the letters to Lord Bacon,1 says, "The second is a letter from Dr. Maynwaring to Dr. Rawley, concerning his lordship's Confession of Faith.' This is that Dr. Maynwaring, whose sermon upon Eccles. viii. 2, etc., gave such high offence, about one hundred and fifty years ago. "For some doctrines, which he noteth in his lordship's confession, the reader ought to call to mind, the times in which his lordship wrote them, and the distaste of that court against the proceedings of Barnevelt, whose state-faction blemished his creed.

Of this tract there are various MSS. in the British Museum, and one apparently in Lord Bacon's handwriting. It is stated in one of the MSS. to have been written before or when Sir Francis Bacon was Solicitor General, and in the Remains it is entitled, "Confession of Faith, written by Sir Francis Bacon, knight, Viscount St. Albans, about the time the Solicitor General to our late Sovereign Lord King James."5

beholding the same in the face of a mediator; and therefore that before him, with whom all things are present, the Lamb of God was slain before all worlds; without which eternal counsel of his, it was impossible for him to have descended to any work of creation; but he should have enjoyed the blessed and individual society of three persons in Godhead only forever.'

"This point I have heard some divines question, whether God, without Christ, did pour his love upon the creature? and I had sometimes a dispute with Dr. Sharp* of your university, who held that the emanation of the Father's love to the creature was immediate. His reason, amongst others, was taken from that text, 'So God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.' Something of that point I have written amongst my papers, which on the sudden I cannot light upon. But I remember that I held the point in the negative, and that St. Austin, in his comment on the fifth chapter to the Romans, gathered by Beda, is strong that way.

"In page 413, line penult, are these words:

"God, by the reconcilement of the Mediator, turning his countenance towards his creatures, (though not in equal light and degree,) made way unto the dispensation of his most holy and secret will, whereby some of his creatures might stand and keep their state; others might, possibly, fall, and be restored; and others might fall, and not be restored in their estate, but yet remain in being, although under wrath and corruption; all with respect to the Mediator; which is the great mystery, and perfect centre of all God's ways with his creatures; and unto which all his other works and wonders do but serve and refer.'

"Here absolute reprobation seems to be defended, in that the will of God is made the reason of the not-restitution of some; at leastwise his lordship seems to say, that 'twas God's will that some should fall, unless that may be meant of voluntas permissival, (his will of permission.)

"In page 414, 1. 10, where he saith, (amongst the generations of men he elected a small flock,) if that were admitted (of fallen men,) it would not be amiss; lest any should conceive that his lordship had meant, the decree had passed on massa incorrupta, (on mankind considered before the fall.)

"In page 415, 1. 8, are these words:

"Man made a total defection from God, presuming to imagine, that the commandments and prohibitions of God were not the rules of good and evil, but that good and evil had their own principles and beginnings.'

"Consider whether this be a rule universal, that the commands and prohibitions of God are the rules of good and evil. For, as St. Austin saith, many things are prohibita quia mala (for that reason forbidden, because they are evil :) as those sins which the schools call specifical.

"In page 415, 1. antepen. are these words:

"The three heavenly unities exceed all natural unities. That is to say, the unity of the three Persons in Godhead, the unity of God and man in Christ, and the unity of Christ and the church; the Holy Ghost being the worker of both these latter unities; for by the Holy Ghost was Christ incarnate, and quickened in flesh; and by the Holy Ghost is man regenerate, and quickened in spirit.'

"Here two of the unities are ascribed to the Holy Ghost. The first seems excluded; yet divines say, that Spiritus Sanctus & amor, & vinculum Patris & Filii, (the Holy Ghost is the love and the bond of the Father and the Son.) "In page 416, 1. 12, are these words:

"Christ accomplished the whole work of the redemption and restitution of man to a state superior to the angels.' "This (superior) seems to hit upon that place, ioáyyɛλot, Luke xx. 36, which argues but equality. Suarez (De Angelis, lib. 1, cap. 1,) saith, that angels are superior to men, quoad gradum intellectualem, & quoad immediatam habitationem ad Deum, (both in respect of the degree of their intellectual nature, and of the nearness of their habitation to God) Yet St. Austin affirmeth, naturam humanam in Christo perfectiorem esse angelica, (that the human nature in Christ is more perfect than the angelical.) Consider of this. And thus far, not as a critic, or corrector, but as a learner. For, Corrigere, res est tanto magis ardua, quanto Magnus, Aristarcho major, Homerus erat.

