There had been fince the unhappy covenant was brought and fo generally taken in England, a liberty given or taken by many preachers (thofe of London efpecially) to preach and be too pofitive in the points of univerfal redemption, predeftination, and those other depending upon thefe. Some of which preached, "That all men were, before they came into this world, fo predeftinated to falvation or damnation, that it was not in their it power to fin fo, as to lose the first, nor, by their most diligent "endeavour, to avoid the latter. Others that it was not fo; "because then God could not be faid to grieve for the death of "a finner, when he himself had made him so by an inevitable de66 cree, before he had so much as a being in this world :" affirming therefore, "that man had fome power left him to do the will "of God, because he was advised to work out his falvation with "fear and trembling ;" maintaining, "that it is moft certain "that every man can do what he can to be faved; and as cer66 tain, that he that does what he can to be faved shall never be "damned:" And yet many that affirmed this to be a truth would yet confefs, "That that grace, which is but a perfuafive "offer, and left to us to receive or refuse, is not that grace which "fhall bring men to heaven." Which truths, or untruths, or both, be they which they will, did upon these or the like occafions come to be searched into, and charitably debated betwixt Dr. Sanderfon, Dr. Hammond, and Dr. Pierce (the now reverend Dean of Salisbury), of which I fhall proceed to give fome account, but briefly.

In the year 1648, the 52 London Minifters (then a fraternity of Sion College in that city) had in a printed declaration afperfed Dr. Hammond moft heinoufly, for that he had in his "Practical Catechifm" affirmed, that our "Saviour died for the fins of all "mankind." To juftify which truth, he presently makes a charitable reply (as it is now printed in his works). After which there were many letters paft betwixt the faid Dr. Hammond, Dr. Sanderson, and Dr. Pierce, concerning God's grace and

h Dr. HAMMOND, on the first publication of this work, was attacked by Mr. Francis Cheynel, one of the Afsembly of Divines,the fame perfon whole extraordinary treatment of Mr. Chillingworth is related by himself, in a tract entitled "Chillingworthi Novifsima." See Cheynel's Life, in "Dr. Johnson's Works,” Vol. XII. p. 190.

It was ufual with Dr. Hammond, in the fummer feafon, to fpend an hour before evening prayer in catechifing, according to the form of the Church Catechifm, which he rendered fully intelligible to the meanest capacities by his explanations, which were much the fame in fubftance with the work which he afterward publifhed, his "Practical Catechifm." Though it first appeared without a name, it prefently met not only with approbation, but with univerfal esteem and veneration; the cavils of Cheynel being not worth notice, though Dr. Hammond condefcended to answer them. King Charles I. in his laft inftructions to his children, recommended this, among other books, as a most fafe and found guide to religion.

decrees. Dr. Sanderfon was with much unwillingness drawn into this debate; for he declared it would prove uneafy to him, who, in his judgment of God's decrees, differed with Dr. Hammond (whom he reverenced and loved dearly), and would not therefore engage himself in a controverfy, of which he could never hope to fee an end: Nevertheless they did all enter into a charitable difquifition of these faid points in feveral letters, to the full fatisfaction of the learned; those betwixt Dr. Sanderfon and Dr. Hammond being now printed in his works; and for what passed betwixt him and the learned Dr. Pierce, I refer my reader to a letter fent to me and annexed to the end of this relation.

I think the judgment of Dr. Sanderson was by these debates altered from what it was at his entrance into them; for in the year 1632, when his excellent fermons were first printed in quarto, the reader may on the margin find some accufation of Arminius for falfe doctrine; and find, that upon a review and reprinting those fermons in folio in the year 1657, that accufation of Arminius is omitted'. And the change of his judgment seems more fully to appear in his said letter to Dr. Pierce. And let me now tell the reader, which may seem to be perplexed with these feveral affirmations of God's decrees before mentioned, that Dr. Hammond in a postscript to the last letter of his to Dr. Sanderson, fays "God can reconcile his own contradic❝tions, and therefore advises all men, as the Apostle does, to "ftudy mortification, and be wife to fobriety." And let me add further, that if these 52 Minifters of Sion College were the occafion of the debates in these letters; they have, I think, been the occafion of giving an end to the Quinquarticular Controverfy; for none have fince undertaken to say more; but feem to be fo wife, as to be content to be ignorant of the rest, till they come to that place, where the fecrets of all hearts shall be laid open. And let me here tell the reader also, that if the reft of mankind would, as Dr. Sanderson, not conceal their alteration of judgment, but confefs it to the honour of God and themselves, then our nation would become freer from pertinacious difputes, and fuller of recantations.

