Page images
PDF
EPUB

the year 1633, he published a short treatise, intituled, Charity Mistaken. The substance whereof was, to prove that Christ had left but one church in one communion; that out of this church and communion there was no regular way of being saved; and that in consequence of this, catholics esteeming theirs to be that true and only church, were obliged, if they talked coherently, to say there was no salvation out of their church. And from thence he inferred, that it was mistaken charity to allow salvation promiscuously to persons of any communion. However, this assertion was not to be taken so universally as not to admit of some reserves for God's extraordinary mercies in calling some persons to repentance; as also for unavoidable ignorance, or any other excusable incapacity, that any one out of the church might lie under. And therefore it was not allowed to censure any particular per. son, only conditionally, if he either neglected a good life, or voluntarily opposed the church, when the articles of religion were sufficiently proposed to him. Now this fair representation of the case seemed to put catholics and protestants upon the same foot as to charity. For it does not appear, that protestants will allow the church in communion with Rome to be a saving church, unless the restrictions above-mentioned be admitted; yet the controversy was taken up by Dr. Christopher Potter, provost of Queen's college in Oxford, who the same year, 1633, published an answer to Knott, intituled, Want of Charity justly charged against all such Romanists, &c. To this father Knott makes a reply anno 1634, and stiles his book: Mercy and Truth, or Charity maintained by Catholics, &c. Afterwards Mr. Chillingworth, a great master of the reasoning faculty, undertook the cause in favour of doctor Potter: and gave the world a specimen of

по

his wit, in a very subtile piece, entitled: The Religion of Protestants a Safe Way, &c. It appeared first anno 1636, and was soundly answered by father Knott in a work stiled Infidelity Unmasked, in 4to, anno. 1652, and to make use of Mr. Wood's words, the historian of Oxford, body that I yet know of vindicated Chillingworth against him." The truth is, his method was so new and extraordinary, that no one of his party could follow his steps, without danger of infidelity, and betraying the cause of the church of England into the hands of sectaries of all denominations. Chillingworth was afterwards attacked by several writers of the roman communion, particularly by Cressy, White, Lacy, Floyd, Worsley, Woodhead and Sergeant; who, as a certain person observes, have driven him almost out of the territories of christianity. If the reader is curious to know more particulars concerning Mr. Chillingworth, he was born in the city of Oxford, in October 1602, and admitted á student in Trinity college in June 1618; where he afterwards became fellow and master of arts about the year 1628.

After some time he became acquainted with Mr. Fisher, a learned jesuit, and was brought over to the catholic church. The jesuits recommended him to one of their colleges abroad, where it is said, he entered into the noviceship, but left them again in the year 1631. The reasons for his deserting them are variously reported. He himself pretends it was a dislike he took to the catholic doctrine: this being the most rational motive he could allege. But others, and those protestants, assure us, that being of a proud imperious temper, he thought his parts were not sufficiently considered, and he could not submit to those abject employments, which novices are put to during their proba

tion ship, in order to try their humility. While Mr. Chillingworth was a catholic, he published the motives of his conversion, which may be abridged under the following | heads:

1. That protestants, before Luther, were no were to be found making a visible profession of their faith.

2. That Luther joining himself to no visible church, Christ must of necessity have failed in his promises of assisting his church.

3. That if human credit be of any importance, the doctrine of the catholic church has been confirmed by unquestionable miracles.

4. That most of the protestant tenets were long since condemned by the church in heretics of former ages.

5. That the prophecies foretelling the conversion of nations, were fulfilled only by catholics.

6. That many eminent protestant divines acknowledge, that the controverted articles of the catholic church were maintained by the fathers of the first six ages.

7. That the first pretended reformers could not make good either an ordinary or an extraordinary call. 8. That Luther was induced to oppose the mass by the devil's persuasion, as he himself owned.

9. That the protestants supported themselves constantly by calumnies, misrepresentations, falsifying ancient writers, penal laws and other human and unwarrantable methods. 10. That refusing to submit to church authority was rendering the controversy endless, and opening a gap to all sorts of errors and absurdities that human wit was capable of introducing.

Afterwards, upon Chillingworth's relapse, father Knott, who had known him abroad, took the liberty to put him in mind of the aforesaid motives, which still stood against him, and made a recapitulation of

them in a small treatise he published, intitled A Direction to N. N. being an admonition to Mr. Chillingworth to attend to his own arguments. But he, never thinking he should be attacked that way, had neglected to give the world that satisfaction, till at last he perfixed an answer to his own motives, by way of addition to his book: The Religion of Protestants a Safe Way. &c.When this work was ready for the press, doctor Laud, suspecting the author's principles, ordered it should first be revised by doctor Prideaux, who very much disliked it: the performance appearing to favour Socinianism, or any other heterodox system. And indeed the author's Mr. Chillingworth chiefly consulted, made him still more suspected of being no friend to the church of England. Mr. Daille's works and Mr. Hales's treatise of schism, constantly lay before him. These supplied him with arguments. Mr. Daille's notions are well known. As for Mr. Hales, he was a person of singular parts; but no less singular in his notions," which (says Mr. Echard) caused him at first to broach some heterodox opinions, of which he cured himself, though the venom still remains in the world.” However, Mr. Chillingworth's works. were generally applauded: it not being proper to call one to a strict account, who appeared so zealous in attacking the catholic church. In recompence whereof he was made chancellor of Sarum, in 1638; though there was some demur concerning his promotion: it being a long time, before he could be prevailed with to subscribe to the thirty-nine articles; it being inconsistent with his notions, to confine himself to creeds and forms of doctrine. So that some question very much whether he subscribed with an unfeigned assent, as the law requires. The general character, given of Mr. Chillingworth,

