chester, might recover me. But when, notwithstanding all means, my weakness increased so far, as that there was small likelihood left of so much strength remaining, as might bring me back into England, it pleased his gracious majesty, by our noble ambassador's solicitation, to call me off; and to substitute a worthy divine, Mr. Dr. Goade, in my unwillingly forsaken room. Returning by Dort, I sent in my sad farewell to that grave assembly; who, by common vote, sent to me the president of the synod and the assistants, with a respective and gracious valediction. Neither did the deputies of my lords the states neglect, after a very respectful compliment sent from them to me by Daniel Heinsius, to visit me: and, after a noble acknowledgment of more good service from me than I durst own, dismissed me with an honourable retribution; and sent after me a rich medal of gold*, the portraiture of the synod, for a precious monument of their respects to my poor endeavours; who failed not, while I was at the Hague, to impart unto them my poor advice, concerning the proceeding of that synodical meeting. The difficulties of my return, in such weakness, were many and great; wherein, if ever, God manifested his special providence to me, in overruling the cross accidents of that passage; and, after many dangers and despairs, contriving my safe arrival. After not many years' settling at home, it grieved my soul to see our own church begin to sicken of the same disease, which we had endeavoured to cure in our neighbours. Mr. Montague's tart and vehement assertions of some positions, near of kin to the Remonstrants of Netherland, gave occasion of raising no small broil in the church. Sides were taken; pulpits every where rang of these opinions: but parliaments took notice of the division, and questioned the occasioner. Now, as one that desired to do all good offices to our dear and common mother, I set my thoughts on work, how so dangerous a quarrel might be happily composed : and, finding that mistaking was more guilty of this dissension, than misbelieving; (since it plainly appeared to me, that Mr. This medal, which the Bishop used to wear suspended on his breast, came into possession of the family of Jermy, of Bayfield Hall, near Holt, in the county of Norfolk; and was bequeathed by William Jermy, esq., who died in 1750, to Emmanuel College, Cambridge. The obverse represents the assembly in full conclave, with the words Asserta Religione: the reverse, a mountain, with a temple on the summit; two men are ascending by a steep path, while the winds of discord violently assail the mountain; above, appears the sacred Tetragrammaton of the Hebrews, with the inscription, Erunt ut mons Sion, ciɔDCXIX.-H. Montague meant to express, not Arminius, but B. Overall*, a more moderate and safe author, however he sped in delivery of him ;) I wrote a little project of pacification, wherein I desired to rectify the judgment of men, concerning this misapprehended controversy; shewing them the true party in this unseasonable plea: and, because B. Overall went a midway, betwixt the two opinions which he held extreme, and must needs therefore somewhat differ from the commonly-received tenet in these points, I gathered out of B. Overall on the one side, and out of our English divines at Dort on the other, such common propositions concerning these five busy articles, as wherein both of them are fully agreed. All which being put together, seemed unto me to make up so sufficient a body of accorded truth, that all other questions moved hereabouts appeared merely superfluous; and every moderate Christian might find where to rest himself without hazard of contradiction. These I made bold, by the hands of Dr. Young, the worthy dean of Winchester, to present to his excellent Majesty, together with an humble motion of a peaceable silence to be enjoined to both parts, in those other collateral and needless disquisitions; which, if they might befit the schools of academical disputants, could not certainly sound well from the pulpits of popular auditories. Those reconciliatory papers fell under the eyes of some grave divines on both parts. Mr. Montague professed that he had seen them, and would subscribe to them very willingly; others, that were contrarily minded, both English, Scottish, and French divines, proffered their hands to a no less ready subscription. So as much peace promised to result out of that weak and poor enterprise, had not the confused noise of the misconstructions of those, who never saw the work, crying it down for the very name's sake, meeting with the royal edict of a general inhibition, buried it in a secure silence. I was scorched a little with this flame, which I desired to quench; yet this could not stay my hand from thrusting itself into a hotter fire. Some insolent Romanists, Jesuits especially, in their bold disputations (which, in the time of the treaty of the Spanish match and the calm of that relaxation, were very frequent,) pressed * Dr. John Overall, Bishop of Norwich, compiler of the Convocation Book of 1606, author of the sacramental part of the Church of England Catechism, and one of the translators of the Bible. Camden terms him "a prodigious learned man."