BETH. The letter suggests-"That upon the 6th of December, ELIZA1583, Samuel Norden, parson of Hamsey; William Hopkinson, vicar of Salehurst; Anthony Hopton, vicar of Leominster; Thomas Underdown, parson of St. Mary's, in Lewes ; John Jermain, vicar of Burfsham; Richard Wheataker, vicar of Ambrilly; John Bingham, preacher of Hadleigh; and Thomas Helye, preacher of Warbleton; being suspended, ab officio, for refusing to subscribe the Book of Common Prayer, appeared before the archbishop of Canterbury, the bishops of London, Sarum, and Rochester; and being demanded the reason of their nonconformity, their answer was, 'That there were several passages in the rubric which they desired to be explained." "The rubrics upon which they found their exceptions are these: "That in the latter end of the preface set before the Catechism in the Communion-book, there are these words: And that no man shall think that any detriment shall come to children by deferring of their confirmation, he shall know for truth that it is certain by God's Word, that children being baptized, have all things necessary for salvation, and are undoubtedly saved.' Upon which words they moved this doubt, whether by these words the book confirmed this opinion, that the sacrament of baptism did of itself confer grace, tanquam ex opere operato,' that is, whoever is baptized, must of necessity be saved 'ex opere operato,' though otherwise a hypocrite or infidel? "Whereunto it was answered, that the book had no such meaning; and that by these words it only dissuaded from the opinion which their Papists had of the confirmation, called bishoping; which they believed to be necessary to salvation, and do think that children are not perfectly baptized until they be also bishoped; and therefore they made confirmation a sacrament, and bring their children thereunto, being infants: whereas the Church of England has no such opinion thereof, but doth use it for this end specially, that children may know what their godfathers promised for them in their baptism, and also learn to perform the same; and likewise, that it may be known that the godfathers have GIFT, Abp. Cant. WHIT- performed their promise in seeing these children instructed as the book requires. And therefore that rubric contains nothing in it contrary to God's word, to the substance of religion now professed in the Church of England, as by law established, or to the analogy of faith. With which answer they were satisfied. "The second doubt was of this rubric in the Form of Baptism, Then the priest shall make a + upon the child's forehead.' Here their question was, whether, by the crossing of the child, there was made an addition to the sacrament, as a part thereof, and as though baptism were imperfect without it? Whereunto it was answered, that the book had no such meaning: and that the crossing of the child was only a ceremony significant, and a profitable circumstance, according to the words expressed in the book. With which answer they were also contented. "The third doubt was of these words in the book of Ordering Deacons and Priests, &c. Receive ye the Holy Ghost.' It was answered, that the bishop did not thereby look upon himself to give the Holy Ghost, but only 'instrumentaliter,' even as the minister gives baptism when he says, 'I baptize thee in the name of the Father,' &c. Whereby he does not take upon him to be the author or giver of baptism, but the minister thereof only, as John the Baptist did; for Christ only is the giver of the Holy Ghost, and of baptism; John and others are the ministers of the sacrament, and of the ceremony. "The words are Christ's words, used in the admitting of the apostles into the ministry, and therefore used by us in the like action, to signify that God by our ministry and imposition of hands, as by his instruments, doth give his Holy Spirit to all such as are rightly called to the ministry. With which answer they were likewise satisfied. “The last doubt was of baptizing by women; whereunto it was answered, that the book did not name women when it spake of private baptism; and that their subscription was not required to any thing that was not expressed in the book. Upon these answers given unto them by us, they did voluntarily, and without any protestation at all, subscribe to BETH. the three articles set down for all preachers and ministers ELIZAto subscribe unto. And upon this satisfaction given, their suspensions were taken off." dies this His cha This year Nicholas Sanders died in Ireland. He was 588. born in Surrey, and educated in New-college in Oxford, Sanders where he was king's professor of canon-law. When the year. times turned against his persuasion, he retired to Rome, racter. where he was ordained priest, and commenced doctor of divinity. He attended cardinal Hosius to the council of Trent; and here, by disputing and making speeches, he raised himself a considerable character. At last he was sent nuncio into Ireland, which was looked on as a hazardous undertaking; and so it proved. For upon the miscarrying of his treasonable practices he was forced to Pitt's de abscond in the woods and bogs, where he perished with Illust. Angl. hunger. This Sanders was a desperate rebel. His business Scriptor. in Ireland, as Rishton, who published his history, confesses, was to raise the natives upon the government; or, to speak Sanders in Rishton's words, to comfort the afflicted Catholics who had taken the field in defence of their religion. Cambden Præfat. reports that his portmanteau, found about him when dead, was stuffed with letters and harangues to animate the Irish in their