In haste.

1 Baconiana, 103.

Your servant,

ROGER MAYNWARING.”

2 Sloans, 2 copies, 23 Cat. Harleian, vol. 2, 314—vol. 3, 61. Hargrave's p. 62. 3 MSS. Burch, No. 4263.

4 Sloane's, 23, and see in Rawley's observations, ante, 396, where he says, "though he composed the same many years before his death," and the same expression is in the passage from the Opuscula.

5 This tract was republished in 1757. A Confession of Faith, written by the Right Honourable Francis Bacon, Lord Verulam, republished with a Preface on the Subject of Authority in Religious Matters, and adapted to the Exigency of the present Times. London, printed for W. Owen, at Temple-Bar, 1757, 8vo. pp. 26, and in the second volume of Butler's Reminiscences, recently published, in page 232, there is a letter from Dr. Parr containing the following, "You know there is no doubt as to the authenticity of the Confession of Faith, ascribed to Lord Bacon. I am perplexed with it. Was he serious? I mean serious all through? Does he mean it for a tentamen? What inference would Hume have drawn from it?" And in a manuscript kindly communicated to me by Mr. Barker, the doctor says, "that Bacon admitted the received doctrine of the Trinity, is obvious, from the prayer made by him when Chancellor of England, and from various passages of the most unequivocal and emphatical kind in his Confession of Faith.

*The same, I think, who was committed to the Tower, having taught Hoskins his allusion to the Sicilian Vespers. See Reliqu. Wotton, p. 434. Dr. Tenison.

EDITOR'S PREFACE.

AN ADVERTISEMENT TOUCHING THE CONTROVERSIES OF THE CHURCH OF

ENGLAND.

This was first published in the year 1641, without the author's name.1 title:

A Wise and Moderate Discourse,

concerning

Church Affaires,

As it was written, long since, by the fa

mous Authour of those Consi

derations, which seem to

have some reference

to this.

Now published for the common good.

Imprinted in the yeere 1641.

It was next published with the present title, in the Resuscitatio.

The following is the

In this tract upon Church Controversies, an arrangement, although not formerly declared, may, as in the Sylva Sylvarum, easily be perceived. the consideration of ecclesiastical controversialists, is as follows:

The method, with a few extracts well worthy

§ I.

§ II.

1. High nature.

The high mysteries of faith....

412

ib.

I. RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSIES WILL EXIST, II. NATURE OF RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSIES. AND PARTICULARLY IN TIMES OF PEACE. When the fiery trial of persecution ceaseth, there succeedeth another trial, which, as it were, by contrary blasts of doctrine doth sift and winnow 2. men's faith.

Minor nature, ceremonies, and things indif-
The great parts of the worship of God..
ferent, or those parts of religion which per-
tain to time, not to eternity...

ib.

There is a copy in the British Museum, and MSS. Ays. 4263 In Blackburne's edition, vol. i. 192, he thus notices this tract: "Next follows an Advertisement touching the controversies of the Church of England, p. 418. This treatise was originally printed in the year 1641, without the author's name and under a different title: called, "A wise and moderate discourse concerning church affairs; as it was written long since, by the famous author of those considerations, which seem to have some reference to this." It is plain from p. 428, that it was wrote in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Dr. Sancroft had collated and corrected this piece in more than a hundred places: and I am to ask the reader's pardon for mislaying the copy containing these his farther emendations.

P. 419, 1. 23, parts, r. some things, his.

P. 420, 1. 6, zeal, r. hate.

1. 38, resemble, r. agree.

P. 423, 1. 33, r. pretend zeal.

P. 424, 1. 39, r. seduce the people.
P. 428, 1. 3, exercise, r. waste.
P. 429, 1. 18, r. grope for.

So that I conceive abundant justice is done to this part of our noble author's works.

2 Dr. Rawley, in his address to the Reader, in the Sylva Sylvarum, says—“ I have heard his lordship say also, that one great reason why he would not put these particulars into any exact method, (though he that looketh attentively into them shall find that they have a secret order, was, because he conceived that other men would now think that they could do the like."

3 The following is an analysis of this subject, at all times of importance, but particularly to a Christian in Christian Controversy.

