(d) Works, P. 356. other things, he declares, that only for the title of one of his books, viz. de filiatione Christi, their hands, and fuffer fuch peftilent heretics to neftle among them, he fhould depart and separate himself "from fuch falfe and heretical churches, and also exhort "all other reformed churches to join with him in a com"mon council, how to extinguish and remand to hell thofe abominable heretics (d)."-But notwithstanding thefe threatnings, Vorftius came to Leyden. This caufed Winwood to prefent himself before the States, who in a fet fpeech backed his mafter's letters, and gave in a catalogue of Vorftius's errors. But the States anfwered coldly, and nothing to James's expectation. Winwood therefore, according to his orders, protested against the States receiving Vorftius; and at length an anfwer was given by them more fatisfactory to James. This pleafed him, but ftill in his writings he went on to expose the profeffor, and entered into a very tedious and infipid reply to his apology for his writings.This was the treatment which a man of piety, parts, and learning met with from James, upon account of fome metaphyfical reafonings on the nature and attributes of God, and an error which he held with fome of the fathers, (e) See Du- concerning the corporeity of deity (e). I fhould not pin's hift. of wonder to hear an inquifitor talk after the manner he did; it would only be in the way of his profeffion. But, writers, Vol. I own, I can hardly tell how to bear fuch language from Fol. Lond. a profeffed proteftant, and a temporal prince. And it excites my indignation to behold a man who made no fcruple of breaking the laws of the gofpel, and living in defiance of God himself, by acting counter to his commands: I fay it fills me with indignation to hear such a one making a loud cry about herefy, and ftirring up men to punish it. But thus it has been, thus, perhaps, it always will be. The greateft perfecutors have been fome of the most wicked and abandoned of men. Without a fenfe of God, or religion on their minds, they have pretended to be actuated by a great zeal for them; ecclefiaftical I. p. 92. 1692. 5 and Chrifti, an author fo fufpected as he, is worthy of the faggot; and that if he had been his and covered with this pretence they have gone on, even with the applause of the superstitious and bigotted, to glut their ambition, their pride, their revenge.. hift. of the and Win James is faid to have been excited to declare against Vorftius, by Abbot, archbishop of Canterbury (f); and (ƒ) Abridg'tis not unlikely. Moft of the ecclefiaftics of that time ment of abounded with a fiery zeal, which frequently hurried Brandt's them into actions not to be justified. But had not James reformation had an inclination to the work, Abbot would not have of the Low Countries, been able to have prevailed upon him to undertake it. Vol. I. p. He thought, doubtlefs, that he should acquire fresh ho- 318. 8vo. nour by his pen; that his people would applaud his zeal, Lond. 1725. and hold in admiration his piety; and 'tis not to be wood, Vol. doubted but many were imposed on by him. However III. p. 296. Sir Ralph Winwood did not efcape cenfure at home, for what he had done in this affair. He had protefted, as I had juft obferved, against the States receiving of Vorftius; but he added alfo, that he protefted against the violence offered unto the alliance between his majesty and thofe provinces, which, faid he, "being founded upon "the prefervation and maintenance of the reformed "religion, you have not letted (fo much as in you lies) "abfolutely to violate in the proceeding of this caufe works, P. (g)." James, when he first heard of this, faid, (g) King Winwood hath done fecundum cor meum: but foon after- James's wards he changed his note, and faid the proteft was 363. “made at an unreasonable time, when he was to re"ceive kindness (namely reimbursement of money) at "the States hands; and fo calling for the copies of his letters, found that the ambaffador had exceeded his commiffion, in protesting against the alliance which fhould have been but against the religion (b)." This (b) Winit is to ferve weak princes; they take up their refolu- wood, Vol. tions without confideration, and are foon turned from III. p. 319. them. To-day their fervants are commended, to-mor row blamed for following their inftructions. So that 4 little his own fubject, he would have forced him to have confeffed those wicked herefies that were rooted in his heart; and I doubt not but he would have been as good as little reputation is to be got in their employment. Winwood received notice of this, "but the wifer part of the "world (fays his friend Mr. John More to him) confi"dering the tenor of his majefty's fharp letter to the "States, and how often, in open difcourfe, he hath "threatned not only to write, but to fight against them, "rather than Vorftius fhould reft at Leyden, will more "readily conclude that his majesty varieth in himself, "than that you have erred (i)." At length, however, wood, Vol. Winwood had the pleafure of hearing that his majesty 111. P. 331. held him in his favour, and fpoke well of him; but for (i) Win Vorftius, he was obliged, through thefe