to Mr. Birch, and as he had an excellent veine in versifying, in the end of his letter he wrote certaine verses, which are these that follow. "Multa quidem legi, sed plura legenda reliqui; Which verses of his I have thus Englished, Much have I read, but more remaines behind, I'le read the rest when I can leasure finde: Men wish our church no blemish had at all, It cannot be so heere, in heaven it shall. There came unto Mr. Gilpin a certaine Cambridge man, who seemed a very great scholler, and hee dealt earnestly with Mr. Gilpin touching the discipline and reformation of the church. Mr. Gilpin tould him that he could not allowe that an human invention should take place in the Church in stead of a divine institution. And how? Doe you thinke, saith the man, that this forme of discipline is an human invention? "I am," saith Mr. Gilpin, "altogether of that mind. And as many as shall diligently have turned over the writings of the auncient fathers will be of mine opinion. I suspect that forme of discipline which appeareth not to have beene received in any auncient Church." "But yet," saith the man, "latter men doe see many things which those auncient fathers 2 * Latter men doe see.] The Puritans seem to have been very little scrupulous in exalting themselves and their partizans to the disparagement of former ages. I have heard it credibly reported (says Dr. Bancroft) that in a certaine College in Cambridge," fathers saw not: and the present Church seemeth better provided of many ingenious and industrious men." Mr. Gilpin seemed somewhat mooved at that word, and replyed: I for my part do not hould the vertues of the latter men worthy to be compared to the infirmities of the fathers." The other man made answer that he supposed Mr. Gilpin to be in an errour in that point. But Mr. Gilpin used these words purposely because he perceived that this fellow had a strong conceit of I know not what rare vertues in himselfe, which opinion Mr. Gilpin was desirous to roote out of him. George Gilpin, who had most elegantly translated out of low Dutch into English the booke of Cambridge," (St. John's, is the College alluded to) "when it happeneth that in their disputations, the authoritye either of St. Augustine, or of St. Ambrose, or of St. Jerome, or of any other of the ancient Fathers; nay the whole consent of them all altogether is alleged; it is rejected with very great disdaine; as, what tell you me of St. Augustine, St. Ambrose or of the rest? I regard them not a rush. Were they not men? Whereas at other time, when it happeneth, that a man of another humour doth aunswere, if it fall out that he beinge pressed with the authority either of Calvin or Beza shall chance to deny it; you shall see some beginne to smile, in commiseration of such the poore mans simplicity; some grow to be angry in regard of such presuniption; and some will depart away, accounting such a kinde of fellowe, not worthy the hearing." Survey of the pretended Holy Discipline. P. 64. Compare p. 329. And Sir F. Bacon, speaking of the same mal-content party, tells us that they no more scrupled to set themselves above the first Reformers and Martyrs, than they did over the Ancient Fathers. As in affection they challenge the virtues of zeal, and the rest; so in knowledge they attribute unto themselves light and perfection. They say, the Church of England in King Edward's time, and in the beginning of her Majesty's reign, was but in the cradle; and the Bishops in those times did somewhat grope for day-break; but that maturity and fulness of light proceedeth from them. selves." Of Church Controversies. Works. Vol. II. p. 384. edit. 1753. See also Bancroft's Survey. p. 357. 66 Philip Marnixius, Earle of Aldegund, called the Beehive of the Romane Church, came out of the low Countries unto Bernard. This man was brother to Bernard, and agent for the Queene with the States of Holland, amongst whom he left behind him a famous memory of himselfe for his singular wisdome. And having lived for some space most lovingly with his brother Bernard, being about to returne from Holland, he had advised with the Queene and Councell of the kingdome touching the affaires which he had to treat upon with the States in the Queenes name. The Earles of Leicester and Bedford exceedingly favored the two brothers, George for his wisedome in affaires of state, and Bernard for his holinesse of life. These requested George to perswade his brother Bernard to declare in writing the motives and meanes of his conversion from the Romane superstition to the light of the Gospell. To which request Mr. Gilpin answered that he would do it plainely and sincerely, without any dissimulation. The copy of his letter to that purpose I found among his papers to be thus, The Letter of Bernard Gilpin to his brother George in the yeare of our Lord 1575. "You doe request (brother) that I should relate unto you somewhat at large the manner and meanes of my conversion from superstition to the light of the Gospell: a thing, which I suppose, is not unknowne unto you to have beene a worke of many yeares: neverthelesse as time and health shall give leave I will conceale nothing from you herein. I will confesse mine owne shame to the confusion of the Divell: I will say with the Apostle, 1 Tim. 1. 13. I was received to mercy, for I did it ignorantly. "In the dayes of King Edward I was drawne to dispute against certaine positions of Peter Martirs: howbeit out of a naturall inclination I have alwayes so farre as I could avoided controversies and disputations. And when I was but a young divine, and had found out by holding that disputation that the foundation whereto I trusted was not so solid as I formerly supposed it, I thereupon began somewhat seriously to read over the Scriptures and writings of the Fathers, that I might confirme my selfe in my received opinions. But God freed my minde from that prejudicate conceit by little and little, and the zeale which I had for the Popish religion began to coole in me every day more and more. But on the other side I felt certaine sparkling desires which urged me to search out the truth. In the meane time while I repaired to the Bishop of Durham, that I might be further instructed; who tolde me, that in the matter of transubstantiation, Innocentius the Pope the third of that name had done unadvisedly, seeing he had made it an article of faith. And he did further confesse that the Pope had committed a great fault in that touching indulgences and other things he had taken no better order for the quiet of the Church. Afterwards I conferred with Doctor Redman', in whom I reposed much hope in regard of his eminent vertues, and great schollership. He affirmed unto me that the booke of Common Prayer, was an holy booke, and agreeable to the Gospell. These things cast 3 Dr. Redman.) This eminent and amiable man was a near kinsman of Bishop Tonstal; which may perhaps account for Gilpin's enjoying the advantage of his society, though they were of different Universities. See Aschami Epistolæ, p. 39. me me into many distractive thoughts. After this one of the fellowes of Queenes Colledge in Oxford told me that he had heard Doctour Chedsey saying among his friends, that it must come to this point, that the Protestants must grant us a reall presence of Christ in the Sacrament, and we likewise give way unto them in the opinion of transubstantiation, and so we shall accord. Doctor Weston made a long oration touching the Supper, of the Lord to bee administred under both kindes. Mr. Morgan tolde me that Doctor Ware a man most famous for life and learning had affirmed unto him that the principall sacrifice of the Church of God was the sacrifice of thanksgiving. This was his answer when I had demanded of him what could be said for the sacrifice of the Masse. The most learned bishops in this kingdome at that time confuted the primacy of the Pope both in words and writing. Mr. Harding being newly returned home out of Italy, in a long and famous oration so plainly set out and painted to the life the Friers and unlearned Bishops, who had met at the Councell of Trent in their greene gownes, that it abated in me and in very many others a great deale of that opinion and confidence which we had reposed in Generall Councels. "These things and many others gave me oесаsion diligently to search the Scriptures and the writings of the Fathers: whence I had begun to observe very many and very great abuses, and some enormities oftentimes used, and as oft defended in Popery, and to judge reformation necessary on the other part. Whiles I went on in this manner, I was overruled by the persuasions of some friends to accept of a parsonage; whereunto I was drawne against my will. If I offended God in undertaking |