-H. . upon nothing so much, as a catalogue of the professors of our religion, to be deduced from the primitive times; and, with the peremptory challenge of the impossibility of this pedigree, dazzled the eyes of the simple: while some of our learned men, undertaking to satisfy so needless and unjust a demand, gave, as I conceived, great advantage to the adversary. In a just indignation to see us thus wronged by misstating the question betwixt us, as if we, yielding ourselves of another church, originally and fundamentally different, should make good our own erection the ruins, yea, the nullity of theirs; and, well considering the infinite and great inconveniences that must needs follow upon this defence, I adventured to set my pen on work; desiring to rectify the opinions of those men, whom an ignorant zeal had transported, to the prejudice of our holy cause; laying forth the damnable corruptions of the Roman Church, yet making our game of the outward visibility thereof; and, by this means putting them to the probation of those newly obtruded corruptions, which are truly guilty of the breach betwixt us. The drift whereof being not well conceived, by some spirits that were not so wise as fervent, I was suddenly exposed to the rash censures of many well affected and zealous Protestants; as if I had, in a remission to my wonted zeal to the truth, attributed too much to the Roman Church, and strengthened the adversaries' hands and weakened our own. This envy I was fain to take off, by my speedy apologetical advertisement; and, after that, by my reconciler, seconded with the unanimous letters of such reverend, learned, sound divines*, both bishops and doctors, as whose undoubtable authority was able to bear down calumny itself: which done, I did, by a seasonable moderation, provide for the peace of the church, in silencing both my defendants and challengers, in this unkind and ill-raised quarrel. Immediately before the publishing of this tractate, (which did not a little aggravate the envy and suspicion) I was by his majesty raised to the bishopric of Exeter; having formerly, with much humble deprecation, refused the see of Gloucester earnestly proffered unto me. How, beyond all expectation, it pleased God to place me in that Western charge; which, if the Duke of Buckingham's letters, he being then in France, had arrived but * B. Morton, B. Davenant, Dr. Prideaux, Dr. Primrose. some hours sooner, I had been defeated of; and, by what strange means it pleased God to make up the competency of that provision, by the unthought of addition of the rectory of St. Breok within that diocese; if I should fully relate the circumstances, would force the confession of an extraordinary hand of God in the disposing of those events. I entered upon that place, not without much prejudice and suspicion on some hands: for some, that sat at the stern of the church, had me in great jealousy for too much favour of Puritanism. I soon had intelligence who were set over me for espials. My ways were curiously observed, and scanned. However, I took the resolution to follow those courses, which might most conduce to the peace and happiness of my new and weighty charge. Finding, therefore, some factious spirits very busy in that diocese, I used all fair and gentle means to win them to good order; and therein so happily prevailed, that, saving two of that numerous clergy, who continuing in their refractoriness fled away from censure, they were all perfectly reclaimed; so as I had not one minister professedly opposite to the anciently received orders (for I was never guilty of urging any new impositions) of the church in that large diocese. Thus we went on comfortably together, till some persons of note in the clergy, being guilty of their own negligence and disorderly courses, began to envy our success; and, finding me ever ready to encourage those whom I found conscionably forward and painful in their places, and willingly giving way to orthodox and peaceable lectures in several parts of my diocese, opened their mouths against me, both obliquely in the pulpit and directly at the court; complaining of my too much indulgence to persons disaffected, and my too much liberty of frequent lecturings within my charge. The billows went so high, that I was three several times upon my knee to his majesty, to answer these great criminations; and what contestation I had with some great lords concerning these particulars, it would be too long to report: only this, under how dark a cloud I was hereupon I was so sensible, that I plainly told the lord Archbishop of Canterbury,* that rather than I would be obnoxious to those slanderous tongues of his misinformers, I would cast up my rochet. I knew I went * Laud.-H. right ways, and would not endure to live under undeserved suspicions. What messages of caution I had from some of my wary brethren, and what expostulatory letters I had from above, I need not relate. Sure I am, I had peace and comfort at home, in the happy sense of that general unanimity and loving correspondence of my clergy, till, in the last year of my presiding there, after the synodical oath was set on foot, (which yet I did never tender to any one minister of my diocese) by the incitation of some busy interlopers of the neighbour county, some of them began to enter into an unkind contestation with me, about the election of clerks of the convocation; whom they secretly, without ever acquainting me with their desire or purpose, as driving to that end which we see now accomplished, would needs nominate and set up in competition to those, whom I had, after the usual form, recommended to them. That they had a right to free voices in that choice, I denied not: only, I had reason to take it unkindly, that they would work underhand, without me, and against me; professing, that if they had beforehand made their desires known to me, I should willingly have gone along with them in their election. It came to the poll. Those of my nomination carried it. The parliament began. After some hard tugging there, returning home upon a recess, I was met on the way, and cheerfully welcomed with some hundreds. In no worse terms, I left that my once dear diocese; when, returning to Westminster, I was soon called by his majesty, who was then in the north, to a remove to Norwich. But how I took the Tower in my way, and how I have been dealt with since my repair hither, I could be lavish in the sad report; ever desiring my good God to enlarge my heart in thankfulness to him for the sensible experience I have had of his fatherly hand over me in the deepest of all my afflictions, and to strengthen me for whatsoever other trials he shall be pleased to call me unto; that, being found faithful unto the death, I may obtain that crown of life, which he hath ordained for all those that overcome. |