n YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Gift of Prof. Williston Walker THE Nonconformist's Memorial: BEING An ACCOUNT of the MINISTERS, Who werel ejected or silenced after the Restoration, particularly by the Act of Uniformity, which took Place on Bartholomew-day, Aug. 24, 1662. Containing a concife View of Their LIVES and CHARACTERS, their PRINCPLES, SUFFERINGS, and PRINTED WORKS. Originally written By the reverend and Learned EDMUND CALAMY, D. D. Now abrSged and corre&ed, and the Author's Additions inferted, Wth many further Particulars, and new Anecdotes, By SAMUEL PALMER. TO WHICH IS PREFIXED An INrRODUCTION, containing a brief History of thi Times in which they lived, and the Grounds of their Nonconformity. JSmbellilied with the Heads of many of thofe venerable Divines. V O I, U M E I. — — W ow'jc iff <#!«« 0 koo-W Heb. xi. 3$, " Bartholomew-day was fatal to qur Church and Religion, in throw- " ins out a very great number of worthy, learned, pious, and " orthodox Divines," ' Locke. LONDON: Printed for W. Harris, No. 70, St. Paul's Church-Yard, MDCCLXXV. _ ^ *? THE Editor's PREFA C E. MEMOIRS of the lives and characters of wife and good men, have , been generally efteemed fome of the molt entertaining and ufeful publications. Perhaps no body of men ever lived who better defcrved to have their hiftory handed down to pofterity, or the accounts of whom are more adapted to pleafe and profit ferious minds, than the minifters ejected out of the church of England, foon after the reftoration of Charles II. and particularly by the Aft of tjniformity ', the whole number of whom- was .upwards * of two thou/and. " I do not believe (fays " Mr. Tierce f) that any where in hiftory an equal " number of clergymen^ voluntarily leaving their all *' for a good confcience,*can be produced."—-'" If they " djd not act from a principle of confcience, they were " the weakeft people in the world, for they were active *' in their own ruin :" when, had they but roundly declared their aflent and confent to the new terms of Conformity, they might have continued in their livings, as well as others, and avoided the poverty, difgrace, * The enemies of thefe men have affected greatly to reduce their number. One of them, having counted the names in Dr. Calamy's Index to his firft edition, (in which all thofe' are omitted whofe names only are mentioned in the account) reports, with triumph, ". that the 2060 fufferers, fo much cried up, cannot be made more than 696, of whom a 4th part afterwards conformed." See Cal. Pref. to C&ntin. p. 19. But from the accurate manufcript catalogue, which is mentioned in the 14th page of this Preface, it appears the number really was 3x57. •j- Vindication of the Diffenters, p, 232. A 3 and vf- P R E F 'A. C .%; and perfecution, which moft of them fufrered.* Theii? integrity, their fortitude, and their faith* cannot be top'' warmly celebrated. '* To let the memory of fucR men "die, is injurious to pofterity." Efpecially as they not only in this inftance fhewed themfelves. to" Be men of. principle, but appeared from their general deportment^ men of lingular piety; peculiarly qualified for their of fice as minifters, and uncommonly fuecefsful*in it. . The Protejfant Diffenters, of all denominatipns. have. eyer been wont to revere their memories, as the fathers of their intereft, and the worthy patterns of their, con duct. Thofe who have differed- the wide'ft from, the generality of them in their doctrinal fentiments have fpokert of their piety and zeal with rapture. .The words of the late Dr. Taylor are remarkable iri this.view, ,and deferve. ever to accompany their memoirs. In remon- ftrating againft the defign of fofpe DiffenterS in Lanca shire to introduce a Liturgy, he refers them to thefe their forefathers, as having fet them a better example; of whom he gives the following character: "The principles and worfhip of Diffenters are not formed xipon fuch flight foundation as the unlearned. and thoughtlefs may imagine'. They were thoroughly1 ponfidered,and judicioufly reduced to the ftandard of Scripture, and the writings of antiquity, by a great number of mqn of learning and. integrity -. I mean the Bartbolomew-div'mes, or the minifters ejected in the year 1662 : men prepared to lofe all, and to fuffer mar tyrdom itfelf, and who actually refighed their livings, (which with moft of them were, under God, -all that they and their families had to. fubfjft upon). "father. tKan fin againft God, and defert.the caufe of civil and- re^ ligious liberty ; which, together with ferious religion,' would I am perfuaded have funk to a very low ebb iri the nation, had it not been for the bold and noble ftand" thefe worthies made againft impofition upon con- fcience, prophanenefs and arbitrary power. They had the beft education England could afford ; moft of them were excellent fcholars, judicious divines, pious, faith ful, •P R E E A ful, and laborious minifters; of great zeal for God and religion ; undaunted and courageous in their maf- ter's work ; keeping clofe to .their people in the worft 6f time's •, diligent in' their ftudies ; folid, affectionate, powerful, lively, awakening preachers ; aiming at the advancement of real vital religion in the hearts and lives of men, which, it cannot be denied, flourifhed greatly wherever they could influence. Particularly, tjiey were, men of great devotion .and eminent abilities in prayer, uttered, as God . enabled them, from the abundance of their Hearts and affections ; men of di vine -eloquence, in pleading at the throne of grace; raifing and melting the affections of their hearers, and being "happily inftrumental in transfufing into their foujs the fame fpirit and heavenly gift. And this was the ground of all their other qualifications ; they were excellent. men, becaufe excellent,* inftartt, and fervent in prayer. , Such were the fathers, the firft formers of the T)iffenting inter eft. And you here in Lancajhire had a large fhare of thefe burning fhining lights. Thofe who knew them not might -defpife them, but your forefathers; wifer and lefs prejudiced, , efteemed them highly in love for their 'works fake. You were once happy in your Newcpmbes, your follies, your. Haywoods^ &c. &c.&c. who ;ieft, all to follow Chrift; but Pror vidence cared for them, and they had great comfort in their mimifterial feryices. The^prefence and blef- fing of God appeared in their affemblies, and attended their la'bours. How many were" converted and built up in godlinefs and fobriety by their prayers, pains, doc trines, and converfations ! How many days, on particu lar occasions, were fet apart and fpent in warm addrefles to the throne of grace, and how much to the comfort of thofe who joined in them ! But now, alas ! we are purfuing meafures "which have a manifeft tendency to extinguifh the light which they kindled, to damp the fpjrit which .they enlivened, and to diffipate and diffolye the focieties- which they raifed and formed ! —Let my foul for ever be. with the fouls of thefe men*." * Baylor's fcripture account of prayer, p. 50, 53, 65. A3 • Their vi P R E F A C E«- Their abilities and learning, as well as their integrity and piety," have been acknowledged by many eminent Conformifts themfelves. Not to mention the honourable teftimohy which feveral dignitaries of the church of England have borne to indi viduals among them, "(many of which ' will appear in the enfuing work). Bp. Burnet fays, " Many of them were diftinguifhed by their abilities and their zeal f." And the great Mr. Locke remarks (in the paffage chofen for the motto) ".'Bartboloinew-iday was fa tal to our church and religion, in throwingout a very great number of worthy, learned, pious, and orthodox di vines, who could not come up. to fome things in the. act of uniformity j." . . .. ¦ A late writer however has thought proper to re- prefent them .as deftitute both of learning' arid fenfe [f. Having eenfured the method of inftruetion frOm the1 pulpit, from the time of Hen. VIII. to- that ; of Charles I. he proceeds as follows : " Upon the down fall of epifcopacy in the latter end of -this reign, came in an unlettered tribe, who did not mend the mat ter at all. They did not indeed (for a very obvious reafon) weary the audience with Latin and. Greek quo tations from, the Fathers, but what they could they did; they ranfacked the Bible from one end to the other for proofs and illuftrations, which was an'inex- hauftible fflnd for ekeing out an extemporary effufion to any given length ; and an hour-glafs was'placed by them, whereby to eftimate the quantity of their la bour. Their difcourfes were divided and fubdiyided, &c. and this indeed was the cafe, in a great meafure, of their more learned predeeeffors. — Thofe twelve years of ufurpation, fo far as one can judge from the printed f Hiitory of his own Times, vol. i. p. 315, i2mo. edit. t Locke's PSS.' Works, Des Maizeaux, Col. p. 62. Fol. 2d edit. p. 20. Letter from a per/on of quality. || Preface to Mifcellany Sermons of feveral divines of the chjurch of England in the laft century, in 