Page images
PDF
EPUB

matter and others; as by your Letters appeareth likewise; and, seeing the affections of old friends are drawn from me, I have no man fitter to acquaint with my grief, that would minister any comfort to my afflicted soul, than he whom I brought up in mine house of a lad: who must needs know my carriage better in seven years' service, than either Mr. Johnson or you; and, I doubt not, will speak according to his knowledge in defence of my credit, against whomsoever...

[ocr errors]

"You are also not pleased, that I say you oppose your judgment and some others, by you mistaken, against the Primitive Church, and those that have, and those that had succeeded them until this age.. I wrote I.W., and do, indeed, still affirm, That if your Book do defend a truth, our Book of Martyrs is worse than an old wife's fable...' But men read the Book of Martyrs as a book of credit, next to the Book of God; at least, I mean, that part which concerneth the state of the poor churches for three hundred years after Christ: in which time the Pope of Rome had no more authority than other popes' had; for the name was then common to all bishops, saith Mr. Fox...a

"But you take occasion to affirm that Disciplineb to be God's perpetual ordinance, because her Majesty and the Bishops, as you said,— as though they were her partners!-do suffer it in London: but you had forgotten that Muly Hamet suffers you to profess the Gospel in Morocco, and the Mass is likewise suffered there; and yet the king neither approves the one nor the other. And if her Majesty should, upon occasion, as sometime she hath done, suffer the Mass to be used by Strangers, in England, it were a saucy part for any private Subject, as I take it, to withstand her, or charge her to approve of it therein...

"Your slender account of the learned Fathers of the Primitive Church, makes me wonder, seeing all the godly in the world have them in high reverence, save men of your humour. Indeed, when I read that part of your Letter, it put me in mind of a friend of your conceit, namely Master Jacob, who hath,—to use your own terms, patched together a certain pamphlet against that learned father Bishop Bilson, his Sermons Of Christ's Sufferings;' where, the Bishop bringing the testimonies of all the Fathers for fifteen hundred years, he [Jacob] very presumptuously opposeth his own judgment against them all in that matter, as you do in this, and reject them in this malapert manner. 'If,' saith he, you see the Fathers variable, or against us, think it not strange; for you must not take them as judges of the Scriptures' sense.' Conceit is much belike, to judge of the Scriptures' sense is proper to him and his friend!.. Be conformable to the Primitive Church, and then doubtless you cannot err in matters of Faith:' and thus much, good Master Philpot writes in behalf of that Church and those learned Fathers which now are so slightly set by. If you shall think of this holy martyr's judgment as Master Jacob doth of all the Fathers,' I shall think of you as I do of him; namely, that you are not guided by that holy and humble spirit which the Primitive Church and godly Master Philpots were guided by ... Your friend. P.F."

"Last ed, p. 8."

b"The French and Dutch."

This subject has been handled, since Fairlambe's time, in a masterly manner by Daille in his work on the Right Use of the Fathers.

And thus are you driven again and again, whether you will or not, to yield the cause."a If these points were not deduced by Johnson directly from the writings of Episcopalians, it is well known that they are all main positions, laid down and contended for among their most reputed authorities. That Jacob, however, who formally held, or acquiesced in them, abandoned these unscriptural tenets, it will be our pleasing task to show subsequently.

In the mean time, we have to do, among other matters, with "A Discovery of Brownism: Or, A brief Declaration of some of the Errors and Abominations daily practised and increased among the English Company of the Separation, remaining, for the present, at Amsterdam in Holland. By Thomas White.-Prov. xvi. 29.-Lond. 1605." 4to. pp. 29. Before we saw Johnson's "Answer" to this, we profess our inability to put a right construction on some of the strange allegations with which White abounds. Touching that of "hypocrisy," White says in his Address to the Reader, "I have given an instance, in this treatise following, in that Congregation which God hath made as a spectacle for others to beware of rash, heady, and contentious courses... I have rather endeavoured to point at things briefly, than, by dilating, to fill up large volumes; of purpose omitting many the vilest things, partly for offending chaste ears, partly for sparing them, unless further occasion be ministered by themselves. And as for the rudeness of the style, either by superfluous repetitions, in redundant speeches, let the inconvenience both of time and place something excuse me; being but newly arrived, neither enjoying health nor help of books in the penning thereof; my mind also many ways distracted about other businesses." And he says, in p. 24, For some of them that are, by these, accursed,.." let them acknowledge God's goodness towards them in drawing them out of their tents, as I do his mercy towards me in keeping me from joining with them, being yet sometimes addicted too much unto them before I perceived their fearful estate." In the next page, White adds, "But I like not to sail further into this ocean, but will content myself with the confession of their own members; W. Clerk, I thought,' said he, that they had been all Saints, but I have found them all Devils:' and this, before many witnesses; yet is this man still a member amongst them!" Does not this justify incredulity? But we have means of coming to a more definitive judginent on all this, in "An Inquiry and Answer of [concerning] Thomas White, his Discovery of Brownism.' By Francis Johnson, Pastor of the Exiled English Church at Amsterdam, in Holland.-Psal. lv. 12-14.-1606." 4to. pp. 92.

