives,  I  am 
 convinced  that  neither  the  Vice-Chancellor,  nor 
 his  affeflbrs  were  in  the  leall  degree  influenced 
 by  them,  or  by  any  other  =>  confideration  than  that 
 of  truth,  and  the  honour  and  welfare  of  the 
 Univerfity.  They  therefore  heartily  defpife  the 
 infinuation  of  their  being  ^  led  and  influenced  by 
 a  mad-man  to  pafs,  what  you  call,  <^  the  moft  cruel 
 "  and  ignominious  fentence  which  can  pofllbly  be 
 "  inflided  by  the  Univerfity  •"  into  the  merits  of 
 which  we  come  now  to  enquire. 
 
 But  before  you  proceed  to  the  particular  charges, 
 you  loudly  complain  of  the  mofl  unprecedented* 
 illegal,  and  arbitrary  proceedings, — viz. — "  ^  that 
 "  all  the  witneflTes  againft  the  parties  accufed  were 
 
 a  Your  infinuation  that  they  had  been  tampered  with  will  be 
 fully  anfvvercd  in  my  poftfcript. 
 
 b  P.  4.  c  P.  68.  d  P.  5. 
 
 **  examined 
 
[  12  ] 
 
 '*  examined  without  being  put  to  their  oath,  except 
 "  one,  a  very  worthy  confcientious  man,  who  was 
 "  juftly  fuppofed  to  be  their  friend  •,  that  not  only 
 "  whatever  thefe  witnefTes  advanced  from  their 
 "  own  perfonal  knowledge,  but  likewife  every  idle 
 "  report  they  had  picked  up  by  hearfay  was  admit- 
 "  ted,  as  genuine,  and  charged  upon  thefe  young 
 *^  men ;  who  were  even  compelled  to  turn  their 
 "  own  accufers,  or  elfe  be  condemned  for  contu- 
 "  macious  behaviour."  I  (hall  confider  thefe  feve- 
 ral  articles  of  accufati'on,  which,  I  confefs,  appear 
 very  formidable,  and  give  an  anfwer  to  each  of 
 them  diftindly. 
 
 It  is  true  the  witnefTes  were  examined  without 
 being  put  to  their  oath,  nor  was  it  thought  ne- 
 cefTary  that  the  evidence  fhould  be  taken  upon 
 oath.  The  Vice-Chancellor  aded  not  in  this  cafe 
 in  a  judicial  capacity,  as  if  the  proceedings  had 
 been  in  his  court,  but  in  a  vifitatorial  one,  (a  dif- 
 tindtion  which  I  am  again  obliged  to  remind  you 
 of)  and  therefore  did  not  require  ilriftly  legal 
 proof,  but  only  the  teflimony  of  credible  witnef- 
 nefles.  This  is  the  common  method  of  proceeding 
 in  all  enquiries  made  into  the  conduft  of  perfons, 
 who,  for  any  crime  laid  to  their  charge,  are  cited 
 or  convened  before  their  refpedlive  focieties:  where 
 upon  fuch  proof,  as  the  Head  and  Fellows  deem 
 fufRcient,  they  inflift  a  punifhment  according  to 
 the  nature  of  the  offence,  without  the  formality  of 
 a  judicial  procefs  j  and  this  even  to  expulfion  :  of 
 
 which. 
 
[     13     ] 
 
 which,  notwithftanding  what  you  aflert  in  page  17, 
 with  a  malicious  defign  to  cxpofe  the  Univerfity  as 
 the  common  fink  of  drunkennefs,  rioting,  gaming, 
 and  every  other  enormity,  I  could- give  you  many 
 inftances  ;  and  one  in  particular  for  irreligious  and 
 blafphemous  tenets  -,    to  the  infiidion  of  which  I 
 myfelf  was  chiefly  inftrumental.     Had  the  parties 
 accufed  objefled   to  the  evidence  thus   taken,  it 
 might  then   have   been   proper  that  it  fhould  be 
 given  upon  oath  ;  but  the  truth  is,  they  confefled 
 every    thing   material    that    was    alleged    againft 
 them,    and    confequently  there    was  no   occafion 
 for  this    confirmation   of  it.      Mr.    Greaves  was 
 indeed    put    to    his    oath    at   the  defire    of  Mr. 
 Higfon^  who  apprehended  he  would  not  give  his 
 teftimony,  unlefs  he  became  thus  obliged  to  do  it. 
 Had   the  other  party  made   the  fame  requeft,  it 
 would  undoubtedly  have  been  granted  ;  but  con- 
 fcious  that   it  would   have  been  of  no  fervice  to 
 them    on  their   trial,    they  chofe  to  referve  this 
 circumfi:ance,    as   matter   of  future   complaint  to 
 the  world,  and  a  pretence  for  crying  out  perfecu- 
 tion,  ftar-chamber,    &c.  &c. 
 
 Whether  the  Vice-Chancellor  admitted  every 
 idle  report  that  had  been  picked  up  by  hear-fay  ; 
 or  whether  thefe  young  men  were  obliged  to  turn 
 their  own  accufers,  or  elfe  be  condemned  for  con- 
 tumacious behaviour,  will  bed  appear  from  the 
 minutes  of  the  examination,  which  I  began  to 
 take  for  my  own  private  fatisfadlion,  the  regillrar 
 
 being 
 
[     14     ] 
 
 being  prefent  to  a6t  in  that  capacity  ex  officio ;  who, 
 obferving  that  I  was  very  punftual  in  noting  every 
 circumftance,  requefted  me  to  continue  my  obfer- 
 vations ;  in  confequence  of  which  I,  as  you  call  it, 
 "officiated  as  fecretary"  —  With  what  fidelity  I 
 officiated,  the  minutes  themfelves  will  evince;  but 
 I  beg  leave  to  inform  you,  that  they  were  exami- 
 ned, article  by  article,  by  the  Vice-Chancellor  and 
 all  the  alTellbrs,  before  he  proceeded  to  fentence  j 
 and  were  unanimoufly  aflented  to,  as  faithfully 
 recording  every  material  circumftance  of  the  ex- 
 amination. As  they  will  be  inferted  in  their  pro- 
 per place,  I  iliall  forbear  to  jnake  any  reflec- 
 tions on  thefe,  and  the  many  oiher  falfe  and  in- 
 jurious infinuations,  with  which  your  pamphlet 
 abounds,  till  I  come  to  that  part  of  the  proceed- 
 ings ;  when  the  world  will  be  able  to  judge  whe. 
 thcr  "  ^  both  law  and  juflice,  as  well  as  religion 
 "  and  confcience,  were  put  out  of  the  queftion  in 
 *'  this  tranfadion." 
 
 By  what  method  Mr.  Higfon  s  procured  the 
 evidence  he  produced,  which  is  your  next  com. 
 plaint,  was  by  no  means  material  to  the  Vice- 
 Chancellor,  who  was  only  concerned  to  be  inform- 
 ed of  the  truth.  Yet,  as  if  forefeeing  what  mif- 
 reprefentations  would  be  given  of  his  conduct,  he 
 was  cautious  even  in  this  point,  and  did  not  ad- 
 mit the  evidence  of  the  clergyman,  whofe  cha- 
 ra6ter  you  load  with  fo  much  infamy,  till  what  was 
 
 a  P.  64.  b  P.  6.  c  Ibid. 
 
 advanced 
 
[    '5    ] 
 
 advanced  in  his  letter  concerning  Mr.  Jones  had 
 been  confirmed  by  Mr.  George^  a  gentleman  of 
 Chrifi  Churchy  who  was  prefent  at  the  examination, 
 bore  teftimony  to  the  fair  reputation  of  that  cler- 
 gyman, and  declared  that  he  had  received  from 
 his  own  mouth  every  circumftance  mentioned  in 
 the  letter. 
 
 You  likewife  =*  complain  that  a  copy  of  the  ar- 
 ticles was  refufed  the  unhappy  fufferers  after  they 
 were  expelled ;  and  in  your  ^  note  upon  this  place 
 you  reprefent  the  Vice-Chancellor  as  adling  a  very 
 inconfiftent,  not  to  fay  a  bafe,  part,  difapproving 
 in  private  what  he  had  done  in  public ;  laying 
 the  odium  of  his  condudl  on  the  other  Heads  of 
 Houfes ;  "  and  by  a  foothing  fpecch  to  the  young 
 "  men  in  private  hoping  to  fhake  off  a  little  dirt 
 "  from  himfelf" — or  rather  throwing  a  great  deal 
 both  on  himfelf  and  his  affcfiors.  That  there 
 was  no  irjuftice  in  refufing  a  copy  of  the  articles 
 is  evident  from  the  common  pradife  of  the  courts 
 of  law  on  like  occafions,  of  which  we  have  a  very 
 
 recent  inftance  in  the  cai'e  of  Mr.  W s:  —  that 
 
 a  copy  was  refufed,  v/as  the  refult  of  the  Vice- 
 Chancellor's  own  opinion  and  determination,  fe- 
 conded  by  that  of  the  other  aflcfTors :  for  my  own 
 part,  I  thought  it  quite  a  matter  of  indifference ; 
 but  he  forefaw  what  ufe  would  be  made  of  it 
 and  therefore  prudently  rcferved  it,  till  your  mif- 
 reprefentations  had  made  it  neceffary  to  be  pub- 
 
 a  P.  7.  b  P.  8. 
 
 liflied 
 
[    i6    ] 
 
 liflied  in  his  vindication.  In  ^  the  conclufion  in- 
 deed of  your  performance  by  way  of  foftening  mat- 
 ters, and  foothing  him,  who  equally  defpifes  your 
 cenfure  and  your  praife,  you  qualify  thefe  expref- 
 fions,  by  faying  that  he  only  intimated  as  much  j 
 which  in  my  opinion  is  refie<5ling  ftill  greater  dif- 
 honour  upon  him ;  making  him  mean  enough  to 
 be  defirous  that  Mr.  Grove  and  Mr.  Middleton 
 Ihould  think  he  meant  to  infinuate,  what  he  dared 
 not  openly  avow  to  them.  The  truth  is,  the  Vice- 
 Chancellor,  as  every  man  of  humanity  naturally 
 would,  expreffed  to  thofe  gentlemen  his  concern 
 for  being  obliged  to  pafs  fo  fevere  a  fentence  on 
 them,  not  thereby  intimating  that  he  thought  they 
 did  not  juftly  deferve  the  punifhment,  but,  quite  the 
 contrary,  lamenting  that  their  mifcondudt  had  com- 
 pelled him  againft  his  inclination  to  exercife  fo 
 difagreeable  an  a6t  of  difcipline.  The  murtherer, 
 when  condemned  by  his  judge,  who  generally 
 tempers  his  fentence  with  expreflions  of  pity  and 
 companion,  may  with  equal  reafon  infer  from  thofe 
 expreflions,  that  he  did  not  deferve  fo  fevere  a  pu- 
 nifhment. The  thanks  given  to  Mr.  Higfon  by  the 
 Vice-Chancellor  were  in  the  name,  and  with  the  ap- 
 probation of  all  the  afl^eflbrs,  who  confidered  him 
 as  facrificing  his  own  intereft  to  the  welfare  and 
 reputation  of  the  Univerfity,  and  therefore  enti- 
 tled to  this  mark  of  their  approbation. 
 
 a  P.  85. 
 
 I    MUST 
 
[    17    J 
 
 I  MUST  beg  leave  to  add)  by  way  of  anfwer 
 to  the  laft  part  of  your  note,  that  the  Vice-Chan- 
 cellor did  not  inflid  this  punifhmcnt  "  for  the 
 "  fake   of  obliging  any  perfons  whatever  j"  nor 
 was  there  any  danger  that  "  the  pious  harmlefs 
 "  youths  would  be  thereby  reduced  to  the  very 
 "  want  of  bread  ;"  fince  mofl  of  them  had  been 
 brought  up  to  employments  more  fuitable  to  their 
 capacities,    and    ftation    in    life,    whereby    they 
 might  get  an  honeft  livelihood ;  but  which  they 
 had  deferted  in  order  to  intrude  themfelves  into 
 an  office,   for  which  they  were  utterly  unquali- 
 fied.    It  was  kindnefs  therefore,  and  not  cruelty, 
 to  fend  them  back  to  their  own  proper  bufmefs ; 
 not  that,  were  the  confequences  of  their  amotion 
 even  fuch  as  you  reprefent  them,  they  would  be 
 chargeable  on  the  Vice-Chancellor,  but  on  them- 
 felves ;  not  on  him,  who  was  obliged  ex  officio  to 
 inflid:  the  punifhmentj   but  on  them,  who  had 
 juftly  incurred  it. 
 
 We  come  now  to  the  articles  of  accufation, 
 which  were  exhibited  to  the  Vice-Chancellor  by 
 Mr.  Higfon  in  the  form  of  depofitions,  of  which 
 the  following  is  an  exad  copy. 
 
 B  Befors 
 
[     i8    ] 
 
 Before  the  reverend  and  worfhipful  David 
 DuRELL,  Do6tor  of  Divinity,  Vice-Chancellor 
 of  the  Univerfity  of  Oxford,  Vifitor  of  St. 
 Edmund-Hall  in  the  faid  Univerfity  of  Oxford^ 
 John  Higson,  Mailer  of  Arts,  Vice-Principal 
 and  Tutor  of  the  faid  Hall,  appointed  and 
 admitted  as  fuch,  by  Thomas  Shaw,  Doftor 
 in  Divinity,  Principal  of  the  faid  Hall  for  the 
 time  being,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thou- 
 fand  feven  hundred  and  fifty  one,  and  ap- 
 proved, and  confirmed  by  the  reverend  and 
 worfiiipful  John  Brown,  Dodor  in  Divinity, 
 Vice-Chancellor  of  the  Univerfity  of  Oxford 
 for  the  time  being,  as  the  ftatutes  in  that  cafe 
 made  and  provided  dired:,  begs  leave  to  pro- 
 pound and  offer  fome  articles  of  accufation 
 againft  the  following  perfons,  fcholars  of  the 
 faid  Hall,  Benjamin  Kay,  James  Mat- 
 thews, Thomas  Jones,  Thomas  Grove, 
 Erasmus  Middleton,  Benjamin  Blatch, 
 and  Joseph  5hipman,  and  other  matters 
 relative  thereto. 
 
 ifi.  That  the  aforefaid  James  Matthews,  Tho- 
 mas Jones,  and  Joseph  Shipman  were  bred 
 to  trades,  and  that  the  three  laft  mentioned  per- 
 fons, as  alfo  Erasmus  Middleton  and  Ben- 
 jamin Blatch,  were  at  the  refpedtive  time  of 
 Entrance  in  the  faid  Hall,  and  at  prefent  are, 
 deftitute  of  fuch  a  knowledge  in  the  learned  lan- 
 guages 
 
[     '9    ] 
 
 guages  as  Is  neceflary  for  performing  the  ufual 
 exercifes  of  the  faid  Hall  and  of  the  Univerfity. 
 
 2dly.  That  the  aforefaid  Benjamin  Kay,  James 
 Matthews,  Thomas  Jones,  Thomas  Grove, 
 Erasmus  Middleton,  and  Joseph  Shipman 
 are  enemies  to  the  doctrine  and  difcipline  of  the 
 Church  of  England^  which  appeareth  either  by 
 their  preaching  or  expounding  in,  or  frequent- 
 ing, illicit  conventicles,  and  by  feveral  other 
 adions,  and  expreflions,  contrary  to  the  flatutes 
 of  the  Univerfity  and  the  laws  of  this  realm. 
 
 '^dly.  That  the  aforefaid  Erasmus  Middleton 
 is  moreover  an  enemy  to  the  do6lrine  and  dif- 
 cipline of  the  Church  of  England,  as  appears 
 by  his  officiating  as  a  minifter  in  holy  orders, 
 altho'  a  layman,  in  the  parilh  Church  of  Chevely^ 
 or  in  one  of  the  Chapels  of  Eafe  belonging  and 
 appertaining  unto  the  faid  Church  of  Chevely  in 
 the  county  of  Berks,  and  diocefe  of  Salijhury, 
 
 j^bly.  The  aforefaid  James  Matthews,  Eras^ 
 mus  Middleton,  and  Benjamin  Blatch 
 have  behaved  indecently  towards  the  faid  Higfon, 
 Vice-Principal  and  Tutor,  either  by  negleding 
 to  attend  his  leftures,  or  mifbehaving  them- 
 felves,  when  at  them  •,  or  by  going  out  of  the 
 Univerfity  without  his  the  faid  Higfon's  leave, 
 contrary  to  the  difcipline  and  good  order  of  the 
 faid  Hall. 
 
 B  4  5%, 
 
[      20      ] 
 
 $ihly.  That  the  above  premifes  are  true,  public, 
 and  notorious,  and  what  the  faid  parties  named 
 jointly  and  feverally  know  in  their  confciences 
 to  be  true. 
 
 6thlyi  That  by  the  ftatutes  and  ufage  of  the  Uni- 
 verfity  the  faid  Hall  is  notorioufly  fubjedt  to  the 
 vifitation  of  the  Vice-Chancellor  of  Oxford  for 
 the  time  being. 
 
 ythly.    And  laftly;   That  the  faid  Higfon  from  a 
 regard  to  the  honour  and  welfare  of  the  Uni- 
 verfity  in  general,  and  the  faid  Hall  in  parti- 
 cular, and  aftuated  by  every  principle  religious 
 and  civil,    makes  this  application   to   you  the 
 faid  Vice-Chancellor,  as  Vilitor ;  and   not  con- 
 fining himfelf  to  any   fuperlluous  proof,    but 
 only  fo  far  as  he  lliall  prove  in  the  premifes,  that 
 he  may  obtain  in  his  prayer,  he  prays  that  thefe 
 perfons,  againft  whom  thefe  articles  are  exhi- 
 bited, may  be  treated  and  dealt  with  according 
 to  their  demerits,  and  as  the  ftatutes  of  the  Hall 
 and  the  Univerfity  require,  as  far  as  it  Ihall  feem 
 good   to    your   wifdom    and    juftice,    humbly 
 imploring  the  aid  of  your  worfhip's  office. 
 
 Oxon,  St.  Edmund-Hally  February  the  twenty- 
 ninth,  1768. 
 
 J.    Hi  G  SON* 
 
 Sworn  before  me  on  the 
 day  and  year  above- 
 written. 
 
 D.  DuRELL,  Vice-chancellor. 
 
[      21      ] 
 
 The  Vice-Chancellor  in  confequence  of  thefe 
 depofitions,  having  previoufly  confulted  the  Heads 
 of  Houfes,  and  notified  their  opinion  to  the  Prin- 
 cipal, who  exprcfled  his  approbation  of  it,  caufed 
 a  citation  to  be  fixed  on  the  chapel  door  of  Ed- 
 mund-Hall^ requiring  thq  parties  accufed  to  appear 
 on  a  day  and  hour  therein  fpecified,  to  anfwer  the 
 feveral  charges  brought  againft  them.  Soon  after 
 the  citation  was  put  up,  Mr.  Grove,  one  of  the 
 perfons  accufed,  took  his  name  out  of  the  Hall- 
 book,  in  order  to  efcape  the  cenfure  which,  he 
 had  reafon  to  apprehend,  might  be  inflidled  on 
 him ;  but  upon  better  advice  he  returned,  and  was 
 re-admitted  by  the  Principal,  the  Vice-Chancellor 
 not  being  confulted  on  either  of  thefe  points ; 
 however  no  notice  was  taken  of  this  unwarrantable 
 behaviour  of  Mr.  Grove  at  the  examination,  tho' 
 the  Vice-Chancellor  might  with  great  propriety 
 have  animadverted  upon  it. 
 
 When  the  day  arrived,  he  and  his  aflelTors  came 
 to  the  Principal's  lodgings,  and  from  thence  pro- 
 ceeded to  the  common  Hall,  intending  to  exa- 
 mine into  the  grounds  of  the  complaint  in  a  pri- 
 vate manner ;  when  they  came  there,  they  found 
 a  great  number  of  gownfmen  of  all  degrees  af- 
 fcmbled  to  hear  the  examination :  however  the 
 Vice-Chancellor  thought  this  unexpedled  audience 
 would  be  no  obftrudion  to  the  proceedings,  and 
 
 B  3  confe- 
 
[       22       ] 
 
 confequently  that  there  was  no  reafon  on  that  ac- 
 count for  deferring  them ;  but  rather  the  reverfe ; 
 as  by  this  means  the  whole  Univerfity  would  be- 
 come acquainted  with  the  nature  of  the  accufa- 
 tion,  the  grounds  of  the  proof,  and,  I  will  add, 
 the  impartiality  of  the  Vifitor.  After  the  articles 
 of  accufation  were  read,  Mr.  Higfon  proceeded  to 
 his  proofs  in  fupport  of  them;  the  fubftance  of 
 which  I  took  down,  with  what  exadnefs  I  could, 
 in  the  following  minutes.  I  fhall  make  no  apo- 
 logy for  any  inaccuracy  which  may  appear  either 
 in  the  form  or  ftile  of  thefe  memorandums,  which 
 were  taken  without  any  connexion,  in  the  order 
 in  which  they  now  fland,  merely  for  my  own  pri- 
 vate fatisfaflion,  without  the  leaft  thought  of  theij* 
 being  made  pubhc.  Let  me  only  obferve  that, 
 while  I  was  employed  in  taking  thefe  minutes,  I 
 did  not  fuppofe  that  the  Vice-Chancellor  and  the 
 other  afieflbrs  were  inattentive  to  what  was  going 
 forward,  or  that  the  whole  was  to  reft  on  what  I 
 had  minuted  down :  but  on  the  contrary  had  rea- 
 fon to  believe  that  whatever  circumftance  might 
 efcape  my  notice  would  be  fupplied  by  the  recol- 
 Jeftion  of  the  other  gentlemen  j  which  was  the 
 real  cafe. 
 
 JvllNUTES 
 
:  t  23  1 
 
 Minutes  of  the  accufation  brought  againft 
 James  Matthews,  Thomas  Jones,  Jo- 
 seph Shipman,  Erasmus  Middleton, 
 Benjamin  Kay,  Thomas  Grove,  andBEN- 
 jAMiN  Blatch,  oi  Edmund-Hall •,  their  exa- 
 mination, &c. 
 
 James  Matthews.  Accufed  that  he  was  brought 
 up  to  the  trade  of  a  weaver  —  that  he  had  kept 
 a  tap-houfe  —  confefTed  —  Accufed  that  he  is 
 totally  ignorant  of  the  Greek  and  Latin  lan- 
 guages ;  which  appeared  by  his  declining  all  exa- 
 mination —  faid  that  he  had  been  under  the  tui- 
 tion of  two  clergymen  for  five  years  —  viz.  Mr. 
 Davies  and  ^  Newton ;  though  it  did  not  appear 
 
 a  Mr.  Newton  has  informed  me  by  letter  that  Mr.  Matthews 
 was  never  at  his  Houfe  but  once,  in  the  Year  1766,  when  he 
 continued  there  not  above  one  or  two  nights. — I  was  an  entire 
 ftranger  to  Mr.  Newton^ s  name  till  the  day  of  examination,  and 
 therefore  could  not  poffibly  have  put  it  down  in  my  minutes, 
 had  it  not  been  mentioned  by  one  of  the  parties ;  and  that  it 
 was  fo  mentioned  is  evident  from  the  queftion  afkcd  by  the  au- 
 thor of  Pietas  Oxonienjis,  who  dcfires  to  know,  "  why  Mr. 
 **  Newton  was  called  Methodift  .?"  However,  to  do  him  all  the 
 juftice  in  my  power,  I  here  infcrt  his  own  declaration,  by  which, 
 I  fuppofe,  he  means  to  difclaim  all  connexions  with  that  fet  of 
 men,  and  exprefles  his  concern  for  having  been  mentioned  on 
 this  occafion.  His  words  are  thefe.  "  As  I  think  I  can  ap- 
 *'  peal  10  all  who  know  me,  that  I  have  not  at  any  time,  either 
 **  by  my  example  or  advice,  encouraged  irregular  or  hally  pro- 
 *^  cccdings,   but  rather  the  contrary,  1  muft  own,  1  was  both 
 
 •'  concerned 
 
[      24      ] 
 
 that  he  had  during  that  time  made  any  profici- 
 ency in  learning  —  was  about  thirty  years  old 
 —  accufed  of  being  a  reputed  methodift  by  the 
 evidence  of  Mr.  Atkins  formerly   of  ^een^s- 
 College  —  that  he  was  afliftant  to  Mr.  Davies  a 
 reputed  methodift,  that  he  was  inftrudted   by 
 Mr.  Fletcher  a  reputed  methodift, — that  he  main- 
 tained the  neceflity  of  the  fenfible  impulfe  of 
 the  holy  Spirit— that  he  entered  himfelf  of  £i- 
 mund-Hall,  with  a  defign  to  get  into  holy  Orders, 
 for  which  he  had  offered  himfelf  a  candidate, 
 tho'  he  ftill  continues  to  be  wholly  illiterate,  and 
 incapable  of  doing  the  exercifes  of  the  Hall  — 
 proved — That  he  had  frequented  illicit  conven- 
 ticles held  in  a  private  houfe  in  Oxford.  —  con- 
 feffed.  He  produced  two  teftimonials,  one  vouch- 
 ed by  the  Bifliop  of  Litchfield  and  Coventry.,  the 
 other  by  the  Bifliop  of  Worcefier. 
 
 Thomas  Jones.  Accufed  that  he  had  been 
 brought  up  to  the  trade  of  a  barber,  which  he 
 had  followed  very  lately — confefled — Had  made 
 a  very  fmall  proficiency  in  the  Greek  and  Latin 
 languages — was  two  years  ftanding,  and  ftill  in- 
 capable of  performing  the  ftatutable  exercifes  of 
 the  Hall  —  that  he  had  been  at  the  meetings  at 
 Mrs.  Durhridge\  —  that  he  had  expounded  the 
 fcriptures  to  a  mixed  congregation  at  Wheaton- 
 
 **  concerned  and  furprized  that  my  Name  fhould  have  been  at 
 
 ,,        *'   a'i  nientioncd  upon  the  occafion." 
 
 +  Afion, 
 
[      25      ] 
 
 jijiott,  tho*  not  in  holy  Orders,  and  prayed  ex* 
 tempore.  All  this  he  confcfTed.  He  urged  in 
 his  defence  that  he  had  afked  his  Tutor  whether 
 he  thought  it  wrong  for  him  to  pray  or  inftrud 
 in  a  private  family,  and  that  his  Tutor  anfwered, 
 he  did  not,  which  he  faid,  was  the  reafon  of  his 
 continuing  to  do  it. 
 
 Joseph  Shipman.  Accufed  that  he  had  been 
 brought  up  to  the  trade  of  a  draper,  and  that 
 he  was  totally  illiterate  ;  which  appeared  on  his 
 examination — accufed  that  he  had  preached  or 
 expounded  to  a  mixed  aflembly  of  people,  tho' 
 not  in  Orders,  and  prayed  extempore — all  which 
 he  confcfTed. 
 
 Erasmus  Middleton — confefTes  to  have  done 
 duty  in  a  chapel  of  eafe  belonging  to  Cheveley^ 
 not  being  in  holy  Orders,  three  years  before  he 
 entered  of  the  Univerfity,  but  not  fince.  That 
 he  was  difcarded  by  his  father  for  being  connefted 
 with  the  methodifts. — That  he  had  been  refufed 
 Orders  by  the  Bilhop  oi  Hereford^ — faid  that  he 
 had  written  a  letter  to  the  Bi(hop  acknowledging 
 his  Fault,  and  recanting  his  errors — That  he  was 
 now  in  hopes  of  being  reconciled  to  his  father- 
 That  he  had  been  maintained  by  his  friends,  but 
 did  not  explain  who  thofe  friends  were  —  Ac- 
 cufed that  he  was  deficient  in  learning — that  he 
 was  attached  to  Mr,  Haweis,  who  had  boafled 
 that  THEY  fhould  be  able  to  get  him  into  Orders. 
 
 That 
 
[      26      ] 
 
 That  he  holds  that  faith  without  works  is  the 
 fole  condition  of  falvation  —  that  the  immediate 
 impulfe  of  the  fpirit  is  to  be  waited  for — that  he 
 denies  all  neceflity  of  works — that  he  had  taken 
 frequent  occafion  to  perplex  and  vex  his  Tutor 
 ' — Part  of  this  charge,  efpecially  concerning  his 
 tenets,  he  denied,  tho'  proved  by  the  evidence 
 of  two  gentlemen  of  the  Hall. 
 
 Benjamin  Kay.     Confefles  that  he  has  been  pre- 
 fent  at  the  meetings  held  in  the  houfe  of  Mrs. 
 Durhridge^  where  he  had  heard  extempore  prayers 
 frequently  offered  up  by  one  Hewett  a  ftay  maker; 
 that  fometimes  Mrs.  Durbridge  has  read  to  them 
 — Accufed  that  he  endeavoured  to  perfuade  a 
 young  man  of  Magdalen-College,  who  was  fent 
 into  the  country  for  having  been  tainted  with 
 calviniftical  and  methodiftical  principles,  to  leave 
 his  father — that  he  talked  of  their  meeting  with 
 great  oppofition,  meaning  from  the  Univerfity 
 —  of  this  there  was  not  fufficient  evidence  — 
 that  he  holds,  that  the  fpirit  of  God  works  ir- 
 refiftibly  —  that  once  a  child  of  God  always  a 
 child  of  God — that  he  holds  abfolute  ele6lion — 
 — that  he  had  endeavoured  to  inftil  the  fame 
 principles  into  others,  and  exhorted  them  to  con- 
 tinue ftedfaflly  in  them  againft  all  oppofition  — 
 Some  of  thefe  tenets  he  feemed  to  deny,  tho'  it 
 was  fully  proved  by  the  evidence  of  Mr.  JVelling, 
 commoner  of  the  Hall. 
 
 Thomas 
 
[     27    ] 
 
 Thomas  Grove  —  Accufed  that  he  had  preached 
 to  a  mixed  alTembly  of  people  called  methodifts, 
 not  beino:  in  Orders,  which  he  confeffed,  and 
 likewife  that  he  prayed  extempore — that  he  could 
 not  fall  down  upon  his  knees,  and  worlhip  God 
 in  the  form  of  the  church  of  England^  though  he 
 thought  it  a  good  form ;  proved  by'the  evidence 
 of  Mr.  Bromhead, 
 
 Benjamin  Blatch.  A  gentleman,  who  has  not 
 had  any  fchool-learning,  is  not  certain  whether 
 he  ftiall  purfue  any  profeflion  —  and  therefore 
 difmifled. 
 
 This,  Sir,  is  the  fubftance  of  what  appeared  to 
 me  material  during  the  courfe  of  the  examination* 
 put  down  indeed  in  a  hafty  manner,  as  the  time 
 would  permit,  but  with  fidelity  and  without  aggra- 
 vation :  and,  tho'  I  had  omitted  fome  circumftances 
 which  occurred  to  the  other  aflefTors,  yet  I  am  con- 
 fcious  of  having  placed  nothing  to  the  account  of 
 the  parties  accufed,  but  what  was  urged  and  proved 
 3gainft  them,  though  the  proof  itfelf  be  not  always 
 mentioned ;  taking  notice  at  the  fame  time  of  what- 
 ever was  urged  by  any  of  them,  either  in  their  de- 
 fence, or  extenuation  of  their  crime.  How  little  I 
 have  deferved  the  fevere  cenfure  contained  in  your 
 note  p.  64.  will  appear  from  my  minutes  of  Mr. 
 
 Middk" 
 
[     28     ] 
 
 ^ Middlelo-n's  examination-,  from  which  the  world 
 will  be  able  to  judge  whether  you,  or  I,  have  been 
 guilty  of  putting  down  a  falfe  accufation,  as  true  ; 
 and  whether  the  ^  Spirit  of  truth,  love,  and  can- 
 dor influenced  your  heart,  and  guided  your  pen, 
 when  you  wrote  that  malicious  flander. 
 
 When  we  met  at  the  Vi6e-Chancellor's  lodgings 
 to  review  all  that  had  pafied  at  the  examination, 
 every  circumftance  recorded  in  the  above  minutes 
 was  thoroughly  canvafled  :  fome  particulars  not 
 mentioned  in  them  recolleded  •,  and  the  whole  of 
 the  accufation,  proof,  and  defence,  duly  weighed, 
 and  maturely  confidered :  when  we  came  to  an 
 unanimous  determination;  which,  together  with  the 
 reafons  whereon  it  was  founded,  is  fully  exprefled 
 in  the  fentence  pronounced  by  the  Vice-Chancellor, 
 of  which  the  following  is  an  exadt  copy. 
 
 a  From  the  account  Mr.  Middleton  gave  of  himfelf,  the  Vice- 
 Chancellor  and  his  Affeflbrs  imagined  he  had  received  a  fchool- 
 education,  and  was  bred  up  with  an  intention  to  be  fent  to  the 
 Univerfity  ;  but  I  have  fince  received  the  following  account  of 
 him,  which  I  give  you  upon  very  good  authority.  "  Erafmus 
 *'  Middleton  was  born  at  Horncaftle,  a  market  town  in  Lincoln- 
 *'  pire,  where  he  ferved  an  apprenticefhip  to  his  father,  who 
 **  is  a  carpenter,  and  with  whom  he  worked  as  a  journeyman, 
 **  until  difcarded  for  negle(5l  of  bufinefs,  the  confequence  of  his 
 *'  converfion  to  methodifm." —  Had  I  pryed  into  Mr.  Middle" 
 toti'i,  private  concerns,  as  you  reprefent  me  to  have  done,  I 
 fhould  certainly  have  difcovered  this,  and  probably  many  other 
 circuinftances  not  to  his  advantage. 
 b  P.  i. 
 
 Oxfoxd 
 
[     29     ] 
 
 Oxford^  March  i^th,  1768: 
 
 I.  It  having  appeared  to  me  D.  Durell,  Vice- 
 Chancellor  of  the  Univerfity  of  Oxford^  and  un- 
 doubted Vifitor  of  St.  Edtnund^Hall^  within  the 
 faid  Univerfity,  upon  due  information  and  exa- 
 mination, that  James  Matthews  of  the  faid  Hall 
 had  been  originally  brought  up  to  the  trade  of  a 
 weaver,  and  afterwards  followed  the  low  occu- 
 pation of  keeping  a  tap-houfe  ;  that,  afterwards, 
 having  connected  himlelf  with  known  methodifts, 
 he  did,  without  any  the  lead  proficiency  in 
 fchool  knowledge,  enter  of  St.  Edmund-Hall 
 aforefaid,  with  a  dcfign  to  get  into  holy  Orders ; 
 and  that  he  ftill  continues  to  be  wholly  illiterate, 
 incapable  of  doing  the  ftatutable  exerciles  of  the 
 Hall,  and  confequently  more  incapable  of  being 
 qualified  for  holy  Orders,  for  which  he  had 
 lately  offered  himfelf  a  candidate.  Moreover  it 
 having  appeared  by  his  own  confefllon,  that  he 
 had  frequented  illicit  conventicles  held  in  a  pri- 
 vate houfe  in  the  city  of  Oxford. Therefore 
 
 I,  D.  Durell,  by  virtue  of  my  vifitatorial  pow- 
 er, and  with  the  advice  and  opinion  of  the  Re- 
 verend Thomas  Randolph,  D.  D.  Prefidentof 
 C.  C.  C.  and  Margaret  ProfefTor  of  Divinity  in 
 this  Univerfity,  of  the  Reverend  Thomas  Fo- 
 thergill,  D.  D.  Frovo{\:  of  ^een*S'Gollege,  of 
 the  Reverend  Thomas  Nowell,  D.  D.  Prin- 
 cipal of  St,  Mary-Hall,  and  Pubhc  Orator,  and 
 of  the  Reverend  Francis  Atterbury,  M.  A. 
 
 Senior 
 
[    3^    J 
 
 Senior  Pro6lor  of  this  Univerfity,  my  feveral 
 affeffors  regularly  appointed  on  this  occafion,  do 
 expel  the  faid  James  Matthews  from  the  faid 
 Hall,  and  do  hereby  pronounce  him  expelled. 
 
 II.  It  having  alfo  appeared  to  me  that  Thomas 
 Jones  of"  St.  Edmund-Hall  had  been  brought  up 
 to  the  trade  of  a  barber,  which  occupation  he 
 had  followed  very  lately  ;  that  he  had  made  but 
 a  fmall  proficiency  in  learning,  and  was  incapa- 
 ble of  performing  the  flatutable  exercifes  of  the 
 faid  Hall :  and  moreover,  it  having  appeared  by 
 his  own  confefTion,  that  he  had  frequented  illi- 
 cit conventicles  in  a  private  houfe  in  this  town, 
 and  that  he  had  himfelf  held  an  affembly  for 
 public  worfhip  at  Wheat-Afion  \  in  which  he 
 himfelf,  though  not  in  holy  Orders,  had  pub- 
 licly expounded  the  Scriptures  to  a  mixed  con- 
 gregation,   and  offered  up  extempore  prayers. 
 
 Therefore  I,  D.  Durell,  by  virtue  of  my 
 
 vifitatorial  power,  and  with  the  advice  and  opi- 
 nion of  each  and  every  of  my  affeffors,  the  re- 
 verend perfons  afore-named,  do  expel  the  faid 
 Thomas  Jones^  from  the  faid  Hall  j  and  hereby 
 pronounce  him  alfo  expelled. 
 
 III.  It  having  alfo  appeared  to  me  that  Jofeph 
 Shipman  of  St.  Edmund-Hall  aforefaid  had  been  a 
 draper  •,  was  very  illiterate,  and  incapable  of  per- 
 forming the  flatutable  exercifes  of  the  faid  Hall. 
 Moreover,  it  having  appeared  by  his  own  con- 
 
 feffion. 
 
[    31    ] 
 
 feflion,  that  he  had  expounded  publicly,  though 
 not  in  holy  Orders,  the  holy  Scriptures  to  a  mixed 
 congregation,  and  offered  up  extempore  prayers. 
 Therefore  I,  D.  Durell,  by  virtue  of  my 
 vifitatorial  power,  and  with  the  advice  and  opi- 
 nion of  each  and  every  one  of  my  afTtlTors,  the 
 reverend  perfons  afore-named,  do  expel  the  faid 
 Jofeph  Shipman  from  the  faid  Hall  \  and  hereby 
 pronounce  him  alfo  expelled. 
 
 IV.  It  having  alfo  appeared  to  me,  that  Erafmus 
 Middleton  of  St.  Edmund-Hall  aforefaid,  by  his 
 own  confefTion,  had  formerly  officiated  in  the 
 chapel  of  eafe  belonging  to  the  parifh  oiChevely 
 in  the  county  of  Berks,  not  being  in  holy  Or- 
 ders ;  that  he  had  been  reje6led  from  holy  Or- 
 ders by  the  Bifhop  of  Hereford  for  the  faid  of- 
 fence •,  that  he  was  difcarded  by  his  father  for 
 being  conne6led  with  the  people  called  Metho- 
 dijls  ;  and  that  he  ftill  lies  under  his  father's  dif- 
 pleafure  for  the  fame.  Moreover,  it  having  ap- 
 peared by  credible  witneffes,  that  he  is  ftill  con- 
 neded  with  the  faid  people,  and  profelTes  their 
 dodtrines.  viz.  that  Faith  without  works  is 
 the  fole  condition  of  falvation  -,  that  there  is  no 
 necefTity  of  works — that  the  immediate  impulfe 
 
 of  the  Spirit  is  to  be  waited  for. Therefore 
 
 I,  D.  Durell,  by  virtue  of  my  vifitatorial  pow- 
 er, and  with  the  advice  and  opinion  of  each  and 
 every  one  of  my  affefTors,  the  reverend  perfons 
 afore-mentioned,  do  expel  the  faid  Erafmus  Mid- 
 dleton 
 
[    32    ] 
 
 dkton  from  the  faid  Hall,  and  hereby  pronounce 
 him  alfo  expelled. 
 
 V.  It  having  alfo  appeared  to  me  that  Benjamin 
 Kay  of  the  faid  Hall,  by  his  own  confeflion,  had 
 frequented  illicit  conventicles  in  a  private  houfe 
 in  this  town  \  where  he  had  heard  extempore 
 prayers  frequently  offered  up  by  one  Hewett,  a 
 Haymaker.  Moreover,  it  having  been  proved 
 by  fufficient  evidence  rhat  he  held  methodifti- 
 cal  principles ;  viz.  the  dodtrine  of  abfolute 
 eledion  ;  that  the  Spirit  of  God  works  irrefifti- 
 bly ;  that  once  a  child  of  God  always  a  child 
 of  God :  that  he  had  endeavoured  to  inftil  the 
 fame  principles  into  others,  and  exhorted  them 
 to  continue  Iledfaftly  in  them  againft  all  oppo- 
 
 fnion. Therefore  I,  D.  Durell,  by  virtue 
 
 of  my  vifitatorial  power,  and  with  the  advice 
 and  opinion  of  each  and  every  one  of  my  af- 
 feiTors,  the  reverend  perfons  before-mentioned, 
 do  expel  the  faid  Benjamin  Kay  from  the  faid 
 Hall,  and  hereby  pronounce  him  alfo  expelled. 
 
 VI.  It  having  alfo  appeared  to  me  that  Thomas 
 Grove,  of  St.  Edmund-Hall  aforefaid,  tho'  not 
 in  holy  Orders,  had,  by  his  own  confefTion,  lately 
 preached  to  an  afiembly  of  people  called  Me' 
 thodijis  in  a  barn,  and  had  offered  up  extem- 
 pore prayers  in  that  congregation. There- 
 fore I,  D.  Durell,  by  virtue  of  my  vifitato- 
 rial power,    aad   with  the  advice  and  opinion 
 
 of 
 
[    33    ] 
 
 of  each  and  every  one  of  my  afleflbrs,  the  reve- 
 rend  perfons  before-named,  do  expel  the  faid 
 Thomas  Grove  from  the  faid  Hall,  and  hereby 
 pronounce  him  alfo  expelled. 
 
 Such,  Sir,  was  the  fentence,  which  you  repre- 
 fent  to  be  the  moft  cruel  and  unjuft  that  ever  was 
 paiTed ;  and  fuch  the  reafons  on  which  it  was 
 founded.  I  fhall  not  flay  to  make  any  general 
 obfervations  on  it ;  but  haften  to  anfwer  the  par- 
 ticular objeftions  you  have  urged  againft  it,  arti- 
 cle by  article. 
 
 But  before  I  proceed,  I  cannot  help  obferving 
 that  under  a  pretence  of  ^  greater  method  and  per- 
 fpicuity  you  have  inverted  the  order  of  the  charge, 
 even  as  it  flands  in  your  own  articles  of  accufation. 
 The  order  in  which  it  ftood  on  the  examination, 
 and  which  is  moft  natural,  was  this — ift,  the  ac- 
 cufation of  fome  of  them  being  brought  up  to 
 trade ;  which  would  have  had  no  weight,  had  it 
 not  been  connected  with  the  fecond — viz.  that  they 
 were  totally  illiterate,  and  incapable  of  performing 
 the  ftatutable  exercifes  of  the  Univerfity,  and  their 
 Hall  —  then  followed  the  third — viz.  that  they 
 had  frequented  illicit  conventicles,  in  which  they 
 had  preached,  and  prayed  extempore ;  and  that  one 
 of  them  had  officiated  as  a  minifter  in  holy  Orders, 
 
 a  P.  ir. 
 
 C  though 
 
[    34    ] 
 
 though  a  layman  ; — the  4th  was,  that  they  held  and 
 maintained  tenets  contrary  to  the  dodrine  of  the 
 church  of  England;  however  that  I  may  not  be 
 obliged  to  turn  over  your  book  backwards  and  for- 
 wards to  reduce  it  to  regularity  and  method,  I  fhall 
 take  it  as  it  ftands,  and  attend  you  page  by  page, 
 as  nearly  as  I  can,  through  the  whole  labyrinth  of 
 your  work. 
 
 3  The  firfl  charge  you  confider  is  that  of  attend- 
 ing illicit  conventicles.  To  afcertain  what  is  a  con- 
 venticle you  quote  JacoFs  law  diflionary,  but  with 
 great  partiality,  and  want  of  fidelity  j  you  adopt  only 
 what  may  bed  ferve  your  turn,  leaving  out  what 
 makes  againft  you,  though  immediately  connedled 
 with  what  you  quote  :  thus  you  drop  the  definition 
 of  a  conventicle,  which  is  "  a  private  afl!embly  for 
 "  the  exercife  of  religion,"  but  take  the  words  im- 
 mediately following  it ;  and  here  you  flop  ;  paying 
 no  regard  to  Mr.  Jacobs,  quotation  from  22  Car.  II. 
 which  declares  what  conventicles  are  illegal.  Nor 
 are  you  more  faithful  in  quoting  that  a6t  of  parlia- 
 ment ;  you  give  us  the  preamble,  but  conceal  the; 
 part,  which  alone  relates  to  the  point  in  queftion, 
 where  it  is  enafted  that,  if  any  perfon  above  the 
 age  of  fixteen  Ihall  be  prefent  at  any  afi!embly,  con- 
 venticle, or  meeting,  under  colour  or  pretence  of 
 any  exercife  of  religion  in  other  manner  than  ac- 
 cording to  the  liturgy  and  pradlice  of  the  church 
 of  England^  at  which  conventicle  there  Ihall  be 
 
 a  P.  12. 
 
 five 
 
[    35    ] 
 
 five  perfons  or  more  afTembled  together  over  and 
 befides  thofe  of  the  fame  houfliold,  if  it  be  a  houfe 
 where  there  is  a  family  inhabiting  ;  or  if  it  be  in  a 
 houfe,  or  field,  or  place  where  there  is  no  family 
 inhabiting,  then,  when  any  five  perfons  or  more 
 are  fo  alTembled,  every  one  fliall  be  fubjecl  to  the 
 penalty  of  five  (hillings  for  the  firft  ofl^ence,  and 
 ten  fhillings  for  the  fecond. 
 
 Sect.  3.  Every  perfon,  who  fhall  take  upon  him 
 to  preach  or  teach  in  any  fuch  meeting,  afi^embly, 
 or  conventicle,  fhall  forfeit  twenty  pounds  for  the 
 firfl  offence,  and  forty  pounds  for  the  fecond. 
 
 Sect.  4.  If  any  perfon  fhall  fufferany  fuch  con- 
 venticle, aflTembly,  or  unlawful  meeting,  as  afore- 
 faid,  to  be  held  in  his  houfe,  out-houfe,  barn,  yard, 
 or  back-fide,  he  fhall  forfeit  twenty  pounds. 
 
 This  a(5l,  as  the  author  of  the  remarks  upon 
 Mr.  JVhitefield's  letter  obferves,  is  indeed  in  fome 
 degree  altered  by  the  toleration-afl ;  by  which  fome 
 conventicles  are  permitted  under  certain  reftridtions; 
 but  all  other  conventicles,  which  come  not  under  the 
 defcription  given  of  fuch  as  are  thereby  permitted, 
 are  flill  continued  to  be  forbidden  by  the  22  Car.  II. 
 
 Thus  fed.  19.  No  congregation,  or  afl!embly 
 for  religious  worfhip  fliall  be  permitted  or  allowed 
 by  this  a6l,  until  fuch  place  of  meeting  fliall  be  cer- 
 tified to  the  Biftiop  of  the  diocefe,  or  Arch-deacon 
 
 C2  of 
 
[    36    ] 
 
 of  the  arch-deaconry,  or  to  the  Juftices  of  the  peace 
 at  their  general  quarter-fefTions  for  the  county,  city, 
 or  place,  in  which  fuch  meetings  (hall  be  held 
 and  regiftered  in  the  faid  Bifhop's  or  Arch-deacon*s 
 court,  or  recorded  at  the  faid  general  quarter-fef- 
 fions  of  the  peace.  Hence  all  conventicles,  aflem- 
 blies,  or  meetings,  as  defcribed  in  22  Car.  II.  cap. 
 I;  and  not  regiftered  or  recorded  according  to  the 
 toleration-adt,  are  illicit  and  prohibited.  The  meet- 
 ings therefore  which  thefe  gentlemen  attended  were 
 certainly  conventicles,  being  "  private  aflemblies 
 '*  for  the  exercife  of  religion ;"  and  they  were  illicit 
 conventicles,  "  there  being  more  than  five  perfons 
 "  aflembled  there,  befides  thofe  of  the  fame  houf- 
 "  hold."  Nor  does  the  law  require  proof  of  any  dan- 
 gerous pradices  carried  on  at  fuch  meetings;  it 
 provides  a  fpeedy  remedy  againft  the  dangers,  which 
 may  poflibly,  and  will  probably,  arife  from  fuch 
 meetings ;  and  forbids  them,  becaufe  fe<5laries  have, 
 or  may,  at  fuch  meetings,  contrive  infurreftions. 
 
 Not  being  acquainted  with  the  a  Kentijh  ftory,  to 
 which  you  appeal  as  decifive  in  this  point,  I  cannot 
 contradid  you  with  regard  to  the  fad  itfelf,  but 
 have  great  reafon  to  fuppole  it  did  not  turn  on  that 
 hinge,  on  which  you  reft  it.  The  conventicle  might 
 be  illicit,  and  yet  the  Juftice  of  peace  become  liable 
 to  punifhment  for  having  taken  unwarrantable  and 
 illegal  meafures  to  fupprefs  it ;  he  might  therefore 
 be  glad  to  compound  matters,  and  make  them  up 
 a  P.  14. 
 
[    37    1 
 
 in  the  manner  you  relate ;  a  cafe  which,  I  appre- 
 hend, frequently  happens.  And  as  to  the  ^  religi- 
 ous focieties  in  Queen  Anne^%  time ;  if  they  were 
 compofed  of  Lords  fpiritual  and  temporal,  &c.  I 
 will  take  upon  me  to  pronounce  that  they  did  not 
 permit  laymen,  barbers,  weavers,  Haymakers,  &c. 
 to  pray  extempore,  or  to  preach,  and  expound  the 
 fcriptures  to  them  —  But  that  members  of  the 
 church  of  England  may  be,  and  aftually  have  been, 
 cenfured  for  frequenting  illicit  conventicles  is  very 
 evident  from  Queen  Elizabeth''^  circular  letter  to 
 the  Bifhops  throughout  England  \  in  which  your 
 meetings  are  exadly  defcribed,  and  the  pernicious 
 tendency  of  them  fully  fet  forth  —  The  following 
 is  a  copy  of  it,  taken  from  Strype^5  life  of  Arch- 
 bifliop  Grindal  —  Appendix,  P.  85. 
 
 The   Queen  to  the  Bifliops  throughout 
 England  for  the  fuppreffing  the  exercife 
 
 called    PROPHESYING,    &c. 
 
 RIGHT  Reverend  Father  in  God,  we  greet 
 you  well.  We  hear  to  our  great  grief,  that  in  fun- 
 dry  parts  of  our  realm  there  are  no  fmall  number 
 of  perfons  prefuming  to  be  teachers  and  preachers 
 of  the  church  (though  neither  lawfully  thereunto 
 called,  nor  yet  fit  for  the  fame)  which,  contrary  to 
 our  laws  eftablifhed  for  the  public  divine  fervice  of 
 Almighty  God,  and  the  adminiftration  of  his  holy 
 
 a  P.  15. 
 
 C  3  facra- 
 
[     38    ] 
 
 facraments  within  this  church  of  England,  do  daily 
 devife,  imagine,  propound  and  put  in  execution 
 fundry  new  rites  and  forms  in  the  church,  as  well 
 by  their  unordinate  preaching,  reading,  and  minif- 
 tring  the  facraments,  as  by  procuring  unlawfully  of 
 affemblies,  and  great  number  of  our  people  out  of 
 their  ordinary  parifhes,  and  from  places  far  diftant 
 (and  that  alfo  fome  of  our  fubjedls  of  good  calling, 
 tho'  therein  not  well  advifed}  to  be  hearers  of  their 
 difputations,  and  new  devifed  opinions  upon  points 
 of  divinity,  far  unmeet  for  vulgar  people :  which 
 manner  of  innovation,'they  in  fome  places  term  pro- 
 PHESYiNGS,  and  in  fome  other  places  exercises. 
 By  which  manner  of  aflemblies  great  numbers  of 
 our  people,  efpecially  the  vulgar  fort  (meet  to  be 
 otherwife  occupied  with  honeft    labour  for  their 
 living)  are  brought  to  idlenefs,  and  feduced  j  and 
 in  manner  fchifmatically  divided  among  themfelves 
 into  variety  of  dangerous  opinions,    not  only  in 
 towns  and  parifhes,    but  even  in  fome  families, 
 and  manifeflly  thereby  encouraged   to    the    vio- 
 lation of  our  laws,    and  to  the  breach  of  com- 
 mon order,  and  finally  to  the  offence  of  all  our 
 quiet  fubjeds,  that  defire  to  live,  and  ferve  God, 
 according  to  the  uniform  orders  eftablifhed  in  the 
 church  :  whereof  the  fequel  cannot  but  be  dange^ 
 rous  to  be  fuffcred. 
 
 Wherefore  confidering  it  Ihould  be  the  duty 
 of  the  Bifhops,  being  the  principal  ordinary  officers 
 in  the  church  of  God,  as  you  are  one,  to  fee  thefe 
 
 diforders 
 
[     39     ] 
 
 diforders  againft  the  honour  of  God,  and  quietnefs 
 of  the  church,  reformed  -,  and  that  we  fee  that  by 
 the  encreafe   of  thefe,    through  fufferancc,  great 
 danger  may  enfue,  even  to  the  decay  of  chriftian 
 faith,  whereof  we  are  by  God  appointed  the  de- 
 fender -,  befide  the  other  great  inconveniences,  to 
 the  difturbance  of  our  peaceable  government :  we 
 therefore  according  to  the  authority  we  have,  do 
 charge  and  command  you,  as  the  bilhop  of  that 
 diocefe,  with  all  manner  of  diligence,  to  take  order 
 through  your  diocefe,  as  well  in  places  exempt  as 
 otherwife,  that  no  manner  of  public  and   divine 
 fervice,  nor  other  form   of  adminiftration  of  the 
 holy  facraments,  nor  any  other  rites  and  ceremo- 
 nies, be  in  any  fort  ufed  in  the  church,  but  diredly 
 according  to  the  orders  eflablifhed  by  our  laws : 
 neither  that  any  manner  of  perfon  be  fuffered  within 
 your  diocefe  to  preach,  teach,  read,  or  exercife  any 
 funflion  in  the  church,  but  fuch  as  fliall  be  law- 
 fully approved  and  licenfed,  as  pedons  able  for 
 their  knowledge,  and  conformable  to  the  miniftry 
 in  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  this  church  of  Eng- 
 land.    And  where  there  fliall    not    be    fufficient 
 able  perfons  for  learning  in  any  cures  to  preach 
 and  inftrudl:   your  cures  as  were  requifite,    there 
 fhall  you  limit  the  curates  to  read  the  public  ho- 
 milies, according  to  the  injunctions  heretofore  by 
 us  given  for  like  cafes. 
 
 And    furthermore,    confidering  for  the  great 
 abufes  that  have  been  in  fundry  places  of  our  realm, 
 
 by 
 
[    40    ] 
 
 by  reafon  of  the  aforefaid  aflemblics  called  exer- 
 cises ;  and  for  that  the  fame  are  not,  nor  have  not, 
 been  appointed  nor  warranted  by  us,  or  by  our 
 laws,  we  will,  and  ftraitly  charge  you,  that  you  do 
 caufe  the  fame  forthwith  to  ceafe,  and  not  to  be 
 ufed  :  but  if  any  (hall  attempt,  or  continue,  or  re- 
 new the  fame,  we  will  you  not  only  to  commit 
 them  unto  prifon,  as  maintainers  of  diforders, 
 but  alfo  to  advife  us,  or  our  council,  of  the  names 
 and  qualities  of  them,  and  of  their  maintainers 
 ^nd  abetters :  that  thereupon,  for  better  exam- 
 ple, their  punifhment  may  be  made  more  fharp 
 for  their  reformation. 
 
 And  in  thefe  things  we  charge  you  to  be  careful 
 and  vigilant,  as  by  your  negligence,  if  we  fhould 
 hear  of  any  perfon  attempting  to  offend  in  the  pre- 
 mifles  without  your  corredion,  or  information  to 
 us,  we  be  not  forced  to  make  fome  example  in  re- 
 forming of  you  according  to  your  deferts. 
 
