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with due consideration; and the holy things of God may be more decently handled.

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Upon calling together the Assembly of Divines at Westminster, in the year 1643, he was chosen and appointed by both Houses of Parliament to be their Prolocutor, in which place he continued until his death. This Assembly of Divines first met at King Henry the Seventh's Chapel, in Westminster Abbey, on, Saturday the 1st of July, 1643. At their first assembling, Dr. Twisse, their Prolocutor, preached a sermon unto them, at which the members of both Houses of Parliament were also present. This Assembly was prohibited by the King's proclamation of June 22; and he declared, that no acts done by them ought to be received by his subjects: he also threatened to proceed. against them with the utmost severity of the law; which Dr. Twisse lamented, in his sermon at the opening of the Assembly, but hoped that in due time his Majesty's consent might be obtained. Notwithstanding, sixty-nine ministers assembled the

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*This is no proof of Dr. Twisse's christian allegiance to his sovereign; but it justifies the opinion of his Majesty, recorded in page 401, "that the far greatest part of those who had been nominated to the present service, were men eminently disaffected to the government of the Church of England, and such as had openly preached rebellion," &c. The doctor's "hopes" did not tarry for the "due time" in which "his majesty's consent might be obtained" for the meeting of the Assembly of Divines; but he accepted an appointment from a rebellious confederacy that had under various pretences raised themselves to the Supreme Authority in opposition to the king's just rights and title. After having been a member of the Sub-Committee of Accommodation, (page 315,) he could not be ignorant of the good intentions of his sovereign, in reference to the settlement of the interests of the Church. Yet such was the deep-rooted malevolence which Dr. Twisse exhibited against the civil and ecclesiastical government of the country, that, had not his advanced age operated as a preventive, he would have been as ready, as Philip Marshall, Hugh Peters, or any other of the more ignorant members of that Assembly, to march as a Parliamentary chaplain to a regiment, or to render effectual assistance in any warlike enterprize. But the will, in the case of Dr. Twisse, was accepted for the deed; as, beside the impediment of his years and infirmities, he did not possess those high martial qualities which are thus ELOQUENTLY described, by our Mr. REID, as appertaining. to another eminent member of the Assembly, one of Dr. Twisse's Assessors :> "Dr. Burgess, being highly approved for his zeal, valour and fidelity, and admirably adapted to the nature of the military service, was wisely selected by the earl of Essex, the General of the Parliament's army, to be chaplain to his regiment of horsemen. The more eminent and suitable divines were appointed chaplains to the several regiments; and, while these continued with them, none of the enthusiastic follies, which afterwards appeared and were truly reproachable, discovered themselves. Such chaplains were highly beneficial to the Parliamentary army, to direct their views aright, to afford them aid in their devotion, and to excite them in the performance of their duty in defence of their liberty and religion. They were now called to add to their faith virtue, or military valour,' as the word generally denotes in Homer."

It ought to be the occupation of such men as Mr. Reid, to make a better comment on the apostolical exhortation, Add to your faith virtue, than this, "VIRTUE, in Homer, generally denotes MILITARY VALOUR." The peaceful doctrines and soul-tranquillizing precepts of the Christian Religion will be completely nullified or prostituted, if we be compelled to take our lessons of civil conduct from such belligerent Calvinists as Mr. Reid, who does not

first day, who were called to meet there; and, after sermon, the ordinance of Parliament was read, declaring the cause and intention of their convention, viz. the settlement of religion and church-government. And then the roll, containing the names of the ministers appointed, was called over, and the names of those who were absent marked. About one hundred and twenty were nominated and appointed: They did not appear there in canonical habits, but chiefly in black coats and bands, in imitation of the foreign Protestants. This Assembly was not a convention according to the Diocesan government; nor was it called by the votes of ministers, in the Presbyterian form; but by the Parliament, in extraordinary circumstances, for advice in church affairs. Many of the most learned Episcopal divines, were nominated, along with the Presbyterians and Independents; and Archbishop Usher,* Bishops Westfield, Prideaux and Brownrigg, Doctors Holdsworth, Hammond, Sanderson, and others; -but they refused, because the King had declared against it. None could enter to hear or see this Assembly without a written order from both Houses of Parliament. They met every workday except Saturday, which was allowed the divines to prepare for preaching on the Sabbath. Their session was generally from nine o'clock in the morning until two or three after noon, which the Prolocutor began and ended with prayer.t About sixty of

relish the specimen of Grecian lore afforded by our erudite translators in the English New Testament, but wanders to Homer for an authority. The warlike inhabitants of Scotland, in former days, too frequently. "added to their faith military courage" and no Dr. Burgess or Mr. Reid would now be required, " to afford them aid" in that part of their devotion." But such doctrine demands a more skilful casuist than our northern biographer, to render it as perfectly innocent as, in his hands, it is vapid and unscriptural.

