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dentiary of Lichfield, and Rector of All-hallows, London Wall. Vol. II. 8vo. 10s. 6d.

The Doctrines of the Church of Geneva illustrated, in a Series of Ser

mons preached by modern Divines of that city. Edited by the Rev. J. S. Pous, one of his Majesty's Chaplains, at the Dutch Palace, St. James's. 8vo. 10s.

LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.

The Works of James Arminius, D.D. formerly Professer of Divinity in the University of Leyden. Translated from the Latin by James Nichols, Author of "Calvinism and Arminianism compared in their Principles and Tendency." Volume the first will shortly be published.

Mr. Penn has in the press, in 2 vols. 8vo. a new edition of his Comparative Estimate of Mineral and Mosaical Geologies. Revised and enlarged with relation to the latest works on Geology. A Defence of his Reply to the "End

of Controversy," against Dr. Milner's Exceptions, as contained in his "Vindication," will shortly be published by the Rev. Richard Grier, D.D.

Hints to some Churchwardens on the Repair of Parish Churches, in one volume, 8vo. with twelve plates, is nearly ready for publication.

A Work on the Religions of Ancient Greece, the Public, the Mystical, and the Philosophical, by W. Mitford, Esq. will shortly be published.

NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS.

The letter signed "Eppwoo on the subject of Parochial Psalmody has been received, and will not be forgotten at a fit season.

The two copies of verses signed Z. have reached us.

To the communications of our correspondents who desire a continuance of the Sermon department in our work, we reply, that the discontinuance of it was suggested by other valuable friends of the publication, who regarded it as unnecessary. We are obliged, however, for the opinion with which our present correspondents have favoured us. It may perhaps be satisfactory to them to know that a Sermon will appear, occasionally at least, in the future Numbers.

It is not consistent with our plan to make a reprint of articles which have appeared in other periodical works, according to the suggestion of H. W. S. We regret that we have no room at present for the insertion of the interesting account of the erection of the new Chapel in the parish of Prince's Risborough. Our correspondent who signs himself “A Half and Half Contributor,” and who has favoured us with an extract from the Journal of the last Convention of the Diocese of Ohio, is very much mistaken in supposing that we had not seen that document, and as appears to us equally so in couceiving "the suggestion offered in our last number, anticipated by what he has extracted." Our suggestion is, that the Ohio institution should be subjected "to the controul of the Board of Managers ofthe General Theological Seminary," and we can see nothing to that effect, proaching to it, in the articles which he has transmitted; and nothing short of that subjection will prevent the Ohio seminary from being a nuisance to the Church in America; or the subscribers to it in this country, from being condemned by their own great authority, Bishop Ravenscroft, of being the founders of "a sectional Theology," and of fomenting division in that Church, and “the ultimate severence" of its wide-spread Dioceses from the union in which they are now consolidated.

Our other Correspondents" must stand over.”

THE

CHRISTIAN

REMEMBRANCER.

MAY, 1825.

THE LIFE OF WILLIAM CHILLINGWORTH*,

CHANCELLOR OF SARUM, 1638.

THE name of CHILLINGWORTH, dear to every lover of truth, and every friend to liberty of conscience, deserves to be particularly recalled to the minds of Englishmen, if it were only to impress on them the true value of that Protestant Church, which has both fostered such a spirit in its members, and triumphantly stood the test of his impartial and severe investigation. So closely is the subject of religion interwoven with the feelings of the heart, that to divest the mind of all prejudice in the examination of any particular creed, appears to be a divesting ourselves of our natural character; and, accordingly, instances are rare of persons who have given their understanding plainly and simply to the arduous inquiry-baring themselves, like athletes, for the full play of their mental energies. WILLIAM CHILLINGWORTH is an eminent example of that impartiality which is of such difficult attainment: as the following account may serve in some measure to illustrate.

He was born in the parish of St. Martin, in Oxford, in October, 1602; and, as Anthony Wood further relates of him, " in a little house on the north side of the Conduit, at Quatervois," or Carfax. His father, William Chillingworth, was a citizen of Oxford, and afterwards Mayor of that city. On the last day of October he was baptized, Archbishop Laud, at that time Master of Arts and Fellow of St. John's college, being his Godfather.

His youth was passed in his native place, where he received his early education previously to his entrance at the University; but whether under the exclusive tuition of a person named Edward Sylvester, the master of a private school in the parish of All Saints, who had great reputation for scholarship; or in the free school adjoining Magdalen college; or partly at both these schools; is not positively stated. appears to have entered at the University in his fourteenth year, and to have been admitted scholar of Trinity college on the 2d of June, 1618, Mr. Robert Skinner being the Tutor there. Having passed with ease

He

* See "An Historical and Critical Account of the Life and Writings of Wm. Chillingworth, Chancellor of the Church of Sarum," by P. Des Maizeaux. 8vo. London, 1725. Chillingworthi Novissima, by Francis Cheynell, M.A, late Fellow of Merton College. London, 1644.

through the prescribed courses of logic and philosophy, he took the degree of Master of Arts in the latter end of 1623, and became Fellow of his college June 10th, 1628. He entered into Holy Orders probably about the same time. His vigorous and ready powers of mind soon attracted general observation in the University. He was found to be a man who possessed a quick apprehension of any subject, to which he directed his attention, and who, indefatigable as he was, did not need a plodding assiduity for the successful prosecution of his studies. In his eager pursuit of knowledge, he made a practice of walking in the college grove, and contemplating with himself. On such occasions, if he met any student, he would seize the opportunity of engaging him in discourse, and disputing with him-in order to acquire a facility in controversial theology-a talent especially cultivated in those days, and in the exercise of which he was afterwards destined to bear a distinguished part.

