As for his peculiar Opinions: such as the utter and everlasting Rejection of the Jews, his different judgment about the four Monarchies, his interpretation of some things in the Revelations and some others, that may be observed in his Writings, and in his Di∣sputes in the Assembly of Divines; there is this that may be apologized for them, that if they were not true, yet they were innocent, such as made no breach either upon the Churches Peace, or the Analogy of Faith: two things, that he was ever most tender of, Innocua, ut spero, proponens semper. Propounding, I hope, such things as are always harmless. As he speaks in his Epistle before the Horae upon S. John. And before another, I hope it will not give offence upon this account, that if I am mistaken I mistake only in Historical mat∣ters, as most things are, that create difficulty here, (viz. The Epistle to the Corinthians:) where there is no fear of infringing the Analogy of Faith, or the Doctrine of the Church. And so long as these are preserved safe, it seems allowable, especially for learned Men, offer∣ing fair probabilities, to abound in their own sense.
He was indeed a Member of the Assembly of Divines, and long after that (I think) one of those, who at the beginning of the Kings joyful Return were appointed to con∣fer with the Episcopal Divines at the Savoy: whereby it appears that he bended some∣time towards Puritanism. It was indeed his unhappiness, as well as of many other pious well meaning Men, to live in those times of Temptation; whereinto if they fell, it was because they were not Politicians enough to see the bad consequences of those smooth and fair pretences. I may plead for him, that it was his credulity, not his malice, or any evil design that made him err. He was carried away with their Dissimulation, (and there was an Apostle once was so) and that the more easily, being a Man of an innocent and unsuspicious nature, especially when such goodly things as Religion and Reformati∣on were so much boasted: And I make no doubt he afterwards was convinced how he had been trepanned, and saw his error, as appeared sufficiently by his ready compliance with the Laws and orders of the established Church upon the happy Restauration: and encouraging his Sons also to the same, who were both conformable men of the Clergy. He never was a Bigot, or a busie officious Man, always rather Passive than Active, unless in the Assembly. And then generally those matters wherein he stirred were such points, as in which the very Locks of the Presbyterians strength lay, which he for the most part op∣posed. And certainly when we consider, how he thwarted their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, their chief principles; arguing against Lay Elders, standing for general admittance to the Sa∣crament, for Forms of Prayers, and many such like, the Presbyterians could never reckon him truly theirs; and I am apt to think, they wished him more than once out of their Assembly. Indeed he was then rather a Man at large by himself, that followed his own Studies, than followed any party of Men, and promoted true goodness, as far as in him lay. In those times he particularly made these three or four things his main Drift, viz. To beat down Enthusiasm, which he plainly saw tended to the enervating the Au∣thority of the Holy Scriptures; To maintain the honour of Learning and a Regular Clergy; and to shew the necessity of keeping up publick Communion with the Natio∣nal Church: whereby unquestionably he did excellent service to the Church in those evil days. He had an excellent faculty in resting out of the Hands of Shismaticks those wea∣pons, that they most confided in. For this I might shew his way of dealing with Enthu∣siasts, Anabaptists, &c. But I will instance only in those that would justifie their separa∣tion, from the word Saints in Scripture, supposing that thereby were meant persons tru∣ly and inwardly Holy. The ignorance of the latitude of this word was then the cause of many bitter contentions, and wild opinions, nay, and of no small danger to all that were not Saints in their account. To this purpose he speaks in a Latine Sermon preach∣ed at Ely, at an Episcopal Visitation held there by the Right Reverend Father in God Benjamin, late Lord Bishop of Ely: Nec periculosius aut terribilius son••it olim Shibboleth Gileaditarum, &c. That the Shibboleth of the Gileadites antiently sounded not more dangerous∣ly, than the Title of Saints of late. Whereas, as he shews in that Sermon, and used to urge in the late times, That by Saints is meant nothing but Christians in opposition to Heathens or Unbelievers. And that the Apostle in that phrase speaks with the common notion of the Jewish Nation; to which 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 In Holiness, signifies no more than Within the Profession of the Jewish Religion, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Not in Holiness signifies as much as In Heathenism.
But it is time to make an end: though I am sensible all that hath been said is far short of what might have been, concerning a Man of his Figure in the Learned World; and what should, if further accounts of him had come to hand from such his Learned friends and acquaintance, as could or would have imparted them. But what hath been written is sufficient to give a Draught of him. Which however defective it may be, it hath this advantage, that it is a true one; these notices being taken partly from such Persons who well knew him, or were related to him; and partly collected out of his Printed Epistles, but chiefly out of abundance of other Letters, loose Papers, Note-books, and other