"This summer [1643] the Lord Primate was nominated (though against his desire,) to be one of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster, as were also Dr. Brownrig Bishop of Exeter, Dr. Westfield Bishop of Bristol, and divers others of the orthodox Clergy. But the Lord Primate neither approved of the authority that named him, nor yet of the business they met about: So that he never troubled himself to go thither. But when that mock Assembly found he scorned to come among them, they complained of him to the House of Commons, who soon voted him out again; which yet the Archbishop took more kindly, than their choosing him into it. And now when this prevalent faction, sitting at Westminster, found that the Archbishop was not for their turn, but to the contrary had, in divers sermons at Oxford, preached against their rebellious proceedings, they were so enraged at him, that the committee they had appointed for DELINQUENTS' estates, (as they nick-named those who now faithfully served their prince,) made an order for the seizing of a study of books, &c. which were seized accordingly." PARR's Life.

The subsequent fate of this valuable library is narrated in page 404. †The Doctor was accounted very tedious in these extempore effusions; and many of the ardent spirits, who were his reverend auditors, felt themselves aggrieved, because they considered themselves better qualified to offer up the joint adorations of so many gifted individuals, than an old divine could be, who had during many years been an unwilling Conformist to the excellent forms of prayer in the Episcopal Church. The following long extract from the "Succinct History of the Life and Death of the learned and famous Divine, Daniel Featly, by his nephew, the Rev. John FAIR

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the English divines were generally present.
These were
divided into three committees; and no man was excluded who
pleased to come into any of the three. Every committee took a

CLOUGH, (vulgo FEATLY,)" presents us with some remarkable circumstances connected with the state of society at that period. The author tells us, his uncle, having long foreseen the storm which was impending over England, gave him an intimation of the necessity that existed for one of them to seek refuge in some of the distant colonies; and, on account of the advanced age of his relative, it was determined that John should emigrate. He then proceeds with his narrative thus:

"On June 24th, 1643, I weighed anchor at Tilbury Hope, and thence proceeded in my voyage to St. Christophers in the Western Indies, in a ship sufficiently pestered with Brownists, Anabaptists, Antinomians, &c. In the mean while, he stayed at home to fight with beasts at Ephesus, and defend the truth. And indeed he had a fair opportunity for it, being chosen a member of the Assembly of Divines, and wanting no courage either to preach the truth in the pulpit, or to assert and defend it in the Synod. But his religion and his loyalty were crimes unpardonable: And his vindication of the truth, in those erroneous times, betrayed him to the malice of new adversaries and their mischievous contrivements. The Bishops being voted down, and the Hierarchy of our church blown away with an unsavoury breath, every one's brain hammered and projected a new church-government, forgetting in the mean while that they had almost lost the very church itself. And, among the many superfœtations, that of the Presbytery appeared most prevalent: The professors thereof in England learned their lesson of their brethren in Scotland, whose first and greatest lecture was the Solemn League and Covenant. It was hatched in Scotland, and sent to the Assembly of Divines in England for their concurrence. Being proposed in our Synod, the Doctor, in a grave and learned speech, and with solid and judicious arguments, so strongly opposed it, that those who wanted learning to answer him, wanted not malice to ruin him.

