the prince maketh and repealeth laws, as appears most for the safety of the state, and the benefit of the people; but in the church, there is only ONE LAWGIVER, even JESUS CHRIST. 18. Is the Queen of England the chief governor under Christ, over the whole church and state ecclesiastical in this realm, or but a member of it? And may the church of England be established without the magistrate? This is answered under the seventeenth article. 19. Is the Queen of England bound to observe the judicial laws of Moses, in the punishment and pardon of criminal offences? We are sure that the law of Moses, was, to the people of Israel, an absolute and a most perfect rule of justice; so that all laws ought to be made according to its equity. Yet, to decide on all particular cases, dare I not. It belongeth to the Lord to say, I will pardon, or I will destroy. 20. May the Queen of England, of herself, and by her own authority, assign and appoint civil officers? I never knew a man who doubted this article. And sure I am, that her majesty, in her wisdom, may do as she thinketh best.* These were the articles proposed to Mr. Deering in the star-chamber, and this was the substance of those answers which he presented to the court in writing. In these answers, says Mr. Strype, he made very ill reflections upon the reformation and religion of the established church.+ Whether this remark be consistent with christian liberality, or even common justice, every reader will easily judge. What could be the design of the commissioners in proposing such inquiries? Some of them relating wholly to matters of state, seem designed to ensnare him. Others were evidently intended to draw him either to approve, or to censure, the corruptions of the church. And in general, it is extremely manifest, that they were put to him, to rack his conscience, and to get something out of him; to make him an offender by his own confession. "For my part," says Mr. Peirce, "when I consider the abominable tyranny of all such proceedings, and the barbarous wickedness of sifting the secrets of mens' hearts, about those matters, of which perhaps they never spoke any thing in their lives; I heartily bless my God that he did not cast my lot in those days, but reserved me for times of greater equity and freedom."+ Parte of a Register, p. 73–80.—Strype's Annals, vol. ii. p. 280, 281. + Strype's Parker, p. 452.- + Peirce's Vindication, part i. p. 81. During Mr. Deering's suspension, the Bishop of London, out of good nature, it is said, interceded with the treasurer, to procure the consent of the council for his liberty to preach again at St. Paul's; upon these conditions, that he taught sound doctrine, exhorted to virtue, dissuaded from vice, and meddled not with matters of order and policy, but left them to the magistrate: and, he said, he believed Mr. Deering would be brought so to do. He thought these gentle dealings the best, for the present, and would quiet the minds of the people. He thought a soft plaster, in such a case, much better than a corrosive. But the treasurer, we are informed, disliked the advice, and sharply reproved the bishop for giving it. At length, however, he prevailed; got Mr. Deering's suspension taken off, and, notwithstanding his puritanical answers to the above articles, procured his restoration to his lecture.* The lords of the council having restored him to his beloved work of preaching, the archbishop and several of the bishops were much offended. Dr. Cox, bishop of Ely, wrote a warm letter to the treasurer, signifying his great disapprobation of the conduct of the council in restoring him, even as a man sound in the faith, and by their own authority, without consulting spiritual men, whose business it was to determine in such cases: and that they ought not to have determined a matter relating to religion without the assistance of those who belonged to the ecclesiastical function. Mr. Deering was, indeed, restored in consequence of the answers he gave to the articles, which articles, it seems, were collected out of Mr. Cartwright's book against Whitgift. Though Bishop Cox said his answers were fond and untrue, the lords of the council thought otherwise, and were satisfied with them. The bishop urged, that in these matters they ought to have consulted the judgment of learned divines, adding, "In all godly assemblies, priests have usually been called, as in parliaments and privy councils." And in the warmth of his zeal, he seemed inclined to move the queen's majesty to oppose and recall the decree of the council: but he trusted that the treasurer would, in his wisdom and godly zeal, undertake to do it himself.+ Our author further adds, that when Mr. Deering and three of his brethren were first cited into the star-chamber, the Bishop of London remained silent, for which the queen afterwards bitterly rebuked him.‡ + Ibid. p. 426, 427. Strype's Parker, p. 426. Although Mr. Deering was again allowed to preach, his troubles were not ended. The Bishop of London, by whose influence he had been restored, appeared soon to repent of what he had done. When he waited upon the bishop, informing him that the council, by their letters, had restored him to his lecture, his grace said he would see the letters, or he should not preach, and added, "That unless he preached more soberly and discreetly than before, he would silence him again." Mr. Deering replied, "If you do forbid me, I think I shall obey." His obedience was, indeed, soon brought to the test; for the bishop silenced him presently after. He brought complaints against him in the star-chamber, and urged the treasurer to procure an order from the queen to put down his lecture. He wrote also to the Earl of Leicester, signifying how much he disliked Mr. Deering's continuance. This was going the right way to work, and he was sure of success. Accordingly, the business was brought before her majesty, who commanded him to be silenced; and a warrant being sent to the bishop for this purpose, he was again suspended.