APPENDIX

TO THE

CHRISTIAN OBSERVER,

FOR 1843.

BEING THE SIXTH VOLUME OF THE NEW SERIES.

RELIGIOUS AND MISCELLANEOUS COMMUNICATIONS.

WE

AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF BISHOP PATRICK.

(Concluded from page 719 of Dec. No.)

E are persuaded that our readers, after perusing the interesting passages from Bishop Patrick's autobiographical detail in our December Number, will gladly receive a few more extracts. We will not repeat what we have stated in regard to the character and opinions of this amiable, learned, devout, and diligent prelate; but lest what we said respecting his views upon the doctrine of justification by faith should be thought unfounded, we will copy a few lines from his Paraphrase on Romans ix.; and the rather, as not observing the title of this tractate in a list of more than fifty of his publications; so that we conclude that it slept in manuscript till recently published with the autobiography.

"The Apostle having evidently proved the foregoing part of his letter, that justification is to be obtained by faith in Christ, and not by the works of Moses' law, which is as much as to say, that it is to be enjoyed by the Christian religion, and not by the Jewish, it necessarily followed, that they who adhered to Moses, so as to reject the Gospel, were out of the way of God, and so must be rejected by Him, when they demanded righteousness and acceptance at His hands."

"Chapter ix. ver. 1. I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,' that is, 'You may think very hard of me, because I preach justification by faith, or Christianity, and not by observing Moses' law."

This doctrine of "justification by Christianity," as a synonyme for justification by faith, is a leading error of the theology of Bishop Patrick's school, and displaces the whole structure of the covenant of grace. True, the Apostle Paul contrasts Christianity with Judaism ; and shows that men could not be justified by the ceremonial, any more than by the moral, law; but faith is placed in contradistinction to works, whether those works be moral or ceremonial, legal or Christian.

We will now, without comment, conclude our extracts.

In the summer 1681, several ministers at London met together and combined to make a short commentary on the Bible; and every one had his part assigned him. CHRIST. OBSERV. APP.

5 F

I told them I was engaged in paraphrasing upon some books, which might excuse me. But entering then upon Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs, I promised to make short notes upon these two books, which I did. But that design came to nothing, by the fears of Popery, which shortly ensued; when all our labours were engaged to keep our people firm in their religion, and discover the errors of the Romish Church.

This year also the Archbishop required that according to the Rubric we should have a Communion every Sunday in Cathedral Churches; which I began about Whitsuntide, and preached several sermons concerning it, persuading to frequent Communion. Which, blessed be God, had such good effect, that we had for several Sundays larger Communions than I expected.

On February the 6th, 1684, King Charles died, not without great suspicion of being poisoned. There was great lamentation every where upon the King's death, but about ten o'clock at night, our Dean (Bishop of Rochester) summoned all the Prebendaries to come to his lodgings that he might comfort them with the declaration King James had made at the Council table; which was, that he would maintain the Protestant religion by law established, &c.; on which he was confident we might depend. The next morning the Lord Chief Justice declared this from the King's Bench, with tears of joy. But this joy was no more than a flash; for when the Declaration was printed, there was no such word as Protestant in it. And I remember that when the Bishop and Clergy of

to attend his Majesty with a loyal address, his answer was, "My Lord, I heartily went not long after thank you, and what assurance I gave my Privy Council, and my Lords the Bishops, who waited on me, I now renew to you, that I will preserve the Church and the Government as it is established; and I depend very much upon your loyalty, which is an honour to you," &c. And in the entrance of his Majesty's reign, all things went on very smoothly, without any disturbance. On Ash Wednesday, the King was pleased to touch, and the Chaplains of our religion attended, read the Gospels, and the prayer, as usually had been done. But at the coronation I observed a vast difference between the King's behaviour and the Queen's. At the reading of the Litany, they both came to kneel before the altar, and she answered at all the responses, but he never moved his lips. She expressed great devotion, but he little or none; often looking about as unconcerned. When she was anointed and crowned I never saw greater devotion in any countenance. The motion of her body and hands were very becoming, and she answered, Amen, to every prayer, with much humility. There was not the least sign of pleasure or transport, but all seriousness and composure of spirit.

How things were managed afterwards, everybody remembers; which moved the Ministers of London often to meet together and consult by what lawful means they might establish our people in their religion; and they resolved to write several little treatises, (for instance, about the notes of a true Church,) in which I had my share assigned me. I cannot but admire the great goodness of God, who enabled me to go through such great labours at that time. For besides all parochial duties, I find I had so many cases of conscience to resolve, such a number of people to discourse withal, who were dissatisfied about religion; so large a correspondence by letters into the country, &c., that I cannot but acknowledge an extraordinary hand of God, which kept me from being oppressed with so much business.