"It seems the times could not bear sound doctrine: It was therefore con

cluded by a factious party, that either the Covenant must be suppressed, or the Doctor's mouth must be stopped. Every sectary was willing to help forward the latter, in a seeming defence of the former: Although the zeal of some of them was not grounded so much upon their love to the Covenant, as upon their envying his abilities, and madness at his stout and resolute defending the truth. At last a plot was laid by schismatics and sectaries of several judgments, who all concurred in the great design of silencing the Doctor. To this purpose, about the middle of Sept. in the year 1643, one Armiger Wardner, a despicable felt-maker at that time in Southwark, and afterwards a sutler in the army at St. Albans, made his application to the Doctor under pretence of friendship, and privately informed him, as from the Lord Primate of Armagh at Oxford, (from whence he pretended he was newly come,) That the king was very much offended at his complying with the Assembly; and that he charged him, upon his high displeasure, never more to meet with the Divines in Henry the Seventh's chapel.'-The credulous Doctor, intending no harm, suspected none; nor considered how strongly and stoutly he had, but a fortnight since, scourged the Covenant in that very Assembly; and that this therefore might be a plot to affright him into a future conpliance, or at least to silence, in the Synod; or that it might be a snare to catch him, and to bring him into trouble. Evil be to him that evil thinketh' The Doctor thought none. But he seemed indeed a little dissatisfied, in that the Primate had not written to him: But the cunning deceiver excused that by the danger of the times either to write or to carry intelligence of such concernment. The good Doctor was truly very much troubled at the contrary commands of the king at Oxford and the Parliament at Westminster. [This species of cant has been already exposed, page 379.] But the messenger seemed to be grieved for him, and to contrive some means to quiet his thoughts. At length he told the Doctor, that a word of the Primate's mouth to the king would set all aright again; and that he was presently to return to Oxford, by whom if the Doctor would

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portion of the work prescribed, and in their afternoon-meeting prepared matters for the Assembly, writing their sentiments in distinct propositions, supported by sacred texts. After prayer,

write a few lines to his Grace, acquainting him with some passages in the Assembly, and with his desire of his majesty's leave to continue his atten'dance there, he would not only deliver the letter with much fidelity, but ' also bring him an answer upon Tuesday following.' Upon these fair shows of Armiger Wardner's friendship, and many promises of his faithfulness and secrecy, the Doctor caused a kinsman of his to write what he dictated, Armiger Wardner being in presence. And when he had finished and read it to them both, the Doctor asked Armiger Wardner's opinion, Whether he thought there could be any danger in sending what was written; the sutler pretended a confidence that there could be no danger in it. And thereupon the Doctor subscribed it with the two first letters of his name in Greek, one within another, which afterward, by the quiblet of a Member of Parliament, was interpreted FIDELITY.”

This letter, as stated page 404, was taken before the Close Committee of Parliament, by whose directions Dr. Featly was arrested as a spy and intelligencer. He defended himself as well as he was able: "But," his kinsman says, "the doctor's defence was not armour-proof against the malicious resolutions of his mortal adversaries. The more reasons he urged, the more they were enraged: For, what they were not able to answer by the strength of reason, they howsoever could master by the strength of power. The Prolocutor [Dr. Twisse] was nettled, because the Doctor had written an Encomium of his special gift in praying, not so much extempore as de tempore: And the Presbyterians were offended, because he opposed the Covenant: And the Sectaries in general were highly displeased, because he both discovered and opposed their schisms. Hereupon the Committee, being of the discontented party, resolved to silence him; and presently he was voted both out of the Assembly and out of his estate and liberty. On Sept. 30th, a warrant, mentioning no crime, was brought from the Committee, to commit the poor doctor; and the officer conducted him to the Lord Petre's house in Aldersgate-street. Before which, he was so plundered that he had no more money left him, than one bare five-shillings piece of gold, which he bestowed upon the officer. So soon as he was laid up, those whose mouths had long gaped and watered at his two livings, and undoubtedly had been very instrumental to clap him up, skipped hastily into them; Mr. White of Dorchester into Lambeth, and Mr. Philip Nye into Acton. Thus was the poor doctor plundered, sequestered, imprisoned, and even quite lost to the world. Yet, as if malice had pleaded for eternity, they left him not thus: For whilst he was penned up in that noisome prison, he yet preached constantly every Lord's-day to his fellow-sufferers, for they were many, and persons of quality, and their sin was loyalty,-until at length Isaac Pennington, the pretended Lord Mayor of London, stopped his mouth, and gave orders that he should preach no more.

