To return to the Admonition, which consisted of twentythree chapters, under the following titles:

Chap. I. Whether Christ forbiddeth rule or superiority to ministers.

II. Of the authority of the church in things indifferent.
III. Of the election of ministers.

IV. Of ministers having no pastoral charge; and of
ceremonies used in ordering ministers.

V. Of the residence of the pastors.

VI. Of ministers that cannot preach, and of licences to preach.

VII. Of the apparel of ministers.

VIII. Of archbishops, metropolitans, bishops, archdeacons, &c.

IX. Of the communion-book.

X. Of holidays.

XI. What kind of preaching is most effectual.

XII. Of preaching before the administration of the

sacraments.

XIII. Of reading the Scriptures.

XIV. Of ministering and preaching by deacons.
XV. Of matters touching the communion,

XVI. Of matters touching baptism,

XVII. Of seniors, or government by elders.

XVIII. Of certain matters concerning discipline of

the church,

XIX. Of deacons and widows,

XX. Of the authority of the civil magistrate in ecclesiastical matters,

XXI, Of subscribing the communion-book.

XXII. Of cathedral churches.

XXIII. Of civil offices in ecclesiastical persons. These were the chief heads of complaint; which, the Puritans having laid before the world, the bishops thought themselves obliged to answer. Dr. John Whitgift, master of Trinity-college, and vice-chancellor of Cambridge, was ap pointed to this work, which he performed with great labour ́ and study, and dedicated it to the church of England. His method was unexceptionable; the whole text of the Admonition being set down in paragraphs, and under each paragraph the doctor's answer.* Before it was printed it was

Life of Whitgift, p. 42.

revised and corrected by archbishop Parker, Dr. Cooper bishop of Lincoln, and Pern bishop of Ely; so that in this book, says Mr. Strype, may be seen all the arguments for and against the hierarchy, drawn to the best advantage.

Dr. Whitgift's book was answered by Mr. Cartwright, whose performance called a masterpiece in its kind, and had the approbation of great numbers in the university of Cambridge, as well as foreign divines. Whitgift replied again to Cartwright, and had the thanks of the bishops and the queen; who, as a reward for his excellent and learned pains, made him dean of Lincoln, while Cartwright, to avoid the rigour of the commissioners, was forced to abscond in friends' houses, and at length retire into banishment.

But it was impossible for these divines to settle the contro-: versy, because they were not agreed upon one and the same standard, or rule of judgment. Mr. Cartwright maintained, that "the Holy Scriptures were not only a standard of doctrine, but of discipline and government; and that the church of Christ in all ages was to be regulated by them." He was therefore for consulting his Bible only, and for reducing all things as near as possible to the apostolical standard. Dr. Whitgift went upon a different principle, and maintained, "that though the Holy Scriptures were a› perfect rule of faith, they were not designed as a standard of church discipline or government; but that this was changeable, and might be accommodated to the civil government we live under; that the apostolical government. was adapted to the church in its infancy, and under persecution, but was to be enlarged and altered as the church grew to maturity, and had the civil magistrate on its side." The doctor therefore, instead of reducing the external policy of the church to Scripture, takes into his standard the four first centuries after Christ; and those customs that he can trace up thither, he thinks proper to be retained, because the church was then in its mature state, and not yet under the power of antichrist.

The reader will judge of these principles for himself. One is ready to think, that the nearer we can come to the apostolical practice the better; and the less our religion is encumbered with rites and ceremonies of later invention, the more it must resemble the simplicity that is in Christ.. If our blessed Saviour had designed that his worship should

be set off with pomp and grandeur, and a multitude of ceremonies, he would have told us so; and, it may be, have settled them, as was done for the church of the Jews; but nothing of this appearing, his followers should be cautious of inserting human commandments or traditions into the religion of Christ, lest they cast a reflection upon his kingly office.

The dispute between Whitgift and Cartwright was managed with some sharpness; the latter thought he had reason to complain of the hardships himself and his brethren suffered; and Whitgift having the government on his side, thought he stood upon higher ground, and might assume a superior air; when Cartwright and his friends pleaded for indulgence because they were brethren, the doctor replies, “What signifies their being brethren; Anabaptists, Arians, and other heretics, would be accounted brethren; their haughty spirits will not suffer them to see their error; they deserve as great punishment as Papists, because both conspire against the church. If they are shut up in Newgate, it is a meet reward for their disorderly doings: for ignorance may not excuse libels against a private man, much less when they slander the whole church."-How would the doctor have liked this language in the mouth of a Papist sixteen years before? But this has been the method of warm and zealous disputants; the knots they cannot untie with their fingers, they would fain cut asunder with the sword.

