66 a man But when besides these impertinent duct of even those martyrs and forms and injunctions, the church confessors, who shine so illustriwith whom I join, does absolutely ously in the annals of former ages. require its members explicitly to I am sensible, Sir, that the genprofess and maintain a doctrine eral excuse alleged by those who not only contrary to my natural statedly attend on divine services conceptions of the Divine Being; which they do not approve is, that but which on the strictest enquiry they take care to separate in their I likewise find to be contradictory ideas, and to assent or dissent acto the express revelation of his cording to the matter delivered.— will: When its offices are blended But as the vigour and ardency of throughout with such essential our devotion must be much intererrors, as ascribing the supreme rupted by such a practice, so it is glory of the God and Father of certainly much more expedient to all to subordinate beings; of whom offer up our addresses to the Fathe same scriptures, which inform ther of Spirits with those (if such us of their existence, have assured there are,) of whom we cannot us that all that power they pos- reasonably entertain any doubt or sess is derived and delegated to suspicion of being unadvisedly led them from him who has expressly into what we cannot but prodeclared that he is jealous of his nounce to be a considerable spehonour and authority! and that cies of idolatry; for as a very late he will not give his glory to ano. writer justly observes, ther:-When this church persists ought to be at all times as ready in retaining and inforcing these to give his unfeigned assent to the errors, against the remonstrances of truth and equity of every thing the worthiest and most conscienti- contained in that mode of worship, ous of its members, requiring them, with which he ventures to apin the participation of its most proach the throne of grace, as he solemn rights, to declare, that is willing to justify himself in the what they believe of the glory of use of it; otherwise he seems to the Father, the same they believe betray the necessity and reasonof the glory of the Son and of the ableness of the form itself, and Holy Ghost, without any differ- that by thus equivocating with his ence or inequality and on the own conscience he turns the pub. the anniversaries of its solemn lic worship of God into a solemn festivals, impiously denouncing piece of mockery." Knowles's damnation on all such as shall Answer to an Essay on Spirit. presume to think contrary to her London, 1754. determinations-To separate from With regard to the author of and enter my protest against such your book; as I should lay very a society, I cannot but conclude little stress on so partial a controto be my indispensable duty; even vertist, as he declares in the prethough my separation were likely face to his work, that he had rato be attended with the greatest ther maintain an error in such secular disadvantages. For if this company, as that wherein he is be not a sufficient reason for the listed, than profess the truth with leaving any religious society, I am some others; so I am surprised at a loss how to vindicate the con- that you, Sir, (whom I have fre quently with pleasure observed to vours to reduce christianity to its appear quite dissatisfied on receiv. pure and primitive state must be ing any thing that was superficial considered as works of supereroin answer to your Queries) should gation, as attempts of becoming look on what is advanced in this righteous overmuch, and indeed piece as giving the least solution as things (to speak in the softest to a point widely different from terms of them) enurely needless. the subject, whereof it treateth. It might be urged, that there is This writer aims at nothing more not perhaps any society, whose than the justifying conformity to religious principles and usages some ceremonial usages in the Es- tally in all respects with the judge tablished Church; which he urges ment of an inquisitive person,--to (improperly enough I imagine,) which I reply, that if a man can from the apostles complying, on a discover any particular society, particular emergency, once, or whose profession comes nearest to perhaps twice, with the use of his sentiments, prudence will desome obsolete Jewish ceremonies; termine him to join practice to which though at that time superseded by the Christian institution, yet by immediate extraordinary direction of the Holy Ghost they were enjoined to practise on this peculiar crisis, in order to estab. lish mutual charity (that bond of perfectness) amongst the several very opposite sects then proselyted to the christian religion. But this, I apprehend, bears no analogy to the case of those persons, whose exceptions lie against the funda. mental and essential part of the Liturgy, in that the ultimate ob. ject of worship is so far from being therein ascertained, that a plurality of supreme beings are evidently invoked and worshipped through. out