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. He 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

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.

Chillingworth found himself unable to answer the arguments of the Jesuit, nor could he, as Wood informs us, obtain any satisfactory solution of them from other persons to whom he applied in his perplexity of judgment. Being brought then to concede this point of infallibility, he was persuaded, without much difficulty, that this infallibility belonged to the Church of Rome, and that consequently that Church was the true Church, and the only Church in which men could be saved.

Being thus unduly influenced in his opinions by the ingenuity of Fisher, Chillingworth forsook the communion of the Church of England, and embraced the religion of Rome. As it was the sincere endeavour of his mind to arrive at truth without partiality or prejudice, the sacrifice which he thus had made of his early opinions to a zealous preference of that cause which appeared to him at that time to have the stronger reasons on its side, gave him an extraordinary satisfaction. This he proceeded to communicate to his friend Sheldon, in a letter which he soon after wrote to him from the country: for his fellowship at Trinity being forfeited by his renunciation of the Protestant faith, he removed to London on his conversion, and from thence had been called by some private occasions into the country. In this letter he proposes two questions for Sheldon's consideration :-" 1. Whether it be not evident from Scripture, and Fathers, and Reason, from the goodness of God, and the necessity of mankind, that there must be some one Church infallible in matters of faith? 2. Whether there be any other society of men in the world, besides the Church of Rome, that either can, upon good warrant, or indeed at all, challenge to itself the privi lege of infallibility in matters of faith?" Respecting these questions, he thus expresses himself in concluding his letter:-" When you have applied your most attentive consideration upon these questions, I do assure myself your resolution will be affirmative in the first, and negative in the second. And then the conclusion will be, that you will approve and follow the way wherein I have had the happiness to enter before you; and should think it infinitely increased, if it would please God to draw you after. I rest your assured friend," &c.

The Jesuit Fisher, however, was not satisfied that his convert should remain in a country, where he might be exposed to a relapse from the Society of others not yet infected with the same poison, and counselled that he should repair to the college of Jesuits at Douay. As a further means of confirming him in his new profession, Chillingworth was also desired to set down in writing the motives, or reasons, that had induced him to embrace the Romish religion.

The intelligence of this serious change of sentiment on the part of Chillingworth reaching Laud, who was now Bishop of London, affected that Prelate with real concern. But, from his knowledge of the character of his Godson, Laud did not despair of bringing him back to juster conviction. With this view he commenced a correspondence with him. Chillingworth's first answer, written in a tone of moderation, candour, and impartiality, encouraged Laud to proceed with him, and press him with arguments against the doctrines and practices of the Church of Rome.

The judicious method adopted by Laud had the desired effect. Chillingworth was rescued from that mental captivity into which he had been ensnared. The arguments to which he had before been induced to yield his assent, now appeared to him in a more questionable light, and he determined to reconsider them with calm deliberation. The college at Douay was a place little calculated for the impartial prosecution of his proposed inquiry; indeed, his new associates were not men with whom he could long hold any concord of sentiment, or live on terms of agreeable intimacy; and he resolved, therefore, to leave that college and return to England. Here he arrived in the year 1631, after only a short residence among the Jesuits +.

Upon his return to England, he was received with great kindness by Laud, who, sensible of the great advantage which the Protestant cause would derive from free and impartial inquiry, expressed his approbation of the resolution which Chillingworth had now formed of retiring to Oxford, for the sake of pursuing, in the tranquillity which the University afforded, the important object of a free inquiry into religion. Laud, accordingly, is said to have dismissed him with his blessing, and a promise also that he should enjoy entire liberty to prosecute his study.

Being then once more at Oxford, Chillingworth devoted himself to the task of inquiry with the most careful and diligent application of his mind. He not only read and examined such books as were most important for his purpose, but took all opportunities of arguing with learned men of both communions, that he might discover the strongest arguments which could be alleged on each side. The result of this examination was his decision in favour of the Protestant cause, as that which was most consonant with Scripture and right reason; and now having found out the sophistry of the arguments by which he had been swayed in abandoning the right profession, he wrote a paper in confutation of them, about the year 1634, though he did not publish it. -With the same impartiality of judgment which had led him to this sound result, he continued to be actuated in the maintenance of his religion. After coming to a decision in favour of the Church of England, he again examined his grounds of conviction with scrupulous caution; which afforded an occasion to his adversaries of spreading a scandalous report, that he had become a Papist a second time, and then Protestant again. He wrote, indeed, a letter to Sheldon, containing some scruples which he had about leaving the Church of Rome, and returning to the Church of England; but these were only the frank expressions of a mind sincerely anxious to follow the right

This correspondence was appealed to by Laud at his trial, in order to vindicate himself from the charge of Popery.

+ Probably about two months, though the same writer who states that period of his continuance among them, in another passage speaks of" the space of halfa-year or thereabout," during which Chillingworth was one of their number. The latter calculation includes the time when he was in England after his conversion.