4 vols. 8vo. difcourfes PREFACE. vii -jiifcourfes 6f thofe times, did not produce one fationat preacher." Thefe illiberal andiinjufr. reflections, being thrown out by a 'dignitary of the chufch of England -f^ and one who has diftinguifhed himfelf as a writer in another" capacity, ought not td pafs urindticed. The prefent feemed a .fit opportunity for making a few remarks! upon thsro. It is readily allowed, that fome illiterate rrien came Into the church on the downfall of epifcopacy, but this is not a fufficient warrant for ftiling the body of them an unlettered tribe, or the fequeftered clergy their more learned predeeeffors. It is certain that many who went but of the chilrch, at the time referred to, were as illi terate as any that came in ; and with refpect to d/ivinity, (the grand branch of pulpit-learning) abundantly more fo. It is alfo certain, that great numbers who came in we're, in. refpect to every branch of literature,-, Upon a full equality with any who went out. And why fhould it be thought otherwife ? They > had the fame advantages, being educated in the fame univerfiV ties, and their capacities and application to ftudy were no way inferior. So that if 'they " did not weary their audience with Latin and Greek quotations," it- was not for that reafon which Dr. B. thinks \very obvious, but becaufe they were more folicitous to anfwer the great ends of preaching, than to fhew themfelves learned men. That they were capable of difplayirtg their learning, the fame way in which it is laid their pre deeeffors did, fufficiently appears from their writings,* (which Dr. '#." pug-fit to have read. before he pafiedthi* cenfure) which as much abound with Lafin tend- Greek f So the editor was failed in the advertifements fome time after the firtt publication of the Work ; which is commonly afcribed to' Dr. Burn, the celebrated author of the Jitftice of Pe'ace, Sec. — See' Monthly Re'vieiv for Dec- iJJlt where the above paffage is com mended. A circumftance fomewh'at Angular, as thofe writers are' generally difpofed to chaflifij fuch high-church prejudice, prieftl/ piid«y and party malice. A 4 quotas viir PREFACE. quotations from the Fathers,, and other ancient writers,'. as thofe of any of their learned predeeeffors or cotem- poraries. Not to mention the proofs many of them give of their general acquaintance with the oriental languages-. That " they ranfacked the Bible for proofs and if- luftrations" pf what they advanced, furely is not greatly to their difhonour ; and therein they acted, at leaft, as much in character as, thofe modern preachexs, who ran- fack heathen moral ifts, or more commonly, and with far lefs pains, Englifh poets and ftage-plays for quota* tions, to amufe their audience and difplay their tafte4 and have nothing to denominate their harangues Ser mons but the text. That they generally preached extempore, is not true. Many of them carefully corri- pofed their fermons, (of which numbers were 'printed from their notes) tho' they preached memoriter: and others who did not, had their minds To well ftored with- ideas on divine fubjedts, and took fo much previous pains to digeft them, that they were able to produce difcourfes far more worthy the pulpit than their fuc- ceffors ordinarily furnifh, at leaft when they deliver their own eompofitions, or when they adopt the ma- s nufactures of an Enfield, a Trufler, or a Burn. It fhould be rememb'ered,, that Whichcote and other epifcopal divines- preached in the fame manner. Many fer mons, taken in fhort hand after' both, have long fince been printed ; and thofe of the former * will bear a eOmparifon with thofe of the latter. — As to the length of their fermons, and the number of divifions in them, the Doctor himfelf acknowledged this was a fault common to both parties. And if the ufe of an hour- glafs was a crime, it does by no means appear that it was peculiar to. the puritanical clergy; itisufed'in many country churches to this day. The mention of it difcovers a littl^nefs of mind unworthy a dignitary of any church. But the laft refle&ion difcovers fome- * See particularly Howe's Sermons, publilhed by Evans and Fletcher. thing P R E F A C E. Ix thing worfe." " Thofe twelve years of ufurpatiori,«fo far as one can judge from the printed "difcourfes of thofe times, did not produce one rational preacher." If Dr. B* ufes the term rational preacher in that irrational fenfe in which it has of late been ufed, the truth of the affertion will be admitted ; but this cannot be fuppofed, as thofe whofe works he has