1. Religious controversies will exist, and particularly in times of peace.

2. Nature of Religious Controversies.

3. Virtues of Religious Controversies.
1. Christian Forbearance.

2. Christian Demeanor.

3. Christian Language.

4. Vices in Controversies.

1. The Vices of the Clergy.

2. Nature and Humour of Men, 415.

3. Detestation of former Heresy, ib.

4. Imitation of Foreign Churches, 416.

2. In their extension, 417.

Conduct of Reformers

Anti-reformers

EDITOR'S PREFACE.

THE CHARACTERS OF A BELIEVING CHRISTIAN IN PARADOXES AND SEEM-
ING CONTRADICTIONS.

This tract, published as it seems in the year 1645, was, in 1648, inserted in the Remains, and in 1730 in Blackburn's edition of Lord Bacon's works. Its authenticity seems to be very doubtful. It was inserted in Blackburn's edition, after the following notice :-"The following fragments were never acknowledged by Dr. Rawley, among the genuine writings of the Lord Bacon; nor dare I say that they come up to the spirit of penetration of our noble author. However, as they are vouched to be authentic in an edition of the Remains of the Lord Verulam, printed 1648; and as Archbishop Sancroft has reflected some credit on them by a careful review, having in very many instances corrected and prepared them for the press, among the other unquestioned writing of his lordship; for these reasons I have assigned them this place, and left every reader to form his own judgment about their importance:" and in a letter from Dr. Parr to his legatee and biographer, E. H. Barker, the doctor says, "it is, however, well known, that some of his fragments were not acknowledged by Dr. Rawley to be genuine, though vouched to be authentic in an edition of the Remains of Lord Verulam, printed in 1648, and though examined, corrected, and prepared for the press by Archbishop Sancroft among the other unquestionable writings of Bacon. Among those fragments are the Characters of a believing Christian, in paradoxes and seeming contradictions, compared with the copy printed Lond. 1645. The paradoxes are thirty-four; but it is sufficient for my purpose to quote the 2d and 3d. After frequent and most attentive perusal, I am convinced that these Fragments were written by Bacon, and intended only for a trial of his skill in putting together propositions, which appear irreconcileable, and that we ought to be very wary in drawing from such a work any positive conclusions upon the real and settled faith of Lord Bacon. Bacon perhaps was sincere, when he said, I had rather believe all the fables in the Legend, and the Talmud, and the Alcoran, than that this universal frame is without a mind.' But to many parts of the paradoxes we may apply his remark upon the fool, who said in his heart, but did not think There is no God.' these things for a trial of skill, as the fool talked by rote, than that he really believed them, or was He rather said persuaded of them.

I subjoin the evidence, external and internal, which I have been able to discover in favour and in opposition to their authenticity.

The following are the external reasons against their authenticity-1st, Soon after Lord Bacon's death there were various spurious works ascribed to him, with which the Remains abound.3-2dly, This tract is not recognised by Dr. Rawley, who in his address to the reader in his Resuscitatio, does not mention it amongst the theological works which he enumerates, although he says, "I have compiled in one whatsoever bears the true stamp of his lordship's excellent genius, and hath hitherto

1 In Dr. Parr's annexed letter, it appears to have been published in 1645; and in Vol. I. of Blackburn's edition, he says, speaking of Archbishop Sancroft, to the characters of a believing Christian in paradoxes, &c. compared with the other copy printed in 1615, I have not been able to see a copy of the tract published in 1645.—B. M.

2 See Bacon's Essay on Atheism.

Dr. Parr does not speak with as much confidence in a letter to Mr. C. Butler, published in the second volume of Butler's Reminiscences, page 233, where he says, "But now comes a real difficulty. believing Christian in paradoxes and seeming contradictions?' What shall we say to the Character of a means to deride the belief of Christianity, could he have done it more effectually than in the work just now alluded to? Here I am quite at a loss to determine. If an ingenious man Mr. Hume would say-No. There is some uncertainty as to the authenticity of this little tract. I suspect that Bacon meant to try his strength, and then to return quietly to the habitual conviction of his mind, that Christianity is true."

