ing to occafion divifions in the fynod: thus exactly treading in the steps of their good friends and coufingermans, the Papifts; who, ever fince the firft dawn of the reformation, have acted on the fame plan, and with the fame views. But the venerable Dordracene fathers faw the drift of the Arminian faction; and happily defeated its wishes, by ftanding together like a chain of rocks, which neither fraud nor force could fhake or fever. Nor were the divines of England ftaggered in their judgments, upon their return hither from Dort, concerning either the juftice and moderation of the fynod's proceedings, or the orthodoxy of its decifions; as may, if need require, be eafily and largely demonftrated from the writings of Hall, Carlton, Davenant, &c. published long enough afterwards. I therefore call, once more, on Dr. Nowell, as he is a clergyman and a man of honour, either to prove, or to retract, what he has (I would hope, unadvisedly) advanced. Nor can I wholly pretermit your next paragraph; wherein you affure us, that the learned Mr. Hales went to Dort"a rigid Calvinift; but there I bid John Calvin good night, faid he to his friend Mr. Faringdon." The learned Mr. Hales both was, and continued, a Calvinift: as appears from that very book, to which Mr. Faringdon's letter is prefixed. Yet, if he had changed his judgment ever fo greatly (which, by the bye, he never did, if his * own fubfequent writings are allowed to have the cafting vote); ftill, that would not affect the Church of England. He did not go to Dort, invefted with any public commiffion or character from this kingdom, but merely as a private perfon. However, fince you affect to lay fo much weight on the pretended See his Golden Remains, paffim. He went to Holland, in capacity of chaplain to Sir Dudley Carlton, James's ambaffador to the States. Hence he came to be prefent at the Synod at Dort, held at that time. vi. p. 279. 1 Biogr. Dict.' vol. change change of this learned man, I will fubjoin what the famous Dr. Edwards delivers on the fubject: "The fentiments of Mr. Hales, of Eton-college, who was prefent at the fynod of Dort, may be here inferted; for though fome tell us, that, when Epifcopius. urged, John iii. 16. this Mr. Hales bid John Calvin good night,' yet it is likely he was reconciled to him next morning: for his writings, that are fince extant, give us the beft account of his opinions. He exprefsly acknowledges the purpose of God's election, and the purpofe of God's reprobation, in a fermon on Matth. xxvi. 75. And, in another fermon, on Rom. xiv. 1. he tells us, That fome with favourable countenance of Scripture, make the cause of reprobation, only the will of God, determining freely of his own work, as him felf pleafes, without refpect to any fecond caufe whatfoever. He owns, that this doctrine may be profitably taught and heard, and that matter of fingular exhortation may be drawn from it. And he adds, It is a noble refolution, fo to humble ourfelves, under the hand of almighty God, as that we can with patience hear, yea, think it an honour, that fo bafe creatures as ourfelves, fhould become the inftruments of the glory of fo great a majefty, whether it be by eternal life, or by eternal death; though for no other reafon, but for God's good-will and pleafure's fake. This is very high, and more than I have ventured to fay: but thence we may gather what kindness this great man had for Calvin's opinions; yea, for that which is the most exceptionable of all; and how averse he was to Arminius's fyftem of divinity*. "And it is to be obferved, that Mr. Hales's book, wherein thefe paffages are, is commended to the reader by two excellent divines of our Church ; Dr. Pearson (afterwards bishop of Chefter), and Mr, The very poets of that and the preceding times, were Calvinifts. See Spenfer, Shakespeare, Waller, Quarles, Faringdon; who were well skilled in these points. Which puts me in mind [N. B.] of what the former of these learned men told me, when he was pleafed to admit me to fome difcourfe with him : namely, that when he [bishop Pearfon] was a young mafter of arts, he thought there was no difficulty in these grand articles [of predeftination, &c.]; that he was able to determine any of them with eafe, efpecially on the Arminians' fide; but, fince, he found it was otherwife; and he difapproved of men's rafh cenfuring and condemning the other fide; and, indeed, we may guess this to be his inclination, by his approving of Mr. Hales's remains." Verit. Red. p. 542, 543. Of all the English clergymen, who affifted in the fynod of Dort, the great and good bishop Hall was the longeft furvivor. The Arminian fanatic, John Goodwin (in his libel on the Proteftant doctrines, entitled, "Redemption Redeemed," published during the ufurpation) flandered the fynod with the blackeft calumny his malice could invent; thinking, that he might fafely vend his falfehoods, at a time when the far greater part of the perfons, who compofed that apoftolical affembly, were gathered home to the Church triumphant. It was an happinefs, that we had, however, one excellent man living, who was able upon his own