He was so

In November, 1686, a very heavy load fell upon me, for the Earl of Rochester (Lord Treasurer) sent for me and Dr. Jane, Dean of Gloucester, (then in waiting at court,) to let us know that the King pressed him very much to change his religion, and in order to it, hear what his Priests could say to persuade him to it. urgent that he had at last consented to hear them, provided he might have some Priests of our Church to answer what they said, that being satisfied what could be said on both sides, he might be the better able to judge what he should join withal. The King liked his motion well, and bade him choose two, and he would bring two other to confer with them. He named several; but the King liked Dr. Jane and me best, and appointed a time when we should meet. surer that we thought it would be most serviceable to him if this conference was We told my Lord Treamanaged by writing. But he told us the King was resolved to have it otherwise, by discourse before himself. To which we submitted, and on the 29th of November were ordered to be at Whitehall, precisely at four o'clock in the evening. Accordingly we went then to the place where we were appointed to go, which was Mr. Chiffins' lodgings. There we sat in the hinder room till three quarters past four; and then his Majesty came to us, and told us, "he hoped we did not wonder he had desired this conference to which he had called us; for it was out of his great kindness to the Lord Treasurer, whose salvation he could not but wish. For we knew that every one that loved his religion, could not but desire others should

be of it, as St.Paul wished all that heard him might be such as he was, except his bonds.'" "And he was glad," he said, "that my Lord Treasurer had pitched upon us two to manage this conference, for Dr. Jane's father was with them abroad; and he had known me long, from whom he had received some papers, which I thought he had forgot." Then he bade Mr. Chiffins make a fire in the King's room, next to that where we were. About five o'clock we were carried in; where we found a table set, with a great chair near the middle of the room; and at the end of it next the door, another table with candles upon it, where we stood. After a little while the Lord Treasurer came in, and then the King, with two Priests, Father Giffard and Father Godwin; and none else were admitted. Immediately the King began to tell us the great desire he had of the Lord Treasurer's salvation, which proceeded from his kindness to him, and was the occasion of this meeting. For he could not but entreat him to receive instruction. And then he related how he had sent Father Giffard to him, and what passed between them; which the Lord Treasurer presently declared more fully, reading the letter and Dr. Jane's answer to it. And so we were ready to begin a debate upon two points, had not Father Giffard diverted us by a long speech which he made, to shew what regard was to be had to the Church. and to its definitions; and that it having determined the doctrine of Transubstantiation, against which we made our greatest objections, we must show which Fathers had contradicted it, not by speeches, but in their Sermons, Homilies, Catechisms, &c. For they could shew where in such discourses they did assert it. And particularly Justin Martyr, in his "Apology," where he declares what the faith of Christians was. And so he imperfectly related his words; and then some of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, and of Gregory Nyssen. We told him we must find what the right faith was, before we could tell which church it was safe to live and die in, because we could not tell whether a society of men were a Church or no. till we knew what they believed. Now we were ready to show that the doctrine of Transubstantiation was no part of the Christian Faith, but contrary to it; and we desired to be tried by those very testimonies which they had produced.

After a great deal of wrangling, we were desired to shew when their doctrine came into the Church. And we produced the history of it from Paschasius down to the Council of Trent; shewing that several great men all along declared that this doctrine of Transubstantiation was not the faith of the church. And at last I instanced in two ancient customs which continued a long time, that shew as much. One was that of burying the Sacrament with the dead; the other was, signing solemn instruments, with ink mixed with the sacramental blood. At last we produced Bertram's book, which the King took into his hand, and read in it awhile. Here they shuffled miserably, and affirmed confidently things that were false; as we desired the Lord Treasurer to satisfy himself at his leisure, by reading the book, which was short.

Then the King interposed, and said he perceived there would always be a great deal to be said on both sides, and therefore we must be determined by the Church. To which we replied, that we humbly thought we had shewn this was not the faith of the Church till of late, and that it could not make a new faith.

Hereupon he began to discourse of an infallible guide; which not being the business we came about, the Lord Treasurer broke off the conference, by thanking his Majesty for giving him the opportunity of hearing so much as he had done for his instruction; which indeed was more than he knew before. But it was impossible for him to determine himself presently, because he could not remember all things; and he thought both sides had said some things which needed further explication. It being about nine o'clock, we broke up, with commendations of our learning and fair carriage on both sides, from the King; who went himself to the door, and opened it for us to let us out, giving us a strict charge not to say a word to any body of this conference.