But his studies were not confined to theology. He applied himself with great success to mathematics, and with a versatility of genius for which great minds are often distinguished, also cultivated a taste for poetry, and was considered, we are told, a good poet *.

His intimate friends at the University were all men of high reputation, and who afterwards held conspicuous stations in the world-Sir Lucius Cary, afterwards Viscount Falkland; Mr. John Hales, of Eton, surnamed the ever-memorable; and Gilbert Sheldon, the successor of Juxon in the see of Canterbury.

The study and conversation of the members of the University in his time, turned chiefly on the controversies between the Church of England and the Church of Rome. From the great indulgence with which Popery was regarded towards the close of the reign of James I., the Priests of the Church of Rome, both regular and secular, had then advanced to a license in their proceedings, which the sounder policy of Queen Elizabeth's vigilant administration had carefully prevented. The memory of those days of horror, when Papal superstition, basking in the sunshine of royal countenance, displayed all its native ferocity, had faded in some degree from the minds of men, and in the feeling of present security, the apprehension of any similar evil was lulled asleep. Hence, it might seem, arose that indifference towards the reviving power of the Roman Catholics, which was evident at that time. And the opportunity was not lost by its adroit partizans. Their right hand, though the sword of persecution had been wrested from it, had not forgotten its cunning.; their incendiary zeal, though its flame had sunk down and disappeared under the bright illumination of a pure religion, had not expired in its embers, but only slumbered against a more propitious era for its eruption. The work of proselytism accordingly began to be carried on with assiduity as soon as a favourable opening was presented. Several of the priests employed in the work lived at or near Oxford, and addressed themselves to the young students of the University, not without some degree of that success which

His biographer appeals to some lines by Sir John Suckling, in his "Sessions of the Poets," in which the name of Chillingworth is introduced. It does not appear that there are any specimens extant of his poetical skill.

has usually accompanied the efforts of such subtle pioneers in the warfare of religious opinion. Consequently, we find that some students, being deluded by their sophistry, became converts to the Romish faith, and in order to the prosecution of their adopted religion, were conveyed to the English seminaries beyond sea.

This practice became so notorious in the year 1628, that the Parliament presented a petition to Charles I., praying that he would take measures as well for the discovery and apprehension of Jesuits and seminary Priests coming over to England, as for preventing the deportation of children and students. In consequence of this petition, the King issued orders to that effect; but these orders were, notwithstanding, executed with such remissness as to occasion a renewal of their complaints from the Parliament.

Amongst those Priests of the Church of Rome who were on active service at this conjuncture of affairs, was a famous Jesuit, known under the assumed name of John Fisher, but whose real name was John Perse, or Percey. He was a native of Durham, or according to Wood, of Yorkshire, and born of Protestant parents; but at the age of fifteen, had left England for a residence, first at Rheims, and then at Rome, when he entered into that order of which he was afterwards so distinguished a member. Returning to England, he devoted himself with an intrepid perseverance to the task of conversion. Among other fruits of his labours is mentioned his success with the Countess, the mother of the Duke of Buckingham, and that he so far attracted the notice of King James, that that monarch proposed to him certain articles on account of which he objected to the Romish faith, and demanded of him an answer to each point. This Jesuit had selected Oxford for the field of his exertion, at the time when Chillingworth was there. Conscious of his own strength, he peculiarly addressed himself to such students as were distinguished by their talents, as indeed was the usual method with men of that learned order. Chillingworth being generally known for his great abilities, formed a conspicuous object of attack. Fisher, accordingly, used all possible means of becoming acquainted with him. Having obtained access to him, the experienced controversialist immediately opened his campaign of proselytism, and assailed Chillingworth, then comparatively a novice in the art, with arguments in favour of the Church of Rome. The chief point to which he directed the force of his sophistical arms, was the establishment of the necessity of an infallible living judge in matters of faith. This, of course, is the main point with the Papist-the advanced post which he is bound to maintain, hand to hand, and foot to foot, or his whole camp lies open to the aggression of his enemy. Unless there is an infallibility lodged somewhere on earth, the arbitrary expositions of the Church of Rome, grounded on the supposed existence of such infallibility, must at once fall to the ground. This point, therefore, must be established on the most incontrovertible arguments, previously to their claim of any such authority to themselves, as an individual communion of Christians. The Jesuit, accordingly, laboured this point above all, and his prepared. sophistry triumphed over the reason of his less experienced opponent.