"Of late," writes Johnson to the Christian Reader, "hath risen up one Thomas White despitefully reviling us, and wickedly blaspheming the Name and tabernacle of the Lord. A man that was himself, heretofore, separated from the Church of England; holding the prelacy, ministry, worship, and confusion thereof to be antichristian: who also was a joined member of a Church in the west parts of England, professing the same faith with us; and, afterward, coming over to Amsterdam, and desiring to be partaker of the Lord's Supper a Ibid. p. 157–160.

[ocr errors]

and, against Preaching at Paul's Cross; and, his Answer to Master Cartwright's Letter to Master Robert Harrison, his [Browne's] consort. His Answer, in writing to Stephen Bredwell, his first Book against Brownists-for his second, about Communicating, was never answered. And Browne's book Of the Gathering and joining together of certain persons in Norfolk. Master Harrison's book on the Hundred and Twenty-second Psalm. Master Barrowe, his Discovery of the False

Their

Church. Their Refutation of Master Giffard, as they call it. Description of the Visible Church; written by Masters Barrowe, Johnson, Penry, and others; and since Confuted by Dr. Alison. Their books against Read Prayers; and their Nine Reasons against the Church of England: with other things, in writing, to that effect. And the Articles of their New Faith; printed, 1596.

"Books in Defence of the Church of England's Government by Bishops; fully confuting all the former, by authority of Scripture and practice of all the Ancient Churches of God.-The Confutation of the two Admonitions to the Parliament; by that Reverend Father, Dr. Whitgift, then [since] Archbishop of Canterbury. Five Books of that Reverend man, Master Hooker, who is at rest with God; called the Ecclesiastical Polity. The Answer to the Abstract. The Answer to the Petition made to Her Highness, by Dr. Sutcliffe; and his book called The False Semblance of Counterfeit Discipline detected. The Perpetual Government of Christ's Church; written by that most famous learned Father Dr. Bilson, Bishop of Winchester. And, The Conspiracy for Reformation; Scotizing, and English Scotizing for Discipline; and, The Survey of the Holy Discipline: all which three were written, as I hear, by Master Dr. Bancroft, now Lord Bishop of London. The Remonstrance. Master Rogers, his Sermon on the Twelfth to the Romans; against Master Chadderton's upon the same text. Dr. Saravia upon the Degrees of the Ministers of the Word. Our Book of Martyrs; the first volume whereof I read four times over in one winter, distinctly; and have collected the names of more than a hundred archbishops and bishops out of it, which all suffered martyrdom within three hundred years after Christ, beside many others which were priests and deacons: see how that will agree with that equality in the Ministry which some have taught! And Eusebius, his Ecclesiastical History;.. Socrates, his;.. and out of them doth Master Fox take all, or the most part, of his proofs for the estate of the Primitive Church. Evagrius, his five books... And all this while, not any Christian Church in the world but it had a Bishop to govern both the people and the priests; as Master Calvin saith; or else these ancient works are lies and fables; and so is Master Fox, his book, which is grounded upon them: which thing, whosoever should affirm, would scarcely deserve the name of a Christian.b

"And albeit in reading all those things, together with the Scriptures,

a He died in Nov. 1600; so that Fairlambe, or his editor, must have made certain additions to the original manuscripts of these Letters.

b Neither Fox nor his authorities would be impeached for those points, by the Roman Catholics, against whom Fox's labours were directed; whereas Protestant Dissenters are at issue with them.

But

he hath now betaken himself: for what cause, he knoweth best. wheresoever, and howsoever, he bestow himself, let him know, God will find him out; from whom he cannot flee, nor escape his judgment!.. Neither let him, nor any other open enemies, think their case the better, because of our sins or troubles, or weak walking in the faith, whereon they do so much insist. Concerning which, my answer shall be with the words of the prophet Micah vii. 8-10. And in this will we rest, and wait upon the Lord, the God of our salvation; trusting in Him, that notwithstanding our unworthiness, and his chastising which we have deserved, yet he will look upon us in mercy, and make all things work for good unto us in Christ... To Him be praise and glory for ever and ever, Amen."