I should have added that towards the conclusion his Majesty said he saw the truth of what his brother had said in his papers, that it was best not to enter into the vast ocean of particular disputes; but inquire only after the Church. The Lord Treasurer sent to me on the 23rd of December, in the morning, to meet Dr. Giffard at his house, about seven o'clock that night, he having something to say about infallibility which he desired my Lord to hear. I went thither at the time appointed, and was sent for into my Lord's closet, where I found three men, (which much surprised me,) sitting by my Lord.

A chair being set for me over against them, he that sat next to my Lord began a long discourse to demonstrate, as he called it, that the Christian faith was revealed and received before the Scriptures were extant, and therefore he did not depend on the Scriptures, but on the fidelity of the Church, which infallibly delivered it, and can do

it, without the Scriptures I told him this seemed to me to overthrow the Christian faith, which would soon be lost if the Scriptures were laid aside. For while the Apostles lived, they taught men without the Scriptures of the New Testament, (which was not presently written,) what the Christian faith was. Yet when they were gone, and left no such men as they were behind them, innumerable impostors would have started up, if they had not left in writing what they had preached. Besides, the Apostles, and Christ himself, appealed to the Scriptures; and declared they said nothing but what the Prophets had delivered. Then he affirmed that the religion of Moses was before it was written, about which it would be too long to relate what I replied. But after long discourse Dr. Giffard took up the matters, and laboured to shew that this way of conveying truth, by word of mouth, was more certain than by writing. At which the Lord Treasurer lift up his hands, and said, “it was the strangest proposition that ever he heard." I will not relate all that I replied to this; but only mention one thing, which was, What moved men to be at the trouble to make deeds and conveyances of their estates, if they might be as well settled to all posterity by word of mouth? This touched the first gentleman that disputed with me, who I understood afterward was a lawyer, no less man than Judge Allabon.

The Archbishop of Canterbury (Sancroft) sent to me to come over to Lambeth, he having something to acquaint me with which concerned me. When I came there he told me the King had made a complaint to him of the ministers of London who preached too much against Popery, and named me in particular, who he said was a good man, but leaned too much to the two Deans, (Stillingfleet and Tillotson.) To which his Grace replied that his Priests were so busy in troubling our people with questions, that we could do no less than instruct them in the established religion, &c. But he would know what had been preached, and whether it might give just offence. This was upon the 19th of January, 1685. I told his Grace that on Christmas I preached on these words, "The Word was made Flesh ;" and took occasion from thence to shew how happy we were who had a Mediator with God who was more than a man, superior to all creatures, no less than the Eternal Son of God, and to whom we ought to apply ourselves, and not to angels or saints, who could not know our thoughts, or search our hearts as He did. On this subject I said a great deal, but had not treated on such things a good while before, nor had ever used any undecent reflections. the King as much, and desire him to speak with me. He told me, "I do no less." and he would tell one to tell me the King would speak with me. received me with a kind countenance.

On St. Paul's Day he sent I was called in to his Majesty, who I told him I was much troubled that he

should be dissatisfied with anything in my sermons, which rarely meddled with controversies; and when such things came in my way, as I rather asserted the truth of our belief than condemned the contrary; so I never let fall any word tending to stir up fears and jealousies and apprehensions of danger; but on fitting occasions exhorted the people to be thankful for his Majesty's favour, and to rely upon his royal justice and goodness. Whereupon he bade me not to be troubled, for he complained to my Lord of Canterbury, only because he would be well informed, and not rashly believe any ill of a Church of England man; especially of me, who was his old acquaintance, and he knew I always preached loyalty; and for such persons he had always, and would always, have a kindness. He desired only that fears and jealousies might not be stirred up in people's minds, for they were the beginning of troubles. He said also that he had commanded his own Priests not to meddle with controversies.

In 1688 we were in great perplexity about reading the declaration for liberty of conscience, which all my acquaintance seemed to abhor. We had many meetings about it: twice at Ely house with the Bishop, and on the 11th of May at the Temple, where at the Master's house we came to this resolution, that the Bishops should be desired to address to the King, but not upon any address of ours to them. For we judged it best that they should lead the way, and we follow them. Dr. Tenison and myself were appointed to go to all the Ministers at one end of the town, and know their minds; and others undertook to go into other parts of the city. And on Thursday, May 17th, we met at a house in St. Paul's Churchyard, and an account was given of near seventy who promised not to read it. Some could not be found, and a few spoke dubiously.

