: Dr. (afterwards Archbishop) Tillotson.

195 made manifest.' I only foretell him, the brethren, and reviler of the serthat I greatly doubt that if he repent vants of the living God, and the not speedily, (which is not likely,) be preacher of hatred to the members of is in great danger of dying a papist or Christ.' an infidel. As to the reproach used

• Your Monitor, in your letter, it doth but shew that

“ RI: BAXTER. you are so much more impatient of

« Oct. 6th, plain truth and of being contradicted,

“ 1675. than other ordinary men, that we have “ I would you would study what is little reason to believe that you have meant in Scripture by the words heremore of the spirit of humility, meek. tic and diabonos, translated false acness and patience, than those whose cuser.” communion you renounce, as not being spiritual, and that they call not for an answer but for pity. What

William Penn's Reply to Richard

you charge my landlord with, debate it

Baxter. with him. I was sorry- you began “I have received a long letter from with him, and that with so provoking thee, which I shall answer with what incivility; but you dream not, sure, brevity I can. The first part of it that I undertook for any one but contains an evasion of meeting; the myself; though I told you and them last, a repetition of thy old refuted what was meet and what was my re- clamours, and both wrapped up in quest. I will say what at our first terms only fit for the devil, such is meeting I said to you, that I suppose the sweetness of thy nature, and the you were never acquainted with the great charity of thy new-modelled repersons whom you revile, otherwise I ligion. But to the first part: thy cannot excuse you from downright words are these, “I shall stand to the malignity. My great acquaintance offer I made of another day's conferwith abundance of the reviled minis- ence, but not at your time nor rates.' ters and people did cause me to per- But who concluded thec? Not I: it ceive that they lived in mortification is true I offered those things, but so of the flesh, and contempt of such as I left room for exceptions : yet riches as you possess, few of them why should not I have the giving the having more than mean food and rai- laws of the second, when thou hadst ment, and being therewith content; the giving of the laws of the first, conthe greatest adversaries in a way of ference? It was my turn in equity. sobriety, to worldliness, sensuality, But thou art weak and full of pain ; lordly pride or laziness in ministers, if so, God help thee : I cannot say that ever I knew ; frequent and fer- of thy cause, though its more infirm. vent in prayer, watching over the flock Well, but thou canst not meet me this with love and diligence, unweariedly week, because of preaching the next labouring in preaching the ancient, Lord's-day; when, then? After it I simple Christianity, faith, repentance, shall be ready; what day? The first obedience, love and concord; humbly opportunity; who shall judge of that? stooping to the lowest, and doing good 'It is not at my command; nor mine to the souls and bodies of all accord- thou hast told me already'; who may ing to their opportunity and talents ; I ask for Richard Baxter? Where and living exemplary in peace among may I find him? When will he be at themselves, following peace with all; leisure to make good his false insinuand abhorring usurpations, rebellions, ations against the poor Quakers ? In heresy and schism; and to this day this wood he leaves us, or rather hides preach for nothing, through sufferings from us; and then tells the lamentawith patience : I say, I know so much ble story of being driven from books, of these, that he that would persuade house, goods, &c. O, Richard Baxter, me to hate them, or to believe them and is this a time to draw diabolical to be as odious as you have described pictures of the poor Quakers, to renthem, doth to me seem to be the mes- der them hateful and their religion senger of Satan; and if I know God's accursed, and that in the face of maSpirit speaking in the Scripture and gistracy, whilst thou complainest of in me, it teacheth me to say, • Get persecution for thy dissent from thee behind me, Satan, the accuser of others? Where is sweetness, meekness

