Animadversions on Doctor Heylins Quinquarticular History, Part 85 – Part 86
Dr. H. Part 3. Pag. 2.
There were some men, who in the beginning of King Edward's Reign, busily stickled in the maintenance of Calvin's Doctrines; and thinking themselves to be more Evangelical than the rest of their Brethren, they either took unto themselves, or had given by others, the name of Gospellers. Of this they were informed by the Reverend Prelate and right godly Martyr Bishop Hooper, in the Preface to his Exposition of the ten Commandments. Our Gospellers (saith he) he better learned than the Holy Ghost; for they wickedly attribute the cause of punishments and adversities to God's providence; which is the cause of no ill, as he himself can do no evil: and over every mischief that is done, they say, it is God's will. In which we have the men and their Doctrine; how the name of Gospellers, and the reason why that name was ascribed to them. It is observed by the judicious Author of Europae Speculum, that Calvin was the first of these latter times, who searched into the Counsels (the eternal Counsels) of God Almighty: And, as it seems, he found there some other Gospel than that which had been written by the four Evangelists, from whence his Followers had the name of Gospellers; for by that name I find them called frequently by Campneys also, in an Epistolary discourse, &c. And finding it given them also by Bishop Hooper, (a temperate modest man) I must needs look on it as the name of the Sect, by which they were distinguished from other men.
Answ. All this I have at large transcribed, because I have sundry observations to make thereupon. First, I observe, that in all probability the Doctor never read Hooper, but trusted to other mens eyes; for he quoteth that as from the Preface of Mr. Hooper, which is not to be found in the Preface, but rather in his Postscript, or Appendix to his Declaration of the ten holy Commandments, or his Answer to certain Objections, that keep men from the obedience of God's Law, the fourth of which is Curiosity: Nor is this the first time that he hath suffered himself and his Reader to be abused. Secondly, I observe, that he attributes …hese words to the Reverend Prelate, and right godly Martyr, Bishop Hooper; whereas Hooper, when he did write these words, was no Prelate, but only a licenced, if licenced, Predicant. But I am glad however to find Dr. Heylin speak of honourably of the Ring-leader of the Non-conformists. It seems, when he is pleased, he can allow one that scrupled the Habit, and expresly condemned the Civil Offices of Bishops, to be reverend, and right godly, and temperate, and modest. Thirdly, I observe, that he chargeth Mr. Calvin, from the Author of Europae Speculum, to be the first in these latter times that searched into the Counsels, the eternal Counsels, of Almighty God. That the Author of Europae Speculum hath any such observation, I am not sure: If he have, it no way contributed to procure him that esteem with which the World reads his Book; for, as all eternal Counsels are the Counsels of Almighty God, so all the Counsels of God Almighty are eternal: And to say, that Calvin was the first, who in this latter age searched into the Counsels of Almighty God, is in effect to say, that none of this latter age before Calvin, regarded God's glory or mans salvation. I suppose instead of eternal Counsels, the Doctor intended to say, hidden, unrevealed Counsels. But the assertion of absolute Election and Reprobation, is no searching into the secrets of God Almighty: or if it be, Mr. Calvin cannot, by any one that hath the least skill in History, be thought to be the first that searched into God's secret Counsels; seeing both Luther and Zuinglius had done it before him. Fourthly, I observe, the unrighteous censure or calumny of the Doctor, that Calvin, by searching into God's Decrees, had found out another Gospel than that which had been written by the four Evangelists, from whence his Followers in these Points had the name of Gospellers. Neither Calvin, nor Calvinists, ever found out any other Gospel than this, He that believeth, shall be saved; he that believeth not, shall be damned. Nor was the name of Gospellers given to Mr. Calvin's Followers, on the account of their bringing in a new Gospel, or on any other account: but it was the general name by which all that joyned in opposing Popery called themselves. Let any one but consult the word, Gospellers, in the Index of Mr. Fox's Martyrology, and compare the places there referred unto, he shall find Papists and Gospellers still opposed; & Gospellers used, not as a name of ignoming but as a name of honour. Let him also read Bishop Ridley's Letter to his Chaplain, he shall find the same word used, and contradistinguished to Papists. Likewise in Latine no more usual distinction than Pontificii and Evangelici: So that the Historian, in making the Calvinists the only Gospellers, makes them indeed the only Protestants. Finally, I observe, that the words quoted from Bishop Hooper are inexcusable, if they be not qualified with some distinction. The Scripture doth not oftner ascribe unto God the Creation of the World, than it doth ascribe unto his Providence all the Punishments and Adversities that befal either good or bad men: yet it must be granted, that God does not willingly afflict the sons of men; and therefore never punishes them, but when he finds something in them which deserves the punishment; so that they may thank themselves for all the evil they suffer from God.
