THE WORKS OF AUGUSTUS TOPLADY VOLUME 2 THE WORKS OF AUGUSTUS M. TOPLADY, A.B. LATE VICAR OF BROAD HEMBURY, DEVON. _____________________________________ NEW EDITION, WITH AN ENLARGED MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR _____________________________________ IN SIX VOLUMES ____________ VOL. 2 ____________ LONDON: PRINTED FOR WILLIAM BAYNES AND SON, PATERNOSTER ROW; AND H. S. BAYNES, EDINBURGH ___________ 1825 As Published By Grace-eBooks.com 2015 Book II - Works of Augustus Toplady Calvinism XVI - The Judgment of the most eminent English Martyrs,... SECTION XVI. The Judgment of the most eminent English Martyrs, and Confesssors, who suffered Death, or Persecution, after the Overthrow of the Reformation by Queen Mary I. WE have seen in the three preceeding Sections, 1. That the reformers of the Church of England were zealous Calvinists, as to matters of doctrine: 2. That Calvin himself had a very considerable hand in reducing our liturgy to that purity and excellence which it still retains: and, 3. That Calvin, Beza, Zanchius, Sadeel, Bullinger, and Gualter, entertained very respectful and affectionate sentiments, concerning the ritual, decency and order, together with the episcopal regimen, of our incomparable Church. And, to the approbation of those most learned persons, might be added (if need required) that of many other foreign Calvinists, who are deservedly numbered among the first ornaments of that century. While pious king Edward lived, the Church of England saw herself at the very pinnacle of spiritual prosperity. Her supreme visible head was a prodigy of wisdom, knowledge, and undefiled religion. Her bishops were luminaries of the first brightness: men glowing with love to God; clear in the doctrines of the gospel, and zealous in maintaining them; of eminent learning, for the most part; assertors, and patterns, of every good word and work. Had Providence been pleased to have extended the felicities of that reign, what might not have been expected from a Prince of Edward's accomplishments; and from a choir of prelates, whom grace, abilities, and almost every useful attainment, concurred to render venerable? But God (whose disposals are not less wise, just, and gracious, for being at present unsearchable,) was pleased to reverse the scene. The king's death opened Mary's way to the throne; who ruled not with a sceptre, but a sword. That bigotted princess, and her Popish counsellors, knew, that the doctrines of gratuitous election, invincible grace, and justification without works, enter into the very basis of genuine Protestantism. No wonder, therefore, that, to rid the two Universities of all predestinarians, was a primary object of her attention. Free-will, conditional justification, and the merit of works, were doctrines so essential to the interests of Popery, that not to aim at (t) restoring them, would have been doing matters by halves. Therefore, "A resolution was taken, to bring into the Universities a test for purging them of all Protestants, and to prevent their re-admission for the future. This was done by way of oath, as follows: "You shall swear, by the holy contents of this book, that you shall not keep, hold, maintain, and defend, at any time, during your life, any opinion erroneous, or error of Wickliff, Huss, Luther, or any other condemned of heresy: And that you shall, namely and specially, hold as the Catholic church holdeth in all these articles, wherein lately hath been controversy, dissention, and error; as concerning faith, and works, grace and free-will, &c." Now, I have before demonstrated (particularly, in the 3d and 4th Sections of this essay), that “in all these articles," which concern “faith and works, grace and free will," the church of Rome is avowedly Arminian throughout. Consequently, by tendering the above oath to the members of the Universities, queen Mary's design was to clear those seminaries of all Calvinists; the better to make way for the re- introduction of Popery. (t) It deserves particular notice, that, A.D. 1554 (which was the year after Mary came to the crown), Bonner published a book, for the re- instruction of his diocese in the principles of Popery, entitled, A Profitable and Necessary Doctrine, containing an Exposition on the Creed, Seven Sacraments, Ten Commandments, the Pater-noster, Are Maria, &c. A considerate part of which was taken out of the Pia et Catholica Institutio, which had been published in the reign of Henry VIII. See the Biogr. Dict. vol. ii. p 264 - Thus Sellon's Arminian letter to the vicar of Broad Hembury, as also Dr. N.'s answer to the Author of Pietas Oxoniensis, are fraught with arguments borrowed from that self-same Popish storehouse (viz. the Pia et Catholica Institutio) which furnished Bonner with materials for his pastoral letter to the diocese of London. Arminianism cares not what it eats. The