we end: and, at all events, we should on lesser points maintain a peaceful silence; and, least of all, at a time when the very ground under our feet is shaken, would catechize words and syllables of uncertain construction, or dogmatize on particular passages in the sacred word; involving doctrines, which, viewed with humility on either side, and received as the declaration of God, have made men honest in life and happy in death. At the same time it behoves us not to be unmindful of what is passing around us on any side. Subjects which we once thought worthy of full and ample discussion, cannot change their nature with time or circumstances. If men think them still far from exhausted, we must listen, as careful observers, to fresh suggestions: and more especially new matter (a real novelty in these days) cannot pass without that respectful notice which it ever obtains from the sober and enlightened inquirer after invaluable truth. In fine, we would not shew ourselves backward to act upon the principle averred by Mr.Todd himself, doubtless for the instruction of all vigilant friends to religion at the pre sent moment. "At a time when hostility against the natural faith is waged, not only by open enemies, but also by PRETENDED FRIENDS; and when attempts to impose FALSE SENSES upon the public declarations of that faith, in order to countenance and propagate error, continue to be made; any method, however humble, which may tend to weaken this hostility, and to expose these attempts, cannot, if con ducted with truth, but be of use." pp. Ixi, lxii. The object of Mr. Todd's pub lication may, in a few words, be stated to be that of ascertaining the sense in which Archbishop Cranmer, the great English Reformer, used the term, or its equivalent, justification by faith, when he penned, as it is asserted he did, the Homilies involving that docCHRIST. OBSERV. No. 217. trine; or more generally, how the said doctrine was accepted by our Reformers at large, previously to the drawing up of the Thirty-nine Articles. The object of Doctor Laurence may, with equal correctness, be stated to be that of ascertaining the views of some of our early Protestant Reformers, particularly during their celebrated controversies in prison, under the short but bloody reign of the Popish Queen Mary, on the subject of Predestination. Upon subjects like these, losing nothing of their interest from the obscurity in which they are involved through intervening ages, the publication of original documents must always be a most acceptable service; though of course any reasoning founded upon such documents will demand the most rigid examination. The correspondence of both the publications before us, in point of reasoning and design, will appear with sufficient clearness from the circumstance of Mr. Todd having, in his preliminary introduction, drawn largely from the pages of Dr. Laurence himself, in bis eminent Bampton Lectures for 1804. And, perhaps, we must also give Dr. Laurence's documents the palm in point of originality: his smaller publication embracing a full account of a very curious MS. in the Bodleian, discovered by himself, previous to his lectures above mentioned; in the appendix to which he gave a short account of it, with some extracts. This manuscript purports to con tain "the principal documents upon the subject of the disputes in prison on predestination, as above stated on both sides;" and we shall, for the satisfaction of our readers, copy the detail given by Dr. Laurence of its contents, in pp. iii. iv. V. vi. vii. viii. in which it will be seen that the two documents which he has printed are of the most material importance, as a fair exhibition of the arguments on each side. "A Treatise on Predestination, F with an Answer to certain Enormities, calumniously gathered to slander God's Truth. By John Bradford.' p. 49. This treatise, which is dated A. D. 1554, evidently contains two distinct parts; the first part treating generally of predestination from p. 49 to p. 55, the second answering some specific objections to that doctrine, circulated under the title of Enormities proceeding of the Opinion, that Predestination,Calling, and Election is absolute in us, as it is in God.' As this was evidently the most important tract upon the Predestinarian side of the recorded dispute, I have published the whole of it. I should nevertheless remark, that the first part of it has already been twice printed, but not under the same title; first by Miles Coverdale, in The Letters of the Martyrs,' under the form of A letter written to a dear friend of his, wherein he entreateth as briefly, so most per fectly, godly, soundly, and pithly of God's holy election, free grace, and mercy in Jesus Christ;' and secondly, in a small volume entitled Holy Meditations of John Bradford, Martyr,' printed in 1562, where it is thus described: A short and