the whole service. opinion; the transition being (I speak it from my own experience) quite natural, if not in a manner irresistible. For I can assure you, Sir, that my separation was the result of no small reasoning and enquiry, but of mature reflection and strong debates with myself; and not the less, undoubtedly, as I foresaw that my temporal interest must be considerably affected thereby. However dissatisfied at the inflexibility of our church governors with regard to any farther reformation; and observing that in the church to which I now belong, the necessary distinctions of supreme and subordinate were carefully preserved in the devotional part of their services, and mediatorial worship given to the Son according to scripture, the positive institutions of christianity administered in their native sim You will certainly be induced, Sir, to pronounce me dogmatical, even to impertinence, in expatiating so freely on the conduct of some, of probably the most virtu- plicity, and proper care taken to ous, of my contemporaries. But if it guard its members against forming be indeed a matter of indifference any enthusiastic notions, or irrawith what society we join in the tional and unpromised expectapublic offices of religion, provided tions from a participation thereof: we secretly maintain our own and that as to the want of a litur principles, then surely the Refor. gy, (the only defect I could, or mation itself, and all other endea- can still discover in our mode of worship) it was what the most ra- the truth before a sinful genera. tional of this class of Dissenters tion, of such will he be ashamed," approved and would be glad to see and such will he consequently re used in their assemblies:-Upon ject, when with ineffable terror and the whole, Sir, I could not be per- solemnity he shall come to judge suaded, but that such conviction the world in righteousness. laid me under an obligation pub- I have now finished my tedious licly to confess and profess the and unexpected epistle, which, I truth with them, though in doing confess, I find much more difficult it I freely own I was obliged to to excuse than to dictate. How. encounter with some considerable ever, if my own conduct stood in obstacles, with greater obstacles need of an apology, that must be althan can easily be imagined, or than lowed to be sufficient. If not, your it is necessary now to particular- approved candour will necessarily ize. Yet on the utmost enquiry, incline you to put a favourable for I am still as fond of enquiry as construction on what was certainever, I have not found the least ly well intended, and to believe me shadow of a reason for retracting to be, with great esteem and afa tittle in this respect, but rather fection, the contrary; especially when I reflect on this express declaration of the Son of God, that "whosoever shall be ashamed to confess Sir, Your most obliged, humble Sert. [The two remaining Letters in our next. ED.] MISCELLANEOUS COMMUNICATIONS. Sketch of English Protestant ing every allowance for what may be called the licentia aulica, or the extravagance of courtly panegyI closed my last letter (p. 42.) ric. No person can read the acat a very interesting period of the count of this prince, when in his English History. Henry the 15th year, as he then appeared to Eighth, under whom, as Buchan. the learned Cardan, without bean remarks, from his own obser- lieving that Edward had been envation, "the very same day, and dowed with an uncommon capaci almost with one and the same ty, and that Sir John Cheke, his fire, Protestants and Papists were celebrated preceptor, had bestowed burnt," had just come to his grave, upon his pupil, attentions, far behappily for his contemporaries, in yond those which now constitute the prime of life, though, awfully, a princely education, as we are for himself, in a full age of guilt compelled, according to the ap and cruelty. His son Edward proved maxim, by their fruits ye the Sixth, succeeded, Jan. 28, shall know them, to appreciate the 1547, at the age of nine years and term. Burnet, in his History of three months, a child to whom ex- the Reformation (ii. 2.) has trans traordinary mental accomplish- lated Cardan's character of Ed ments must be ascribed, after mak. ward, and preserved the original in the same volume. (Records, p. 81.) that her example might breed too much inconvenience." (Rec. p. 21.) Thus sensibly, and to the disgrace of Protestants, now argued this popish princess for Christian liberty. Fox, in his 2d volume, has preserved a long and rather tedious From an unhappy assimilation of Christianity to Judaism, a king dom not of this world to a Theocracy guarded by temporal sanc. tions, there was a common opinion, still, I fear, far from obsolete, correspondence between Mary and which Edward could scarcely have the council. It is now of small failed to imbibe, that it became value, except to shew what justice the bounden duty of a Christian papal depression may expect from prince to prohibit the