revolt. And here, amongst other things, he gave them great expectations of succours from the pope and the Cambden, king of Spain. About three years since he wrote a flaming letter to the Roman Catholic lords and gentry of that kingdom. He expostulates sharply with them for not taking arms against the government, reproaches them with their allegiance to the queen, and plays all his rhetoric to push them to rebellion. To give the reader part of this pestilent discourse: he begins with a wretched perversion of a text of Scrip ture. de Schism. Angl. in Eliz. able letter to nobility, &c. "Pardon me," says he, “I beseech you, if upon just cause His treasonI use the same words to your honours, &c. which St. Paul the Irish wrote to the Galatians: Who has bewitched ye, that ye should not obey the truth?' For unless ye are bewitched, what makes ye fight for heresy against the true faith of Christ, for the devil against God, for tyrants that seize your estates, take away your lives, and damn your souls; against GIFT, Abp. Cant. WHIT your own brethren, who run the utmost hazards, spend their treasure and their blood to rescue you from these miseries? What can the meaning be, that you should undergo such fatigues, exhaust your fortunes, and risk soul and body, to so remarkable a degree; and all for a wicked woman? A woman blemished in her birth, and disregarding her Christianity. For which reasons the vicar of Christ, her lawful judge, and yours too, has deprived her of her kingdom. All Catholic princes, after intolerable provocation, have abandoned her. Several English lords and gentlemen have drawn their swords against her. Do you not see she is likely to be left without issue either to reward her friends or take revenge upon her enemies? Is she not a scandal to the throne? And, therefore, can those be true friends to the crown who do not make it their business to displace her? Are you not sensible that the next Catholic heir (for the pope will take care there shall be no other) must reckon all those no better than traitors that spend their estates for a heretic against his title? How will you justify yourselves to the pope's lieutenant when he appears amongst you, (as he will do shortly,) at the head of his holiness's forces, and those of other Catholic princes? You will then be charged with abetting heresy, and with supporting an heretical pretended queen against a public sentence of Christ's vicar. Can she, with her chimerical supremacy, take off the pope's excommunication, and absolve you from his curse? Her counterfeit supremacy, I say, which the devil instituted in Paradise when he made Eve Adam's mistress in God's matters. Is not the adhering to her interest the way to bring a blemish upon yourselves, and stain you with the suspicion of heresy and treason? And besides, if the Catholic heir lets loose the law upon you, your lives and estates are forfeited, and your families undone for ever." After this he puts them in mind that king Henry VIII., who first began the schism, was unhappy in his issue, and that his line was extinguished. He gives another instance in the misfortune of Sir William Drury, who commanded in the field against the pope's general. And after having flourished a little upon the goodness of the cause, he entreats them to open their eyes in time, to honour the Divine Ma BETH. Life of jesty more than heretics, "whom hitherto," says he, "you ELIZAhave worshipped above God." But through this last sentence there is a line struck, and therefore it may be the Archbishop expression was thought somewhat too strong. His letter is Parker, dated Feb. 21, 1580. Append. num. 7. This Sanders was particularly busy in misleading the noble Fitzgerald, earl of Desmond; helped to blow him up Cambden, into rebellion; and was principally instrumental in his ruin. Eliz. To conclude with him: he was almost as bad an historian See Bp. Burnet's Hist. as he was a subject; but his falsehoods having been detected Ref. pt. 2. Append. at large already, I shall refer the reader to that perform- book 3. ance. 1583-4. On the 7th of February, John Fen, George Haddock, John Munden, John Nutter, and Thomas Hemertford, were indicted for high treason at Westminster, brought in guilty, and all executed to the rigour of the sentence. The crime they were tried for was their being made priests beyond sea Stow's by the pope's authority. The Irish rebels being reduced, James Fitz-Eustace, viscount Baltinglass, got off into Spain, where he died with melancholy. This nobleman was strongly in the interest of the court of Rome, and joined the rebellion. To engage the earl of Ormond, who was descended from archbishop Beckett's sister, he ventured to put him in mind, that "unless St. Thomas of Canterbury had lost his life for the Church of Rome, Butler would never have been earl of Ormond." For to make some satisfaction for Beckett's death, king Henry II. had granted his ancestors a noble estate in Ormond. Annal. Cambden, Eliz. This year Thomas Watson, late bishop of Lincoln, de-parted this life. He was a warm Roman Catholic, and suffered for his persuasion in the reign of King Edward VI. He was preferred to the see of Lincoln by queen Mary. At the recovery of the Reformation he was imprisoned in the Tower, in the year 1559. Here he continued till the year 1582, when he was removed to Wisbeach castle, where he died. Pitts gives him the character of a famous preacher, a solid divine, and a good poet. He wrote a volume of ser- Pitts de mons, a Latin tragedy, and some pieces of poetry. To go back a little for the Church affairs in Scotland. In A. D. 1583. Illust. Angl. |