pithy defence of the doctrine of the holy Election, and Predestination of God, gathered out of first chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians.' "The second part, however, is by far the most important, and has not in any shape been hitherto laid before the public." "The eighth is thus inscribed; 'John Trewe, the unworthy marked servant of the Lord, being in bands for the testimony of Jesu, signifieth the cause of the Contention in the King's Bench, as concerning sects in Religion, the 30th of January, Anno Domi. 1555.' p. 116. This, which is the most complete document upon the Auti-Predestinarian side of the question, which was certainly never before printed, and which likewise contains a narrative of the whole proceeding, is the latter tract in the present publication." Laurence properly observes, the first is chiefly curious for its second part, which, he tells us, was never before in print. The first part is not unknown; and we can testify to its having been more than twice printed already; having before us at this moment a third publication of it, in the same holy meditations, we presume, mentioned by Dr. Lanrence, lately corrected after an ancient copie' printed in London, 1614. In this we have also a second part, but not the same with the one given by Dr. Laurence, from the Bodleian MS., but entitled "Another Treatise of Election and Free-will, by John Bradford." Whether this existed in Dr. Laurence's printed editions, or in the MS. itself, we have not the means of ascertaining. The second part As Dr. Laurence has not given us this other treatise, we shall mention a passage or two which may not be without interest, and may illustrate some points on which we may touch hereafter. 1. It holds the Stoics' opinion to be condemned, as censuring fatal necessity; for that it tyeth and bindeth God to the second causes, and maketh Him, which is a most free agent, bound and tyed, so that he cannot work, but as the second cause moveth him." 2. That to say "all things are done by co-action or compulsion, is false, and out of God's providence and predestination cannot be gathered. Necessity is one thing: constraint is another. God is good of necessity; but who now will say that he is so by co-action? The devil is naught of necessity, but not by co-action. Good men do well of necessity, but not of compulsion. So of wicked men. thing that is done willingly, is not done by constraint." Every thing, in short, is to be "construed according to the will of the doer:" and that "will to good" is said to be received of God only, "to declare that perfect wisdom, justice, and holiness, is not nor cannot be in any creature that is not God also." Hence, 3. "Afore we be justified and regenerated of God, we are altogether dead to God and to all goodness in his sight, and therefore we are altogether patients till God have wrought this his only work, justification and reOf those that are printed, Dr. generation. By the Spirit of sanctifi "I thought it only necessary to publish Bradford's Treatise of Predestination, and Trewe's narrative of the Cause of the Contention in the King's Bench.' These seem to comprehend a very sufficient detail of the arguments, proceedings, and complaints upon both sides." pp. iv.-viii. A given by Dr. Laurence affords a specimen of much of that heat and dogmatism of argument which we often find in those who fancy their neighbours will not see things as plainly at they think they see them with their own eyes; whilst it replies to certain enormities alleged against the doctrine of election and predestination, by a nameless but "calumnious calumniator." This being dated 1554, cannot be an express reply to the following tract entitled "Trewe's Narrative," bearing date 1565; the contents of which, however, give us a number of these enormities, to the cation, which we receive in regeneration as the seed of God, we are quick ened to labour with the Lord, and to be more justified; that is, by faith and the fruit of faith, to ourselves and others to declare the same, and so to increase from virtue to virtue, having always need to have our feet washed, although we be clean notwithstanding." 