republifhed were men Of a different ftamp. If by a rational. preacher he means a fplid, fenfible, judicious preacher, his impartial readers will think, that party-zeal has either perverted his judge ment, or.tempted him to a wilful violation of the truth ; or, on the moft favourable fuppofition* prevented k free inquiry into the merits of the queftion. The cenfure indeed extends farther tnan the. writer meant it fhonld. Does not Dr. B. know that many of the preachers, not only allowed, but even promoted, in the time of the '¦ttfurpation, were fuch* as afterwards made a diftinguifhed figure in the church of England, and were in the number of thofe who (as he exprefles it) " laid a foundation for a glorious fuperftructure in the fuc- ceeding period ?" viz. fuch men as Reynolds, Wilkins, Lightfopt, Cudworjh, Walli's, Tiltotfon, &c. "Will not Dr. B. allow thefe to have been rational preachers ? It is fomewhat remarkable, that the difcourfes of fome of thefe very irieri are iri his Mifcellany — or will he fay they became rational after the ufurpatiori ceafed ? But the blow was aimed at Prefbyterian and Independent minifters,. tho' it unfortunately ftruck fome of the Epifcopal. And will Dr. B. ferioufly maintain, that there was not one * rational preacher arhong thefe ? He differs very widely from fome of thofe whom he has admitted- into his- lift of rational ones, who ever expreffed an high idea Of the abilities, as well as the piety of thefe men, artd whofe own ftrain of preaching * Did Dr. B. never hear.of Bates or Howe? Their works have. been efteemed by " dignitaries of the church of England," as both rational and learned. And it js well known that they, with feveral of their brethren, {after " the 12 years of ufurpation,") had the offer of great preferment in the eftablifhed church. Their being fo confcientious as to refufe it, is furely no' proof that they were Unlearned or irrational. 3 very x P R E F A C E. very much refembled theirs. The faireft method Of" judging in this cafe, is that which Dr. B. fixes upon, — to have recOiirfe to " the printed difcourfes of thofe times." Had the Dr. ufed this method of judging, he had fpared his ungenerous reflections. We only wifh that thofe who would judge between us, would take this method, and are willing to reft the reputation of' thefe* men upon their impartial verdict. It would be no difficult matter to felect four volumes of difcourfes from their writings, which fhould difcoyer as many marks of learning and rationality, as thofe contained in this' 'mifcellaneous colleilion,. not excepting thofe "which the dignified editor has inferted of ^ his own. Dr. Calamy's account of thefe men has ever been jdftly held in Very high efteem, -and is calculated to do fignal fervice to; the caufe of religion. , Proteftant Diffenters, and efpecially-Diffentirig Minifters, are parti cularly interefted in it. As it. has been many years out of print, and few comparatively are pofleffed of this rich treafure, many friends to the intereft of reli gion among the Diffenters have wifhed for a new edi tion of it. As the work is fo large, (confifting of four large octavo volumes,, including the life of Mr. Baxter, and the hiftory of the times) it has been thought expedient to bring it into a fmaller compafs, by omit ting Tome things which are redundant, a>nd now at leaft uninterefting, in order to render the fpread of it the rftore exterifive"; and likewife to infert,in their pro per places the author's fubfequeht additions in the Con tinuation, (which make two of the volumes) fo as to remove the difagreeable neceffity of turning to diffe rent volumes for a compleat account of almoflr every minifter. This is what is now attempted. It may be proper to give the reader fome account Of the man ner in which this defign is executed. The principal things omitted (befides many redundancies in the lan guage) are, copies of teftimonials refpecting the ordi nation of thefe minifters, and their induction into livings; the time and particular circumftances of their . P R E F A C E. xi their taking their feveral degrees ; fome of the lefs curious infcriptibns upon their tombs ; and fome fmall effays of theirs,' which might more properly be printed By theirifelves ; together with the ill-natured reflections and fcandalous ftories, of Mr. Wood* and Dr. Walker -f- ; and confequently Dr. Calamfs refuta tion of them; excepting the things in queftion .ap pear* to be of confiderable importance ; -in which cafe a general account of the matter is retained, and a re ference is made to Dr. Calamy's work, for the fake "of thofe who may have the curiofity to make further en quiry; S6me relations* alfo are omitted concerning the .