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continual prefence af public exercifes, and by promoting tem perance in the fociety. In November, 1610, he was made prebendary of Normanton in the church of Southwell, and in 1612, his majefty appointed him regius profeffor of divinity at Oxford, in which station he acquired the character of a profound divine, though a more moderate Calvinift than either of his two predeceffors in the divinity chair, Holland and Humphrey; for he countenanced the fublapfarian tenets concerning predeftination. In one of his fermons before the Athen. On univerfity, where he was profeffor, he thus points out the col. 430. oblique methods then practifed by fome perfons, who fecretly favoured popery, to undermine the reformation. "There "were men, fays he, who, under prétence of truth, and "preaching against the Puritans, ftruck at the heart and root " of that faith and religion now eftablished amongst us; "which was the very practice of Parfon's and Campian's

1721. vol. I

counfel, when they came hither to feduce young students; "who, afraid to be expelled if they fhould openly profefs "their converfion, were directed to fpeak freely against the "Puritans, as what would fuffice; fo thefe do not expect to "be accounted Papifts, because they fpeak only against Pu"ritans; but because they are indeed Papifts, they speak. "nothing against them: or if they do, they beat about the "bufh; and that foftly too, for fear of difquieting the birds' "that are in it." Dr. Laud, then prefent, was fo much fufpected to be one of those perfons here hinted at, that the whole auditory applied these reflections to him; nay, Laud himfelf wrote a letter to the bishop of Lincoln, complaining, "that he was fain to fit patiently at the rehearsal of this " fermon, though abused almost an hour together, being "pointed at as he fat; yet would have taken no notice of "it, but that the whole univerfity applied it to him; and ❝his friends told him he should fink in his credit, if he an"swered-not Dr. Abbot in his own: neverthelefs, he would "be patient, and defired his lordship would vouchfafe him "fome direction." But as Laud made no anfwer, it is likely the bishop advised him againft it. The fame of Dr. Abbot's Rushworth, lectures became very great; and thofe which he gave upon vol.1. p. 62. the fupreme power of Kings against Bellarmine and Suarez fo much pleased-his majefty, that when the fee of Salisbury became vacant, he named him to that bishoprick, and he was confecrated- by his own brother at Lambeth, December 331615 When he came to Salisbury he found the cathedral running to decay, through the negligence and Covetoufness of the clergy belonging to it; however, he found

means

Fuller's wor

thies of Eng Land in Sur

rey,

means to draw five hundred pounds from the prebendaries, Featly's life which he applied to the reparation of this church; he then gave of bp. Abbot. himself up to the duties of his function with great diligence

P. 49.

and affiduity, vifiting his whole diocese in perfon, and preaching every Sunday, whilft health would permit, which was not long; for his fedentary life, and clofe application to study, brought upon him the gravel and ftone, of which he died on the 2d of March, 1617, in the fifty-eighth year of his age; having not filled the fee quite two years and three months; and being one of the five bishops which Salisbury Fuller, ib. had in fix years. He was buried oppofite to the bishop's feat

Ibid.

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in the cathedral. Dr. Fuller, fpeaking of the two brothers, fays, that George was the more plaufible preacher, Robert "the greateft fcholar; George the abler statesman, Robert "the deeper divine; gravity did frown in George, and smile in Robert." Robert had been twice married, and his fecond marriage gave fome difpleasure to the archbishop. He left one fon, and one daughter, Martha, who was married to Sir Nathaniel Brent, warden of Merton college in Oxford (a).

(a) Dr. Abbot wrote the follow- tholic, being an apology against Dr. ing pieces: Bishop's reproof of the defence of the reformed catholic, 1611.

1. The mirror of popish subtilties: difcovering the fhifts which a cavilling papift, in behalf of Paul Spence, a priest, hath gathered out of Sanders and Bellarmine, &c. concerning the facraments, &c. 1594..

2. The exaltation of the kingdom and priesthood of Chrift, a fermon on the 10th pfalm.

3. Antichrifti demonftratio; contra fabulas pontificias, & ineptam Belarmini, &c. dedicated to king James, 1603.

4. Defence of the reformed catholic of Mr. W. Perkins, against the baftard counter catholic of Dr. William Bishop, feminary priest.

5. The old way, a fermon, at St. Mary's, Oxon, 1610.

6. The true ancient Roman Ca

7. Antilogia: adverfus apologiam Andreæ Eudæmon Johannis Jefuitæ, pro Henrico Garnetto Jefuito proditore, 1513:

8. De gratia & perfeverantia fan&torum, exercitationes habitæ in academia Oxonienfi, 1618.

9. In Ricardi Thomfoni, AngliBelgici Diatribam, de amiffione & interceffione juftificationis & gratiæ, animadverfio brevis, 1618.

10. De fuprema poteftate regia, exercitationes habitæ in academia Oxonienfi contra Rob. Bellarmine, 1619. He alfo left behind him feveral manuscripts, which Dr. Corbet made a prefent of to the Bodleian library.