3 In Rawley's Epistle to the Reader in the Resuscitatio, he says, "for some of the pieces, herein contained, his lordship did not aim at the publication of them, but at the preservation only, and prohibiting them from perishing, so as to have been reposed in some private shrine, or library: but now, for that, through the loose keeping of his lordship's papers, whilst he lived, divers surreptitious copies have been taken; which have since employed the press with sundry corrupt and mangled editions; whereby nothing hath been more difficult than to find the Lord Saint Alban in the Lord Saint Alban; and which have presented (some of them) rather a fardle of nonsense, than any true expressions of his lordship's happy vein; I thought myself in a sort tied to vindicate these injuries and wrongs done to the monuments of his lordship's pen; and at once, by setting forth the true and genuine writings themselves, to prevent the like invasions for the time to come." Archbishop Tenison says, "This general acceptance of his works has exposed him to that ill and unjust usage which is common to eminent writers. And For on such are fathered, sometime spurious treatises; sometimes most corrupt copies of good originals; sometimes their essays and first thoughts upon good subjects, though laid aside by thein unprosecuted and uncorrected; and sometimes the very toys of their youth, written by them in trivial or loose arguments, before they had arrived either at ripeness of judgment, or sobriety of temper. The veriest straws (like that of Father Garnet) are shown

to the world as admirable reliques, if the least strokes of the image of a celebrated author, does but seem to be upon them.
The press hath been injurious in this kind to the memory of Bishop Andrews, to whom it owed a deep and solemn reve
rence. In such an unbecoming manner it hath dealt, long ago, with the very learned and ingenious author of the Vulgar
Errors. Neither hath the Lord Bacon gone without his share in this injustice from the press.
in the letters printed in the Cabala, and Scrinia, under his name: for Dr. Rawley professed, that though they were not
wholly false, yet they were very corrupt and embased copies.
He hath been ill dealt with
original letters with the copies in that collection, and found them imperfect.
This I believe the rather, having lately compared some
paring the letter of Sir Walter Raleigh to Sir Robert Car, of whom a fame had gone that he had begged his estate; I found
And to make a particular instance; in com-
no fewer than forty different, of which some were of moment.
in octavo, concerning the trial of the Earl and Countess of Somerset and likewise in one in quarto, which beareth the
Our author hath been still worse dealt with, in a pamphlet
title of Bacon's Remains, though there cannot be spied in it, so much as the ruins of his beautiful genius."

slept, and been suppressed, in this present volume, not leaving any thing to a future hand, which I found to be of moment, and communicable to the public, save only some few Latin works, which by God's favour and sufferance, shall soon after follow." And in another part of the same address he says, "I thought myself in a sort tied to vindicate these injuries and wrongs done to the monuments of his lordship's pen; and at once, by setting forth the true and genuine writings themselves, to prevent like invasions for the time to come."-3dly, It is not noticed by Archbishop Tenison, who published the Baconiana in 1679, in which he says, "His lordship's writings upon pious subjects are only these his Confession of Faith, the Questions about a Holy War, and the Prayers in these Remains; and a translation of certain of David's Psalms, into English verse.1-4thly, There is not any MSS. of these Paradoxes.*

The external reasons in favour of their authenticity are, 1st, They are published in the Remains, in 1648, and, although they are not recognised, they are not expressly disowned either in 1657 by Dr. Rawley, or in 1679 by Archbishop Tenison, who does expressly repudiate other works ascribed to Lord Bacon. Whether this silence is negative evidence that the Paradoxes are authentic, or that the friend and admirer of Lord Bacon, after having discredited the Remains, did not deem the Paradoxes entitled to a particular refutation, is a question not free from doubt, if it can be supposed that Dr. Rawley and the archbishop were so insincere as, knowing their reality, to express their opinion of Lord Bacon's religious sentiments, and to censure the author of the Remains, without doing him the justice to acknowledge that the Paradoxes were authentic. 2dly, Dr. Rawley and Archbishop Tenison admit that there were other MSS. in existence. 3dly, The authenticity of the Paradoxes is supposed to have been acknowledged by Archbishop Sancroft; but upon inquiry it will, perhaps, appear that the archbishop only corrected the copy which was inserted in the Remains, by comparing it with the first publication in 1645.8

Such is the external evidence. The internal evidence is either from the thought, or the mode in which the thought is expressed.