^niniffers themfelves and their adverfaries, parti cularly the "judgments- of God upon them, .'which feemed unworthy of a place in this work ; and fome exprefliOns of the author concerning perfons of dif ferent denominations from his own, which favoured too much of a party- fpirit : together with many other minute circumftances *, "which could neither afford the reader profit nor entertainment. Some hiftorical facts are alfo left out of the memoirs, w.hich are re lated in the introductory hiftory of the Times. And * Mr. Anthony Wood, the author of Athena ¦ Oxonienfes. The fol lowing character of hirri by Bp. Burnet (in his letter to the Bp. of 'Litchfield and Coventry •-, p. 9,) will be thought a fufficierit anfwer. to all that he hath written againft thefe good men or any other. " That poor' writer has thrown together fuch a tumultuary mixture of fluff and tattle, and has been fo vifibly a tool of fome of the church of Rome, to reproach all the tgreateft men of our church, that no man who takes care of his own reputation, will take any thing upon truft that is faid by one .who has no reputation to lofe, ice. See Cal. Pref. to his Contin. p. 9, £&-. f Dr. Walker wrote An Attempt to recover an account of the num ber and fufferings of the clergy, &c. by way of anfwer to Dr. Ca lamy's Account, &c. Dr. Calamy, in his Contin. detefts him in fuch a number of fcandalous falfehoods as plainly fhew that where the characters of N'onconformifts are concerned,, he is . not • to be de pended upon. A general reply to his furious, hut weak attempt, may be feen at the end of Dr. Calamy's Contin. See alfo Ntale's hiftory of the Puritans, vol. ii, p. 17, E3V. /(.to. edit. * For example', fuch as are found Ace. -p.- 242, 273. Contin. p. 423, lines 10 — 17. 5 tho' Xll P R ft f A" c & tho' a- catalogue of the'writings of thefe minffter's i'sf retained, "the- titles of fnem are abridged^ In a word., the Editor has 'aimed to render every' thing concife, at the fame time that he has' been careful to retain every thing of importance; to the .great defign of the origi nal publication, and to tender the work as ufeful as po'ffible in a practical view. .With regard to Dr. Calayny's firft volume, which contains the hiftory of Mr. Baxter's, life and times, &c. it may be proper to acquaint the reader, that the following Ihtroduclion, is a concife abfidgrhent of the '4th, 5th, 8th, 9th, 1 2th, 13th, and 14th- chapters of it, relating" t6 the times in which the ejected rninifc. terS lived, (frorri the rife of the Civil War to the Re* ¦ volution,) intended only tP give common readers, who are Unacquainted with hiftory, a juft idea df their true fituation, which is of great importance in' order to a true judgment concerning their character's!.- * , It alfo contains an abftract of the 10th chapter, which relates to the grounds of, their nonconformity ; without any part of the Dr's defence of thefe (which make1 a great number of longjiotes in the 2d edit.) in anfwer to the exceptions of Hoadley and Olyffe., What relates ,to Mr. Baxter hifnfelf* in this firft volume, Dr. Calamy after-.' wards abridged, and- inferred in the account of. the minifters in Wbrcefterjhire, where it will now be found!, The hiftorical .additions after the Revolution are here en tirely omitted. If the Editor fhould have encouraged ment hereafter 'to execute his prefent intention of pub- lifhing an account of the moft eminent JDiffenting Mi* tyfters fince the Bartbolomew-eje&ment, this latterpart Of Dr. Cak&nfs hiftory may probably be made the in troduction to fuch a work. In the mean time, if any fhould prefer Mr. B^Ws life, and times in the origin nal form, (or indeed the whole of Dr. Calamy's work) this publication will not prevent their being gratified. • * Thofe who are defirous of a more thorough acquaintance with this part of EngUJh hiftory, are referred to Mr. Nea/t's hiftory of the Puritans. But : P- R E F A CP Et »iii - But the prefent publication is not merely an abridg ment; fome liberties are taken with refpect to the lan guage and coiripSfitibn, wherever there' feemed occar fi6n vfor it} which may well be fuppofed to be* fje- 'quently the cafe, when it is confidered that the ac counts of the minifters were drawn up by many dif-r •ferent hands, and evidently inferte'd pretty, muesli as fhe author receiye'd them. . His additions . could not "with