 Given  under  our  fignet  at  our  manor  of  Green- 
 wich^ the  y^  day  of  May  1577,  in  the  ^ix^^ 
 yeer  of  our  reign  ^ 
 
 a  I  quoted  the  above  letter  merely  to  prove  th^t  members  of 
 the  CHURCH  OF  England  have  been  cenfured  for  frequenting 
 illicit  conventicles,  and  therefore  had  no  occafion  to  take  notice 
 of  Archbilhop  GrindaVz  anfwer ;  in  which  however,  he  affures  her 
 Majefty,  that  "  No  man  may  fpeak  in  thofe  exercifes  unlefs 
 *'  he  be  firfl:  allowed  by  the  Bilhop,  with  this  proviso,  that 
 
 "  no 
 
f  41  1 
 
 You  next  appeal  to  the  canons  of  the  church ; 
 or  rather  having  put  your  own  conftruflion  on  one 
 of  them,  you  infer  in  general  that  "  from  their 
 "  » authority  likewife  it  is  mod  clear  that  there  is 
 "  no  prohibition  laid  on  any  members  of  the  church 
 "  of  England  for  meeting  together  for  religious 
 "  purpofes,  (I  quote  your  own  words  though  they 
 "  are  not  very  grammatical)  provided  fuch  meet- 
 **  ing  tend  not  to  the  impeaching  or  depraving  the 
 *'  dodrine  of  the  church  of  England,  the  book  of 
 **  common  prayer,  the  public  peace,  nor  any  part 
 "  of  the  government  and  difcipline  eftablilhed  in 
 "  the  church."  Suppofing  this  to  be  the  cafe,  I 
 believe  the  meetings  which  thefe  men  frequented, 
 and  in  which  fome  of  them  officiated,  will  juftly 
 come  under  the  above  defcription,  and  manifeftly 
 
 **  no  Layman  be  fuffered  to  fpeak  at  any  time."  And  yet 
 thofe  meetings,  fo  circumftanced,  were  prohibited,  as  being  a 
 violation  of  our  laws  and  a  breach  of  common  order.  What 
 then  would  the  Queen  have  thought,  or  what  muft  we  think, 
 of  YOUR  meetings,  in  which  the  moft  ignorant  mechanics  are 
 both  fpeakcrs  and  teachers  ?  Your  defcription  of  Quen  Eliza» 
 betVi  religious  charader,  reprefenting  her  to  be  little  better  than 
 a  roman  catholic,  and  making  her  *'  zeal  for  the  reformation 
 **  only  fubfervient  to  the  temporal  interefts  of  the  ftate,  in  order 
 "  to  eftablifh  her  own  fupremacy  inftead  of  the  Pope's,"  does 
 great  honour,  to  be  fure,  to  the  memory  of  that  Princefs,  who 
 fuffered  imprifonment,  and  was  in  truth  almoft  a  martyr  for 
 ihe  reformation. 
 a  P.   13. 
 
 tended 
 
[    42     ] 
 
 tended  to  the  impeaching  and  depraving  the  doc- 
 trine of  the  church  of  England,  the  book  of  com- 
 mon prayer,  and  the  government  and  difcipline  of 
 the  church. 
 
 But  is  this  the  only  canon  of  the  church  which 
 relates  to  the  point  in  queftion  ?  does  not  the  71ft 
 canon  forbid  even  minifters  to  preach,  or  adminif- 
 ter  the  holy  communion,  in  any  private  houfe,  ex- 
 cept it  be  in  times  of  neceflity  •,  upon  pain  of  fuf- 
 penfion  for  the  firft  offence,  and  excommunication 
 for  the  fecond  ?  Laymen  therefore  are  a  fortiori  pro- 
 hibited from  prefuming  to  do  either.  Nor  ^  are  all 
 MINISTERS  permitted  even  to  expound  any  fcriptu re 
 or  matter  of  doftrine,  in  their  own  cure,  or  elfe- 
 where ;  but  fuch  only  as  have  been  examined  and 
 approved  by  the  Bifhop  of  the  diocefe,  or  licenfed. 
 Will  you  now  fay  that  thefe  meetings  in  private 
 houfes,  in  which  not  only  minifters,  but  ilHterate 
 laymen  take  upon  them  to  preach,  and  expound 
 the  fcriptures,  are  not  prohibited  by,  or  that  the 
 perfons  guilty  of  fuch  prefumption  do  not  offend 
 againft,  the  canons  of  the  church  ?  And  if  they 
 offend  againft  the  canons  of  the  church,  they  cer- 
 tainly incur  the  penalty  of  the  ftatutes  of  the  Uni- 
 verfity ;  which  forbid  all  perfons  to  frequent  illicit 
 conventicles  under  pain  of  expulfion ;  and  call  all 
 fuch  conventicles  illicit,  in  which  men  meet  either 
 publicly  or  privately  in  a  way  not  allowed  by  the 
 
 a  49  can. 
 
 ftatutes 
 
[    43     ] 
 
 flatutes  of  the  realm,  or  the  canons  of  the  church, 
 or  the  rules  of  the  Univerfity ;  they  are  prohibited 
 by  the  two  former,  and  confequendy  muft  be  a 
 violation  of  the  latter.  Befides,  thefe  young  men, 
 had  they  been  capable  of  conftruing  the  Univerfity 
 ftatutes,  which  they  had  fworn  to  obfervc,  muft 
 have  known  that  all  fcholars  are  forbidden  to  fre- 
 quent the  houfes  of  townfmen,  and  confequently 
 that  meetings  held  at  fuch  houfes  are  not  allowed 
 by  the  rules  of  the  Univerfity.  And  furely  in  this 
 place  there  can  be  no  occafion  or  pretence  for  fuch 
 religious  meetings :  there  are  prayers  here  in  every 
 chapel  twice  a  day  -,  there  are  fermons  at  the  Uni- 
 verfity church  twice  every  Sunday,  and  once  every 
 holiday  ;  befides  other  occafional  fermons.  If  this 
 were  not  fufficient,  thofe  pious  gentlemen  might 
 have  joined  together  in  prayer  within  their  own 
 halls,  or  colleges.  But  to  hold  fuch  meetings  in 
 private  houfes  in  the  town  was  dire6tly  contrary  to 
 the  difcipline  and  rules  of  the  Univerfity,  to  the 
 canons  of  the  church,  and  the  ftatutes  of  the  realm; 
 I  may  add,  to  the  articles  likewife ;  which,  at  their 
 admiffion  into  the  Univerfity,  they  fubfcribed  to. 
 The  23d  article  exprefsly  declares,  that  it  is  not 
 lawful  for  any  man  to  take  upon  himfelf  the  office 
 of  preaching,  before  he  is  lawfully  called. — "  ^  But 
 *'  was  it  the  defign  of  the  legiflature  to  prohibit  all 
 *'  members  of  the  church  from  joining  together  in 
 "  prayer  for  the  welfare  of  the  church,  unlefs  it 
 
 a  P.  14. 
 
 «  were 
 
[    44    ] 
 
 "  were  within  the  confecrated  walls  ?"--.was  this 
 all  that  was  done  ?  was  there  not  expounding  ? 
 were  there  not  extempore  prayers  offered  up  ?  and 
 that  by  perfons  unauthorized  to  do  either.  "  ^  But 
 "  if  upon  any  occafion  there  happened  to  be  half 
 "  a  dozen  guefts  or  ftrangers  prefent  at  the  ftated 
 "  family- worfhip  in  a  houfe" — was  then  the  prc- 
 fence  of  thefe  guefts  only  accidental,  or  once  upon 
 an  occafion  ?  I  am  well  acquainted  with  the  nature 
 of  thefe  meetings  in  general,  and  the  numbers 
 which,  deferting  their  own  parifli  church,  flock 
 together  from  all  parts  of  the  neighbourhood  to  at- 
 tend them ;  I  have  frequently  been  an  eye  witnefs 
 of  the  vain  felf-fufficiency  of  thefe  gifted  teachers, 
 and  of  the  ignorant  zeal,  and  ftupid  admiration  of 
 their  hearers :  I  cannot  therefore  be  impofed  upon 
 by  your  reprefentation  of  them.  Yet  fuppofing  there 
 were  only  five  thus  prefent,  it  is  contrary  to  the  ex- 
 prefs  words  of  the  ad  of  Parliament  cited  by  you ; 
 and  which,  one  would  have  thought,  muft  have 
 ftared  you  in  the  face,  as  they  follow  immediately 
 after  thofe  you  have  quoted.  Strange  it  is  indeed 
 that  undergraduates  in  the  Univerfity,  greatly  de- 
 ficient in  learning  and  abilities,  without  regular 
 orders,  or  miffion,  fhould  think  themfelves  quali- 
 fied, or  authorized,  to  expound  the  fcriptures  in  a 
 mixt  congregation,  and  to  offer  up  extempore 
 prayers  for,  and  in  the  name  of,  fuch  congrega- 
 tion :  and  ftill  more  ftrange  it  is  that  a  filly  wo- 
 
 a  P.  14 
 
 man, 
 
[    45    ] 
 
 man,  or  Illiterate  ftaymaker,  fhould  prefume  to  dq 
 this  i  and  thikt  thefe  gentlemen  fliould,  by  their  at- 
 tendance at  thofe  meetings,  uphold  and  encourage 
 fuch  prefumption.     Nay,  one  of  them  was  convic- 
 ted of  officiating,  tho'  not  in  orders,  as  a  curate  in 
 a  country  parifli  church  :  this  indeed  you  allow  to 
 have  been  a  "  ^  very  high  indifcretion  ;  tho*  you 
 "  muft  believe  that  his  motive  was  good  •,"  that 
 is,  you  are  refolved  to  believe  nothing  bad  of  him, 
 tho'  ever  fo  true,  and  every  thing  good,  however 
 falfe.     But  why  muft  his  motive  be  good  ?  "  b  be- 
 **  caufe,  fay  you,  he  could  have  no  temporal  in- 
 "  tereft  in  what  he  did" — that   is  more  than  I 
 know,  or  you  can  be  certain  of — But  might  not  his 
 motive  be  pride,  arrogance,  felf-conceit,  prefump- 
 tion ?  and  call  you  thefe  motives  good  ?  you  urge 
 likewife  that  this  "  *=  was  before  he  was  a  member 
 "  of  the  Univerfity,  and  that  he  had  behaved  ever 
 "  fince  with   the  greateft  regularity,*'     Had  this 
 daring  impiety  been  known  before  his  admiffion, 
 the  Vice-Chancellor  would    not    have    permitted 
 him  to  become  a  member  of  the  Univerfity ;  as 
 foon  as  it  was  known,  it  was  a  fufficient  reafon  to 
 remove  him.    An  indifcretion  is  furely  a  very  mild 
 term  for  a  high  offence  againft  the  laws  both  of 
 God  and  his  country,  the  fin  of  Korah,  Dathan^ 
 and  Abiram.     Nor  did  it  appear  that  he  had  be- 
 haved ever  fince  with  the  greateft  regularity,  but 
 juft  the  contrary. 
 
 a  P.  23.         b  Ibid.         c  P.   24. 
 
 Three 
 
[    46    ] 
 
 Three  others  were  alfo  convidled  of  preaching, 
 or  expounding,  as  they  call  it,  in  congregations 
 in  the  country.  I  wonder  how  they  could  think 
 themfelves  called  or  qualified  fo  to  do,  unlefs  they 
 had  the  gift  of  immediate  and  extraordinary  infpi- 
 ration  ;  and  this  you  feem  to  think  they  had,  as 
 you  compare  their  cafe  with  that  of  Chrift  and  his 
 Apoftles.  But  if  this  were  really  the  cafe,  what 
 bufinefs  had  they  here  ?  They  had  no  occafion  to 
 come  to  the  Univerfity  for  inftrudion  or  degrees, 
 or  to  apply  for  orders.  They  were  mifpending 
 their  time,  not  flanding  in  need  of  any  qualifica- 
 tion, they  could  be  fuppofed  to  acquire  here  — 
 But  this  point  will  be  more  fully  confidered  in  its 
 proper  place.  The  other  two  confefTed  that  they 
 had  frequented  thefe  meetings — All  of  them  had 
 therefore  incurred  the  penalty  of  expulfion  under 
 this  firfl  charge. 
 
 You  fay  in  their  defence,  "  ^  that  they  did 
 "  abftain  from  thefe  meetings,  as  foon  as  ever 
 *'  they  were  told  that  they  were  contrary  to  the  will 
 "  of  thofe,  who  had  the  authority  over  them  in  the 
 "  Univerfity,  and  that  not  one  of  them  had  been 
 "  prefent  at  any  fuch  meetings  for  fome  months  be- 
 "  fore  their  expulfion :  but  all  declared  it  was 
 *'  their  determination  not  to  attend  them  again" — 
 But  how  does  this  declaration  agree  with  their  pre- 
 
 a  P.   i6. 
 
 fent 
 
[    47    J 
 
 fent  behaviour  ?  was  it  not  a  mere  jefuitical  one, 
 made  only  to  ferve  their  turn  at  that  time  ?  but 
 not  anfwering  their  purpofe  then,  they  have  ever 
 fince  totally  difregarded  it,  and  aded  in  open  vio- 
 lation of  it.  For  (I  affert  it  on  very  good  autho- 
 rity) they  are  now,  and  have  been  for  fome  time, 
 preaching,  and  expounding,  and  holding  thefe 
 meetings  up  and  down  the  country,  to  the  reproach 
 of  their  condu6t,  but  to  the  full  juftification  of  the 
 
 Vice-Chancellor's  fentence A  fentence  which 
 
 you  call  mofl  cruel  and  ignominious ;  and  tell  us 
 that  "  ^  only  one  example  can  be  produced  within 
 "  thefe  hundred  years  of  fo  public  an  infliction  of  a 
 "like  punifhment"  —  I  have  already  refuted  this 
 aflertion  ;  and  could  give  you  many  inftances  of  the 
 like  punifhment,  did  I  think  it  confiltent  with  cha- 
 rity to  rip  up  private  charadlers,  and  again  expofe 
 thofe  who  have  already  fufi^ered  for,  and,  I  hope, 
 long  ago  repented  of  their  crimes.  But  I  mufl  take 
 the  liberty  to  tell  you  that  you  have  greatly  mifre- 
 prefented  the  fa6t  you  allude  to.     If  you  mean  Mr. 
 
 of  H-—f — d  C it  is  notorious  that  he 
 
 was  expelled  the  Univerfity  by  a  public  ad:  of  con- 
 vocation —  If  you  allude  to  an  affair  which  hap- 
 pened forty  years  ago  at  A — d — ;?,  wherein  fome 
 
 perfons  of  M — d — n  C were  concerned  ;  the 
 
 perfons  guilty  of  that  ad  of  impiety,  tho'  not  fuch 
 as  you  reprefent  it,    were  hkewife  expelled,  and 
 the  fentence  of  their  expulfion  now  ftands  recorded 
 a  P.   i6. 
 
 on 
 
t  48  ] 
 
 on  the  college  reglfter,  exprefled  in  terms  of  the 
 greateft  abhorrence. — But  you  relate  nothing  upon 
 hearfay  — 
 
 The  next  charge  againft  thefe  perfons,  in  the 
 order  in  which  you  place  it,  was,  that  three  of  them 
 were  bred  to  trades.  You  allow  the  charge ;  but 
 2  plead  that  St.  Paul  was  a  tent-maker  ;  that  David 
 was  called  from  the  flieepfold  ;  that  Amos  was  an 
 herdfman,  our  Lord  himfelf  a  carpenter,  'and  his 
 Apoftles  fifhermen  —  What  trifling  is  this .?  when 
 you  will  fhew  that  thefe  men  have  the  fame  divine 
 miflion,  which  the  prophets  and  apoftles  had,  and 
 bring  the  fame  proof  of  it  from  the  gift  of  mira- 
 cles and  prophecy,  then  we  will  allow  them  to  do, 
 as  the  prophets  and  apoftles  did.  But  •*  feveral 
 worthy  prelates  were  bred  to  trades :  it  may  be 
 fo.  Some  perfons  have  been  fent  to  fchool,  and 
 their  parents  not  being  able  to  maintain  them  at 
 the  Univerfity,  have  been  afterwards  put  out  to 
 trades :  but  having  imbibed  a  relifti  for  learning, 
 and  having  in  confequence  a  diflike  for  the  bufinefs 
 of  trade,  they  have  met  with  friends,  who  have 
 fupported  them  here.  Others  have  been  originally 
 bred  to  trades,  but  difcovering  a  genius  for  learn- 
 ing, they  have  been  fent  to  fchool,  and,  after  a 
 proper  education  there,  have  entered  themfelves  ia 
 the  Univerfity  ;  and  fome  of  thefe  perfons  have  be- 
 come afterwards  eminent  in  the  learned  profeftions. 
 
 a  P.  18.  b  P.  19. 
 
 But 
 
[    49    ] 
 
 But  as  you  have  had  the  confidence  to  (helter  the 
 illiberal  education  and  low  ignorance  of  thefe  men 
 under  the  fandlion  of  a  very  learned,  and  very  ve- 
 nerable charader,  I  beg  leave  to  contradidt  your 
 account  of  that  eminent  prelate's  education  upon 
 the  bed  authority,  which  is,  his  own.  That  dig- 
 nitary, by  whofe  death  the  church  of  England  is 
 deprived  of  her  greateft  ornament,  and  bed  fup- 
 port,  being  juflly  offended  at  the  liberty  you  have 
 taken  with  him,  drew  up  with  his  own  hand  the 
 following  account  of  the  manner  in  which  he  was 
 educated,  before  he  became  a  member  of  the  Uni- 
 verfuy :  which  he  defired  might  be  here  inferted 
 
 in  anfwer  to  your  mifreprefentation  of  it. His 
 
 words  are  thefe^  "  Whereas  it  is  afferted  in  a  pam- 
 "  phlet  entitled  Pietas  OxonienJiSy  p.  19,  that  a  very 
 "  great  dignitary  in  the  church  was  educated  in  the 
 "  profefTion  of  a  man  midwife  among  the  difTenters  : 
 "  the  real  fadt  is  this,  that  the  perfon  fuppofed  to  be 
 "  meant  was  educated  firft  in  a  public  grammar- 
 "  fchool,  then  for  five  or  fix  years  in  diflentino- 
 "  Academies,  then  for  two  years  purfued  his  ftudies 
 "  privately;  then  in  the  year  1716,  and  not  before, 
 "  he  applied  himfelf  to  the  ftudy  of  phyfic,  which 
 "  he  continued  till  near  the  middle  of  1720,  and  not 
 *'  longer-,  that,  during  this  time,  among  many  other 
 "  courfes  of  ledlures,  he  attended  (at  Paris  only)  one 
 "  in  midwifery;  but  that  he  never  profefTed,  nor 
 "  pradlifed,  nor  intended  to  pradlife  that,  or  any 
 "  other  branch  of  furgery,  nor  ever  afled  as  a  phy- 
 **  fician,    otherwife  than  Occafionally  among  the 
 
 D  "  pooreft 
 
[    5»    ] 
 
 "  poorefl  of  his  Parifhioners."  This  is  the  account 
 that  great  prelate  gives  of  himfelf.  I  think  it  ne- 
 celTary  to  add,  that  he  was  admitted  a  gentleman 
 commoner  of  Exeter  college  in  April  1721,  being 
 then  ^  twenty  years  old ;  and  had  the  degree  of 
 Bachelor  of  Arts  conferred  on  him  in  the  a6t  term 
 following,  in  confequence  of  the  ftudics  he  had 
 purfued,  and  the  progrefs  he  had  made  in  literary 
 accomplifhments.  The  letter,  by  which  the  Chan- 
 cellor exprefled  his  affent  to  that  favour,  contains  a 
 very  remarkable  circumflance,  which  ought  not  to 
 be  omitted,  and  upon  which  the  petition  was  found- 
 ed. It  is  this,  "  that,  contrary  to  his  own  incli- 
 "  nations,  he  was  fent  by  his  guardian  to  the 
 "  Univerfity  of  Leyden^  where  he  proceeded  regu- 
 *'  larly  to  the  degree  of  Dod;or  of  Phyfic,  as  ap- 
 *'  peared  by  the  printed  exercife  which  he  per- 
 *'  formed  on  that  occafion."  His  charafter  from 
 '^his  time  became  too  well  known  in  the  learned 
 world  to  need  any  farther  account  of  it  here. 
 
 Nor  are  you  more  happy  in  the  other  inftances, 
 by  which  you  would  countenance  the  ignorance  of 
 thefe  men.  The  great  cardinal  Woljey^  of  what- 
 ever quality  or  occupation  his  father  might  have 
 
 a  So  it  ftands  in  the  matriculation  book,  on  the  authority  of 
 which  I  inferted  it ;  "  The:  Seeker  20.  Tho:  fil.  de  Sibthorp 
 in  Com:  Nottingham:  gen:  fil."  —  But  upon  calculation  it  ap- 
 pears to  have  been  a  miftake,  and  (liould,  inftead  of  20,  be  28. 
 Your  infjnuation  that  I  made  the  miftake  on  purpofe  to  miflead 
 the  reader  is  very  unjuft,  for,  to  prevent  his  being  mifled,  I 
 inferted  it  among  the  errata  as  foon  as  I  difcovered  it. 
 
 beepi 
 
[    51    ] 
 
 been,  (though  it  appears  by  his  will  that  he  was  a 
 man  of  no  mean  circumftances)  was  bred  up  from 
 his  infancy  to  learning,  in  which  he  made  fo  rapid 
 a  progrefs,  that  he  took  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of 
 Arts  in  this  Univcrfity  when  he  was  only  14  years 
 of  age  ;  and  was  at  that  time  diftinguilhed  for  his 
 abilities  in  every  branch  of  literature.  Suppofing 
 then  that  his  father  was  a  butcher,  will  that  juftify 
 your  aflertion  that  the  fon  was  bred  up  in  a  butch- 
 er's fhop  ?  unlefs  you  mean  that  every  fon  mull  be 
 of  the  fame  occupation  as  his  father. 
 
 Bishop  Maddox  likewife  was  from  a  child  bred 
 up  at  a  regular  grammar  fchool :  but  having  the 
 misfortune  to  lofe  his  father,  he  fell  into  the  hands 
 of  friends  who  were  diffenters,  and  were  therefore 
 unwilling  that  he  Ihould  be  ordained  according  to 
 the  rites  of  the  Church  of  England;  while  he  on 
 the  other  hand  was  old  enough  to  declare  againfl 
 taking  Orders  in  their  Church  :  They  therefore 
 put  him  to  a  paftry-cook  upon  trial,  but  before  he 
 was  bound  apprentice,  the  mafter  came  to  his  re- 
 lations, and  told  them  that  the  boy  was  not  fir 
 for  his  trade,  and  was  fure  he  would  never  make 
 any  thing  of  it,  that  he  was  continually  reading 
 books  of  learning  above  his  (the  mailer's)  compre- 
 henfion,  and  therefore  advifed  that  they  Ihould 
 take  him  away,  and  fend  him  back  to  fchool  to 
 follow  the  bent  of  his  inclination.  This  was  ac- 
 cordingly done,  and  from  fchool  he  went  to  Eden^ 
 burghf  and  on  his  return  was  entered  of  ^een\ 
 
 D  2  College 
 
[    52     ]      • 
 
 College.     I  need  not  inform  you  what  figure  he 
 made  in  life. 
 
 You  may  depend  upon  the  truth  of  the  above 
 relation  ;  which  is  given  by  a  very  eminent  Per* 
 fon,  who  received  it  from  the  bilhop's  own  mouth. 
 
 The  late  Prodor  was  educated  on  the  founda- 
 tion at  J'VeJlminjlery  and  from  thence  elected  a  Stu- 
 dent of  Chrifi  Church  :  after  feveral  year's  refidence 
 in  the  Univerfity  he  ferved  his  country  for  fome 
 Ihort  time,  not  in  the  army,  but  in  a  county  mi- 
 litia.— To  what  purpofe  then  have  you  introduced 
 any  of  thefe  inftances  ?  how  different  is  the  cafe  of 
 every  one  of  them  from  that  of  the  perfons  re- 
 moved ftom  hence  by  the  Vice-Chancellor  ?  when 
 they  left  their  trades,  they  did  not  go  to  any 
 regular  fchool,  but  were  fent  to  the  houfe  of  fome 
 private  clergyman,  where  they  might  pofTibly  im- 
 bibe the  principles  of  methodifm,  and  a  contempt 
 for  human  knowledge,  but  appeared  to  have  made 
 no  proficiency  in  the  languages,  or  any  part  of 
 learning.  Nay,  one  of  them,  tho*  totally  illi- 
 terate, was  afTiflant  to  one  of  thofe  clergymen ; 
 from  whence  we  may  fairly  conclude  what  fort  of 
 learning  was  cultivated  under  his  tuition.  Their 
 being  bred  to  trades  therefore  was  not  charged 
 upon  them  as  a  crime,  nor  would  it  have  been 
 made  any  objection  at  all,  if  they  had  appeared  to 
 have  made  a  proper  proficiency  in  learning,   but 
 
 the 
 
[     53    ] 
 
 the  contrary  appeared  mod  plainly.      Which  is  the 
 third  charge  you  confider. 
 
 You  affeft  to  laugh  at  this  charge  as  full  of  ab- 
 furdity  —  "  ^  if  they  were  backward  in  their  ftu- 
 *'  dies,  was  not  this  the  beft  reafon  in  the  world 
 "  why  they  fliould  be  fufFered  to  purfue  them  ? 
 *'  Would  ^  you  drive  a  man  from  the  feat  of  learn- 
 "  ing  and  knowledge,  becaufe  he  is  yet  deficient  in  " 
 *'  the  knowledge  of  ,the  languages  ?"  If  this  be  juft 
 reafoning,  then  the  mod  ignorant  perfons  are  the 
 moll  proper  to  become  members  of  the  Uni- 
 verfity  ;  then  ought  our  Colleges  and  Halls  to  be 
 filled  with  mechanics  and  plowmen.  Surely  fome 
 qualifications  of  fchool  learning  are  neceifary  in 
 thofe  who  have  any  reafon  to  exped  improvement 
 here.  The  fphere  of  the  Univerfity,  efpecially  in 
 its  prefent  ftate,  is  rather  the  fciences  than  the  firft 
 elements  of  learning.  Can  it  be  expefted  that 
 perlbns  whofe  early  years  have  been  engaged  in 
 the  purfuit  of  fuch  employments,  as  fuppofe  a  to- 
 tal inattention  to  ftudy,  fhould,  when  they  arrive 
 to  the  flate  of  manhood  (which  was  the  cafe  of 
 thefe  men)  be  qualified  for  a  learned  profefiion,  or 
 capable  of  receiving  academical  knowledge  ?  Such 
 knowledge,  to  borrow  the  ingenious  metaphor 
 which  you  have  adopted  from  a  news  paper,  was 
 too  llrong  meat  for  fuch  weak  ftomachs.  If  a 
 perfon  can  neither  conftrue  the  ftatutes,  which  arc 
 his  rule  of  adion,  nor  perform  the  exercifes  rc- 
 a  P.  19.  b  p.  20, 
 
 D  3  quired 
 
[    54    ] 
 
 quired  both  in  the  Univerfity,  and  in  every  Col- 
 lege and  Hall,  he  is  not  likely  to  improve  much 
 here  :  Such  an  ignorant  perfon  is  not  fit  to  be  ad- 
 mitted here,  nor  is  it  any  injury  to  remove  him 
 from  hence.  And  it  is  more  efpecially  neceffary 
 fo  to  do,  if  it  Ihall  appear  that  he  entertains  hopes 
 by  this  means  to  thruft  himfelf  into  the  miniftry. 
 
 But  "  ^  can  their  tutor,"  fay  you,    "  deny  that 
 *'  they  had  made  confiderable  progrefs  in  their  learn- 
 "  ing,  fince  they  entred  at  the  Hall  ?"  Yes,  he  can, 
 and  did  deny  it :  that  was  part  of  his  charge  againft 
 them,  and  their  examination  Ihewed  that  they  had 
 made  no  fuch  progrefs.      But  you  feem  to  think 
 their  ^  "  literary  abilities  were  not  put  to  a  proper 
 '*  trial."     Their  examination  was  very  eafy;  they 
 were  only  required  to  conitrue  the  Greek  teftament, 
 and  the  ftatutes  of  the  Univerfity  j    and  could  do 
 neither.     They  were  allowed  all  the  time  to  recol- 
 left  themfelves,    and  to  confider  the  pafiages  pro- 
 pofed  to  them,   that  they  could  defire.     If  they 
 *'  ^  were  under  much  confufion  and  difcompofure  in 
 **  fuch  a  public  place,"  why  did  they  not  defire  a 
 more  private  examination  ?    This  the  Vice-Chan- 
 cellor  and  his  Alfeffors  would  have  readily  confen- 
 ted  to,  but  none  of  them  made  any  fuch  applica- 
 tion.     But  they  did  not  appear  to  be  under  the 
 jeaft  confufion  or  difcompofure  —  they  had  been 
 nfed  to  fpeak  before  much  larger  affemblies,    and 
 it  was  obferved  that  they  did  not  want  confidence 
 ft  p.  20.  b  Ibid.  C  Ibid. 
 
 R  3  on 
 
[    55    ] 
 
 jon  this  occafion.  ^  "  But  there  were  very  many 
 **  perfons  of  the  Hall,  equally,  if  not  more  defi- 
 "  cient."  I  hope  not.  There  was  only  one  perfon 
 more  accufed  •,  who  confefling  his  ignorance,  de- 
 clined all  examination  ;  but  as  he  was  reprefented 
 to  be  a  man  of  fortune,  and  declared  that  he  was 
 not  defigned  for  holy  orders,  the  Vice- Chancellor 
 did  not  think  fit  to  remove  him  for  this  reafon 
 only,  though  he  was  fuppofed  to  be  one  of  the 
 ^  righteous  over-much,  as  you  exprefs  it.  If  there 
 were  any  others  equally  illiterate,  they  ought  to 
 have  been  particularly  accufed,  and  application 
 made  to  the  Vifitor  for  their  removal :  I  am  fatis- 
 fied  he  would  have  been  ready  to  hear  and  redrefs 
 fuch  complaint.  He  was  at  that  time  examining 
 into  the  articles  of  accufation  brought  againft  par- 
 ticular members  of  that  fociety  by  Mr.  Higfon,  he 
 could  not  therefore  with  propriety  proceed  to  any 
 other  matter  of  grievance  not  alleged  in  thofe 
 articles  ;  but  the  Principal,  who  defired  that  others 
 might  be  examined,  was  requefted,  if  he  had  mat- 
 ter of  complaint  againft  any  of  his  members,  to  ex- 
 hibit it,  and  the  Vice-Chancellor  would  appoint  a 
 day  for  hearing  it :  but  c  he  declined  the  propofal. 
 
 a  P.  20.  b  P.  II. 
 
 c  Notwithftanding  wliat  is  here  urged,  ybu  fli!!  perfift  is 
 your  abufc  of  the  Vice  Chancellor  for  not  having  proceeded 
 againft  others,  who  you  tell  us,  were  equally,  if  not  more,  illi- 
 terate than  the  expelled  members,  and  had  no  religion.  If  this 
 account  be  true,  fuch  a  Society,  made  up  of  ignorance,  enthu- 
 thufiafm,  and  infidelity,  I  mull  fay,  was  a  difgrace  to  the  Uni- 
 
 vcrfity  ; 
 
[    56    ] 
 
 Befides,  I  apprehend,  he  might  himfelf  remove 
 any  members  from  his  fociety,  whom  he  conceived 
 to  be  a  difgrace  to  it  -,  and  if  the  ^  Tutor  had  intro- 
 duced any  fuch  illiterate  pupils  into  the  Hall,  in 
 which  cafe  I  (hould  think  him  very  culpable  (tho* 
 he  could  not  have  done  this  without  the  confent  of 
 the  Principal)  it  was  in  the  Principal's  option  whe- 
 ther they  fhould  continue  there,  and  be  permitted 
 "jufi:  to  keep  their  terms,  and  get  into  orders," 
 to  the  difgrace  of  the  Church  and  the  Univerfity. 
 
 But  the  truth  is,  you,  if  you  are  confident  with 
 your  own  principles,  think  no  one  difqualified  to  be- 
 come or  continue  a  member  of  the  Univerfity  on 
 account  of  ^  age,  ignorance,  or  former  occupation ; 
 you  exclaim  loudly  againft  fuch  removals.  The 
 proceedings  in  this  cafe  have  been  called  tyranny 
 and  perfecution  ;  the  Vice-Chancellor  and  his  af- 
 fefibrs  have  been  compared  to  Bonner  and  the  popifh 
 perfecutors.     You  call  it  "  the  moft  fevere  punifh- 
 
 verf.tv  ;  and  the  Principal  ought  in  duty  to  have  removed  all 
 i'uch  from  his  Hall.  But  had  the  Vice-Chancellor  made  a  ge- 
 neral vifitntion  of  the  Hall,  when  articles  of  accufation  had 
 been  exhibited  or.ly  againft  fome  of  its  members,  you  would 
 have  been  the  firll  to  accufe  him  of  officioufnefs  and  tyranny, 
 and  the  Principal,  who  would  himfelf  have  been  included  in  fuch 
 n  vifitHtion,  might  have  had  rcafon  to  complain.  But  whatever 
 were  liie  Principal's  motives  for  not  proceeding,  when  thus 
 publickly  called  upon,  againft  thofc  illiterate,  and  irreligious  mem- 
 bers of  his  fociety,  his  refufal  cannot  without  great  injuftice,  be 
 fhargcd  to  the  Vice-Chancellor  as  the  effeil:  of  partiality  in  him. 
 
 « r.  2  1.         b  ibia.  ^^^^ 
 
 "  ment 
 
[  n  ] 
 
 "  mcnt  an  Univerfity  can  inflid  ;  a  cruel  ignomi- 
 *'  ous  fentence ;  turning  them  out  to  ftarve  ;  a 
 *«  punifhmeni:  which  may  reduce  them  to  the  very 
 •*  want  of  bread,  and  caft  a  lading  ftigma  upon  their 
 **  names  and  charaders."  Happy  thefe  gentlemen, 
 to  find  fo  eloquent  and  zealous  an  advocate  !  But 
 where  afcer  all  was  the  great  injury  done  them  ? 
 they  were  deprived  of  neither  liberty,  property,  nor 
 life  ;  they  were  of  no  foundation,  nor  had  any  free- 
 hold in  the  Univerfity,  but  were  mifpending  both 
 their  money  and  their  time.  Nor  had  they  any 
 charader  to  lofe  j  if  henceforth  they  are  known  to 
 be  illiterate,  that  could  only  be  a  reproach  to 
 them  while  they  afTumed  the  charadler  of  gowns- 
 men ;  but  can  be  none,  while  they  afl  in  their 
 own  proper  one  of  weaver,  barber,  or  tapfter. 
 The  Vice-Chancellor  had  as  much  right  and  reafon 
 to  remove  them  from  the  Univerfity,  as  a  fchool- 
 mafi:er  has  to  remove  fcholars  from  his  fchool,  who 
 are  incapable  of  making  any  proficiency  there. 
 They  were  not  qualified  to  improve  in  academical 
 ftudies,  nor  capable  of  performing  the  exercifes  of 
 the  Univerfity  and  the  Hall.  It  was  therefore  no' 
 injury  (I  repeat  it  again)  but  rather  a  kindnefs  to 
 fend  them  from  a  place,  where  they  were  mif-em- 
 ploying  their  time  ,  and  abufing  the  ill-placed 
 kindnefs  of  their  friends,  who  fupported  them  here 
 in  idlenefs,  that  they  might  follow  their  refpedive 
 trades  elfewhere,  and  get  their  livelihood  in  an 
 honefi:,  and  reputable  manner.  Mr.  J — s  makes 
 a  good  perriwig  ;   he  need  not  ftarve,  he  may  get 
 
 his 
 
[    58     ] 
 
 his  bread  by  his  proper  profeffion.  Mr.  M—s  and 
 Mr.  S — n  may  maintain  themfelves  and  ferve  their 
 Country  better  at  the  loom,  or  at  the  tap,  or  be- 
 hind  the  counter,  than  they  were  Hkely  to  do  in 
 the  pulpit  —  traftent  fabrilia  fabri.  —  The  laft 
 gentleman,  we  were  alTured  from  his  miftrefs,  bore 
 a  very  good  charader,  and  behaved  with  diligenc^ 
 and  fidelity  in  her  fervice,  till  he  was  feduced  by 
 the  Methodifts;  when  idler-'fs  fucceeded  to  dili- 
 gence, and  negligence  took  the  place  of  fidelity  -^ 
 let  him  return  to  her  fervice,  and  by  a  faithful  dif- 
 charge  of  his  duty  recover  his  loft  reputation. 
 
 I  F  thele  gentlemen  have  by  our  fentence  been 
 debarred  from  entering  into  the  miniftry,  this  is 
 alfo  no  injury,  but  rather  a  kindnefs  to  them,  as 
 well  as  a  fervice  done  to  the  public.  They  are  pre- 
 vented from  expofing  themfelves,  and  mifleading 
 others.  I  beg  leave  to  recommend  to  their  ferious 
 perufal  the  excellent  fermon  of  Bifhop  Bully  con- 
 cerning the  great  difficulty  and  danger  of  the  prieftly 
 office.  "  How  horrible  (fays  that  worthy  prelate) 
 '*  is  the  confidence,  or  rather  impudence  of  thofe 
 '*  mechanics,  that  have  leapt  from  the  fiiop-board,  or 
 "  the  plough,  into  the  pulpit,  aud  thus,  per  faltum, 
 "  by  a  prodigious  leap  commenced  teachers  !  what 
 *'  ffiall  we  fay  to  thefe  mountebanks  in  the  Church, 
 "  thefe  empirics  in  theology  }  I  can  only  fay  this, 
 "  I  can  never  fufficiently  admire  either  their  bold- 
 "  nefs  in  adventuring  to  be  teachers,  or  the  child- 
 **  ifli  folly  and  fimplicity  of  thofe  chat  give  them- 
 
 "  felves 
 
[    59    ] 
 
 "  felves  up  to  b©  their  difciples.  'Tis  a  miracle 
 "  that  any  fuch  perfon  fhould  dare  to  preach,  or, 
 *'  if  he  do,  that  any  man  in  his  right  wits  fhould 
 "  vouchfafe  to  hear  him."  —  If  Mr.  Higfon  has  in- 
 troduced ^  others  of  the  fame  ftamp,  the  above  re- 
 flexion will  be  equally  worthy  of  their  attention. 
 
 And  here,  fir,  it  will  be  proper  to  introduce  Mr. 
 Wellingy  who,  you  tell  us,  had  alTerted,  as  appeared 
 upon  the  trial,  that  "  whofoever  believeth  the  mi- 
 racles of  our  Saviour,  or  of  Mofes  mud  be  a  knave 
 or  a  fool  ;  and  is  well  known  in  the  Hall  by  the 
 name  of  the  Infidel  ^."  If  this  were  his  known 
 character,  why  was  he  permitted  to  continue  a 
 member  of  a  fociety  devoted  to  religious  educa- 
 tion ?  why  was  he  not  expelled  from  it  ?  —  When 
 this  circumltance  was  mentioned  by  way  of  recrimi- 
 nation, we  applied  to  the  Principal  for  the  truth  of 
 it,  and  defired  that  he  might  be  formally  proceeded 
 againft.  The  Principal,  fo  far  from  fupporting  the 
 charge,  declared  that  he  had  no  objedtion  to  Mr. 
 IVelling's,  charafter,  nor  had  ever  heard  any  ill  of 
 him.  However  the  Vice-Chancellor  and  his  aflTef- 
 fors  thought  a  charge  of  this  nature,  which  they 
 held  in  much  greater  deteftation  than  you  would 
 reprefent  them  to  do,  ought  to  be  thoroughly  exa- 
 mined into  J  he  therefore  ordered  the  two  gentle- 
 men, to  whofe  teftimony  Mr.  Kay  appealed  in  fup- 
 port  of  it,  viz.  Mr.  Wrighte  and  M.  Brown^  to  at- 
 tend him.      He  took  their  depofitions  upon  oath, 
 
 a    P.  21.  b    P.  22. 
 
 and 
 
[     6o    ] 
 
 and  the  whole  of  their  evidence  is  contained  in  the 
 following  affidavits. 
 
 Osfordj  ?  The  information  of  William  Wric5hte, 
 *  gentleman  commoner  of  St.  Edmund-Hall 
 in  the  Univerfity  of  Oxford^  taken  on  oath 
 before  me,  David  Durell,  Doftor  in 
 Divinity,  Vice-Chancellor,  and  one  of  his 
 Majefty's  juftices  of  the  peace  in  and  for 
 the  faid  Univerfity,  this  twelfth  day  of 
 March,   1768  ; 
 
 Who  faith  that  on  lad  St.  John^s  day  the  baptifl:, 
 (viz.  the  24th  of  June,  1767,)  he  this  informant 
 was  walking  in  New  College  gardens,  and  was 
 there  joined  by  John  Welling  and  Erafmus  Middle^ 
 ton,  commoners  of  Edmund-Hall  aforelaid,  when 
 he  the  faid  Wrighte  perceiving  the  faid  Welling  to 
 be  concerned  in  liquor,  took  occafion  to  expoftu- 
 late  with  him  thereon  :  a  difpute  then  arofe  be- 
 tween the  faid  Welling  and  Middleton  concerning 
 fome  points  in  religion,  the  particulars  of  which 
 he  this  informant  does  not  recolle6l,  only  that 
 the  miracles  of  Mofes  were  introduced  in  the 
 difpute  \  when  the  faid  Welling  addrefTing  himfelf 
 to  the  laid  Middleton^  ufed  fome  fuch  exprefiion 
 as  the  following,  "  What,  fool,  do  you  believe 
 in  the  miracles  of  Mcfes  ?"  or  words  to  that 
 ttVeft,  upon  which  he  the  faid  informant  repro- 
 ved him  leverely,  and  threatened  him  much.  That 
 oight,  or  the  next  day,  the  laid  Welling  came  to 
 
 a(k 
 
[    6.     J  . 
 
 afk  the  fald  informant's  pardon  for  his  behaviour 
 that  day  or  the  preceding  day  :  upon  which  he  the 
 '  faid  informant  told  him,  that  if  he  again  beha- 
 ved in  the  like  manner,  he  would  acquaint  the 
 Vice-Principal  with  it,  and  added,  that  if  he  had 
 thought  he  had  been  in  earneft  in  regard  to  the 
 expreflion,  which  had  fo  much  offended  him 
 the  day  before  or  that  day,  he  would  break  all 
 connedion  with  him,  or  to  that  effed:. 
 
 The  faid  informant  further  faith,  that  in  fcveral 
 converfations  he  has  had  with  the  faid  Welling^ 
 he  has  taken  occafion  to  examine  into  his  real 
 fentiments  in  regard  to  the  miracles  of  MofeSy 
 and  other  points  of  revelation  :  when  the  faid 
 IVelling  has  declared,  and  paticularly  in  a  late 
 converfation,  his  unfeigned  aflent  to,  and  belief 
 of  divine  revelation  in  general,  and  of  the  mi- 
 racles wrought  by  Mofes'm  particular.  And  he 
 the  faid  informant  faith,  that  he  has  no  fort  of 
 reafon  to  fufpeft  the  veracity  of  the  faid  Welling 
 in  the  faid  declaration. 
 
 William    Wrighte. 
 
 Sworn  before  me  on  the  day 
 and  year  above-written. 
 
 D.  DuRELL,  Vice-Chancellor. 
 
 Oxford,  iThe  information  of  William   Brown, 
 
 3  commoner  of  St.    Edmund-Hall,   within 
 
 the  Univerfity  of  Oxford,  taken  on  oath 
 
 before 
 
[    62    3 
 
 before  me,  David  D^jrell,  Dodor  In 
 Divinity,  Vice-Chancellor  of  the  Univer- 
 fity,  and  one  of  his  Majefty's  jufticcs  of 
 the  peace  in  and  for  the  faid  Univerfity, 
 this  twelfth  day  of  March,  1768  ; 
 
 Who  faith,  that  in  feveral  converfations  he  has  had 
 with  John  Welling^  commoner  of  the  faid  Hall,  on 
 religious  fubjeds,  he  has  found  that  he  the  faid 
 Welling  has  ufed  many  free  expreflions,  which  he 
 does  not  now  remember,  but  which  argued  a 
 fufpicion  of  a  difbelief  of  divine  revelation  :  but 
 upon  a  very  particular  enquiry,  made  at  repeated 
 times  by  the  faid  informant,  into  the  faid  Wei- 
 ling'^  real  opinion  of  the  truth  of  all  the  divine 
 revelations,  he  the  faid  JVelling  hath  as  often  de- 
 clared his  unfeigned  affent  to  all  revealed  truth 
 contained  in  the  holy  fcriptures. 
 
 This  informant  further  faith,  that  he  has  no  reafon 
 now  to  fufpedl  that  the  faid  Welling  diffembled, 
 when  he  folemnly  declared  his  real  belief  of  the 
 truth  of  divine  revelations  ;  and  does  not  fufpedt 
 his  being  in  the  lead  difaffeded  to  the  dodtrines 
 or  difcipline  of  the  Church  of  England. 
 
 William  Brown. 
 
 Sworn  before  me  on  the 
 day    and    year   above- 
 written 
 
 D,  DuRELL,  Vice-Chancellor. 
 
 The 
 
[    63    ] 
 
 The  Vice-Chancellor  having  taken  thefe  depofi- 
 tions,  made  enquiry  after  Mr.  fVelling  :  but  was  in- 
 formed that  he  was  gone  out  of  town,  and  would 
 not   return  till  Eafter  term  -,    he  defired  diredlions 
 to  him,  but  the  Principal  knew  not  where  to  ad- 
 drefs  him.     The   Vice-Chancellor  then   proceeded 
 to   lay  the  above  affidavits  before  the  Heads  of 
 Houfes ;  who  were  of  opinion  that  they  did  not  con- 
 tain   fufficient   matter  for  a  public   citation,    but 
 iidvifed  that  the  party  accufed  fhould,  on  his  returh 
 to  the  Univerfity,    be  fummoned  before  them  to 
 give  an  account  of  his  principles,  and  make  fuch 
 fatisfaftion  as  Ihould  appear  to  them  proper  and 
 fufficient.      Accordingly    he  waited  on  the  Vice- 
 Chancellor  on  the  8th  of  May,  and  fhewed  him  a 
 letter  from  Mr.  Higfon,  in  anfwer  to  an  application 
 he  had  made   for  Teftimonials  for  holy    Orders : 
 wherein  Mr.  H.  declared  that  he  had  no  objeflion 
 to   figning   fuch   teftimonials ,    provided    he    was 
 alTured  by  the  Vice-Chancellor  that  he  had  given 
 fatisfadlion  to  the  Univerfity  in  refpefl  to  the  charge 
 of  infidelity,    which  had  been  brought  againll  him. 
 He  protefted   that  there  was  no  real  foundation  for 
 this  charge,  and  was  very  defirous  to  give  all  pofTible 
 affurances  of  his  innocence.     The  Vice-Chancellor 
 told  him  that  he  muft  appear  the  day  following  be- 
 fore the  Heads   of  Houfes.     He  attended  accord- 
 ingly i    and  being  called  in,  was  acquainted  with 
 the  heinous  nature  of  the  crime  laid  to  his  charge, 
 
 and 
 
[    64    ] 
 
 and  underwent  a  very  flri6l  examination  with  relpe(5t 
 to  his  religious  principles.  He  exprefled  great  con- 
 cern for  having  laid  himfelf  open  to  the  fufpici^n  of 
 infidelity,  and  declared  before  the  Meeting  the  fub- 
 ftance  of  what  is  contained  in  the  affidavit  here  an- 
 nexed ;  which  was  read  by  him  publicly  in  the 
 Convocation  Houfe  the  next  day,  before  the  Mem- 
 bers of  Congregation  there  affembled,  exactly  as 
 it  is  here  printed,  and  not  in  latin,  as  you  aflert 
 in  the  note  p.  23d.  This  is  another  inftance  of  your 
 aflerting  nothing  upon  hear-fay  evidence. 
 
 WHEREAS  it  hath  been  alleged  upon 
 oath  before  the  Reverend  the  Vice-Chancel- 
 lor,  againft  me  John  Welling,  that  on  the 
 24th  of  June,  1767,  in  converfation  with 
 Mr.  Wrighte  and  Mr.  Middleton  of  Edmund- 
 Hall  in  this  Univerfity,  I  made  ufe  of  certain 
 expreffions  tending  to  difparage  the  truth  of 
 revelation  ;  and  in  particular  the  miracles  of 
 Mofes :  I  do  hereby  declare  my  unfeigned  af- 
 fcnc  to,  and  belief  of,  divine  revelation  in  gene- 
 ral, and  of  the  mJracIes  wrought  by  Mofes  in 
 particular  :  And  I  do  aver  that  I  was  in- 
 toxicated in  liquor  (for  which  very  criminal 
 excefs  I  am  mod  fincerely  forry)  when  I 
 uttered  thofe  expreffions  ;  and  whereas  by 
 the  ufe  of  thofe  expreffions  I  have  given 
 but  too  juft  occafion  of  fcandal  and  offence 
 to    the    Vice- Chancel  lor   and    members    of 
 
 the 
 
[    65    ] 
 
 this  Unlverfity  ;  I  do  hereby  alk  pardon  of 
 them  for  the  fame-,  and  I  do  further  moft 
 folemnly  proteft,  that  however  unguarded  I 
 may  have  been  in  the  ufe  of  thofe,  or  any 
 expreiTions  whatfoever  concerning  religion, 
 they  were  not  declarative  of  my  real  prin- 
 ciples, in  as  much  as  thofe  principles  are, 
 and  ever  have  been,  and  I  truft  will  ever 
 continue  to  be,  diametrically  oppofite  to  fcep- 
 ticifm  and  infidelity,  which  from  my  heart 
 I  deteft  and  abhor. 
 
 Witnefs  my  hand, 
 
 John    Welling. 
 
 Sworn    before  me 
 
 the  ninth  day  of 
 May,    1768. 
 
 D.  DuRELL,  Vice-Chancellor. 
 
 We  whofe  names  are  underwritten,  do  certify 
 that  'John  Welling  read  the  above  declaration 
 publicly  in  Congregation,  this  tenth  day  of 
 May,   1768. 
 
 D.  DuRELL.  Vice-Chancellor. 
 B.  Wheeler,  Senior  Prodlor. 
 
 E.  Whitmore,  Junior  Prodlor. 
 
 L  E  T  me  now  afk  you,  what  apology  can  you 
 make  to  the  Vice-Chancellor  and  Heads  of  Houles, 
 whofe  chara(^ers  you  have  afperfed,  by  a  bale  infi- 
 
 E  nuation 
 
[    66     ] 
 
 nuation  that  they  prefer  infidelity  to  methodifm  ? 
 what  atonement  to  the  Univerfity,  which  is  greatly 
 injured  by  yonr  unjuft  and  uncharitable  cenfures  ? 
 "What  anfwer  to  your  own  confcicnce,  which  muft 
 reproach  you  with  having  endeavoured  to  vilify  the 
 governors  of  this  venerable  feat  of  learning  and 
 piety,  thereby  weakening  the  hands  of  difcipline, 
 and  wounding  even  religion  herfelf  ? 
 
 In  your  note  p.  79.  you  give  us  a  particular  hif- 
 tory  of  the  birth,  life,  and  converfation  of  Mr. 
 IV—.  How  you  have  been  able  to  trace  this 
 poor  foundling  beggar  -  boy  through  the  feveral 
 dark  windings  and  dirty  channels,  through  which 
 he  waded  to  the  Univerfity ;  or  how  he  ever 
 got  there  by  fuch  arts,  is  a  myftery  to  me.  If 
 your  flory  be  a  true  one,  he  is  certainly  a  very  de- 
 tcftable  character,  and  not  worthy  to  be  a  member 
 of  the  Univerfuy.  But  to  what  purpofe  have  you 
 introduced  it  here  ?  With  what  view  have  you 
 raked  into  this  filthy  kennel  ?  His  admilTion  here 
 tinder  fuch  circumflances  can  be  no  reflection  on 
 the  Vice-Chancellor,  v/ho  could  not  be  fuppofed  to 
 be  acquainted  with  them  •,  it  can  be  no  refle6lion  on 
 his  Tutor,  in  whofe  abfence  he  was  entered ;  who 
 was  quite  unacquainted  with  his  family  and  connec- 
 tions, who,  and  whence  he  was,  and  particularly 
 made  this  an  article  of  complaint.  Neither  can 
 it  refleft  on  thofe  who  figned  his  Tellimonials  for 
 Orders,  or  on  the  Bifhop,  who  ordained  him 
 TO   A  CURE  OF  SOULS,   unlcfs  you  can    fuppofe 
 
 that 
 
[    67    ] 
 
 that  they  were  previoufly  acquainted  with  this  dark 
 fide  of  his  charadter  •,   which  I  am  perfuaded  was 
 entirely  concealed  from  them,    till    you   hung  it 
 out  to  public  view  •,     whether  in   its   proper  co- 
 lours or  not,  I  leave  himfelf  to  Ihew.     This  black 
 ftory,  which  however  I  have  good  reafon  to  believe 
 is  mifreprefented,  will  indeed  fuggeft  one  caution  to 
 the  Heads  of  Colleges  and  Halls,  viz.  not  to  admit 
 any  one  a  member  of  their  fociety,  without  enqui- 
 ring into   his   family,    his  education,  and  morals. 
 The  Vice-Chancellor  does  this,   as  far  as  he  pru- 
 dently can,  at  the  matriculation   of  every  perfbn : 
 who  gives  an  account  of  his  age,  quality,  his  fa- 
 ther's name, .  and  place  of  abode  ;  all  which  is  re- 
 giilered  in  the  matriculation-book,  and  fuppofed  to 
 be  well  known  to  the  Governor  or  Tutor  of  the  fo- 
 ciety into  vvhich  he  is  entered. 
 
 In  your  reply  you  are  ftill  more  illiberal  and 
 abufive,  for,  laying  afide  all-regard  to  truth  and  de- 
 cency, you  reprefent  the  Vice-Chancellor  as  "  ad- 
 •'  mitting    the  evidence  of  one,    who    had    been 
 "  convidled   of    open    blafphemy,    infidelity    and 
 *'  drunkennefs"  and  "  confenting  that  a  Teftimo- 
 "  nium  fhould   be  given  him  notwithftandino-  he 
 "  had  been  thus  convicled."    The  charader  of  that 
 man,  when  he  gave  his  evidence,  was  fair  and  un- 
 fufpedled  :  The  Principal  had,  fome  time  before  thg 
 vifitation,  in  converfation  with  me  fpoken  much  in 
 his  commendation,  and  complained  that  Mr.  Hig- 
 fon  had  ufed  him  ill,  by  demanding  who  this  Mr. 
 
 E  2  ^r— 
 
 f=^»=i 
 
[    68    ] 
 
 jy —  was,  where  he  came  from,  and  who  were 
 his  friends  or  relations.  And  after  the  examination 
 the  Principal  was  appealed  to  (as  I  have  before  ob- 
 ferved)  and  then  likewife  declared  that  he  had  no 
 objeftion  to  Mr.  JVelling^s,  charafter,  nor  had  ever 
 heard  any  ill  of  him.  Surely,  fir,  you  do  not  con- 
 fider  where  thofe  arrows,  which  you  aim  at  the 
 Vice-Chancellor,  muft  fall,  and  whom  they  muft 
 wound.     But  fo  that  you  wound  — 
 
 Tros  rutulufve  fuat,  nullo  dilcrimine  habebis. 
 
 I  cannot  help  obferving,  that  in  tracing  the  above 
 Mr.  py —  through  his  various  fcenes  of  life,  you 
 place  him  for  fome  time  "  in  the  family  of  a  cler- 
 *'  gyman  who  was  called  a  methodift,  where  he 
 "  pretended  to  have  a  mighty  zeal  for  religion.'* 
 This  circumftance  makes  me  lefs  wonder  at  his  fub- 
 fequent  conduct,  as  the  folly  of  methodifm  naturally 
 leads  either  to  madnefs  or  infidelity. 
 
 I  N  o  w  proceed  to  the  cafe  of  thofe  gentlemen, 
 who  "  a  v/ere  fuffered  to  take  their  names  out  of  the 
 *'  book  of  Edmund'HalU  and  to  enter  at  Magdalen- 
 *'  Hall  j  which  you  reprefent  to  be  done  in  order  to 
 *'  caft  a  greater  ftigma  and  opprobium  on  Edmund- 
 "  Hall,  and  the  worthy  Principal  of  it  5  and  this, 
 *'  after  Mr.  Vice-Chancellor  had  told  Mr.  GrovCj 
 "  and  folemnly  given  his  word  to  the  Principal, 
 "  that  unlefs  the  expelled  young  men  were  received 
 *«  again  into  the  Univerfity,   none  of  the  others 
 
 a  P.  33. 
 
 «  fhould 
 
[    (>9     ] 
 
 "  (hould  have  liberty  to  leave  his  Hall,  and  to  en- 
 **  ter  elfewhere. — Heu !  prifca  fdes!'*  Is  it  thus  you 
 defend  the  caufe  of  violated  truth,  and  injured  in- 
 nocence ?  Is  this  your  love  of  candor  ?  this  your 
 reverence  for  authority  -,  fuch  an  accufation  brought 
 againft  the  chief  magi ftrate  of  the  Univerfity  ought 
 at  lead  to  be  well  fupported,  and  urged  with  mo- 
 defty.  But  you  were  confcious  your  caufe  required 
 other  arts  than  thefe  -,  to  apply  yout  own  quotation  a 
 
 Non  tali  auxilio,  nee  defenforibus  iftis 
 Tempus  eget. 
 
