Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 39.djvu/170

 ter, and John Barwick, dean of St. Paul's, were among his chaplains. He was a patron of foreign scholars of the reformed faith, whom he received into his house and dismissed, on leaving, with gifts of money and books. He warmly favoured the endeavours of John Durie (1596-1680) [q. v.] for reconciling the differences between the various branches of the reformed churches in France and Germany (cf. De Pace inter Evangelicos procuranda, 1638). He numbered Hooker among his friends as well as Hooker's biographer Walton, who speaks very gratefully of the information he derives from the bishop concerning one 'whose very name he loved.' Laud was one of his correspondents (cf., Works, vi. 549, 560, 571). In theology he belonged to the school of Ussher and Bedell, and had little sympathy with the high-church doctrines of Laud. Baxter speaks of him as 'belonging to that class of episcopal divines who differ in nothing considerable from the rest of the reformed churches except in church government,' and Clarendon classes him with 'the less formal and more popular prelates' (, Works, vol. ii. p. xli). He was a sincere but by no means bigoted episcopalian. He regarded ordination by presbyters valid in case of necessity, no such necessity however warranting it in the church of England. From the moderation of his ecclesiastical views he was at one time regarded with friendly eyes by Prynne (cf. Canterburies Doome, p. 230). He would now be reckoned a low churchman. If he was sure that any one was a really good man, anxious to fulfil the object of his ministry, he was not over strict in exacting conformity. Calamy records with praise his liberal treatment of puritans like John Hieron, Richard Mather, and John Shaw of Christ's College (, Memorial, pp. 162, 824 ;, Lives, p. 128). His attitude towards the church of Rome was one of uncompromising hostility. He was one of the only three bishops who, according to a statement made to Panzani, the papal envoy, by Bishop Montague, were 'counted violently bent against the Papists' (, Memoirs, p. 246).

The larger portion of his writings were devoted to the exposure of the fallacy of Romish doctrines. They display great learning and an intimate acquaintance with the arguments of his antagonists. It is no small praise that they exhibit none of the bitterness and scurrility which too commonly disfigure the polemics of the age. Besides the 'Apologia Catholica,' a work of immense learning and calm reasoning, he published in 1609 his 'Catholick Appeal,' which, according to Barwick (u.s. p. 132), dealt 'such a deadly blow to his Romish adversaries' that none of them even attempted to answer it. Ten years later, at James's command, he entered the lists against Bellarmine in defence of the oath of allegiance to a protestant sovereign in his 'Causa Regia.'

Morton's chief works, omitting separately published sermons, were : 1. 'A Treatise of the Threefolde State of Man, wherein is handled : (1) His Created Holinesse in his Innocencie; (2) His Sinfulnesse since the Fall of Adam ; (3) His Renewed Holinesse in his Regeneration,' London, 1596, 8vo. 2. 'Salomon, or a Treatise declaring the State of the Kingdom of Israel as it was in the Daies of Salomon. Whereunto is annexed another Treatise of the Church, or more particularly of the Right Constitution of a Church,' 2 pts., London, 1596, 4to. 3. 'Apologia Catholica, ex meris Jesuitarum contradictionibus conflata,' &c., part 1, London [1605-6], 4to. 4. 'An Exact Discoverie of Romish Doctrine in the case of Conspiracie and Rebellion,' &c., 1605, 4to. 5. 'Apologise Catholicæ, in qua paradoxa, hsereses, blasphemies, scelera, quæ Jesuitæ et Pontificii alii Protestantibus impingunt, fere omnia, ex ipsorum Pontificiorum testimoniis apertis diluuntur, libri duo. De notis Ecclesise. Editio castigatior,' 2 pts. London, 1606, 8vo and 4to. 6. 'A Full Satisfaction concerning a Double Romish Iniquitie, hainous Rebellion, and more than heathenish Æquivocation. Containing three parts,' London, 1606, 4to. 7. 'A Preamble unto an Incounter with P. R. [R. Parsons], the Author of the deceitfull Treatise of Mitigation : concerning the Romish Doctrine both in question of Rebellion and of Aequivocation,' London, 1608, 4to. 8. ' A Catholic Appeal for Protestants, out of the Confessions of the Romane Doctors ; particularly answering the mis-named Catholike Apologie for the Romane Faith, out of the Protestants [by J. Brereley],' Londoni 1610, fol. 9. ' A Direct Answer unto the scandalous Exceptions which T. Higgons hath lately objected against D. Morton [i.e. against his "Apologia Catholica "]. In which there is principally discussed two of the most notorious Objections used by the Romanists, viz. : (1) Martin Luther's Conference with the Divell ; and (2) The Sence of the Article of Christ, His Discension into Hell (Animadversions),' London, 1609, 4to. 10. 'A Defence of the Innocencie of the Three Ceremonies of the Church of England, viz., the Surplice, Crosse after Baptisme, and Kneeling at the Receiving of the Blessed Sacrament,' London, 1609, 4to. 11. 'The Encounter against M. Parsons, by a Review of his last Sober Reckoning and his Exceptions urged in