and charity now? However, if I were subscribes a book of foulest charges
Richard Baxter, no man should go against a whole people, that I have
to prison for me, as one, he says, cause to believe he never read, and
hath done for him; nor should it be yet justifies it : he that authorizes
a troubled pulpit, but a troubled con- quotations he never compared, and
science that should make me fly. Go justifies consequences that he never
to London and go to gaol, if that examined: he that says we deny the
must be the consequence, and learn Holy Scriptures to be any means of
charity by bonds, and thou wilt, per- good, when we maintain the contrary;
haps, practise it better when at liberty. that we set them and the Spirit in
Well, but thou sayest, I have a de opposition, who affirm their exact
signing, wrathful, persecuting spirit unity in testimony? What shall we
in me: how am I designing? By say of him, and what is he that makes
coming so near to dinner-time, as us to deny Christ, his manhood one
thinking I could not have held out while, his godhead another while, and
fasting till night :' what a prodigious that says we despise, reject and deny
design was this to blow up poor R. his transactions at Jerusalem for man's
Baxter! But did he really think I salvation, when our writings plenti-
could stand him so long? Doubtless fully mention them with honour : he
his disciples (especially above other that says we deny the ministry (be-
gifts in that of patience) fancied no- cause we deny theirs); yea, thrice
thing less than that we, like poor self- over in the debate, (though I warned
condemned mortals, should cry out, him of it as a gross abuise,) instead of
* Men and brethren, wliat shall we do proving the ministry of his us and we
to be saved ? But to help R. Bax. the true gospel ininistry : he that
ter's perception, that is as dim here makes us to deny a gospel church,
as his eyes or his notes were the which we believe : le that renders
other night, I will inform him, that us to deny heaven and hell, rewards
I came late from London the night and punishments; and gives these
before the conference, and knew no things under his hand, as the doctrines
more of the hour than the unborn and principles of the Quakers, that
child; nay, in the letter sent from are not to be found in any of their
London about the meeting, no time writings, nay, that are confessed to be
was so much as mentioned. What a but consequences of his or his friends
designing man was I, R. B., all this drawing, never consented, agreed or
while ? Well, but I am wrathful; acknowledged by us, but detested and
why? Because I take so much pains, abominated : be that will recommend
and am so zealous in discovering and them after being confuted, at least
reprehending his and his brethren’s answered, without reading our justifi-
cruelty to us. And in what persecu- cation; which was either by down-
ting? In writing bolder against it right denial, as in some cases, or clear
(without vanity I say it) than any man distinctions, as in other places : he
in England; witness my several pieces that shall maintain another's allega-
to the Parliament, and that impar- tions and citations out of men's books,
tially, while R. Baxter and his brethren that are plainly false and forged :
are for casting us and others to the again, he that shall begin a dispute
dogs by a comprehension, leaving us between we and you, and shall require
under the clutches of merciless men. what the you are, and refuse to tell
Thus much to the first part of the what the we are: he that shall charge
letter.

his opposer with studying before“ To the second, which contains hand, that never thought what to say, two sides and a quarter, and all upon whilst himself had writ his matter, and this strain, 'what hope can I have of therefore contended for his method, a man that will say and unsay, that because else he had been at a loss : hath a spirit that judgeth the ministry he that turns disputation into preachthat laboured twenty years ago ?' &c., ing: he that evades answers, and runs I shall, by retortion and inversion, as all into reflections or perversions : he also by some additional exceptions, that counted us no Christians, (though give, I hope, a full and convincing he allowed it to Papists,) yet neither return.

said in what, nor disproved our Con“What hope can I have of him that fession : he that made us to deny any

Dr. (afterwards Archbishop) Tillotson.

197 ministry but that of the Spirit in' us, force their maintenance ? He that only to ourselves individually, though calls this taking a malicious advantage we proved particularly the contrary, of the times, when, God knows, I was and that never takes notice of it, but grieved to mention it, but driven to it perseveres with dreaming repetitions: by such extravagant praises of them he that made me to say I cared not a as being of the best, which I think, in farthing for Christ's church, that only a sense, is corruptest; and to shew it said it of a persecuting, mercenary, must tell their story: he that calls adulterated, divorced church: he that the law, which forces maintenance represented me to cry down Christ's from people to a ministry they own ministry, that only denied 'a persenot, one of those laws of the land, cuting, bloody-minded clergy, full of that is the rule of property, and yet temporizing and flattery: he thạt denies the law that distrains religious made me accuse Marshall, Ward, Bur. meetings as against property: he gess, Edwards, &c., of fawning upon that makes us deny any. Christianity 0. Cromwell, that only mentioned at all to be in any but ourselves, that them as some of those that cried infers from our words, that all else