 Bold  aflertion  muft  fupply  the  place  of  proof,  and 
 vehement  exclamation  give  the  air  of  truth  to  falf- 
 hood  J  which  however,  upon  the  (lighteft  touch 
 will  return  to  her  proper  ftiape,  and  appear  in  her 
 own  deformity.  The  real  fa6t  is  thisj  Mr.  Grove, 
 after  his  expulfion,  applied  to  the  Vice-Chancellor 
 to  be  re-admitted  into  feme  College  or  Hall,  on 
 condition  of  his  making  a  recantation  of  his  errors, 
 and  giving  fecurity  to  the  Univerfity  for  his  future 
 good  behaviour.  The  Vice-Chancellor  referred  him 
 to  the  Chancellor,  to  whom  he  prefented  a  petition  ; 
 which  was  again  referred  by  the  Chancellor  to 
 the  Vice-Chancellor  ;  who,  to  oblige  Mr.  Grove, 
 fixed  upon  the  firft  vacant  hour  in  the  next  day  after 
 he  received  it,  in  order  to  deliberate  with  his  aflef- 
 fors  upon  the  fubjed:  of  it.  At  the  fame  time  they 
 took  into  their  confideration  another  petition,  which 
 had  been  prefented  by  three  gentlemen  of  the  fame 
 a  P.  83. 
 E  3  Hail 
 
[    7°    ] 
 
 Hall  to  the  Chancellor,  but  was  alfo  referred  to 
 the  Vice-Chancellor's  determination.  In  regard  to 
 Mr.  Grove,  they  were  unanimous  in  their  opinion 
 that  he  ought  not  to  be  received  again  into  the 
 Univerfity  :  but  with  refpedt  to  the  other  petitio- 
 ners, it  was  judged  expedient  that  perfuafion  fhould 
 be  ufed  to  induce  them  to  continue  of  the  Hall,  as 
 the  caufe  of  their  complaint  had  been  removed  by 
 the  late  expulfion  -,  and  indeed  alfo  thro'  motives  of 
 tendernefs  to  the  Principal,  that  by  their  continuance 
 there  that  Houfe  might  recover  its  credit.  But  if 
 the  method  here  recommended  fhould  prove  ineffec- 
 tual, they  all  agreed  that  the  Vice-Chancelior  would 
 then  be  obliged  to  call  upon  the  Principal  (as  the 
 fi-atute  direfts)  to  fhew  caufe  why  their  petition 
 fhould  not  be  granted. 
 
 Mr.  Grove  called  upon  the  Vice-Chancellor  that 
 evening  for  an  anfwer  •,  when  he  was  told  the  Vice- 
 Chancellor  and  his  afTeiTors  could  not  confent  to  his 
 being  re-inflated;  and  that  the  other  gentlemen 
 were  not  allowed  for  the  prefent  to  leave  the  Hall. 
 This  was  all  that  paiTcd  between  them.  The 
 beginning  of  the  v/eek  following  the  Principal  of 
 Edmund  -  HrJl  called  upon  the  Vice-Chancellor  to 
 defire  him  to  recommend  a  Tutor  for  his  Hall: 
 at  which  time  the  Vice-Chancellor  acquainted  him 
 with  the  fubftance  of  what  had  paffed  at  the  meet- 
 ing on  the  Saturday  preceding  •,  exprefsly  adding 
 that,  if  the  gentlemen  who  had  petitioned  for  leave 
 to  remove  to  another  fociety,  could  not  be  pre- 
 vailed 
 
[    71     ] 
 
 vailed  on  to  cont/nue  of  the  Hall,  he  mufl:  expedl 
 to  be  called  upon  to  give  his  reafons  againft  their 
 departure. 
 
 3  This  is  the  exad  flate  of  the  cafe :  and  if  the 
 Vice-Chancellor's  bare  word  will  jiot  be  admitted, 
 he  is  ready  to  confirm  it  upon  oath.  He  has  fince 
 called  upon  the  Principal,  and,  in  my  prefence,, 
 queftioned  him  in  relation  to  the  charge  brought 
 againft  him  on  this  head.  The  Principal's  anfwer 
 was,  that  he  underftood  the  determination  of  both 
 the  petitions  had  been  final ;  and  did  not  remem- 
 ber that  any  thing  more  was  faid  on  the  fubjedl  : 
 but  abfolutely  cleared  the  Vice-Chancellor  of  having 
 made  any  promife,  or  having  intimated  a  fingle 
 word  of  any  condition,  on  which  the  fuppofed 
 breach  of  promife  is  founded.  You  will,  I  hope, 
 do  him  the  juftice  to  retra6t  what  you  have 
 faid,  and  beg  his  pardon  for  the  injury  you  have 
 done   him. 
 
 Another  petition  was  fome  time  after  prefented 
 to  the  Vice-Chancellor  by  fix  members  of  Edmund- 
 Hall^  defiring  his  leave  to  quit  it :  This  he  laid  be- 
 fore the  Heads  of  Houfes  at  that  meeting,  in  which 
 an  enquiry  was  made  into  Mr.  lVelling\  affair,  and 
 fent  for  the  Principal  of  the  Hall  to  know  what  ob- 
 je6lion  he  had  againft  granting  it :  but  none  being 
 urged,  at  leaft  none  that  was  thought  fatisfaftory, 
 and  the  Principal  ftill  continuing  to  refufe  them 
 
 a  For  a  farther  difciiffion  of  this  point  I  refer  you  to  the 
 Polirciipt. 
 
 leave 
 
[    72    ] 
 
 leave,  the  Vice -Chancellor  put  the  queftion  dif- 
 tindly  to  all  then  prefent,  who  were  not  lefs  than 
 fixteen,  whether  they  would  advife  him  to  give  the 
 petitioners  the  proper  inllrument  for  that  purpofe  ; 
 when  all  ( the  Principal  excepted )  readily  con- 
 curred to  recommend  the  meafure ;  and  if  you 
 are  at  all  acquainted  with  the  ftatutes  of  the  Uni- 
 verfity,  you  muft  know  that  it  was  not  in  the 
 Vice-Chancellor's  power  to  make  the  promife  you 
 charge  him  with. 
 
 You  a  aflert  that  though  Mr.  Grove  was  expelled 
 for  preaching  in  a  barn,  yet  "  he  really  never  did 
 "  it,  and  abfolutely  denied  it."  Do  you  mean,  fir, 
 that  he  never  preached  at  all  ?  or  that  he  did  not 
 preach  in  a  barn  ?  or  a  field  ?  if  the  former ;  it 
 was  proved  by  undoubted  evidence,  and  confeffed 
 by  himfelf  both  at  the  examination  and  afterwards 
 — -  though  I  am  fince  informed  that,  in  a  petition 
 prelented  to  the  late  Archbifliop,  he  has  denied  it. 
 If  the  latter  ;  it  is  a  mere  quibble,  it  being  very 
 immaterial  whether  the  preachment  was  made  in  a 
 barn,  or  on  a  common  •,  not  die  place  but  the 
 action  v/as  condemned.  In  p.  26  of  your  fecond 
 edition  you  go  farther,  and  fay  that  when  fentence 
 was  paffed  on  Mr.  Grove,  "  he  denied  the  fadli 
 "  however  he  was  put  down  guilty  of  it  by  Dr. 
 "  N — //."  Now,  fir,  it  will  appear  from  my  mi- 
 nutes, that  I  had  not  mentioned  the  word  Barn-— 
 but  that  circumftance  of  the  place  was  recolled:ed 
 a  P.  18= 
 
[     73     1 
 
 by  die  oth^r  aflTefTors,  and  accordingly  was  Inferted 
 in  the  fentence  by  the  Vice-Chancellor.  To  what, 
 fir,  am  I  to  attribute  your  very  remarkable  attention 
 to  me  ?  Time  perhaps  may  explain  it. 
 
 In  your  Reply,  you  tell  the  world  that  "  Dr. 
 "  Nowell  indeed  admits  that  Mr.  Grove  did  not 
 "  preach  in  a  Barn."  Pray,  fir,  where  have  I  ad- 
 mitted it  ?  Have  I  not  exprefsly  declared  the  con- 
 trary ?  by  faying  "  that  though  1  had  not  men- 
 "  tioned  the  word  Barn  in  my  minutes,  yet  that 
 "  circumftance  of  the  place  was  recoUefted  by  the 
 "  other  aflleflbrs." 
 
 Much  of  a  piece  with  this  is  your  proof  that 
 Mr.  Grove  had  not  denied  to  the  Archbifiiop  that 
 he  had  preached. — "  That  I  may  fee  how  void  of 
 "  truth  my  information  was  that  Mr.  Grove  de- 
 "  nied  his  having  preached  &c.  in  his  petition 
 "  prefented  to  the  late  Archbifhop"  —  You  infert 
 his  petition  ;  in  which  there  is  not  one  fingle  word 
 of  preaching  or  expounding  ;  he  confefles  only 
 "  that  he  has  attended  religious  meetings,  pro- 
 "  hibited  by  the  ftatutes  of  the  Univerfity."  And 
 yet  he  had  more  than  once  confefied  to  me  after  his 
 expulfion,  that  he  had  preached  to  a  large  aflembly 
 of  people.  He  virtually  acknowledges  indeed  to 
 the  Archbifhop  that  he  had  incurred  the  penalty  of 
 expulfion,  "  by  attending  religious  meetings  pro- 
 "  HIBITED  by  the  ftatutes  of  the  Univerfity  •,"  for 
 the  penalty  in  that  cafe  is  expulfion  ;  though  he 
 virtually.denies  that  he  preached,  not  having  made 
 
 that 
 
[    74    ] 
 
 that  a  part  of  his  confeffion  :  which  he  ought  to 
 have  done,  unlefs  he  meant  to  impofe  on  the  Arch- 
 biiliop  by  a  partial  reprefentation  of  his  crime. 
 
 We  come  nov/  to  that  article,  on  which  you  feem 
 to  lay  the  greareft  nrefs,  and  difplay  all  your  elo- 
 quence, fhall  I  call  it  ?  or  rather  virulence.  You 
 not  only  afiert  that  all  "  ^  the -dodtrines,  which  thefc 
 "  fix  ftudenrs  were  expelled  for  maintaining,  are  the 
 "  very  fundamental  avovvcd  do6trines  of  the  Church 
 "  o^ England;  but  call  thofe  who  hold  the  contrary 
 "  opinions,  b  a  peftilent  feditious  fc6t,  dangerous 
 "  heretics  and  fchifmatics  :  *=  Incendiaries  in  the 
 "  church  who  had  impioufly  and  hypocritically  fet 
 "  their  hands  to  doftrines,  which  in  their  hearts 
 "  they  never  alTented  to :  and  call  their  opinions 
 "  ^  the  pride-foothing  Arminian  herefy,  dodrines  of 
 "  devils  ;  and  rank  them  with  the  blafphemies  of 
 *■'■  ^rius^  Pelagius^  and  Socinus '.  *=  you  affirm  them. 
 "  to  be  the  known,  avowed,  received  tenets  of  the 
 "  Church  of  i?(?;;??, .  compared  with  which  tranfub- 
 "  ftantiation  is  an  harmlefs  error."  Is  this  the 
 language  of  one  guided  by  a  fpirit  of  wifdom, 
 truth,  love,  and  candor?  Is  it  confident  with 
 chriftian  charity  or  decency  ?  The  points  which 
 you  pronounce  fo  confidently  upon,  are  generally 
 acknowledged  to  be  abftrufe  and  difficult  points : 
 and  wife  and  good  men  have  always  differed  about 
 them.     Lefs  confidence  therefore,  and  more  charity 
 
 b  P.  19.         b  P.  33.       c  iDid.  d  Ibid.         e  P.  73. 
 
 fhould 
 
[    75    ] 
 
 fiiould  have  better  become  you.  Thefc  points 
 have  been  difputed  in  ahnoft  all  ages  of  the  chrif- 
 tian  church,  both  before  and  fince  the  council  of 
 » 'Trent ;  among  the  Papifts,  between  the  Thomijls 
 and  the  Scotijls  •,  the  Do-minicans  and  the  Francifcans  : 
 among  the  Proteftants,  from  the  firft  beginning  of 
 the  reformation,  between  the  Lutherans  and  the 
 Calvinifts.  What  pretence  then  have  you  to  call 
 your  own  notions  the  principles  of  the  reformations 
 and  the  contrary  opinions  the  avowed  tenets  of  the 
 Church  oi  Rome?  You  ought  to  have  known,  that 
 the  doflrines  againft  which  you  inveigh  with  fo 
 much  bitternefs,  have  been  maintained  by  many  of 
 the  brighteft  ornaments  of  our  church,  and  the 
 principal  advocates  againft  the  errors  of  popery  ; 
 fuch  as  Laud,  Hammond,  Bull,  'Tillotfon,  Sharps 
 Stillingfleet,  and  many  others ;  and  that  our  arti- 
 cles have  been  vindicated  from  the  charge  of  Cal- 
 vinifm  by  Bp  Btdl,  Dr.  JVaterland,  and  feveral 
 other  religious  and  learned  men.  Suppofing  that 
 they,  and  we,  are  miftaken  in  the  fenfe  we  put  upon 
 our  articles,  yet  furely,  unlefs  you  can  fee  our 
 hearts,  you  cannot  cenfure  us  for  fubfcribing  to 
 what  we  believe  not  a  word  of.  The  fame  railing 
 accufations  have  been  frequently  brought  againft 
 us  by  Arians  and  Socinians,  and  as  frequently  an- 
 fwered.  They  have  been  very  lately  urged  with 
 great  bitternefs  in  that  virulent  and  abufive  book 
 called  the  Confeflional.      It    is   very   ftrange  that 
 
 a  See  F.  PauPi  Hift.  of  the  Council  of  Trent,  b.  ii. 
 
 you 
 
[    76    ] 
 
 you  fhould  repeat  the  fame  calumnies,  which  have 
 been  fo  lately  and  fo  fully  anfvvered  in  thofe  three 
 excellent  letters  addrefTed  to  the  author  of  the  Con- 
 feffional,  without  taking  any  notice  of  the  anfwers 
 therein  given. 
 
 But  you  tell  us,  that  "  nhe  Univerliry  of  0^- 
 *■*•  ford  hath  expelled  her  members  for  believing 
 **  thbfe  very  doctrines  which  Cranmer  and  Ridley 
 "  were  martyred  within  her  walls  for  defending." 
 Here,  fir,  you  make  their  expulfion  an  aft  of  the 
 Univerfity,  though  in  your  dedication  you  tell  us, 
 "  that  it  is  the  higheft  injuftice  to  that  ancient  and 
 "  refpedable  leminary  of  true  piety  and  learning  to 
 "  look  upon  it  in  this  light."  In  what  light  then  muft 
 we  look  upon  you,  who  are  guilty  of  this  injuftice  ? 
 But  were  Cranmer  and  Ridley  martyred  for  main- 
 taining thefe  dodlrines  ?  and  muft  we  take  your 
 word  for  this  .?  for  you  have  not  vouchfafed  to  give 
 the  leaft  proof  of  it.  I  beg  leave  to  tell  you  that 
 Cranmer  and  Ridley  were  condemned  and  martyred 
 for  denying  tranfubftantiation  i',  the  facrifice  of  the 
 mafs,  and  the  Pope's  fupremacy.  What  their  opi- 
 nions were  with  regard  to  the  do6lrines  of  free 
 agency  &c.  may  be  feen  in  the  book  called  «  Pia 
 ct  Catholica  Inftitutio,  or  Erudition  of  a  Chriftian 
 
 a  P.  27. 
 
 b  Sirype's  Mem.  of  Cranmer y  b.  i.  c.  20.     Dr.  Ridley's  Life 
 of  Ridley,  b.  v.  11. 
 
 c  The  Latin  Book,  which  has  this  title,  Pia  et  Catholica 
 Chriftiani  Hominis  Inftitutio,  and  was  printed  in  the  year  1544, 
 
[    77    ] 
 
 Man,  publilhed  in  1543,  by  the  King's  authority, 
 and  authorized  by  the  Bifhops,  with  Abp  Cranmer 
 at  the  head  of  them. — With  regard  to  free-will 
 they  thus  exprefs  themfelves  : 
 
 "  The  commaundmentes  and  threatnynges  of 
 *'  Almyghtye  God  in  fcripture,  whereby  man  is 
 "  called  upon,  and  put  to  remembrance,  what 
 "  God  wold  have  him  to  do,  mod  evidently  do  ex- 
 "  prefTe  and  declare  that  man  hath  free-will  alfb 
 "  nowe  after  the  falle  of  our  firft  father  Adam^  as 
 *'  plainly  appereth  in  thefe  places  following  "  Be 
 *'  not  overcome  of  evyll."  "  Negle<5t  not  the 
 "  grace  that  is  in  the"  "  Love  not  the  world  &c.** 
 *'  yf  thou  wylte  enter  into  lyfe,  keepe  the  com- 
 "  maundementes.'*  Whyche  undoubtedlye  Ihulde 
 "  be  fayde  in  vayne,  onelefle  there  were  fome  fa- 
 •'  cultie  or  power  left  in  man,  whereby  he  may  by 
 
 is  a  tranflation  of  a  book  printed  in  1543,  with  this  title,  A 
 NecefTary  Dodlrine  and  Erudition  for  any  Chriftian,  fet  furthc 
 by  tlie  Kynges  Majeftie  of  England.  It  is  called  the  King's 
 book,  being  publiflied  by  Him,  with  the  approbation  of  both 
 the  Houfes  of  Parliament.  This  book  is  formed  upon  the  plan 
 of  another  book,  publifhcd  in  the  year  1537,  and  called  the 
 Bifhops*  book,  becaufe  it  was  aflented  to  by  the  Bifliops  and 
 many  of  the  Lower  Houfe  of  Convocation,  and  by  them  dedica- 
 ted to  the  King.  Thefe  books  in  many  inftanccb  are  entirely  the 
 fame,  but  differ  from  each  other  fo  frequently,  that  they  are 
 very  properly  to  be  efteemed  as  different  books. 
 
 Strype^s  Mem.  of  Cranmer^  b.  i.  c.  ao.  Burnet's  Hifl.  of 
 the  Reformation,  vol.  i.  286,  &c.  Ridley\  Life  of  ^/<%, 
 f.   345,  &c. 
 
 "  the 
 
[    78     ] 
 
 "  the  helpe  and  grace  of  God  (if  he  wyll  receyve  it 
 "  when  it  is  ofFerde  unto  him)  iinderftand  his  com- 
 "  maundementes,  and  freely  confent  and  obey  unto 
 "  them ;  which  thing  of  the  cathohke  fathers  is 
 "  called  FREE-WILL.  And  a  little  farther,  defcribing 
 "  the  effefts  and  confequences  of  the  fall,  they  tell 
 *'  us  that,  befides  many  other  evilles,  that  came  by 
 "  that  tranfgreflion,  the  hyghe  powers  of  mannes 
 "  reafon,  and  freedome  of 'Will,  were  wounded  and 
 "  corrupted,  and  all  men  thereby  brought  into 
 *'  fuch  blindnes  and  infirmitie,  that  they  cannot 
 *'  efchue  fynne,  except  they  be  illumined  and  made 
 "  free  by  an  efpeciall  grace,  that  is  to  fay,  by  a 
 "  fupernaturall  helpe  and  workyng  of  the.  Holy- 
 "  Gofte,  which  although  the  goodnefs  of  God  of- 
 "  fereth  to  all  men,  yet  they  only  enjoye  it,  which 
 "  by  theyre  free-will  do  accept  and  imbrace  the 
 "  fame."  Again,  "  St.  Auguftine  alfo  plainly  de- 
 *'  clareth  the  fame,  faying,  we  conclude  that  free- 
 "  wyll  is  in  man  after  his  fall,  whiche  thing  whofo 
 *'  denieth  is  not  a  catholike  man."  And  they  con- 
 clude thus  :  "  Wherefore  be  men  to  be  warned  that 
 •'  they  do  not  impute  to  God  their  vice  or  their 
 "  damnation,  but  to  themfelves,  whiche  by  free- 
 "  will  have  abufed  the  grace  and  benefitesof  God." 
 And  admonifh  all  preachers  "  that  in  this  highe 
 *'  mater,  they  lokinge  on  boche  fides,  fo  attempre 
 "  and  moderate  themfelves,  that  neyther  they  fo 
 "  preache  the  grace  of  God,  that  they  take  away 
 "  thereby  free-will ;  nor  on  the  other  fide  fo  extolle 
 '•  free-will,  that  injury  be  done  to  the  grace  of  God.'* 
 
 In 
 
[    79    ] 
 
 In  the  article  of  juftification  they  thus  exprefs 
 themfelves  :  "  So  it  it  pleafeth  the  high  wifdome  of 
 "  God,  that  Man,  prevented  by  his  grace  (which 
 **  being  offered,  man  may  if  he  will  refufe  or  re- 
 "  ceive)  fhall  be  alfo  a  worker  by  his  free  confent 
 "  and  obedience  to  the  fame,  in  the  atceyning  of 
 "  his  owne  juftification,  and  by  Goddes  grace  and 
 "  helpe,  fhall  walke  in  fuch  workes  as  be  requifite 
 "  to  his  juftification,  and  fo  continuyng  come  to 
 "  perfedl  ende  thereof,  by  fuch  means  and  waies  as 
 "  God  hath  ordeyned."  And  therefore  it  is  playne, 
 "  that  not  only  fayth,  as  it  is  a  diftind  vertue  or 
 "  gyft  by  itfelfe,  is  required  to  our  juftification  ; 
 "  but  alio  the  other  gyftes  of  the  grace  of  God, 
 "  with  a  defire  to  do  good  workes  proceeding 
 *'  of  the  fame  grace.  And  whereas  in  certain 
 "  places  of  fcripture  our  juftification  is  afcribed  to 
 "  fayth,  without  any  further  addition  or  mention 
 "  of  any  other  vertue  or  gift  of  God  ;  it  is  to  be 
 "  underftood  of  fayth  in  the  fecond  acception, 
 "  wherein  the  fear  of  God,  repentance,  hope  and 
 '*  charitie  will  be  included  and  comprifed  ;  all  which 
 "  muft  bejoyned  together  in  our  juftification." 
 
 With  regard  to  eleflion  and  perfeverance,  they 
 fully  declare  the  do6lrine  of  the  church  in  the  fol- 
 lowing words :  "  It  is  no  doubt  but  although  we 
 *'  be  once  juftified,  yet  we  may  fall  therefrom,  by 
 "  our  own  free-wyll  and  confenting  unto  finne . 
 "  and  following  the  defires  thereof  j  for  albeit  the 
 "  the  hous  of  our  confcience  be  made  clene,  and 
 
 c'  rV 
 
 tne 
 
[     So    ] 
 
 •*  the  foull  fpirite  be  expelled  from  us  in  baptifme 
 *'  or  penaunce  ;  yet  if  we  waxe  ydle  and  take  not 
 **  hede  ;  he  will  returne  with  feven  worfe  fpirites  and 
 *'  poflefle  us  agayn  ;  and  although  we  be  illumined 
 "  and  have  tailed  the  heavenly  gift,  and  be  made 
 *«  partakers  of  the  Holy  Gofte,  yet  may  we  fall  and 
 "  difpleafe  God  ;  wherefore  as  St.  Paul  fayeth, 
 *'  He  that  ftandeth,  let  him  take  hede  that  he 
 «  fall  not." 
 
 "  And  here  all  phantafticall  imagination,  cu- 
 "  rious  reafoning,  and  vain  truft  of  predeftination 
 '*  is  to  be  laid  apart,  and  according  to  the  plain 
 "  maner  of  fpeaking  and  teachyng  of  fcripture,  in 
 "  inumerable  places,  we  ought  evermore  to  be 
 *'  in  dread  of  our  owne  fraielty,  and  natural  pro- 
 "  nity  to  fall  to  fynne:  and  not  to  afllire  our- 
 "  felfe  that  we  be  eleded  any  otherwife  than  by 
 "  feelyng  of  fpiritual  motions  in  our  hart,  and 
 "  by  the  tokens  of  good  and  vertuous  livyng,  in 
 "  following  the  grace  of  God,  and  perfeveryng  in 
 "  the  fame  to  the  ende.'*  Our  article  on  preuefti- 
 nation  refers  us  to  the  fame  rule,  "  bidding  us 
 **  receive  God's  promifes  in  fuch  wife  as  they  be 
 "  generally  fet  forth  in  holy  fcripture,"  Of  which 
 we  cannot  have  a  better  illuftration  than  what 
 is  contained  in  the  preceding  quotation.  To  which 
 I  will  add  another  from  their  dodrine  of  faith, 
 equally  full  and  pertinent.  "  Whether  there  be 
 •'  any  fpecial  particular  knowledge  which  man  by 
 '<  fayth  hath  certainly  of  hymfelfe,  whereby  he  may 
 
 "  teftific 
 
[     8i     ] 
 
 "  he  may  te(l:ifie  to  hymfelfe  that  he  is  of  the  pre- 
 *'  deftinates  which  fhall  to  the  ende  perfevere  in 
 "  their  callyng,  we  have  not  fpoken,  ne  cannot  in 
 *'  fcripture,  ne  dodtours  fynde  that  any  fuche  fayttj 
 "  can  be  taught  or  preached." 
 
 The  doctrine  of  universal  REDEMPfioisr  cannot 
 be  taught  in  plainer  terms  than  the  following.  "  Our 
 "  Saviour  Chrift  hath  offered  hymfelfe  upon  the 
 "  Crofle  a  fufficient  redemption  and  fatisfadion 
 "  for  the  fynnes  of  all  the  world ;  and  hath  made 
 "  hymfelf  an  open  way  and  entre  unto  God  the 
 "  Father  for  all  mankynd,  only  by  his  worthy 
 "  merite  and  defervyng,  and  willyng  all  men  to 
 "  be  faved,  calleth  upon  all  the  world  without 
 *'  refpedl  of  perfons,  to  come  and  be  partakers  of 
 *'  the  righteoufneffe,  peace,  and  glory,  wnich  is  ia 
 "  hym." 
 
 Laftly,  on  the  article  of  good  works,  they  ex- 
 prefs  themfelves  thus :  "  Thefe  workes  be  of  two 
 "  fortes  i  for  fome  be  fuche  as  men  truly  juftified, 
 "  and  fo  continuing,  do  work  in  charitie  of  a  pure 
 '*  hart,  and  a  good  confcience,  and  an  iinfayned 
 "  faythe.  Which  workes  although  they  be  of 
 "  themfelves  unworthy,  iinperfede  and  unfuffici- 
 "  ent :  Yet  for  as  muche  as  they  be  done  in  the 
 "  faythe  of  Chrifte,  and  by  the  vertue  and  merites 
 "  of  his  paflion,  theyr  unperfeftnefTe  is  fupplied  : 
 "  the  mercifull  goodnefs  of  God  accepteth  them 
 *^  as  an  observation  and  fulfylling  of  his  lawe,  and 
 
 F  "  they 
 
[    82    ] 
 
 '*  they  be  the  very  fervice  of  God,  and  be  merlto- 
 "  rioufe  towardes  the  atteyning  of  everlafting  life. 
 "  And  thefe  be  called  the  workes  and  fruites  of 
 "  righteoufnefie." 
 
 You  are  pleafed  to  be  very  ludicrous  in  your 
 defcription  of  this  book,  and  cry  out  with  an  air 
 of  infolence  "  Wouldeft  thou  believe  it,  reader  ? 
 "  the  firft  of  thefe  authorities,  on  the  (leeve  of 
 "  which  a  Proteflant  Doflor  of  Divinity  has  pinned 
 "  his  faith,  and  refers  to,  is — this  fame  Pia  et  Ca- 
 "  tholica  Inftitutio,  this  fame  inconfillent  indigeft- 
 "  ed  mafs  of  romifh  abfurdities."  Had  you  the 
 lead  degree  of  candor,  you  would  not  have  been 
 guilty  of  fo  fhameful  a  mifreprefentation,  nor  have 
 had  the  confidence  to  impofe  it  on  the  reader.  I 
 quoted  this  book  to  fhew  you  "  what  were  the 
 "  fentiments  of  Cranmer,  Ridley,  and  the  firft  re- 
 *'  formers  on  thefe  points."  And  furely  I  could 
 not  appeal  to  better  authority,  than  to  their  own 
 writings.  The  bifhops  who  drew  up  this  book 
 "were,  moft  of  them,  fuch  as  had  a  principal  hand  in 
 the  reformation,  and  either  drew  up,  or  fubfcribed 
 to,  the  articles  of  religion  agreed  upon  in  Edward 
 the  Vlth's  time  1552.  And  at  the  head  of  them 
 was  Cranmer.  If  Ridley  was  not  imm.ediately  en- 
 gaged in  that  work,  (which  is  far  from  being  evi- 
 dent) yet  may  he  fairly  be  prefumed  to  have  been 
 confulted  on  that  occafion  -,  for  he  was  chaplain  to 
 Cranmer  at  that  time  :  ^  "  who  made  great  ufe  of 
 
 a  Biog,  Brit.  Artie.  Ridley.  Note  E. 
 
 "  him 
 
t  83  ] 
 
 **  him  in  his  ftudies  at  Lambeth^  where  he  refided 
 "  with  the  Arch-billiop,  and  he  removed  with 
 "  him  to  his  houfe  at  Ford,  in  the  time  of  the 
 *'  plague ;  where  he  had  much  private  converfa- 
 *'  tion  with  him  about  the  prefent  ftate  of  the  re- 
 "  formation,  and  further  progrefs  neceflary  to 
 *'  compleat  it."  AndiCranmer  and  Ridley  ever  after 
 afted  together  in  the  affairs  of  the  reformation. 
 
 That  this  book  was  written  agaift  the  errors  of 
 popery  is  evident  from  the  beft  authorities.    Slryfg 
 gives  the  following  account  of  it.     "  The  pious 
 *'  Archbifliop  (Cranmer)  thought  it  highly  condu- 
 "  cible  to  the  chriftian   growth  of  the  common 
 *'  people  in  knowledge  and  religion,  and  to  difen- 
 "  tangle  them  from  grofs  ignorance  and  fuperfti- 
 "  tion,  in  which  they  had  been  nurfled  up  by  their 
 "  popifh  guides,  that  the  Ten  commandments,  the 
 "  Lord's  Prayer,  and  the  Creed,  and  the  grounds 
 "  of  religion  fliould  be  explained  orthodoxly,  and 
 '*  recommended  to  their  readir;g.     Wherefore  he 
 '*  confulting  with  the  Lord  Cromwell  &c.  procured 
 "  by  a  commifTion  from  the  King,  that  the  Bifhops, 
 "  whom  he  particularly  recites,  and  other  Bidiops, 
 "  and  learned  Divines  fliould  meet  together,  and 
 **  devife  an  wholfome  and  plain  expofition  upon 
 "  thefe  fubjeds,  and  fet  forth  a  truth  of  religion, 
 *'  purged   of  errors    and   herefies.  —  Accordingly 
 "  they  met  at  the  Archbifhop's  houfe  at  Lambeth — 
 "  In  the  difputations  which  happened  among  them 
 '  ♦  in  this  work,  JVincheJler,  the  Pope's  chief  cham- 
 
 ^  %  pion 
 
[    84    ] 
 
 *'  pion,  with  three  or  four  other  of  theBIiliops 
 *'  went  about  with  all  fubtil  fophiftry  to  maintain 
 "  all  idolatry,  herefy,  and  fuperftition  &c.  But 
 "  at  the  laft,  whether  overpowered  with  number, 
 "  or  convinced  by  the  word  of  God,  and  confent 
 *'  of  ancient  authors,  and  the  primitive  church, 
 "  they  all  agreed  upon,  and  fet  their  hands  to  this 
 "  godly  book  of  religion.'*  Here,  fir,  you  have 
 the  reafon  afllgned  why  Gardiner  and  Bonner  fet 
 their  hands  to  this  work,  though  written  againft 
 the  errors  of  popery  -,  it  is  therefore  very  unfair 
 in  you  to  infer,  that,  becaufe  they  figned  it^  there- 
 fore it  muft  be  a  popifli  book. 
 
 As  a  farther  proof  of  the  efteem  this  book  was 
 holden  in  by  our  firft  reformers,  Strype  adds, 
 "  The  opinion  that  the  favourers  of  the  gofpel 
 '*  had  of  this  book  in  thofe  times,  may  appear  by 
 "  v.'hat  I  find  in  a  manufcript  of  the  life  of  this 
 "  Archbifliop  by  an  unknown  author,  that  wrote 
 **  it  foon  after  the  faid  Archbifhop's  death :  —  A 
 *'  godly  book  of  religion  not  much  unlike  the 
 "  book  fet  forth  by  King  Edward  VI.  except  in 
 "  two  points;  the  one  was  the  real  prefence  of 
 "  Chrift's  body  in  the  facrament  of  the  altar  — 
 *'  the  other  error  was  of  praying,  kifling,  and 
 "  kneeling  before  images  -, — which,  faith  he,  was 
 "  added  by  the  King,  after  the  Bilhops  had  fet  their 
 *«  hands  to  the  contrary."  I  could  produce  many 
 Other  authorities  from  our  beit  divines,  who  have 
 
 quoted 
 
t    8s     ] 
 
 quoted  it  as  I  have,  but  the  book  does  not  ftand 
 in  need  of  them. 
 
 I  A  M  fenfible  indeed,  that  it  contains  fome  re- 
 lidts  of  popidi  doftrines,  which  thofe  champions  of 
 the  reformation,  who  compofed  it,  afterwards  re- 
 nounced. But  this  is  fo  far  from  invalidating  its 
 authority  in  general,  that  it  ferves  to  confirm  it, 
 with  refped  to  thofe  points  of  do6trine,  which  they 
 perfevered  to  maintain  even  to  death.  For  a  proof 
 of  which  I  fhall  have  recourfe  to  their  other  works, 
 written  profefledly  againfl:  the  Papifts,  which 
 therefore,  I  prefume,  cannot  be  fubje6t  to  the 
 like  objection. 
 
 First  then,  Cranmer  in  his  preface  to  his  book 
 againft  Gardiner,  Bifliop  of  JVi?tcheJler,  tell  us, 
 "  that  our  Saviour  Jefus  Chrill  came  into  this 
 "  world  from  the  high  throne  of  his  father  to  de- 
 "  clare  unto  miferable  fmners  good  news  &c.  and 
 "  to  preach,  and  give  pardon  and  a  full  remilTion 
 *'  of  finne  to  all  his  eledted  ;  and  to  perform  the 
 "  fame,  he  made  a  facrifice  and  oblation  upon  the 
 "  croflTe,  which  was    a  full  redemption  and 
 
 "    PROPITIATION  FOR  THE  SINNES  OF  THE  WHOLE 
 
 "  WORLD."  And  in  the  conclufion  of  this  preface, 
 he  thus  exprelTes  himfelf  with  regard  to  works :  **  I 
 "  know  what  account  I  fhall  make  to  God  hereof  at 
 "  the  laft  day  ;  when  every  man  lliall  anfwcr  for 
 "  his  vocation,  and  receive  for  the  fame  good  or 
 *f  ill,  according  as  he  hath  done."  And  he  con- 
 
 F  3  tinned 
 
[     86     ] 
 
 tinued  to  preach  the  fame  dodrine  of  univerfai 
 redemption  with  his  lafl:  breath ;  offering  up  at 
 the  (lake  the  following  prayer  to  God.     The  ex- 
 cellence, humility,  and  piety  of  which  will  be  a 
 fufficient  apology  for  prefenting  it  to  the  reader. 
 *'  O  Father  of  heaven  ;  O  Son  of  God,  Redeemer 
 "  of  the  world  ;  O  Holy  Ghoft,  proceeding  from 
 *'  them  both,  Three  Perfons  and  one  God,  have 
 *'  mercy  upon  me,  moft  wretched  caitiff,  and  mi- 
 "  ferable  fmner.     I,  who  have  offended  both  hea- 
 "  ven  and  earth,  and  more  grievoufly  than  any 
 *'  tongue  can  exprcfs,  whither  then  may  I  go,  or 
 "  whither  fhould  I  fly  for  fuccour  ?  To  heaven  I 
 "  may  be  afhamed  to  lift  up  mine  eyes,  and  in 
 "  earth  I  find  no  refuge.     What  Ihall  I  then  do  ? 
 "  fliall  I  defpair  ?    God  forbid.      O  good  God, 
 *'  thou  art  merciful,  and  refufeil  none  that  come 
 *'  unto  thee  for  fuccour  :  To  thee,  therefore  do 
 *'  I  run.     To  thee  do  I  humble  myfelf,   faying, 
 "  O  Lord  God,  my  fins  be  great,  but   yet  have 
 "  mercy  upon  me,  for  thy  great  mercy.  O  God  the 
 •'  Son,  thou  waft  not  made  man,  this  great  myf- 
 *'  tery  was  not  wrought,  for  few  or  fmall  offences, 
 "  nor  thou  didft  not  give  thy  Son  unto  death,  O 
 "  God  the  Father,  for  our  little  and  fmall  fins 
 *'  only,    but  for  all   the  greatest  sins    of 
 "  THE  WORLD  I  fo  that  the  finner  return  unto  thee 
 **  with  a  penitent  heart  -,  as  I  do  at  this  prefent. 
 *'  Wherefore    have   mercy    upon   me,    O   Lord, 
 *'  whofe  property  is  always  to  have  mercy.     For 
 •*  although  my  fins  be  great,  yet  thy  mercv  is 
 
 "  greater. 
 
[    87    ] 
 
 "  greater.  I  crave  nothing,  O  Lord,  for  my 
 "  own  merits  -,  but  for  thy  name's  fake,  that  it 
 *'  may  be  glorified  thereby  :  and  for  thy  dear  Son 
 "  Jefus  ChrilVs  fake."  Words  cannot  better  ex- 
 prefs  the  conditions  upon  which  every  penitent 
 fmner  may  humbly  fue  for  pardon  at  the  throne  of 
 grace,  than  what  are  contained  in  this  prayer, 
 which  I  earneftly  recommend  to  every  fmcere 
 chriflian. 
 
 Let  us  next  fee  what  were  Latimer^s  fentiments 
 on  thefe  points — "  ^  We  need  not  (fays  he)  go 
 "  about  to  trouble  ourfelves  with  curious  quef- 
 "  tions  of  the  predefti nation  of  God  ;  but  let  uS 
 "  rather  endeavour  ourfelves,  that  we  may  be  in 
 "  Chrift  ;  for  then  we  be  in  him,  then  are  we 
 "  well,  and  then  we  may  be  fure  that  we  are 
 "  ordained  to  everlafting  life. — But  you  will  fay, 
 "  how  fiiall  I  know  that  I  am  in  the  book  of  life  ? 
 "  how  fhall  I  try  myfelf  to  be  eleft  of  God  to 
 "  everlafting  life  ?  I  anfwer,  firft,  we  may  know 
 "  that  we  be  one  time  in  the  book,  and  another 
 "  time  come  out  again  ;  as  appeareth  by  David, 
 "  which  was  written  in  the  book  of  life ;  but 
 "  when  he  fmned,  he  at  the  fame  time  was  out 
 
 a  Serm.  on  the  third  Sunday  after  Epiphany. 
 
 You  fay  there  is  nothing  in  thefe  paflages,  or  thofe  quoted 
 from  the  Reformatio  Legum,  but  what  you  readily  acquiefce  in ; 
 But  if  you  arc  ready  to  fubfcribe  to  thefe  dodrines,  and  yet  retain 
 your  calviniftical  notions,  I  fear  vou  will  incur  the  cenfure  of 
 *'  fetting  your  hand  to  dodlrines,  which  in  your  heart  you  do 
 "  not  afl'cnt  to." 
 
 "  of 
 
[    88    ] 
 
 *^  of  the  book  of  the  favour  of  God,  until  he 
 "  had  repented,  and  was  forry  for  his  faults, 
 *'  So  we  may  be  in  the  book  one  time,  and  after- 
 "  ward,  when  we  forget  God  and  his  word,  and 
 "  do  wickediy,  we  come  out  of  the  book,  that  is 
 "  out  of  Chrift.  And  in  that  book  arc  written  all 
 *'  believers.  But  I  will  tell  you  how  you  Ihall 
 **  know  when  you  are  in  the  book  :  and  there  are 
 "  three  fpecial  notes,  whereby  you  may  know  the 
 "  fame  ;  and  the  firft  note  is,  that  you  know  your 
 *'  fin,  and  feel  your  own  wretchednefs  ;  then  fol- 
 ^*  loweth  the  fecond  point;  which  is  faith  in  Chrifti 
 *'  that  is,  when  you  believe  mod  Itedfaftly  and  un- 
 "  doubtedly,  that  God  the  heavenly  Father  thro* 
 *'  his  Son  will  deliver  you  from  your  fms.  The 
 *'  third  point  is,  v-hcn  you  have  an  earnefl  defire 
 ^'  to  amendment,  and  hatred  againft  fin,  and  ftudy 
 "  to  live  after  God's  will  and  commandments,  as 
 "  much  as  is  pofiible  for  you  to  do."  —  Again  — 
 "  ^  The  promjics  of  Chrift  our  Saviour  are  gene- 
 ^*  ral :  he  made  a  general  proclamation,  faying, 
 *'  whofoever  believeth  on  me  hath  everlafting  life. 
 *'  He  faith,  come  to  me  all  ye  that  labour  and  are 
 "  laden,  and  I  wilt  eafe  you. — Mark,  here  he  faith, 
 *'  conie  ALL  ye  J  wherefore  then  fhould  any  man 
 "  defpair,  or  (hut  himfelf  out  from  the  promifes 
 "  of  Chrift,  which  be  general,  and  pertain  to  the 
 "  whole  world  .''  He  that  leaveth  his  wickednefs 
 5'  ^nd  fins,  is  content  to  amend  his  life,  and  be- 
 
 a  Sermon  on  ]VIatt.  xxii.  2,  &c. 
 
 "  Ileving 
 
[    89    J 
 
 "  lieving  in  Chrift,  feeketh  falvation  and  everlaft- 
 ♦'  ing  life  by  him,  no  doubt  that  man  or  woman, 
 "  whofoevcr  he  or  they  be,  fhall  be  faved. — And 
 again  —  "  a  Chrift  fhed  as  much  blood  for  Judas, 
 "  as  he  did  for  Peter ;  Peter  believed  it,  and  there- 
 "  fore  he  was  faved  -,  Judas  would  not  believe,  and 
 "  therefore  he  was  condemned,  the  fault  being  in 
 "  him  only,  and  in  nobody  elfe."  And,  pointing 
 out  the  ill  ufe  which  the  gofpellers  in  his  time 
 made  of  predeftination,  which  brought  them  (as 
 the  holy  martyr  exprefled  it)  to  defperation  or  car- 
 nal liberty,  he  concludes,  "  it  was  needful  to  be- 
 *'  ware  of  fuch  expofitions  of  the  fcripture,  as  of 
 "  the  devil  himfelf." 
 
 But  for  a  full  declaration  both  o^ Latimer* s  and 
 Jlidley''s  fentiments  concerning  univerlal  redemp- 
 tion, I  refer  you  to  their  conference  with  each 
 o.her,  held  a  little  before  their  martyrdom,  in 
 which  they  ufed  the  following  argument  againfl 
 the  facrifice  of  the  mafs,  "  if  Chryile  offered  in  his 
 *•  fupper,  for  whome  I  praye  you  ?  for  all :  or  fas 
 "  it  is  in  the  MS.)  for  every  man.  Then  his 
 "  latter  oblation  made  on  the  crofTe,  cannot  be 
 "  thought  to  be  done  for  all  men,  for  it  was  not 
 "  done  for  them  for  whom  the  oblation  was  made 
 "  in  the  fupper ;  except  peradventure  he  offered 
 "  twise  for  the  felfe  fame.  And  that  Ihulde  argue 
 *'  the  unperfedneffe  of  the  facrifice.'*    The  force 
 
 a  Expofit.  of  the  Ten  Commandments. 
 
 of 
 
[    90    ] 
 
 of  the  above  argument  confifts  in  this  pofition— 
 that  Chrift  offered  himfelf  for  every  Man.  If  he 
 made  this  offering  in  the  laft  fupper  for  any,  then 
 were  thofe  perfons  excluded  in  the  offering  upon 
 the  crofs,  unlefs  he  offered  twice  for  the  fame  per- 
 fons. An  irrefragable  argument  this,  both  againft 
 the  facrifice  of  the  mafs,  and  for  the  univerfal  re- 
 demption purchafed  by  the  offering  of  Chrift  once 
 offered  on  the  crofs.  This  furely  will  filence  all 
 your  cavils  about  the  real  fentiments  of  thefe  great 
 men,  being  alone  equal  to  a  thoufand  arguments. 
 Yet  becaijfe  you  pique  yourfelf  upon  Ridley's  ha- 
 ving written  a  treatife  on  God's  eledion  and  pre- 
 deftination,  I  think  myfelf  obliged  to  explain  this 
 matter  more  largely  than  otherwife  might  have 
 been  neceffary.  The  free-willers,  of  whom  Brad- 
 ford complains,  held  (as  he  himfelf  fets  forth)  the 
 error  of  the  Pelagians,  concerning  man's  free- 
 will, and  therefore  were  juftly  cenfured  for  ex- 
 cluding the  neceffity  of  divine  grace.  But  with 
 refped  to  God's  eledtion  and  predeftination,  the 
 Bifhop,  in  anfwer  to  Bradford^  has  thefe  words. 
 *'  Know  you,  that  concerning  the  matter  you 
 "  mean,  I  have  in  latin  drawn  out  the  places  of 
 "  the  fcriptures,  and  upon  the  fame  have  noted 
 "  what  I  can  for  the  time.  Syr,  in  thefe  matters 
 "  I  am  fo  fearful,  that  I  dare  not  fpeak  farther, 
 **  yea  almoft  none  otherwife  than  the  very  text 
 *'  doth  (  as  it  were )  lead  me  by  the  hand." 
 Which  is,  in  other  words,  faying  only  what  the 
 i/th  article  declares,    viz.  that  we  muft  receive 
 
 God's 
 
t     9'     ] 
 
 God's  promifes  in  fuch  wife,  as  they  be  generally 
 fet  forth  to  us  in  holy  fcripture.  You  would  have 
 done  well,  fir,  to  have  adopted  the  caution  of  the 
 Bifhop  ;  and,  as  this  work  is  no  where  extant,  you 
 ought  by  every  fair  rule  of  interpretation  to  fup- 
 pofe,  that  his  fentiments  on  this  fubjed  were  con- 
 fident with  his  dodrines  exprelTed  in  his  other  wri- 
 tings. But  I  am  not  at  all  lurpized  that  you,  who 
 have  the  confidence  to  tell  me,  that  the  above 
 extrads  from  Bifhop  Latimer^  fermons  really  con- 
 firm the  do6lrine  of  predeftination,  fhould  im- 
 pofe  upon  the  reader  by  inferring  that,  becaufe 
 Bifhop  Ridley  "  wrote  a  particular  treatife  on  God's 
 *'  eledion  and  predeftination,"  he  mufl  neceffa- 
 rily  hold  the  Calviniftical  tenets,  and  by  pretend- 
 ing, in  fupport  of  your  inference,  to  have  recourfe 
 to  that  work  which  you  never  faw. 
 
 T  o  thefe  let  me  add  the  holy  martyr  Bifhop 
 Hooper^  who  infifts  ftrongly  on  the  do(5lrine  of 
 univerfal  redemption  throughout  the  preface  to 
 his  declaration  of  the  Ten  commandments.  The 
 whole  is  worth  reading  •,  I  fhall  feled:  fome  paf- 
 fages.  He  faith,  "  that  as  far  extendeth  the  vir- 
 "  tue  and  ftrength  of  God's  promife  to  fave  men, 
 "  as  the  rigour  and  juftice  of  the  law  for  fin  to 
 "  damne  men  ;  for  as  by  the  fin  and  offence  of 
 *'  one  man  death  was  extended  and  made  com- 
 *'  mon  unto  all  men  unto  condemnation,  as  Paul 
 "  faith,  Rom.  v.  fo  by  the  juftice  of  one  is  de- 
 !'  rived  life  unto  all   men  unto  juftification.     If 
 
 «'  all 
 
[      92      ] 
 
 **  all  then  fhall  be  faved,  what  is  to  be  faid  of  thofc 
 "  that  St.  Peter  fpeaketh  of,  that  Ihall  perifli  for 
 *'  their  falfe  do<5lrine  ?  and  likewife  Chrift  faith, 
 "  that  the  gate  is  flreight  that  leadeth  to  life,  and 
 **  few  enter.  Matt.  vii.  Thus  the  fcriptiire  an- 
 "  fwereth,  that  the  promife  of  grace  appertaineth 
 "  unto  every  forte  of  men  in  the  world,  and  com- 
 *'  prehendeth  them  all,  howbeit  within  certain  li- 
 *'  mits  and  bounds,  the  which  if  men  negleft,  or 
 *'  pafs  over,  they  exclude  themfelves  from  the 
 "  promife  in  Chrift :  ^  As  Cain  was  no  more  ex- 
 *'  eluded,  till  he  excluded  himfelf,  than  Abel  j 
 *'  Saul  th2in  David-,  Judas  than  Peter;  Efau  than 
 *'  Jacob.''*  This  holy  man  goes  on  to  explain  Rom, 
 ix.  and  (hews  that  the  acceptation  of  Jacob,  and 
 reprobation  of  Efau  was  only  concerning  the  pro- 
 mifes  of  the  earth,  not  that  Efau  was  dilheryted  of 
 eternal  life,  but  that  he  fhould  be  inferior  to  his 
 brother  Jacob  in  this  world,  which  prophecy  was 
 fulfilled  in  their  pofterities,  and  not  in  the  perfons 
 
 themfelves. Again  —  "  It  is  our  office  to  fee 
 
 *'  we  exclude  not  ourfelves  from  the  general  grace 
 "  promifed  to  all  men.  It  is  not  a  chriftian  man's 
 "  part  to  attribute  his  falvation  to  his  own  free  will 
 "  with  the  Pelagian,  and  to  extenuate  original  fin: 
 
 a  Gen.  iii.  5,  6,  7.  But  unto  C^in  and  his  offering  he  had 
 not  refpefl,  and  Cain  was  very  wroth,  and  his  countenance  fell. 
 And  the  Lord  faid  nnto  Cain,  why  art  thou  wroth  ?  and  why 
 is  thy  countenance  fallen?  Jf  thou  doeft  well  shalt  thou 
 NOT  BE  ACCEPTED?  and  if  thou  doeft  not  well,  fin  lieth  at 
 the  door. 
 
 "  NOF 
 
[    93    ] 
 
 **  Nor  to  make  God  the  author  of  ill,  and  our 
 "  damnation,  with  the  Manichee.     Nor  yet  to  fay 
 •  God  hath  written  fatal  laws,  as  the  Stoic ;  and 
 "  with  the  neceflity  of  deftiny  violently  pulleth  one 
 "  by  the  hair  into  heaven,  and  thrufteth  the  other 
 *'  headlong  into  hell.     But  afcertain  thyfelf  by  the 
 '"  fcripture,  what  be  the  caufes  of  reprobation,  and 
 '*  what  of  election.     The   caufe   of  rejedion  or 
 '*  damnation  is  fin  in  man,  which  will  not  hear 
 "  neither  receive  the  promifes  of  the  gofpel,  will 
 **  not  ftudy  to  live  thereafter,  &c.     So  we  judge 
 *'  of  election  by  the  event,  or  fuccefs  that  happen- 
 *'  eth  in  the  life  of  man :  thofe  only  to  be  eledled 
 *'  that  by  faith  apprehend  the  mercy  promifed  in 
 *'  Chrift,  otherwife  we  fliould  not  judge  of  elec- 
 *'  tion.    For  Paul  faith  plainly,  Rom.  viii.  that  they 
 *'  that  be  led  by  the  fpirit  of  God  are  the  chil- 
 *'  dren  of  God,  and  that  the  fpirit  of  God  doth 
 ^'  teflify  with  our  fpirits,  that  we  are  the  children 
 *'  of  God.     Being  admoniflied  by  the  fcripture  we 
 "  muft  leave  fin,  and  do  the  works  commanded  of 
 •'  God,  or  elfe  it  is  a  carnal  opinion,  that  we  have 
 "  blinded  ourfclves  withal,  of  fatal  deftiny,  and 
 "  will  not  fave  us.'* 
 
 And  the  fame  opinions  bifiiop  Ridley  feems  to 
 have  held  :  for  in  a  treatife  of  his  publiflied  by  iVlr. 
 Fox  in  his  ads  and  monuments,  he  thus  interprets 
 that  text,  I  John  iii.  9.  whofoever  is  born  of  God 
 doth  not  commit  fin ;  for  his  feed  remaineth  in 
 
 him 
 
[    94    ] 
 
 him  ;  "  he  meaneth  fo  long  as  that  feed  doth  abide 
 "  in  him,  he  cannot  fin." 
 
 The  fame  dodrine  is  taught  in  the  a  Reformatio 
 Legum,  publilhed  by  our  firft  reformers.  There 
 we  read  "  ^  Quapropter  omnes  nobis  admonendi 
 "  funt  ut  in  adtionibus  fulcipiendis  ad  decreta  pras- 
 "  deftinationis  fe  non  referant,  cum  et  promifli- 
 "  ones  bonis,  et  minas  malis,  in  facris  fcripturis 
 "  generahter  propofitas  contemplemur  <^."  Again, 
 "  ^  Etiam  ilU  de  juftificatis  perverse  fentiunt,  qui 
 "  credunt  illos,  poftquam  jufti  fimul  fadi  funt,  in 
 *'  peccatum  non  poffe  incidere  i  aut  fi  forte  quic- 
 
 a  This  Reformatio  Legum  was  drawn  up  by  commiffioners 
 appointed  by  King  Edward  VI.  It  is  a  fyftem  of  ecclefiaftical 
 laws,  and  is  fuppofed  to  have  been  compiled  chiefly  by  Archbi- 
 Ihop  Cranmer,  who  was  at  the  head  of  that  commiffion.  The 
 King  dying  foon  after,  thefe  laws  were  never  confirmed  by  any 
 authority,  nor  were  they  publiflied  till  the  reign  of  Queen  Eli- 
 zabeth. They  were  then  publilhed  by  John  FoXy  with  King 
 Edward'' s  commiffion  bearing  date  Nov.  ii.  1551-  See  Strype'*i 
 Mem.  Vol.  II.  b.'  ii.  p.  303.  Life  of  Cranmer,  b.  ii.  c.  26, 
 p.  270.     Burnefs  Hill.  Ref.  Vol.  IL  p.  2,  b.  i.  p.  196,  &c. 
 
 b  "  Wherefore  all  are  to  be  admonifhed  by  us  that  in  their 
 "  undertakings  and  aftions,  they  are  not  to  refer  themfelves  to 
 *'  the  decrees  of  predeftination,  fince  in  the  holy  fcriptures  we 
 *'  fee  promife^  to  good  adlions,  and  threats  to  bad  ones,  pro- 
 *'  pofed  in  general  terms." 
 
 c  De  Hercs.  cap.  32. 
 
 d  "  They  form  very  perverfe  notions  of  the  juftified,  who 
 **  believe  that  after  they  are  once  made  juft,  they  cannot  fall  into 
 **  fin  ;  or,  if  by  chance  they  Ihould  do  any  thing  prohibited  by 
 **  the  laws  of  God,  that  God  does  not  impute  it  as  fin." 
 
 "  quam 
 
«< 
 
 [    95    ] 
 
 quam  eorum  faciunt  quas  Dei  legibus  prohiben- 
 "  tur,  ea  Deum  pro  peccatis  non  accipere  ^" 
 
 If  then  we  may  be  permitted  to  form  our  judg- 
 ment of  the  do<5lrines  which  Cranmer^  Ridley,  and 
 our  firft  reformers  held  and  maintained,  from  their 
 own  writings  and  not  from  your  affertions,  the 
 Univerfity  of  Oxford,  ^  once  the  nurfing  mother  of 
 fo  many  faithful  Tons  of  the  AngHcan  church,  is 
 ftill  worthy  of  that  high  chara6ler,  and  has  by  this 
 a6t  of  difcipline  approved  herfelf  fuch. 
 
 Conscious  of  the  force  of  the  above  quotations, 
 you  endeavour  to  divert  the  reader's  attention 
 from  them,  by  infmuating  "  that  my  defign  in 
 *'  bringing  thefe  authorities  was  to  caft:  a  flander 
 "  upon  the  pure  and  holy  doftrine  of  eledlion, 
 *'  and  to  make  the  deceived  reader  believe  that 
 "  it  leads  to  licentioufnefs  of  living  -,  a  ftale  ca- 
 *'  lumny,  which  has  been  anfwered  again  and 
 *'  and  again  :"  I  produced  them  to  prove  the  point 
 in  difpute :  but  you  feem  fenfible  that  they  like- 
 wife  prove  the  other  charge,  which  is  not  more 
 ftale,  than  true,  though  I  had  forborne  to  urge  it. 
 But  now,  being  thus  called  upon,  I  think  myfelf 
 obliged  to  fupport  it,  by  that  evidence,  which  I 
 dare  fay  you  will  not  difpute,  the  evidence  of  the 
 council  of  Bort.  In  which  it  is  afTerted,  "  that 
 *'  God  will  preferve  in  the  faith  all  thofe  who  are 
 
 e  De  Haeres  cap.  9.  b  P.  27. 
 