4. "A man regenerate, which we ought to believe of ourselves; I mean, that we are so by our bap tism, the sacrament thereof requiring no less faith; a man, I say, regenerate-that is, born of God-hath the Spirit of God; and can by the Spirit of God in him, stir up in himself the gifts and graces of God, to glorify God accordingly." (See Treatise of Election and Free-will, as above). Our readers will doubtless agree with us, that the above extracts, containing the ordinary reasoning of moderate Calrinism, are very remarkably closed with an observation on baptism, which sufficiently proves the cordial acquiescence of Calvinists in those days in the expres sions and doctrines of our church. Whence, therefore, the alleged quarrel between Calvinism and regeneration in baptism rightly received, in modern times, has arisen, we are at a loss to determine, except it be in the brains of a few precipitate and uninstructed controversialists. We consider the above extract, as a conclusive demonstration to those, who, like Dr. Laurence, appeal to antiquity, that Calvinists may be as good churchmen upon the subject of baptism, and have as few scruples upon the expressions of our Liturgy on that head, as any other members of the Established Church. amount of twenty-three, recapitulated from some former declarations of that party, and concluded by calling the predestination of the opponent, SO encumbered with enormities, "this foul error of the Manichees sect, that containeth all these detestable enormities and odious things against God, and hurt, ful to man.' The narrative further states the cause of the dissensions which took place between the two im. prisoned parties; namely, the difficulty, nay impossibility, found by the Anti-predestinarians of conciliating the charitable regards of the Predestinarians. These last, the Predestinarians, the narrator, moreover, charges, amongst other delinqueucies, with the practice of gaming and other plays and pastimes, such as bowls, dice, and cards, which were properly deemed unfit for such evil days, and a loss of time better spent in watching, mourning, and prayer: but which the Predestinarians held to be " clean to Christians," being "cleansed by the word, and not sin nor offence to all men." How far "Mr. John Bradford, holy Martyr," is intended to be implicated in this unholy charge of dissipation and gambling during the solemn interval of suspense between his apprehension and martyrdom, we know not; but that Dr. Laurence was not disposed to shew his character much favour, we may guess from an insinuation of a very ungracious nature, to say no more of it, contained in the following passage, on Bradford's sending a golden token, together with his book on Predestination, for Ridley's sanction."Bradford seems here to have sent him by Bernhere a piece of gold. Did that zealous controversialist think, that a present was likely to render him, whom he was addressing, more disposed to favour his request?" (Introduction, p. xxix.) Whatever may be intended here to insinuate with respect either to bribery or card-playing. on the part of the old Predestinarians, particularly the more moderate, of whom Bradford is admitted to beone; it certainly cannot be alleged that modern Calvinists are particularly addicted to such practices. And were we to search for bowls, cards, and dice, we should certainly at pre. sent go to other houses than those of most of those gentlemen, either of the present or the past generation, who are found in their discourses and publications maintaining the side of the moderate Calvinistic hypothesis. But we shall not enter further at present into the contents of Dr. Laurence's publication, with the introduction annexed, which will come better in chronological order, after the work of Mr. Todd, to which we shall now revert, and which treats of the subject, to us far more interesting, of justification. It commences its inquiries on this subject from the earliest period of our English Reformation, tracing it downwards to the final settlement of our Arti. cles in 1562. The several authorized documents previous to this event, are successively brought forward by Mr. Todd; and their suffrages are considered with respect to the generally received view of the doctrine of justification by faith. The whole is concluded by a particular and very important account of the memorable subscription (to the Articles) which was made in 1604, when James the First ascended the throne. In commencing our more particular consideration of Mr. Todd's documents, in chronological order, we must take the liberty of refering our readers to some former volumes of our own work; the fourth and fifth especially; in which, in certain Sketches of the Reformation, a pretty full account was given of the principal part of Mr. Todd's information. The first subject we there commenced with (see Vol. IV. p. 261.) was the primary instrument of the national reformation, the Ten Articles of Religion of King Henry the Eighth, in 1536. From these we extracted, as given in Fuller's History, the decisions made, amongst other things, in favour of the sacrament of penance, and of the altar, (which embraces the " very substantial, real, self-same body of Christ which hung upon the cross"); and directions for the use of images, honouring of saints, praying to them, using rites and ceremonies, "exorcisms and benedictions;" and, finally, praying for souls in purgatory. These same Articles appeared again with slight variations, the next year, 1537, in The Institution of a Christian Man. (See our fourth volume, pp. 