folicitations of James, to renounce provifionally his employment, and leave Leyden, and expect elfewhere a definitive sentence. concerning this difpute. He retired to Gouda about May 1612, where he lived quiet till the year 1619, when he was forced to leave Holland; for the fynod of Dort having declared him unworthy of the profeffor's chair, the ftates of the province deprived him of that employment, and condemned him to a perpetual ba(4) Bayle's nifhment (k).So fad a thing it is for private men to dictionary, have princes for their adverfaries! right or wrong they fius (Con- muft fubmit, and cannot make refiftance. Tho' how fad.) honourable it is for princes to attack fuch, the reader will determine. article Vor (4 Win letters, p.13. I will conclude this note with obferving that this declaration of James against Vorftius, was printed in French, Latin, Dutch, and English, and confequently his monftrous zeal, his unprincely revilings, and his weak and pitiful reafonings were known throughout Europe (1). But after all, I prefume, it was held in fmall account. For Mr. Norton, who had the printing of it in Latin, fwore he would not print it, un lefs he might have money to print it (m).'; as his word; for foon after he caufed two of his own subjects to be burnt for herefy (zz). 'Tis (zz) He caused two of his own fubjects to be burnt for herefy.] The names of these two were Bartholomew Legate, and Edward Wightman, The first of these was a man of great skill in the fcriptures, and his converfation unblamable. His errors were fomewhat of the fame kind with those attributed to Socinus; and withal he had the hardiness to say, that the Nicene and Athanafian creeds contain not a profeffion of the true christian faith. James caufed him to be brought to him, and attempted his converfion; but when he found that he was intractable, he difmiffed him with a contemptuous speech; and afterwards by the bishops being declared an incorrigible heretic, he gave orders to direct the writ de hæretico comburendo to the fheriffs of London, and in Smithfield he was burned to afhes. What Wightman was, or what his errors, is hard to fay. The herefies of Ebion, Cerinthus, Valentinian, Arrius, Macedonius, Simon Magus, Manes Manichæus, Photinus, and the Anabaptifts, were reckoned up against him in the warrant for his burning; but, probably, he knew not what they meant thereby, any more than they themselves did who inferted them in his accufation. They were hard words, and they thought, it may be, that they would terrify and affright. However this is certain, that for his errors, whatever they were, he was burnt at Litchfield (a). These executions were in the year 1611. book 10. (a) Fuller's James had another heretic to exercise his zeal on alfo ; church hift. but feeing those that fuffered were much pitied, he cent. 17. very mercifully let him linger out his life in Newgate. p. 64, 65. Had I not reafon then to fay, that I doubted not James would have been as good as his word, in making Vorftius confefs his herefies, had he been his fubject? I make no doubt but that he would have used his endeavours; and if these had failed, would have treated him as bad as he did Legate and Wightman. For he had the "Tis very remarkable, that in this decla ration against Vorftius, he falls foul on the name fpirit of an inquifitor: no pity, no compaffion was within him he had no fenfe of the worth of those men who preferred a good confcience before all things; he thought 'twas only obftinacy in them, and therefore deemed them worthy of punishment. So eafy is it for men who have no principles themselves, to cenfure and condemn those who are truly honeft and fincere. I with for the honour of human nature, for the honour of chriftianity, and the honour of the reformation, that no fuch inftances of perfecution had been to be found ; but, as we cannot blot them out, we ought to fet a mark on those who occafioned them, that fo their names may be treated with that indignation they fo juftly merit. Since the writing the above, by means of a very worthy friend, I have got fight of the commiffions and warrants for the condemnation and burning of Legate and Wightman. The commiffions are directed to Thomas lord Elfmere, chancellor of England. The warrant for the burning Legate is addreffed to the Sheriffs of London, the other for Wightman, to the Sheriff of Litchfield. By the commiffions the chancellor is ordered to award and make out, under the great feal of England, writs of execution; and the fheriffs by the warrant, are required to commit the heretics to the fire. The herefies of Legate are (as I have represented them from Fuller) reckoned up as the reafon for putting him to death. As for what is charged to Wightman's account, if it be true, (for great doubt is to be made of the truth of perfecutors) he was certainly an enthufiaft, but, for aught appears, a harmlefs one; for he is charged with holding, that he was the prophet fpoken of in the eighteenth of Deuteronomy in these words, I will rife them up a prophet, &c. and that this place of Ifaiah, I alone have trodden the wineprefs; and that other place, whofe fan is in his hand, "are proper and perfonal to him the faid Edward "Wight |