Thus Dr. Whitgift routed his adversary; he had already deprived him of his professor's chair, and of his degree of D. D. and being now vice-chancellor of Cambridge, he got him expelled the university upon the following pretence : Mr. Cartwright, being senior fellow of his college, was only in deacon's orders; the doctor being informed of this, and that the statute requiring such to take upon them the order of priesthood, might be interpreted to priests' orders, concluded he was perjured;* upon which he summoned the heads of the colleges together, and declared, that Mr. Cartwright had broken his oath, and, without any farther admonition, pushed his interest among the masters, to rid the college of a man whose popularity was two great for his ambition, insomuch that he declared he would not esta*Life of Whitgift, p. 46.

blish order in the university while a person of his principles was among them; after this he wrote to the archbishop, September 21st, 1572, and begged his grace to watch at court, that Cartwright might get no advantage against him, for (says he) he is flatly perjured, and it is God's just judgment that he should be so punished, for not being a full minister. A very mean and pitiful triumph!

:

The queen also, and her commissioners, brandished their swords against Cartwright and his followers. Her majesty by proclamation called in the Admonition, commanding all her subjects, who had any in their possession, to bring them to the bishop of the diocess, and not to sell them, upon pain of imprisonment; upon which Mr. Stroud the publisher brought in thirty-four, and his wife burnt the rest that were unsold this Mr. Stroud was the suspended minister of Cranbrook, an excellent preacher, and universally beloved; but being reduced to poverty, he was forced to condescend to the low offices of correcting the press, and of publishing books for a livelihood;* when he appeared before the bishop of London upon this occasion, his lordship reproached him for laying down the ministry, though Parker had actually deprived him, and forbid him to preach six years before.

The bishops were no less careful to crush the favourers of the Admonition; for when Mr. Wake of Christ-church had declared in favour of it, in a sermon at St. Paul's cross, the bishop of London sent for him next morning into custody; but he made his escape, Mr. Crick, chaplain to the bishop of Norwich, having also commended the book in a sermon at the same place, the archbishop sent a special messenger to apprehend him; and though he escaped for the present, he afterward fell into the hands of the com missioners, and was deprived ;t the like misfortune befel Dr. Aldrich, an eminent divine and dignitary of the church, with many others; notwithstanding which Dr. Sandys bishop of London, in his letter to the treasurer, calls for farther help: "The city (says he) will never be quiet, till these authors of sedition, who are now esteemed as gods, as, Field, Wilcox, Cartwright, and others, be far removed from the city; the people resort to them, as in Popery they were wont to run on pilgrimages; if these idols, who are * MS. p. 195. Life of Whitgift, p. 53. Life of Parker, p. 428.

honoured as saints, were removed from hence, their honour would fall into the dust, and they would be taken for blocks as they are. A sharp letter from her majesty would cut the courage of these men. Good my lords, for the love you bear to the church of Christ, resist the tumultuous enterprises of these new-fangled fellows." These were the weapons with which the doctor's answer to the Admonition were enforced; so that we may fairly conclude with Fuller the historian," that if Cartwright had the better of his adversary in learning, Whitgift had more power to back his arguments; and by this he not only kept the field, but gained the victory."

On the other hand it is certain, vast numbers of the clergy, both in London and the two universities, had a high opinion of Cartwright's writings; he had many admirers ; and if we may believe his adversaries, wanted not for presents and gratuities: many hands were procured in approbation and commendation of his reply to Whitgift; and some said, they would defend it to death.* In short, though Whitgift's writings might be of use to confirm those who had already conformed, they made no converts among the Puritans, but rather confirmed them in their former sentiments.

To pursue this controversy to the end: in the year 1573, Dr. Whitgift published his defence against Cartwright's reply; in which he states the difference between them thus: "The question is not, whether many things mentioned in your platform of discipline were fitly used in the apostles' time, or may now be well used in sundry reformed churches; this is not denied; but whether, when there is a settled order in doctrine and government established by law, it may stand with godly and Christian wisdom to attempt so great alteration as this platform must needs bring in, with disobedience to the prince and laws, and unquietness of the church, and offence of many consciences." If this were the whole question, surely it might stand with the wisdom of the legislature in settled times, to make some concessions in favour of pious and devout men; nor can it be inconsistent with godly and Christian wisdom, for subjects to attempt it by lawful and peaceable methods.

Two years after [1575] Mr. Cartwright published a se* Life of Parker, p. 427. ↑ Whitgift's Life, p. 56.