"Many sad months did he spend in prison, wanting the sweet and pleasant air at Kennington, the comfortable society of his books, his just revenue, a convenient accommodation, a well-ordered diet, the company of his old and bosom friends, and indeed all things, except a good conscience, which might qualify the bitterness of a tedious life. In the height of these his sufferings, it happened that a Papist sent a bold challenge abroad into the world, concerning the Antiquity, Unity, Universality, Succession, and perpetual Visibility of the true Church: Which threw dirt in the face of the Protestant Church, and, as the author thought, invincibly asserted the tenets of the Romanists. The Parliament saw the challenge, but neither could answer it themselves, nor persuade the reverend Synod, (wherein were yet left many persons of great learning and much estimation,) but it was recommended to the Doctor, whom they knew to be well versed in the matters in question. Had they first vindicated him from the aspersions of the hackney Mercuries [pamphlets] of the times, repaired his losses, enlarged his person, and sent him with honour to take his place again in the Assembly, they had given him a just and noble encouragement to answer

the Scribe read the proposition and text, whereupon the Assembly debated in a very grave, learned, ready and accurate manner. 'I do marvel,' says Mr. Baillie, one of the Scotch Commission

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their desires. But he was a poor Israelite under the Egyptian yoke, and must be content to abate the straw, yet make the brick. When no denial or excuse would satisfy, he complained that he wanted his books, and without them he could not answer expectations.' The House therefore voted, that he should have any of his own books which he should require, ⚫ provided that he should never have more than THREE of them at one time.' By this vote, in the first place, his library was for a while preserved from the itching hands of Mr. White of Dorchester, who had gotten an order, that he should have the Doctor's books until the Doctor could get back Mr. White's, which some under the command of Prince Rupert had seized at 'Dorchester.' And the Doctor got a welcome employment, which diverted the irksomeness of his sad imprisonment. To work he went, and at length he finished and published his answer to the challenge, on Aug. 1, 1644, in a book entituled ROMA RUENS.

"Notwithstanding the great service which the Doctor had done the Church of England, at the request of the Parliament, by his answer to that Popish challenge in his Roma Rzens, yet they suffered him to continue in limbo, in his old prison. But when,-through the closeness and corruption of the air, the noisome stenches of the prison, his bad diet and ill lodging, the want of exercise, and many other inconveniences, he fell into a dropsy and other diseases, he became a humble petitioner to the Parliament, that he might have leave to remove to Chelsea College, where the air was fresh and wholesome: And his physician's certificate was annexed to his petition, declaring that he could not possibly live without the benefit of better air. Full sixteen weeks did his friends and servants bestow upon a daily and wearisome attendance on the House, in pursuance of his request: For some members would, but durst not, move for him; some durst, but would not. His friends were fearful, but his enemies bold and violent. At length, when his adversaries were assured that his death approached, so that now there could be no fear of his further writing or preaching either against the Covenant or any Anabaptistical tenets, they granted him an Order to remove to Chelsea college for six weeks: For, although they proved prophets, yet they suspected that if he should be in any hope of recovery, he would fall again to his old game of opposing the heresies of the times: Provided always, that he should first give good bail for his return to prison at the six weeks' end.' By virtue of this long-looked-for order, he was removed to Chelsea College, about the beginning of March 1645.... On the 17th of April which was the very last day of those six weeks which the tender mercies of his enemies had allotted him for his continuance in Chelsea College, his spirit waxed faint, and, drawing near to the gates of the grave, he prayed as followeth Lord, strike through the reius of them that rise against the Church and king, and let them be as chaff before the wind and as stubble before the fire. Let them be scattered as partridges upon the mountains, and let the breath of the Lord consume them! But upon our gracious sovereign [Charles 1.] and his posterity, let the Crown flourish! This is the hearty and earnest prayer of a poor sick creature. With which words, and many heavenly ejaculations, commending his soul into the hands of his faithful Creator, he fell asleep."

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Such was the treatment which an Episcopal Calvinist experienced at the hands of his Predestinarian brethren, the Independents and the Presbyterians. I should have been gratified, had it been my pleasing duty to record a more pacific and evangelical death-prayer than the one which Dr. Featly uttered. But he was then under the influence of unsanctified irritation, and might have addressed his quondam friends, with some show of reason, in the language of David, "For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, &c." Though, in the words that were wrung from him in the bitterness of his soul, may be perceived much of that asperity which he formerly dis

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