down with Baal's priests,' &c., on the are antichristian but ourselves, &c., one side, and that most bitterly with because we acknowledge this way, to stood the Independents, &c., as schis. be more excellent, as that which has matics, on the other; calling upon given life to our souls, and in which the civil magistrate to sweep the land we have found the redeeming power of them, on purpose to give proof of of Christ in our souls ; which we some Presbyterian charity: he that never felt under other ministry and in charges schism upon us, and is by his other ways : he that, from our deseparate meeting, and flying for doing clining the fashions and customs of 80 a detected Separatist himself: he the world in pure conscience to God, that cries us and we, taking in Pro- the only token of our esteeming ourtestants of all sorts, and Papists too, selves Christians, * and that says we under some Christian qualification, go out of one extreme into another: but leaving us out; that hath abetted he that chargeth us with maintaining the beginning of those troubles that Popery, and yet counts the Papists are charged with sedition and schism: Christians, whilst he denies us to be he that had the confidence to say he such, at least questions it: he that and his friends had no hand in separa- admits not particular instances to contion or persecution, nor daubing of clude against generals, and himself the powers; who writ an' Holy draws reflections from I. Nayler upon Commonwealth' to an usurper to the whole people called Quakers, and practise, and raise his new monarchy their faith: he that chargeth me with upon, and that hath preached up the believing, and bids me repent of what use of civil power to restrain con- never was, but what if it were, I told sciences, and countenanced severity biun I utterly detested, and that after upon Thomas Goodier, so as he had he was told so, yet suins up his disbeen killed, but for It. Salsberry; course in the same terms, without and whose brethren said, at Manches- proving his accusation or taking any ter, ' let us blow up this Quaker,' at notice of my abhorrence of any such G. Boothe's rising, and cried, ‘Banish thing as that he charged: and he that them, and for the children do as the can make a people guilty of such Irish did :' níts will be lice, my wit- fault as I. N. might commit, when nesses are near: he that cries up the they so solemnly, and in print reministry of 1655, for the best in the nounce and censure it: he that finds world, and when put close to it, runs off fault with aggravating evil against perand quits the field, and of above 9000 sons, as a way that tends to destroy preachers with 1800: were the 1800 love, and yet practises it by a dull the ministry, and not the 9000? And and envious repetition of stories thrice did none of those call Oliver, ‘Moses,' over, not at that time to be particu*the light of their eyes and breath of larly disproved : he that makes it a their nostrils,' and Richard, the Joshua that was to lead them to the Holy Land'? Did none of these flatter * Part of the sentence is evidently the powers, persecute Dissenters, and omitted. Ed.

mark of a false church in us, that we and yet discourse thee in much tender
contradict and write one against ano- love: notwithstanding this hard enter-
ther, (which is still false, we never did tainment from thee, I am without
so,) yet justifies the Episcopalians, harder words,
Presbyterians, Independents and Bap- * Thy sincere and loving friend,
tists, that have done the like, and

“ WM. PENN.
continue to do so: he that pretends (Below, the amanuensis writes,)
they are all his brethren, and the Pa-
pists too, for he calls them Christians, left me this to copy over, which

“My master went to London and (which must be by being born of one stock,) yet says that this spirit of have done, I think, exactly as i

could." schism, this rending spirit that leads into these perverse ways, began with those that cried "Down with Baal's Troo Original Letters of Tillotson's. priests,' &c., descended thence into The first of these is without an ad. The Sectaries, that is, Independents, dress. An indorsement on the enve(for so the Presbyterians called them,) lope, in the hand-writing of Dr. Cal. from them to the Anabaptists, so to der, formerly librarian at Red-Cross the Ranters, and then to the Quakers: Street, states that it was supposed he that can justify a man in calling to have been written to Baxter, but the Quakers' light within, a sinful, more probably to Mr. Howe, and given sordid and corrupt thing, and yet ap- to this Library by Mr. Calamy, Feb. peal to it in print, and say its but 28, 1753.". It refers to a memorable what we have of him and his brethren: incident in Tillotson's life, the narrahe that reproves us for railing, that tion of which, in Calamy's Life of defend ourselves in Scripture terms, Howe, would rather lead to the conrightly applied, as we offer to prove, clusion that it was not addressed to to both use it and abet it in others : Mr. Howe. The tradition of its have he that can call a man brother one ing been sent to Baxter is probably hour, and devil the next; first extol co ct. To render it perfectly inteland hosanna, then debase and crucify, ligible, we think it fit to extract Dr. bid me get me behind him, and God Birch's account of the affair to which rebuke me,' as if I were a devil :-he it relates, in his Life of Tillotson. The that can do all these things, I hope I extract is long and has been partly may say, is so far neither a good man, anticipated in our IIIrd Vol. pp. 147, a charitable man, nor a fair disputant. 148 ; but we had rather run the risk And whether R. Baxter be not this of tediousness or repetition than omit very man, I leave it with hiin seriously any thing necessary to the elucidation to consider, as he will answer the great of this valuable relic of so great and God at his tribunal. Oh! do not so good a man as Tillotson. harshly represent, nor cruelly charac- Having related the publication of ter a poor people, that are given up Dr. Burnet's History of the Reformato follow the leadings of that Jesus, tion, as a most seasonable service abundance of you have long told us, to the nation amidst the alarms of has stood even all night at the door of Popery,” Dr. Birch proceeds : “ And our hearts, knocking that he might the same reason induced the Dean come in, whose pure spirit and fear (Dr. Tillotson, then Dean of Canterwe desire to be subject to, and wait bury), to take all opportunities to opupon God, when together in true si- pose the progress of that religion, lence from all fleshly thoughts, that especially at court, whence the greatwe may feel our hearts replenished est danger of it was then apprehended. with his divine love and life, in which Being called upon, therefore, unexto forgive our opposers, and those pectedly to preach out of his turn bethat spitefully use us : in which dear fore the King at Whitehall, on the 2d love of God, R. Baxter, I do forgive of April, 1680, he took for his text thee, and desire thy good and felicity; Josh. xxiv. 15, and his sermon was and when I read thy letter, the many soon after published by his Majesty's severities therein could not divert me special command at London, in 4to. from saying, that I could freely give under the title of The Protestant thee an apartment in my house, and Religion vindicated from the Charge thy liberty therein, that I could visit, of Singularity and Novelty.' But this

