Earbury, exulting at the victory, which, not hi own abilities, but the fubtilty of the foldier had procured him, began to vent his notions of every kind without fcruple, and at length afferted, that "the "Saints had an equal measure of the divine nature "with our Saviour, though not equally manifeft." At the fame time he took upon him the dignity of a prophet, and began to utter predictions relating to the affairs of England and Ireland.

His prophecies were not much regarded, but his doctrine was cenfured by the Prefbyterians in their pulpits; and Mr. Clieynel challenged him to a difputation, to which he agreed, and at his first appearance in St. Mary's church addreffed his audience in the following manner:

"Chriftian friends, kind fellow-foldiers, and wor"thy ftudents, I, the humble fervant of all mankind, "am this day drawn, against my will, out of my cell, "into this public affembly, by the double chain of ac"cufation and a challenge from the pulpit. I have "been charged with herefy; I have been challenged to "come hither in a letter written by Mr. Francis Chey"nel. Here then I ftand in defence of myself and my "doctrine, which I fhall introduce with only this de"claration, that I claim not the office of a minifter on 66 account of any outward call, though I formerly re"ceived ordination, nor do I boast of illumination, or "the knowledge of our Saviour, though I have been "held in esteem by others, and formerly by myself. "For I now declare, that I know nothing, and am "nothing, nor would I be thought of otherwife than "as an enquirer and feeker."

He

He then advanced his former pofition in ftronger terms, and with additions equally deteftable, which Cheynel attacked with the vehemence which, in fo warm a temper, fuch horrid affertions might naturally excite. The difpute, frequently interrupted by the clamours of the audience, and tumults raised to dif concert Cheynel, who was very unpopular, continued about four hours, and then both the controvertists grew weary and retired. The Prefbyterians afterwards thought they should more speedily put an end to the herefies of Earbury by power than by argument; and, by foliciting General Fairfax, procured his removal.

Mr. Cheynel published an account of this difpute under the title of "Faith triumphing over Error and

Heresy in a Revelation," &c. nor can it be doubted but he had the victory, where his caufe gave him fo great fuperiority.

Somewhat before this, his captious and petulant dif pofition engaged him in a controverfy, from which he could not expect to gain equal reputation. Dr. Hammond had not long before publifhed his Practical Catechifm, in which Mr. Cheynel, according to his custom, found many errors implied, if not afferted; and therefore, as it was much read, thought it convenient to cenfure it in the pulpit. Of this Dr. Hammond being informed, defired him in a letter to communicate his objections; to which Mr. Cheynel returned an answer, written with his ufual temper, and therefore fomewhat perverfe. The controverfy was drawn out to a confiderable length; and the papers on both fides were afterwards made public by Dr. Hammond,

VOL, IV,

In

In 1647, it was determined by parliament, that the reformation of Oxford fhould be more vigorously carried on; and Mr. Cheynel was nominated one of the visitors. The general process of the vifitation, the firmness and fidelity of the students, the address by which the enquiry was delayed, and the steadiness with which it was oppofed, which are very particularly re lated by Wood, and after him by Walker, it is not neceffary to mention here, as they relate not more to Dr. Cheynel's life than to thofe of his affociates.

There is, indeed, fome reason to believe that he was more active and virulent than the reft, because he appears to have been charged in a particular manner with fome of their most unjuftifiable measures. He was accused of propofing, that the members of the Univerfity should be denied the affistance of counfel, and was lampooned by name, as a madman, in a fatire written on the vifitation.

One action, which fhews the violence of his temper, and his difregard both of humanity and decency, when they came in competition with his paffions, must not be forgotten. The vifitors, being offended at the obstinacy of Dr. Fell, Dean of Chrift-church,' and Vicechancellor of the Univerfity, having firft deprived him of his vice-chancellorfhip, determined afterwards to difpoffefs him of his deanery; and, in the courfe of their proceedings, thought it proper to feize upon his chambers in the college. This was an act which moft men would willingly have referred to the officers to whom the law affigned it; but Cheynel's fury prompted him to a different conduct. He, and three more of the vifitors, went and demanded admiffion; which, being fteadily refused them, they obtained by the affif

tance

tance of a file of foldiers, who forced the doors with pick-axes. Then entering, they faw Mrs. Fell in the lodgings, Dr. Fell being in prifon at London, and or dered her to quit them; but found her not more obfequious than her husband. They repeated their orders with menaces, but were not able to prevail upon her. to remove. They then retired, and left her exposed to the brutality of the foldiers, whom they commanded to keep poffeffion; which Mrs. Fell however did not leave. About nine days afterwards the received another vifit of the fame kind from the new chancellor, the earl of Pembroke; who having, like the others, ordered her to depart without effect, treated her with reproachful language, and at last commanded the foldiers to take her up in her chair, and carry her out of doors. Her daughters, and fome other gentlewomen that were with her, were afterwards treated in the fame manner; one of whom predicted, without dejection, that the fhould enter the house again with lefs difficulty, at fome other time; nor was fhe miftaken in her conjecture, for Dr. Fell lived to be reftored to his deanery.

At the reception of the chancellor, Cheynel, as the most accomplished of the vifitors, had the province of prefenting him with the enfigns of his office, fome of which were counterfeit, and addreffing him with a proper oration. Of this fpeech, which Wood has preferved, I fhall give fome paffages, by which a judgement may be made of his oratory.

σε

Of the staves of the beadles he obferves, that "fome are ftained with double guilt, that fome are pale with fear, and that others have been made ufe of as "crutches, for the fupport of bad caufes and defpe

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"rate fortunes;" and he remarks of the book of ftatutes which he delivers, that "the ignorant may "perhaps admire the fplendor of the cover, but the "learned know that the real treasure is within." Of these two sentences it is easily discovered, that the first is forced and unnatural, and the fecond trivial and low.

Soon afterwards Mr. Cheynel was admitted to the degree of Bachelor of Divinity, for which his grace had been denied him 1641, and, as he then fuffered for an ill-timed affertion of the Prefbyterian doctrines, he obtained that his degree should be dated from the time at which he was refused it; an honour, which, however, did not fecure him from being foon after publicly reproached as a madman.

But the vigour of Cheynel was thought by his companions to deferve profit as well as honour; and Dr. Bailey, the prefident of St. John's College, being not more obedient to the authority of the parliament than the reft, was deprived of his revenues and authority, with which Mr. Cheynel was immediately invested; who, with his usual coolness and modefty, took posfeffion of the lodgings foon after by breaking open the doors.

This preferment being not thought adequate to the deferts or abilities of Mr. Cheynel, it was therefore defired, by the committee of parliament, that the visitors would recommend him to the lectureship of divinity founded by the Lady Margaret. To recommend him and to choose was at that time the fame; and he had now the pleasure of propagating his darling doctrine of predeftination, without interruption, and without danger.

Being