* In the year 1574, the famous Dr. Thomas Sampson being laden with old age and infirmities, was desirous of Mr. Deering succeeding him in his lecture at Whittingtoncollege, London, for which there was a stipend of ten pounds a year. The company of cloth-workers had the power of nomination, and the archbishop had the allowance. Dr. Sampson had no doubt of the company's approbation, but doubted the favour of the archbishop. And, indeed, his doubts were not without foundation; for his grace being moved to allow of Mr. Deering, in case he should be nominated by the company, he utterly refused. Dr. Sampson, however, wrote to Burleigh, the treasurer, earnestly intreating him, in this case, to use his influence with the archbishop. In this letter, he observed, that though the archbishop did not himself like to take pains in the congregation, he should usually carried things with a very high hand, expecting all to bow to her will and pleasure. This arbitrary temper she exercised over her own clergy, as well as others. Dr. Nowell, dean of St. Paul's, and one of the queen's chaplains, having spoken less reverently of the sign of the cross, in a sermon preached before her majesty, she called aloud to him from her closet window, commanding him to retire from that ungodly digression, and return to his text.-On another occasion, Elizabeth and the Earl of Essex not exactly agreeing in a point of political prudence, this sovereign lad☛ was so exceedingly provoked, that she gave him a box on the ear, and bid him "go and be hanged.”—Heylin's Hist. of Refor, p. 124. Edit. 1670.— Rapin's Hist. vol. ii. p. 149. • Strype's Parker, p. 428. not hinder or forbid others, who were both able and willing. He could say of Mr. Deering, that his grace of Canterbury could find no fault with him, either in his doctrine or his life. Also, that it was no great promotion, but a place in which, by the labours of Mr. Deering, he doubted not that her majesty's subjects would be much profited. It was all to no purpose. The archbishop remembered his former nonconformity, but especially his puritanical answers to the articles in the star-chamber; and, therefore, remained inflexible, and would not admit him. * At length, Mr. Deering being worn out by hard labours and manifold troubles, fell sick; and perceiving his dissolution to approach, he said to his friends, "The good Lord pardon my great negligence, that, while I had time, I used not his precious gifts more for the advancement of his glory, as I might have done: yet I bless God, that I have not abused those gifts to ambition and vain studies. When I am dead, my enemies will be reconciled to me; excepting such as knew me not, or such as have in them no sense of the truth. I have faithfully, and with a good conscience, served the Lord my God, and my prince." A brother minister standing by him, said, "It is a great blessing to you, that you shall depart in peace, and be taken from many troubles, which your brethren shall behold and suffer.” To whom he replied, "If the Lord hath appointed that his saints shall sup together in heaven, why do I not go to them? But if there be any doubt or hesitation resting on my spirit, the Lord reveal the truth unto me." Having for some time lain still, a friend who attended him, said, that he hoped his mind had been employed in holy meditation; to whom he thus replied: "A poor wretch and a miserable man that I am, the least of all saints, the chief of all sinners! yet I trust in Christ my Saviour. Yet a little while, and we shall see our hope. The end of the world is coming upon us; and we shall quickly receive the end of our hope, which we have so much looked for. Afflictions, diseases, sickness, and grief, are only parts of that portion which God hath allotted us in this world. It is not enough to continue some time in his ways; we must persevere in the fear of the Lord to the end of our days. For in a moment we shall be taken away. Take heed, therefore, that you do not make sport of the word of God, nor lightly esteem so great a treasure. Strype's Parker, p. 469, 470. VOL. I. Blessed are they who, while they have tongues, use them to God's glory." As the hour of his dissolution approached, being raised up in bed, his friends desired him to say something to their edification and comfort. The sun shining in his face, he thus addressed them: "As there is only one sun in the world, so there is only one righteousness, and one communion of saints. If I were the most excellent creature in the world, equal in righteousness to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, yet would I confess myself to be a sinner, and that I expected salvation in the righteousness of Jesus Christ alone: for we all stand in need of the grace of God. As for my death, I bless God, I find and feel so much comfort and joy in my soul, that if I were put to my choice, whether to die or live, I would a thousand times rather choose death than life, if it was the holy will of God." He died soon after, June 26, 1576.* Fuller denominates Mr. Deering a pious man, a painful preacher, and an eminent divine; but disaffected to bishops and ceremonies.+ Mr. Strype says, he was disliked by the bishops, and some other great personages, as a man vain and full of fancies, because he would tell them of their common swearing and covetousness. He would not associate with persecutors; and was much grieved when the benefice of a great parish was given to an unpreaching minister. Yet, says he, it was Mr. Deering's common fault to tell lies.‡ Does not this look like a slander? What did the excellent Dr. Sampson say of him, as already noticed, who knew him well? Surely, if this had been his common fault, having so many enemies constantly and narrowly watching him, his sin would have found him out. Granger gives a very different account of him. "The happy death," says he, "of this truly religious man, was suitable to the purity and integrity of his life." He is classed with the other learned writers and fellows of Christ's college, Cambridge.|| Mr. Deering was a man of great learning, and a fine orator; but in his sermon before the queen, February 25, 1569, he had the boldness to say, "If you have sometimes said (meaning in the days of her sister Mary,) tanquam ovis, as a sheep appointed to be slain; take heed you hear not * Account annexed to Mr. Deering's Redivivus, p. 341, 342. + Fuller's Church Hist. b. ix. p. 109. § Granger's Biog. Hist. vol. i. P. 215. Lects. on Heb.-Fuller's Abel Strype's Parker, p. 381, 429. |