Chap. Ii. The ~ISTORY of the PuRITANS. 7r artiCle of the churches power to decree rites and ceremonies; to the nine- K. Charles I. teenth article, that 't£'orks done before (he grace_ of. Chrifl, &c. ~re n~t~ pleajing to God; and indeed, fay s,the wr~ter of his life, .to the articles.m p. Iot. general, as an impofition on mens confc1ences, much like the authonty which the church of Rome alfumes. M(. Chil!ingworth bleffes God, that when he had entertained fome thoughts of fubfcription, . two unexpected in:pedi~ents diverte? him fro.m it; " for ( fays he) I profefs, fi nce I entertamed It I never enJoyed qUiet " day nor night, till now that I have rid myfelf of it again ; and I plain– " ly perceive, that if I had [wallowed this pill, howfoever gilded over " with gloffes and refervations, and wrapt up in conferves of good in– " tentiom and purpqfes, yet it would never h ave agreed nor flayed with " me, but I {hould have call: it up again, and with it whatfoever pre– " ferment I iliould have g?.i ned as the wages of unrighteoufnefs; but " now I thank God, I am relolved that I ;vill never do that while I am " living and in health, which I woul d not do if I was dyi ng ; and this " I am fure I would not do, and therefore whenever I make fuch a '' prepofierous choice, I will give you leave to bt!ieve, that I am out of " my wits or do not believe in God-" Notwithfianding thefe refolu– tions, he was prevailed with to fubfcr ibe, by his godfather archbiiliop Laud, to qualify him for the above-mentioned preferments. How the pill was gilded over is not certain; the writer of his life fays he fubfcribed Chilling. as articles of peace, not of belief. Mr. Chi!!ingworth was a quick difpu- L. Pb 97• tant, and of very high principles, for in one of his fermons before the p. 1 2 ' king, he fays, that the mrft unju/1 and tyrannical violence qf princes may not be rejected; this being unlawful, even though princes be mqft impious, tyrannical, and idolatrous. But though his political principles were high, he was low enough w ith regard to the authority of councils, fathers, and convocations, in matters of faith; adhering fiedfafily to that celebrated declaration, that the BIBLE alof1e is the religion.qf a protiftant. He was an excellent mathematician, and ferved as engineer in Arundel Caft!e in Stdfex, in which he was taken prifoner, and when indifpofed had the fa vour of being lodged in the bilhop's houfe at Chichefter, where he died Jan. 2 0. 1643-4. 'Tis furprifing, that lord C/arendon !hould fay, the Chill. Life, parliament clergy profecuted him with all the inhumanity imaginable, jo that lb. P· 314· by their barbarous tijage he died within a few days; when, as he himfelf acknowledged, he wanted for noth ing; and by the interefi of Dr. Cheynel who attended him in his fickn efs, was courteoufly ufed. The doCtor woul~ have reafoned him out of fome of his principles but could not preva1l, and theref~re at his interment, after a refleCting fpeech upon his charaCter, threw h1s book, entitled 'Ibe Religion of Protiftants a jafi Way
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=