knowledge, to wipe off the afperfions of this bigotted mifcreant. The pious, the aged bishop Hall, upon the coming out of Goodwin's book, wrote a pretty long letter to Fuller, which that hiftorian publifhed at full length, in his Church Hiftory, b. x. p. 85. I wish I had room to tranfcribe the whole; but it concludes thus: "Since I have lived to fee fo foul an afperfion caft upon the memory of those worthy and eminent divines; I blefs God, that I yet live to yindicate them, by this my knowing, clear and affured atteftation; which I am ready to fecond with the folemneft oath, if I fhall be thereto required. "Higham, Aug. 30, 1651.". "Your most devoted friend, &c. "JOS. HALL, B. N." Almost two years after, the fame incomparable prelate wrote another letter to the learned Mr. George Kendall, upon the fame fubject. The *This great man effectually answered John Goodwin's "Redemption Redeemed," in two feparate treatifes: the one entitled, Boxpatia, or, a Vindication of the Doctrine commonly received in the reformed Churches, concerning God's Intentions of fpecial Grace and Favour to his Elect, in the Death of Chrift; as alfo concerning his Prerogative, Power, Prefcience, Immutability, &c. printed 1653. The other, entitled, Sandi Sanciti, or, the common Doctrine of the Perfeverance of the saints vindicated: publifhed in 1654. In thefe two volumes, the doctrines of grace are explained, afferted, and defended, with fuch folidity of nervous argument-fuch a difplay of ufeful learning-fuch tranfparent piety-fuch pleafing perfpicuityand the whole enlivened with fuch acumen of wit; as few controverfial pieces, written in that age at leaft, can boaft. If, after giving my opinion of this moft excellent author, I may, without prefumption, fubjoin the atteflation of the truly primitive bishop Hall; I would lay before the reader, that most worthy prelate's letter to Mr. Kendall, fignifying how greatly he approved, and even admired, the first of the above performances, which the author had made him a prefent of foon after its publication. A teftimony from fuch an hand, will, at once, enrich this note, give the utmost weight to my recommendation, and both gratify and edify fuch of my readers, as have not met with it before. The bishop's letter is affixed to San&i Sanciti, between the dedication and the preface; and runs, verbatim, as follows: "Worthy Mr. KENDALL, "I cannot forbear, though with a fick hand, to fignify my thankful receipt of your excellent work" [the expatia]" part whereof I had eagerly perufed, before your welcome prefent came; and had defired my fonne to impart unto you my appreciative thoughts concerning it. I eafily forefee, how highly you will be tempted with applaufes for fo acceptable a fervice. I know I need not, but my tender love of you bids me, defire you, with an humble heart to fing, Non nobis, Domine; but let the whole praife run clear back to that infinite bounty, from whence thefe precious gifts came. And go on to improve those great parts, to the further honour of the giver. "With my thankful acceptance of your comfortable letter, and rich prefent, I take leave; profeffing myself "Your heartily devoted friend, "and fellow labourer, "JOS. HALL, B. N." Is it poffible to read fuch an apoftolical letter, without being charmed with the venerable fimplicity, improved by the fweet humility, and warmed with experimental piety, which glow and fhine in every fentence? reader reader may see the whole of it, in Mr. Kendall's Sancti Sanciti, published in the bishop's life time. The latter part of it is as follows: "My unhappy fickness called me off, before the full conclufion of that work" [viz. the formal condemnation of the Arminians (called, in Holland, Remonftrants), by the fynod of Dort]: "But I ftayed fo long as any public feffion, or appearance of the remonftrants, continued. Thus much, in effect, I have, formerly, upon the motion of my worthy fucceffor at Waltham, Mr. Fuller, fignified to him; as one who cannot but think, it was one end of this unexpected protraction of my days, after all the reft of my fellows, that I might do this right to that godly reverend learned affembly. With the intimation whereof, I bid you farewell in the Lord; and do heartily commend your ftudies to the divine benediction; profeffing myself, "Higham, « July 25, 1653." "Your loving and "much devoted friend, JOS. HALL, B. N." When arguments fall fhort, it is too common with controverfial writers to call names, and fing dirt; in hopes of cafting an odium, on what they find themselves unable to confute. I could wish, fir, that you had not flooped to this illiberal recourfe, your following expoftulation had then been fpared; page 93. "Confider what faction it was, which then" [i. e. in the time of Charles I.] " prevailed towards the overthrow of the Church. Was it not that of the Puritans? And were not the doctrines of Calvinifm their leading principles ?" Permit me, fir, to afk, Were all the difturbers of thofe times Calvinifts? Were Charles, and his French queen; were Laud and Buckingham, Calvinifts? These were the primary disturbers, whofe evil coun fels, |