propriety be often fubjoined to' the -firft account, juft as they ftand in the Continuation, but it was found." Tneceflary' to interweave thefn with the; former narra- . tiye ; which was'the moft laborious, and not 'the leaft iifeful paft of* the prefent undertaking. A great num ber of miftakes alfo are corrected with regard to the names and fituat.iori' of. places and, Other minute c'ir- cumftances,, together 'with fome. others of 'Confiderable importance to* the characters of thesperfons concerned.. Many cqhfiderable additions' are likewife made to the former accounts, taken from lives, funeral fermons, and other publications "; or, communicated by corref- pondentjs,. to whorii the Editor makes his moft grate ful acknowledgments for very confiderable affiftance ih this undertaking;: particularly, to .the Rev. Mr. Or- ton of Kiddermmfterj (who firft iuggefted the defign • ) the Re\j. Mr.: Reynell of Plymouth'; the Rev. Mr. M-5 icMjah Towgood ox. Exeter-, the Rev. Mr. Toms of ilfld- leigh; the Rev.. Dr. Ravage; the Rev. Ibr.Stennett; the Rev. Dr. Gibbons -, the Rev. Mr. Bqvber ; the Rev. Mr. Thompfonoi London -,- the Rev. Mr. Qlding of Dept- ford; the Revr' Mr."Wilton of Tooting; and the Rev. Mr. RoUnfon of Cambridge, ' (who -has, with great care, exam?ned^he regifters of inductions to livings in Cam- ' iridgefhire, arid communicated many valuable correc tions and additions:) but above all, to Edmund Calamy, Efq-, grandfon to- the author; who has kindly favoured the Editor with. a curious and' valuable manufcript, drawn up with great labour, and prefented to Dr. Ca lamy, with an handfome Latin dedication, by the Rev. Mr. William Raftrkk of Lyhhe-Regis in Norfolk, the au thor of the letter, at the end of the Dr's Defence of mo- - - derate xiv f Re F A C E." derate Nonconformity, giving, an account of the occafions and circumftatfces of his leaving the Church oY Eng land. This MS. of his is entitled, Index eorum theo~ kgorum Aliorumque\ >Jo. 2257, g>ui propter Degeiri Uni- fbrmitatis Aug. 24. Anno 1662, ab Ecclefia Anglicana fecefferunt. Alphabetico ordine; ac fecundum Gradus fads difpofitus. . In_this Index not only are the degrees of the minifters accurately fpecified, but likewife their rank hv'the church, whether Reclors, Vicars, Curates, &c. and alfo' the value of a great number of their livings^ At the end of it there are Addenda^et'Emendenda^ which. are. very -nUfnerous., tho' moftly very minute, of which the EditoYhas availed-himfelf •; as likewife o£the MS. notes of a'clergyman, with which he has been favoured ;* particularly in regard to the value'of the livings •, and from both 'thefe fome valuable anecdotes are added. With all' thefe help's, ,the accounts of many^ of thefe minifters are' yet very fhort and imperfect, and the names only of a great number are inferted whofe cha racters and hiftory are 'irrecoverable' for want of a more 'early care to preferve them. This is mentioned here to prevent the difappbintment fome readers might meet with, to find nothing faid-ef fome of thefe men, and fo little of others. , » Another confiderable* improvement in this edition is, that the places from which the minifters.. were ejected, (before fet down without any kind of me thod) are difpofed in the "order of the alphabet, for the fake of being readily found. It is prefumed it .will be an additional recommendation of this work, that it contains fo many engravings of the heads of thefe worthies, taken from the beft prints, (of whigh a large collection has. fallen into the Editor's hands) and many of them from original paintings. Thefe are executed with great care by the ableft artifts, and at a much greater expence than is commonly beftowed on prints in publications of this nature, Many PREFACE. xv Many thanks are due to thofe who have fo amply encouraged this undertaking, (amo'ng whom are a great number of DifTenting minifters, and fome of the efta- blifhed clergy) whofe candour the editor humbly en treats with refpect to any imperfections which may be difcovered, in fo difficult a work, or any miftakes which may yet remain ; and whofe prayers he earneftly fbli- • cits, that a divine bleffing may accompany the deiign, and render it, the happy means of reviving that fpirit of primitive chriftianity, of nonconformity to a cor rupt world, of zeal for the rights, of eonfcien.Ge, the honour of Chrift, the credit and fuccefs of his infti- tutions, arid the falyation of fouls, among chriftian proferTors, and especially '.chriftian minifters, which fo remarkably diftinguifhed the original noriconforrnifts, but which, alas 1 hath of late fo vjfibly declined amongft us. Hackney Nov. i, . SAMUEL PALMER. 