 "  abfolutely 
 
t  96  ] 
 
 "  abfolutely  elefted  from  eternity,  and  are  in  time 
 "  brought  to  faith  by  an  Almighty  and  irrefiftible 
 '*  operation  or  working,  fo  that  though  they  fall 
 "  into  deteftable  wickednefs  and  villanies,  and  con- 
 *'  tinue  in  the  fame  fome  fpace  of  time,  againft 
 *'  their  confcience,  yet  the  faid  villanies  do  not  hin- 
 "  der,  fo  much  as  a  ftraw  amounteth  to,  their 
 "  eledion  or  falvation ;  neither  do  they,  or  can 
 "  they  by  means  of,  or  becaufe  of  thefe,  fall  from 
 "  the  grace  of  adoption,  and  from  the  ftate  of  juf- 
 *'  tification,  or  lofe  their  faith;  but  all  the  fms  how 
 "  o-reat  foever  they  be,  both  which  heretofore  they 
 "  have  committed j  and  thofe  which  after  they  will, 
 "  or  fhall  commit,  are  furer  than  alTuredly  forgiven 
 *'  them  -,  yea  and  moreover  they  themfeives  at  laft, 
 «'  though  it  be  at  the  laft  gafp,  ihall  be  called  to 
 "  repentance,  and  brought  into  poffefrion  of  fal- 
 
 "  vation.  ^" What  can  be  more  horrid  and 
 
 impious  ?  What  greater  licence  to  fm  can  the 
 I^ope  by  all  his  pardons  and  indulgences  grant, 
 than  is  here  offered,  (I  tremble  to  mention  it) 
 under  fanftion  of  the  decrees  of  God  himfelf  ? 
 They  who  have  once  been  brought  to  faith  by 
 an  irrefiftible  operation,  may,  it  feems,  be  guilty 
 of  the  moft  deteftable  wickednefs  and  villanies, 
 may  go  on  with  fecurity  in  the  commiflion  of 
 fin,  and  after  a  life  devoted  to  the  devil  and  his 
 works,  yet  ftiall  surer  than  assuredly  be  for- 
 given and  brought  into  polTeflion  of  falvation. 
 
 a  Berlin  Hift.  Quincj-Art.  Part  II.  Ch.  XIV. 
 
 Under 
 
[    97    ] 
 
 Un  d  e  r  this  delufion  Oliver  Cromwell  afled  all 
 his  villany,  waded  thro'  flaiighter  to  a  throne,  and 
 imbrued  his  hands  in  his  Sovereign's  blood ;  and 
 at  laft  left  the  world  with  all  his  fins  about  him,  in 
 full  affurance  that  he  was  fafe,  "  becaufc  he  was 
 "  once  in  a  ftate  of  grace  •,"  under  this  delufion 
 the  other  regicides  openly  avowcdj  and  gloried  in 
 their  treafon,  rebellion^  and  murther ;  under  the 
 fame  delufion  the  fanatics  of  tliefe  times  —  bun 
 I  forbear ;  and  pray  God  to  avert  the  judgments 
 which  feem  to  threaten  this  nation. 
 
 That  thefe  doctrines  are  confiftent  with  our  ar- 
 ticles of  religion,  and  the  homilies  of  our  church, 
 will  be  (hewn  in  its  proper  place.  But  before  I  pro- 
 ceed to  the  difcufllon  of  this  point,  it  will  be  proper 
 to  confider  the  authority  of  that  evidence  by  which 
 you  endeavour  to  fupport  the  contrary  dodlrines  of 
 prcdeftination,  reprobation,  &c.  as  the  genuine  doc- 
 trines of  the  Church  oi  England.  And  firft  you  infer 
 it  from  the  cenfures  inflided  upon  Mr  Barrett  of 
 Caius  College,  Cambridge^  for  which  we  have  the 
 authority  of  that  loyal  and  godly  author  Mr  Prynne. 
 To  the  like  objedions  urged  by  the  author  of  the 
 Confeflional,  I  fhall  give  the  anfwer  already  given 
 by  the  Letter-writer.  "  ^  Mr  Strype  in  his  life  of 
 "  fVhitgifty  p.  435.  iaith,  thac  till  about  the  year 
 "  15955  Calvin's  way  of  explaining  the  divine  de- 
 
 a  Letter  3d,  p.  g(^. 
 
 G  "  crees 
 
[    98    ] 
 
 '*  crees  was  not  entertained  by  many  learned  men 
 "  in  the  Univerfity  of  Cambridge.     But  thefe  opi- 
 "  nions  were  introduced  by  fome  of  our  divines, 
 "  who,  during  the  perfecution  under  Queen  Mary, 
 "  had  fled  to  Geneva  and  Zurich.     There  they  im- 
 "  bibed  much  Cahinifm  in  church  government  and 
 "  difcipline,  and  fome  rigid  opinions  in  point  of 
 "  doctrine  :  and  Dr.  Whitaker  being  made  Queen's 
 ''  Profeflbr  of  Divinity  at  Cambridge,  and  Dr.  Hum- 
 "  phreys  at  Oxford,  thefe  opinions  prevailed  much 
 "  in  both  the  Univerfities,  about  the  latter  end  of 
 "  Queen  Elizabeth^  reign.     But  "  ^  although  Cal- 
 "  vinifm  prevailed  much  in  her  reign  both  in  the 
 "  fchools,  and  in  the  pulpit,  yet  it  was  not  un- 
 "  derftood  to  be   certainly  the  fenfe  of  our  arti- 
 *^  cles  even  by  thofe  who  held  this  docftrine  -,  for 
 *'  though  they  thought  fit  to  cenfure  Barrett,  they 
 *'  -durft    not    venture   to    aflert  that  his  opinions 
 "  were  contrary  to  our  articles ;  for  in  their  letter 
 «'  to   the  Archbiftiop  ^  they   fay,    that   they  arc 
 "  fully   perfuaded    that  Barrett  had    taught  un- 
 "  truths  if  not  againft  the  articles,  yet  againft  the 
 **  religion  of  our  church,  publickly  received  and 
 "  always  held  in  her  Majefty's  reign,  and  main- 
 "  tained  in  all  fermons,  difputations,  and  le<5lures.'* 
 And  even  this  plea  (weak  as  it  would  have  been, 
 though  true)  was  utterly  falfe,  and  diredly  contrary 
 to  the  Archbifliop's  declaration  :  nay  they  plainly 
 
 a  Letter  3,  p.  j;.  b  P.  35. 
 
 Sirype's,  Life  of  IVbitgift,  App.  N*.  25. 
 
 acknowledge 
 
[     99    ] 
 
 acknowledge  that  thefe  points  were  not  conclu- 
 ded and  defined  by  public  authority  ;  and  in  their 
 fecond  admonition  to  the  parliament,  p.  34.  they 
 confefs,  "  indeed  the  book  of  articles  fpeaketh 
 '*  very  dangeroufly  of  falling  from  grace,  which 
 *'  is  to  be  reformed,  becaufe  it  too  much  inclineth 
 "  to  their  error." — Meaning  the  error  of  thofe  who 
 now  are  called  Arminians. 
 
 The  Archbifhop  a cenfur£d  their  rafli  and  hafly 
 proceedings  againft  Barrett,  for  that  in  fome  points 
 of  his  retradation  they  had  made  him  to  affirm  that 
 "  which  was  contrary  to  the  doftrine  holden  and 
 ''  expreficd  by  many  found  and  learned  divines  in 
 "  the  Church  of  England,  and  in  other  Churches 
 "  likewife,  men  of  beft  account  •,  and  that  which, 
 *'  for  his  own  part,  he  thought  to  be  falfe  and  con- 
 **  trary  to  the  fcriptures ;  for  the  fcriptures  were 
 "  plain,  that  God  by  his  ablolute  will  did  not  hate 
 "  and  rejedt  any  man  without  an  eye  to  his  fm ; 
 "  there  might  be  impiety  in  believing  the  one, 
 *'  there  could  be  none  in  believing  the  other  -,  nei- 
 "  ther  was  it  contrary  to  any  article  of  religion  efta- 
 **  blifhed  by  authority  in  the  Church  of  England^ 
 "  but  rather  agreeable  thereunto." 
 
 As  a  farther  proof  that  the  ArchbiHiop  cenfured 
 them  for  condemning  Barrett^s  tenets,  as  fuch,  and 
 not  MERELY  becaufe  they  had  interfered  in  matters 
 
 a  Strype's  Life  of  ff hi tgi/t,  p.  441, 
 
 G  2  which 
 
[       lOO       ] 
 
 which  belonged  to  his  province,  as  you  affert,  I 
 refer  you  to  Dr.  Sartivia's  cenfure  of  Barretts  re- 
 tradation,  (Appendix,  Numb.xxiv.  P.  189.)  whom 
 the  Archbifhop,  as  Strype  obferves,  had  confulted 
 on  this  occafion,  "  and  who  gave  his  judgment  at 
 *'  large  hereof  in  latin  ^  with  no  more  approbation 
 
 "  THAN  THE  ^  ArCHBISHOP  HAD   DONE.'* 
 
 And   that  thefe  doftrines  were  not  then  univer- 
 
 fally    held   appears    farther   from  the   "  ^  learned 
 
 Hookerh  fermons  at  the  'Temple^  where  he  preached 
 
 what  you  call  Arminianifm  ;  "  that  predefti nation 
 
 "  was  not  the  abfolute  will  of  God,  but  conditi- 
 
 "  onal ;  that  the  doings  of  the  wicked  were  not  of 
 
 "  the  will  of  God  pofitive,  but  only  permiflive ; 
 
 *'  that  reprobates  are  not  reje<5led  but  for  the  evil 
 
 "  works  which  God  did  forefee  they  will  commit.'* 
 
 And  when  his  opponent  called  for  his  authorities 
 
 in  expounding  St.  Paul  againft  the  judgment  of  all 
 
 churches    and   all   good   writers,    Hooker  replied, 
 
 "  that  the  fentences  which  he  might  have  cited 
 
 *'  out  of  all    church    confeflions,    together   with 
 
 *'  the  befl:  learned  monuments  of  former  times, 
 
 "  and  not  the  meaneft  of  our  own,  were  more  in 
 
 "  number  than  perhaps  he  willingly  would  have 
 
 «  heard  of '^." 
 
 a  See  likewife   the  Archbilhop's  Letter   to  Lord  Burleigh^ 
 P.  450.  b  Let.  2,  P.  36,  37. 
 
 c  Anfwer  to  Travers''%  Supplication,  feft  22.  &  23. 
 
 To 
 
[       lOI       ] 
 
 To  evade  the  force  of  Hooker's  teftimony  you  ap- 
 peal to  a  pofthumous  fermon,  wherein  the  dodrine 
 of  the  indefedlibihty  of  God's  grace  is  flrongly  af- 
 ferted.  If //<7o^^  meant  only  to  evince  that  God's 
 promife  ftandeth  fure,  and  that  he  will  never  for- 
 fake  his  faithful  fervants,  I  readily  fubfcribe  to  his 
 dcxftrine.  But  if  he  meant  to  maintain  that  they, 
 who  had  once  been  enlightened  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
 can  never  fall  away  through  their  own  wickednefs 
 or  apoftacy  ;  fuch  an  aflertion  is  not  reconcileable 
 with  his  anfwer  to  Travers,  publifhed  in  his  life- 
 time ;  where,  befides  what  I  have  already  quoted, 
 he  fays.  "  fecondly,  to  their  objedion,  who  fay, 
 *'  if  I  be  eleded,  do  what  I  will,  I  fi^all  be  faved  ; 
 *'  I  had  anfwered,  that  the  will  of  God  in  this 
 "  thing  is  not  abfolute,  but  conditional,  to  fave 
 "■  his  eled:,  believing,  fearing,  and  obediently 
 "  ferving  him."  And  in  his  fermon  of  the  cer- 
 tainty of  faith  &c,  he  thus  expreifes  himfelf — 
 "  Do  the  promifes  of  God  concerning  our  (lability 
 **  think  you,  make  it  matter  indifferent  for  us  to 
 •'  ufe  the  means  whereby  to  attend,  or  not  to  at- 
 ''  tend  to  reading ;  to  pray,  or  not  to  pray,  that 
 *'  we  fall  not  into  temptation  P  Surely,  if  we  look 
 "  to  ftand  in  the  faith  of  the  fons  of  God,  we  mud 
 "  hourly,  continually,  be  providing,  and  fetting 
 "  ourfelves  to  drive :  —  To  our  own  fafety,  our 
 "  own  fedulity  is  required."  —  I  hope  you  will  no 
 longer  prefs  the  judicious  Hooker  into  your  fer- 
 
 G  3  vice. 
 
[       102       ] 
 
 vice,  who  has  fo   well  defended  the   dodrine  of 
 univerfal  redemption. 
 
 I N  the  next  place  we  are  prefented  with  the  fa- 
 mous Lamheth  articles ;  which  we  have  nothing  to 
 do  w'th,  they  being  no  part  of  our  faith,  nor  ever 
 eftablifhed  by  any  legal  authority,  but  rather  forced 
 upon  the  Univerfity  in  oppofition  to  that  authority. 
 Thefe  too  are  urged  againft  us  by  the  author  of  the 
 Confeffional,  and  every  thing  that  he  or  you  have 
 faid,  is  fully  anfwered  by  the  Letter- writer^'.  Thefe 
 articles  were  drawn  up  by  Dr.  Whitaker  and  other 
 Cahinifis  of  Cambridge.-  And  the  reafon  why  they 
 drew  them  up  was,  becaufe  the  39  articles  were  not 
 fufficient  for  their  purpofe,,  "  thofe  points  being 
 '*  (as  they  themfelves  acknowledged)  not  concluded 
 "  and  defined  by  public  authority."  The  good 
 Archbifhop,  though  he  had  before  exprefled  his 
 diflike  of  their  proceedings  againft  Barrett ;  yet  was 
 prevailed  upon  to  agree  to  thefe  articles  for  the  fake 
 of  peace;  "  praying  to  take  care  that  nothing 
 •'  fhould  be  pubhcly  taught  to  the  contrary ;  and 
 *'  that  alfo  in  teaching  them  difcretion  and  modera- 
 *'  tion  fhould  be  ufed,  that  fuch  as  fhould  be  in 
 ''  fome  points  differing  in  judgment,  might  not  be 
 "  of  purpofe  ftung,  or  juftly  grieved  :  And  that 
 "  the  propofnions  neverthelefs  muft  be  io  taken 
 "  and  ufed  as  their  private  judgments,  thinking 
 "  them  to  be  true  and  correfpondent  to  the  doc- 
 a  Third  letter,  p.  61,   ^6,   &c. 
 
 *'  trine 
 
[  ^03  ] 
 '*  trine  profefled  in  the  Church  of  England^  and 
 "  eftablifhed  by  the  laws  of  the  land  ;  and  not  as 
 "  laws  and  decrees '."  But  thefe  articles  gave 
 great  offence,  not  only  in  the  Univerfity,  but  at 
 Court.  The  Queen  was  greatly  difpleafed  with 
 them.  And  therefore  the  Archbilhop  wrote  to 
 Cambridge,  "  dcfiring  the  Vice-Chancellor  fo  to  ufe 
 "  the  faid  propofitions  as  there  might  be  no  publi- 
 *'  cation  of  them  otherwife  than  in  private."  Not- 
 withftanding  which  the  Queen  refented  what  the 
 Archbifhop  and  the  reft  had  done,  and  commanded 
 her  fecretary  to  fend  unto  his  Grace,  to  acquaint 
 him,  "  that  flie  mifliked  much  that  any  allowance 
 "  had  been  given  by  his  Grace,  and  the  reft,  of  any 
 "  fuch  points  to  be  difputed,  being  a  matter  tender 
 "  and  dangerous  to  weak  ignorant  minds  :  and 
 "  thereupon  that  ftie  required  his  Grace  to  fufpend 
 "  them  ^."  And  Lord  Burleigh,  Chancellor  of  the 
 Univerfity  reprimanded  the  Heads  of  Houfes  on 
 
 a  Strype^s  Life  of  Whitgift,  p.  462.  By  your  quotation  of 
 this  paflage  in  your  reply,  p.  8r.  you  fliamefully  pervert  the 
 Archbifliop's  meaning,  making  him  fay,  "  that  they  are  not  to 
 ''  be  looked  upon  as  new  laws  and  decrees  —  but  as  already 
 *'  eftablifhed."  Whether  this  artifice  be  your  own,  or  you  only 
 copied  the  forgery  of  Neal,  your  conduft  is  equally  inexcufa- 
 ble^  for  you  impofe  it  upon  the  reader  as  the  words  of  ^trype, 
 who  has  given  us  the  genuine  letter,  from  which  my  quotation 
 is  taken. 
 
 b  Ibid.  c.  18.     H<y//VsHift.  Prcfb.  b.  x.  §.  7.     Hift.  of 
 Lamb.  -art. 
 
 this 
 
[     104     ] 
 
 thisoccalion,  telling  them  "  as  good  and  ancient  were 
 *'  of  another  judgment :"  and  that  as  for  Baro  whom 
 they  had  ceniured,  "  Ye  may  punifli  him,  (fays  he) 
 "  if  ye  will ;  but  yc  fliall  do  it  for  well  doing,  in 
 "  holding  the  truth  in  my  opinion  %"  And  he  de- 
 livered his  opinion,  to  the  Queers  both  of  the  doc- 
 trine itfelf  and  its  pernicious  confequences,  confi- 
 dered  even  in  a  civil  view,  thus  •,  *'  ^  It  is  not, 
 "  faith  he,  difficult  to  perceive  what  thefe  men  aim 
 ''  at,  for  they  think  and  teach  that  whatever  human 
 "  tranfadions  are  carried  on,  whether  good  or  bad, 
 "  they  are  all  bound  up  by  the  law  of  an  immutable 
 «'  decree  ;  and  that  this  necefiity  is  impofed  even 
 *'  upon  the  wills  of  men,  that  they  cannot  will  other- 
 *'  wife  than  they  do  will.  If  thefe  opinions,  mod  au- 
 **  guft  Sovereign,  be  true,  in  vain  both  myfelf  and 
 "  your  Majefty's  other  faithful  fervants  anxioufly, 
 '  *'.  and  with  much  hefitation,  deliberate  what  upon 
 "  every  occafion  ought  to  be  done,  what  may  be  moft 
 *'  conducive  to  your  own  welfare  and  that  of  the 
 *'  kine;dom  :  fince  all  confultation  mull  be  fool- 
 "  ifh  and  vain  concerning  thefe  matters,  which 
 ''  muft  neceflarily  happen."  *"  Nay  we  are  told, 
 that  the  Qiieen  threatened,  the  Aifchbifliop  with 
 a  premunire  for  what  he  had  done  in  thefe  mat- 
 ters. And  thus  thefe  articles  were  fuppreffed. 
 And  when  afterwards  at  the  conference  at  Hamp- 
 ten-court,  it  was  moved  to  add  thefe  aflertions   to 
 
 a  Strype's  Life  of  Whitgift,  p.   44.1.     Heylin'5  Hift.  b.  xi, 
 |.  5,     b  See  Ellis  Lamb.  art.  Hift.  p.  7.     c  Ibid. 
 
 the 
 
[     105    ] 
 
 the  book  of  the  39  articles,  this  propofal  was  rejeft- 
 ed.  To  what  purpofe  then  do  you  urge  the  au- 
 thority of  the  Lambeth  articles,  to  which  we  never 
 fubfcribed,  which  were  never  cftablilhed,  nor  in- 
 tended as  laws  for  public  ufe,  but  only  as  a  tem- 
 porary expedient  to  procure  peace  at  that  time 
 at  Camhridge,  and  which  were  recalled  as  foon  as 
 publifiied  ?  Had  you  been  acquainted  with  the 
 hiftory  of  them,  how  they  were  firft  obtained  and 
 impofed,  and  afterwards  fupprefled,  you  would  cer- 
 tainly have  thought  it  more  prudent,  not  to  have 
 mentioned  them. 
 
 Still  lefs  to  your  purpofe  are  the  queftions  and 
 anfwers  bound  up  with  fome  old  bibles.  If  any  bi- 
 fhops,  or  others  concerned  in  publifhing  an  edition 
 of  the  bible,  fhall  think  fit  to  annex  a  fyftem  of 
 their  own  notions  to  it,  this  does  not  make  their 
 notions  gofpel,  or  give  them  the  fan6tion  of  pub- 
 lic authority.  But  that  thefe  queftions  and  anfwers 
 were  bound  up  in  all  the  editions  of  Queen  Eliza- 
 beth's bible  is  not  true.  They  appear  in  neither  of 
 Archbifhop  Parker's  editions,  nor  in  Barker's  of 
 1599.  You  will,  I  believe,  find  fome  difficulty  in  re- 
 conciling your  account  with  chronology.  You  tell 
 us  they  were  bound  up  with  the  only  bible  in  ufe  in 
 Queen  Elizabeth's  time;  and  in  confirmation  of  it 
 produce  the  edition  of  1607,  fome  time  after  the 
 Qiieen's  death.  I  do  not  fo  much  wonder  that  they 
 ihould  have  crept  into  fome  editions  of  the  bible  in 
 K.  James  I.  reign,    when  the  puritans  began  to 
 
 take 
 
[     106     ] 
 
 take  greater  liberties  in  impofmg  their  tenets  ; 
 though  it  IhoLild  feem  from  the  edition  (or  rather 
 new  verfion)  pubHfhed  by  that  King's  authority  in 
 1611,  in  which  thefe  queftions  and  anfvvers  are  not 
 inferted,  that  they  were  then  difcountenanced. 
 
 But  to  be  more  particular. — a  In  page  45,  the 
 laft  paragraph,  and  page  49,  you  aflert  what  is 
 not  true  —  "  That  thefe  queftions  and  anfwers 
 "  concerning  predeftination — were  always  printed 
 "  at  the  end  of  the  old  teftament,  and  bound  up 
 "  and  fold  cum  privilegio,  with  this  authorized  tranf, 
 "  lation  of  the  bible,  till  about  the  year  1615" — .  It 
 appears  from  p.  45,  that  you  mean  the  Bishops* 
 BIBLE.  "  I  apprehend  thefe  queftions  &:c.  were 
 "  never  bound  up  with  the  Biftiop's  bible,  at  leaft 
 *'  Lewis  in  his  hiftory  of  the  tranflations  of  the  bible 
 *'  from  p.  235  to  264,  mentions  eight  editions  of  it, 
 *'  and  takes  no  notice  of  thefe  queftions  &c,  being 
 "  printed  with  them,  and  he  is  very  particular  in 
 «'  giving  the  contents  of  them.  But,  as  will  appear 
 *'  hereafter,  he  takes  particular  notice  when  they  were 
 "  inferted  in  the  Geneva  bible.  A  friend  of  mine  has 
 "  the  beft  edition  of  the  Biftiop's  bible  printed  in 
 "  1572,  fol.  which  has  fome  correftions  of  the  firft 
 *'  edition  of  it  in  1568.  In  that  edition  the  queftions 
 *'  &c.  do  not  appear.   Nor  indeed  could  they  with 
 
 a  The  following  account  of  this  matter  was  communicated 
 to  me  by  a  very  judicious  friend,  who  is  well  acquainted  with 
 the  feveral  editions  of  the  bible,  and  the  occafions  of  them. 
 
 any 
 
[     107    ] 
 
 *'  any  confiftency  appear  there ;  for  Archbifhop 
 "  Parker,  the  great  promoter  of  this  tranflation,  in 
 "  his  preface  alTerts  the  dired  oppofite  to  the  third 
 *'  queftion  and  anfwer.  He  afferts  there  —  afcer 
 "  quoting  the  text,  Search  the  fcriptures,  for  in  them 
 *'  &c.  Thefe  woordes  were  firft:  fpoken  unto  the 
 "  Jewes  by  our  Saviour,  but  by  him  in  his  do6trine 
 *'  ment  to  al :  for  they  concerne  a],  of  what  nation, 
 "  of  what  tongue,  of  v/hat  profeffion  foever  any 
 "  man  be.  For  to  al  belongeth  it  to  be  called  unto 
 "  eternal  lyfe,  fo  many  as  by  the  witneile  of  the 
 "  fcriptures  defire  to  finde  eternal  lyfe.  No  man, 
 *'  woman,  or  chylde,  is  excluded  from  this  faiva- 
 "  tion,  and  therefore  to  every  of  them  is  this  fpoken, 
 "  proportionally  yet,  and  in  their  degrees,  and  ages, 
 "  and  as  the  reafon  and  congruitie  of  their  vocation 
 "  may  afk."  Again  a  little  lower  after  quoting 
 Joftiah  I .  V.  8.  He  adds  "  Yet  as  wel  fpake  almightie 
 *'  God  this  precept  to  al  his  people  in  the  diredlions 
 "  of  their  wayes  to  hymwarde,  as  he  ment  it  to 
 •'  Jofuah:  For  that  he  hath  care  of  al,  he  accepteth 
 *'  no  man's  perfon,  his  wyl  is  that  al  menne  fhould 
 "  be  faved,  his  wyl  is  that  al  menne  fhould  comme 
 *'  to  the  way  of  trueth  :  How  could  this  be  more 
 *'  conveniently  declared  by  God  to  man,  than  when 
 *'  Chrift  his  wel  beloved  Son  our  moft  loving 
 *'  Saviour,  the  way,  the  trueth,  and  the  lyfe  of  us 
 "  al,  dyd  byd  us  openly  fearche  the  fcriptures, 
 "  afluring  us  herein  to  fmde  eternal  life,  to  finde 
 **  ful  teftification  of  al  his  graces  and  benefits 
 ♦'  towardes  us  in  the  treafure  thereof?  Therefore  it 
 
 is 
 
[     io8     ] 
 
 *'  is  moft  convenient  that  we  fhould  al  fuppofe  that 
 "  Chrifte  fpake  to  us  al  in  this  his  precept  of 
 *'  fearching  the  fcriptures."  How  then  do  you* 
 make  it  out,  that  thefe  queftions  and  anfwers  touch- 
 ing the  doflrine  of  predeftination  were,  by  order  of 
 the  faid  godly  Bifhops,  bound  up  with  this  fame 
 bible  ?  Or  how  do  thefe  queftions  and  anfwers 
 clearly  demonftrate  the  fenfe  of  our  Church 
 touching  the  do6lrines  in  queftion  ?  It  fhould  feem 
 from  the  above  quotations,  that  the  dodlrine  of 
 our  Church,  at  that  critical  time,  was  diredly 
 oppofite  to  what  is  contained  in  the  queftions 
 and  anfwers,  viz.  the  dodrine  of  univerfal  re- 
 demption. 
 
 I'hey  declare  the  fentiments  of  the  Archbifliop 
 fo  clearly,  that  no  comment,  or  art  you  can  make 
 life  of,  will  be  able  to  obfcure  them.  And  if  you 
 will  read  the  "  Summe  of  the  whole  fcripture'' 
 prefixed  to  this  bible,  you  will  perceive  that  thefe 
 godly  Biftiops  entirely  agree  with  me  in  the  other 
 points  of  dodlrine.  I  fhall  trouble  the  reader  only 
 with  the  following  extrads,  recommending  the 
 whole  to  his  perufal  at  his  leifure.  "  Finally 
 *'  Chrift  hymfelf  came  into  the  world  to  the  intent 
 **  that  we  through  him  being  fandified  and  cleanfed 
 ''  from  our  finnes,  following  his  will  in  good  workes, 
 "  ftiould  denie  the  thinges  perteyning  to  the  fleaihe, 
 *'  and  freely  ferve  hym  in  righteoufnefle  and  holynefle 
 '*  all  the  dayes  of  our  lyfe  •,  and  that  by  good  works 
 "  (which  God  hath  prepared  for  us  to  walke  in)  we 
 
 "  ftiould 
 
[     109     ] 
 
 **  fhould  fhew  ourfelves  to  be  called  to  his  grace  and 
 "  gy^^  °^  fayth ;  which  good  workes  whofo  hath 
 «'  not,  doeth  (hewe  hymfelf  not  to  have  fuch  a  fayth 
 "  in  Chrifte  as  is  required  of  us."  Soon  after  fol- 
 lows the  account  of  the  general  judgment,  "  when 
 *'  Chrift  fhall  render  to  every  man  the  workes 
 "  of  his  body,  according  to  that  he  hath  done, 
 "  whether  it  be  good  or  evyl.'* 
 
 Had  you  quoted  the  whole  note  on  Rom,  ix. 
 1 1 .  you  would  have  enabled  the  reader  to  dete^ 
 your  mifreprefentation  of  it ;  which  is  of  a  piece 
 with  the  inference  you  have  drawn  from  their  pre- 
 face, where  we  have  the  following  words,  "  God 
 "  hath  decreed  to  give  to  his  eleft  lyfe  everlafting, 
 **  and  to  the  reprobate,  who  hath  contemned 
 "his  life  and  doctrine,  death  everlafting  •'* 
 the  obvious  fenfe  of  which  is,  that  they  alone  are 
 reprobate,  who  wilfully  contemn  Chrift's  life  and 
 doftrine  \  which  is  the  exprefs  language  of  fcrip- 
 ture ;  all  thofe  who  obey  it  are  his  eledl. 
 
 From  page  264  to  page  276,  Lewis  gives  an 
 account  of  the  editions  of  the  Geneva  bible.  The 
 firft  of  which,  printed  in  Englandy  was  in  1572.  It 
 appears  p.  234.  of  Lewis,  from  a  letter  of  Archbi- 
 lliop  Parker,  that  this  bible  v^fas  never  intended 
 for  public  ufe,  but  admitted  to  be  printed  for 
 the  ufe  of  private  families.  The  firil  edition  prin- 
 ted at  Geneva  was  in  the  year  1560.  Lewis  p. 
 476  takes  notice,   thuc  in  one  printed  15S3,  fol. 
 
 ccrtainc 
 
[     no    ] 
 
 certaine  queftions  and  anfwers  touching  the 
 dodtrine  of  predeftination,  &c.  were  inferted.  He 
 adds  in  a  note — "  Thefe,  I  obferve,  were  re- 
 "  printed  in  the  editions,  4to.  1592,  1615,"  'Tis 
 probable  thefe  queftions  and  anfwers  might  be  firft 
 joined  to  the  Geneva  bible  of  1583.  That  they 
 were  not  always  printed  with  it,  an  edition  of  it  in 
 1599,  4^^-  ^^  ^y  pofleffion  can  teftify.  Thefe 
 queftions  and  anfwers  therefore  can  only  demon- 
 ftrate  the  fenfe  of  the  church  of  Geneva,  or  of  the 
 followers  of  that  church,  touching  the  do6trines  in 
 queftion. 
 
 The  confeffion  of  faith  quoted  by  you  p.  53,  is 
 bound  up  at  the  end  of  my  Geneva  bible  of  1599. 
 Therefore  you  conclude  a  little  too  faft,  that  the 
 dodrines  mentioned  in  it  —  "  are  the  ancient,  un- 
 "  doubted,  received  tenets  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
 "  land.''  1  know  not  that  it  ever  was  joined  to  the 
 authorized  tranflations. 
 
 You  are  unwilling  to  confefs  *'  that  you  have 
 «  concluded  too  faft,"  and  therefore  eagerly  em- 
 brace any  ftiadow  of  an  argument  in  fupport  of 
 
 your  conclufion "  there  is  not,  fay  you,  the 
 
 *'  leaft  reaibn  to  doubt  but  that  this  confeflion  of 
 "  faith,  which  is  fo  point  blank  againft  your  own 
 *'  creed,  was  originally  drawn  up  by  the  reformers 
 «'  of  the  church  of  England,  and  has  ever  fince 
 "  been  admitted,  as  containing  the  doctrines  df 
 "  that  church."    Because  (I  beg  the   reader  will 
 
 obferve 
 
[       MI        ] 
 
 obferve  this  very  extraordinary  proof)  "  you  co- 
 *'  pied  it  from  a  bible  printed  at  Cambridge,  by  the 
 *' King's  authority  ann.  1663.  -with  the  Bar/ ho/c?j?cw 
 "  aft  prefixed."  And  will  this  entirely  take  away- 
 all  fufpicion  of  puritanifm  ?  Had  you  copied  it  from 
 the  Bifhops  bible  •,  had  you  found  it  mentioned  in 
 any  of  the  hiftories  of  the  reformation  ;  had  you  feen 
 
 it  recorded  in  any  of  the  public  afts  of  the  church 
 
 this  I  confefs,  had  been  fome  degree  of  evidence  in 
 its  favour.     But  you  find  it  in  a  bible  printed  at 
 Cambridge  he,   1662.    And  this  you  think  a  fuf- 
 ficient  ground  to  build  your  conclufion  on.     Let  us 
 fee  then  whether  we  cannot  trace  it  higher,  for  you 
 are  gotten  into  modern  times.     You  might,    fir, 
 have  copied  it  from   the  Geneva  bible  printed  in 
 1599.  which  has  7.  Tom/on'^  new  teflament  bound 
 with  it ;    and    the   finging  pfalms,    to   which  this 
 confeffion  is  annexed  :    and,   I   believe,    you   will 
 in   every   inftance,    where  it   appears,    find   it   fo 
 annexed.     Now,  fir,  the   finging  pfalms  being  no 
 part  of  the  bible,  and  being  the   property  of  the 
 ftationer's  company,  I  apprehend  you  will  have  no 
 information    from    the    printing    houles    either  of 
 Oxford  or  Cambridge  concerning  the  author  or  cera 
 of  this  confefilon,  but  may  poffibly  receive  fome 
 account  of  it  from  that  company.     In  the  mean 
 time,  permit  me  to  afliire  you  that  it  came  from 
 Geneva,  and  I  have  very  good  reafon  to  believe  that 
 it  was  the  produdlion  of  John  Knox,    the  reformer 
 of  Scotland.     It  is  taken  from  the  "  fervice,  difci- 
 *'  pline,  and  form  of  the  common  prayers  and  ad- 
 
 **  minifl:ranon 
 
[  I,,  i 
 
 "  miniftration  of  the  facraments  ufed  in  the  Eng-^ 
 *'  lijh  church  of  Geneva,  as  it  was  approved  by 
 "  that  moft  Reverend  Divine  Mr.  John  Calvin^  and 
 "  the  church  of  Scotland  ^" 
 
 The  Englijh  C\iurch.  at  Geneva  was  founded  about 
 the  year  1555.  Knox  was  appointed  minitter  thereof, 
 and  Tent  for  from  Scotland  to  take  upon  him  the 
 care  of  it.  In  1556.  he  went  over  to  that  congre- 
 gation, and  being  prefTed  by  his  friends  in  Scotland  to 
 return  thither,  he  gave  them  this  anfwer  —  "  that 
 "  he  would  vifit  them  fo  foon  as  he  might  put  order 
 *'  to  that  dear  flock,  that  was  committed  to  his 
 "  charge.'*  From  whence  we  may  fairly  infer  that 
 he  had  the  principal  hand  in  compiling  the  above 
 form  ufed  in  that  church,  where  this  confelTion  ap- 
 pears. But  whether  he  compofed  it  or  only  adop- 
 ted it  from  the  Geneva,  or  other  foreign  forms,  the 
 church  of  England,  and  our  reformers  in  either 
 cafe,  ftand  clear  of  it.  I  could  have  added  much 
 more  in  fupport  of  what  is  here  advanced,  did 
 the  limits  of  this  letter  allow  of  fo  long  a  di- 
 grelTion. 
 
 The  patrons  of  the  Geneva  bible  made  ufe  of 
 all  their  power  to  get  it  eftabliflied  as  the  autho- 
 rized tranflation,  but  they  never  could  obtain  any 
 more  than  to  have  it  printed  here  for  the  ufe  of 
 private  families.     Cranmer^s  bible  was  always  ufed 
 
 a  See  this  form  of  prayer  re-publilhed  in  the  Phoenix^  V.  II, 
 P.   204. 
 
 in 
 
[     "3     1 
 
 in  churches  till  the  Bilhops'  was  printed  in  1568; 
 which  fuperfeded  it ;  and  James  the  Ill's  fucceeded 
 that  in  161 1. 
 
 Your  quotation  from  the  catechifm  afcribed  to 
 Biftiop  Fonet  mayfeem  more  to  your  purpofe;  that 
 catechifm  being  fet  forth  by  command  of  King 
 Edward  VI.  But  neither  does  that  come  up  to 
 your  point.  The  free-agency  of  man  is  not  there 
 denied,  nor  univerfal  redemption:  nor  is  the  in- 
 defedlibihty  of  the  eled:  aflerted.  The  catechifm 
 it  is  true,  fpeaks  in  pretty  high  terms  of  elec- 
 tion and  predeftination.  But  you  would  have  given 
 a  more  fair  reprefentation  of  the  do<5trine  therein 
 contained,  had  you  not  omitted  the  following  paf- 
 fage  which  immediately  precedes  your  quotation, 
 viz.  "  To  the  church  properly  belong  thofe  who 
 "  truly  fear,  honour,  and  worfliip  God,  wholly  ap- 
 "  plying  their  minds  to  live  an  holy  and  godly  life, 
 "  and  who,  placing  their  only  hope  and  confidence 
 "  in  him,  expedl  with  certainty  the  blefTing  of 
 "  eternal  life.'*  After  which  follows — "  As  many 
 "  as  are  in  this  faith  ftedfafl  were  chofen,  predefti- 
 "  nated  &c."  We  fee  then  that  in  this  author*s 
 opinion,  thofe  only  are  eled:  and  predeftinated, 
 who  truly  fear  God  and  live  a  holy  and  godly 
 life ;  the  only  fruits  by  which  the  good  tree  may 
 be  known  a. 
 
 a  The  judicious  reader  is  defired  to  confult  Heylin'^s  hift. 
 quinq.  artic.  p.  2.  chap.  15.  at  the  beginning;  where  this  quo. 
 tation  from  Bifliop  PoneTz  catechifm  is   fct  in  a  clear  and  moll 
 
 H  fatisfadory 
 
[     "4    ] 
 
 But  who  would  have  thought  that  we  Ihould  be 
 preffed  with  the  authority  of  the  fynod  of  Dort? 
 and  be  told  that  the  abettors  of  the  doftrines  of 
 free-will  &c.  were  deprived  and  debarred  by  this 
 fynod  FROM  all  offices  in  any  University  > 
 How  do  the  decrees  of  this  fynod  concern  us  ? 
 Were  they  ever  received  in  England^  or  in  this  Uni- 
 verfity  ?  And  what  do  you  mean  by  faying  that 
 thefe  errors  were  condemned  by  all  the  reformed 
 churches  ?  It  was  only  a  national  fynod,  and  it 
 calls  itfelf  fo  :  and  its  fentence  againft  the  remon- 
 ftrants  is  diredled  only  to  all  and  fingular  the  paf- 
 tors  &c.  in  fcederato  Belgio,  "  in  the  United  Pro- 
 "  vinces."  Its  authority  was  never  owned  by  the 
 Lutheran  churches,  or  here  in  England.  Divines  of 
 other  nations  were  indeed  invited  to  this  fynod :  but 
 not  many  came.  Our  King  James  fent  there  not 
 five  Bifhops  and  Dodors  in  Divinity,  but  only  one 
 Bifhop,  and  three  other  Doctors  in  Divinity,  and 
 afterwards  he  fent  Dr.  Balcanqual,  a  Scotchman.  If 
 thefe  entered  the  fynod  rigid  Calvinifts,  they  came 
 from  it  much  lefs  fo.  If  they  figned  the  decrees  of 
 the  fynod,  they  did  it  with  reftridlions  and  limita- 
 tions ^  They  offered  thefe  three  propofitions  as 
 Cheir  fentiments,  which  they  fay  were  in  like  man- 
 
 fatisfaftory  light.  This  hillory  is  an  anfwer  to  Prynjt's  Anti- 
 arminianifm,  in  which  may  be  found  this  and  pioft  cf  your  othejr 
 arguments. 
 
 a  Hale^s  Golden  Remains^ 
 
 tier 
 
her  approved  by  the  foreign  Divines.  I.  ^ 
 "  lapfi  humani  generis  miferatus,  mifit  filium 
 *'  fuum,  qui  feipfum  dedrt  pretium  redemptionis 
 "  pro  peccatis  totius  mundi."  II.  "  In  hoc  me- 
 "  rito  mortis  Chrifti  fundatur  univerfale  promilTum 
 "  evangelicnm,  juxta  quod  omnes  in  Chriftum 
 "  credentes  remifllonem  peccatoruni  &  viam  aster- 
 "  nam  reipsa  confequantur."  III.  "  In  ecclefia, 
 "  uti  juxta  hoc  promifllim  evangelicum  falus  om- 
 "  nibus  ofFertur,  ea  eft  adminiftratio  gratis  fuse, 
 *'  qus:  fufficit  ad  convincendum  omnes  impsni' 
 "  tentes  &  incredulos,  quod  fua  culpa  voluntaria, 
 "  vel  negleftu,  vel  contemptu  evangelii  perierint, 
 *'  &  beneficia  oblata  amiferint.'* 
 
 These  are  opinions  very  different  from  yours, 
 and  plainly  affert  univerfal  redemption  and  free- 
 agency.  It  was  indeed  in  a  great  meafure  owing 
 to  the  heats  and  violence,  with  which  matters  were 
 carried  in  that  fynod,  and  the  great  feverity  of  the 
 horrible  decrees  there  framed,  that  our  Englijh  Di- 
 
 a  God  having  compaflion  on  the  finful  race  of  man,  fent  his 
 own  Son,  who  gave  himfelf  a  ranfom  for  the  fins  of  the  who)® 
 world.  II.  In  this  merit  of  Chrift's  death  is  founded  the  uni- 
 verfal promife  of  the  gofpel ;  according  to  which  all  that  believe 
 in  Chrift  may  adually  receive  remiflion  of  fins,  and  life  eternal. 
 III.  As  according  to  this  evangelical  promife  falvaiion  is  ofl'cred 
 to  all  men,  the  adminiflration  of  God's  grace  in  the  church  is 
 fuch,  as  is  fufficient  to  convince  all  impenitent  and  incredulous 
 men,  that  they  have  pcrilhed,  and  forfeited  the  benefits  offered 
 them,  through  their  own  voluntary  fault,  and  through  negled  or 
 Contempt  of  the  gofpel. 
 
 H  2  vines 
 
[     "6     ] 
 
 vines,  who  attended  that  fynod,  began  to  have  left 
 reverence  for  the  dodrines  of  Calvin.  Thus  it 
 fared  with  the  learned  Mr.  Hales,  who  went  thither 
 a  rigid  Calvinift :  "  but  there  I  bid  John  Calvin 
 "  good  night,"  faid  he  to  his  friend  Mr.  Farindona, 
 And  Bifliop  Hall,  one  of  thefe  Divines,  publifhed 
 afterwards  a  fmall  piece  entitled,  via  media,  "  the 
 *'  way  of  peace  in  thefe  five  bufy  articles,  commonly 
 *'  known  by  the  name  of  Arminius."  Here  he  en- 
 deavours to  reconcile  both  parties  by  fetting  forth 
 fuch  propofitions,  as  he  thought  both  might  agree 
 in  ;  and  tells  us  that  the  Church  of  England^  in  her 
 articles,  goes  a  mid-way  betwixt  both.  Among 
 thofe  propofitions  (though  I  cannot  fubfcribe  to  all 
 of  them)  there  are  thefe  following ;  viz.  "  God 
 does  neither  adlually  damn,  or  appoint  any  foul 
 to  damnation,  without  the  confideration  and 
 refpedt  of  fin."  **  God  pitying  the  woful  con- 
 dition of  man,  fallen  by  his  free-will  into  fin 
 and  perdition,  fent  his  own  Son  that  he  fliould 
 give  himfelf  a  ranfom  for  the  fins  of  the  whole 
 world."  "  In  working  upon  the  will  God  does 
 '  not  overthrow  the  nature  of  the  will,  but  caufeth 
 '  it  to  work  after  its  own  native  manner,  freely  and 
 '  willingly."  So  much  for  the  famous  fynod  of 
 Dort !  ^  Concerning  which,  in  anfwer  to  every  thing 
 
 a  Mr.  Farindon's  letter  prefixed  to  his  Golden  Remains. 
 
 b  For  a  more  particular  account  of  this  fynod,  the  perfons 
 who  coinpofed  it,  and  the  methods  made  ufe  of  to  carry  their 
 meafures,  I  refer  the  reader  to  Collier''^  hiftory. 
 
 you 
 
[    I '7    ] 
 
 you  have  faid,  I  fhall  content  myfelf  with  the 
 words  of  Collier,  Vol.  2d.  P.  718.  "  The  Britilh 
 "  Divines  (in  that  fynod)  afTerted  an  univerfality 
 "  of  redemption  by  the  death  of  Chrift,  but  this 
 "  would  by  no  means  pafs  upon  the  majority.  In 
 "  fhort,  the  Arminian  tenets  were  condemned,  and 
 "  the  remonftrants  required  tofubfcribe  to  the  ctn- 
 *'  fure  of  their  own  dodlrine  j  and  upon  their  refufai 
 "  of  this  condition  about  seven  hundred  families 
 "  were  banifhed  by  order  of  the  States  General." 
 
 You  had  better  have  forborne  to  put  us  in  mind 
 of  what  pafled  in  the  fucceeding  reign,  or  to  have 
 made  mention  of  that  honourable  Houfe  of 
 Commons.     I  defire  you  to  confider  what  faction 
 it  was,  which  then  prevailed  towards  the  overthrow 
 of  the  Church.     Was  it  not  that  of  the  Puritans  ? 
 And  were  not  the  doflrines  of  Calvinifm  their  lead- 
 ing principles  ?  Did  they  not  hold  thefe  very  tenets 
 of  election,  abfolute  predeftination  &c.  which  you 
 fo  warmly  efpoufe  ^  Thefe  were  the  men  who  cried 
 out,  '^  The  Church,  The  Church, — the  Temple  of 
 the  Lord  are  we ;  who  called  themfelves  "  the 
 "  eled  people  of  God,"  "  his  fheep,"  "  his  cho- 
 *'  fen,"  his  faints  j"    who  fancied  themfelves  ad- 
 ing  under  the  influences  of  the  fpirit,  and  guided 
 by  his  infpiration :  and  under  this  perfuafion  broke 
 out  into  treafon  and  rebellion,  murdered  the  beft 
 of  Kings,  and  overthrew  our  excellent  conftitution 
 
 a  P.  73- 
 
 H  3  both 
 
[     ii8    ] 
 
 both  in  church  and  flate.  The  dodrines  which 
 you  would  father  upon  Cranmer  and  Ridley  were 
 really  thofe  of  Frynn^  Hugh  Peters,  Marjhall,  Owen^ 
 and  others,  who  compofed  the  afTembly  of  Divines, 
 ^^  moft  of  whom  were  (according  to  my  Lord 
 •'  Clarendon  ^)  declared  and  avowed  enemies  to  the 
 *'  do(5trine  and  difcipline  of  the  Church  of  England^ 
 ^'  fome  of  them  infamous  in  their  lives  and  conver- 
 ■*  fations ;  and  moft  of  them  of  very  mean  parts  in 
 ♦'  learning,  if  not  of  fcandalous  ignorance,  and  of 
 "  no  other  reputation  than  of  malice  to  the  Church 
 ^'  of  England.^* 
 
 Zeal  for  your  beloved  tenets  has  here  hurried 
 you  on  to  an  open  difcovery  of  thofe  principles, 
 v/hich  you  had  before  endeavoured  to  difguife 
 under  fpecious  profeffions  of  an  "  high  veneration 
 "  for  the  doflrine  and  difcipline  of  the  Church  of 
 **  England."  This  honourable  Houfe  of  Com- 
 mons, thefe  men,  who  abolilhed  epifcopacy,  voted 
 down  the  liturgy,  eftabliihed  the  covenant,  and 
 overturned  the  government,  were  it  feems,  ^'  firmly 
 **  and  zealoufly  attached  to  our  ancient  conititu- 
 *'  tion  in  Church  and  State :"  Thefe  men,  who 
 had  by  fedition  and  rebellion  broken  down  the 
 barriers  of  law  and  juftice,  and,  by  ftripping  the 
 King  of  even  the  fhadow  of  royalty,  had  paved 
 the  way  for  his  murder,  muft  not  "  be  men- 
 ^'  tioned  with  thofe   enthufiallic  mifcreants  who 
 
 ^  Hift.  Reb.  vol.  i.  b.  5.  p.  415. 
 
 ^*  perpetratecl 
 
[     119    1 
 
 ««  perpetrated  the  mofl  horrible  deed  that  ever  the 
 "  fun  beheld.*'  But,  pray,  what  were  the  Princi- 
 ples of  thofe  enthufiaftic  mifcreants  ?  were  they  not 
 the  fame  with  yours  ?  Were  not  thofe  men  the  faints 
 of  the  earth  ?  the  eleft  of  God  ?  and  did  they  not 
 pretend  to  receive  their  commilTion  from  Jefus 
 Chrift  ? — In  fliort,  your  defence  of  that  honour- 
 able Houfe,  and  the  ^  authorities  by  which  you 
 fupport  it,  are  equally  worthy  of  the  caufe  you  are 
 engaged  in  ;  but  God  grant  this  church  and  na- 
 tion may  never  again  experience  the  patriotifm  of 
 fuch  demagogues ;  who  may  indeed  be  entitled  to 
 the  encomiums  of  a  Macauky,  or  a  — 
 
 We  come  now  to  the  articles  of  religion.  With 
 regard  to  them,  I  would  obferve  in  general  that  they 
 were  drawn  up  with  great  moderation  ;  and  thofe 
 in  particular  which  treat  of  thefe  difficult  points  of 
 free  -  will  &c.  were  purpofely  worded  in  general 
 terms,  that  perfons,  who  were  of  different  perfwa- 
 fions  in  feveral  particulars  relating  to  them,  might 
 yet  agree  in  the  general  doctrines  there  delivered. 
 They  went  (as  Bifhop  Hall  obferves)  a  mid-way 
 between  both,  guarding  againfl  the  extremities 
 on  each  fide  ;  on  one  hand  condemning  the  Pa- 
 pills,  who  afcribed  a  merit  to  good  works,  and 
 on  the  other  the  Antinomians,  who  denied  the  ne- 
 ceffity  of  them.     We  have  an  inftance  of  the  like 
 
 a  Sir  Walter  Earle,  to  whofe  fpeech  you  refer,  was  one  of 
 the  leaders  in  the  rebellion.  I  need  not  acquaint  the  reader  with 
 the  political  or  religious  principles  of  Mrs.  Macauley. 
 
 moderation 
 
[       I20      ] 
 
 moderation  in  the  23d  article,  which  teaches  "  that 
 "  it  is  not  lawful  for  any  man  to  take  upon  himfelf 
 "  the  office  of  public  preaching  or  miniftering  the 
 "  facraments  in  the  congregation,  before  he  be  law- 
 ^'  fully  called ;  and  that  "  thofe  we  ought  to  judge 
 ^*  lawfully  called,  which  be  chofen  and  called  to 
 ^'  this  work,  by  men  who  have  public  authority 
 *^  given  them  in  the  congregation  to  call  and  fend 
 ♦^  minifters  into  the  Lord's  vineyard."  Who  thefe 
 are  is  not  here  determined.  The  compilers  were 
 not  willing  to  condemn  or  unchurch  the  reformed 
 churches  abroad,  where  epifcopacylwas  not  eftablilhr 
 cd,  and  therefore  prudently  avoided  determining 
 the  queftion,  whether  epifcopal  ordination  is  necef- 
 fary.  They  who  hold,  and  they  who  deny  the 
 neceffity  of  epifcopal  ordination,  may  both  fubfcribe 
 to  this  article :  thofe  only  are  condemned  by  it, 
 who  hold  that  a  man  may  preach  without  any  law- 
 ful vocation.  The  fame  moderation  the  compilers 
 of  our  articles  have  obferved  in  the  points  before 
 us.  The  Proteftant  churches  abroad  were  divided 
 in  thefe  points :  fome  held  with  Luther,  and  fome 
 with  Calvin.  Cranmer  and  Ridley  therefore,  and 
 the  other  compilers  of  our  articles,  expreffed  them 
 purpofely  in  general  terms,  fo  as  to  include  all 
 moderate  men  on  both  fides,  and  condemn  only  the 
 extremities  on  either. 
 
 But  we  are  told  that "  thefe  articles  were  drawn 
 *'  ^ip  on  purpofe  to  prevent  diverfity  of  opinions,  and 
 
 a  P.  32. 
 
 therefore 
 
{       12'       ] 
 
 <«  therefore  the  compilers  of  them  were  particularly 
 *'  careful  to  avoid  the  poflibility  of  an  ambiguous 
 **  expreflion,"  The  very  fame  objedions  were  fome 
 time  ago  made  by  Dr.  Clarke,  and  have  lately  been 
 renewed  by  the  author  of  the  Confeflional,  and  have 
 received  a  fufRcient  anfwer  both  from  Dr.  Water ' 
 land  and  the  Letter-writer  ^  "  The  compilers 
 ^*  could  only  mean  diverfity  of  opinions  about 
 "  points  expreffed  and  decided  in  the  articles, 
 *'  and  not  about  others." 
 
 The  fame  Letter- writer  diftinguifhes  between 
 general  propofitions  and  ambiguous  or  equivocal 
 ones  ;  and  fo  did  Dr.  JVaterland  before  him  ^.  "It 
 ♦'  is  not  fairly  fuggefted  (fays  that  excellent  writer) 
 **  that  when  men  of  different  fentiments,  as  to  par* 
 **  ticular  explications,  fubfcribe  to  the  fame  ge- 
 "  neral  words,  that  they  fubfcribe  in  contradic- 
 "  tory,  or  even  in  different  fenfes.  Both  fub- 
 "  fcribe  to  the  fame  general  propofitions,  and 
 "  both  in  the  fame  fenfe,  only  they  differ  in  the 
 •*  particulars  relating  to  it :  which  is  not  differ. 
 *'  ing,  (at  leaft  it  need  not  be)  about  the  fenfe 
 ^'  of  the  article,  but  about  particulars  not  con- 
 ♦'  tained  in  the  article."  His  meaning  may  be 
 illuftrated  by  the  following  inftance  :  We  all  fub- 
 fcribe to  this  propofition,  viz.  Subjects  ought  to 
 be  obedient  to  their  lawful  fovereign  j  though  we 
 
 a  Letter  2d.  p.   136. 
 
 b  Cafe  of  Arian  fubfcription,  p.  40^ 
 
 may 
 
[      122      ] 
 
 may  differ  about  the  motives  of  that  obedience, 
 and  the  authority  on  which  it  is  founded ;  fome 
 thinking  it  to  be  of  divine  right,  others,  that  it  is 
 derived  merely  from  the  compa£l  between  King 
 and  people.  What  you  add  about  the  "  ^  King's 
 *'  declaration  prefixed  to  the  articles"  is  alfo  there 
 fully  anfwered.  We  fay  then  that  the  articles  are 
 clear,  as  far  as  they  go :  but  they  leave  many 
 things  relating  to  the  points  treated  of  undetermi- 
 ned. Thus  the  23d  article  clearly  condemns  all 
 who  take  upon  them  to  preach,  or  adminifter  the 
 facraments,  without  any  outward  ordination :  but 
 they  leave  it  undetermined  whether  it  be  necefTary 
 that  that  ordination  fhould  be  conferred  by  a  Bi- 
 Ihop.  And  thus  alfo  the  articles  before  us  clearly 
 condemn  the  Papifts,  who  hold  the  merit  of  good 
 works  •,  and  the  Pelagians,  who  deny  the  neceflity 
 of  grace,  and  hold  that  original  fin  ftandeth  only 
 in  the  following  oi  Adam  \  they  condemn  alfo  thofe 
 rigours  of  Calvinifm,  which  you  efpoufe.  —  But 
 (as  the  above-cited  Letter-writer  obferves)  "  all 
 *'  intermediate  opinions,  how  to  reconcile  God's 
 *'  prefcience  of  a  certainty  of  events  with  free- 
 *'  agency,  the  unequal  vouchfafements  of  the 
 •*  means  of  grace,  their  fufficiency  and  eifieacy, 
 **  the  co-operations  of  grace  and  free-will  &c.  are 
 **  left  undetermined.  Betwixt  the  extremes  which 
 **  are  condemned  (fays  the  fame  writer)  nice  [quef- 
 *'  tions  may  exercife  the  fubtleties  of  the  fchools, 
 '♦  which  our  articles  meddle  not  with.    Their  pur* 
 
 a  P.  32. 
 
 pofe 
 
I      ^23      ] 
 
 <'  pofe  is  to  recommend  fuch  a  reconciliation  of 
 **  grace  and  free  will,  God's  decrees,  and  his  ge- 
 "  neral  promifes,  as  may  teach  us  to  avoid  def- 
 "  pair  and  unclean  living,  and  influence  us  to  fol^ 
 *'  low  in  our  doings  that  will  of  God  exprefsly  de- 
 "  clared  to  us  in  the  word  of  God."  But  to  de- 
 fcend  to  particulars : 
 
 Firft,    Of   Free-will. 
 