is this: Mr. Hobbs says he often drove his enemies before him: but then he gave terrible wounds to his friends. Cressy allows he was nimble in pulling down, but knew not how to build. Knott compares him to the crow, that went out of Noah's ark; but could not find the way back again. Yet, notwithstanding his latitude as to religious notions, he was fixed in loyalty towards his prince. For being taken prisoner by the rebels in Arundel castle, he died about a month after, at Chichester, in January, 1643. O.S. Doctor Cheynel, the parson of Petworth, performing the funeral ceremony, made this remarkable reflec

tion he threw his works into the grave after him; declaring that they were infectious, and so ought to rot with the author.

POETRY.

THE ELOQUENCE OF BRYDAYNE. From a discourse French verse by M. Marmontel, read by him to the French Academy, on the 29th of Febuary, 1776.

I've seen great Clermont* saw; but strove in vain ;

For Clermont's self must yield before Brydayne.

*

"Twas not the tender and ingenious style, That seems the soul's attention to beguile; "Twas not the language purified and clear, So sweetly spoken in a monarch's ear: But 'twas a man who fanned by favour's breeze,

Content with moving, little cared to please. A sacred orator who scorned to wear

The flow'rs an empty eloquence can rear: The tropes his rhetoric supplied were cries, His only figures tears and deep drawn sighs.

But strokes of fire with random's pencil spread,

Tinged all his pictures with a glowing

red:

A father's soul to mis'ry opened wide, A heart that broke when mourning by her

side.

Massillon.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[blocks in formation]

IN

152

EPITOME OF INTELLIGENCE.

|

N the absence of authentic intel- Poland,, respecting what are called Bible ligence from Rome, the London Societies, and have earnestly inquired of us what you ought to do in this affair. We journals have been favouring us with long since, indeed, wished to comply with the copy of a Pull, asserted to be your request; but an incredible variety of issued from the capital of the chris-weighty concerns have so pressed upon us tian world against the bible societies. This document appeared in The Morning Chronicle of the 11th inst. and was preceded by the following communication to the editor of that

paper:

on every side, that, till this day, we could not yield to your solicitation.

We have been truly shocked at this most crafty device, by which the very foundations of religion are undermined; and having, beject, conferred in council with our venercau-e of the great importance of the subable brethren, the cardinals of the Holy' Roman church, we have, with the utmost care and attention, deliberated upon the measures proper to be adopted by our pontifical authority, in order to remedy and abolish this pestilence as far as possible. In the mean time, we heartily congratulate you, venerable brother, and we commend you again and again in the Lord, as it is fit we should, upon the singular zeal you have displayed under circumstances so dangerous to christianity, in having denounced to the apostolic see, this defilement of the faith, And also imminently dangerous to souls. though we perceive that it is not at all ne"P.S.-I shall immediately pub-cessary to exite him to activity who is mak

"SIR,-Having observed in a morning paper of this day (April 10th) a loose translation of an 'important papal document, which will probably be quoted for generations to come, I send you a more literal version, together with the Latin itself, that you may compare them, and print the English for the information of your readers. I am, &c. &c.

SCRUTATOR.

lish both the Latin and English at Mr. Hatchard's, with notes and illustrations."

ing haste, since of your own accord you have already shown an ardent desire to detect and overthrow the impious machinations of these innovators; yet, in conformity with Mr. Scrutator was extremely can- our office, we again and again exhort you, did towards Mr. Perry, to remove that whatever you can achieve, by power, próvide for by counsel, or effect by authority, every suspicion of His integrity, and, you will daily execute with the utmost earno doubt, was liberal enough to in-nestness, placing yourself as a wall for the close a promise or two from the old the house of Israel. lady of Threadneedle-street, as the With this view we issue the present brief, following article was inserted imme-viz. that we may convey to you a signal testimony of our approbation of your exceldiately at the foot of his letter, lent conduct and also may endeavour therewhich we copy exactly as it appear-in still more and more to exite your pastored in the Chronicle of the beforementioned day:

TRANSLATION OF THE BULL AGAINST BIBLE SOCIETIES, Issued June 29th, 1816, by Pope Pius VII. to the Archbishop of Gnesn, Primate of Poland.

PIUS P. P. VII. VENERABLE BROTHER,-Health and apostolic benediction.

In our last letter to you we promised, very soon, to return an answer to yours; in which you have appealed to this Holy See, in the name of the other Bishops of

al solicitude and diligence. For the general good imperiously requires you to combine all your means and energies to frustrate the plans, which are prepared by its enemies for the destruction of our holy religion: whence it becomes an episcopal duty, that you first of all expose the wickedness of this nefarious scheme, as you have already done so admirably, to the view of the faithful, and openly publish the same, according to the rules prescribed by the church, with all the erudi tion and wisdom which you possess; namely, "that the Bible printed by heretics is to be numbered among other prohibited books, conformably to the Rules of the Index

No. 2 and 3); for it is evident from expe'rience, that the Holy Scriptures, when circu

« PreviousContinue »