1774. ABB RE- ABBREVIATI ON S. BESIPES fuch common ones as Bp. for Bijbop; Abp, for Archbifkop* &c, the following, may require an ex planation :— Dr. C. means Dr. Califrifr. Contin, his Conti-, nuation of his ace. (account.) Dr. W. Dr. Walker. Morn. Ex, the volumes of fermons preached at a morning-lecture, called fnorning exercifes. [R] rftJory; [V] vicarage; [C] curacy; [Perp. C] perpetual curacy ; [D] donative ; [S] a fequejlerei living; the figures often fubjoined, the* arinual value; [L] a lecturer; [A] a member of the affembly of divines, * Prefixed to the name of a place from which a minifter is faid to have been ejected, 'exprefles a doubt whether that be the place intended ; or at leaft, whether that be the true fpelling. ** Put to a minifter's name, denotes that .the account of him is entirelyf or for the moft part, new. NIB. The additions of the editor are carefully diftinguifhed from the original work, by being included in []. TH$ 1 - THE Nottconfonriift's Memorial* INTRODUCTION, Containing a brief History of the Times in which the ejecled Minifters lived, from the Rife of the Civil War to the Revolution : With the Reasons of their Nonconformity ; extrailed from Dr. Calamy's Life of Mr. Baxter. MR. Richard Baxter, in his life, " has made' fome remarks on the occurrences of the times iri which he lived, from the rife of the civil war* which began foon after his fettlemerit at Kidderminfler (viz, in the" reign of Charles 1. 16411 ) not unworthy the notice of pofte-^ rity;"-the fubftance of which may properly ferve as an Intro-* duction to this account of the ejected minifters ; in which his life (being originally the ground- work of Dr. Calamfs'ac* count,) will make a diftinguifhed figure among the Worcejler* fhire-rmniftexSi §. I. A brief -Account of the Civil War* to the Heath of Charles I; 'T-HE nation had for fome time been under great difcort- ¦"¦ tent, on account of the fhameful attacks which had been made, by. thofe in power^ both on its civil and reli gious liberties. The general cry was for juftice in thei punifhment of delinquents 5 which greatly alarmed the king and his favourites, who none of them knew how foon his own turn might cdme. The guilty judges were deeply ac- cufed in parliament, and fome of them imprifonedj on account • Vol. I, B «f 4 INTRODUCTION. of Ship-money*. But the moft obnoxious perfons were Lord Deputy Wentworth Earl of Strafford, and Abp. Laud. They were fent to the Tower, condemned and beheaded, for fub- verting the fundamental laws and liberties of their country. Some were for gratifying the king by fparing Strafford, but others were vehement againft it; the Londoners petitioned the houfe for juftice, and followed their petitions with cries and clamours. He was at length condemned, and the king, iigned the bill, by the advice of feveral bifhops. There was great heat among the members of parliament in. the debates which this matter occafioned. Some were much againft difpleafing and provoking the king, and thought themfelves not obliged to attempt any acts of juftice or refor mation, but what they could bring him to confent to. But others were for exerting themfelves to the utmoft, at all ad ventures, to "reform abufes, and recover and defend their li berties. "If, fay they, the fears of forefeen oppofition fhall make us betray our country and pofterity, we are perfidious to them, enemies toourfelves, and worfe than infidels, &c„ &c." Thus were mens minds divided : but fome unhappy means fell out to unite them, and lead them into a war. The king had a confiderable party that adhered to him, made up both of ftate politicians, and friends of the ecclefiaftical hierarchy; who jointly fet themfelves againft the parliament, not only becaufe of their apprehended encroachments on the civil power, but alfo becaufe of the church reformation in tended. But the country party carried all things with a high hand, depending upon the affiftance of true-hearted Englijhmen if matters came to extremity. Many things heightened thefe difcontents. The London apprentices (encouraged by fome members of parliament) in a tumultuous manner brought up their petitions to Weftminfter, infulting the bifhops as they were going to the houfe. On account of thefe tumults, the king did not think himfelf fafe, either in the city or near it. Great were the jealoufies between him and his parliament, which were many ways increafed. The two armies of Scots and Englijh remained undifbanded in the north, 'till the parliament fhould provide for their pay. The Englijh, army, wanting pay, were difcontented, and entertained a defign to march fuddenly to London, and mafter the parliament. The * A tax laid upon the feveral port-towns, with the affiftance of the counties adjoining, for providing a (hip of war for the king's fervice. ' parliament, A brief Hiftory of the Times. 