learning and other abilities, from which he might have promised himself any preferment in the church, he withdrew himself from all pursuits of that kind, into a private fellowship in the College of Eton, where his friend Sir Harry Savile was provost; where he lived amongst his books, and the most separated from the world of any man then living; though he was not in the least degree inclined to melancholy, but, on the contrary, of a very open and pleasant conversation; and therefore was very well pleased with the resort of his friends to him, who were such as he had chosen, and in whose company he delighted, and for whose sake he would sometimes, once in a year, resort to London, only to enjoy their cheerful conversation.

"He would never take any cure of souls, and was so great a contemner of money, that he was wont to say, That his fellowship and the bursar's place (which, for the good of the College he held many years) was worth to him fifty pounds a year more than he could spend; and yet, besides his being very charitable to all poor people, even to liberality, he had made a greater and better collection of books than were to be found in any other private library that I have seen; as he had sure read more, and carried more about him, in his excellent memory, than any man I ever knew, my Lord Falkland only excepted, who I think sided him. He had, whether from his natural temper and constitution, or from his long retirement from all crowds, or from his profound judgment and discerning spirit, contracted some opinions which were not received, nor by him published, except in private discourses; and then rather upon occasion of dispute than of positive opinion; and he would often say, his opinions he was sure did him no harm, but he was far from being confident that they might not do others harm who entertained them, and might entertain other results from them than he did; and therefore he was very reserved in communicating what he thought himself in those points in which he differed from what was received.

"Nothing troubled him more than the brawls which were grown from religion; and he therefore exceedingly detested the tyranny of the Church of Rome, more for their imposing uncharitably upon the consciences of other men, than for the errors in their own opinions; and would often say, that he would renounce the religion of the Church of England to-morrow, if it obliged him to believe that any other Christians should be damned; and that nobody would conclude another man to be damned, who did not wish him so. No man more strict and severe to himself; to other men so charitable as to their opinions, that he thought that other men were more in fault for their carriage towards them, than the men themselves were who erred; and he thought that pride, and passion, more than conscience, were the cause of all separation from each other's communion; and he frequently said that that only kept

the world from agreeing upon such a liturgy as might bring them into one communion; all doctrinal points upon which men differed in their opinions being to have no place in any liturgy. Upon an occasional discourse with a friend, of the frequent and uncharitable reproaches of heretic and schismatic, too lightly thrown at each other, amongst men who differ in their judgment, he writ a little discourse of Schism, contained in less than two sheets of paper; which being transmitted from friend to friend in writing, was, at last, without any malice, brought to the view of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Laud, who was a very rigid surveyor of all things which never so little bordered upon schism, and thought the church could not be too vigilant against and jealous of such incursions.

"He sent for Mr. Hales, whom, when they had both lived in the University of Oxford, he had known well, and told him that he had in truth believed him to be long since dead, and chid him very kindly for having never come to him, having been of his old acquaintance; then asked him whether he had lately writ a short discourse of Schism, and whether he was of that opinion which that discourse implied. He told him that he had, for the satisfaction of a private friend (who was not of his mind), a year or two before, writ such a small tract, without any imagination that it would be communicated; and that he believed it did not contain any thing that was not agreeable to the judgment of the primitive fathers; upon which the Archbishop debated with him upon some expressions of Irenæus and the most ancient fathers; and concluded with saying, that the time was very apt to set new doctrines on foot, of which the wits of the age were too susceptible; and that there could not be too much care taken to preserve the peace and unity of the church; and from thence asked him of his condition, and whether he wanted any thing; and the other answering that he had enough, and wanted or desired no addition, so dismissed him with great courtesy; and shortly after sent for him again, when there was a prebendary of Windsor fallen, and told him the King had given him the preferment, because it lay so convenient to his fellowship of Eton; which (though indeed the most convenient preferment that could be thought of for him) the Archbishop could not, without great difficulty, persuade him to accept; and he did accept it rather to please him than himself, because he really believed he had enough before."-Life of the Earl of Clarendon, Vol. I. pp. 27, 28.

"I shall speak no more than my own long experience, intimate acquaintance and high veneration, grounded upon both, shall freely and sincerely prompt me to. Mr. John Hales, sometime Greek Professor of the University of Oxford, long Fellow of Eton College, and, at last, also Prebendary of Windsor, was a man, I think, of as great a sharpness, quickness and subtility

of wit, as ever this or perhaps any nation bred. His industry did strive, if it were possible, to equal the largeness of his capacity, whereby he became as great a master of polite, various and universal learning, as ever yet conversed with books. Proportionate to his reading was his meditation, which furnished him with a judgment beyond the vulgar reach of man, built upon unordinary notions, raised out of strange observations, and comprehensive thoughts within himself. So that he really was a most prodigious example of an acute and piercing wit, of a vast and illimited knowledge, of a severe and profound judgment.