The reasons against the authenticity of the Paradoxes, from the nature of the thought, are-1st, If a spirit of piety pervades the Paradoxes, it seems to differ from the spirit which moved upon the mind of Lord Bacon;5 and if the MSS. of this Essay, of which there is not any evidence, had been

1 Baconiana, page 72.

2 I venture to assert this, for I have not been able to find a MSS. I should be happy to have my error corrected.

3 Blackburn, in the fourth volume of his edition of Bacon, A. D. 1730, p. 438, says, "Archbishop Sancroft has reflected some credit on them by a careful review, having in very many instances corrected and prepared them for the press: among the other unquestioned writings of his lordship, I annex some of the passages from Blackburn, where Archbishop Sancroft is mentioned. "Our noble author's letters in the 'Resuscitatio' are in full credit; and yet these are in many instances corrected by Dr. Sancroft, and that uncontestably from MSS.; because the author's subscription, under that prelate's hand, is in several particulars added, as N. X. Your lordship's most humbly in all duty. N. XI. Your lordship's in all humbleness to be commanded.' I say I conceive it evident, that these subscriptions to the printed copy of 1657, do ascertain the additions to be made from original MSS., since they could not be added upon judgment or conjecture, but must be inserted from authority. And this gives sanction to the emendations of these letters contained in the Resuscitatio;' so that I may presume to think this present edition is even more exact than what Dr. Rawley himself published. Blackburn, vol. i. p. 193. In page 458, of vol. iv., he says, "I have added some fragments from the quarto edition of the Remains printed in 1648. That copy has been deservedly treated with great indignation and contempt; being notoriously printed, in a surreptitious and negligent manner. However, I do not remember a single page in this scandalous edition, excepting these fragments and the essay of a king, which does not appear in a more correct dress in some part or other of our noble author's works. This seems to give them a little credit; and Dr. Sancroft having corrected them with so much diligence, as to distinguish where he has done it from printed copies, I have some cause to apprehend that the other copies were amended by unquestionable MSS. of our noble author. The order they appear in is, 1. An Explanation what manner of persons those should be, that are to execute the power or ordinance of the king's prerogative, p. 3. This is corrected in very many places. 2. Short notes for civil conversation, p. 6, interlined in many places, with apt divisions, not observed in the edition of 1648. 3. An Essay on Death, p. 7. This is likewise corrected in very many places, and subdivided as if done from MSS., and made a new work. 4. The Characters of a believing Christian, in paradoxes and seeming contradictions. This in terms of abatement under the archbishop's own hand stands thus: Compared with the other copy, printed Lond. anno, 1645. 5. A Prayer, corrected only in two places, which I must confess does not appear to be cast in the same mould with that printed above, p. 447."

4 In the year 1762, the third edition of a penny tract of the characteristics was published. The following is a copy of the title page of this tract: Characteristics of a Believing Christian in Paradoxes and Seeming Contradictions. By Francis Bacon, Baron of Verulam, Viscount of St. Alban, and Lord High Chancellor of England, with a preface by a clergyman. The Third Edition. London, printed by M. Lewis, in Paternoster Row, 1762, (price one penny.) The following is the preface: In order to prevent a misconstruction of the following paradoxes, it may be needful to inform the reader, that when rightly considered, they are no ways ludicrous, sarcastical, or prophane, but solid, comfortable, and godly truths, taught by the Holy Ghost in the school of experience, and well understood by them who are truly Christians. I do not say, that every babe in Christ can understand them all, but this I think I may venture to affirm, he that understands none of them, hath not yet learned his A. B. C. in the school of Christ. But if any should ask me, why I choose to publish his lordship's paradoxes rather than any other? I answer-1st, Because, though very comprehensive, yet they are but short, and may therefore be easily purchased by the poorer sort of Christians. 2dly, That the minute philosophers and ignoble gentlemen of our day might hence be taught, that a fine gentleman, a sound scholar, and a great philosopher, may be a Christian; since we find not only Paul, a Justin Martyr, &c., but even in our own nation, so great a philosopher as my Lord Bacon, espousing and confessing the Christian verity. In a word, reader, if thou understandest these few paradoxes, bless God for them; if thou understandest them not, thou mayest, like the Eunuch, call in some Philip to thy assistance: but above all permit me to advise thee to ask of the Father of lights, who giveth wisdom liberally and upbraideth not. I am, for Christ's sake, thy friend and servant, F. GREEN. Take any, for instance Paradox 34. "His advocate, his surety shall be his judge; his mortal part shall become immor VOL. II.-51 2 L2