Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 08.djvu/232

 assistance. Bishop Hall defended their sacred claims. His 'Episcopacie by Divine Right asserted ' was published in 1640, and was followed early next year by his tract called 'An Humble Remonstrance' (anon.), addressed to the parliament. Soon appeared 'An Answer to a Booke entituled An Humble Remonstrance,. . . Written by Smectymnuus,' 1641, 4to. This nom de plume was framed of the initials of five contributors to the authorship of the quarto, Marshall, Calamy, Young, Newcomen, and Spurstowe. It was the first publication in which Calamy had any share. The position of 'Smectymnuus' was really one of conciliation. Denying the apostolic origin of liturgies, and the divine right of the episcopacy, its writers were ready to bear with bishops if reduced to a primitive simplicity, and with a liturgy if reformed by a consultation of divines. But they defeated their aim by galling allusions to historic displays of the prelatic spirit. These are in a postscript, which Masson, reiving on internal evidence, assigns to John Milton. Hall, a controversialist of admirable skill and power, in a 'Defence' (also anon.), complained of his opponents' case as 'frivolous and false;' and when Smectymnuus issued a 'Vindication,' pronounced it 'tedious,' and contented himself with a 'Short Answer.' Milton had now put forth an 'Apology for Smectymnuus' and 'Animadversions on Hall's 'Defence.' Meanwhile two of the Smectymnuans, Marshall and Calamy, were invited to take part in the consultations promoted by the lords' committee for innovations in March 1641 [see ]. This was in fact carrying out their own proposal. Here (according to Neal) they met Hall ; and had the suggestions for accommodation agreed upon within the Jerusalem Chamber been accepted by parties outside, the approaching overthrow of episcopacy might nave been averted. All the Smectymnuans were nominated in the ordinance of 12 June 1643 as members of the Westminster Assembly of Divines. Calamy, as an assembly man, took the covenant with the rest. During the doctrinal debates he showed himself 'liberal and cautious' (Mitchell) in his holding of the Augustinian or Calvinistic theology. In this respect, as well as in his original views of church government, he followed Ussher in taking a mean betwixt extremes. But in the rapid progress of events Calamy was led to find the mean in presbyterianism. He was confirmed in this view by observing, even in his own parish, the disintegrating tendency of Congregationalism. Henry Burton was permitted to hold a 'catechisticall lecture' on alternate Tuesdays at St. Mary Aldermanbury. On 23 Sept. 1645 he launched out at this lecture in favour of 'his congregational way.' A somewhat acrimomous interchange of pamphlets between Burton and Calamy ensued. On 9 June 1646 parliament required the ordinance of the previous year establishing presbyterianism to be carried out in the London province, and on 19 June the London ministers agreed, with certain cautions, to obey the ordinance. Calamy's parish was included in the sixth London classis. His name appears, as one of the assessors, at the foot of the 'Vindication of the Presbyteriall-Government,' &c. 1650, 4to, drawn up by the London provincial assembly on 2 Nov. 1649. He had a hand also in the 'Jus Divinum Ministeni Evangelici,' &c., published by the same assembly in 1654. He took part m presbyterian ordinations. During the civil war Calamy found himself more than once in a difficult position. His speech at the Guildhall, on 6 Oct. 1643, to promote the city loan for subsidising the Scots army, 'in order to the preservation of the Gospel,' has often been quoted. Echard says he acted as an army chaplain, but this is incorrect. He remained constant to the duties of his own parish, where his week-day lecture had for twenty years an imprecedented following, 'seldom were so few as sixty coaches' at the doors. His preaching, so far as it touched upon the questions of the day, held up the ideal of constitutional freedom as against arbitrary acts, whether of the king or of his opponents. Yet it is too much to say, with his grandson, that in his utterances there was 'nothing tending to inflame.' In the pulpit Calamy's frankness of heart sometimes got the better of his caution. Though he was 'a bitter enemy to all mobbs,' and a resolute opponent of the rising sectaries, his expressions on public affairs were quotod as countenancing 'incendiary' measures. The trial and execution of Charles he did what he could to oppose : his name is attached to the 'Vindication' of the London ministers' conduct in this affair, drawn up by Cornelius Burges. Under the Protectorate he 'kept himself as private as he could.' There is a remarkable story of his interview with Cromwell, in which ne told him that nine in ten of the nation were opposed to his assumption of supreme power. The restoration of the monarchy he eagerly promoted (respecting the story to the contrary, quoted in 'Biographia Britannica,' 1784, iii. 134, note K, see, Contin. 1727, ii. 910), preaching before the commons on the day when the vote was taken on the question, and Joining the deputation to Charles at Breda. In June 1660 he was sworn chaplain-in-ordinary to