ABELARD (Peter) one of the most celebrated doctors of the twelfth century, was born in the village of Palais, fix miles from Nantz, in Britainy; being of an acute genius, he applied himself to logic with more fuccefs than any other ftudy he travelled to feveral places on purpofe to exercise himfelf in this fcience, difputing wherever he went, discharg

ing his fyllogifms on all fides, and feeking every opportunity to fignalize himself in difputation. He finifhed his ftudies at Paris; in this city he found that famous profeffor of philofophy William de Champeaux, with whom he was at first in high favour, but did not continue fo long; for this profeffor being puzzled to answer all the subtle objections started by Abelard, grew at laft out of humour, and began to hate him. The school foon ran into parties; the senior pupils, out of envy to Abelard, joined with their mafter: this only heightened the prefumption of our young philofopher, who now began to think himself compleatly qualified to instruct others, and for this purpose he erected an academy at Melun, where the French court then refided. Champeaux used every method in his power to hinder the establishment of this school; but as he had powerful enemies, his oppofition promoted the fuccefs of his rival. The fame of this new logical Abelard. profeffor spread greatly, and eclipsed that of Champeaux; epift. p. 5. and Abelard was fo much elated, that he removed his school to Corbeil, that be might harass his enemy the closer in more frequent difputations; but his exceffive application to study brought upon him an illness, which obliged him to remove to his native air. After two years ftay in Britany, he returned to Paris, where Champeaux, though he had refigned his profefforship, and was entered amongst the canons regular, yet continued to teach amongst them. Abelard difputed against him on the nature of universals with such strength of argument, that he obliged him to renounce his opinion, which was abstracted Spinozifm unexplained. This brought the monk into fuch contempt, and gained his antagonist fo much reputation, that the lectures of the former were wholly deferted, and the profeffor himfelf, in whofe favour Champeaux had refigned, gave up the chair to Abelard, and became one of his hearers. But no fooner was he raised to this dignity, than he found himself more and more exposed to the darts of envy. The canon-regular got the profeffor, who had given up the chair to Abelard, to be difcarded, under pretext of his having been guilty of fome obfcene practices, and one, who was a violent enemy to Abelard, fucceeded. Abelard, upon this, left Paris, and went to Melun, to teach logic as formerly: he did not continue there long; for as foon as he heard that Champeaux was retired to a village with his whole community, he pofted himself on mount St. Genevieve, and there erected his fchool like a battery against the profeffor, who taught at Paris. Champeaux finding his friend thus befieged in his school, brought back the

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canons-regular to their convent; but this, inftead of extricating him, was the cause of his being deferted by all his pupils, and foon after this poor philofopher entered into a convent. Abelard and Champeaux were now the only antagonists, and the fenior was far from having the advantage. Before the conteft was finifhed, Abelard was obliged to go to fee his mother, who, after the example of her husband, was about to retire to a cloyfter. At his return to Paris he found his rival promoted to the bishoprick of Chalons; so that now having it in his power to give up his fchool without the imputation of flying from the field, he refolved to apply himfelf wholly to the ftudy of divinity, and for this purpose removed to Laon, where Anfelm gave lectures on theology with great applaufe. Abelard, however, upon his hearing him, had no opinion of his capacity (a), and therefore, inftead of attending his lectures, he refolved to read divinity to his fellow ftudents, He accordingly explained the prophecies of Ezekiel in fuch a fatisfactory manner, that he foon had a crowded audience. This raifed the jealoufy of Anfelm, to fuch a degree, that he ordered Abelard to leave off his lectures. Abelard upon this returned to Paris, where he explained Ezekiel in public with fo much fuccefs, that in a fhort time he became as famous for his knowledge in divinity as philofophy, and his encouragement was fo confiderable, that he was enabled to live in great affluence. That he might enjoy all the fweets of life, he thought it neceffary to have a miftrefs, and accordingly fixed his affections on Heloise, a canon's niece, preferably to a number of virgins and married women, into whofe good graces he fays he could easily have

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infinuated himself (b). The canon, whofe name was Fulbert, had a great paffion for money, and vehemently defired to have Heloife a woman of learning, Abelard forefaw he might make this difpofition of the uncle fubfervient to his defign. "Allow me (faid he to Fulbert) to board in your hofe, "and I will pay you whatever fum you demand in confidera"tion thereof." The fimple uncle, thinking he fhould now furnith his niece with an able preceptor, who inftead of putting him to expence, would pay largely for his board, fell into the fnare, and requested Abelard to inftruct her day and night, and to ufe compulfion in cafe fhe should prove negligent (c). The preceptor gave himfelf no concern to fulfil the expectations of Fulbert; he foon fpoke the language of love to his fair difciple, and inftead of explaining authors, amused himself in kiffing and toying with his lovely pupil. "Under pretence of learning (fays he) we devoted ourfelves Abelard, "wholly to love, and our ftudies furnished us with that pri- epift. p. 11. vacy and retirement which our paffion defired. We would "open our book, but love became the only leffon, and more "kiffes were exchanged than fentences explained., I put my " hand oftener to her bofom than the book, and our eyes "were more employed in gazing at each other, than look"ing at the volume. That we might be the lefs fufpected,

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I fometimes beat her, not out of anger, but love, and "the stripes were sweeter than the most fragrant ointments." Having never tasted such joys before, they gave themselves up to them with the greatest tranfport; fo that Abelard now performed the functions of his public office with great remisness, for he wrote nothing but amorous verfes. His pupils perceiving his lectures much altered for the worse, quickly gueffed the caufe; but the fimple Fulbert was the laft perfon who difcovered Abelard's intrigue. He would not at firft believe it; but his eyes being at

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