 We  acknowledge  with  the  article  the  great  cor» 
 ruption  and  depravity  of  human  nature,  the  necef- 
 fity  of  grace,  and  the  inability  of  man  without  the 
 afliftance  of  God's  grace  to  perform  any  good 
 works.  How  injurious  therefore  is  your  infmua- 
 tion  "  that  any  of  thefe  men  were  expelled  becaufe 
 *'  they  held  the  =^  influences  of  the  holy  fpirit  necef- 
 *'  fary  to  confl:itute  every  one  a  child  of  God." 
 There  was  no  fuch  article  of  accufation,  and  God 
 forbid  that  thgre  ever  fliould.  You  mufl:  be  fenfi- 
 ble  that  you  have  fliamefully  mifreprefented  this 
 matter,  and  that  they  were  accufed  not  of  hold- 
 ing the  influences,  but  the  extraordinary,  and 
 irrefifl:ible  influences  of  the  holy  fpirit.  But  to 
 return  —  as  God  is  ready  to  aflbrd  his  grace  to  all 
 who  will  concur  with  it,  lb  'tis  left  to  man's  free 
 choice,  whether  he  will  concur  with  it,  or  no. 
 And  therefore,  if  he  periflies  for  want  of  this 
 grace,  'tis  entirely  his  own  fault.  Will  you  then 
 fay  that  the  do(flrine  of  man's  free-will  to  good  or 
 
 a  P.  63. 
 
 evil 
 
[     124    ] 
 
 evil  was  held  in  utter  abhorrence  by  our  reformers  ? 
 The  contrary  has  appeared  by  quotations  from  the 
 Pia  et  Catholica  Inftitutio  —  "  ^  Nee  liberum  arbi- 
 *'  trium  ita  prsdicent,  ut  gratiam  Dei  afficiant  con- 
 **  tumelia,  nee  gratiam  fic  efFerant,  ut  libero  arbi- 
 "  trio  locum  non  relinquant"  —  are  their  words- 
 And  one  of  the  articles  of  religion  in  King  Edward 
 the  Vth's  time  thus  exprefles  it  —  "  ^  Gratia 
 "  Chrifti  voluntati  violentiam  nullam  infert  -,  et 
 *'  nemo  hac  de  causa,  cum  peccaverit,  feipfum  ex- 
 **  cufare  potefl,  quafi  nolens  aut  coadus  pecca- 
 "  verit."  St.  Jujiin  alfo,  the  great  aflertor  of  the 
 necefljty  of  grace  againfl  the  Pelagians,  afferts  the 
 freedom  of  man's  will  in  feveral  parts  of  his  works. 
 In  his  47th  cpiftle  he  exhorts  Chriftians,  "  ^  ut  in 
 **  jRde  cajiholica  perfeverent,  qu«  neque  liberum 
 "  arbitrium  negat,  five  in  vitam  malam,  five  in 
 '*  bonam,  nequc  tantum  ei  tribuit,  ut  fine  gratia 
 *'  Dei  valeat  aliquid."  Nay,  he  has  a  whole  book 
 de  gratia  et  libero  arbitrio,  written  purpofely  to 
 
 a  *'  Let  them  not  fo  extol  free  will,  as  to  do  defpite  to  the 
 *'  grace  of  God,  nor  fo  naagnify  grace,  as  to  leave  no  room  for 
 *'  free  will. 
 
 b  *'  The  grace  of  Chrift  offers  no  violence  to  the  will,  and 
 **  no  one  may  on  this  account,  when  he  has  finned,  excufe  him- 
 *'  felf,  as  if  he  had  finned  involuntarily,  and  by  compulfion. 
 
 c  **  That  they  would  perfevere  in  the  catholic  faith,  which 
 "*  neither  denies  free-will,  whether  to  a  good  or  bad  life,  nor 
 **  attributes  fo  much  to  it,  ss  that  it  can  have  any  efficacy  with- 
 *'  out  the  grace  of  God. 
 
 confute 
 
r  125  ] 
 
 confute  the  error  of  thofe,  "  *  qui  fic  gratlam  Dei 
 "  defendunt,  ut  negent  hominis  liberum  arbitrium, 
 *'  aut,  quum  gratia  defenditur,  negari  exiftiment 
 "  liberum  arbitrium."  And  he  there  proves  the 
 freedom  of  the  will  from  many  texts  of  fcripture. 
 And  indeed,  if  men  have  no  freedom  of  will,  there 
 can  be  neither  virtue  nor  vice,  reward  nor  punifh- 
 ment.  To  fay  that  men  are  from  their  birth  laid 
 under  a  neceflity  of  finning,  is  to  make  God  the 
 author  of  fin.  But  I  chufe  to  urge  thefe  argu- 
 ments in  the  words  of  St.  Aujiin.  "  b  Nunc  vero 
 *'  ufque  adeo  peccatum  voluntarium  efl:  malum,  ut 
 "  nullo  modo  fic  peccatum  fi  non  fit  voluntarium  ■ 
 "  et  hoc  quidem  ita  manifeftum  efl,  ut  nulla  hinc 
 *'  dodx)rum  paucitas,  nulla  indodorum  turba  dif- 
 *<  fentiat  c."     Again  —  "  *^  Peccatum  fit  ab  anima 
 
 a  «*  Who  fo  defend  the  grace  of  God  as  to  deny  the  free- 
 •*  will  of  man,  or  think,  that  when  the  grace  of  God  is  afTerted* 
 •'  free-will  is  denied." 
 
 b  "  Now  fm  is  fo  far  a  voluntary  evil,  that  it  can  by  no 
 **  means  be  fm,  if  it  be  not  voluntary  j  and  this  is  indeed  fo 
 •*  evident,  that  neither  the  learned  few,  nor  illiterate  many  have 
 •**  diffcnted  from  it." 
 
 c  De  vera  relig.  lib.  i.  cap.  13. 
 
 d  "  Sin  proceeds  from  a  rational  foul,  which  has  freedom  of 
 ••  will;  and  the  juftice  of  God  inflifls  a  puni/hment,  who  does 
 •*  nothing  unjullly.  Againft  this  doftrine  the  Manichees  with 
 *'  their  ufual  blindnefs  objeft ;  and  though  they  are  convinced 
 **  that  nature  is  not  evil,  but  that  it  is  in  the  power  of  man  to  do 
 **  well  or  ill,  yet  fay  that  the  will  of  the  foul  is  not  free,  not 
 •*  feeing  their  own  abfurdity  ;  For  who  does  not  cry  out  that  it 
 **  is  abfurd  to  give  precepts  to  him  who  is  not  at  liberty  to  do 
 
 ♦•  what 
 
[      126      ] 
 
 *«  tatiohalij  cui  liberilm  voluntatis  arbitrium  eft  f 
 "  &  poenam  infligit  juftitia  Dei,  qui  nihil  facit  in«. 
 *'  jufte.     Adverfus  haec  folita  coecitate  Manichaei 
 •'  latrant,  et  cum  convincuntur  naturam  non  efle 
 *'  malum,  fed  in  poteftate  effe  hominis  facere  bene 
 "  aut  male,  dicunt  non  efle  animas  liberam  volun- 
 *'  tatem,    et  non  vident  cascitatem  fuam.     Quis 
 *'  enim  non  clamet  ftultum  efle  prascepta  dare  ei, 
 "  cui  liberum  non  efl:  quod  prsecipitur  facere,  & 
 "  iniquum  eflfe  eum  damnare,  cui  non  fuit  potefl:as 
 "  jufla  complere  ?  Et  has  injufl;itias  &  iniquitates 
 "  miferi  non  intelligunt  Deo  fe  afcribere  \"    Nay, 
 all  the  precepts  and  exhortations,  the  promifes  and 
 threatnings  in  fcripture  fuppofe  man  to  be  a  free . 
 agent.     "  b  I  have  fet  before  you  life  and  death, 
 *'  blefling  and  curfing,  (faid  God  to  the  Jews) 
 "  chufe  life,  that  both  thou  and  thy  feed  may  live. 
 *'  ^  Call  away  from  you   all   your    tranfgreflions 
 *'  whereby  ye  have  tranfgrefled,  and  make  you  a 
 "  clean  heart  and  a  newfpirit,  for  why  will  ye  die, 
 "  O  houfe  of  Ifrael  ?  for  I  have  no  pleafure  in  the 
 "  death  of  him  that  dieth,  faith  the  Lord  God : 
 "  wherefore  turn  yourfelves,  and  live  ye.'*     And 
 with    regard    to   the  heathen  nations  before  the 
 coming  of  Chrift,  we  are  told,  "  <^  that  the  Gen-- 
 
 **  what  is  commanded,  and  that  it  is  unjuft  to  condemn  him 
 ♦*  who  had  it  not  in  his  power  to  fulfil  the  command  ?  And  the 
 **  wretches  do  not  perceive  that  they  afcribe  this  injuftice  and 
 *•  iniquity  to  God. 
 
 a  De  fide  contra  Manich.  c.  lo. 
 
 b  Deut.  XXX.  19.    c  Ezek.  xviii.  31,  32.    Rom.  ii.  14, 15. 
 
 tiles 
 
[      127      ] 
 
 *'  tiles  which  had  not  the  law,  did  by  nature  the 
 "  things  contained  in  the  law  ;  and  that  the  work 
 "  of  the  law  was  written  in  their  hearts,  their  con- 
 "  fcience  alfo  bearing  witnefs,  and  their  thoughts 
 "  the  mean  while  accufing,  or  elfe  excufing  one 
 "  another."  The  ^  fame  fcriptures  which  teach  us 
 that  God  worketh  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  do,  out 
 of  his  loving  kindnefs ''  (as  it  fhould  be  tranflated) 
 exhort  us  alfo  to  work  out  our  own  falvation  ;  ^  to 
 give  diligence,  to  make  our  calling  and  eleflion 
 fure  :  '^  to  lay  hold  on  eternal  life  :  e  to  receive  not 
 the  grace  of  God  in  vain  ;  and  ^  to  grieve  not  the 
 holy  fpirit  of  God,  whereby  we  are  fealed  unto  the 
 day  of  redemption. 
 
 But  not  to  multiply  inftances  —  our  Saviour 
 aflerts  the  freedom  of  man's  will  in  that  pathetical 
 addrefs  to  the  city  of  Jerufakm.  Matt,  xxiii,  ^-j, 
 "  O  Jerufakm^  Jerufalem,  thou  that  killeft  the 
 *'  prophets,  and  ftoneft  them  which  are  fent  unto 
 *'  thee,  how  often  would  I  have  gathered  thy 
 **  children  together,  even  as  a  hen  gathereth  her 
 "  chickens  under  her  wings,  and  ye  would 
 "  not."  I  chufe  to  infert  here  the  fentiments 
 of  the  celebrated  Erafmus  on  this  paffage  of  our 
 Saviour,  and  its  parallel  one  in  Luke  13,  34.  be- 
 caufe  his  excellent  paraphrafe  on  the  gofpels,  you 
 know,  was  tranflated,  and  by  the  injundtions  of 
 
 a  Phil.  ii.  12,   13.       b  vTn^Tv;  ivh>Kie(!K         c   7.  Pet.  i.  lo, 
 d  I  Tim.  vi.  19.        c  2  Cor.  vi.  i,        f  Eph.  jv.  30. 
 
 King 
 
King  Edward  VI.  and  Queen  Elizaheth,  was  Of-* 
 dered  to  be  placed  in  churches  for  the  inftrudion 
 of  the  people.  His  authority  then  ought  to  have 
 weight,  as  it  had  the  fandion  of  our  two  princely 
 leaders  in  the  reformation.  Matt,  xxiii.  ^7-  '''"'Hie- 
 <«  rufalem,  Hierufalem,  whiche  killeft  the  prophets, 
 "  and  floneft  to  death  them  that  be  fent  unto  the, 
 "  howe  often  have  I  travayled  to  gather  thy  chyl- 
 "  dren  together,  lyke  as  the  careful  hen,  fearyng 
 *'  her  chickens,  dothe  cloke  them  together,  and 
 «  noryfhe  them  under  her  wynges,  and  thou 
 *'  wouldeft  not.  Nothing  is  let  pafle  of  my  be- 
 *'  halfe,  whereby  thou  mighteft  be  favedj  but  con- 
 "  trarywyfe  thou  haft  done  what  thou  canft  to 
 «  bryng  deftru<5lion  to  the,  and  to  exclude  falva. 
 *'  tion  from  the.  But  to  whom  free  wyll  is  once 
 "  gyven,  he  cannot  be  faved  againft  hys  wyll. 
 "  Your  wyll  ought  to  be  agreeable  unto  my  wyll.'* 
 fol.  Lxxxv,  Again  Luke  xiii.  34.  after  repeating 
 the  text,  he  adds,  "  But  thy  ftubbornneffe  hath 
 "  gon  beyond  my  goodnefs :  and  as  though  thou 
 *'  haddeft  even  vowed  and  beheafted  thy  felfe  to  ut- 
 *«  tre  ruine,  fo  dooeft  thou  refufe  all  thynges  whereby 
 "  thou  mighteft  bee  recovered  and  made  whole  ^." 
 
 The  image,  under  which  our  Saviour  defcribes 
 his  affedlionate  concern  for  this  obftinate,  ungrate- 
 ful people,  is  one  of  the  moft  beautiful  and  tender  in 
 nature,  exprefllng  the  fofteft  feelings,  the  quickeft 
 fenfations  of  parental  affedion,   compalTion,  anx- 
 
 a  fol.    100. 
 
 iety. 
 
[       129      ] 
 
 iety,  diftrefs.  The  prophet  Ifaiah  had  long  before 
 reprefented  the  Almighty  under  an  image  not  lels 
 exprefTive  of  his  readincfs  to  fave  them,  and  of 
 their  unwillingnefs  to  be  faved;  as  "  fpreadino- 
 "  out  his  hands  all  the  day  to  a  rebellious  people.'* 
 To  this  paflage  of  Ifaiah  St.  Paul  appeals  in  vindi- 
 cation of  God's  jullice  in  at  length  rejefling  the 
 Jews  in  their  national  capacity  ;  alTuring  them  at 
 the  flime  time  that  "  there  is  no  difference  between 
 "  the  Jew  and  the  Greek  (as  individuals)  for  the 
 "  fame  Lord  over  all,  is  rich  unto  all  that  call 
 "  upon  him  s"  and  putting  them  in  mind,  that 
 they  may  have  no  excufe  for  their  infidelity,  of  the 
 powerful  means  of  falvation,  and  the  fingular  op- 
 portunities of  believing,  which  had  been  vouch- 
 
 fafcd  unto  them,  in  preference  to  the  Gentiles 
 
 "  But  to  Ifrael  he  faith,  all  day  long  I  have 
 *'  ftretched  forth  my  hands  unto  a  difobedient, 
 "  and  gainfaying"  people."  Let  me  intreat  you 
 to  confider  well  the  force  of  thefe  expreflions,  and 
 then  tell  me  whether  it  be  not  a  mere  mockery 
 of  God  to  reprefent  him  as  all  day  long  ftretch- 
 ing  forth  his  hands  to  the  relief  of  thofe,  who, 
 he  had  before  determined,  fhould  not  be  in  a 
 capacity  of  receiving  it.'*  or  to  what  purpofe  was 
 that  pathetical  addrefs  of  our  Lord  to  the  city  of 
 Jerufalem,  if  he  had  not  with  the  invitation  alfo 
 given  them  the  power  to  find  refuge  under  his 
 wings  a  ? 
 
 a  See  likewife  the  parable  of  the  talents. 
 
 I  As 
 
[    130    ] 
 
 As  to  the  next  article  of  Election  and  Re- 
 probation, I  think  the  queftion  may  be  decided 
 by  what  has  been  faid  under  the  former  articles  ; 
 for  if  all  men  are  to  be  judged  according  to  their 
 works,  and  if  they  have  freedom  of  will  either  to 
 do  good  or  evil,  there  can  be  then  no  abfolute  and 
 irrefpedlive  decrees,  either  of  election,  or  repro- 
 bation. But  here  we  are  prefied  with  the  authority 
 of  the  17th  article.  I  anlwer  in  the' words  of  the 
 letter  to  the  author  of  the  Confeflional  ^  The  con- 
 trary opinions  charged  on  the  17th  article,  are  not 
 contained  in  it,  but  are  confequences  drawn  by 
 diifcrent  men  from  different  parts  of  it,  which  the 
 article  was  not  framed  to  maintain,  but  to  avoid. 
 The  article  afferts  a  prcdeftination  to  life,  or  God's 
 everlafting  purpofe,  before  the  foundations  of  the 
 world  were  laid,  to  deliver  from  curfe  and  damna- 
 tion thofe,  whom  he  hath  chofen  in  Chrift  out  of 
 mankind,  and  to  bring  them  by  Chrift  to  everlaft- 
 ing falvation  -,  and  together  with  the  end  to  grant 
 aifo  the  means,  effectual  calling,  juftification, 
 adoption.  But  when  it  is  inferred  by  the  fatalift, 
 that  this  decree  is  irrefpedive  and  abfolute,  with- 
 out faith  and  obedience  forefeen,  it  is  a  do<5trine 
 (whether  true  or  falfe)  fuperadded  to  the  article. 
 And  again,  fays  the  fame  excellent  writer'',  "  that 
 "  thefe  articles  are  fufceptible  of  a  fenfe,  that  is 
 *'  what  you  call  Arminianifm,  is  certain,  becaufe 
 "  the  compilers  meant  to  warn  people  againft  a 
 
 a  Letter  zd,  p.  i&».         b  Let.  3d,  p.  96. 
 
 pre- 
 
[     131    ] 
 
 *«  predeftination,  which  was  contrary  to  conditional 
 "  promifes,  not  to  afcribe  their  damnation  to  God, 
 **  but  to  their  own  fault,  and  ib  to  accord  grace  and 
 "  free-will,  as  not  to  maintain  either  to  the  denial 
 "  of  the  other.  This  appears  by  a  fummary  of 
 "  doftrines  publifhed  by  them  about  eight  years 
 "  before  the  articles  came  out,  and  from  the  Re- 
 "  formatio  Legum  drawn  up  m  the  fame  year." 
 To  which  it  may  be  proper  to  add  the  following 
 injunction  ^  of  Edward  VI.  1547,  as  a  clear  ex- 
 planation of  the  lenfe  in  which  our  firft  reformers 
 underftood  the  above  article.  "  Alfo  becaufe  thofe 
 "  perfons,  which  be  fick,  and  in  peril  of  death, 
 "  be  often  times  put  in  defpair,  by  the  craft  and 
 ''  fubtilty  of  tlie  devil;  who  is  then  mofl:  bufy, 
 *'  and  {pecially  with  them  that  lack  the  know- 
 "  ledge,  lure  perfuafion,  and  ftedfaft  belief,  that 
 "  they  may  be  made  partakers  of  the  great  and 
 "  infallible  mercy,  which  Almighty  God,  of  his 
 "  mod  bountiful  goodnefle,  and  meer  liberality, 
 "  without  our  deferving,  hath  offered  freely  to  all 
 "  perfons,  that  put  their  full  truft  and  confidence 
 "  in  him:  therefore  that  this  damnable  vice  of 
 "  defpair  may  be  clearly  taken  away,  and  firm 
 "  belief,  and  ftedfaft  hope  furely  conceived  of  all 
 "  their  parilhioners,  being  in  any  danger,  they  fhall 
 *'  learn,  and  have  always  in  readinefie,  fuch  com- 
 "  fortable  places  and  fentences  of  fcnpture,  as  do 
 "  fet  forth  the  mercy,  benefits,  and  goodnefs  of 
 
 a  Sec  Sparrow's  colleftion  of  canons,  and  the  conclufion  of 
 the  preface  to  Queen  Elizabetb^s  homilies. 
 
 I  2  «  AN 
 
[       132      ] 
 
 «*  Almighty  God  towards  all  penitent  and  believing 
 "  perfons,  that  they  may  at  all  times  (when  necef- 
 "  fity  (hall  require)  promptly  comfort  their  flock» 
 "  with  the  lively  word  of  God,  which  is  the  only 
 "  flay  of  man's  confcience."  Qiieen  Elizabeths 
 injundion  1559,  is  almoft  in  the  fame  words. 
 
 I  WOULD  farther  obferve,  that  the  article  fpeaks 
 of  a  predeftination  decreed  by  God's  counfel  fecret 
 to  us,  and  to  be  difcerned  only  by  the  working  of 
 the  fpirit  of  Chrift  mortifying  the  works  of  the 
 flefli ',  and  direCls  us  to  receive  God's  promifes  in 
 fuch  wife  as  they  be  generally  fet  forth  to  us  in  the 
 holy  fcripture  :  But  there  we  fhall  find  all  thefe 
 promifes  conditional.  "  ^  If  thou  wilt  enter  into 
 "  life  keep  the  commandments  (faith  our  Saviour.) 
 "  ^  He  that  endureth  to  the  end  fhall  be  faved." 
 His  apoftle  exhorts  us  to  give  *=  diligence  to  make 
 our  calling  and  eledlion  fure  :  for  if  v/e  do  thefe 
 things  we  fhall  never  fall ;  which  plainly  implies, 
 that,  unlefs  we  ufe  our  own  diligence,  our  calling 
 and  cleflion  is  not  fure.;  and  that,'  if  we  take  not 
 care  to  do  thefe  things,  to  add  to  our  faith  vir- 
 tue &c.  we  MAY  and  shall  fall. 
 
 You  are  pleafed  to  give  us  feveral  proofs  of  your 
 notion  of  eledion,  from  the  ofHces  of  the  Church 
 of  England  -,  I  wifli  you  had  chofen  to  do  it  from 
 fcripture,  which  is  our  rule  of  faith,  and  by  which 
 
 a  Matt.  xix.  17.  b  Matt.  x.  22.     Mar.  xiii.   13. 
 
 c  2  Pet.  i.    10. 
 
 the 
 
[     133     ] 
 
 the  do(5lrines  of  our  Church  muft  be  ultimately 
 tried ;  but  you  will  find  no  proof  there  of  any  abfo- 
 lute  eleftion,  without  any  refpeft  to  men's  faith  and 
 obedience. 
 
 But  fince  you  appeal  to  our  liturgy,  which,  is 
 appointed  for  the  daily  fervice  of  the  Church,  and 
 may  therefore  be  fuppofed  to  contain  in  its  various 
 offices  the  pure  and  genuine  dodlrines  of  the  gofpel, 
 it  will  not  be  improper  to  examine  it  more  minutely 
 with  refpefl  to  the  dodrines  of  free-will,  univerfal 
 redemption,  falling  from  grace  &c. 
 
 The  fentences  of  fcripture,  with  which  the  morn- 
 ing and  evening  prayer  are  appointed  to  begin* 
 fully  declare  the  free-will  of  man-,  his  acceptance 
 with  God  whenever  he  fhail  turn  away  from  his 
 wickednefs  ;  and  God's  faithfulnefs  upon  our  con- 
 fefllon  and  repentance  to  forgive  us  our  fins,  and  to 
 cleanfe  us  from  all  unrighteoufnefs.  —  The  exhorta- 
 tion, confeffion,  and  abfolution  have  an  immediate 
 reference  to  thefe  fentences  and  are  framed  upon  the 
 do(5lrines  herein  contained.  In  the  exhortation  we 
 are  all  entreated  not  to  "  difTemble  nor  cloak  our 
 '  "  fins,  but  to  confefs  them  with  an  humble,  lowly, 
 "  penitent,  and  obedient  heart,  to  the  end  that  we 
 "  may  obtain  forgivenefs  of  the  fame  :"  according 
 to  which  exhortation,  we  proceed  to  confclTion. 
 
 I N  the  abfolution  the  prieft  declares  that  "  Al- 
 *'  mighty  God  defireth  not  the  death  of  a  finner  but 
 
 I  3  rather 
 
[    134    ] 
 
 *'  rather  that  he  may  turn  from  his  wickednefs  and 
 '•  live,"  and  by  divine  authority  pronounces  that 
 "  God  pardoneth  and  abfolveth  all  them  that  truly 
 
 "  repent." What  v/ords  can  more  fully  exprefs 
 
 his  gracious  promifes  to  all  men  if  they  will  repent, 
 or  the  power  which  he  has  given  to  all  men  by  re- 
 pentance and  faith  to  lay  hold  of  thofe  promifes  ?  ■— 
 In  the  Lord's  prayer  we  petition  God  not  to  lead  us 
 into  temptation,  which  implies  that  all,  the  very 
 befl  of  men,  are  liable  to  fall  into  temptations  and 
 divers  lufts,  which  may  drown  the  foul  in  perdition. 
 But  how  is  this  confiftent  with  an  abfolute  impofli- 
 bility  of  falling  from  grace  ? — The  hymn  called  Te 
 Deum  thus  celebrates  the  univerfal  redemption  by 
 the  incarnation  and  death  of  Chrift,  "  when  thou 
 "  tookeft  upon  thee  to  deliver  man  thou  didft  not 
 "  abhor  the  virgin's  womb ;  when  thou  didft  over- 
 **  come  the  fharpnefs  of  death,  thou  didft  open  the 
 
 "  kingdom  of  heaven  to  all  believers.'- The  fuf- 
 
 frages,  offered  up  by  the  prieft  and  all  the  congrega" 
 tion  alternately,  are  quite  inconfiftent  with  your  no- 
 tion of  abfolute  predeftination  and  indefe6tible  airu- 
 *'  ranee.  Grant  us  thy  falvation, — take  not  thy  holy 
 *'  fpirit  from  us." — From  the  petition,  "  make  thy 
 *'  chofen  people  joyful,"  you  infer  indeed  your  doc- 
 trine of  eledion  i  but  the  word  chofen  or  eleft  in 
 fcripture  ^  fignifies   all   Chriftians    in   general,    or 
 
 a  2  Tim.  ii.  lo.  Col.  iii.  12.  Titus  i.  I.  i  Pet.  i.  z. 
 2  John  i.  1  Pet.  v,  13.  Rom.  xi.  7.  Eph?f.  i.  4. 
 2  ThefT,    ii.  13.  , 
 
 fuch 
 
[     '35    ] 
 
 fuch  ^  Chrlftians  as  walk  worthy  of  the  vocation  by 
 which  they  are  called.  Nor  does  it  bear  a  different 
 fenfe  in  our  offices,  —  God  has  knit  together  his 
 elefl,  /.  e.  all  Chriftians  in  one  communion  and  fel- 
 fhip — God  the  Holy  Ghoft,  who  fandtifieth  all  the 
 ele6t  people  of  God,  i.  e.  all  Chriftians,  or  at  leaft 
 all  good  Chriftians,  who  are  ready  to  comply  with 
 his  motions.  I  wonder  how  you  could  quote  this, 
 and  overlook  the  article  immediately  preceding  it, 
 which  exprei'sly  aflerts  the  univerfality  of  Chrift's 
 redemption,  "  I  believe  in  God  the  Son,  who  hath 
 "  redeemed  me  and  all  mankind."  All  thofe  there- 
 fore whom  God  the  Son  hath  redeemed,  God  the 
 Holy  Ghoft  fandifies  :  but  both  only  on  condition 
 of  their  own  concurrence  and  compliance  with  the 
 terms  offered.  Laftly,  we  befeech  God  Ihortly  to 
 accompliOi  the  number  of  his  eleft,  i.  e.  all  thofe 
 who  fhall  finally  perfevere  and  depart  in  the  true 
 faith  of  his  holy  name,  as  the  colled:  itfelf  ex- 
 plains it. 
 
 The  word  eled  frequently  occurs  in  the  Roman 
 breviary  ;  the  Papifts  make  ule  of  it  in  their  rituals 
 as  well  as  we  :  I*  will  only  give  you  one  inftance  of 
 it;  "  ^  Dulciffime  domine  Jefu  Chrifte,  per  virtu- 
 "  tern  fandiffime  paffionis  tuje  recipe  me  in  nume- 
 "  rum  ELECTORUM  tuorum."  So  that  if  the  ufe 
 of  this  word  will  prove  the  compilers  of  our  liturgy 
 
 a  Matt.  xxiv.  24,  31.     Luke  xviii.  7.     Rom.  viii.  33. 
 b  Modus  juvandi  morientes. 
 
 Pr 
 
[   n(>  } 
 
 Predeftinarians,  it  will  prove  the  Church  of  Rome 
 fo  LOO,  and  that  in  this  refped  it  is  as  orthodox  as 
 Calviniiin  itfelf. 
 
 In  the  litany  we  befeech  God  to  ftrengthen  fuch 
 as  do  ftand,  and  to  raife  up  them  that  fall.     In  the 
 office  for  /iJh-Wednefday  the  exhortation  fully  de- 
 clares the  dodtrine  of  free-will,  and  univerfal   re- 
 demption, which  I  beg  you  to  perufe  with  candor; 
 and  ^he  prayer  following  the   fuffrages    has  thefe 
 wordfi :  "  O  moH:  mighty  God  and  merciful  Father, 
 "  who  haft  companion  upon  all  men,  and  hateft 
 *'  NOTHING  th?t  thou  haft  made  ;  who  wouldest 
 "  NOT  the  death  of  a  fmnc-rj  but  that  he  ftiould  ra- 
 *'  ther  turn  from  his  fin,  and  be  faved  &c.     But  to 
 put  the  matter  beyond  all  doubt,  .1  refer  you  to  the 
 office   of  public  baptifm   of    infants :    where  the 
 prieft,  after  having  read  the  gofpel  appointed  for 
 that    occafion    &c.    thus   addrefles    the    fponfors, 
 "  Dearly  beloved,  ye  have  brought  this  child  here 
 '■^  to  be   baptized,  ye  have  prayed  that  our  Lord 
 ''  Jefus  Chrift  would  vouchfafe  to  receive  him,  to 
 "  releafe  him  from  his  fins,  to  fandify  him  with 
 "  the  Holy  Ghoft,  to  give  him  the  kingdom  of 
 *'  heaven  and  everlafting  life  :  ye  have  heard  alfo 
 *'  that  our  JLord  Jefus  Chrift  hath  promifed  in  his 
 t'  gofpel   to  grant  all  thefe  things  that  ye  have 
 '.'  prayed  for ;  which  promife  he  for  his  part  will 
 "  moft  furely  keep  and  perform."   And  after  having 
 performed  the  office  of  baptifm,  he  thus  addrefles 
 the  fupreme  being,  "  We  yield  thee  hearty  thanks, 
 
 «'  moft 
 
[    137    1 
 
 **  moft  merciful  Father,  that  it  hath  pleafed  thee 
 "  to  regenerate  this  infant  with  thy  holy  fpirit, 
 *'  to  receive  him  for  thine  own  child  by  adoption, 
 "  and  to  incorporate  him  into  thy  holy  Church." 
 
 From  thefe  paflages  I  infer  that  it  is  the  plain 
 and  undoubted  dodrine  of  our  Church  that  every 
 perfon,  who  is  by  baptifm  admitted  into  the  Chrif- 
 tian  covenant,  is  partaker  of  thefe  high  privileges, 
 and  becomes  thereby,  as  our  catechifm  fets  forth> 
 *'  a  member  of  Chrift,  the  child  of  God,  and  an 
 "  inheritor  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  •,"  that  all 
 Chriftians  are  by  baptifm  admitted  into  a  ftate  of 
 grace,  and  will  moft  afiuredly,  if  they  perform 
 their  part,  be  entitled  to  the  "  promifes  of  God 
 made  to  them  in  that  facrament."  With  regard  to 
 infants  the  rubric  declares,  "  it  is  certain  by  God*s 
 "  word  that  children  which  are  baptized,  dying  be- 
 "  fore  they  commit  adlual  fin,  are  undoubtedly 
 "  faved :"  with  refpedt  to  thofe  who  come  to  age  to 
 take  the  promifes  of  their  fureties  upon  themfelves, 
 they  have  the  fame  affurances  on  God*s  part,  if 
 they  will  on  their  part  perform  what  is  promifed 
 for  them,  which,  as  the  catechifm  declares  "  they 
 "  are  bound  to  perform.'*  Where  then  is  your  doc- 
 trine of  abfolute,  irrefpedlive  predeftination,  and  re- 
 probation? which  would  include  children  as  well  as 
 adults,  being  as  you  reprefent  it  "  an  abfolute 
 "  choice  of  fome  in  preference  of  others,  even  be- 
 *'  fore  the  children  are  born,  or  have  done  good 
 "  or  evil."  p.  ^^,    Let  me  obferve  that  our  Church 
 
 in 
 
[    "38    ] 
 
 in  this  rubric  profefledly  declares  her  tenets  on  thefe 
 points,  to  which  therefore  any  ambiguous  expref- 
 fion,  which  may  occur  in  her  other  offices,  muft  be 
 reconciled,  unlefs  you  will  fuppofe  her  to  be  incon- 
 fiftent  with  herfelf. 
 
 This  evidence  of  our  Church  is  fo  clear  and 
 ftrong,  that  I  perceive  you  cannot  bear  the  light  of 
 it,  and  therefore  endeavour  to  draw  a  veil  over  it ; 
 which  however  plainly  difcovers  how  painful  it  is  to 
 you. — To  elude  its  force  you  are  obliged  to  renounce 
 your  own  tenets,  and  to  deny  what  you  had  before 
 afferted.  Your  words  in  P.  O.  are  thefe —  "  of  all 
 *'  others,  the  doftrines  which  deny  fallen  man's  free- 
 "  will  to  good,  and  which  maintain  an  absolute 
 *'  CHOICE  of  fome  in  preference  to  others,  (even 
 *'  before  the  children  are  born,  or  have  done  good 
 •'  or  evil  &c.)  are  moft  hateful  to  the  natural  pride 
 *'  of  our  hearts."  This  is  your  definition  of  pre- 
 deftination  ;  which,  having  no  refped  to  fin,  muft 
 neceffarily  include  infants  as  well  as  adults.  And 
 yet  in  your  reply  you  call  this  inference  "  a  moft 
 "  unjuft  accufation,  and  tell  me  that  you  abhor 
 "  the  doftrine  of  the  damnation  of  infants,  whether 
 "  baptized  or  unbaptized."  But  as  much  as  you 
 abhor  it,  it  is  a  neceftary  confequence  drawn  from 
 your  own  definition.  Can  you  aflign  any  other 
 reafon  why  all  infants,  whether  baptized  or 
 unbaptized,  fliall  be  faved,  than,  that  the  redemp- 
 tion purchafed  by  Chrift  was  univerfal,  and  all 
 who  do  not  commit  acflual  fin  are  made  partaker 
 
 of 
 
[     139    ] 
 
 of  it  ?  if  you  cannot ;  it  will  neceffarily  follow,  that 
 aftual  fin  is  the  only  caufe  of  reprobation.  Here 
 then  I  fix  my  foot,  and  entreat  you  to  reconcile 
 your  doftrine  of  "  an  absolute  choice  of  some 
 
 *'  IN  PREFERENCE  TOOTHERS,  EVEN  BEFORE  THE 
 *'  CHILDREN  ARE  BORN,  OR  HAVE  DONE  GOOD 
 
 "  OR  evil"  either  with  your  own  notions  con- 
 cerning THE  SALVATION    OF    ALL  CHILDREN,   Or 
 
 the  rubric  of  our  Church.  I  beg  you  v/ill  be  very 
 explicit  on  this  head;  for  here  we  join  iflTue,  and 
 the  whole  controverfy  refpefling  the  dodlrines  in 
 queftion  may  be  determined  by  it. 
 
 As  to  the  doflrine  of  absolute  reprobation, 
 it  is  no  where  taught  in  our  articles,  nor  in  the 
 fcriptures,  but  juft:  the  contrary.  Our  ^  articles  fay 
 that  "  Chrift  came  to  take  away  the  fins  of  the 
 "  world  ;  and  that  ^  Chrift  hath  made  a  perfed  re- 
 "  demption  and  fatisfadion  for  the  fins  of  the 
 *'  whole  world."  Our  catechifm  teaches  us  that 
 *'  the  Son  of  God  redeemed  all  mankind."  Our 
 communion-office  exprefsly  afl^erts  "  that  Chrift 
 *'  hath  made  a  full,  perfedl,  and  fufficient  facrifice, 
 *'  oblation,  and  fatisfadion  for  the  fins  of  the  whole 
 "  world."  Our  collecls  declare  that  *'  God  hateth 
 "  nothing  that  he  hath  made,  nor  would  the  death 
 "  of  a  finner,  but  rather  that  he  fliould  be  converted 
 "  and  live."  This  you  feem  fenfible  of,  and  there- 
 fore tell  us  "  that  "  '  where  we  find  any  expreflions 
 
 a  Art.  35.  b  Art.  31.  c  P.  55. 
 
 in 
 
[     140     ] 
 
 *'  in  our  Church  fervice,  (and  I  fuppofe  in  fcripture 
 "  too)  of  Chrift  dying  for  all  men  &c.  thefe  mean 
 "  that  his  facrifice  and  undertaking  were  infinite  and 
 "  all  liifficient :  —  but  the  application  of  this  facri- 
 **  fice  and  undertaking  is  every  where  confined  to 
 *'  the  eled  people  of  God,  to  his  fheep,  his  chofen, 
 *'  his  church,  his  feed,  his  fpoufe,  his  members." 
 A  miferable  quibble  this !  Suppofe  an  ad  of  grace 
 to  be  fet  forth  by  a  King,  declaring  his  royal  will, 
 that  all  debtors  in  every  prifon  throughout  his  do- 
 minions fhould  be  releafed  on  condition  that  they 
 would  prefent  an  humble  petition  to  him  by  the 
 hand  of  his  Son,  (who  had  difcharged  their  feveral 
 debts)  and  comply  with  other  terms  therein  fpeci- 
 fied  :  but  that  fecret  orders  had  been  previoufly 
 given  to  prevent  greateft  part  of  thofe  debtors  from 
 a  pofTibility  of  prefenting  their  petition,  or  perform- 
 ing the  terms  required.  What  would  you  think  of 
 the  wifdom  or  mercy  of  fuch  a  King  ?  —  Such  is 
 the  charader  under  which  you  reprefent  the  Majefty 
 of  heaven ;  fuch  you  would  perfuade  us  are  his 
 dealings  with  the  children  of  men.  Had  you  faid 
 that  the  redemption  was  univerfal,  but  its  applica- 
 tion was  confined  to  thofe  only  who  would  comply 
 with  the  terms  of  the  gofpel-covenant,  you  had 
 fpoken  the  words  of  fobernefs  and  truth  :  But  it  is 
 an  infult  on  common  fenfe  to  acknowledge  that  God 
 hath  given  Chrift  to  be  a  propitiation  for  the  fins  of 
 the  whole  world,  and  at  the  fame  time  pretend,  *  that 
 the  greateft  part  of  the  world,  are  without  any  fault 
 
 a  P.  46. 
 
 or 
 
[    141    J 
 
 or  negle(5t  of  their  own,  abfolutely  excluded  from 
 the  benefit  of  it  •,  that  they  are  appointed  to  dam- 
 nation, reprobated  by  God  himfelf  unto  death  %  and 
 that  it  is  not  in  their  power  to  be  faved.  You  tell  us 
 "  ^  you  could  bring  proof  upon  proof  of  this  doc- 
 trine :'*  and  why  did  not  you  ?  Thofe  fcripture 
 appellations  of  the  ele61:  people  of  God  &c.  which 
 you  would  appropriate  to  yourfelf  and  your  kd:, 
 are  applied  in  fcripture  to  Chriftians  in  general. 
 The  eleft  and  chofen  of  God  are  all  good  Chrif- 
 tians  ♦,  ^  Chrift's  fheep  are  they,  who  hear  his  voice 
 and  follow  him,  and  abound  in  good  works,  d  The 
 CHURCH  e  in  fcripturc  fignifics  the  whole  body  of 
 Chriftians,  of  which  Chrift  is  the  head,  ^  and  we 
 being  many  are  one  body  in  Chrift,  and  every  one 
 members  one  of  another. 
 
 That  the  do6trine  of  univerfal  redemption  is 
 the  dodrine  of  the  Church  of  England  has  already 
 appeared  from  her  articles  and  offices.  The  fame 
 dodtrine  is  alio  taught  in  her  homilies.  They  teach 
 "  s  that  Chrift  fuffered  death  univerfally  for  all 
 "  men."  Again,  "  God  fo  loved  the  world,  faith 
 "  St.  John,  that  he  gave  his  only- begotten  Son, 
 "  that  whofoever  believeth  in  him,  fliould  not  perifh, 
 "  but  have  everlafting  life."  But  to  whom  did  he 
 give  him  ?  He  gave  him  to  the  whole  world,  that 
 is  to  fay,  to  Mam  and  all  that  fhould  come  after 
 
 a  Art.  Lami>.  i.  Scg.     P.  44,45.  b  P.  55.  c  Joh. 
 
 X.  3,4.  d  Matt.  XXV.  32  &c.  e  Eph.  v.  23  Sec. 
 
 f  Rom.  xii.  5.         g  Second  horn,  on  the  paflion. 
 
 him. 
 
[       142      ] 
 
 him.  That  this  was  alfo  the  dodrine  of  our  firfl 
 reformers,  appears  already  from  the  citations  pro- 
 duced from  Cranmer,  Hooper,  and  Latimer. 
 
 To  thefe  might  be  added  the  teftimony  of  other 
 foreign  Proteftants,  and  thofe  of  the  primitive  wri- 
 ters.   "  3  Por  the  four  firft  ages,  fays  the  learned 
 "  Bifliop  Bull,  no  true  member  of  the  Catholic 
 *'  Church  ever  dreamt  of  that  predeftination,  which 
 "  fome  now  make  the  very  bafis  and  foundation  of 
 "  Chriftianity.    Thofe  pious  Chriftians,  illuftrious 
 "  both  in  their  life  and  death,  lived  and  died  in 
 "  the  firm  perfuafion  of  thofe  truths,  that  Chrift 
 "  was  the  common  Saviour  of  mankind,  that  no 
 *•  one  to  whom  the  gofpel  of  Chrift  was  made 
 "  known  could   attain   eternal  happinefs   without 
 "  obeying  his  commands  j  that  no  one  could  obey 
 "  thefe  commands  without  the  grace  and  fpirit  of 
 '*  Chrift  ;    that  the  grace  of  God  would  not  work 
 "  out  our  falvation  without  the  concurrence  of  our 
 *'  own  induftry :  that  this  grace  was  wanting  to  no 
 *'  man  ;  that  he,  who  by  the  grace  of  God  was  in 
 "  a  ftate  of  falvation,  might  by  his  own  fault  fall 
 "  from  that  ftate  and  perifti  eternally,  and  therefore 
 "  he  who  ftandeth  fhould  take  heed  left  he  fall." 
 But  I  rather  choofe  to  appeal  to  the  teftimony  of 
 fcripture.    And  I  could  wifti  you  had  rather  con- 
 
 a  Built  opera,  p.  682.  In  confirmation  of  this  affertion  Bp 
 Bull  has  produced  the  teftimony  of  feveral  of  the  primitive  Fa- 
 thers, Ireneeusy  Origen,  Cyprian^  Baftl  &c.  to  which  I  refer 
 you.     P.  648, 
 
 fulted 
 
[     -43     ] 
 
 fulted  your  bible,  than  had  recourfe  to  certain  quef- 
 tions  and  anfwers  bound  up  with  it.    There  you 
 will  find  the  dodlrine  of  univerfal  redemption  taught 
 in  the  plaineft  terms.     There  the  gofpel  is  called 
 the  a  grace  of  God,  which  bringeth  falvation  to  all 
 meii.    Our  Saviour  himfelf  declares  ^  "  that  God 
 *'  fo  loved  the  world,  that  whofoever  believeth  in 
 "  him  fhould  not  perilh,  but  have  everlafting  life." 
 St.  Paul  teaches  us,  *"  "  that  Chrift  Jefus  gave  him- 
 "  felf  a  ranfom  for  all ;  that  '^  he  died  for  all ;  « that 
 "  as  by  the  offence  of  one,  judgment  came  upon  all 
 "  men  to  condemnation,  even  fo  by  the  righteouf- 
 "  nefs  of  one  the  free  gift  came  upon  all  men  unto 
 "  juftification  of  life  •,    that  he  is  the  Saviour  of  all 
 "  men,  fpecially  of  thofe  that  believe."    And,  ad- 
 drefllng  himfelf  to  the  Athenians,  he  tells  them  — 
 *'  The  times  of  ignorance  God  winked  at  j  but  now 
 *'  commandeth   all   men    every  where  to  re- 
 "  pent,"  and  afligneth  this  reafon  for  God's  univer- 
 fal command ;  "  becaufe  he  hath  appointed  a  day 
 "  in  which  he  will  judge  the  world  in  righteouf- 
 "  nefs."    y^^s  xvii.  30,  31.    St.  Jchn^  fays,  "  Jefus 
 "  Chriil  is  the  propitiation  for  our  fins  :    and  not 
 "  for  ours  only,  but  alfo  for  the  fins  of  the  whole 
 "  world.*'     Nay.    he    died  for   them  that  perifh, 
 "  ^  deftroy  not  him  with  thy  meat,  for  whom  Chrift 
 
 a   EfrKpxv)}   yx^   r,   y^^Xfii    tk  ©cjf    »   c-&iTi5p<«j    vx<n)i    Xy^puTTOul 
 
 Tit.  ii.  II. 
 
 b  Joh.  iii.  \6.  CI  Tim.  ii.  5,  6.  d  2  Cor.  v.  14. 
 
 c  Rom.  V.  I  8.  f  I  Tim.  iv.  10.  g  Joh.  ii.  1,  2. 
 
 h  Rom.  xiv.  15. 
 
 "  died," 
 
[     H4    ] 
 
 "  died,"  faith  the  apoftle.  Again,  "  a  Through  thy 
 "  knowledge  fhall  the  weak  brother  periih ,  for 
 **  whom  Chrift  died  ? "  Again,  we  are  told,  "  ^  that 
 *'  God  would  have  all  men  to  be  faved ;  '  that  he  is 
 "  not  willing  that  any  Ihould  perifh,  but  that  all 
 *'  fhould  come  to  repentance."  How  dare  you  then 
 confine  the  application  of  this  redemption  to  the 
 Ele<ft  only,  z.  e.  to  yourfelf  and  a  few  other  babes 
 of  grace  ?  Do  you  confider  the  dreadful  confe- 
 quences  of  this  doflrine  ?  a  do6lrine  injurious  both 
 to  God  and  man.  That  God  fhould  confign  over 
 the  greateft  part  of  mankind  to  everlafling  dellruc- 
 tion  before  they  were  born,  without  any  refpedl  to 
 their  good  or  evil  works  •,  that  he  fhould  give  them 
 no  power  to  perform  any  good  work,  and  yet  fhould 
 damn  them  eternally  for  not  doing  what  they  were 
 under  an  abfolute  impofTibility  of  doing,  is  a  doc- 
 trine, which  it  is  impolTible  to  reconcile  to  any  no- 
 tions, which  we  can  form  of  God*s  goodnefs,  holi- 
 nefs,  or  juflice.  "  Thefe  wretches  do  not  under- 
 "  fland  that  they  afcribe  thefe  fins  and  iniquities  to 
 *'  God"  (fays  St.  Aujiin).  But  to  this  you  think  it 
 fufficient  to  anfwer,  '"^  O  man,  who  art  thou  that 
 "  repliefl  againft  God  ? "  But  St.  Paul  there  fpeaks 
 of  thofe  gifts  of  God,  which  he  difperfes  arbitrarily, 
 according  to  his  good  pleafure.  He  may  impart 
 the  clear  knowledge  of  his  will  to  one  nation  ^nd 
 not  to  another,  without  any  impeachment  of  his 
 
 a  I  Cor.  viii.  ii.  b  i  Tim,  ii.  4.  c  2  Pet.  iii.  9. 
 
 d  P.  56,    Rom.  ix.  20. 
 
 juflice. 
 
[     '45    ] 
 
 juftice.  a  But  with  regard  to  rewards  and  punifh- 
 ments,  there  is  no  refpcd  of  perfons  with  God  ;  but 
 he  will  render  to  every  man  according  to  his  deeds. 
 But  you  are  pleafed  to  objed  againft  "  making  the 
 *'  Almighty  fpirit  dependent  on  the  will  of  the  fallen 
 "  creature."  p.  73.  And  do  not  you  fee  that  you 
 compliment  the  omnipotence  and  fovereignty  of  God 
 at  the  expence  of  his  juftice,  holinefs  and  goodnefs  ? 
 Muft  not  the  fentence  of  a  righteous  judge  depend 
 on  the  behaviour  of  thofe  over  whom  he  exercifes 
 judgment  ?  And  if  God  will  judge  the  world  in 
 righteoufnefs,  muft  not  his  decrees  with  regard  to 
 this  judgment,  in  this  refped,  depend  on  the  ac- 
 tions of  his  creatures,  and  the  ufe  they  have  made 
 of  their  free-will  ? 
 
 Tell  me,  if  you  can,  how  God  can  lay  any  man 
 under  a  necelTity  of  finning  confiftently  with  his 
 goodnefs-,  or  how  he  can  fentence  a  man  lying 
 under  that  necelTity  to  eternal  damnation  confiftently 
 with  his  juftice  and  righteoufnefs.  I  charge  not  you, 
 fir,  but  I  muft  charge  your  dodlrine,  in  its  neceflary 
 confequences,  with  the  moft  glaring  abfurdity  and 
 grofs  impiety  againft  God  j  I  wifti  too  you  would 
 confider  how  uncharitable  your  notions  are  with  re- 
 gard to  mankind.  Pray,  who  are  thefe  flieep,  thefe 
 ele(5l  people  of  God,  to  whom  you  and  your  aflb- 
 ciates  would  confine  the  benefits  of  Chrift's  redemp- 
 tion ?  —  Yourfelves  only  —  all  the  reft  of  mankind 
 
 a  Rom.  ii.  6  &c.     See  anfwer  to  the  Confeflional,   letter 
 iii.  p.  82. 
 
 K  VOU 
 
t     146    ] 
 
 you  moft  charitably  confign  over  to  eternal  dam- 
 nation. The  heathen  world,  I  fuppofe,  are  not  to 
 be  reckoned  among  the  eled  people  of  God,  nor 
 belong  to  his  Church  :  all  Heretics  and  Papifts  are 
 excluded,  for  they  are  limbs  of  anti-chrift,  hold 
 dodlrines  of  devils,  and  fhall  be  damned  with  un- 
 quenchable fire  :  and  all  Proteilants  too,  who  have 
 adopted  this  herefy  of  univerfal  redemption,  and 
 hold  thefe  dodrines  of  devils,  thefe  Popifh  a. doc- 
 trines of  free-will,  conditional  falvation  &c.  fall 
 under  the   fame    cenfure,    and   are   alfo  b  to  be 
 
 DAMNED  WITH  UNCiUENCHABLE   FIRE.     They  Only 
 
 a  You  pretend,  p.  73,  to  be  much  alarmed  at  the  great  in- 
 creafe  of  Popery  in  our  land,  and  infmuate  that  we,  by  holding 
 the  doftrine  of  free-will  and  univerfal  redemption,  are  the  moft 
 ftrenuous  abettors  of  it,  "  declaring  that  there  is  lefs  danger  to  be 
 "  apprehended  from  private  mafs-houfes  than  from  public  autho- 
 *•  rized  chairs  of  oratory."  But  let  me  tell  you,  that  the  only 
 quarter  from  whence  any  real  danger  may  be  apprehended  is 
 that,  from  whence  divifions  are  caufed,  and  fchifms  made  in  the 
 Church.  The  great  door  to  Popery  has  been  opened  by  the- 
 prefumption  of  ignorant  and  foolifh  men,  who  pretend  to  be 
 teachers,  and  fill  their  hearers  with  fpiriiual  pride,  and  a  con- 
 tempt of  their  lawful  paftors  —  who  draw  them  from,  what 
 you  call,  the  public  authorized  chairs  of  oratory,  into  private 
 focieties,  and  illicit  conventicles,  and  teach  them  to  negledt  the 
 fervice,  and  defpife  the  ordinances  of  the  Church.  It  has  been 
 the  conftant  bufinefs  of  Papifts  to  fow  divifions  among  us,  from 
 •whence  they  have  reaped  a  plentiful  harveft,  to  the  increafe  of 
 which  you  and  your  friends  have  greatly  contributed.  Know- 
 ing how  much  their  caufe  is  promoted  by  your  performance, 
 the  Popifh  priefts  have  been  very  induftrious  in  difperfmg  and 
 iccommendins  it.  b  P.  54. 
 
 who 
 
t  147  ] 
 
 who  are  predeflinated,  who  feel  in  themfelves  the 
 motions  of  fpirltual  life,  and  an  aflurance  of  their 
 Own  falvation,  are  the  chofen  flock ;  all  others  are 
 excluded,  all  the  good  people  of  England^  except 
 the  Methodifts,  Moravians  &c.  all  the  Univerfity 
 of  Oxford^  except  the  pious  congregation  of  Mrs. 
 Dtirbridge.  Thus  you  confine  that  grace  of  God, 
 which  bringeth  falvation  to  all  men,  to  yoiirfelves 
 alone,  and  damn  all  others  who  are  not  of  your 
 fed:  and  party :  and  herein  you  are  more  uncha- 
 •  ritable  than  the  Papifts  themfelves;  they  admit 
 all  of  their  communion,  which  takes  in  a  large 
 body  of  Chriftians.  You  exclude  even  your  fel- 
 low Proteftants,  all  but  thofe,  who  in  thefe  ab- 
 ftrufe  and  difficult  points  hold  the  fame  tenets 
 with  yourfelves. 
 
 And  herein  you  fully  verify  the  obfcrvations 
 of  the  learned  Bifhop  Sherlock,  whofc  defcription 
 of  your  tenets  is  fo  juft,  and  fo  much  to  the  pur- 
 pofe,  that  I  cannot  better  clofe  this  article  thaa 
 in  his  words.  "  »  Whoever,  fays  that  great  man, 
 **  will  examine  into  the  bottom  of  men's  thoughts 
 "  upon  this  fubjefl,  will  find  that  the  conclufion 
 "  they  make  is  commonly  influenced  by  the  con- 
 "  fideration  of  their  own  circumftances.  Every 
 **  man  in  this  cafe  takes  care  of  himfelf,  and  leaves 
 *'  the  way  open  to  his  own  falvation,  how  ftroij^ly 
 "  foevrer  he  bars  it  againft  others.     The  great  ad- 
 
 8  Difcourfc  V.    Vol.  zi. 
 
 K  2  vocates 
 
.        [    148    i 
 
 "  vocates  of  ele<5tIon  and  reprobation  always  reckon 
 "  themfelves  in  the  number  of  the  eledl;  and, 
 "  that  their  iniquities,  of  which  they  are  often 
 "  confcious,  may  not  rife  up  againft  them,  they 
 "  maintain  that  the  aft  of  man  cannot  make  void 
 *'  the  purpofe  of  God,  or  the  fins  of  the  eleft  de- 
 "  prive  them  of  the  benefit  of  God's  eternal  de- 
 "  cree.  Thus  fecured,  they  defpife  the  virtues 
 "  and  moral  attainments  of  all  men,  and  doom 
 "  them  with  all  their  virtues  to  deftrudlion  j  whilft 
 "  they  advance  themfelves  with  all  their  fins  to 
 "  a  throne  of  glory,  prepared  for  them  before 
 "  the  world  began. 
 
 Your  dodrine  of  Perseverance  is  nearly  al- 
 lied to  the  two  former,  If  man  has  no  free-will, 
 but  is  abfolutely  predeftinated  to  eternal  falvation, 
 then  we  muil  acknowledge  that  he  cannot  fall 
 from  grace.  On  the  other  hand,  if  we  may  fall 
 from  grace,  there  can  be  no  abfolute  decree  of 
 eleftion.  And  here  you  and  your  difciples  hold, 
 that  he  v/ho  is  once  a  child  of  God  is  always  a 
 child  of  God,  and  that  God  never  cafts  ofi^  thofe 
 v/hom  he  hath  once  received.  But  herein  you 
 contradift  the  articles  of  the  Church  of  England,  to 
 which  you  have  fubfcribed,  and  therefore  are  fub- 
 jefl  to  the  fame  cenfures  you  fo  liberally  bellow  on 
 us.  The  i6th  article  teaches  that,  after  we  have 
 received  the  Holy  Ghoft,  we  may  depart  from 
 grace  given,  and  fall  into  fin  ;  and  that  deadly  fin 
 is  here  meant,  appears  from  the  beginning  of  the 
 
 article,^ 
 
[     H9     ] 
 
 article.  It  follows  that  by  the  grace  of  God  we 
 may  rife  again,  which  plainly  implies  that  we  alfo 
 may  not  rife  again. 
 
 You  contradidl  our  homilies.  Among  the  ho- 
 milies publifhed  in  King  Edward  the  Vlth's  time, 
 there  is  one  concerning  the  danger  of  falling  from 
 God.  It  fpeaks  of  thofe  who  truly  believe  the  gof- 
 pel ;  "  be  transformed  to  the  image  of  Chrift  ;  be 
 '*  made  partakers  of  the  heavenly  light,  and  of  the 
 "  holy  fpirit  -,  and  be  fafhioned  to  him  in  all  good- 
 "  nefs  requifite  to  the  children  of  God ;"  and  fays 
 that  "  if  they  after  negle6l  the  fame,  if  they  be 
 "  unthankful  unto  him  •,  if  they  order  not  their 
 *'  lives  according  to  his  example  and  dodrine  &c. 
 "  he  will  take  away  from  them  his  kingdom  &c. 
 "  and  if  they  remain  difobedicnt  to  his  word  and 
 "  will,  they  fhall  never  enter  into  his  reft,  which 
 "  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven.'* 
 
 In  the  fecond  homily  on  the  fame  fubjefl  we  are 
 told,  "  that  if  we,  who  are  the  chofen  vineyard  of 
 "  God,  bring  not  forth  good  grapes,  that  is  to  fay, 
 "  good  works, — he  will  let  us  lie  wafte,  will  give 
 "  us  over ;  he  will  turn  away  from  us,  he  will  dig 
 "  and  delve  no  more  about  us  —  he  will  fuffer  us 
 *'  to  bring  forth  brambles,  bryars  and  thorns ;  all 
 "  naughtinefs,  all  vice  ;  and  that  fb  abundantly, 
 *'  that  they  fliall  clean  overthrow  us,  choke,  ftran- 
 "  gle,  and  utterly  deftroy  us  ;"  and  applying  this 
 parable,  the  homily  adds,  "  Let  us  beware  there- 
 
 K  I  "  fore, 
 
[     150    ] 
 
 **  fore,  good  chriftian  people,  left  that  we  rejeft- 
 **  ing  or  cafting  away  God's  word,  be  at  length 
 "  caft  off  fo  far,  that  we  become  as  the  children 
 •'  of  unbelief,  in  a  damnable  ftate." 
 
