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    Untitled Article

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    With such 'frit ? n < h hips , and with 31 well known disposition for itiquiry , and an aidentlove of truth , we cannot be surprised that ChiU Jingworth turned his attention to ihe controversy between the Protestants and Papists , which in -his day chiefly agitated men ' s

    minds . He contracted an acquaintance at Osford , with a ce-Jebrated Jesuit , who went under the name of John Fisher , but whose true name was John Perse or Percey ; who was very active in making converts to the Church of Rome . f The Jesuit urged upon the vouns ; inquirer the

    necessity of an infallible living judge in matters at faith ; an argument which would seem irresistible if it be . previousl y admitted , as in the Church of England , that the Church hath power to decree ce » remonies , to decide controversies and to impose articles and creeds upon her members . To concede this authority to a fallible head is a manifest practical absurdity . But if this power be necessary to the church , and be inherent in

    any visible body , the superior pretensions of the Church of Rome can scarcel y be disputed . Led by this reasoning , the ingenuous Chili ing worth forsook the

    comsi tor of truth , the sometimes quaint , but rarely mean and commonly eloquent writer , qne-of . tbe few theological authors who are at the same time witty and accurate * instructive and amusing , —we may perhaps & ive some account , hereafter , with selections from his Works .

    f See Des Maizeaux' Hist , and Crit . Account of ike Life and Writings of Wm . Chi } lingworth . yvo . 1725 . pp . 5 , -6 . Nbte > With Fisher , Laud had a Conference , 24 th of May , i ( j 22 , by order of the King - the account of which is in print ,

    Untitled Article

    munion of the Church of England , and , " with an incredible satisfaction of mind , embraced the Romish religion * " * Soon after his conversion he addressed the following letter to his very loving friend ( for so runs the superscription ) Mr . Gilbert Sheldon *

    u Good Mr . Sheldon . —Partly mine own necessities and fears , and partly charity to some others , have drawn me out of London

    into the countrey . One particular cause , and not the least , was the news of your sickness , which had I found it had continued with you with any danger ; no danger

    of my own should have kept ma from you . I am very glad to hear of your recovery , but sorry that your occasions do draw you so suddenlv to London . Bur . I

    nravleave a direction with Charles Green where you may be bpoken . with , and how ] may send to you ; and you shall very shortly hear further from me . iUean while let

    me intreat you to consider most seriously of theSe two queries : ——•* 1 , Whether it be not evident from scripture and fathers and reason ; fiora tlie goodness of God and the necessity of mankindf that there must be some one

    church infallible in matters of faith ? " 2 . Whether there be any " other society of men in . lie world .

    besides the church of Home , that either can upon good warrant , or indeed at all , challenge to itself the privilege of infallibility ity matter of taith i

    ** When you have applied your most-attentive consideration upon these questions , I d > assure

    my-* Dc » Maueauf , p . 7 . '

    Untitled Article

    Brief Memoir of Mr . Chillingwortk , M

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Jan. 2, 1814, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2436/page/5/