The Doctor's next design is to vindicate one Campneys, a Fellow that was made to bear a Faggot at Paul's Cross in King Edward's time, the learned and pious Miles Coverdale preaching a Sermon when that punishment was inflicted on him. This man, it seems, having either complied in Queen Mary's time, or saved himself alive by flight, when Q Elizabeth had restored the true Religion began to play his old pranks, i. e. to cause disturbance, by nibbling at such who were deservedly honoured and preferred in the Church; publishing a Pamphlet, but unto which he had not courage enough to affix his name, against Predestination. This Pamphlet was encountred by Mr. Iohn Veron, a Chaplain to the Queen, and Reader of the Divinity Lecture in S. Paul's Church, as also by Mr. Robert Crowley, sometime Fellow of Magdalen Colledge in Oxon, at that time a famous Preacher in the City of London; Both these put out Answers unto Campneys, and their Answers were both licenced and approved, and Veron's Dedicated to the Queen her self; whereas Campney's virulent Pamphlet came forth surreptitiously, neither Author nor Printer daring to put their names to it. All this notwithstanding, the Doctor would have us believe, that Campneys defended the Doctrine of the Church, Veron and Crowley opposed it; as if the Church had so soon lost all her zeal for her Religion, and would give no countenance at all to those that contended for it, yet would vouchsafe to authorize the writings of those that vigorously fought against it. We need not say, that Campneys deserved all the ill names that Veron and Crowley bestowed on him, perhaps their zeal might be in some particulars too bitter; yet we cannot think that men of so great repute and learning would charge Pelagianism and Popery, upon one that had honestly declared himself against both Popery and Pelagianism. — The Doctor tells us that Campneys hath sufficiently purged himself of both these crimes; And indeed, by reading his Book, I find that he hath declared himself against Merit; but so hath many a professed Papist done. He doth also muster up the errors of Pelagius, publickly recanted by him in the Synod of Palestine, declaring them (or at least one of them) to be vile and abominable: This notwithstanding, it is possible he might be a very Pelagian. Austin himself doth not speak more sharply against Pelagius than do the Ring-leaders of the Semipelagians, and yet they erre as bad an errour as the Pelagians do. But of all these matters let indifferent Readers judge, by comparing Campneys Book with the Answers made to it.
More I need not say about the sixteenth Chapter, had it not pleased the Historian to defame Calvin, Beza and Knox. Calvin and B…za he charges with unworthy practices used against Sebastian Castalio a man, he says, of no less learning, but of far more modesty and moderation than either of them; yet they never left persecuting and reviling him, till they had first cast him out of Geneva, and afterwards brought him to his grave, meerly because he differed from them about Predestination. Calvin and Beza's learning, modesty, and moderation, are sufficiently vindicated by others. Castalio discovered little either of modesty or moderation, in his bitter censures of the Book of Canticles, or in the help and assistance he afforded unto the cursed Socinians. Beza and Calvin are not the only persons that have condemned him; nor did they condemn him meerly, or principally, for differing from them in the point of Predestination, as the Doctor might have known, if he had rather consulted the impartial Historians of that time, than Castalio's own writings.
For Mr. Knox, styled pag. 5, The great Incendiary of the Nation and Kirk of Scotland, I will not undertake an Apology. His own Country-men, who were better acquainted with his principles and practices, may better do it. Yet because I find him to have taken great pains in promoting our Reformation here in England, I shall adventure to mind the Doctor, that Spotswood, purposely employed by our King to write the History of the Kirk of Scotland, and having also by the King liberty given him to write tru…h impartially, doth make very honourable mention of Mr. Knox. And our own Bishop Ridley joyns him with Latimer, Leaver, Bradford, and commends them all for their sharp reproof of all sins and sinners in King Edward's days.
Dr. H. Part 3. pag. 18.
No sooner had that gracious Lady, Queen Elizabeth, attained the Crown, than she took order for the reviewing of the publick Liturgy, appoi…ting for the review Dr. Parker, Dr… G…inda…, Dr. Pilkington, Dr. Cox, Dr. May, Dr. Bill, Mr. Whitehead, Sir Thomas Smith.
Answ. 'Tis true, such a revision was appointed, and performed by the men here mentioned. I intend not a character of them; they have their characters already given them by abler Pens but so principled they were, that if any thing had been left in the Liturgy favouring conditional E…lection, or the Apostasie of Saints, it had not failed to be blotted out.
The Injunctions of Queen Elizabeth are mentioned by the Doctor pag. 19, in which he observes, that Erasmus his Paraphrases were appointed to be provided for every Church, Injunct. 6. and Injunct. 16, that every Parson, Vicar, Curate, Stipendiary Priest, (he omits, under the degree of a Master of Arts,) should provide and have of his own, the New Testament in Latine and English, with the Paraphrases, (the Injunction saith only, with Paraphrases.) The conclusion he hence infers, hath been before considered. I must take notice, that the 51. Injunction straitly chargeth and commandeth, that no manner of person shall Print any manner of Book or Paper, of what sort, nature, or in what Language soever it be, except the same be first licenced by her Majesty by express words in writing, or by six of her Privy Conncel, or be perused and licenced by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, the Bishop of London, the Chancellors of both Universities, the Bishop being Ordinary, and the Archdeacon also of the place where any such shall be Printed or by two of them, whereof the Ordinary of the place shall always be one; and that the names of such as shall allow the same, be added to the end of every such work, for a testimony of the allowance thereof. From this Injunction I infer, that Campneys had no respect at all unto the Queens Order, or else he would not have published his Papers without Authority. I also infer secondly, that neither Queen, nor Councel, nor Archbishops, nor Bishops, were of Campneys mind, because else he would have prevailed with some of them to authorize his Book, that it might have been more passable. And now, if the Doctor have got any thing by these Injunctions, much good may it do him.