Although this may seem, as in itself it truly is, a grand eulogium, yet I cannot esteem him less in any thing which belongs to a good man, than in those intellectual perfections: and had he never understood a letter, he had other ornaments sufficient to endear him. For he was of a nature (as we ordinarily speak) so kind, so sweet, so courting all mankind, of an affability so prompt, so ready to receive all conditions of men, that I conceive it near as easy a task for any one to become so knowing as so obliging.

"As a Christian, none more ever acquainted with the nature of the Gospel, because none more studious of the knowledge of it, or more curious in the search, which being strengthened by those great advantages before mentioned, could not prove otherwise than highly effectual. He took, indeed, to himself a liberty of judging, not of others, but for himself; and if ever any man might be allowed in these matters to judge, it was he, who had so long, so much, so advantageously considered, and, which is more, never could be said to have had the least worldly design in his determinations. He was not only most truly and strictly just in his secular transactions, most exemplary meek and humble, notwithstanding his perfections, but beyond all example charitable, giving unto all, preserving nothing but his books, to continue his learning and himself.

"This testimony may be truly given of his person, and nothing in it liable to the least exception, but this alone, that it comes far short of him. Which intimation I conceive more necessary for such as knew him not, than all which hath been said."-Preface to Golden Remains, by Bishop Pearson.

CONCERNING

SCHISM AND SCHISMATICS.

HERESY and Schism, as they are in common use, are two theological Mopus or scarecrows, which they who uphold a party in religion use to fright away such as, making inquiry into it, are ready to relinquish and oppose it, if it appear either erroneous or suspicious. For as Plutarch reports of a painter, who having unskilfully painted a cock, chased away all cocks and hens, that so the imperfection of his art might not appear by comparison with nature; so men willing for ends to admit of no fancy but their own, endeavour to hinder an inquiry into it by way of comparison of somewhat with it, peradventure truer, that so the deformity of their own might not appear. But howsoever in the common manage, heresy and schism are but ridiculous terms, yet the things in themselves are of very considerable moment; the one offending against truth, the other against charity; and therefore both deadly, where they are not by imputation, but in deed.

It is then a matter of no small importance truly to descry the nature of them, that so they may fear who are guilty of them; and they, on the contrary, strengthen themselves, who through the iniquity of men and times are injuriously charged with them.

Schism (for of heresy we shall not now treat, except it be by accident, and that by occasion of a general mistake, spread throughout all the writings of the ancients, in which their names are familiarly confounded); schism, I say, upon the very sound of the word, imports division; division is not, but where communion is or ought to be. Now communion is the strength and ground of all society, whether sacred or civil: whosoever therefore they be that offend against this common society and friendliness of men, and cause separation and breach among them, if it be in civil occasions, are guilty of sedition or rebellion; if it be

by occasion of ecclesiastical difference, they are guilty of schism. So that schism is an ecclesiastical sedition, as sedition is a lay schism. Yet the great benefit of communion notwithstanding, in regard of divers distempers men are subject to, dissension and disunion are often necessary for when either false or uncertain conclusions are obtruded for truth, and acts either unlawful or ministering just scruple are required of us to be performed; in these cases consent were conspiracy, and open contestation is not faction or schism, but due Christian animosity. For the further opening, therefore, of the nature of schism, something must be added by way of difference, to distinguish it from necessary separation; and that is, that the causes upon which division is attempted proceed not from passion or distemper, or from ambition or avarice, or such other ends as human folly is apt to pursue; but from well-weighed and necessary reasons, and that when, all other means having been tried, nothing will serve to save us from guilt of conscience but open separation. So that schism, if we would define it, is nothing else but an unnecessary separation of Christians from that part of the visible church of which they were once members. Now as in mutinies and civil dissensions there are two attendants in ordinary belonging unto them; one, the choice of one elector or guide in place of the general or ordinary governor, to rule and guide; the other, the appointing of some public place or rendezvous, where public meetings must be celebrated; so in church dissensions and quarrels, two appurtenances there are which serve to make a schism complete:

1st. The choice of a bishop, in opposition to the former (a thing very frequent amongst the ancients, and which many times was both the cause and effect of schism).

2ndly. The erecting of a new church and oratory, for the dividing party to meet in publicly; for till this be done, the schism is but yet in the womb.

In that late famous controversy in Holland, De prædestinatione et auxiliis, as long as the disagreeing parties went no further than disputes and pen-combats, the schism was all that while unhatched: but as soon as one party swept an old cloister, and by a pretty art suddenly made it a church, by putting a new pulpit in it, for the separating party there to meet; now what before was a contro