TWISSE. 15 he is said to have refuted with great learning and judgment. His next contest was with Mr. John Cotton, a divine whom he highly esteemed, and whom he treated with great gen- tleness. He learnedly refuted Dr. Potter's " Survey of the New Platform of Predestination.". He treated Dr. Heylin according to his deserts, in defence of .the morality of the sabbath. He also successfully contended with the famous Arminius and others in defence of the doctrines of grace. His answers to Dr. ,. and Arminius, and his " Riches of God's Love," when first published, were all suppressed by the arbitrary appointment of Bishop Laud.+ In the year 1640, Dr. Twisse was chosen one of the sub-committee, to assist the committee of accoMmodation appointed by the house of lords to consider the innovations introduced into the church, and to promote a more pure re- formation.$ In the year 1643, he was nominated, by an order of the parliament, prolocutor to the assembly of divines. On account of his great modesty, he repeatedly declined the appointment, but was at length prevailed upon to accept the office. The learned assembly was opened July 1, 1643, when Dr. Twisse preached to both houses of parliament, in Henry the seventh's chapel. " In his sermon;" says Fuller, " he exhorted his learned auditory to a faithful discharge of their duty, and to promote the glory of God and the honour of his church ; but he was sorry that they wanted the royal assent. He hoped, however, that in due time it might be obtained, and that a happy union would 'be procured between the king and parliament."4 Dr. Twisse, on account of his age and manifold in-. firmities, was not able to attend upon the concerns of the assembly ; but, in a few months, was taken ill, falling down in the pulpit to rise no more. He had been long grieved to behold the disagreement between the king and the par- liament, which, he said, would prove fatal to both ; and he often wished that the fire of contention might be Toplady's Historic Proof, vol. i. p. 68. .1. About the same 'time, Dr. George Downham, bishop of Derry in Ireland, published a book against the Arminians; upon which, Bishop Laud procured the suppression of all the copies sent to England ; and, not satisfied with this, he caused a letter to be sent to Archbishop Usher, com- manding the same proceeding against the book in Ireland. The pious and learned primate tamely yielded to the superior power of this arbitrary prelate ; issued his warrant for the seizure of all the remaining copies of Downham's work ; and signified that he should " take order that nothing should be hereafter published contrary to his majesty's sacred direction."-- Pun.' s Cant. Doome, p. 171, 172. - 2. Kingdom's MS. Collec. p. 200. § Fuller's Church Hist. b. xi. p. 199.
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