exercise of Protestant ascendancy, and how a religion which he deemed idola. much both parties were concerned, trous. On this principle he re could they have possibly seen their fused to his sister Mary the rites true interest, to confine the magis. of her worship, against the opini- trate to his proper duty in spiriton of his courtiers, who would have uals, the choice of a religion for permitted them, on the score of po- himself. Policy, however, prolicy. In the British Museum is cured for Mary, at least for a preserved a journal of Edward's time, what was denied to justice. reign, written by himself, and as Her relation, Charles the Fifth, has been observed by the learned brought into the discussion a threat Judge Barrington "On the Anci. of his powerful sword, an unanent Statutes," possessing peculiar swerable argument, the ratio authenticity by discovering the ultima regum. gradual improvement of a child's hand-writing. In this journal, published by Burnet in his 2nd volume, is the following entry, under the year 1549, 50. The council, having many goods belonging to the public at Antwerp, thought it not adviscable to provoke the Emperor while such effects were in his ports; nor were "March 18. The Lady Mary, they willing to draw a new war on my sister, came to me at West. their heads, especially from so vicminster, where, after salutations, torious a prince. They therefore she was called, with my council, advised the king to leave his sister into a chamber; where was de to her own discretion at present; clared how long I had suffered her but the king could not be induced mass, in hope of her reconcilia. to give way to it; be judged the tion, and how, now being no hope, popish mass to be sinful, and would which I perceived by her letters, not consent to the continuance of except I saw some short amend. it. Upon this, the council ordered ment. I could not bear it. She Cranmer, Ridley, and Ponet to answered, that her soul was God's discourse about it with the king. and her faith she would not change They told him that it was always a nor dissemble her opinion with sin in a prince to give licence to contrary doings. It was said I sin; but not always so to forbear constrained not her faith, but or remit the punishment for a time willed her, not as a king to rule, in hopes of amendment; and that but as a subject to obey; and sometimes a less evil connived at might prevent a greater. The formidable insurrections, discou Though Edward was thus warm. as accosting in the following terms ly intent on inflicting the persecu- a Romish Priest, whom soon after tion of restraint, yet, as I shall the accession of Mary, he found have occasion to shew, he was officiating in his church: Thou very hardly persuaded to shed devil incarnate, who made thee so blood on account of religious opi- audacious as to enter this church, nions. His council had no such to defile and profane it with thy scruples. Whatever they had re- abominable idolatry? I command formed in doctrine, they fully thee, thou popish wolf, in the name retained the spirit of the Anti- of God, to depart hence, and not christian church. Cranmer, who to presume thus to poison the flock bore a principal part among them, of Christ. The Priest appears to in ecclesiastical affairs, seems to advantage in his reply to this have possessed a natural disposi- harsh greeting, on the principle tion peculiarly forbearing and to common to both, the magistrate's have exercised a Christian spirit right of controul in religion. He on every subject; but religion. Shakespeare makes his Henry the Eighth, say of him, “ as the common voice," Do my Lord of Canterbury for ever. "said to Dr. Taylor," Thou traitor, what makes you come hither to lett and disturb the Queen's proceedings? In an age when persecution, to death, was in vogue could Dr. T. want any thing but power, to burn the "popish wolf," which had intruded into his fold? Yet Cranmer was as staunch a This is a fair conjecture, but persecutor, under the gentle Edward, as when he had approved there is on record a damning proof under his imperious master Henry, of the sanguinary spirit which now the burning of Lambert and Anne possessed the English Reformers. Ascue. Mr. Gilpin, in his Life of Fox, in his Latin Book of Martyrs the Archbishop, (p. 59) says, far which I have not had an opportunity too mildly, "that the spirit of po- of consulting but as translated, no pery was not yet wholly repressed." doubt faithfully, in Peirce's VinThe Reformers would have ab- dication of the Dissenters, (2d ed. horred the impiety of repressing p. 30), charges the Reformers with that spirit. Nor is there any good a design against the life of Hooper, reason to doubt that they would if he had not submitted to the hahave anticipated a Marian perse- bits, and adds "which unless he cution and burned the worshippers had done there are those who think with their images, had not the the bishops would have endeapower of the papists, instanced in voured to take away his life; for |