Having introduced the subject generally, Johnson writes, in his second page," Yet may not our, or any weakness of man, prejudice the Truth of God: so that admitting it were with us as this adversary, Thomas White, hath written against us, yet ought none therefore to be turned away from the truth professed by us; but to make other use thereof for their own good, as we ourselves also ought. But now if the things he objecteth be, many of them, notorious lies; divers of them, purposely perverted; few of them, truly related; and all of them as all may see-maliciously abused against us; how justly shall that return upon his own head, which he would, in this manner, bring upon us?

"What our cause and testimony are, we have, long since, published in the Confession of our Faith; which this man knoweth well, and hath, in his book," alleged the seventeenth Article thereof. he take our cause, for which, we are reviled, under the 'Brownists, to be error, why did he not confute it? truth, why doth he thus blaspheme it?"

If then, name of If it be

Passing over the intermediate matter, to which only this general reference can be made here, but which would well reward the curious investigator into the real state of the opinions and facts called forth by White's remarks and charges, we find Johnson writing, at his 39th page, "Concerning love and compassion,' why should I think otherwise but that I may sometimes fail them? Yet this man, for it, of all other, might have laid his hand on his mouth, to whom-when at first, he came a stranger, and poor, into these countries-I gave meat and drink and lodging, about nine or ten weeks together, till he returned again into England!

[ocr errors]

"Touching my Father'-of whom he speaketh in particular,— I do and will alway acknowledge that I was so bound to him, both by nature and for his care and charge of my bringing up, as I never did or could do enough to show myself sufficiently thankful. And what, then, should I do, speaking of any thing that I have done by any means that way? And, in particular, for the time when he was here, what I did and offered him to do, at his arriving hither, remaining here, and going from hence, with other particulars that might be noted; I will not here speak, neither what myself could, if it were another's case, nor what divers others know and could testify, if it were needful ·

a P. 5.

The last letter in the order of dates, but the first in the pamphlet, is headed, "Written in October, A.D. 1599 in, S. Cruz, in answer of a former Letter of Mr. T.B [ernhere."] It is short, and had served as an envelope, or wrapper, for the Letter we have just dismissed. He writes in this, "How far I differ from my former judgment, which you call my peremptory designments, shall plainly appear unto you in this enclosed; written upon another occasion, as you may perceive, to a very great favourer of the Discipline in question; who did return me silence for an answer."

a

His "Table of such Clergymen as were Martyrs," occupying five pages, and "purporting to show the order of the Succession of Bishops, may have assisted him in his self-delusion, but will not bear the test of a moment's investigation. For, to bring the question home, it is enough, for our own satisfaction, that one of the wisest and most learned of his Order, Archbishop Usher, treats the imagined list as no better than a figment: his words are, "Giraldus declares that the accounts given of British Bishops which stand at the head of the succession, were rather agreeable to common fame and opinion than any certainty of history."b And another divine of note, has acknowledged, that "By the loss of the Records in British Churches, we cannot draw down the Succession of Bishops from the apostles' times; that of the bishops of London, by Jocelyn of Fernes, not being worth mentioning!" These honest concessions, they may ruminate upon who are sticklers for what can never be produced; and are ready to anathematize all who will not submit to the impositions practised upon unsuspecting credulity.

CHAP. X.

JOHNSON, AINSWORTH, AND VARIOUS OPPONENTS.

WHOEVER was the ambassador alluded to above, we have the means of showing the kind of interference practised by the prelates, in another instance. The archbishop, Bancroft, in a Letter dated February 9th, 1605[6], and preserved in the Memorials of Sir Ralph, then Mr. Winwood," writes, "I suppose it is not unknown unto you, that sundry factious and schismatical persons, who have cut themselves off from the communion of our Church, and are thereupon departed out of the land, have planted themselves in divers towns of the Low Countries, where they have liberty, without impeachment or contradiction, to publish in print many dangerous books and pamphlets in English, to the maintenance of such their anabaptistical opinions, and to the slander of the Ecclesiastical Government established here in England. Which their insolency being lately made known to his

a See, on this question, a note in Hooker's Eccles. Pol. sup. p. 99, 100. b Britannic. Eccles. Antiquitates, 1639. cap. v. p. 51.

Bishop Stillingfleet's Works., vol. ii. p. 48.

See back, p. 145.

e Vol. ii. p. 195.

« EelmineJätka »