I am not willing to lead my reader to Dr. Hammond and Dr. Sanderfon where we left them together at Boothby Pannell, till I have looked back to the Long Parliament, the Society of Co.

i In the quarto edition, p. 34, is the following marginal remark: "Of "iate our English Arminians have got the trick to fetch in within the "compafs of this title of Puritans, all orthodox Divines, that oppofe against "their Semipelagian subtleties, of purpose to make found truth odious, and "their own corrupt novelties more pafsible and plaufible." And again, in page 35: "So Pelagius, from whofe root Popery (in that branch) and "Arminianifin fprouted, was a man as ftrict for life as molt Catholics, yet "a molt dangerous and peftilent heretic." In the fubfequent editions in folio, the first remark is entirely omitted; and in the fecond quotation, the words" and Arminianifm" are wanting.

venanters in Sion College, and thofe others fcattered up and down in London, and given fome account of their proceedings and ufage of the late learned Dr. Laud, then Archbishop of Canter bury, whofe life feemed to be facrificed, to appease the popular fury of that present time. And though I will forbear to mention the injustice of his death, and the barbarous ufage of him, both at his trial and before it; yet my defire is, that what follows may be noted, because it does now, or may hereafter concern us, that is, to note, that in his laft fad fermon on the scaffold at his death, he did (as our blefsed Saviour advised his difciples) "Pray for those that perfecuted and defpitefully used "him." And not only pardoned thofe enemies, but pafsionately begged of Almighty God that he would alfo pardon them: and befought all the prefent beholders of this fad fight, "That they "would pardon and pray for him." But though he did all this, yet he seemed to accufe the magiftrates of the city, for not fupprefsing a fort of people whofe malicious and furious zeal had fo far tranfported them, and violated all modefty, that though they could not know whether he were justly or unjustly condemned, were yet fuffered to go vifibly up and down to gather hands to a petition, "that the Parliament would haften his execution *.” And he having declared how unjustly he thought himself to be condemned, and accused for endeavouring to bring in Popery (for that was one of the accufations for which he died'); he declared with fadness, "That the feveral fects and divifions then in England (which he had laboured to prevent) were sc now like to bring the Pope a far greater harvest than he could "ever have expected without them." And faid, "these fects "and divifions introduce prophanenefs under the cloak of an "imaginary religion ;" and, "that we have lost the substance "of religion by changing it into opinion; and that by these means, the Church of England, which all the Jefuits' machina

The fecond particular," fays Archbishop Laud, in his laft fpeech, "is concerning this great and populous city, which God blefs. Here hath "been of a late a fashion taken up to gather hands, and then go to the "great court of this kingdom, the Parliament, and clamour for justice; as "if that great and wife court, before whom the causes come which are un"known to many, could not, or would not, do justice, but at their appoint"ment. A way which may endanger many an innocent man, aud pluck his "blood upon their own heads, and, perhaps, upon the city's allo: and this "hath been lately practifed against myself, the magistrates ftanding ftill, and "fuffering them openly to proceed from parish to parish, without any check. "God forgive the fetters of this (with all my heart I beg it); but many "well-meaning people are caught by it.'

1 Mr. Evelyn informs us, that he was at Rome in the company of divers of the English fathers, when the news of the Archbishop's fufferings, and a copy of his fermon made upon the scaffold, came thither. They read the fermon,and commented upon it, with no fmall fatisfaction and contempt, and looked on him as one that was a great enemy to them, and stood in their way; while one of the blackeft crimes imputed to him by his enemics was his being Popishly affected.

«<tions could not ruin, was fallen into apparent danger by those "Covenanters, which were his accufers." To this purpose he fpake at his death; for which, and more to the fame purpose, the reader may view his laft fad fermon on the fcaffold. And it is here mentioned, because his dear friend Dr. Sanderson feems to demonstrate the fame fear of Popery in his two large and remarkable prefaces before his two volumes of fermons ; and feems alfo with much forrow to fay the fame again in his laft Will, made when he was, and apprehended himself to be, very near his death. And these Covenanters ought to take notice of it, and to remember, that, by the late wicked war, begun by them, Dr. Sanderfon was ejected out of the Professor's chair in Oxford; and that if he had continued in it (for he lived fourteen years after) both the learned of this and other nations had been made happy by many remarkable cafes of confcience, fo rationally ftated, and fo briefly, fo clearly, and fo convincingly determined, that pofterity might have joyed and boafted, "that "Dr. Sanderson was born in this nation, for the ease and benefit "of all the learned that shall be born after him :" But this bene fit is fo like time paft, that they are both irrecoverably loft.