foulest food will go down, so dear free-will is but kept from starving. With the same view, a proclamation was issued, in 1555, to prohibit the sale, the reading, or the keeping of any book or books, writings or works, made or set forth by or in the name of Martin Luther, O. Ecolampadius, Zuinglius, John Calvin, Bucer, Peter Martyr, Latimer, Hooper, Coverdale, Tyndal, Cranmer (w)," and other predestinarian Protestants whose names are there enumerated. Twas added, that all persons, possessing any books written by the above authors, “Shall, within the space of fifteen days next after the publication of this proclamation, bring, or deliver, or cause the said books, writings, and works, and every of them, remaining in their custody and keeping, to be brought and delivered, to the ordinary of the diocese, to be burnt," or otherwise destroyed. On which order the pious Mr. Fox makes this obvious remark: What a-do is here, to keep down Christ in his sepulchre! and yet will he rise, in spite of all his enemies (x). The truth is, queen Mary and her Spanish husband, in whose names that proclamation ran, well knew that Calvinism is the very life and soul of the reformation: and that popery would never flourish, 'till the Calvinistic doctrines were eradicated. (w) Fox, iii. p. 225. (x) Ibid. I have already given some intimation (p. 310), from bishop Burnet, of a brief confession of faith, which was drawn up and signed by the Protestant bishops and Clergymen who were then imprisoned in London, shortly after the coronation of Mary. But as Burnet's extract is (according to custom) very partial and superficial, I shall here present my readers with the entire paragraph, to which that historian so lamely refers. “Fourthly, we believe and confess, concerning justification, that as it cometh only from God's mercy through Christ, so it is perceived and had of none, who be of years of discretion, otherwise than by faith only. Which faith is not an opinion, but a certain persuasion wrought by the Holy Ghost in the mind and heart of man; wherethrough, as the mind is illuminated, so the heart is suppled to submit itself to the will of God unfeignedly; and so sheweth forth an inherent righteousness, which is to be discerned (i.e. which inherent righteousness is to be carefully distinguished) in the articles of justification, from the righteousness which God endueth us with al, justifying us; although inseparably they go together. And this we do [i.e. we preserve this important distinction between imputed and inherent righteousness] not for curiosity, nor contention sake; but for conscience sake; that it might be quiet; which it can never be, if we confound, without distinction, forgiveness of sins and Christ's righteousness imputed to us, with regeneration and inherent righteousness." Thus spake these excellent divines: adding, immediately after, “by this," (i.e. by this view of justification,) “we disallow Papistical doctrine of free-will, of works of supererogation, of merits, of the necessity of auricular confession, and satisfaction to God-wards (y)." This valuable paper was dated the 8th day of May, A.D. 1554, and subscribed by Robert Ferrar, late bishop of St. David's. Rowland Taylor. John Philpot. John Bradford. John Hooper, late bishop of Worcester and Gloucester. Edward Crome. John Rogers. Laurence Saunders. Edmund Laurence J. P. T. M. (y) Fox's Acts & Mon. vol. iii. p. 83. At the bottom of all was written, “To these things abovesaid, do I, Miles Coverdale, late (bishop) of Exeter, consent and agree, with these mine afflicted brethren, being prisoners: mine own hand.'' Now, can any person question the Calvinism of these blessed men of God, by whom the tenets of free-will and of justification by inherent righteousness, were expressly numbered among “Papistical doctrines;" and classed with “works of supererogation, merits, and auricular confession?" A great number of God's faithful servants, both ministers and people, were brought to the stake, for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of his patience, during the short, but sharp reign of this sanguinary woman. Cranmer, Ridley, Latimer, and Hooper, having been treated of already, I shall proceed to the brief mention of some others. And here, amidst the noble army of English Martyrs, I find myself encompassed with so great a cloud of witnesses to the doctrines of grace, that I scarce know whom to select, or whom to omit. Was I to introduce them all, I should exceed every reasonable limit of brevity. I am obliged, therefore, to suppress the attestations of many precious sufferers for Christ, who witnessed a good confession even unto death, and who will be found with honour and praise and glory at his appearing. Among the few I shall produce, as vouchers for the rest, those that follow: I. Mr. John Rogers, prebendary and divinity-lecturer of St.