 The  fame  doflrine  is  taught  in  the  fecond  book 
 of  homilies  publifhed  in  Queen  ElizabetFs  time. 
 ^  Thefe  things  well  confidered,  let  us  now  in  the 
 reft  of  our  life  declare  our  faith  that  we  have  in 
 this  moft  fruitful  article,  by  framing  ourfelves 
 thereunto,  in  rifing  daily  from  fin  to  righteouf- 
 nefs,  and  holinefs  of  life :  for  what  fliall  it  avail 
 us  (faith  Sr.  Peter)  to  be  efcaped  and  delivered 
 from  the  filthinefs  of  the  world,  through  the 
 knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jefus  Chrift, 
 if  we  be  entangled  again  therewith,  and  be  over- 
 come again  ?  Certainly  it  had  been  better,  (faith 
 he)  never  to  have  known  the  way  of  righteouf- 
 nefs,  than  after  it  is  known,  to  turn  back  agaiq 
 from  the  holy  commandment  of  God  given  unto 
 us — What  a  fhame  were  it  for  us,  being  fo  clearly 
 and  freely  wafhed  from  our  fins,  to  return  to 
 the  filthinefs  thereof  again  :  What  a  folly  wer? 
 it,  thus  endowed  with  righteoufnefs,  to  lofe  it 
 again  ?  What  a  madnefs  were  it  to  lofe  the  in- 
 heritance that  we  be  now  fet  in,  for  the  vile  and 
 
 tranfitory  pleafure  of  fin  ?  And  what  an  unkind- 
 nefs  fliould  it  be,  where  our  Saviour  Chrift  is 
 come  to  us,  to  dwell  with  us  as  our  gueft,  to 
 
 a  Sermon  on  the  refurredlion,  p.  193, 
 
 ^*  drive 
 
[     15'     ] 
 
 «'  drive  him  from  us,  to  banifli  him  violently  out 
 "  of  our  fouls,  and  inftead  of  him,  in  whom  is  all 
 "  grace  and  virtue,  to  receive  the  ungracious  fpi- 
 "  fit  of  the  devil  ?'*  &c. 
 
 You  differ  from  our  firft  reformers,  as  appears 
 from  the  quotations  already  produced  from  Pia  et 
 Catholica  Inflitutio — Reformatio  Legum  —  Bilhop 
 Hooper  and  Latimer.  —  They  held  that  we  might 
 fall  from  grace,  and  a  ftate  of  righteoufnefs ; 
 "  that  thofe  who  were  written  in  the  book  of  life 
 "  might  again  be  blotted  out  of  it.'*  You  differ 
 from  the  firft  reformers  in  Germany,  and  from  their 
 confeffions,  on  the  plan  of  which  our  own  articles 
 were  firft  formed.  ^  The  confeffion  of  Augsburg^ 
 the  firft  fummary  of  Proteftant  faith,  condemns 
 the  Anabaptifts,  who  denied  that  thofe  who  were 
 once  JLiftified  could  lofe  the  Holy  Ghoft.  ^  The 
 Saxonick  confeffion  compiled  by  MelanSihon  1551, 
 with  defign  to  offer  it  to  the  council  of  Trent,  in 
 the  name  of  all  the  Proteftants,  and  unanimoufly 
 approved  by  the  German  divines,  lays-—"  ex  fimi- 
 "  libus  diflis  manifeftum  eft  aliquos  renatos  con- 
 "  triftare  et  excutere  fpiritum  fandum,  et  rurfus 
 "  abjici  a  Deo,  ac  fieri  reos  irse  Dei,  et  seterna- 
 "  rum  pasnarum." 
 
 But,  what  is  ftill   worfe,  you  contradid  the 
 holy  fcriptures.     The  prophet  Ezekiel  *^  puts  the 
 
 a  Art.  12.  b  SleidarTs  Hill.  Ref.  b,  xxii.  p.  510. 
 
 c  Ezek.  xxxiii.   13.   xviii.   24.     See   Dr  R{}?jJci//>//s  fermon 
 on  Kom.  viii.  16, 
 
 very 
 
[    152    ] 
 
 very  cafe  of  a  man  in  a  (late  of  falvation,  in  God's 
 favour,  who  afterwards  turns  from  his  righteouf- 
 nefs,  and  finally  perifhes— "  when  I  Ihall  fay  to  the 
 "  righteous  that  he  fhall  furely  live,  if  he  truft  to 
 "  his  own  righteoufnefs,  and  commit  iniquity,  all 
 "  his  righteoufnefs  Ihall  not  be  remembered,  but  for 
 "  his  iniquity  that  he  hath  committed,  he  Ihall  die 
 ^'  for  it."  In  the  fcriptures  of  the  New  Teflament 
 we  are  exhorted  no  work  out  our  own  falvation  with 
 fear  and  trembling  ;  b  to  give  diligence  to  make 
 our  calling  and  eledion  fure ;  c  not  to  be  high- 
 minded,  but  fear,  left  we  alfo  be  cut  off;  ^he  that 
 thinketh  he  flandeth  is  admonifhed  to  take  heed 
 left  he  fall.  We  read  of  feme  ^  who  were  once  en-. 
 lightened  and  had  tafted  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and 
 were  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  and  had 
 tafted  the  good  word  of  God,  and  the  powers  of 
 the  v/orld  to  come,  who  have  afterwards  fallen 
 away,  and  that  fo  totally  and  finahy,  that  it  was 
 impoftible  to  renew  then?  again  unto  repentance. 
 And  of  others  we  ^  read,  who  had  efcaped  the  pol- 
 lution of  the  world  through  the  knowledge  of  the 
 Lord  -and  Saviour  Jefus  Chrift,  who  have  been 
 again  entangled  therein,  and  overcome,  whofe  lat- 
 ter end  was  worfe  than  the  beginning.  The  great 
 Apoftle  St.  Paul  fpeaks  with  great  diffidence  and 
 doubt  of  his  own  falvation  —  s"  Brethren,  fays  he, 
 *'  I  count  not  myfelf  to  have  apprehended,  but  this 
 
 a  Phil.  ii.  iz.  b  2  Pet.  i.  10.  c  Rom.  xi.  20,  &c. 
 
 d  1  Cor.  X.  1 2.  c  Heb.  vi.  4,  &o.  f  2  Pet.  ii.  20. 
 
 g  Phil.  iii.   13,    10. 
 
 one 
 
[     '53    ] 
 
 *'  one  thing  I  do,  forgetting  thofe  things  which  arc 
 *«  behind,  and  reaching  forth  unto  thofe  things 
 "  which  are  before,  I  prefs  toward  the  mark  for  the 
 "  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Chrift  Jefus." 
 And  again  in  another  ^  place,  "  I  keep  under  my 
 "  body  and  bring  it  into  fubjeftion,  left  that  by 
 "  any  means,  when  I  have  preached  to  others,  I 
 "  myfelf  fhould  be  a  caft-away  or  ^  reprobate." 
 
 Bishop  Sherlock  in  his  difcourfe  on  the  text, 
 "  Work  out  your  own  falvation  with  fear  and 
 "  trembling"  (Difc.  IV.  Vol.  2d.)  having  recon- 
 ciled the  doflrine  of  God's  grace  with  the  neceiTity 
 of  our  own  endeavours,  and  pointed  out  the  feveral 
 kinds  of  falfe  or  flavifh  fear,  proceeds  thus  to  the 
 defcription  of  the  true  chriftian  fear.  "  Now  then 
 "  we  are  come  to  that  which  is  indeed  the  good 
 ''  Chriltian's  fear,  his  conltant  fear  -,  and  that  is, 
 "  the  fear  of  himfelf :  let  him  that  ftandeth,  fays 
 ^*  the  Apoftle,  take  heed  left  he  fall.  There  is 
 ^'  no  man  fo  perfect  but  that  he  ought  to  carry 
 ^*  this  fear  about  him  ;  and  where  his  fear  points, 
 ♦'  there  muft  his  care  and  diligence  be  applied, 
 •'  that  is,  to  himfelf  ftill :  he  muft  watch  his  paf- 
 "  fions  and  affedions,  left  any  of  them  break 
 "  out  into  open  enmity  againft  God ;  his  rebel 
 **  heart  muft  be  guarded,  left  it  quench  the  holy 
 <'  flame,  which  God  has  kindled  in  it,  left  it  do 
 **  defpight  to  the  fpirit  of  God,  which  comes  to 
 *'  dwell  and  inhabit  in  it."     And  a  little  after, 
 
 Jl  1  Cpr,  ix.  27.  b  utoKtfAtt. 
 
 where 
 
[     154    1 
 
 where  he  confiders  the  confequences  of  the  Apo- 
 ftle's  dodrine  and  exhortation  in  the  text,  he  pro- 
 ceeds thus  — "  It  is  evident   that   the  chriftian 
 *'  ftate  is  not  a  (late  of  fecurity  ;  for  fecurity  is 
 "  incoiififtent  with  any   kind  of  fear  and  trem- 
 *'  bling,  and  is  indeed  a  condition  that  does  not 
 *'  call  even  for  care  and  diligence.     In  a  ftate  of 
 "  fecurity  a  man  cannot  even  fear  for  himfelf ;  for 
 *'  to  be  fure  of  falvation,  he  muft  be  fure  of  every 
 "  thing  neceflary  to  it ;    and   therefore   he  muil' 
 "  either  be  fure  that  he  is  to  have  no  part  him- 
 *•  felf  in  working  out  his  falvation  ;  or,  if  he  is  to 
 *'  have  any,  he  mull  be  fure  and  certain  that  he 
 **  fliall  perform  it :  cither  of  which  excludes  all 
 "  manner  of  fear  and  trembling.     Much  lefs  can 
 *'  he,  who  is  fure  of  being  faved,  fear  being  pu- 
 "  nilhed  ;  So  that  there  is  no  kind  of  fear  left  for 
 "  him ;  and  the  Apoftle's  exhortation  will  have  no 
 "  meaning  in  it  to  fuch  a  man.     Work  out  your 
 "  falvation  with  fear  and  trembling  :  With  fear  of 
 "  what }  fmce  nothing  is  left  to  be  afraid  of.    And 
 *'  yet  to  be  fure  of  your  falvation  has  been  made 
 *'  by  fome  a  necefiary  fign  of  regeneration  and 
 "  adoption  :  and  hence  has  proceeded  the  doftrine, 
 "  that  grace  once  received  can  never  be  loft:  and 
 "  if  fo,  thofe  who  have  received  grace,  can  have 
 "  no  reafon  to  fear  and  tremble.     And  yet  it  can- 
 *'  not  be  denied  that  the  Philippians,  to  whom  the 
 "  Apoftle  writes,  had  received  grace  -,  fince  from 
 *'  his   own    teftimony   we  learn,    that   they  had 
 *'  obeyed  always;  that  in  his  bonds,  and  in  the 
 
 dodrine 
 
[     '55    ] 
 
 "  doiftrine  and  confirmation  of  the  gofpel,  they 
 *'  had  been  partakers  of  his  grace.  Grace  then 
 "  they  had  received ;  what  then  had  they  to  fear  ? 
 ^*  if  grace  once  received  cannot  be  loft,  that  is,  if 
 "  grace  gives  fecurity  of  falvation.  To  make 
 "  then  the  Apoftle  confiftent  with  himfelf,  we 
 "  muft  affirm,  that  it  is  his  dod:rine  that  grace 
 **  may  be  loft;  and  that  even  thofe,  who  have 
 ^*  made  great  progrefs  in  gofpel  obedience,  are 
 **  not  fecure  of  their  ftate;  but  muft  labour  on, 
 "  and  work  on  with  fear  and  trembling,  left  they 
 *'  come  ftiort  of  the  promifes  they  have  received." 
 
 As  to  the  doflrineof  Justification  bv  faith, 
 let  us  fee  wherein  we  differ.  Firft  then  we  all 
 hold  that  we  are  juftified  freely  by  God's  grace, 
 that  there  is  no  merit  in  good  works,  that  we  are 
 not  to  place  our  redemption,  or  reft  our  plea  on 
 any  works  that  we  have  done  or  can  do,  but  only 
 on  the  mercy  of  God,  and  the  merits  of  our  Re-^ 
 deemer.  And  on  the  other  hand  I  ftiould  hope 
 that  all,  who  believe  the  gofpel,  would  agree  that 
 good  works  are  the  neceftary  condition  both  of 
 our  juftification  and  falvation.  Whether  we  con- 
 fider  the  firft  juftification  of  perfons  received  into 
 the  Chriftian  church,  —  the  fcripture  teaches  us 
 that  repentance,  which  confifts  in  ceafing  to  do 
 evil,  and  learning  to  do  well,  is  neceflary  as  pre- 
 vious to  this  juftification.  John  the  Baptiji  ^  ^rz- 
 pared  the  way  of  the  Lord  by  preaching  the  bap- 
 Luke  iii.  3. 
 
 tifm- 
 
[    ij6    ] 
 
 tifm  of  repentance  for  remiffion  of  fins.  -—--The 
 firft  doflrine  which  our  Saviour  himfelf  preached 
 was  — "  ^Repent  ye,  and  believe  the  gofpel." 
 And  with  the  fame  dodlrine  his  Apoftles  opened 
 their  .commifTion  —  "  ^  Repent  and  be  baptized 
 **  every  one  of  you  in  the  name  of  Jefus  Chrift, 
 *'  for  the  remiffion  of  fins." —  Or  if  we  afk  what  is 
 the  condition  of  our  final  juftification  at  the  day  of 
 judgment,  both  Chrift  and  his  Apoftles  will  inform 
 us  c  that  God  will  then  render  to  every  man  ac- 
 cording to  his  works.  What  do  you  mean  then 
 by  cenluring  thofe  "  '^  who  look  to  a  righteoufnefs 
 "  of  their  own,  made  up  of  terms,  quahfications, 
 "  conditions,  and  fuch  like  trumpery,  for  acceptance 
 "  before  God  ?"  and  ajfferting  "  ^  that  works  are  no 
 "  parts  or  conditions  of  our  juftification  ?"  Parts  or 
 conditions —  Are  thefe  fynonymous  terms  ?  Pray, 
 fir,  vv'hat  do  you  underftand  by  parts  ?  We  hold, 
 as  well  as  you,  that  juftification  is  the  a6l  of  God 
 alone,  conferred  on  us  freely  by  his  grace  ;  —  that 
 t)ur  ov/n  good  works  have  no  proper  efficiency  in 
 the  acl  of  our  juftification  ;  have  no  worth  or  me- 
 rit in  them  ;  —  that  ^we  have  all  finned,  and  come 
 fhort  of  the  glory  of  God,  and  can  be  juftified  and 
 faved  only  by  faith,  by  a  reliance  on  the  mercies 
 and  merits  of  Chrift.  But  that  good  works,  though 
 imperfedt  and  worthlefs,  are  yet  required  by  God,  as 
 neceflary  terms,  qualifications  and  conditions,  both 
 of  our  juftification  and  falvation,  and  that  we  can- 
 
 a  Mark  i.  15.  b  Adls  ii.  38.  c  Mat.  xvi.  27. 
 
 Rom.  ii.  6.         d  P.  61.         e  Ibid.        f  Rom.  iii.  23. 
 
 not 
 
I    ^S7    1 
 
 not  be  juftified  and  faved  without  them,  you  can- 
 not deny,  without  denying  all  the  fcriptures  from 
 one  end  to  the  other ;  and  contradidting  the  very 
 homilies,  to  which  you  appeal.  "  If  thou  wilt  en- 
 *'  ter  into  life,  keep  the  commandments,"  faith  our 
 Saviour  ^  "  Without  holinefs  no  man  fhall  fee  the 
 *'  Lord,"  faith  the  Apoftle  ^.  After  having  quoted 
 tithe  homily,  you  tell  us  with  an  air  of  triumph  ■— 
 "  c  Here  is  no  mention  of  works  either  as  condi- 
 "  tions  or  as  parts  of  juftification,  which,  as  plain 
 "  as  words  can  make  it,  is  attributed  only  to 
 "  faith."  I  fhould  wonder  indeed  if  there  were  any 
 mention  of  works,  after  the  pains  you  have  taken 
 to  fupprefs  it,  and  when  by  your  unfair  method  of 
 quotation  you  have  forced  it  to  fpeak  only  your 
 own  language.  But  had  you  proceeded  only  one 
 fentence  further,  you  would  have  found  the  homily 
 not  fo  filent  on  that  head  as  you  would  willingly 
 reprefent  it  to  be  j  for  it  immediately  follows, 
 "^  And  yet  that  faith  doth  not  exclude  repentance, 
 "  hope,  love,  dread,  and  the  fear  of  God  to  be 
 *'  joined  with  true  faith  in  every  man  that  is  jufti- 
 **  fied,  but  it  excludeth  them  from'  the  office  of 
 "juftifying:  fo  that  although  they  be  all  prefent 
 "  together  in  him  that  is  juftified,  yet  they  juflify 
 "  not  altogether.  Nor  doth  that  faith  alio  exclude 
 "  the  juftice  of  our  good  works  neceflTarily  to  be 
 *'  done  afterwards  of  duty  towards  God,  (for  we 
 
 a  Matt.  xix.  17.         b  Heb.  xii.  14,     See  BuUi  op.  p.  509, 
 655  &c,  c  P.  59.  d  Homily  of  falvation,  parti, 
 
 c.  r. 
 
 **  are 
 
=it 
 
 [     ij8    ] 
 
 **  are  moft  bounden  to  ferve  God  in  doing  good 
 «<  deeds  commanded  by  him  in  holy  fcripture,  all 
 "  the  days  of  our  life)  but  it  exdudeth  them,  fo 
 *'  that  we  may  not  do  them  to  the  intent  to  be 
 "  made  good  by  the  doing  of  them." 
 
 N  o  R  is  your  other  extraft  lefs'  partial,  where 
 you  have  omitted  the  words  immediately  following 
 it  for  very  obvious  reafons,  becaufe  they  explain 
 the  fenfe  in  which  the  Greek  and  Latin  Fathers 
 hold  juftification  by  faith  only.  "  ^  Neverthelefs 
 "  (fays  the  homily)  this  fentence,  "  that  we  be  juf- 
 "  tified  by  faith  only,"  is  not  fo  meant  by  them 
 **  ( the  fathers )  that  the  faid  juftifying  faith  is 
 *'  ALONE  in  man,  without  true  repentance,  hope, 
 *'  charity,  dread  and  the  fear  of  God  at  any  time 
 *'  and  occafion  ;  for  when  they  fay  we  be  juftified 
 *'  freely,  they  mean  not  that  we  fhould  or  might 
 *'  afterwards  be  idle,  and  that  nothing  fliould  be 
 *'  required  on  our  part  afterwards  ;  neither  mean 
 **  they  fo  to  be  juftified  without  our  good  works, 
 "  that  we  fhould  do  no  good  works  at  all,  as  Ihall 
 "  be  more  expreflfed  at  large  hereafter :  But  this 
 "  propofition,  that  we  be  juftified  by  faith  only, 
 "  freely  and  without  good  works,  is  fpoken  for  to 
 *'  take  away  clearly  all  merit  of  our  works,  as  be- 
 "  ing  infufficient  todeferve  our  juftification  at  God's 
 *'  hands,  and  thereby  moft  plainly  to  exprefs  the 
 
 a  Homily  of  falvation,  part  ii.  c.  3.  See  likewife  St.  P^a/'s 
 doftrme  of  juftification  by  faith  moft  admirably  explained  in  the 
 Inttitution  of  a  Chrilten  man,  in  the  chapter  on  faith,  p.  i,  a. 
 
 "  weak-. 
 
[     159    ] 
 
 •'  weaknefs  of  man,  and  the  goodnefs  of  God ;  the 
 •'  imperfednefs  of  our  own  works,  and  the  mod 
 **  abundant  grace  of  our  Saviour  Chrift." 
 
 Again,  In  the  declaration  of  the  true,  lively, 
 and  Chriftian  faith,  the  homily  thus  exprelTes  itfelf, 
 "  He  that  believeth  all  that  is  fpoken  of  God  in  the 
 "  bible  is  true,  and  yet  liveth  fo  ungodly,  that  he 
 "  cannot  look  to  enjoy  the  promifes  and  benefits  of 
 "  God  ;  although  it  may  be  faid,  that  fuch  a  man 
 "  hath  a  faith  and  belief  to  the  words  of  God,  yet 
 "  it  is  not  properly  faid  that  he  believeth  in  God, 
 "  or  hath  fuch  a  faith  and  truft  in  God,  whereby  he 
 "  may  furely  look  for  grace,  mercy,  and  everlafting 
 "  life  at  God's  hand,  but  rather  for  indignation  and 
 *'  punifhment,  according  to  the  merits  of  his  wick- 
 **  ed  life :"  and  the  3d  fermon  concludes  with  this 
 exhortation  —  "  Let  us  therefore  ( good  Chriftian 
 *'  people)  try  and  examine  our  faith,  what  it  is  :  let 
 "  us  not  flatter  ourfelves,  but  look  upon  our  works, 
 *'  and  fo  judge  of  our  faith  what  it  is.  Chrift  him- 
 "  felf  Ipeaketh  of  this  matter,  and  faith,  the  tree  is 
 "  known  by  the  fruit :  therefore  let  us  do  good 
 "  works,  and  thereby  declare  our  faith  to  be  the  lively 
 "  chriftian  faith.  Let  us  by  fuch  virtues,  as  ought  to 
 **  fpring  out  of  faith,  fhcw  our  eledion  to  be  fure  and 
 *'  ftable,  as  Si.  Peter  teacheth;  endeavour  yourfelves 
 *'  to  make  your  calling  and  cleftion  certain  by  good 
 "  works.  And  alfo  he  faith,  minifter  or  declare  in 
 **  your  faith  virtue,  in  virtue  knowledge,  in  know- 
 "  ledge  temperance,  in  temperance  patience,  in  pa- 
 
 "  tience 
 
[     16°     ] 
 
 "  tience  godlinefs,  in  godlinefs  brotherly  charity,  in 
 *'  brotherly  charity  love :  fo  fhall  we  fliew  indeed 
 "  that  we  have  the  very  lively  Chriftian  faith,  and 
 "  may  fo  both  certify  our  confcience  the  better  that 
 "we  be  in  the  right  faith,  and  alfo  by  thefe  means 
 "  confirm  other  men.  If  thefe  fruits  do  not  follow, 
 "  we  do  but  mock  with  God,  deceive  ourfelves,  and 
 <'  alfo  other  men.  Well  may  we  bear  the  name  of 
 *'  Chriftian  men,  but  we  do  lack  the  true  faith  that 
 "  doth  belong  thereunto ;  for  the  true  faith  doth  ever 
 "  bring  forth  good  works,  as  St.  James  faith ;  (hew 
 "  me  thy  faith  by  thy  deeds.  Thy  deeds  and  works 
 *'  muft  be  an  open  teftimonial  of  thy  faith  ;  other- 
 "  wife  thy  faith  (being  without  good  works)  is  but 
 "  the  devil's  faith,  the  faith  of  the  wicked,  a  phan- 
 "  tafy  of  faith,  and  not  a  true  Chriftian  faith.  And 
 ''  like  as  the  devils  and  evil  people  be  nothing  the 
 *'  better  for  their  counterfeit  faith,  but  it  is  unto 
 "  them  the  more  caufe  of  damnation  •,  fo  they  that 
 "  be  Chriftians,  and  have  received  knowledge  of 
 "  God  and  of  Chrift's  merits,  and  yet  of  a  fet  pur- 
 **  pofe  do  live  idly,  without  good  works,  thinking 
 "  the  name  of  a  naked  faith  to  be  either  fufficient 
 "  for  them  ;  or  elfe  fetting  their  minds  upon  vain 
 *<  pleafures  of  this  world,  do  live  in  fin  without  re- 
 *'  pentance,  not  uttering  the  fruits  that  do  belong 
 "  to  fuch  an  high  profefilon,  upon  fuch  prefump- 
 **  tuous  perfons  and  wilful  finners  muft  needs  re- 
 *«  main  the  great  vengeance  of  God,  and  eternal 
 "  punilhment  in  Hell  prepared  for  the  unjuft  and 
 "  wicked  livers.'*    Thefe,  fir,  are  the  words  of  our 
 
 church, 
 
[     i6i     ] 
 
 church,  which  joins  faith  and  good  works  together, 
 making  them  both  neceffary  conditions  of  our  fal- 
 vation,  following  herein  the  authority  and  example 
 of  St.  Peter^  who  declares  {Aclsx.  34,  35.)  "  That 
 "  God  is  no  refpeiler  of  perfons ;  but  in  every 
 "  nation  he  that  feareth  him,  and  worketh  right- 
 "  eoufnefs  is  accepted  of  him."  Which  declaration 
 is  a  fliort,  but  full  confutation  of  all  your  tenets. 
 
 The  judicious  Hooker  fpeaks  the  fame  lan- 
 guage—  "  *  Adual  righteoufnefs,  fays  he,  which  is 
 "  the  righteoufnefs  of  good  works  fucceedeth  all, 
 "  followeth  after  all,  both  in  order  and  time :  which 
 "  being  attentively  marked,  fheweth  plainly  how 
 "  the  faith  of  true  believers  cannot  be  divorced  from 
 "  hope  and  love  ;  how  faith  is  a  part  of  fandtifica- 
 "  tion,  and  yet  unto  juftification  neceffary ;  how 
 "  faith  is  perfedled  by  good  works,  and  not  works 
 *'  of  ours  without  faith  ;  and  finally,  how  our  fa- 
 "  thers  might  hold  that  we  are  juflified  by  faith 
 "  alone,  and  yet  hold  truly  that  without  works  we 
 '*  are  not  juftified.'*  This  likewife  is  the  doflrine 
 both  of  St.  Paul  and  St.  James.  But  for  a  fuller 
 difcuffion  of  this  matter,  I  beg  leave  to  refer  you 
 to  that  excellent  treatife  of  Bifliop  Bully  entitled, 
 Harmonia  Apoftolica.  In  the  conclufion  of  that 
 work,  the  learned  and  pious  author  warns  us  to  be- 
 ware of  four  errors  in  this  article  of  juftification. 
 Firft,  that  of  the  Papifts,  who  afcribe  a  merit  to 
 good  works.    Secondly,  that  of  the  Antinomians, 
 
 a  Difcourfe  on  juftification,  Soft.  21. 
 
 L  who 
 
[       '62       ] 
 
 who  deny  the  neceflity  of  good  works.  Thirdly, 
 that  of  the  Pelagians,  who  deny  the  necefTity  of 
 grace.  Fourthly,  that  of  the  Manicheans,  who 
 deny  all  free-will. 
 
 I  SHALL  clofe  the  whole  with  the  evidence  of 
 Bifhop  Hopkins,  which  pofTibly  may  have  fome 
 weight  with  you,  as  you  have  enlifted  him  under 
 your  banner.     His  fentiments   on  free-will  are 
 
 exprelTed  in  the  following  words "  If  the  devil 
 
 **  could  force  men,  he  would  likewife  juftify  them, 
 "  for  that  can  be  no  fin,  where  there  is  no  liberty  : 
 •'  the  fame  temptation  which  compels  to  any  ac- 
 *'  tion,  would  likewife  make  that  aftion  to  be  no 
 *'  tranfgreffion,  becaufe  laws  are  not  given  but  upon 
 "  fuppofition  of  freedom  •,  and  therefore  whofoever 
 "  fins  upon  a  temptation,  fins  not  merely  becaufe 
 "  he  was  tempted,  but  becaufe  he  would  fin ;  and 
 "  though  the  fin  had  not  been  committed  without 
 "  the  temptation,  yet  the  devil  can  be  no  farther 
 "  chargeable  than  only  becaufe  his  malice  prompts 
 *'  him  to  perfuade  us  :  our  own  wills  are  the  mod 
 "  dangerous  devils,  freely  embracing  the  proffers  of 
 "  Satan,  and  confenting  to  our  own  deftrudtion, 
 "  and  whilft  we  confent  to  that  upon  which  God 
 ♦'  hath  threatened  and  entailed  it :  and  therefore 
 "  when  thou  finneft,  think  not  to  lay  the  fault  upon 
 *'  fatan,  or  his  evil  infl:ruments,  whom  he  makes 
 "  ufe  of  in  tempting  ;  for  though  it  be  their  fault 
 "  and  guilt  to  tempt,  yet  it  is  only  thine  to  yield  ; 
 
 **  and 
 
[     i63    ] 
 
 and  God  will  not  condemn  thee  for  being  tempted, 
 which  thou  coulded  not  help,  but  for  yielding 
 and  confenting,  which  is  thine  own  free  ad:,  and 
 thine  own  fin  alfo  ;  thou,  who  art  drawn  away 
 by  thy  lewd  companions  to  abufe  thyfelf,  and 
 difhonour  thy  body  by  riot  and  luxury,  or  to 
 break  God's  laws  and  man*s  by  theft,  or  !any 
 other  condemned  crimes,  though  thou  haft  a 
 great  deal  of  reafon  to  hate  them,  yet  haft  thou 
 infinitely  more  reafon  to  hate  and  abhor  thyfelf; 
 they  can  but  perfuade,  they  cannot  compel  thee  ; 
 yea,  if  they  lliould  threaten  thee  with  death  it- 
 felf,  unlefs  thou  confenteft,  yet  thou  lieft  under 
 no  force,  but  finneft  freely,  and  upon  very  weak 
 motives  doft  deftroy  and  damn  thy  own  foul, 
 fince  all  motives  inducing  to  fin  muft  be  account- 
 ed weak,  when  God  hath  overbalanced  them  with 
 the  promife  of  everlafting  life,  and  the  threaten- 
 ing of  everlafting  death  :  and  therefore  we  find 
 God  as  juftly  as  frequently  in  fcripture  charging 
 men's  perdition  upon  themfelves,  .and  laying  the 
 blood  of  their  fouls  upon  the  ftubborn  refolved- 
 nefs  of  their  own  wills,  Hofea  13.  9.  O  Ifrael 
 thou  haft  deftroyed  thyfelf.  John  5.  40.  Ye  will 
 not  come  unto  me  that  you  may  have  life.  Matt'. 
 23.  37.  O  Jerufalemy  Jeritfakm,  how  often  would 
 I  have  gathered  you,  as  a  hen  gathereth  her 
 chickens  under  her  wings,  and  you  would  not  ! 
 and  therefore  let  your  temptations  be  what  they 
 will,  yet  the  fin  and  guilt  is  ftill  your  own,  if,  as 
 L  2  "  you 
 
[     i64    ] 
 
 "  you  are  led  into  temptations,  fo  temptations  fead 
 *'  you  into  fin^" 
 
 H I  s  doctrine  of  good  works  is  delivered  in 
 words,  worthy  of  your  ferious  confideration  and 
 application.  In  his  fermon  on  John  7.  19.  —  Did 
 not  Mofes  give  you  the  law,  and  none  of  you  keep- 
 eth  the  law  ?  —  he  thus  exprefles  himfelf^  "  I  hope 
 "  that  what  has  been  fpokcn  of  them  (the  com- 
 "  mandments)  has  not  been  as  water  fpilt  upon  the 
 "  ground,  or  a  found  only  fcattered  and  loft  in  the 
 *'  air ;  for  thefe  things  are  of  infinite  concernment 
 "  to  us  :  the  knowledge  and  pradice  of  them  is  as 
 "  much  worth  as  heaven  and  eternal  life.  And  I 
 "  may  fay  unto  you,  as  Mofes  to  the  Ifraelites,  I 
 "  have  fet  life  and  death  before  you  :  life  if  you 
 "  will  hearken  and  obey,  but  eternal  death  and  de- 
 *'  ftrudion  if  ye  refufe  and  rebel.  Entertain  not  any 
 *'  low  and  debafmg  thoughts  of  the  law  :  think  not 
 "  the  preaching  of  it  unworthy  the  freedom  of  gof- 
 *'  pel  times,  or  of  gofpel  fpirits  :  1  know  that  a 
 "  company  of  fiufh  notionifts,  who  are  very  will- 
 *'  ino-  ro  fliake  off  the  yoke  from  their  necks,  and  to 
 *'  deliver  themfelves  rather  from  the  confcience, 
 "  than  from  the  power  of  fin,  have  clamoured 
 *«  againft  this  way  of  prefllng  duty,  and  enforcing 
 *'  the  authority  of  the  law,  as  legal  preaching; 
 "  and  have  blafphemed  it,  as  contrary  to  that  li- 
 "  berty  which  Chrift  has  purchafed  for  us  ;  and 
 "  much  beneath  the  fpiritual  attainments  of  thofe 
 a  Hopkins  on  the  Lord's  Prayer. 
 
 "  that 
 
[    1^5    ] 
 
 "  that  are  made  perfeft  in  him.  And  I  fear  left 
 *'  fome  of  that  corrupt  leaven  may  ftill  remain  in 
 '*  the  fpirits  of  too  many  who  delight  only  to  hear 
 '*  of  the  riches  of  free  grace,  the  priviledges  of 
 "  faints,  the  all-fufficiency  and  willingnefs  of  Chrift 
 "  to-fave  them,  and  can  melt  themfelves  away  in 
 "  the  very  fweetnefs  and  tendernefs  of  their  fouls 
 "  under  fuch  o-lorious  difcoveries.  But  if  obedience 
 *'  and  good  works  be  preflcd  ;  if  we  preach  to  them 
 "  concerning  righteoufnefs,  temperance  and  juftice, 
 "  and  thofe  moral  duties  of  the  law,  which  refped 
 "  our  deportment  towards  men,  as  well  as  thofe 
 "  which  refpeft  the  worlliip  and  fervice  of  God,  this 
 *'  is  flat  and  infipid  to  thefe  nice  refined  profelTors, 
 "  and  they  arc  ready  with  a  fcornful  pity  to  cenfure 
 *'  it  for  honeil,  moral,  doflrine,  fit  only  for  young 
 "  beginners,  who  are  not  as  yet  come  from  under  • 
 
 "  a  legal  difpenfation. Beware,  my  brethren, 
 
 "  that  you  do  not  thus  vilify  and  difparage  the  holy 
 *'  law  of  God.  For  let  me  tell  you,  this  is  the  rule 
 "  that  he  hath  given  us  to  guide  our  actions,  and 
 "  this  is  the  law  by  which  he  himfelf  will  judge 
 "  them  :  there  is  no  other  way  to  obtain  falvation 
 "  but  only  through  obedience  to  it.  This  lav/  is 
 "  the  very  gate  of  heaven,  and  the  two  tables  are 
 *'  the  two  leaves  of  it.  We  fhall  never  enter  into 
 "  it  but  only  through  thefe,  Rev.  22.  14.  bleflcd 
 "  are  they  that  do  his  commandment  that  they  may 
 "  have  right  unto  the  tree  of  life,  and  may  enter  in 
 "  through  the  gates  into  the  city.  Although  our 
 "•falvation  be  the  purchafe  of  Chrifl:,  and  he  alone 
 
 L  2  "hath 
 
[    i66    ] 
 
 "  hath  redeemed  us  from  death,  and  procured  for 
 "  us  glory  and  immortaHty  by  his  own  mod  pre- 
 "  cious  blood,  yet  here  the  fcripture  affirms,  that 
 "  we  obtain  a  right  unto  the  tree  of  life ;  i.  e.  to 
 *' everlafting  hfe,  by  our  obedience,  and  doing  the 
 *'  commands  of  God.    A  right,  not  indeed  of  me- 
 '*  rit,  but  a  right  of  evidence  ;    our  obedience  to 
 "  the  law  is  the  only  found  evidence  that  we  can 
 "  have  for  our  right  to  the  promifes  of  the  gofpel  j 
 "  and  without  an  univerfal  obedience  in  the  whole 
 *'  courfe  of  our  lives,  all  our  joys  and  comforts  and 
 *'  confident  expedations  of  heaven  and  happinefs 
 "  are   but  fplendid    delufions,    and   enthufiaftical 
 "  dreams,  by  which  men  of  loofe  principles  and 
 **  practices  feek  to  unite  together  two  things  which 
 *'  God  hath  put  at  an  irreconcilable  diftance ;  that 
 "  is  to  fay,  an  unholy  life  here,  and  an  happy  life 
 "  hereafter.    And  if  to  prefs  this  great  truth  upon 
 "  the  confcience,  and  to  infift  on  the  neceffity  of 
 "  new  obedience,  and  repentance  from  dead  works, 
 "  as  well  as  faith  in  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrill,  be  legal 
 "  preaching,  let  mine  be  ever  fo  accounted.     But 
 "  indeed  this  is  fo  far  from  being  a  legal  dodlrine, 
 "  that  it  is  one  of  the  greateft  and  moft  precious 
 "  truths  that  the  gofpel  exhibits.     To  preach  of 
 "  juftification  by  the  law  as  a  covenant  is  legal,  and 
 *'  makes  void  the  death  and  merits  of  Jefus  Chrift. 
 *^  But  to  preach  obedience  to  the  law  as  a  rule  is 
 "  evangelical ;   and  it  favours  as  much  of  a  new- 
 "  teltament  fpirit  ( as  they  phrafe  it)  to  urge  the 
 
 "  com- 
 
[    167    ] 
 
 •*  commands  of  the  law,  as  to  difplay  the  promllcs 
 *'  of  the  gofpel." 
 
 I  HAVE  now  gone  through  the  feveral  points  of 
 dodlrine,  which  you  have  with  greater  confidence 
 than  truth  pronounced  to  be  the  '  very  fundamen- 
 tal avowed  dodlrines  of  the  Church  of  England; 
 but  which  may  now  pofllbly  appear  in  a  different 
 light  even  to  you,  or  at  leall  to  others,  who  might 
 have  been  deceived  by  the  falfe  gloffes  by  which 
 you  difguifed  them. 
 
 Indeed  you  are  fometimes  obh'ged,  in  fpite  of 
 your  principles,  to  fpeak  the  language  of  common 
 fenfe,  when  your  caufe  requires  it.  When  you  in- 
 veigh with  great  indecency  of  cxprefTion  againft 
 "  thofe  fubtle  ferpents  ^  who  lurk  within  the  bofom 
 "  of  the  Church  only  to  prey  upon  her  vitals,  and 
 "  who  for  the  fake  of  filthy  lucre  carry  on  a  folemn 
 "  farce  of  fubfcribing  to  articles,  which  many  of 
 "  the  fubfcribers  no  more  believe  than  they  do 
 "  mother  Goofe's  tales'*  &c.  You  tell  us  "  <^  that 
 "  this  impious  jefuitical  equivocation,    without 
 
 **  SPEEDY  REPENTANCE,  MUST  DRAW  DOWN  THE 
 "  VENGEANCE  OF  A  LONG-SUFFERING    GoD     UPON 
 
 "  OUR  LAND."  Thefe  words,  if  they  have  any 
 meaning,  imply  that  even  thefe  fubtle  ferpents, 
 who  prey  upon  the  vitals  of  the  Church  ;  who 
 would  overthrow  her  very  foundation ;  who  are 
 guilty  of  the  moft  horrid  mockery,  and  impious 
 
 a  P.  21.  b  P.  73.  c  P.  74.  _ 
 
 jefuitical 
 
[     i68     ] 
 
 jefuitical  equivocation,  may  yet,  if  they  will,  re- 
 pent ;  and  by  a  fpeedy  repentance  avert  the  juft 
 vengeance  of  God,  whom  you  yourfelf  reprefent  as 
 LONG-SUFFERING,  /.  6.  forbearing  punifhment  in 
 hopes  of  amendment,  being  not  willing  that  any 
 fhould  perifh,  but  that  all  fhould  repent,  and  be 
 faved.  But  how  is  this  confiflent  with  your  doc- 
 trine of  abfolute  decrees,  denial  of  free-will,  and 
 univerfal  grace  offered  to  all,  who  will  lay  hold 
 of  it  ?  &c. 
 
 But  if  we  are  guilty  of  horrid  mockery,  and 
 impious  jefuitical  equivocation,  becaufe  we  fub- 
 fcribe  to  the  17th  article  in  a  fenfe  different  from 
 what  you  are  pleafed  to  impofe  on  it,  what  mull  be 
 the  guilt  of  THOSE,  who,  while  they  fubfcribe  to 
 the  15th  and  31ft  articles,  which  fet  forth  in  the 
 flrongefl  terms  the  fatisfaclion  made  by  Chrift  to 
 be  "  for  ALL  the  fms  of  the  whole  world  j"  to 
 the  1 6th,  which  declares  that  "  after  we  have  re- 
 "  ceived  the  Holy  Ghoft,  we  may  depart  from 
 *' grace  given;"  and  to  the  23d,  which  declares 
 that  "  it  is  not  lawful  for  any  man  to  take  upon 
 *'  him  the  office  of  preaching,  before  he  be  law- 
 *'  fully  called  by  men,  who  have  public  authority 
 "  to  fend  minifters  into  the  Lord's  vineyard  ;"  yet 
 openly  affert  that  Chrift  did  not  die  for  all  men  j 
 that  once  a  child  of  God,  always  a  child  of  God  ; 
 that  it  is  impoffible  to  fall  from  grace ;  and  take 
 upon  them  to  preach  publicly,  being  authorized 
 only  by  their  own  prefumption  and  felf-fufficiency  ? 
 
 But 
 
[    i69    ] 
 
 But  I  beg  pardon  •,  the  elect,  who  maintain  thefe 
 pofitions,  and  countenance  thefe  practices  in  diredt 
 violation  of  the  articles  they  fubfcribe  to,  can- 
 not be  guilty  of  any  thing  horrid,  impious,  or 
 jefuitical. 
 
 To  the  fame  caufe  I  mufl;  attribute  another  in- 
 ftance  of  your  partiahty  and  prevarication.  Ha- 
 ving in  page  72.  and  'j'^.  of  your  firfl  edition  col- 
 le<5ted  and  fummed  up  the  whole  force  of  your 
 arguments  in  favour  of  eledlion,  perfeverance,  jut 
 tification  by  faith  alone,  afTurance  of  falvation  &c. 
 and  reprefented  the  contrary  dodlrines  as  "  the 
 "  avowed  tenets  of  the  church  of  Rome^  which 
 "  were  abhorred  by  our  firil  reformers  as  being 
 
 *'    DOCTRINES     OF    DEVILS,    and    LIMBS    OF     ANTI- 
 
 "  CHRIST,  which  caufcd  the  chafte  fpoufe  of 
 *'  Chriil  to  feparate  from  the  Babylonilh  whore" 
 you  cry  out  — "  From  whence  are  we  fallen  ? 
 "  and  how  juftly  may  we  be  alarmed  at  the  great 
 "  increafe  of  popery  in  our  land  ?"  and  clofe  the 
 whole  with  this  tremendous  exclamation — "  Alas! 
 "  the  dodlrine'  of  tranfubftantiation  is  an  harmlefs 
 "  error,  compared  with  that  which  would  make 
 *'  the  almighty  fpirit  of  God  dependent  on  the  will 
 ♦'  of  the  fallen  creature."  You  perfift  in  the  fame 
 fentiments  in  your  2d  edition,  and  pronounce  the 
 fame  anathema  againft  thofe  fubtle  ferpents,  who 
 hold  thefe  doftrines.  And  yet  notwithftanding  all 
 this,  in  a  note  (p.  82.  2d  edition)  addrefled,  I  fup- 
 pofe,  to  fqme  particular  friends,  who  countenance 
 
 your 
 
[    170    ] 
 
 your  irregular  pra6tices  of  lay-preaching  Sec.  and 
 join  with  you  in  abufing  the  clergy ;  whom  there- 
 fore *'  ^  you  look  upon  to  be  partakers  of  that 
 "  dealing  love,  which  in  words  they  deny  ;**  you 
 tell  them  "  I  would  not  be  underftood  to  intimate 
 *'  that  believing  the  dodrines  of  perfonal  eledlion 
 **  and  final  perfeverance  is  eflential  to  falvation  ; 
 **  being  well  aflured  that  there  and  have  been, 
 "  many  eminent  Chrillians,  who  hold  univerfal 
 *'  redemption,  and  falling  from  grace,"  and  en- 
 deavour to  footh  thofe  gentlemen  by  informing 
 them  that  the  words  which  feem  to  bear  fo  hard 
 upon  thofe  who  deny  eledion  and  perfeverance  are 
 NOT  YOUR  OWN  — what  a  ^  puritanical  evafion  is 
 this?  In  your  defence  of  fovereign  grace,  you  go 
 ftill  farther,  and  reprcfent  this  as  a  - "  ^  contro- 
 ''  verfy  about  a  point  no  ways  necelTary  to  falva- 
 "  tion.'* — Pray,  fir,  what  can  all  this  mean  ?  The 
 fame  tenets,  it  feems,  are  dodrines  of  devils  in 
 us,  and  quite  harmlefs  in  them  ;  we  are  "  the  bit- 
 *'  terefl:  enemies  of  true  godlinefs,  and  limbs  of 
 "  anti  -chrift,"  but  they  are  "  real  followers  and 
 "  difciples  of  the  faii.e  bleffed  mailer."  We  are 
 apoftates  for  differing  from  you  on  thefe  points, 
 and  Ihall  be  damned  with  unquenchable  fire  :  they 
 may  hold  what  they  pleafe  with  a  fafe  confcience, 
 being  partakers  of  that  elefting  love,  which  in 
 words  they  deny. 
 
 a  Defence  of  fovereign  Grace,  p,   39.  b  Ibid.  p.  4. 
 
 c  Ibid.   p.    3. 
 
 Another 
 
t    '71    3 
 
 Another  point  yet  remains,  which  you  have  the 
 afTurance  to  tell  the  world  was  an  article  of  accufa- 
 tion  againfl:  thefe  fix  Students,  viz.  "  ^  that  they 
 "  hold  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  necefTary 
 *'  to  conftitute  every  one  a  child  of  God."  I  have 
 already  confuted  the  bafe  calumny,  which  was  fug- 
 gefted  to  you,  not  by  the  fpirit  of  truth,  but  by  the 
 father  of  lies :  You  cannot  but  know  that  we  all 
 hold  the  neceflity  of  grace,  and  of  the  afiiftance  of 
 the  Holy  Spirit,  and  teach,  that  without  this  aflift- 
 ance  we  can  do  no  good  thing.  Moft  of  us  have 
 not  only  offered  thefe  petitions  for  the  infpiration 
 and  comfort  of  the  Holy  Gholt  in  the  ^  delk,  but 
 from  the  Univerfity  pulpit  alfo ,  and  I  may  chal- 
 lenge you  to  produce  an  inftance,  during  the  whole 
 time  of  your  refidence  in  the  Univerfity,  of  one, 
 who  dared  to  affert  before  that  learned  and  religi- 
 ous body  "  *^  that  it  is  a  proof  of  frenzy  and  enthu- 
 "  fiafm  to  believe  God  will  vouchfafe  an  anfwer 
 "  to  them."  But  while  we  pray  for  the  Spirit,  and 
 teach  others  to  live  under  his  holy  influence,  we 
 difliinguilh  between  the  extraordinary  infpiration 
 which  was  conferred  on  the  Apoftles  and  firfl 
 Chriftians,  and  the  ordinary  grace  of  the  fame 
 Spirit,  which  was  vouchfafed  to  them,  and  is  fl:ill 
 to  all  good  Chriftians  in  general,  to  enable  them 
 to  work  out  their  falvation.  Which  is  it  then, 
 which  you  and  your  difciples  claim  ?  If  only  the 
 latter  j  what  folly,  what  prefumption  is  it  to  com- 
 
 a  P.  63.  b  P.  66.  c  Ibid. 
 
 pare 
 
[      172      J 
 
 pare  the  cafe  of  thefe  young  men  with  that  of  the 
 Apoftles  and  our  bleffed  Saviour  himfelf  ?  I  won- 
 der not  at  all  at  Mr.  JVhitefield,  but  ftand  amazed  to 
 find  "  ^  a  Mafter  of  Arts,  of  near  twenty  years 
 *'  ftanding  in  the  Univerfity"  argue  in  this  manner — - 
 "  Jefus  the  carpenter  was  bred  to  a  trade.'*  Pray, 
 fir,  confider  whom  you  are  fpeaking  of — the  Son 
 of  God  himfelf;  ^who  received  not  the  fpirit  by 
 meafure :  '^  and  in  whom  dwelleth  all  the  fullnefs  of 
 the  Godhead  —  Luke  the  phyfician  and  ^  painter, 
 Matthew  the  publican,  Paul  the  tent-maker" — Per- 
 fons  immediately  commiflioned  and  infpired  by 
 God  —  were  mofl,  if  not  all  of  them,  bred  to  trades 
 —  therefore  any  man  may  now,  without  any  fuch 
 extraordinary  commifTion  or  infpiration,  leap  from 
 the  fhop-board  into  the  pulpit  —  "They  were  moft 
 "  of  them  deficient  in  the  learned  languages" — No, 
 they  were  not ;  they  had  the  gift  of  tongues  to 
 fupply  the  want  of  education,  they  fpoke  all  the 
 languages  of  the  known  ^  world.  Will  thefe  men 
 pretend  to  have  the  fame  gifts  ?  Their  examina- 
 tion proved  they  had  not. "  They  all  ufed 
 
 extempore  prayer"  —  and  therefore  perfons  igno- 
 rant and  uninfpired  may  now  take  upon  them  to  ut- 
 ter whatever  comes  uppermoft  in  prayer  to  God  Al- 
 mighty, in  the  name  of  the  congregation.  — "  But 
 
 a  P.  16.  b  Joh.  iii.  3^.  c  Col.  ii.  9. 
 
 <d  Of  this  you  have  no  better  proof  than  fome  legendary  wri- 
 tings and  relids  in  popifh  chapels.  Befides,  painting  is  a  libe- 
 ral art,  efpecially  when  united  with  that  of  phyfic.  e  Ada 
 ii.  c,  &c. 
 
 "  St. 
 
[    ^71    ] 
 
 *'  St.  Paul  was  a  notorious  promoter  of  this  kind  of 
 *'  prayer" — not  this  kind  ;  in  St.  Paul's  time  fpiri- 
 tual  gifts  abounded  in  the  Church ;  many  Chrif- 
 cians  then  prayed  and  fang  with  the  fpirit :  ^  Sc 
 Paul  direds  them  how  they  fliould  ufe  thefe  gifts 
 to  the  edification  of  the  Church ;  but  this  can  give 
 no  pretence  or  encouragement  to  ignorant  perfons, 
 to  pour  forth  extempore  prayer  in  the  congregation 
 without  either  fpirit  or  underftanding. 
 
 I F  thefe  perfons,  who  have  unhappily  fallen  un- 
 der our  cenfure,  claimed  only  the  ordinary  grace 
 and  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  how  came  they 
 to  think  themfelves  authorized  or  qualified  to 
 preach  or  expound,  as  they  call  it,  and  to  ofi^er  up 
 prayers  of  their  own  in  a  mix'd  congregation  ?  The 
 ordinary  grace  of  the  fpirit  gives  men  no  new  fa- 
 culties :  it  only  aflifts  and  profpers  us  in  the  ufe  of 
 natural  means,  and  in  the  exercife  of  our  ^  natural 
 
 a  I  Cor.  xiv. 
 
 b  You  defire  me  to  explain  what  I  mean  by  our  natural  abi- 
 lities ;  probably  you  will  be  better  pleafed  with  an  explanation 
 in  the  words  of  Archbifhop  Grindal.,  taken  from  that  letter,  to 
 which  you  have  on  another  occafion  appealed  — **  This  gift  of 
 *•  expounding  and  interpreting  the  fcriptures  was  in  St.  Paul's 
 "  TIME  given  to  many  by  fpccial  miracle  without  ftudy  ;  fo 
 "  was  alfo,  by  like  miracle  the  gift  to  fpcak  with  ftrange  tongues, 
 "  which  they  had  never  learned.  But  now,  miracles  ccafing, 
 **  men  muft  attain  to  the  Hebrew,  Greek,  and  Latin  tongues 
 **  &c.  by  travel  and  ftudy,  God  giving  the  increafe ;  fo  muH 
 *'  men  alfo  attain  by  like  means  to  the  gift  of  expounding  and  in- 
 **  terpreting   the   fcriptures."    Archbifliop   CrindaPi   letter  in 
 
 Strypft 
 
[     174    ] 
 
 or  acquired  abilities.    How  then  could  thefe  men 
 without  education,  and  without  knowledge,  totally 
 deficient  in  every  part  of  learning,  take  upon  them- 
 felves  thefe  offices,  which  a  long  and  laborious  courfc 
 of  education  and  ftudy  is  generally  thought  necef- 
 fary  to  qualify  men  for  ?  Prayer  in  particular  is  a 
 ferious  and  important  duty  —  "  ^  Be  not  rafh  with 
 *'  thy  mouth,  faith  the  preacher,  and  let  not  thine 
 *'  heart  be  hafty  to  utter  any  thing  before  God  ; 
 *'  for  God  is   in  heaven  and  thou  upon  earth/* 
 When  we  come  before  the  great  Majefty  of  heaven, 
 even  in  private  prayer,  we  fhould  do  well  to  con- 
 fider  before  hand  both  the  matter  and  form  of  what 
 we  have  to  offer  •,    and  take  particular  care  that  we 
 offer  nothing   unlawful,    indecent,    or   improper. 
 Much  lefs  can  prayers  be  made  in  a  public  congre* 
 gation  with  any  propriety  or  decency,  without  a 
 pre-compofed  and  well  digefted  form.     If  perfons 
 uninfpired  and  untaught,  without  knowledge,    or 
 premeditation,  take  upon  them  to  be  the  mouth  of 
 the  congregation,  and  in  their  name  offer  up  their 
 own  crude  conceptions  to  the  great  God  of  heaven, 
 to  call  this  the  facrifice  of  fools,  is  a  very  mild  ap- 
 pellation.   The  Church  of  England  has  fufficiently 
 teftified  her  difapprobation  of  extempore  prayer  by 
 appointing  a  liturgy  or  form  of  public  prayer,  and 
 requiring  all  her  minifters  to  ufe  this  form,  and  none 
 other :    to  put  up  therefore  fuch  extempore  prayers 
 
 Strype's  appendix,  p.  8i.  —  Had  I  feen  this  paflage  before  I  had 
 written  my  book,  I  could  not  have  more  aptly  exprefled  the  fen- 
 timents  of  the  Archbilhop.  a  Eccles.  v,  2. 
 
 in 
 
t    '75    ] 
 
 in  mixed  congregations  or  conventicles,  wherever 
 they  are  held,  is  to  ad  contrary  to  the  dodlrine  and 
 difcipHne  of  the  Church  of  England.  And  accord- 
 ingly our  divines  have  conftantly  maintained  and 
 defended  the  necefllty  and  expediency  of  public 
 forms  of  prayer,  and  (hewn  the  abfurdity  and  in- 
 decency of  the  ufage  of  extempore  prayers,  againft 
 the  puritans  and  difTenters,  whofe  pradlice  and  lan- 
 guage ( notwithflanding  the  high  veneration  you 
 profefs  for  the  dotflrine  and  difcipline  of  the  efta- 
 biiftied  Church)  you  and  your  friends  adopt.  The 
 enthufiafts  in  the  laft  century,  who  overthrew  our 
 conftitution  both  in  Church  and  State,  talked  of  fit- 
 ting down,  and  waiting  for  the  fpirit,  bragged  of 
 the  influences  of  the  fpirit,  and  particularly  of  the 
 gift  of  prayer,  they  fpoke  difrepedfully  of  our  li- 
 turgy, and  fo  it  appeared  on  the  examination 
 that  fome  of  thefe  gentlemen  had  done ;  they 
 condemned  all  public  forms  of  prayer,  and  called 
 it  (tinting  and  limiting  the  fpirit :  and  they  alfo 
 pleaded  the  example  of  Chrifl  and  his  Apoftles  . 
 but  I  don't  remember  that  any  of  them  ever 
 urged  the  example  of  "  ^  the  poor,  old,  blind 
 "  beggar,  Barlimeus.'* 
 
 I  MIGHT  purfue  you  through  every  article  of 
 your  comparifon,  and  expofe  the  abfurdity  (I  had 
 almoft  faid  ''  blafphcmy)  of  it,  v/ere  I  not  fenfible 
 that  the  ludicrous  manner  in    which    you    have 
 
 a  P.  70.  b  I  know  not  whether  expofing  the  charadtcr  of 
 
 our  Saviour  and  his  Apoftles  to  ridicule  and  contempt  be  not  a  more 
 horrid  fpecles  of  blafphcmy  than  even  that  charged  upon  Mr.  W. 
 
 treated 
 
[    176    ] 
 
 treated   thofe  facred   charaflers   cannot    even  be 
 thought  of  without  abhorrence. 
 
 'O' 
 
 I  SHALL  take  notke  of  one  point  more,  which 
 you  have  touched  on,  and  that  is  the  doctrine 
 OF  ASSURANCE,  whcrcby  the  children  of  God  are 
 faid  to  be  aflured  of  their  falvation.  You  are 
 pleafed  to  fay  *'  ^  that  the  denial  of  this  afTurance, 
 "  except  by  revelation,  is  the  very  doilrine  of  the 
 "  Council  of  Trent,  and  a  main  pillar  of  popery. 
 If  the  Council  of  Trent  denied  this  doftrine  of  af- 
 furance,  fo  did  it  alfo  the  errors  of  Arius  and 
 Socinus ;  and  you  may  as  well  call  the  denial  of  the 
 one  a  main  pillar  of  popery,  as  of  the  other.  For 
 though  both  thefe  dodlrines  are,  I  fear,  held  by 
 fome  Proteftants,  yet  are  they  contrary  to  the 
 dodrine  of  our  Church.  Our  articles  hold  that 
 men  may  fall  from  grace,  and  therefore  no  man 
 can  be  infallibly  fure  of  his  perfeverance.  Our 
 iirft  reformers,  as  we  have  feen,  ^  held,  that  nei- 
 ther fcripture,  nor  the  writings  of  the  fathers  teach 
 any  fuch  knowledge  or  certainty. 
 