I fhould now return to Boothby Pannell where we left Dr. Hammond and Dr. Sanderfon together, but neither can now be found there: For the firft was, in his journey to London, and the second seized upon the day after his friend's departure, and carried prifoner to Lincoln, then a garrifon of the Parliament's. For the pretended reason of which commitment, I shall give this following account:

There was one Mr. Clarke (the minister of Alington, a town not many miles from Boothby Pannell), who was an active man for the Parliament and Covenant; and one that, when Belvoire Caftle (then a garrifon for the Parliament) was taken by a party of the King's foldiers, was taken in it, and made a prifoner of war in Newark (then a garrison of the King's); a man fo active and useful for his party, that they became fo much concerned for his enlargement, that the Committee of Lincoln fent a troop of horse to seize and bring Dr. Sanderson a prifoner to that garrifon; and they did fo. And there he had the happiness to meet with many that knew him fo well as to reverence and treat him kindly; but told him, "he muft continue their prifoner, till he fhould pur"chafe his own enlargement by procuring an exchange for Mr. "Clarke, then prifoner in the King's garrifon of Newark. There were many reasons given by the Doctor of the injustice of his imprisonment, and the inequality of the exchange, but all were ineffectual: For done it must be, or he continue 'a prifoner. And in time done it was, upon the following conditions: First, that Dr. Sanderson and Mr. Clarke being exchanged, fhould live undisturbed at their own parishes; and if either were injured by the foldiers of the contrary party, the other, having notice of it, fhould procure him a redrefs, by having fatisfac tion made for his lofs, or for any other injury; or if not, he to

be ufed in the fame kind by the other party. Nevertheless Dr. Sanderfon could neither live fafe, nor quietly, being feveral times plundered and once wounded in three places; but he apprehending the remedy might turn to a more intolerable burden by impatience or complaining, forebore both and pofsefsed his foul in a contented quietnefs, without the leaft repining. But though he could not enjoy the fafety he expected by this exchange, yet by his Providence that can bring good out of evil it turned fo much to his advantage, that whereas his Living had been fequestered from the year 1644, and continued to be fo till this time of his imprisonment, he, by the articles of war in this exchange for Mr. Clarke, procured his fequeftration to be recalled, and by that means enjoyed a poor but more contented fubfiftence for himfelf, his wife, and children, till the happy restoration of our King and Church.

In this time of his poor but contented privacy of life, his cafuiftical learning, peaceful moderation, and fincerity became fo remarkable, that there were many that applied themselves to him for refolution in perplexed cafes of confcience; fome known to him and many not; fome requiring fatisfaction by conference, others by letters; fo many, that his life became almost as restlefs as their minds; yet, as St. Paul accounted himself "a "debtor to all men," fo he, for he denied none. And if it be a truth which holy Mr. Herbert fays, "that all wordly joys feem lefs, "when compared with fhowing mercy, or doing kindnesses;" then doubtlefs this Barnabas, this fon of confolation, Dr. Sanderfon might have boafted for relieving fo many restless and wounded confciences; which, as Solomon fays, "are a burden "that none can bear," though their fortitude may fuftain their other calamities; and if words cannot exprefs the joy of a confcience relieved from fuch restless agonies; then Dr. Sanderson might rejoice, that fo many were by him fo clearly and confcientioufly fatisfied; and would often praife God for that ability, and as often for the occafion; and that "God had inclined his heart "to do it, to the meanest of any of those poor, but precious fouls, "for which his Saviour vouchfafed to be crucified."

Some of those very many cases that were refolved by letters have been preserved and printed for the benefit of pofterity; as namely:

1. Of the Sabbath.

2. Marrying with a Recufant. 3. Of unlawful love.

4. Of a military life.

5. Of Scandal.

6. Of a bond taken in the King's name.
7. Of the engagement.
8. Of a rafh vow.

But many more remain in private hands, of which one' is of Simony; and I wifh the world might fee it, that it might undeceive fo many mistaken patrons, who think they have difcharged that great and dangerous truft, both to God and man if they take no money for a Living, though, it may be parted with for other ends lefs juftifiable, which I forbear to name.

And in this time of his retirement, when the common people were amazed and grown reftlefs and giddy by the many falfe