197-263). These two instruments Mr. Todd "collates:" he speaks of the latter as "the bishop's book," and considers it as "a fatal blow to the enemies of the Reformation." This it unquestionably was, as renouncing the popish authority, and laying down a new ground for church union; and it may doubtless be considered as an initial step towards further light. From this "Institution" Mr. Todd extracts the views on baptism and justification. On baptism he states a material improvement to have been made in subsequent days, when in making use of the following passage in "the Institution," the portentous words in italics were omitted. "Insomuch as infants and children dying in their infancy shall undoubtedly be saved thereby, and else not." But on justification he does not state any further improvement made in our present formularies, from the following statement in the Institution. “Item, that sinners attain this justification," (i. e. remission of sins, and our acceptation and reconciliation into the grace and favour of God, our perfect renovation in Christ), "by contrition, and faith joined with charity, after such sort and manner as we before mentioned and declared. Not as though our contrition or faith, or any works proceeding thereof, can worthily merit or deserve to attain the said justification. For the only mercy and grace of the Father, promised freely unto us for his Son's sake, Jesu Christ, and the merits of his blood and passion, be the only sufficient and worthy causes thereof. And yet that notwithstanding, to the attaining of the same justification, God requireth to be in us not only inward contrition, perfect faith and charity, certain hope and confidence, with all other spiritual graces and motions, which, as we said before, must necessarily concur in re mission of our sins; that is to say, our justification; but also he requireth and commandeth us, that, after we be justified, we must also have good works of charity and obedience towards God, in the observing and fulfilling outwardly of his laws and commandments." Todd, p. 8. In 1540, as we stated, on the authority of Burnet (Vol. IV. p. 325), the partial publication of the Necessary Erudition of any Christian Man took place, attributed by Strype mainly to Cranmer, but, according to history, in conjunction with other persons of very different sentiments. Indeed, it will evidently be seen to contain many things at variance with the subsequent opinions of that greatReformer. We now find from Mr.Todd, what there was much reason to suspect, that Burnet was not correct in giving this work so early a date; and that it is no more or less, than the work bearing the same title, which confessedly appeared, and was printed and publicly adopted in 1543. This Mr. Todd argues with much jugenuity, and shews its distinction likewise from the original "Institution" of 1537, with which • This concurrence of charity with faith in justification, does not, as far as we observe, occur in the preceding ar. ticles of 1536; but only a concurrence of confession, with a following of works of penance and obedience. Indeed, though both a similar confession and penance are enjoined in the ten articles, we should, in a statement of justification, prefer theirs to this in the Institution; which is not the only instance in which, as Collier says, we shall have to note onr worthy divines of that age "reforming backwards." it has been also confounded, particularly by the able Dr. Nichols. A place in 1540, in Latin, entitled, real publication, however, took "Quidam Doctrinæ Christianæ Articuli pro Ecclesia Anglicanâ," with notes of the King in the margin. From this, Mr. Todd makes a short extract, containing much more correct and sound doctrine, according to our own Homilies, as the reader will guess from the following passage. "Est enim vera et Christiana Fides de quâ hic loquimur, non sola notitia articulorum fidei, et credulitas doctrinæ Christianæ, dumtaxat historica, sed una cum illa notitià, et credulitate, firma fiducia misericordiæ Dei promissæ propter Christum, quà videlicet certò persuademus ac statuimus eum etiam uobis misericordem et propitium, Et hæc Fides verè justificat, verè est salutifera, non ficta, mortua, et hypocritica; sed necessariò habet spem et charitastudium benè vivendi; et benè operatur tem sibi individuè conjunctas; ac etiam pro loco et occasione. "Nam bona opera ad salutem sunt necessaria: non quòd de impio justum faciunt, nec quòd sunt pretium pro peccatis, aut causa Justificationis; sed quia necessum est, ut qui jam fide Justificatus est, et reconciliatus Deo per Christum, voluntatem Dei facere studeat." p. 12. Why Mr. Todd has not mentioned a third document which appeared at this time, one of the greatest notoriety and most fatal operation on the then interests of Protestant ism, and entitled by Fuller, "the Six Bloody Articles," we know |