Dr. (afterwards Archbishop) Tillotson.

199

discourse, though an excellent and sermon, that he was not awake, nor judicious one in the main parts of it, had his wits about him, as he used to yet contained some incidental asser- lave, when he wrote it. The place I tions, which gave no small offence to mean is page 9. There the very exmany both of the Church and Dis- istence of a God may be thought to senting communions, particularly the be called into question by him, and following passages :

I cannot think to be, in his account, but a politic (till I be better informed, which I ain invention. For thus he writes, pressalways ready to be), that any pretence ing religion as the strongest band, of of conscience warrants any man, that humun society: God is so necessary to is not extraordinarily commissioned, the welfare and happiness of mankind, as the apostles and first publishers of us * if the being of God himself had the gospel were, and cannot justify been purposely designed and contrived that commission by miracles, as they for the benefit and advantage of men. did, to affront the established religion in which his meaning is so untowardly of a nation, though it be false, and expressed, that you cannot but think openly to draw men off from the pro- he was indisposed when he wrote so fession of it, in contempt of the ma- untowardly. He hath altered this gistrate and the law: All that persons passage, I hear, in the second edition ; of a different religion can in such a but so it is, as I have received it in case reasonably pretend to, is to enjoy that, which he sent me at its first the private liberty and exercise of coming out. And, indeed, that patheir own conscience and religion, for renthesis, in the first part of the serwhich they ought to be very thankful, mon, (till I be better informed,) shews and to forbear the open making of he was in too great haste at least, proselytes to their own religion, when he composed it; else he would (though they be never so sure that never have adventured to deliver his they are in the right,) till they have opinion in a matter of such moment, either an extraordinary commission till he had been better informed of its from God to that purpose, or the truth. .. I do not write this out providence of God make way for it by of any change there is in my mind the permission of the magistrate.' * concerning persons or things, having Dr. Hickes stiles t this downright the very same thoughts I had, when Hobbism; and tells us, that a witty you and I conversed more frequently Lord, I standing at the King's elbow, together, but the lamentable case of when it was delivered, said,” Sir, Sir, things. I cannot but have a love do you hear Mr. Hobbes in the pul- to Dr. Tillotson's person, though I pit?' And that Dr. Gunning, Bishop have none for his opinion. I, thereof Ely, complained of it in the House fore, would gladly have him well of Lords, as a doctrine that would treated, though he be never so sharply serve the turn of Popery. He cites, reproved.' Dr. Hickes adds, that Dr. likewise, the following extract of a Patrick confirmed all this to Dr. letter of Dr. Simon Patrick, afterwards Parker, when he met the latter in Bishop of Ely, to Dr. Sainuel Parker, London, and said, that Dr. Tillotson then Archdeacon of Canterbury : ‘A ought to give satisfaction by a retracpassage, I assure you, which I and tation, or else be exposed. If he some of our common acquaintance will not,' says he, ‘be reduced, he read pot without a great deal of troue ought to have no mercy, but to be ble when we first saw it. ... They hunted out of the Christian church, think it would be well to admonish when he will not own it.' him in a letter of this error, and to " The Dean's doctrine was likewise represent the consequences of it to animadverted upon by Mr. Simon him, exposing his opinion. ... It Lowth, Vicar of Cosmus Blene, in the is plain, by another passage in that diocese of Canterbury, in his treatise,

Of the Subject of Church Power, in

whom it resides, its Force, Extent and “. Pp. 11, 12, edit. 1680.” “ + Some Discourses, p. 48.”.

“Mr. Leslie, in his Charge of Soci. " # The words in the first edition are, nianism against Tillotson considered, p. as he could not have been more, if we could 13, says, that it was the E, of D.”