The Archbishop sent to all the Bishops in town or near, to come to Lambeth on Friday morning, and gave notice to Dr. Tenison and me that it was fit we should keep it as a day of fasting and prayer, to beg God's direction, and His blessing on what was intended. I gave notice of it to some others, and between ten or eleven Dr. Tenison, Dr. Grove, and I, went over to Lambeth, where we found five Bishops, with Dr. Stillingfleet, and Dr. Tillotson. After morning prayer we entered into consultation about an address to the King, and at last it was agreed it should be by

way of petition from his Grace, the Bishops present with him, and in behalf of their brethren, and of the Clergy of their Dioceses. About two o'clock came another Bishop, so there were St. Asaph, Ely, Chichester, Bath and Wells, Peterborough, and Bristol, and also the Bishop of London.

The matter of the petition, after some debate, was agreed, and all but the Bishop of London set their hands to it. Then it was considered how it should be delivered, and at last they resolved they should all go in a body. So when even prayer was done, we went to dinner, and after that they went over to Whitehall, a little after six o'clock. Dr. Tenison, Dr. Grove, and I, stayed with the Archbishop till eight o'clock, to hear what the success would be. But then we came away, hearing nothing till the next morning. For it was nine o'clock before they could have audience, the King being abroad, and not returning till that time; when he carried them into his closet, and received them very kindly at the first. When the petition was presented, "O!" says the King, "I know this hand, it is my Lord of Canterbury's." But when they came to that part of it against his dispensing power, his countenance altered, and when it was read over, he said, "What! The Church of England against my dispensing power! The Church of England! They that always preached it!" which he spake in a great fury. When they told him they never preached any such things, but only obedience, and suffering when they could not obey; "It surprises me," said he, "I did not expect an address of this nature from you;" and looking upon the Bishop of Ely, added, "Here are some I did not expect to see on such an occasion. Have not I supported you? This is a step to rebellion." (Which he repeated more than once.) To which they answered, that "they were ready to lay down their lives at his feet;" and the Bishop of Bristol, kneeling down, said, "Did not I go down to suppress a rebellion? Hath not my family been always loyal? And can I be guilty of such a crime?" "Well," said the King, "I will keep this in memory; I will never forget it." And at last told them, "If I alter my mind, you shall hear from me; but I expect to be obeyed."

The next Sunday, it was not read by any considerable person; but our Dean sent it to one of the petty Canons to read it in the Abbey. But at St. Margaret's, and the new Chapel, it was refused. The middle of that week I went to keep my residence at Peterborough, where I did what I was able to prevent the reading of it; which was not difficult to persuade them unto, they being generally every where inclined to follow the example of the London Clergy. And I look upon it as a great providence that the Clergy were not enjoined all to read it on the same day; but those of London on the 20th of May, and those in the country on the Sunday fortnight after; whereby they had opportunity to hear what those in London had generally done, and their reasons for their refusal, which were everywhere published.

In the latter end of the month I heard the Archbishop and the other petitioners were summoned to appear before the Council, to answer such misdemeanours as should be objected against them on the 8th of June. I beseeched God to give them wisdom, counsel, courage, and such a spirit as their enemies could not resist. I cannot but here remember with what joy the news of their being cleared was received at Peterborough. The bells rung from three o'clock in the morning till night; when several bonfires were made, with tabor and pipe and drum, and a great part of the night was spent in rejoicing, and all of their own accord; whereas the day before, which was a thanksgiving for the birth of the Prince of Wales, the bells did not stir till twelve o'clock. So great a difference there is between that which is constrained, and that which is done voluntarily.

After I had left Peterborough, and returned to London, I remember very well Dr. Tenison upon a certain occasion entertained me and my brother with a few other friends at dinner in the city; and about four o'clock desired to have some private conversation with me, and so we came to my house at Westminster, where he communicated an important secret to me; that the Prince of Orange intended to come over with an army to our relief from the danger in which we were. And therefore desired me to carry all my money, and what I had valuable, out of London for none could foresee what confusions we might fall into. This he told me on the 7th of August, 1688, and gave me such assurance of it, that I followed his advice.

God vouchsafed our deliverance by the arrival of the Prince of Orange in the beginning of November; and many obstacles being removed, he came to St. James's on the 17th of December. It was a very rainy night, when Dr. Tenison and I being together, and discoursing in my parlour, in the Little Cloisters in Westminster, one knocked hard at the door. It being opened, in came the Bishop of St. Asaph; to whom I said, "What makes your Lordship come abroad in such weather, when the rain pours down, as if heaven and earth would come together?".