 You  have  favoured  us  with  no  proof  of  this 
 your  doctrine  of  perfeverance,  I  fhall  therefore 
 content  myfelf  at  prefent  with  referring  you  to 
 Dr  Randolph^  *^  fermon  on  Rom.  viii.i6.  lately  pub- 
 
 a  P.  32.  b  8r. 
 
 c  Had  you  read  the  above  fermon  you  would  not  have  treated 
 it  with  contempt,  but  you  have  the  art  of  confuting,  as  well  as 
 quoting,  books  which  you  have  never  feen, 
 
 lifhed. 
 
[    ^77    ] 
 
 lilhed.  Our  Margaret  ProfefTor  hath  there  fliewn, 
 that  to  do  the  works  of  God  is  the  only  mark 
 of  being  God's  children ;  that  we  can  have  no  af- 
 furance  of  being  fuch,  but  from  the  teftimony 
 of  our  confciences,  joined  to  that  of  the  Holy 
 Spirit :  that  as  to  the  perfeverance,  it  muft  depend 
 on  our  own  free  choice,  and  therefore  we  can 
 have  no  infaUible  afTurance  of  it ;  and  that  the 
 do6trine  of  fuch  afTurance  is  a  falfe  and  dangerous 
 delufion.  The  fame  do6trine  has  been  deUvered  by 
 Bp  Sherlock,  almoft  in  the  fame  words  with  thofe 
 of  the  firft  reformers  in  their  chapter  on  faith  \ 
 which  is  worthy  the  ferious  confideration  of  all 
 them,  who  talk  fo  vainly  and  boaft  fo  confidently 
 of  their  falvation.  "  Truthe  it  is,  fay  they, 
 "  that  in  the  facramentes  inllituted  by  Chrift,  we 
 *'  may  conftantly  beleve  the  workes  of  God  in 
 "  them  to  our  prefente  comfortc,  and  application 
 "  of  his  grace  and  favour,  with  afluraunce  alfo, 
 "  thut  he  will  not  fayle  us,  if  we  falle  not  from 
 "  hym.  Wherefore  fo  contynuingc  in  the  Itate  of 
 "  grace  with  hym,  we  may  beleve  undoubtedly  to 
 "  be  faved.  But  for  as  moche  as  oure  owne 
 "  frayltie  and  noughtineffe  ought  ever  to  be  feared 
 "  in  us,  it  is  therefore  cxpediente  for  us  to  lyve 
 "  in  contynuall  watche,  and  contynuall  fight  with 
 *'  our  ennemyes,  the  dyvell,  the  flefhe,  and  the 
 "  worlde,  and  not  to  prefume  to  moche  of  oure 
 "  perfeveraunce  &  contynuance  in  the    ftate    of 
 
 a  See  "  a  neceflary  dodlrine  and   erudition  for   any  Chriften 
 '*  man.  Page  3.  / 
 
 M  «  grace 
 
[  178  ] 
 
 "  of  grace,  whiche  on  our  behalf  is  unccrtayne  and 
 "  unftable.  For  although  Goddis  promyfes  made 
 "  in  Chrift  be  immutable,  yet  he  maketh  them 
 "  not  to  us,  but  with  condition,  lb  that  his  pro- 
 "  myfe  ftandinge,  we  may  yet  fayle  of  the  pro- 
 "  myfe,  bycaule  we  kepe  not  our  promyfe.  And 
 "  therefore  yf  we  alTuredly  reckon  upon  the  ftate 
 "  of  our  felicitie,  as  grounded  upon  Goddis  pro- 
 "  myle,  and  do  not  therewith  remembre,  that  no 
 "  man  fhal  be  crowned,  onlefle  he  lawfully  fyght, 
 "  we  fhall  triumphe  before  the  vyftorye,  and  fo 
 "  loke  in  vayne  for  that,  whiche  is  not  otherwife 
 *'  promifed,  but  under  a  condition.  And  this 
 *'  every  chriften  man  muft  afTuredlye  beleve."  We 
 muft  therefore  ^  prove  our  own  felves,  and  examine 
 into  our  own  lives  and  converfations,  and  if,  ^  on 
 an  impartial,  enquiry,  our  hearts  condemn  us  not, 
 then  have  we  confidence  towards  God.  You,  fir, 
 I  fuppofe,  are  pofieffed,  or  imagine  yourfelf  pof- 
 felTed,  of  this  affurance,  and  are  confident  that  you 
 are  one  of  the  eledl  people  of  God,  one  of  his 
 
 children,  his  flieep But  this  is  not  the  bleating 
 
 of  fheep,  which  we  hear.  Let  me  alk  you  fe- 
 riouHy,  whether,  to  throw  out  perfonal  abufe,  '^  to 
 rip  up  private  characters,  to  revive  old  ftories, 
 many  of  them  falfe,  all  of  them  mifreprefented,  of 
 fuppofed  abufes  and  want  of  difcipline,  thirty  or 
 fortv  years  ago  ;  to  ufe  bitter  and  opprobrious  lan- 
 guage, to  call  thofe  who  differ  from  you  a  a  pef- 
 
 a  2  Cor.  xiii.  5.  b  i  Joh.  iii.  21.  c  P.  6,   ig, 
 
 21,  79-  ^  P-  33.  ., 
 
 tilenc 
 
[     179    1 
 
 lilent,  feditious  fed,  holdiag  pride-foothing  do(> 
 trines,  ^  dodlrines  of  devils  i  ^  dangerous  heretics 
 and  fcifmatics,  incendiaries  in  the  Church  j  to  caft 
 general  reflexions  on  the  molt  rcfpecftable  mem- 
 bers of  the  Univerfity,  where  there  are  ^  many 
 great  dignified  divines,  who  are  feen  napping  at 
 the  Univerfity  church  moft  Sundays  throughout 
 the  year,  and  cannot  find  time  to  leave  the  com- 
 mon room,  and  attend  the  evening  prayers  at  cha- 
 pel ;  and  on  the  clergy,  ^  many  of  whom  fpend 
 their  time  in  idlenefs  and  fenfual  indulgence,  and 
 carry  ^  on  a  folemn  farce  of  fubfcribing  to  articles, 
 which  they  no   more   believe  than  they  do  mother 
 
 Goofe's  tales. Let  me  afk  you,  whether  fuch 
 
 language  as  this  is  confident  with  that  charity  and 
 ,  meeknefs,  which  is  the  diftinguifliing  character  of 
 Chrift's  difciples.  ^  You  feem  indeed  fenfible  that 
 you  have  declared  your  fentiments  too  plainly  : 
 and  therefore  would  vindicate  yourfelf  by  the  ex- 
 ample of  our  bleflied  Saviour,  and  Martin  Luther, 
 As  to  Luther^  let  me  defire  you  to  imitate  his 
 many  good  qualities,  and  not  his  failings.  He 
 has  been  cenfured  as  guilty  of  too  great  heat  and 
 acrimony  in  fome  of  his  exprefllons  ;  but  when  you 
 honoured  him  with  the  title  of  the  couragious 
 
 CHAMPION  OF  THE   REFORMATION,    yOU  had  furcl/ 
 
 forgotten  that  he  comes  under  the  fame  condem- 
 nation with  us,  '*•  of  holding  the  dodlrines  of 
 *'  free-will,  and  univerfal  redemption,  the  avowed 
 
 a  P.  52.  b  P.  69.  c  P.  71.  d  P.  67. 
 
 c  P.  74.  f  Ibid. 
 
 M  2  "  dodrines 
 
[     i8o    ] 
 
 '^  dodrines  of  the  Church  of  Rome^  compared  with 
 *'  which  tranfiibftantiation  is  an  harmlefs  error.'* 
 
 How  will  you  reconcile  thefe  inconfiftencies  ? 
 
 But  I  am  very  forry  you  fliould  fhelter  yourfelf 
 under  the  authority  of  our  bjefled  Saviour.  When 
 you  can  (hew  that  we  are  all  of  us  "  the  bittereft 
 "enemies  of  true  godlinefs,"  or  that  you  have  the 
 fame  authority,  as  our  Saviour,  and  the  fame 
 knowledge  of  the  heart,  then  we  will  give  you 
 leave,  if  you  find  reafon,  to  call  us  fcribes,  and 
 Pharifees,  hypocrites.  As  you  cannot  do  this,  we 
 muft  befeech  you  rather  to  learn  from  our  bleffed 
 Saviour  ^  meeknefs,  and  lowlinefs  of  heart ;  and 
 to  '^  put  away  from  you  all  bitternefs,  and  wrath, 
 and  anger,  and  clamour,  and  evil-fpeaking  with 
 all  malice. 
 
 When  you  complained  fo  bitterly  of  perfecu- 
 tion,  and  compared  the  proceedings  againft  thefe 
 young  men  to  thofe  of  the  ftar-chamber,  and  high 
 commifTion-court,  you  fhould  have  confidered  how 
 you  could  acquit  yourfelf,  and  your  friends,  of 
 the  fame  charge.  Who  perfecuted  Barrett,  and 
 others,  and  v/ould  fain  have  impofed  the  Lambeth 
 articles  upon  them  ?  the  Calvinifts  at  Cambridge, 
 whofe  caiife  you  efpoufe  and  defend.  Who  framed 
 the  horrible  decrees  of  the  fynod  of  Dort,  and 
 deprived  the  remonftrants  of  all  ecclesiasti- 
 cal    FUNCTIONS,     AND     ALL     OFFICES      IN      ANY 
 
 University:  drove  the  learned  Gr^//«J  into  ba- 
 ■    a  Mati.  ix.  29.  b  Eph.  iv.  31. 
 
 nifliment. 
 
[     i8i     ] 
 
 niftiment,  and  made  him  fly  for  his  life  ?  Your 
 friends  the  Calvinifts,  whofe  proceedings  you  »  men- 
 tion with  approbation.  Who  perfecuted,  nay,  hor- 
 ribly executed  the  Quakers  ?  The  good  Calvinifts 
 of  New  England'^.  And  may  we  not  add,  that  the 
 fame  fpirit  of  perfecution  ftill  continues  among 
 them ;  fmce  they  will  not  fufFer  a  Bifliop  of  the 
 Church  of  EnglaM  to  fet  foot  there,  for  the  dif- 
 charge  of  an  office  purely  fpiritual,  and  without 
 any  pretenfions  to  temporal  jurifdidion  ?  Your 
 friend  Mr.  JVhitefield  in  his  letter  to  the  Vice-Chan- 
 cellor feems  willing  to  encourage  this  fpirit  of  his 
 Calvinian  friends,  and  invidiouQy  calls  the  Bifhops 
 deftined  for  America,  Lords  Bifhops.  Nay  c  you 
 yourfelf  would  impofe  your  own  fenfe  of  the  articles 
 on  us,  and  would  fentence  all  thofe  who  deny  your 
 dcxflrines  to  be  rejedled  as  heretics,  excommunica- 
 ted, and  expelled  the  Univerfity,  and  you  urge  th^ 
 execution  of  that  fentence  itfo  fa5io  in  the  true  fpi- 
 rit of  your  admired  author  Mr.  Prynne,  with  an  — ■ 
 "  Alas !  —  Quid  leges  fine  moribus  vanae  profi- 
 "  ciunt  ?"  though  indeed  you  tremble  for  the 
 confequences  •,  and  are  afraid  our  colleges  would 
 be  in  danger  of  an  utter  defertion,  and  an  almoft 
 general  expulfion  enfue.  What  right  then  have 
 you  to  complain,  were  we  even  to  do  by  you,  as 
 you  would  do  by  us  ?  We  have  deprived  thefe  men 
 of  no  prefcrmicnt,  or  emolument.     Nor  fliould  we 
 
 a  P.  57.  b  See  the  firft  Letter  to   the  Author  of  the 
 
 Confcflional,  p.  43.  c  P.  66. 
 
 M  3  have 
 
[     i82    ] 
 
 have  done  thus  much,  or  even  enquired  what  their 
 tenets  were  with  regard  to  thefe  points,  if  they 
 had  not  been  charged  with  other  matters,  for  which 
 they  ought  to  have  been  removed  from  a  fociety 
 devoted  to  true  religion,  and  learning  •,  viz.  fre- 
 quenting, and  holding  conventicles,  infufHciency, 
 ignorance,  mifbehaviour  to  their  tutor  i^c. 
 
 And  here  it  will  be  neceflary  to  obviate  an  ob- 
 jedion,  which  you  have  magnified  in  fuch  a  manner 
 as  to  lead  fome  of  your  readers  to  conclud*e  that 
 thefe  men  were  expelled  for  holding  fuch  do6lrines, 
 as  are  at  leaft  difputable,  and  about  which  I  have 
 confefTed  that  wife  and  good  men  have  differed. 
 Was  this  the  real  cafe,  I  confefs  you  would  have 
 reafon  to  complain,  and  the  world  might  juftly 
 think  the  fentence  not  only  fevere,  but  illegal  and 
 arbitrary.  Let  me  then  again  repeat,  what  I  have 
 before  declared,  that  the  legal  or  ftatutable  caufe  of 
 their  expulfion  was  their  having  attended  illi- 
 cit CONVENTICLES,  PROHIBITED  BY  THE  STA- 
 TUTES OF  THE  UNIVERSITY.  Moft  of  them  had 
 indeed  aggravated  this  crime,  by  afiuming  to  them- 
 felves  the  character  of  preachers  in  fuch  illicit  con- 
 venticles, and  one  of  them  had  dared  even  to  of- 
 ficiate as  a  clergyman  in  a  parifh  church.  A  far- 
 ther aggravation  of  this  crime  was  that  they  were 
 moft  of  them  illiterate  mechanics,  who  had  intru- 
 ded themfelves  into  the  univerfity,  for  which  they 
 were  neither  defigned  nor  qualified"-,  and  what  ftill 
 added  to  the  propriety  and  expediency  of  putting 
 
 the 
 
[     183     ] 
 
 the  ftatute  in  force  againft  them  was  their  notorious 
 connexion  with  the  methodifts,  both  in  principles 
 and  pradtice ;  and  in  this  view  their  tenets  were  con- 
 fidered,  together  with  the  very  indecent  manner  in 
 which  they  broached  them  before  their  tutor  •,  who 
 had  reafon  to  complain  of  them  as  Archbiihop 
 Whitgift  did,  "  of  thofe  new  fangled  and  fa6tious 
 "  fedtaries,  whofe  endeavour  is  to  make  divifions 
 "  wherever  they  come."  And  truly,  to  ufe  the 
 \¥ords  of  the  fame  prelate,  "  ^  how  fhall  the  peace  or 
 "  fafcty  of  the  Church  (or  Univerfity)  be  procured, 
 "  if  a  few  perfons,  fo  meanly  qualified,  fhould  be 
 *'  countenanced  againft  the  whole  ftate  of  the  clergy 
 "  of  greateft  account  for  learning,  fteadinefs,  wif- 
 "  dom,  religion  and  honefty  ;  and  open  breakers, 
 "  and  impugners  of  the  laws,  young  in  years,  proud 
 "  in  conceit,  contentious  in  difpofition,  be  main- 
 "  tained  againft  their  fuperiors  and  governors,  feek- 
 "  ing  to  reduce  them  to  order  and  to  obedience  ? 
 *'  Haec  funt  initia  Hasreticorum,  &  ortus  atque  co- 
 "  natus  fchifmaticorum  male  cogitantium,  ut  fibi 
 "  placeant,  ut  praepofitum  fuperbo  tumore  con- 
 "  temnant  :  fic  de  ecclefia  receditur,  fic  altare  pro- 
 "  phanum  foris  colocatur ;  fic  contra  pacem  Chrifti, 
 "  &  ordinationem  atque  unitatem  Dei  rebellatur. 
 Cyprian  Epift.  Lib.  3.  —  Such  was  the  expoftula- 
 tion  of  Whitgift  on  a  like  occafion,  who  adds  far- 
 ther, ( in  his  letter  to  the  lord  treafurer,  vindicating 
 his  proceedings  againft  thofe  fedaries)  "  b  my  ene- 
 
 a  Ztrppe  Appendix,  book  ill.  Numb  x. 
 b  Ibid.  Numb.  xi. 
 
 "  mies. 
 
[    i84    J 
 
 *'  mies,  and  the  evil  tongues  of  this  uncharitable 
 "  SECT,  report  alfo  that  I  am  revolted,  become  a 
 "  PAPIST,  and  I  know  not  what;  but  it  proceed- 
 *'  eth  from  that  ungodly  zeal  which  cometh  not  ex 
 "  amore  fed  ex  livore  {i.  e.  not  of  love  but  of  envy) 
 "  wherewith  they  are  poITefled  -,  and  I  difdain  to 
 "  anfwer  to  fuch  notorious  untruths,  which  not  the 
 "  beft  of  them  dare  avouch  to  my  face."  I  need 
 not  direft  the  reader  in  the  application  of  this  paf- 
 fage,  the  refemblance  is  too  ftrong  to  be  miftaken.  ^ 
 
 THOUGH  I  am  not  obliged  to  take  any 
 notice  of  your  poflfcript,  it  being  addrefTed 
 to  a  perfon  totally  unknown  to  me,  yet  as  it  con- 
 tains, what  you  call,  "  three  very  material  points, 
 "  on  which  you  ground  the  caufe  you  have  defend- 
 "  ed,  and  to  which  you  publicly  call  for  an  anfwer" 
 ' —  (tho'  you  might  have  done  this  with  greater  pro- 
 priety, had  you  put  your  name  to  your  perform- 
 ance) I  beg  you  will  accept  the  following. 
 
 First,  From  the  foregoing  account  of  the  pro- 
 ceedings, it  will  evidently  appear  that  you  have 
 greatly  mifreprefented  very  many  "  facts  relative  to 
 "  the  trial  of  the  young  men  •,"  whether  thro'  want 
 of  information  or  candor,  muft  be  left  to  your  own 
 confcience,  and  that  Being  to  whom  you  fo  folemnly 
 appeal. 
 
 After  you  had  faid  all  the  ill-natured  things 
 you  could  invent,  you  give  the  reader  to  under- 
 
 ftand 
 
[    '85    ] 
 
 (land  that  you  could  have  faid  a  great  deal  more, 
 and  compliment  your  own  moderation  by  telling 
 him  "  that  you  have  rather  extenuated  than  aggra- 
 "  vated."  This  may  be  a  beautiful  figure  in  rhe- 
 toric-,  either  hyperbole,  or  apofiopefis,  or  fome- 
 thing  fuperior  to  both  —  however,  I  hope,  the  can- 
 did reader  will  confider  it  only  as  a  flower  of  fpeech, 
 and  weigh  your  moderation  and  forbearance  "  in 
 "  the  balance  of  calm  reflection,  and  unbiafTed 
 "judgment." 
 
 What  you  mean  by  "  the  haughty  overbearing 
 *'  treatment  the  youths  met  with  at  their  trial,"  is 
 beyond  my  comprehenfion.  Sure  I  am,  that  the 
 Vice-Chancellor  and  his  aflfeflbrs  treated  them  with 
 the  greateft:  candor  and  humanity  :  and  if  any  of 
 the  vafl:  croud,  which  were  prefent,  behaved  im- 
 properly, it  was  matter  of  great  concern  and  of- 
 fence to  them  i  but  can  with  no  more  jufl:ice  be 
 laid  to  their  charge,  than  any  noife,  which  may 
 happen  in  the  afllze-hall,  can  be  to  the  Judge  who 
 fits  on  the  bench.  But,  in  fad,  the  young  men 
 met  with  no  ill-treatment  from  anyone  during  the 
 whole  examination,  which  was  carried  on  with  as 
 much  decency  as  could  be  expefted,  in  a  place  fo 
 crouded.  The  only  circumft:ance,  which  gave  of- 
 fence, was  the  great  throng  which  prefied  into  the 
 chapel  to  hear  the  fentence,  not  with  that  reverence 
 which  became  the  place  ;  but  their  behaviour  in  it 
 was  proper  and  decent,  and  a  perfed  fllence  was 
 
 obferved 
 
[     i86    ] 
 
 obferved  during  the  whole  time  that  the  Vicc-Chan- 
 cellor  pronounced  the  feveral  fentences.  ^ 
 
 I  KNOW  not  what  "  veil  you  pretend  to  draw 
 *^  over  the  moral  chara<5lers  of  certain  perfons  who 
 "  were  very  a<5live  againft  them,"  but  am  convinced 
 that  you  would  have  adled  with  more  chriftian  cha- 
 rity, had  you  honeftly  expofed  what  you  pretend 
 to  conceal  —  you  now  flab  in  the  dark,  and  your 
 obfcure  infmuations  reach  much  farther  than  an 
 open  attack  could  poflibly  have  done.  If  you  have 
 any  charge  againft  the  moral  charafler  of  the  Vice- 
 Chancellor,  or  either  of  his  afleflbrs,  you  ought, 
 in  juftice  to  the  reft,  to  have  openly  avowed  it.  I 
 flatter  myfelf  they  have  no  reafon  either  to  fue  to 
 your  mercy,  or  to  "  dread  your  power  of  expofing 
 "  them." 
 
 Wh  at  has  been  above  advanced  concerning  the 
 dodrines  of  the  Church  of  England^  will,  1  hope, 
 be  a  fufEcient  reply  to  the  former  part  of  your  fe- 
 cond  point.  "  I  wonder  how  you  can  aflc  what  I 
 "  think  of  Barret's  cafe,  and  whether  all  perfecu- 
 "  tion  is  confined  to  primitive  times."  For  an  an- 
 fwer  to  this  very  extraordinary  queftion  I  refer  you 
 
 to  page  148. the  3d  point  defer ves  none 
 
 But  if  you  ftill  perfift  to  demand  why  Mr.  Newton^ 
 
 a  N.B.  The  Vice-Chancellor  intended  to  pronounce  fen- 
 tence  in  the  Hal],  where  the  examination  had  been  taken;  but 
 finding  it  greatly  crouded,  it  was  propofed  to  adjourn  to  the 
 chapel  to  avoid  that  inconveniency. 
 
 DavieSy 
 
[     i87    ] 
 
 Davies,  and  Fletcher  (for  I  don't  remember  that  the 
 other  names  were  mentioned )  were  called  metho- 
 difls ;  I  refer  you  to  Mr.  Higfon  for  an  anfwer. 
 
 B  E  pleafed  likewife  to  accept  the  following  fo- 
 •lution  of  your  queries. " 
 
 I  ft.  The  teftimony  of  Dr.  Dixon  was  not  fet  at 
 nought,  but  had  all  th  e  weight,  which  could  with 
 juftice  be  given  it.  When  particular  fa6ls  were 
 urged  and  proved,  which  by  the  ftatutes  of  the 
 Univerfity,  and  of  the  Hall,  fubjeded  the  offend- 
 ers to  expulfion,  the  Vifitor  was  obliged  to  put 
 thofe  ftatutes  in  force,  unlefs  he  would  betray  the 
 duty  and  authority  of  his  office.  No  teftimony  to 
 their  characters  could  alter  the  i]ature,  or  deftroy 
 the  force  of  the  proofs  brought  againft  them  — 
 For  an  anfwer  to  the  latter  part  of  this  query,  and 
 
 to  your  2d 1  refer  you  to  Mr.  fVelling's  cafe 
 
 page  59  ^c. 
 
 B  Y  Vvay  of  folution  to  the  third,  I  beg  leave  to 
 affure  you  that  the  young  men  were  not  obliged  to 
 accufe  themfelves.  When  the  articles  of  accufation 
 were  produced  againft  each  of  them  feparately, 
 they  were  aftced  whether  they  acknowledged  what 
 was  urged  againft  them  to  be  true.  If  they  did  — 
 no  farther  proof  was  required.  If  they  did  not  — 
 Mr.  Higfon  then  proceeded  to  fupport  his  charge, 
 article  by  article ;    and  he  did  it  with  the  greateft 
 
 a  P.  84. 
 
 regularity. 
 
[    i88    ] 
 
 regularity,  ancTclearnefs  imaginable.  If  you  do  not 
 chufe  to  acquiefce  in  this  account,  I  muft  refer  you 
 to  him  ;  who  has  all  the  evidence  by  him,  and  is 
 ready  to  produce  it,  whenever  he  fhall  be  properly 
 called  upon.  I  will  only  obferve  that,  had  they  been 
 queftioned  in  the  manner  you  reprefent,  it  is  no 
 more  than  what  is  ufually  done,  when  young  men 
 are  accufed  of  any  irregularity  before  the  gover- 
 nors of  their  reipedive  focieties.  Something  more 
 than  a  bare  denial  is  required  ;  they  are  expected 
 to  anfwer  to  the  charge,  and  to  vindicate  themfelves 
 by  refuting,  or  difproving,  the  matter  of  their  ac- 
 cufation  —  was  not  this  the  cafe,  it  is  impoflible  that 
 dilcipline  could  be  maintained. 
 
 I  N  the  conclufion  of  your  reply,  you  have  ad- 
 vanced no  lefs  than  three  and  thirty  queries,  which 
 you  defire  may  be  refolved.  Though  you  have  no 
 reafon,  while  you  go  mafqued,  to  exped  any  notice 
 fhould  be  taken  of  yoy,  yet  for  the  fake  of  fatisfy- 
 ing  the  reader,  I  fhall  fet  down  the  following  an- 
 fwers  to  them. 
 
 I.  Whether  Mr.  H/g/o^  ever  laboured  under  an 
 infanity  of  mind,  I  know  not ;  but  this  I  know, 
 that  at  the  time  of  the  vifitation,  he  was  in  his 
 perfedt  fenfes  ;  and  Mr.  Griffin  a  near  relation  of 
 Dr.  Dixon^  a  perfon  of  the  bed  charader,  and  re- 
 putation, who  had  lately  been  Mr.  Higfon\  pupil, 
 and  was  then  a  member  of  Edmund-bali,  bore  tefti- 
 mony  to  his  worth  and  excellence,  and  to  the  un- 
 common 
 
[     '89    ] 
 
 common  care  and  diligence,  with  which  he  had  al- 
 ways difcharged  the  office  of  tutor ;  and  Dr.  Lixon 
 himfelf  has  fince  confirmed  this  teftimony. 
 
 II.  The  grounds  and  motives  of  Mr.  HigfotCs 
 complaint  are  contained  in  his  depofitions  made 
 upon  oath;  to  which  I  refer  you,    p.  i8. 
 
 III.  FbR  an  anfwer  to  this  I  refer  you  to  Mr. 
 Higfon.  Though  if  it  be  true,  you  yourfelf  have 
 reprefented,  what  you  here  call  a  religious  qualm, 
 to  be  a  ftate  of  infanity. 
 
 IV.  For  a  folution  of  this,  fse  p,  195. 
 
 V.  For  a  folution  of  this,  fee  p.  13- 
 
 VI.  Wh  ether  Mr.  Higfon  ever  employed  s 
 curate  who  had  been  of  a  very  mean  occupation, 
 and  much  more  ignorant  than  any  of  the  expelled 
 members,  muft  be  left  to  him  to  anfwer,  the  aflef- 
 fors  having  no  concern  in  it.  Mr.  Higfon  is  the  pro- 
 per perfon  to  vindicate  his  own  charafter. 
 
 VII.  It  is  a  fa6l  ihat  a  copy  of  the  articles  of 
 expulfion  was  denied  the  young  men,  and  that  I 
 juftified  this  denial  by  pleading  the  cuftom  of  courts 
 of  judicature,  and  particularly  alluded  to  the  cafe 
 of  Mr.  PV—s.  Not  that  I  was  obliged  to  have  re- 
 courfe  to  any  court  of  judicature  for  the  juftifica- 
 tion  of  what  was  entirely  at  the  option  of  the  Vice- 
 Chan- 
 
[    I90    ] 
 
 Chancellor ;  who  might  have  pronounced  fentence 
 viva  voce  —  without  comnmitting  it  to  writing  at 
 all.  If  therefore  a  court  of  judicature  may  deny  a 
 copy  of  indidlment,  with  much  greater  right  may 
 a  vifitor  deny  a  copy  of  his  fentence,  who  is  not 
 tied  down  to  the  fame  rules  and  forms  of  law. 
 
 VIII.  It  is  NOT  fad  that  one  who  had  been  con- 
 vi£led  of  open  blafphemy,  infidelity,  and  drunken- 
 nefs,  was  admitted  an  evidence  againft  the  young 
 men.  No  charge  had  been  brought  againft  Mr. 
 W—-g  when  he  was  called  in  evidence,  and  Dr. 
 Tiixon  himfelf  at  that  time  had  no  objed:ion  to  his 
 charader.  But  for  a  full  confutation  of  this  bafc 
 calumny,  I  refer  the,reader  to  p.  68. 
 
 IX.  If  by  preference  you  mean,  that  Mr. 
 W—g  was  punifhed  in  a  lefs  degree  than  the  re- 
 ligious young  men,  I  acknowledge  it,  and  need 
 not  repeat  the  grounds  of  this  proceeding,  having 
 already  fufficiently  explained  it  in  p.  67^, 
 
 X.  &  XL  I  NEVER  knew  that  Mr.  Higfon  or 
 any  other  clergyman  had  figned  Mr.  JV—g's  tefti- 
 monium,  neither  Ihould  I  have  known  that  he  had 
 taken  holy  orders,  had  not  you  informed  me  of  it. 
 The  Vice-Chancellor  was  not  confulted,  neither 
 was  his  advice  ever  afked  in  relation  to  the  tefti- 
 monium  you  allude  to. 
 
 XII,  Your 
 
[     19'     ] 
 
 XII.  Your  twelfth  query  is  the  fame  with  your 
 ninth,  and  has  already  been  anfwered.  But  I  mufl 
 farther  obferve  that  this  affidavit  was  not  admitted 
 merely  as  an  atonement  for  his  crime,  but  a  decla- 
 ration of  his  real  principles. 
 
 XIII.  For  the  reafons  of  Mr.  Middleton\  expul- 
 fion,  fee  the  Vice-Chancellor's  fentence,  p.  31. 
 But  his  behaviour  was  fo  far  from  being  very  re- 
 gular that  it  was  part  of  Mr.  Higfonh  accufation 
 againft  him. 
 
 XIV.  There  was  only  one  perfon  accufed  be- 
 fides  thofe  who  were  expelled;  and  he  was  dif- 
 mifled  though  illiterate,  becaufe  he  was  not  charged 
 with  having  attended  illicit  conventicles,  and  de- 
 clared that  he  had  no  defign  of  going  into  orders. 
 See  p.  27. 
 
 XV.  Whether  Mr.  Higfon  enquired  into  the 
 characters  of  others,  I  know  not,  but  he  certainly 
 did  into  that  of  Mr.  IV-^g.     See  p.  6y, 
 
 XVI.  Dr.  Nowell  did  affirm  that  the  young  men 
 "  were  of  no  foundation,  had  no  free-hold  in  the 
 "  Univerfity,  nor  received  one  (hilling  profit  from 
 "  the  hall;"  and  he  acknowledges  himfelf  to  be 
 miftaken  in  the  inftance  of  the  Bible-clerk,  who, 
 he  is  fince  informed,  held  an  exhibition  of  five 
 POUNDS  PER  ANNUM  from  the  Ironmonger's 
 company. 
 
 XVII.  Mr. 
 
[       192      ] 
 
 XVII.  Mr.  Kay  was  not  examined,  and  there- 
 fore' the  Vice-Chancellor  and  afleffors  could  not 
 form  any  judgment  of  his  fcholarfliip  :  but  if  we 
 may  believe  Mr.  Higfon^  he  was  a  very  moderate 
 fcholar.  The  examination,  which  you  fay  •  Mr. 
 Middleton  paffed  fo  honourably,  was  fuch  that  a 
 fchool-boy  would  have  been  defervedly  corredled 
 for.  Mr.  Grove  was  reprefented  by  his  tutor  to  be 
 a  very  indifferent  fcholar :  but  was  not  exa- 
 mined, becaufe  his  tutor  faid,  he, had  been  dili- 
 gent in  his  endeavours  to  improve  himfelf ;  which 
 was  not  the  cafe  of  the  others. 
 
 XVIII.  For  an  anfwer  to  this  quere,  I  refer  you 
 to  Mr.  Higfon. 
 
 XIX.  For  anfwer  to  this,  fee  note,  p.  x,^. 
 
 XX.  I  AM  well  informed  that  Mr.  Atterhury 
 was  only  one  of  many  eledtors  on  that  occafion, 
 among  whom  were  fome  of  your  friends,  and 
 that  the  perfon  fo  recommended  by  them  was  foon 
 after  expelled  from  Chriji  Church,  for  infufRciency 
 and  mifbehaviour. 
 
 XXI.  It  is  not  fad  that  Mr.  Jones  was  con- 
 demned upon  the  teftimony  of  a  letter  stuffed 
 WITH  FALSHOOD,  for  hc  himfclf  acknowledged 
 principal  fadls  contained  in  it,  fee  p.  24.  And  the 
 letters  againft  Mr.  Grove  and  Mr.  Middleton  were 
 
 either 
 
[     193     1 
 
 tither  from  very  rerpe<5lable  members  of  this  Uni- 
 verfity,  or  from  perfons  of  well  known  credit  and 
 reputation. 
 
 XXII.  For  a  fatisfa6lory  anfwer  to  this  query 
 fee  p.  72.  Dr.  Dixon  has  fince  informed  us  that 
 the  ufual  place  of  Mr.  Grove's  preachment  was  not 
 in  a  BARN,  but  on  a  common,  fo  that  his  offence 
 was  only  more  open,  and  committed  in  the  face  of 
 the  fun. 
 
 XXIII.  It  is  a  fad  that  Mr.  Middleton  was  put 
 down  guilty  of  denying  the  neceffity  of  good 
 WORKS,  notwithftanding  the  glofs  which  both  you 
 and  he  chufe  to  put  upon  his  tenets. 
 
 XXIV.  Mr.  Kay  was  accufed  of  holding  the  doc- 
 trines of  abfolute  unconditional  eledlion,  and  infal- 
 lible affurance  ;  which  I  deny  to  be  the  do6lrines  of 
 the  reformation,  for  the  reafons  alledged,  p.  74, 
 133  &c. 
 
 XXV.  This  article  is  the  fame  as  the  23d,  and 
 has  received  its  anfwer. 
 
 XXVI.  It  is  not  fa<5l  that  the  clergymen  you 
 mention  were  fpoken  of  with  great  contempt ;  they 
 were  introduced  only  as  having  had  the  tuition  of 
 thefe  young  men,  and  being  reputed  mechodifts. 
 
 XXVII.  For  a  full  anfwer  to  this  article,  fee 
 
 N  XXVIII. 
 
[     ^94    ] 
 
 XXVIII.  &  XXIX.  For  an  anfwer  to  thefe,  fet- 
 my  poftfcript. 
 
 XXX.  It  is  not  fadt  that  Mr.  PF—g  was  one  of 
 thofe  who  was  perfuaded  by  the  Vice-Chancellor 
 and  the  Heads  not  to  leave  the  Hall,  that  he  might 
 recover  the  credit  of  that  houfe  from  the  odium  of 
 methodifm.  Mr.  JV—g  was  not  one  of  the  origi- 
 nal petitioners,  which  you  well  know,  and  there- 
 fore this  unjuft  farcafm  could  proceed  only  from 
 the  malevolence  of  your  own  heart.  For  my  own 
 part,  inftead  of  perfuading  Mr.  W—g  not  to  leave 
 the  Hall,  I  think  the  Principal  inexcufable  for  not 
 expelling  him,  if  he  was  convinced  he  was  a  noted 
 infidel. 
 
 XXXI.  This  query  is  introduced  with  a  male- 
 volent defign  to  blacken  the  character  of  the  Uni- 
 verfity.  You  muft  know,  that  however  you  your- 
 felf,  (for,  as  you  pretend  to  fpeak  from  your  own 
 knowledge,  I  am  obliged  to  include  you  in  that 
 number)  or  fome  other  diflblute  young  men  may 
 have  violated  the  rules  of  challity  and  fobriety  with 
 impunity,  this  impunity  was  more  owing  to  their 
 good  fortune  in  not  being  detected,  than  to  the  con- 
 nivance of  the  Univerfity  magiftrates.  That  all  have 
 not  fo  efcaped,  will  appear  from  the  black  lift  of 
 delinquents  kept  by  the  Prodors :  whofe  arduous 
 and  laborious  office  has  for  the  moft  part  been  exe- 
 cuted with  proportionable  vigilance  and  refolution. 
 
 XXXII.  For  an  anfwer  to  this  query,  fee  p.  82. 
 
 XXXIII.  In 
 
[    '95    ] 
 
 XXXIII.  In  reply  to  your  laft  quere,  which  you 
 very  politely  defire  I  would  anfwer  upon  my 
 WORD  AND  HONOUR,  becaufc  you  "  flrongly  fuf- 
 "  ped:  that  the  articles  of  expulfion  especially, 
 "  had  undergone  a  little  drefllng  and  cooking  up 
 "  fince  the  memorable  day  of  expulfion."  I  beg 
 leave  to  tell  you,  upon  my  word  and  honour, 
 that  my  minutes  received  no  other  alteration, 
 than  what  was  neceffary  to  fill  up  the  abbrevia- 
 tions &c.  in  which  they  were,  and  I  fuppofe  all 
 minutes  generally  are,  taken  for  the  fake  of  ex- 
 pedition —  but  that  their  fubftance  is  exadly  the 
 fame  —  I  had  before  affurcd  you  that  the  fentence 
 was,  word  for  word,  the  fame  with  that  pronounced 
 by  the  Vice-Chancellor,  and  I  now  repeat  that  af- 
 furance,  which  you  had  no  reafon  before  to  fufpefb- 
 If  you  Hill  want  farther  fatisfaftion,  and  will  fa- 
 vour Dr.  Durell  or  me  with  your  company,  we  will 
 not  only  fhew  you  the  original,  but  affift  you  in 
 collating  the  manufcript  with  the  printed  copy. 
 
 One  word  more  in  anfwer  to  your  N.  B.  and  I 
 have  done.  When  it  was  faid  that  the  young  men 
 had  their  tutor's  advice  in  every  ftep  they  took,  as 
 well  in  their  meetings  at  firfl,  as  in  their  abfenting 
 themfelves  from  them  afterwards,  Mr.  Higfcn  ex- 
 plained this  iiiatter,  by  declaring  that  Mr.  Jones  had 
 impofed  upon  him  in  his  reprefentation  of  thefe 
 meetings  —  that  he  neither  mentioned  expounding 
 or  extempore  prayers  -^^but  only  alked  whether  there 
 
 N  2  was 
 
[     196    ] 
 
 was  any  crime  in  a  few  friends  meeting  to  read  the 
 holy  fcriptures,  and  other  godly  books.  I  am  not 
 lurprized  that  Mr.  Jones  fhould  deceive  his  tutor, 
 when  ""  you  have  endeavoured  to  impofe  the  fame 
 account  upon  the  world  ^ 
 
 Whatever  Mr.  Grove,  Mr.  Middle  ton,  or  you 
 may  be  inclined  to  think,  I  am  fully  perfuaded  that 
 the  Vice-Chancellor  was  not  pufhed  on  by  the  vio- 
 lence of  others,  but  urged  by  an  affedionate  regard 
 for  the  honour  and  welfare  of  the  Univerfity  "  to 
 "  carry  matters  to  the  lengths  they  were  carried  j"— 
 with  relu6lance  indeed  to  the  natural  fweetnefs  and 
 humanity  of  his  own  difpofition,  but  with  that  ftea- 
 dinefs  and  impartiality,  which  became  a  fcholar  and 
 a  magiftrate.  Nor  are  you  more  happy  in  the  proof 
 by  which  you  would  fupport  your  aflertion  :  his 
 humanity  does  not  Hand  in  need  of  your  compli- 
 ment at  the  expence  of  truth.  I  am  not  confcious 
 to  myfclf  of  having  afl<ed  any  prying  or  imperti- 
 nent queftions,  but  fuch  only  as  diredly  tended  to 
 difcover,  what  I  was  appointed  to  enquire  into,  the 
 truth  i  nor  did  the  Vice-Chancellor  ever  flop  me  in 
 
 a  P.  14,   15. 
 
 b  In  your  fecond  edition  p.  24.  you  reprefent  me  as  in- 
 finuating  "  with  a  I'neering  laugh"  that  Mr.  Jones  ^  defence 
 of  himfelf  fliould  be  remembered  to  his  prejudice.  In  con- 
 futation of  this  unjuft  refleflion  I  refer  you  to  my  minutes  of 
 Mr.  JonciS,  examination  page  30.  from  whence  it  will  appear, 
 that  I  have  faithfully  recorded  the  fubitance  of  his  defence. 
 By  the  fame  minutes  every  other  charge  brought  againlt  mc 
 
 ftands  confuted. 
 
 fuch 
 
[     ^97    ] 
 
 fuch  enquiry  ;  but  I  have  the  fatisfaftion  to  fay  that 
 my  condn<5l,  as  well  as  that  of  the  other  afieflbrs, 
 met  with  his  entire  approbation.  Both  he,  and  they 
 were  indeed  fenfible  that  they  were  engaged  in  a 
 very  invidious  office;  and  that  their  proceedings, 
 however  upright  and  impartial,  would  be  cenfured, 
 and  mifreprefented,  by  thofe,  who  fhould  be  afFeded 
 by  them.  They  could  not  expetft  to  efcape  the 
 fliarpnefs  of  your  refentment,  who  have  not  fpared 
 even  the  place  of  your  education.  Reverence  and 
 affedlion  will  naturally  induce  every  true  Ton  of  our 
 Alma  Mater,  to  be  tender  of  her  reputation,  to  ho- 
 nour her  virtues,  and  put  the  moll  favourable  con- 
 ftrudion  on  her  failings.  But  you  have  taken  an 
 ill  natured  pleafure  in  expofing,  with  no  Icfs  fall- 
 hood  than  malice,  what,  even  had  it  been  true,  hu- 
 manity would  have  endeavoured  to  conceal.  Her 
 lenity,  which  probably  yourfelf  have  experienced, 
 has  not  lefs  provoked  your  indignation  on  other  oc- 
 cafions,  than,  what  you  are  pleafed  to  call,  her  fe- 
 verity  and  cruelty  on  this.  You  have  revived  the 
 long-forgotten  dilgrace  of  fome  of  her  members, 
 and  raifed  fcandalous  reports  of  others,  merely  to 
 blacken  her  charafter,  and  bring  upon  her  the 
 reproach  of  the  public. 
 
 I  SINCERELY  forgive  any  injury  you  may  have 
 intended  to  do  me,  but  I  know  not  how  you  will 
 forgive  yourfelf  for  that  done  to  the  Univerfity. 
 Whatever  zeal  you  may  pretend  for  religion,  while 
 you  bridle  not  your  tongue,  I  have  the  authority  of 
 
 an 
 
[     198     ] 
 
 an  apoftle  to  pronounce,  that  your  religion  is  vain 
 -—Whatever  affurances  you  may  flatter  yourfelf  with 
 of  God's  grace,  if  you  have  not  charity,  you  de- 
 ceive yourfelf —  however  you  may  fancy  that  you 
 feel  the  impulfes  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  yet  you  will  do 
 well  to  remember  that  hatred,  wrath,  ftrife,  evil- 
 fpeaking,  flander  &c.  are  not  the  fruits  of  that 
 Spirit. 
 
 That  God  would  grant  both  you  and  me  by  his 
 Holy  Spirit  to  have  a  right  judgment  in  all  things  is 
 the  hearty  prayer  of, 
 
 Sir, 
 
 Your  moft  obedient. 
 
 humble  Servant, 
 
 Sf.  M^ry-Ha//, 
 March   3d,    1769. 
 
 T.   NOW  ELL. 
 
POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 I  WAS  in  hopes  you  would  at  lead  have  favoured 
 the  world  with  your  name  fubfcribed  to  your 
 Reply,  and  that  I  fhould  have  had  the  pleafure  of 
 addrefling  myfelf  to  you  in  a  more  particular  man- 
 ner in  TH  IS  poftfcript  j  putting  you  in  mind  of  fome 
 circumftances  which  I  cannot  yet  mention  with 
 propriety,  left  1  fhould  be  miftaken  in  the  appli- 
 cation of  them.  But,  though  publicly  called  upon, 
 you  ftill  chufe  to  lie  concealed,  and  flioot  your  ar- 
 rows in  the  dark.  —  You  tell  the  world,  that  "  it 
 "  is  not  fliame,  but  you  hope  a  better  motive 
 *'  which  makes  you  conceal  your  name." 
 
 Th  e  "  oilentatious  title  prefixed  to  your  reply, 
 would  not  indeed  permit  you  to  attribute  any  part 
 of  your  condud  to  fhame,  or  to  any  other  modest 
 motive  ;  which  you  were  fo  fenfible  of,  as  to  banifli 
 that  word  from  your  title  page,  though  it  had  ap- 
 peared in  your  advertifemerit.    I  have  already  taken 
 
 a    GOLIAII     SLAIV. 
 
 more 
 
[       200       ] 
 
 more  notice  of  that  performance  than  it  deferved  j 
 the  do6lrinal  points  advanced  by  me  are  with  great 
 deference  fubmitted  to  the  judgment  of  the  candid 
 reader  5  nor  am  I  at  all  afraid  of  the  imputation  of 
 Papist  or  Pelagian,  or  any  other  opprobrious 
 name  by  which  you  or  your  friends  may  think  proper 
 to  diftinguifh  me.  My  life  and  converfation  from  my 
 firft  admiflion  to  the  Univerfity  have,  1  thank  God, 
 been  blamelefs  and  irreproachable,  my  enemies 
 being  the  judges  j  and,  if  I  am  not  miftaken  in 
 your  perfon,  you  yourfelf  can  ( if  you  will )  bear 
 teftimony  to  one  inftance  of  my  zeal  for  religion 
 and  virtue  on  a  particular  occafion,  and  ftand  re- 
 proved by  it.  Your  confcience  furely  muft  fmite 
 you,  when  you  reprefented  either  the  Margaret  Pro- 
 feffor,  or  me,  as  "  living  a  mere  animal,  flelh- 
 *'  pampering  life  ;"  which,  1  may  without  vanity 
 fay,  can  be  as  little  applicable  to  us  as  to  any  two 
 perfons,  not  only  in  the  univerfity,  but  in  the  king- 
 dom. His  learned  and  pious  labours  are  too  well 
 known  in  the  world  to  need  any  enumeration  of 
 them  here  -,  and  my  whole  time  from  my  early 
 youth  has  been  devoted  to  a  laborious  but  honour- 
 able employment ;  which,  I  flatter  myfelf,  I  have 
 difcharged  with  fidelity  and  diligence.  Nor  have  I 
 in  the  mean  time  been  negligent  in  my  minifterial 
 function,  in  which  I  have  laboured  with  a  pure  con- 
 fcience, not  for  filthy  Lucre's  fake,  having  never 
 received  a  farthing  from  the  revenues  of  the  church; 
 nor  been  paid  lb  much  for  my  fervice  as  I  expended 
 in  the  neceffary  performance  of  my  duty,  or  laid 
 
 out 
 
[      201       ] 
 
 out  for  the  benefit  of  thofe  to  whom  I  miniftered. 
 I  may  appear  vain  in  this  confidence  of  boafting, 
 but  you  have  compelled  me  ;  and  the  candid  reader 
 will  pardon  this  defence  of  my  charader ;  which 
 has  the  plea  of  an  honed  neceflity.  So  much  in 
 general. 
 
 The  particular  charge  againfl  the  Vice-Chan- 
 cellor  and  his  afTefTors,  of  their  having  pafTed  an 
 illegal  arbitrary  fentence  on  the  young  men,  ftands 
 confuted  by  your  own  confefTion.  — You  ^  admit, 
 and  Mr.  ^  Grove  has  admitted,  that  the  meetings 
 which  they  attended  were  illicit,  and  prohibited  by 
 the  ftatutes  of  the  univerfity.  —  Let  the  flatute  it- 
 felf  fpeak  the  reft,  §.  34.  Stat.  Aular.  "  Quod  fi 
 "  quis  hserefin,  vel  pravum  aliquod  dogma,  contra 
 "  doftrinam  vel  difciplinam  Ecclefias  Anglicanae 
 "  defenderit  ;  vel  c  o  nventiculis  illicitis 
 "  interelTe  prasfumpferit ;  ab  aula  expellatur, 
 "  &  Domino  Cancellario  denunciatur."  —  There 
 remain  feme  points  yet  to  be  confidered  before  I 
 take  my  final  leave  of  you  :  thefe  refped:  the  con- 
 ference with  Dr.  Dixon  at  the  prefent  Vice-Chan- 
 cellor's lodgings  •,  in  which  the  following  patticulars 
 were  difcuffed. 
 
 First,  Dr.  Dixon  was  afked  whether  he  did  not, 
 previous  to  the  citation,  requeft  the  Vice-Chancel- 
 lor,  that  Dr.  Father  gill  and  I  might  be  of  the  num- 
 ber of  the  afleflbrs  ?  He  declared  that  he  made  fuch 
 a  requeft. 
 
 a  Reply,  p.  29,  22.  b  Ibid.  p.  66. 
 
 Se- 
 
[      202      ] 
 
 Secondly,  Being  afked,  whether  he  had  givett 
 you  authority  to  fay  that  he  was  ready  to  make  oath 
 that  the  Vice-Chancellor  had  abfokitely  declared, 
 "  that  neither  the  expelled  gentlemen  were  to  be 
 "  re-admitted,  nor  any  others  be  fufFered  to  leave 
 "  the  hall"  he  anfwered,  that  he  was  ready  to  make 
 oath  that  he  understood  the  Vice-Chancellor  to 
 have  fo  declared.  Upon  which  Dr.  Dureil,  in  the 
 prefence  of  us  all,  defired  to  be  admitted  to  his 
 oath,  in  confirmation  of  the  account  of  this  whole 
 tranfadtion  given  by  me  in  p.  69.  The  Vice-Chan- 
 cellor and  every  one  prefent  agreed  that  his  folemn 
 declaration  was  fufficient,  and  therefore  declined  ad- 
 miniftering  the  oath.  Dr.  Durell  in  farther  fupport 
 of  what  is  there  related,  urged  his  own  conftant 
 pradtice  on  like  occafions,  and  mentioned  feveral 
 inflances  of  his  permitting  members  to  leave  his 
 own  fociety  though  they  had  no  fuch  plea  as  was 
 urged  in  this  cafe  ;  and  one  in  particular  which  hap- 
 pened at  the  very  time  this  affair  was  in  agitation. 
 
 Dr.  Randolph  was  next  defired  to  declare  his  fen- 
 timents,  who  faid,  that  he  did  not  remember  every 
 particular  that  had  pafled  at  that  meeting.  He  re- 
 members that  it  was  propofed  to  ufe  all  means  of 
 perfuafion  to  induce  thofe  gentlemen  to  continue  in 
 the  Hall  j  but  is  very  fure  it  was  not  propofed  to 
 compel  them.  Nor  could  he  look  upon  the  deter- 
 mination of  the  Vice-Chancellor  and  his  afleffors 
 •with  refpect  to  their  petition  to  be  final,  knowing 
 that  they  had  no  right  to  make  any  fuch  determina- 
 tion, 
 
[       203       ] 
 
 tion,  there  being  a  ftatute  in  this  cafe  provided,  which 
 prefcribedthe  method  of  proceeding  in  thefe  matters. 
 
 The  Vice-Chancellor  then  applied  to  Dr.  Fo- 
 thergil/,  who  faid  that  fome  time  after  the  meet- 
 ing Dr.  Dixon  afked  him  whether  he  did  not  un- 
 derftand  that  the  refolution  of  that  meeting  had 
 been  final ;  he  faid,  he  did  think  it  was  agreed  that 
 the  petitioners  Ihould  not  remove,  and  thought  to 
 have  heard  no  more  of  it.  But  afterwards  upon 
 perufing  my  book,  he  went  to  Dr. Dixon  and  informed 
 him  that  he  had  read  my  account  of  this  tranfac- 
 tion,  and  that  he  recolledled,  that  though  we  had 
 agreed  to  make  ufe  of  perfuafion  to  induce  the  pe- 
 titioners not  to  leave  the  Hall,  and  were  of  opinion, 
 that  it  would  be  highly  proper  for  them  to  continue 
 there  ;■  yet  it  was  added,  that  in  cafe  they  dill 
 perfifted  in  their  refolution,  the  Vice-Chancellor 
 would  then  be  obliged  to  fpeak  to  Dr.  Dixon,  and 
 proceed  as  the  ftatute  direded  j  or  words  to  that 
 purpofe.  He  added,  that  he  had  made  it  his  bufinefs 
 to  acquaint  Dr.  Dixon  with  this  circumftance  as  foon 
 as  he  recolledled  it,  to  prevent  any  mifreprefentation 
 of  it  in  confequence  of  what  he  had  before  faid  on 
 the  fubjed:. 
 
 I  N  E  E  D  not  tell  you  what  were  my  fenti- 
 ments ;  they  are  fully  exprefTcd  in  my  relation  of 
 this  tranfaflion,  but  it  will  be  proper  to  add  what 
 the  prefent  Vice-Chancellor  obferved,  viz.  that 
 though  at  a  meeting  of  the  heads  of  houfes,  in 
 which  the  reafonablenefs  of  the  petitioners  requeft 
 
 was  agitated,  I  had  exprefled  my  difapprobation  of 
 
 their 
 
[       204       ] 
 
 their  removal  In  the  flrongeft  terms,  and  offered 
 many  arguments  againft  it,  yet  I  never  pretended 
 that  the  determination  of  the  Vice-ChanceDor  and 
 his  afleflbrs  had  been  final ;  which  I  certainly  fhould 
 have  done,  had  I  not  been  convinced  that  it  neither 
 was,  nor  could  be  final.  Before  I  conclude  this 
 article,  1  cannot  help  obferving  that  you  have  de- 
 ftroyed  the  evidence  of  Dr.  Dixon  and  Mr.  Grove  by 
 making  them  contradict  themfelves.  In  your  P.  O. 
 you  make  them  declare  "  that  the  Vice-Chancellor 
 *'  had  given  them  his  folemn  promife  that  the  pe- 
 "  titioners  fhould  not  be  permitted  to  leave  the 
 "  Hall  UNLESS  the  expelled  members  were  re-ad- 
 "  mitted." — Which  implies  that  both  might  take 
 place. — In  your  reply  you  make  them  ready  to 
 fwear  that  the  Vice -Chancellor  declared,  "  that 
 "  NEITHER  the  one  fhould  be  re-admitted,  nor  the 
 "  others  fuffered  to  leave  the  Hall.'*  Here,  fir,  is 
 a  contradidion  in  terms,  which  is  fufficient  to  in- 
 validate the  force  of  any  evidence  whatever. 
 
 Thirdly,  Dr.  Dixon  was  afked  whether  he  him- 
 felf  furpe<5led,  or  had  given  you  the  leaft  ground 
 to  infinuate,  that  the  Vice-Chancellor  and  his  aflfef- 
 fors  had  been  tampered  with,  or  influenced.^  from 
 any  quarter  whatever,  to  pronounce  fentence,  againfl 
 the  perfons  accufed.  He^anfwered,  that,  had  he 
 been  to  chufe  for  himfelf,  he  could  not  have  ap- 
 pointed four  perfons  in  whofe  integrity  he  could 
 better  confide  ;  and  that  he  was  perfuaded  that  they 
 had  been  influenced  by  no  confideration  whatever, 
 
 except 
 
[       205      ] 
 
 except  that  of  their  confcience  ;  and  he  attributed 
 the  fentence  they  had  pronounced  solely  to  their 
 not  being  fo  well  acquainted  with  the  charadlers  of 
 the  young  men  as  he  himfelf  was.  The  late  Vice- 
 Chancellor,  and  the  afTcflbrs  then  prefent,  folemnly 
 declared  that  they  had  received  no  intimations 
 whatever  from  any  Quarter,  and  that  they 
 were  directed  only  by  the  didlates  of  their  own 
 confcience,  and  the  force  of  evidence  produced  at 
 the  examination.  I  beg  therefore  that  you  will 
 confel's  this  to  be  a  groundlefs  fufpicion,  or  produce 
 your  authority  in  fupport  of  it. 
 
 Fourthly,  Dr.  Bixon  was  afked  whether  he 
 approved  of  the  illiberal  abufe,  which  you  have  fo 
 plendfully  thrown  out  upon  the  perfons  of  the  Vice- 
 Chancellor,  and  his  aflelTors  in  particular,  and  on 
 the  univerfity,  the  bilhops,  and  the  whole  body  of 
 the  clergy  in  general.  He  anfwered,  that  he  was 
 extremely  forty  that  any  thing  of  this  kind  had  hap- 
 pened. And  added,  that  he  had  commended  the 
 candor  of  my  book  to  •'  your  friends,  and  told 
 them,  "  that  the  fpirit  in  which  you  had  written 
 "  could  never  do  any  fervice  to  your  caufe." 
 
 a  I  apprehended  from  what  palTcd  at  the  conference,  that 
 thefc  words  were  fpoken  immediately  to  you,  and  have  there- 
 fore inferted  them  as  fuch  in  my  note,  p.  lo.  But  Dr.  Dixon j 
 to  whofe  pcrufal  I  fubmittcd  this  poftfcript,  aflures  me  that 
 they  were  fpoken  to  fomc  of  your  friends.  1  beg  the  reader 
 will  corrcft  it  in  that  note,  being  unwilling  to  lead  him  into 
 the  moft  trifling  millake. 
 
 Lastly, 
 
[     2o6     ] 
 
 Lastly,  He  was  alked  whether  he  approved  of 
 the  doctrinal  tenets  advanced  in  your  book.  And  I 
 have  the  pleafure  in  juftification  of  Dr.  Dixon  to 
 aflure  the  world,  that  he  declared  his  fentiments  on 
 thefe  points  to  the  following  purpofe.  "  I  believe, 
 *'  faid  he,  that  the  redemption  by  Chrift  was  uni- 
 "  verfal,  and  that  no  perfon  (hall  be  judged  at  the 
 '*  laft  day  but  for  the  wilful  negleft  of  the  means 
 "  of  falvation  freely  offered  to  him  by  God,  and 
 "  for  difobedience  to  thofe  commands  which  he  had 
 "  it  in  his  power  by  grace  to  perform  :  fb  that 
 "  every  perfon  lliall  have  reafon  to  acknowledge 
 "  that  his  fentence  is  juft."  Sorry  I  am  that  you 
 have  had  an  opportunity  of  gaining  credit  to  your 
 caufe  by  the  fan6lion  of  his  name  ;  which  however 
 is  merely  accidental,  and  not  the  confequence  of  his 
 attachment  either  to  your  fed  or  principles.  I 
 think  myfeif  obliged  to  mention  thefe  particulars  to 
 undeceive  the  generality  of  the  world,  who  may 
 have  reafon,  from  your  reprefentation,  to  imagine 
 that  he  is  connefted  with  that  fet  of  people,  which, 
 under  pretence  of  being  God's  elect,  defpife  the 
 ordinances,  and  break  through  the  eftablifhed  dif 
 cipline  of  the  Church. 
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 P.  41.  1.  8.  from  the  bottom,  for  ^en  r.  ^eoi 
 
 121.  1.9.  from  the  bottom,  for  pro^ofiuons  r.  propojilion 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 TH  E  reader  is  defired  to  accept  the  following 
 (hort  anfwer  to  your  Letter,  which  is 
 written  in  the  true  fpirit  and  ftile  of  your  party, 
 and  inftead  of  argument  contains  nothing  but 
 fcurrility. 
 
 I  A  M  not  afhamed  to  acknowledge  any  afllflance 
 I  had  from  a  perfon,  who  was  equally  interefted  in 
 the  controverfy  with  myfelf ;  and  whofe  learning, 
 and  eminent  fkill  in  theology  mufl  refled  honour, 
 and  ftamp  a  value  on  my  book,  which  received 
 his  revifal  and  approbation.  I  need  not  tell  you 
 that  I  mean  our  Margaret  Professor.  It  would 
 have  been  arrogance  in  me  to  have  undertaken  a 
 work  of  this  nature,  in  which  his  charadler  was 
 concerned  as  well  as  my  own,  without  his  afliflance ; 
 but  can  be  none  to  call  myfelf  the  author  of  what 
 was  planned  and  executed  by  myfelf.  What  the 
 Profeflbrcontributedjrendered  it  only  more  perfcd, 
 and  unanfwerable. 
 
 Your  refleflions  on  the  place  of  my  birth,  and 
 the  circumftances  of  my  family,  are  equally  bafe 
 and  unjuft.  Had  they  even  been  true,  they  would 
 carry  with  them  no  jult  imputation  either  on  me  or 
 
 them  : 
 
[  2  ] 
 
 them  ;  but  I  beg  leave  to  afflire  you  that  they  are 
 falfe.  I  was  not  "  hatched  among  the  rugged 
 "  mountains  of  Wales^''  but  in  a  very  fruitful 
 vale  ;  nor  "  in  an  ignoble  neft,"  my  parents 
 having  been  both  honeft  and  reputable,  and  pof- 
 fefTed  of  a  paternal  eftate  fufficient  to  place  them 
 above  indigence  or  dependence.  I  fhould  have 
 paired  over  this  ungenerous  infmuation  with  con- 
 tempt, did  I  not  think  that  fome  notice  of  it  is  due 
 to  the  memory  of  the  bell  of  parents.  —  The  ac- 
 count of  Mr.  Middleton^  which  is  a  true  one,  was 
 introduced  only  to  fliew  that  he  had  not  received 
 an  education  to  qualify  him  for  the  univerfity,  and 
 not  by  way  of  refleftion  on  his  father's,  or  his  own 
 occupation. 
 
 Th  e  inconfiilency  of  Dr.  T)ixorC%  conduft,  and 
 the  contradidlionof  his  feveral  declarations  (if  your 
 account  be  true)  muft  be  cleared  up  by  himself. 
 He  had  the  perufal  of  my  poftfcript  both  in  pri- 
 vate, and  public,  and  exprefled  his  approbation  of 
 it  before  the  p'refent  Vice-Chancellor,  the  Prefident 
 of  C.  C.  C.  the  Provoft  of  Qiieen's,  the  Principal 
 of  Hertford,  and  myfelf. 
 
 You  pretend  not  to  underftand  my  argument 
 drawn  from  the  univerfal  falvation  of  infants,  be- 
 caufe  it  is  unanfwerable. 
 
 I   H  A  D    Strype's   life   of  Whitgift  before  me 
 when  I  detedled  your  forgery  ;    and  again  repeat 
 
 the 
 
[     3     ] 
 
 the  charge — You  have  (by  way  of  abridgment, 
 it  feems)  inserted  the  word  new,  which  totally 
 alters  and  perverts  the  meaning  of  the  Arch-bifhop. 
 See  P.  103.  You  have  likewife  mifreprefented 
 Burnet's  account  of  the  Pia  et  Catholica 
 Institutio. 
 
 I  refer  the  reader  for  the  genuine  charac- 
 ter of  Mr.  Pryn  to  Lord  Clarendon's  hiftory,  where 
 he  will  find  him  dcfcribed  as  an  enemy  both  to  the 
 Church  and  State.  Vol.1.  P.  73.  158.  Vol.11. 
 P.  315.  Fol. 
 
 I  leave  Mr.  Newion's  Letter  to  fpcak  for 
 itfelf 
 
A 
 
 VINDICATION 
 
 O  F    T  H  E 
 
 PROCEEDINGS 
 
 AGAINST 
 
 The  Si7  Members  of  E — Hall,  Oxford. 
 
 SECOND       EDITION. 
 
 [P  R  1  c  s  Si  x-P  e  n  c  e.] 
 
VINDICATION 
 
 OF     THE 
 
 PROCEED.INGS 
 
 AGAINST 
 
 TheSix  Members  of  E — Hall,  Oxford. 
 
 BY  A  GENTLEMAN  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY. 
 
 Quid  verum  atque  decens  euro  et  rogo  et  omnis  in  hoc  fum. 
 
 H  0  R. 
 
 * 
 
 SECOND     EDITION,    with 
 large  Additions. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed  for  M.    Hingeflon,  in  the  Strand,   near  Temple-Bar ; 
 S,    BLuion,  in  Pater- Nofter- Row ;    and  fold  by  D.  Prince, 
 
 at  Oxford. 
 
 MDCCLXiX. 
 
y 
 
 >• 
 
T  0 
 THE   REVEREND 
 
 D\     D     U     R     E    L    L, 
 
 LATE 
 
 Vice-Chancellor  of  the  Univerfity  of  OXFORD  j 
 
 AND     TO 
 
 The  worthy  Affeffors  at  E Hall: 
 
 THIS 
 
 Vindication  of  their  Proceedings 
 
 Is    INSCRIBED    BY 
 
 Their  obedient  humble  Servant, 
 
 A  Member  of. 
 And  fincere  Well-wilher  to, 
 MarchTot7;69.  The  UNIVERSITY. 
 
THE  Reader  is  defired  to  take  Notice,  that  the 
 References  to  the  Statutes  are  made  to  the  Corpus  Sta- 
 iiitorum  Unlverfitat'ts  Oxon.  lately  publifhed  3  as  alfa 
 .that. 
 
 The  Appendix  now  firft  annexed  to  this  Pamphlet, 
 was  written  before  the  Author  knew  of  Dr.  Nowel's 
 Intention  of  publifhing  a  Second  Edition  of  his  An- 
 ■fwer  to  Pie T AS.  It  is  hoped,  therefore,  that  the 
 Piibiic  will  not  afcribe  any  Similarity  of  Reafoning 
 to  his  having  ken  th«  Second  Edition  before  the  Ap- 
 pendix was  printed,  as  the  latter  was  ready  for  Publi- 
 cation, before  even  the  Advertifements  of  the  former 
 appeared  in  the  Newspapers. 
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 Page  5,  Line  12,  for  quiet,  read  quite.  Page  7,  line  6,  for 
 had,  read  has..  In  the  firft  Note  on  the  fame  Bage,  dele  the 
 Comma  after  Examination,  and  infert  it  after  Oath.  Page  13, 
 line  14,  dele  the  Parentkejis.  Page  24,  line  18,  forJuvenuSf 
 read  jwvetm.    Page  38,  for  Carnen^  read  Carmen^ 
 
(     i     ) 
 
 Advertifement. 
 
 THE  former  edition  of  the  following  pamph- 
 let, was  fold  off  foon  after  its  firfl:  publi- 
 cation :  but  the  fummer  recefs  coming  on,  and 
 a  full  anfwer  to  all  that  had  been  urged  on  be- 
 half of  the  expelled  members  being  expedted  from 
 one  of  the  afTeffors,  prevented  its  being  put  again 
 
 to  prefs. This  anfwer  has   fince  appeared, 
 
 and  it  is  with  great  pleafure  that  I  find  it  in  all 
 matters  of  confequence  confirm  the  account  firll 
 given  to  the  public  in  this  vindication  ;  but  as  Dr. 
 IS — ,  has  declined  anfwering  what  rhe  author  of 
 Pietas  Oxoni-nfis  had  urged  againfl:  the  follow- 
 ing trad,  and  a  new  demand  having  arifen,  I 
 have  yielded  to  the  requeft  of  the  publiflier  lor  a 
 new  edition,  to  which  a  few  notes  are  add  d, 
 to  corred  thofe  errors  which  had  crept  into  the 
 former,   from  want  of  time  and  opponunity  to 
 
 attain 
 
(  ii  ) 
 
 attain  a  full  and  entire  acquaintance  with  thepre- 
 cifc  (late  of  fafts  j  as  alfo  fometimes  to  defend  it 
 .  from  the  attacks  of  an  author,  who  ynder  the 
 mafk  of  a  "  fpirit  of  vvifdom,  truth,  love,  and  can- 
 dor," has  given  way  to  party  zeal,  rancor,  and 
 uncharitablentfs.  His  t  harge  en  the  author  of 
 being  a  "  poor  catch-penny,  in  want  of  a  dinner, 
 &c."  gives  him  no  con'crn,  being  too  plainly  the 
 refult  of  Lhe  qualities  jull  mentioned,  to  impofe 
 upon  any  but  the  lowell;  dregs  of  an  enraged 
 party. 
 
[    I    3 
 
 A 
 
 VINDICATION,  &c. 
 
 O  profefs  openly  our  religious 
 
 principles,    and  to   worihip 
 
 God  in   fuch  a   manner  as 
 
 feems  to  us  moft  acceptable  to   him, 
 
 are  juflly   eftcemed  a  noble  branch 
 
 of  the  liberties  of  this  country.      We 
 
 B  claim 
 
[       2       ] 
 
 claim  it  as  our  birth-right ;  as  one  of 
 thofe  glorious  privileges  bought  by  the 
 fwords,  and  fealed  with  the  blood  of 
 our   noble   anceftors"^.       But  at  the 
 
 fame 
 
 *  The  author  of  Pietas,  in  remarking  on  this 
 paffage,  which  he  has    been  pleafed   to  dignify, 
 with  the  appellation  of  a  "  pompous  nonfenfical 
 flourilh  ;"    profelTes  himfelf  "  fo  utterly  igno- 
 rant of  the  hiftory  of  his  own  country,  as  not 
 to  know  that  this   (any  religious  principles  or 
 privileges  being  bought  by  the  fword)  was  ever 
 the  cafe  even  from  the  dawn  of  the  reforma- 
 tion, under  Henry   the  Eighth,   to   its   perfed: 
 eflablifiiment  in  the  reign  of  Qtieen  Elizabeth  :" 
 But  why   is  the  progrefs  of  religious    liberty 
 confined  to  fo  fliort  a  period  ?  The  reafon  is 
 obvious,   the  author  really  is  "  utterly  ignorant 
 of  the  hiftory  of  his  own  country,*'  or  otherwife  he 
 muft    have  known,   that  the   liberty    of  openly 
 profefTing    our    religious   principles,     made  not 
 only  a  confiderablc  part  of  the  conteib  between 
 Charles  the  Firfr  and  his  parliament,  but  was  alfo 
 a  leading  principle  ot  the  glorious  revolution,  — 
 One  of  the  charges  in  the  declaration  of  the  lords 
 fpiritual  and  temporal,  concerning  the  mifgovern- 
 ment  of  James  the  Second,  was,  that  he  did  en- 
 deavour 
 
.        [     3     ] 
 
 fame  time   that  we  boldly  aflert  this 
 right,  we  muft  confider  it  fubjed  to 
 
 deavour  to  fubvert  and  extirpate  the  Proteftant 
 religion."  Not  long  before  he  had  fupprelTed 
 the  books  of  controverfy,  written  in  anfwer  to 
 the  papifts  by  Tillotfon,  Tennifon,  Stillingfleet, 
 Sherlock,  and  others  •,  and  by  various  ways  had 
 endeavoured  totally  to  fupprefs  all  open  profelTion 
 
 of  religious  principles  to  the  Proteftants. 
 
 It  was  at  the  head  of  an  army  that  William  the 
 Third,  the  glorious  deliverer  of  this  country,  af- 
 ferted  the  principles  of  civil  and  religious  liberty, 
 being  called  to  that  office  by  the  voice  of  a  free 
 
 people.. And  although  his  right  to  the  crown 
 
 was  derived  from  compaft,  not  conquefV,  that 
 does  not  affed  the  affertion,  that  the  free  profef- 
 fion  of  our  religious  principles  was  bought  by  the 
 fword,  as  without  the  afiiftance  of  the  fword,  the 
 revolution,  by  which  that  privilege  was  con- 
 firmed to  the  people  of  this   nation,    could  not 
 
 have  been  brought  about,- • 
 
 As  to  the  author's  aflTcrtion,  that  the  "  many 
 glorious  gofpel  truths,  felled  with  the  blood  of 
 our  noble  anceftors,  are  the  very  fame,  which  in 
 the  vindication  are  ranked  in  the  lift  of  Metho- 
 diftical  Hcrcfies  •,"  it  is  entirely  confuted  hy  Dr. 
 Nowel,  in  his  anfwer,  to  which  I  refer  the  reader. 
 
 B  2  fome 
 
[    4    3 
 
 fome  neceffary  limitations.  It  would 
 be  foreign  from  the  fubjed:  of  this  ef- 
 fay,  to  enquire  into  the  neceffity  of 
 religious  eftablifhments:  without  them, 
 probably,  civil  government  could  not 
 be  fupported.  The  prefent  fubjed: 
 vvil!  reft  upon  the  right  of  focieties 
 to  fix  lavv^s  for  the  regulation  of  their 
 own  members,  and  to  demand  their 
 obedience  to  thofe  laws.  This  right 
 muft  be  allowed  by  all,  where  fuch 
 private  regul  itions  are  not  contrary  to, 
 or  inconfiftent  with  the  laws  of  the 
 realm.  Such  are  the  ftatutes  of  the 
 univerfity  of  Oxford,  confirmed  by 
 royal  charter.  Every  member  of  that 
 univerfity,  at  his  matriculation,  takes 
 a  folemn  *'  oath,     "  to  obferve  all 
 
 *  The  form  of  the  oath,  Tu  fidem  dabis  ad 
 obfervandum  omnia  ftatuta,  privilegia,  &  con- 
 fuetudines  huJLks  univerfitatis  Oxon.  Ita  Deus 
 te  adjuvet,  taclis  facro-fanftis  Chrifti  Evangehis. 
 
 ftatutes. 
 
[    s    ] 
 
 ftatutes,  privileges,  and  cuftoins  of 
 the  univerfity  :"  in  which  ftatutes  ihe 
 punifhments  for  particular  breaches 
 of  the  rules  of  the  univerfity  are  clear- 
 ly fpeciiied. 
 
 This  is  the  only  criterion  by  which 
 we  can  rightly  judge  of  the  merits  of 
 the  cafe  before  us :  All  reafonings  of 
 the  innocence  of  the  things,  in  them- 
 felves,  which  are  alledged  againil  the 
 members  lately  expelled  from  E — hall, 
 are  quiet  foreign  from  the  fubjecl, 
 and  only  ferve  to  heat  the  minds  of  a 
 party.  By  thofe  flatutes  which  they 
 \\a.dfwor?t  to  obferve^  they  muft  fland 
 or  fall.  If  the  charges  alledged  againfl 
 them  are  true,  and  the  punifhmcnt 
 afTigned  to  fuch  breaches  of  tiie  fla- 
 tutes be  expulfion, — they  werejuftly 
 expelled.  If  they  are  not  breaches 
 of  the  univerfity  flatutes,  then  their 
 expuKioa  was  unjuft  and   oppreflive. 
 
 Which 
 
[     6     ] 
 
 Which  of  thefe  was  the  cafe,  will  be 
 the  bufiaefs  of  this  eflay  to  examine. 
 
 It  is  ncceffary  to  premife,  that 
 the  whole  proceeding  was  in  confe- 
 quence  of  a  regular  information,  to 
 the  vice  chancellor,  as  vilitor  of  the 
 halls,  the  government,  and  admi- 
 niitration  of  which,  he  is  by  *  ftatute 
 obliged  to  take  under  his  peculiar 
 care. 
 
 *  Ut  aulas  etho''pitia  fcholarium  et  ftudentium, 
 de  tempore  in  lempus,  quoties  opus  fucrit,  juxta 
 privilegia  ac  jibertates  univerfitati.  debito  modo 
 vifiteriLur.  Ex  ilat.  de  off.  vice  can.  tit.  17. 
 lee.  3.  §  2. 
 
 Aularum  regimen  et  adminiftrationem  earundem 
 ut  feculiarem  fibi  curam  in  fefufapere  eumque  in 
 fincm  (quoties  commodLim  fibi  videbitur)  eafdem 
 visiTARE.  Ex.  flat,  de  oit.  cane.  T.  17.  itc.  i. 
 §  2.  page  156. 
 
 It  mufl  be  obferved,  that  all  the  power  of  the 
 chancellor  is  in  his  abfence  deputed  to  his  vice- 
 chancellor,  by  ftat.  t.  17.  fee.  3,  §  2.  page  159. 
 
 That 
 
C     7     ] 
 
 That  it  was  undertaken  by  the  u- 
 nanimous  advice  of  the  heads  of 
 houfes. — That  the  affefTors  were  men 
 whofe  characters  .both  for  learning  and 
 integrity  were  above  cenfure :  That 
 the  charges  (as  the  author  had  been  in- 
 formed upon  good  authority)  were  ve- 
 rified by  oath  *,  and  by  the  con- 
 feflion  of  the  deHnquents,  and  were 
 as  follow  f : 
 
 Firft,  that  the  accufed  members 
 had  held  or  frequented  illicit  conven- 
 ticles ;  fome  not  in  orders  had  preach- 
 
 *  The  author  fincc  finds  that  he  was  mif- 
 informed  in  this  point  of  the  examination,  being 
 upon  oath  only  one  of  the  witnefles  being  fo  ex- 
 amined, (vid.  Dr  Nowel's  Anfwer,  p.  12.)  as  this 
 was  only  mentioned  as  hearfay,  he  hopes  the  er- 
 ror may  be  confidered  as  venial. 
 
 -|-  Thefe  charges  are  confirmed  by  the  diflinft 
 accufatioti  againft  the  expelled  members,  as  co- 
 pied at  large  in  the  anfwer  toPictas  Oxonienfis. 
 
 ed, 
 
C     8     ]  • 
 
 ed,  expounded,  and  prayed  extem- 
 pore: That  the  offices  of  religion  were 
 performed  by  people  of  the  meaneft 
 ranks  and  abilities :  that  they  met  at 
 a  conventicle  held  in  a  private  houfe 
 within  the  umverfityj  where  a  ftay- 
 maker  and  a  woman  officiated. 
 
 Secondly,  that  fome  of  them  had 
 been  bred  i?,p  to,  and  had  exercifed, 
 the  loweft  trades,  where  w^holly  illi- 
 terate and  incapable  of  performing  the 
 ftatu table  exerciies  of  the  univerfity, 
 and  much  more  incapable  of  bemg 
 qualified  for  orders. 
 
 Thirdly,  that  they  held  the  doc- 
 trines of  methodifm.  ;  ^viz.  that  faith 
 without  wor' .s  is  fufficient  to  falva- 
 tion  : — that  there  is  no  neceffity  for 
 good  works : — that  the  immediate  in- 
 fluence oi  the  fpiiit  is  to  be  waited  for : 
 
 — that 
 
[     9     ] 
 
 — that  once  a  child  of  God  and  al- 
 ways a  child  of  God. — ) 
 
 That  they  had  miftreated  their  tu- 
 tor. Thefe  charges  .we  fhall  confi- 
 der  regularly. 
 
 And  firft,  that  they  had  held  or  fre- 
 quented illicit  conventicles. 
 
 Mr.  Whitefield,  refpedling  this 
 charge,  vehemently  iniifts  that  thefe 
 meetings  could  not  be  deemed  illegal, 
 he  fays,  "  Such  and  fuch  only  are  fo 
 as  are  feditious,  and  compofed  of  fe- 
 ditious  perfons,  who  affociate,  indeed, 
 under  a  pretence  of  religion,  but  in 
 reality  to  plot  againft  the  ftate,"  But 
 I  muft  beg  leave  to  inform  Mr.  W— 
 that  the  dennition  of  illeoral  conventi- 
 cles,in  a  book  he  ought  to  have  been  well 
 acquainted  with,  during  his  refidence 
 at  Pembroke  college,  is  as  follows  : 
 ^*  QuaHa  (i.  e.  illicita)  cenfenda  funt 
 C  in 
 
I    lo   3 
 
 in  quibus  contra  pacem  publicam, 
 DoSlrtnam^  vel  Difciplinam  Ecclefice^ 
 vel  regtmem  et  tranquilitatejn  univer- 
 fitatis  quicqnam  ddiberatum  vel  get- 
 turn  fuerit :  vel  in  quibus  homines  (fe- 
 cus  quam  ftatutis  regni,  canonibus 
 ecclefiae,  vel  ordinationibus  univerfi- 
 tatis,  permittitur) ;  vel  pal  am  vel  oc- 
 culte  conveniunt  *."  "  Such  are  to 
 be  efteemed  illicit  conventicles,  u^here- 
 in  any  thing  is  deliberated  or  done 
 againft  the  public  peace,  the  DoBrme 
 or  Difcipline  of  the  churchy  or  the^o- 
 vemment  and  tranquillity  of  the  uni- 
 verfity\  or  in  v^hich  men  meet  toge- 
 ther, either  openly  or  privately,  other- 
 wife  than  is  permitted,  by  the  laws 
 of  the  realm,  the  canons  cf  the  church, 
 or  the  orders  of  the  univerlity."  The 
 fame  flatute,    from  whence  this  quo- 
 
 *  V.  flat.   tit.  15.  §  12.  p.  144. — Excerpt,  p. 
 179.   An.  1756. 
 
 tation 
 
[  "  1 
 
 tation  IS  taken,  ftridlly  forbids  fre- 
 quenting fuch  conventicles,  "  Statu- 
 turn  eft,  quod  nullus  cujufcunque  gra- 
 dus,  five,  ftatus,  conventicula  illicita 
 intra  univerfitatis  pr^cindum  inftituat, 
 aut  iis  quovis-modo  interfit,  aut  in 
 domo  vel  hofpitio  fuo  habcri  permit- 
 tat."  ''  It  is  enaded,  that  no  one,  of 
 whatever  degree,  or  ftation,  fhall  in- 
 ftitute  illicit  conventicles,  within  the 
 precindl  of  the  univerfity,  or  flaall,  up- 
 on any  pretence,  be  prefent  at  them, 
 or  permit  them  to  be  held,  in  his 
 houfe,  or  lodging/'  It  may  be  urged, 
 that  the  houfe  within  the  precind  of 
 the  univerfity,  where  the  fix  expelled 
 
 members  of  E hall  met,  for  the 
 
 purpofes  complained  of  was  not  an 
 illicit  conventicle.  Let  us  therefore 
 remember  one  part  of  the  definition 
 is,  "  in  quibus  contra  DoBrwam  vcl 
 Difciplinam  Ecdejice — quicquam  de- 
 liberatum  vel  geftum  fuerit  i"  ''  where- 
 C  2  in 
 
[  12  ] 
 
 in  any  thing  is  deliberated  or  done 
 againft  the  Do&ine  or  DifcipHne  of 
 the  church,"  i.  c.  (contrary  to  the 
 articles  fubfcribed  to  by  thefe  men  at 
 their  matriculation  *,  or  the  canons 
 of  the  church.)  The  charge  exhibits 
 one  flagrant  breach  of  the  23d  arti- 
 cle of  the  church,  in  +  preaching 
 without  being  in  orders. — The  article 
 runs  thus,  "  It  is  not  lawful  for  any 
 man  to  take  upon  him  the   ofiice  of 
 
 *  Every  ftudent  at  matriculation  fubfcrihes  to 
 the  39  articles  of  the  church, — the  three  articles 
 in  the  36th  canon,  takes  the  oath  of  lupremacy, 
 and  that  for  obferving  the  flatutes  before  cited. 
 
 -j-  The  author  appeals  to  every  man  of  reafon 
 and  candour,  whether  there  is  any  thing  in  this 
 paflage,  that  can  be  faid  to  "  interpret  the  article, 
 as  laying  a  prohibition  on  all  members  of  the  elta- 
 blifhed  church  from  reading  a  fermon  in  a  private 
 houfe,  to  a  few  ferious  people  ?"  This  was  fuppli- 
 ed  by  the  "  wifdom,  trutli,  Jove,  an,d  candour'* 
 of  the  author  of  Pietas  Oxonienfis. 
 
 public 
 
C     '3     ] 
 
 puhlk  preaching,  or  miniftring  the  fa- 
 craments  in  the  congregation  before 
 he  be  lawfully  called  and  fent  to  ex- 
 ecute the  fiime.   And  thofe  we  ought 
 to    judge   lawfully    called    and   lent 
 which  be  chofen  and  called  by  men 
 who  have  public  authority  given  unto 
 them  in  the  congregation,  to  call  and 
 fend  minifters  into   the  Lord's  vine- 
 yard."    We  all  know  that  Proteftant 
 diffenters,     of  every    denomination, 
 whofe  minifters  have  not  epifcopal  or- 
 dination, are  (by  the  flat.  i.  William 
 and  Mary,  c.  i8.)  upon   taking  the 
 oaths  of  allegiance  and   fupremacy, 
 and  fubfcribing  the  declaration,    30. 
 car.  2.  ft.  2.  c.  I.  againft  popery,  and 
 their  place  of  meeting  being  certified 
 to  the  bifhop  of  the  diocefe,  or  to  the 
 archdeacon  of  the  archdeaconry,  or  to 
 the  juftices  of  the  peace  of  the  general 
 quarter  feflions,  and  regiftered  in  the 
 
 bifliop's 
 
[     14     ] 
 
 bifliop's  or  archdeacon's  court,  or  re- 
 corded  at  fuch  feffionj  exempted  from 
 the  penalties  in  the  flat.  22.  car.  2. 
 cap.  I.  and  other  previous  ftatutes 
 made  for  preventing  and  fuppreffing 
 conventicles;  but  it  is  prefumed  that 
 this  aflembly  had  no  fuch  exemption, 
 and  if  it  had,  all  members  of  the  uni- 
 versity convening  there,  would  have 
 been  in  dired  breach  of  the  ftatutes. 
 
 And  it  may  be  farther  urged,  that 
 their  ufing  extempore  prayer  in  this 
 aflembly,  in  breach  of  one  of  the  ca- 
 nons, fubjedls  it  to  the  fame  impu-- 
 tation  of  an  illicit  conventicle. — The 
 2d  article  in  the  36th  canon  (to  which 
 thefe  pious  youths  had  alfo  fubfcribed) 
 declares,  ^'  That  the  book  of  com* 
 mon  prayer,  and  of  ordering  of  bifhops, 
 priefts,  and  deacons,  containeth  in 
 it   nothing  contrary  to  the  word  of 
 
 God, 
 
t     ^5     ] 
 
 God,  and  that  it  may  be  lawfully 
 fo  ufed,  and  that  I  my f elf  will  iife 
 the  form  in  the  f aid  book  prefer  ibed  in 
 public  prayer  and  adminiflration  of  the 
 facraments^  and  none  other.'*  How 
 men,  who  would  feemingly  affc6t 
 to  be  thought  confcientious,  can,  af- 
 ther  fuch  fubfcription,  deviate  fo 
 widely,  feems  amazing;  but  to  fee 
 men,  who  have  fo  deviated,  held  up 
 to  the  public  as  martyrs  *  and  fuiFerers 
 
 in 
 
 *  The  author  of  theDefcnceof  Prieftcraft,  mif- 
 taking  the  fecondary  fenfeof  this  word  for  the  pri- 
 mary, has  attempted  to  be  very  witty  on  its  in- 
 fertion  here.  —  Dr.  South  (had  he  read  him), 
 would  have  informed  him,  "  that  a  mirtyronly 
 fignifies  a  witnefs-,"  but  entirely  to  fatisfy  him, 
 I  Ihall  quote  a  pafiage  from  one  of  the  firft 
 writers  of  the  prefent  age,  in  which  the  word  is 
 ufed,  in  a  manner  exadtly  parallel  refpeding  An- 
 felm,  archbifliop  of  Canterbury,  in  the  time  of 
 HenrytheFirft.— *'  After  having  made  fome  (lay 
 
 in 
 
[     »6     ] 
 
 in  the  caufe  of  religion,  and  that 
 too  by  a  man  of  Mr.  W 's  pub- 
 lic charadler,  by  him,  a  member  of 
 the  imiverfity,  who  has  himfelf  made 
 the  above  declaration,  concerning  the 
 common  prayer,  in  the  face  of  a  learn- 
 ed body  more  than  *  once;  to  fee 
 this  miiil  fliike  all  honeft  and  tem- 
 perate men,  not  only  with  aftonifli- 
 ment,  but  horror.  I  fhall  not  con- 
 dcicend  to  fay  much  about  what  thefe 
 
 in  France,  Anf^^lm  went  to  Rome,  where  he  was 
 received  wi^h  very  g.eai  a/>d  excrai^-rdinary  honors, 
 as  primate  of  England,  and  s  the  Pope's  faith- 
 ful Champion  and  Martyr."  —  (Lord  Little- 
 ton's liidory  of  Henry  th;;  Second,  vol.  i  p. 
 84.  2d  Edition). —  The  Rea'^er  -ill  pardon  the 
 length  of  this  no'^e,  as  it  is  the  only  oi  e  i  fhall 
 trouble  him  with,  m  anlwer  to  this  ..ontcmptible 
 Shaver. 
 
 *  At  the  prefentation  of  graduates,  thefe  ar- 
 ticles in  the3fnh  canon  are  by  them  fubfcribed 
 (being  previouHy  read)  before  the  proctors,  agree- 
 able to  the  ftatute  tit.  9.    iec.  5.  §  3.  page  90. 
 
 men 
 
[     ^7     ] 
 
 men  *  might  learn  from  the  pious  and 
 inftruding  expofitionsof  a  ft  ay  maker, 
 and  an  old  woman  ;  for  we  all  well 
 know,  that  it  is  not  only  at  a  fadler's  at 
 Oxford,  but  among  all  denominations 
 of  enthufiafm,  that  old  women  ex- 
 pound,  preach,   and   adminifter   the 
 
 other  offices  of  the  church, but 
 
 fliall  proceed  to  fay,  that  the  puniili- 
 ment  for  this  breach,  not  only  of  the 
 ftatutes  of  the  univerfity,  but  of  com- 
 mon decency,  and  \i(  the  place  was 
 not  regiftered)  of  the  laws  of  the  realm, 
 was  expulfion,  vid.  flat,  aularia,  fee. 
 4'  §  34-  "  Quod  ft  quis,  aliquod 
 dogma  contra  Dodlrinam,  vel  Difci- 
 plinam,  Eccleftas  angUcance  dcfende- 
 rit  vel   conventiculis  illicitis  interefle 
 
 *  As  the  former  exprefTion  ufed  here  gave 
 fome  offence  to  the  author  of  Pictas  Oxonienfis, 
 it  is   now  rcjeifted. 
 
 D  pra^fump- 
 
[18] 
 
 prasfnmpfcrit ;  ab  aula  expellatur." — - 
 Apen  :   ad  ftat.  page  74. 
 
 *'  If  any  one  fhall  defend  any  un- 
 found  opinion  contrary  to  the  Doc- 
 trine, 01  Difcipline,  of  the  church  of 
 England,  or  fhall  prefume  to  be  pre- 
 fect at  illidt  conventicles,  let  him  be 
 expelled  from  die  hall." 
 
 Secondly,  they  were  charged,  that 
 fome  of  them  had  been  bred  to,  anc} 
 had  exercifed  the  loweft  trades,  were 
 all  wholly  illiterate,  and  incapable  of 
 performing  the  fiatutable  exercifes  of 
 the  univerfity  ;  and  much  more  inca- 
 pable of  being  qualified  for  orders. — 
 Althouo;h  thefe  charcres  of  themfelves 
 might  not  be  thought  fufEcient  grounds 
 for  expulfion,  yet,  it  muft  be  allowed, 
 there  was  a  very  high  impropriety  in 
 their  iirft  adm.iffion. — It  can  hardly 
 be  looked  upon  but  as  an  impertinent 
 
 intrufion, 
 
[     '9     1 
 
 iiitrufion,  at  leaft  for  thefe  men  to 
 pufh  themfelves  into  a  fociety  of  per- 
 fons  whofe  birth  and  education  gave 
 them  the  rank  oi  gentlemen,  but 
 above  all  for  two  *  of  them  (^s  I  am 
 informed  they  did)  to  prefume  to  u^car 
 the  gentlemen  commoners  gown,  and 
 rank  with  gentlemen  of  the  mod  re- 
 fpedable  faaiilies  in  the  kingdom. 
 
 Their  entire  ignorance,  even  of  the 
 language  in  which  the  ftatutes  of  the 
 body  they  had  joined  are  written,  and 
 in  which  all  public  exercifes  are  per- 
 formed, made  the  very  thought  of 
 placing  them  in  the  univerfity  ridicu- 
 lous and  abfurd.  We  may  hope 
 this  initance  of  an  admiilion  of  per- 
 fons  w^holly  illiterate,  will  be  a  warn- 
 ing to  the  heads  of  houfLS,  to  give  or- 
 
 *  It  fince  appears  that  only  one  gentleman  com^ 
 jr.oaer  wai  expelled,  though  two  were  accused. 
 
 D  2  dcrs, 
 
C      20      3 
 
 ders,  tliat  none  may  hereafter  be  ad- 
 mitted into  their  refpedive  focieties, 
 who  have  not  a  competent  knowledge 
 of  the  languages,  at  leaft  to  under- 
 ftand  the  ftatutcs,  and  perform  the 
 exercifes.  The  fphere  of  the  univerfity 
 (efpecially  in  its  prefent  flate)  is  ra- 
 ther the  fciences  than  the  iirft  ele- 
 ments of  learning. 
 
 Thirdly,  with  regard  to  their  Doc- 
 trines, which  are  pure  methodifm, 
 viz.  that  faith  without  works  is  fufE- 
 cient  for  falvation,  and  that  there  k 
 no  necefiity  for  good  works — Thefe, 
 I  prefume  ^^    make   no  part  of  the 
 
 *  The  reat!er  may  fee  this  point  debated  at 
 length  in  Pittas  Cxonienfis,  and  the  anfwer  to  it. 
 —The  author  of  this  pamphlet  omits  all  contro- 
 
 verfy  about  Dodrines  •, -Poleniical  Divinity  is 
 
 a  weapon  he  has  not  learned  to  wield,  his  (rucies 
 have  been  directed  another  way. 
 
 Doclrines 
 
[   "    3 
 
 Doctrines  of  the  church  of  England, 
 which  exprefly  tells  us  in  its  i2th  ar- 
 ticle, ^'  Albeit,  that  good  works, 
 which  are  the  fruits  of  faith,  and  fol- 
 low after  juftifi cation,  cannot  put  a- 
 way  our  fins,  and  endure  the  feverity 
 of  God's  judgment;  yet  are  they  plea- 
 fing  and  acceptable  to  God  in  Chrift, 
 and  do  fpring  out  neceffarily  of  a  true 
 and  lively  faith^  infomuch,  that  by 
 them  a  lively  faith  may  be  as  evi- 
 dently known  as  a  tree  difcerned  by 
 
 the   fruit." And,   yet  the    me- 
 
 thodifts  have  the  effrontciy  to  affure 
 their  followers,  that  they  adhere 
 ftridly  to,  and  we  deviate  from  the 
 articles  of  the  church.  I  fliall  only 
 add  upon  this  head,  that  the  propaga- 
 tion of  this  tenet  alone,  would  hnve 
 been  fufficient  caufe  for  expulfion  by 
 the  ftatute,  declaring  the  office  of  tne 
 vice  chancellor,  in  which  it  is  enaded, 
 
 ^'Ut 
 
[       22       ] 
 
 ^'  Ut  hereticos,  fcifmaticos,  et  quof- 
 cunque  alios  minus  reEie  de  fide  catho- 
 licaj  et  DoElrina  vel  Difcipli7ta  Eccle- 
 fi(Z  Anglic ancz  fentientes^  procul  a  hni- 
 bus  univerfitatis  amandandos  curet." 
 Tit.  17.  fee.  3.  §  2.  page  158.  ''  That 
 he  fliall  take  care  to  banifh  from  the 
 boundaries  of  the  univerfity  all  here- 
 tics, fcifmaticSj  and  all  others  hold- 
 ing do&ines  inconliflent  with  the 
 catholic  faith,  and  the  Dodrine  or 
 Difcipline  of  the  church  of  Eng- 
 land." 
 
 In  regard  to  the  ill-mannered  and 
 difrefpedtul  behaviour  of  thefe  men  to 
 their  tutor.  I  {hall  only  obferve,  that 
 though  fuch  things  may  appear  to 
 fome  too  trivial  to  have  place  in  a 
 public  accufation  ;  yet 
 
 ''  Hie  nugae  feria  ducunt 
 
 ''  In  mala." 
 
 'Thefe 
 
[        23       ] 
 
 "Thefe  trifles  lead  to  ferious  evils,  DiC- 
 refpedtful  behaviour  to  fuperiors  in 
 communities,  formed  for  the  education 
 of  youth,  is  an  high  offence,  as  lead- 
 ing to  the  deftrudion  of  all  difcipline 
 and  good  order,  which  ought  to  be 
 maintained,  and  delinquents  punifhed. 
 — In  the  cafe  of  thefe  men  they  were 
 quietly  difmiffed  from  a  fociety  they 
 were  found  not  to  poffefs  any  one  qua- 
 lification for,  and  of  which  they  had 
 in  many  inftances  proved  themfelves 
 unworthy, 
 
 I  hope  this  plan  account  of  the 
 charges  brought  againft  the  fix  mem- 
 bers ofE hall,  and  the  fla- 
 
 tutes  upon  which  they  were  expelled, 
 will  have  the  effedl  intended:  I  mean, 
 that  ol   convincing  men  of  candor, 
 
 that  the  proceedings  of  the  V -<- 
 
 C ,  and  the  afieflbrs,  were  wor- 
 thy of  gentlemen  who  have  one  of 
 
 the 
 
[  24  ] 
 the  mpft  important  charges  in  the 
 world  upon  their  hands,  the  care  and 
 education  of  youth.  Unhappily  this 
 opportunity  has  been  taken  for  a  flame 
 of  party  to  blaze  forth — A  whole  fe6t 
 have  been  in  arms.  A  private  punifh- 
 ment  upon  a  few  individuals,  for  a  fla- 
 grant breach  of  ftatutes,  which  they 
 had  [worn  to  obferve,  has  by  a  vin- 
 dictive party,  been  blown  up  into  a 
 perfecution.  They  have  combated 
 with  declamation,  inflead  of  argu- 
 ment ;  and,  I  believe,  the  beft  rea- 
 fon  they  can  bring  in  defence  of  the 
 accufed  members  is  like  Juvenal's  de- 
 bauchee. 
 
 "  Fecimus  et  nos 
 
 Hajc  juvenus- 
 
 *'  We  alfo  did  thefe  things  when  young, ^^ 
 Like  Jack  in  the  Tale  of  a  Tub,  they 
 impute  the  laflies  their  own  folly  hath 
 
 brought 
 
[     ^5     ] 
 
 brought  upon  their  backs  to  their 
 fteady  aflertion  of  their  reHgion  in 
 this  wicked  and  adulterous  generation. 
 But  men  of  candor  will  judge  other- 
 wife.  They  will  not  think  that  the 
 fpirit  of  God  taught  them  to  adt  di- 
 rectly againft  laws  they  hady^^r;^  to 
 obferve,  and  articles  their  own  hands 
 had  fubfcribed  to. 
 
 A  P  P  E  N- 
 
[     26     ] 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 S 
 
 INCE  the  foregoing  fheets  were 
 fent  to  prefs,  feveral  pamphlets 
 have  been  pubHfhed  on  the  other 
 fide  of  the  queftion.  The  principal 
 of  thefe  by  the  author  of  Pietas  Oxo- 
 nienlis  is  addreffed  under  the  title  of 
 «'  Goliath  flain"  tothe  Rev.Dr.iV— , 
 who  publifhed  the  anfwer  to  Pietas. 
 It  is  written  with  the  fame  ^^  fpirit  of 
 wifdom,,  love,  truth,  and  candor," 
 which  fo  eminently  diftinguifhed  the 
 former  produdion  of  the  author,  who 
 profelTes  that  in  this  reply,  ''  The 
 falfe  glofies  of  Dr.  N — 's  pamplilet 
 are  removed,  his  great  mifreprefenta- 
 
 tions 
 
[       27      ] 
 
 tions  deteded,  the  ancient  doctrines 
 of  the  reformation,  and  the  church 
 oi  E?tgland  defended,  and  the  fen- 
 tence  againft  the  expelled  young  men 
 proved  from  his  own  words  to  be 
 iar  more  fevere,  arbitrary  and  illegal, 
 than  it  has  been  hitherto  reprefent- 
 ed." 
 
 As  the  intention  of  the  vindication 
 was  merely  to  juftify  the  expullion  by 
 the  local  laws  of  the  univerfity,  that 
 feeming  to  be  the  point  on  which  the 
 queftion  naturally  turns,  the  do6trines 
 they  profeffed  were  only  mentioned 
 obiter,  and  the  articles  and  canons 
 of  the  church  quoted,  to  enable  the 
 reader  to  form  his  own  judgment  on 
 the  fubjcdl.  Nothing  farther  on  that 
 part  of  the  difpute  will  be  offered  at 
 prefcnt.  Difputes  concerning  opini- 
 ons may  be  carried  on  to  eternity,  and 
 
 E  2  all 
 
[     28      ] 
 
 all  the  writings  of  divines,  on  each 
 fide  of  the  queftion,  eternally  quoted, 
 without  either  of  the  difputants  con- 
 vincing the  other  of  error.  If  the 
 dodor  has  mifreprefented  any  fafe, 
 or  given  falfe  gloffes  to  any  matter, 
 he  niuft  take  upon  himfelf  the  vindi- 
 cation of  them.  Whatever  is  faid  in 
 the  farther  part  of  this  effay,  fhall 
 be  built  upon  fuch  fads  as  are  allow- 
 ed by  both  the  difputants. 
 
 My  time  will  not  permit  me  to 
 enter  into  a  regular  analyfis  of  Goliah 
 flain,  for  which  reafon  I  muft  omit 
 taking  farther  notice  of  his  curious 
 dedication  to  all  the  members  of  the 
 univeriity,  than  to. comply  with  his 
 requeft  by  ''  intreating  the  principal 
 of  St.  Mary  Hall  to  write  again,  and 
 anfwer  him  once  more."  1  hope  that 
 gentleman  will  take  up  the  pen  againft 
 
 .     this 
 
[     29     ] 
 
 this  doughty  combatant,  in  vindi- 
 cation of  himfelf ;  for  as  to  the  ex- 
 pulfion,  I  believe  there  is  not  a 
 man  of  candor  in  the  kingdom 
 who  is  not  convinced  of  the  lega- 
 lity, whatever  may  be  his  fenti- 
 ments  of  the  expediency  of  the  mea- 
 fure. 
 
 The  advocates  of  the  expelled 
 members  have  all  allowed,  that  they 
 met  together  at  a  houfe  within  the 
 precind  of  the  univerfity,  where  they 
 expounded  and  prayed  extempore: 
 this  place  muft  come  under  the  defi- 
 nition of  an  illicit  conventicle  crivcn 
 in  the  local  ftatute  cited  p.  9.  as  be- 
 ing "  coin r a  doBrinajn  vel  difcipli^ 
 nam  eccleftce^^  againfl:  the  dodlrine  or 
 difcipHne  of  the  church ;  and  being 
 in   a   private  houfe,  v/as   diredlly  in 
 
 breach 
 
[     30     3 
 
 breach  of  the  flatute  de  domibus  op-- 
 fida?2Grum  non  frequent andis.  The 
 only  ufe  of  introducing  the  ftatute 
 for  preventing  and  fupprefluig  con- 
 venticles, is  to  confirm  this  *  dejfini- 
 tion,  as  the  vice  chancellor  adted  as 
 vifitor,  not  as  a  juftice  of  peace.  Mr. 
 Jacob\  definition  *'  A  private  affem- 
 bly  or  meeting  for  the  exercife  of  re- 
 ligion,   now   applied   to    the   illegal 
 
 *  Tit.  15.  §  4.  p.  138.  The  words  of  the 
 ftatute  22  Car.  2.  c.  i.  "  If  any  perfon  being 
 fixteen  years  of  age  fhall  be  prefent  at  any  con- 
 venticle, or  meeting,  under  pretence  of  any  exer- 
 cife of  religion,  in  other  manner  than  according 
 to  the  liturgy  and  practice  of  the  church  of  Eng- 
 land^ at  which  there  fhall  be  five  perfons  or  more 
 aflembled,"  ocz.  afcertain  fulHciently  the  accep- 
 tation of  the  word  conventicle,  and  tiie  place 
 where  thefe  men  afiembled,  fuiting  entirely  the 
 definition,  muft  be  acknowledged  to  be  a  con- 
 venticle by  every  mau  who  reafons  difpaflio- 
 nately. 
 
 meetings 
 
[     31     ] 
 
 meetings  of  the  nonconformifts,  fixes 
 the  imputation  fully  upon  them,  as 
 upon  their  uling  any  form  contrary 
 to  the  eftablifhed  church,  they  imme- 
 diately became  nonconformifts,  what- 
 ever might  be  their  former  profeffion; 
 and,  confequently,  fubjed:  to  the  pe- 
 nalties of  the  ftatute,  if  five  of  them 
 (befides  the  perfons  belonging  to  the 
 houfe)  were  affembled  together,  and 
 the  place  was  not  exempted  from 
 thofe  penalties  by  the  means  menti- 
 oned, p.  13.  agreeable  to  the  tolera- 
 tion adl.  The  meaning  of  the  ex- 
 preflion  "  illicit  conventicle"  in  the 
 local  ftatute  being  thus  fettled,  and 
 the  place  of  meeting  falling  under 
 the  definition,  they  muft  necefilirily 
 be  fubjed  to  expulnon  by  the  aular 
 ftatute,  quoted  p.  17.  This  fliort 
 and  clear  argument   is  fufficient   to 
 
 prove 
 
C   32   2 
 
 prove  the  legality  of  the  expulfion, 
 to  every  man,  into  whofe  eyes  dull 
 has  not  been  thrown  (to  ufe  his  own 
 figure)  by  the  author  of  Pietas. 
 
 But  fays  this  writer,  thefe  affertions 
 were  not  proved  upon  oath,  to  which 
 we  may  anfwer,  That  method  of  proof 
 is  not  ufual  in  fimilar  cafes,  yet  there 
 is  no  doubtj  that  if  the  expelled  mem- 
 bers had  defired  it,  their  requeft 
 w^ould   have  been  complied  with  as 
 
 well  as  Mr.  H 's,  with  regard  to 
 
 Mr.  G .    So  far  from  making  any 
 
 fuch  requeft,  for  the  moft  part  we 
 find  from  the  accounts  both  of  Dr. 
 N — ,  and  Pietas,  they  confefled  the 
 principal  things  laid  to  their  charge, 
 after  wiiich  there  could  be  no  neceflity 
 for  producing  evidence  or  oath  unafk- 
 
 ed  for,  efpccialiy  as  Mr.  H ,  had 
 
 fworn  to  the  articles  of  accufation,  as 
 
 publifh- 
 
C     33     3 
 
 publiflied  by  Dr.  N ,  p.  1 8,  8cc. 
 
 After  they  have  negleded  to  defire 
 fuch  proof,  is  it  not  unjufl  to  make  a 
 clamor  about  it?  Had  they  deflred 
 it,  and  been  refufed,  it  would  certain- 
 ly have  been  an  inftance  of  great  par- 
 tiality and  injuflice,  and  a  very  fuffi- 
 cient  ground  for  an  appeal,  and  pro- 
 bably for  a  reverfal  of  the  fentence ; 
 but  when  it  was  not  defired,  does  it 
 not  appear  like  the  laft  effort  of  an 
 expiring  party?  but  the  reed  is  too 
 weak,  it  cannot  fave  its  unhappy  de- 
 pendant from  drowning. 
 
 The  fuficring  other  members  of 
 E —  Ha! I  to  leave  it,  and  enter  at 
 other  colleges  (though  a  very  rea-^ 
 fonable  permiflion)  is  brought  |1  as  a 
 very  heavy  charge  againft  the  V — 
 
 U  Goliah  flain,  p.  78. 
 
 F 
 
C     34     ] 
 
 C  "  y  yet  the  author  acknowledges 
 that  the  Principal  was  called  upon  to 
 give  his  reafons  why  they  fhould  not 
 have  that  permiffion :  The  reafon 
 given  was  very  unfatisfadory,  as  the 
 want  of  learning  in  the  expelled 
 members  was  at  moft  but  a  fecondary 
 caufe  of  their  expuliion.  We  may 
 naturally  fuppofe,  that  the  other 
 members  of  the  hall,  would  defire 
 to  leave  a  place,  which  had  lately 
 fallen  under  the  odium  of  having  fix 
 of  its  members  expelled  for  a  noto- 
 rious breach  of  the  ftatutes,  and  de- 
 fended in  that  breach  by  the  Prin- 
 cipal. To  have  denied  them  leave, 
 fo  to  do,  would  have  been  paying  a 
 
 compliment  to  Dr.  D ,  at  the 
 
 expence  of  gentlemen  who  had  not 
 merited  fuch  a  refufal. 
 
 As 
 
[     35     ] 
 
 As  to  the  author's  frivolous  charge 
 of  partiaHty  in  proceeding  againfl:  the 
 fix  expelled  members,  and  not  againft 
 other  perfons  for  infufficiency :  It 
 muft  be  obvious  to  every  one,  that  as 
 only  the  expelled  members  were  ac- 
 cufed,  no  others  could  with  propriety 
 be  proceeded  againft.  Their  fuffici- 
 ency  or  infufficiency  being  coram  7to?t 
 judicey  and  that  none  of  thefe  are 
 charged  even  by  himfelf  with  fre- 
 quenting illicit  conventicles,  or  with 
 any  other  of  the  faults  of  which  the 
 expelled  members  were  accufed,  or 
 any  other  difqualification  for  the  uni- 
 verfity  *  except  a  want  of  learning, 
 
 *  I  here  except  Mr.  IV ,  who  has  been 
 
 fo  unmercifully  treated  by  the  author  of  Pietas. 
 That  gentleman  has  by  his  public  recantation, 
 made  all  the  fatisfadlion  in  his  power  to  the  uni- 
 verfry,  and  will,  I  hope,  by  his  future  beha- 
 viour, prove  himfelf  deferving  of  the  lenity  fhewn 
 towards  him, 
 
 F  2  which 
 
[     36     1 
 
 which  their  own  diligence,  with  the 
 afliftance  of  a  tutor,  may  fupply.  It 
 will  be  no  lefs  obvious,  that  the 
 making  mention  of  this  by  the  author 
 of  Pietas,  and  Goliah  flain,  was  only 
 an  invidious  attempt  to  defend  his 
 caufe  by  abufe,  when  he  found  argu- 
 ments fail. 
 
 To  the  fame  ^'  fpirit  of  wifdom, 
 truth,  love,  and  candor,"  which  dic- 
 tated the  laft  charge,  muft  be  afcribed 
 his  illiberal  refledions  on  other  pri- 
 vate charaders,  entirely  unconnedied 
 with  his  fubjed  ?  What  influence  over 
 the  prefent  cafe  can  the  former  infa- 
 
 nity  of  Mr.  H have?  To  what 
 
 purpofe  is  Mt.W 's  unhappy  error 
 
 raked  from  oblivion,  and  exaggerated? 
 +.     Why  was  the  alTair  of  a  v/orthy 
 
 clergy- 
 
 t  The  depofition  fays,  Some  fuch  exprefTion 
 as  the  following,  "  Whac  fool,  do  you  believe 
 
 in 
 
t     37     ] 
 
 clergyman  called  by  this  author, 
 Dodor  Pig  and  Caftle,  mentioned, 
 and  his  wife  degraded  to  a  landlady 
 at  an  alehoufe,  when  flie  was  a  lady 
 of  confiderable  fortune?  Why  was  the 
 
 crime  of  Mr. ,  who  adminiftered 
 
 the  facrament  to  an  afs,  and  had  been 
 expelled  for  it,  brought  upon  the  car- 
 pet, with  a  note  to  make  the  reader 
 believe,  that  he  was  not  expelled? 
 
 in  the  miracles  of  Mofes,'^  or  words  to  that  ef- 
 fect. We  may  appeal  to  any  man,  whether 
 thefe  words  are  equivalent  to  thofe  afcribed  by 
 
 the  author  of  Pietas,  (p.  22.)  to  Mr.  IV , 
 
 *'  that  whofoever  believed  the  miracles  of  our 
 Saviour, or  of  Mofes,  mufl:  be  a  knave  or  a  fool?" 
 This  is  the  author  who  charged  Dr.  N — —  with 
 mifreprefentations,  and  exaggerating  the  charges 
 againft  the  young  men  ?  We  may  fay  to  him  in 
 the  words  of  the  apoftle,  *'  Thou  art  inexcufa- 
 ble,  O  man,  whofoever  thou  art,  that  judo-efl", 
 for  wherein  thou  judged  another  thou  condemn- 
 eft  thyfelf,  for  thou  that  judged  doefl:  the  fame 
 thins." 
 
 Can 
 
 o* 
 
[     38     ] 
 
 Can  thefe  things  be  afcribed  to  a 
 *'  fpirit  of  wifdom,  truth,  love,  and 
 candor  ?"  Is  this  the  way  to  defend 
 "  the  caufe  of  a  violated  truth,  tram- 
 pled laws,  and  injured  innocence." 
 But  even  thefe  were  not  facrifices  fuf- 
 ficient  to  appeafe  the  anger  of  our 
 worthy  mafter  of  arts.  The  names  of 
 Dr.  Samuel  Clarke^  and  Bp.  Hoadly^ 
 names  facred  to  every  lover  of  reli- 
 gion, and  of  all  the  virtues  which 
 dignify  humanity,  are  vilified  with 
 the  epithet  of  profane  blafphemers — 
 
 "  Horruit  aiiditu  Pietas,  veftigia  torfit 
 
 "  Religio,  ingenuus  deflexit  lumina  Candor, 
 
 *  *  Et  Pudor  averfos  texit  velamine  vultus."|| 
 
 ''  Religion  heard  and  trembled,  San(5lity, 
 *'  A  Pi  righted,    turned  afide  her  hallowed  fleps, 
 "  With  down  call  eyes  fubmiffive  candor  blulh'd, 
 "  And  fhame  ingenuous  hid  her  balhtul  head." 
 
 11  Pi6lura  Carnen  a  De  Marfy. 
 
 Such 
 
C     39    ] 
 
 Such  arc  the  arms,  and  fuch  the 
 arts  with  which  this  David  would 
 flay   Goliah:    but  how   weak,    how 
 mean,  the  pubhc  will  judge  to  whofe 
 impartial  and  candid  fentence,  I  fhall 
 now  leave  him  and  his  friends,  hav- 
 ing neither  time  nor  inclination  to 
 purfue  this  fubjed;  any  farther,  wifh- 
 ing  them,  inftead  of  the  pretended 
 ^'  fpirit  of  wifdom,  truth,  love,  and 
 candor,"  a  larger  fupply  of  that  wif- 
 dom '^  which  is  from  above,  and  is 
 firft   pure,    then  peaceable,  without 
 partiality,  and  without  hypocrify." 
 
 FINIS. 
 
►4. 
 
 If}^ 
 
 J<%' '  •  <■! 
 
 ^'>V