'j parliament, to prevent infults, provided a guard, which they confidered as their privilege. The king difcharging this guard, fet another upon them of his own choofing. This made them look like prifoners ; and they feared that the guard appointed by the king, would, if commanded, become the executioners of his wrath upon them. Upon which they difmiffed them, and called for a guard of the city regiments. At length the king, being advifed no longer to ftand by and fee himfelf affronted, took an unprecedented ftep in going fuddenly to the houfe of commons, with a company of cava liers with fwords and piftols, to charge five of their mem bers with high-treafon, viz.' Mr. Pym, Mr. Hampden, Mr. Hollis, Mr. Strowd, Sir Arthur Heftlrige, and Lord Kimbolton, (afterwards Earl of Manchejler, and Lord Chamberlain.) But, upon notice before-hand, they abfented themfelves. The houfe, being hereupon alarmed, voted this action a breach of their privileges, and an effecT: of the king's evil counfellors ; and publifhed their votes, to awaken the people! to an apprehenfion of danger. The king being difappointed, publifhed a paper, in which he charged the aforefaid perfons with treafon, as ftirring up the apprentices to tumultuous petitioning; &c. but confefTed his error in violating their privileges; But there was nothing that wrought fo much with the peo ple as the Irijh mafTacre and rebellion ; in which the Irijh pa- pifts were faid to have murdered two hundred thoufand pro- leftants. The Irijh declared, they had the king's commif- fion for what they did : and many even at that time, weigh ing all circumftances, believed as much; while others re- prefented it as an unjuft and fcandalous afperfion upon his Majefty-f. All England was now filled with fear; for the Irijh threatened, that " when they had done with the hand ful that was left in Ireland, they would come into England, and do the fame with the parliament and proteftants here." It was therefore thought neceffary for the parliament to put the country into an armed pofture, for their own defence. At length the king leaves London, and marches to Hull, where entrance was denied him by Sir John Hotham. The parliament publifhed their votes to the people, " That the king milled by evil counfel, was railing a war againft his par- f .N. B. This matter has never yet been thoroughly cleared. Dr. Calamy confiders the ftory of the Marquifs of Antrim as decifive againft the king. See Bennett's Mem, Ref. and Welwood's Memoirs. B 2 liament." 4 INTRODUCTION. liament." They named lord lieutenants for the militia of the feveral counties ; the king named others by a commif- fion of array, and each commanded the faid lord lieutenants to fettle the militia. Both king and parliament publifhed their declarations, juftifying their caufe. — The king went to Notting ham, where he fet up his ftandard. There were but about 2000 that came in to him there ; whereas the Londoners quickly filled up a gallant army for the earl of Effex, the parliament's general ; and the citizens brought in their money and plate, and the women their rings, to Guildhall, to fupport it. The king offered a treaty, and fent fome general propofals. The par liament fent him nineteen propofals of their own : offering, " That if he would difband his army, come to his. parlia ment, give up delinquents to a legal courfe of juftice, &c. he fhould find them dutiful." in this conteft the generality of the nobility were on the king's fide. Moft of their tenants followed them, and moft of the poorer fort of people through the nation. On the parliament's fide, were the fmaller part of the gentry in moft counties, the greateft part of the tradefmen and freehdlders, and the middle fort of men, efpecially in thofe corporations and counties which depend on chathing, and fuch manufac tures. To them alfo adhered the far greater part of thofe through the nation, who were friends to a religious jiritlnefs, and enemies to formality and profanenefs, fuperftition and immo rality. It was not indeed properly helium epifcopale, the bi fhops war, though by many fo ftiled. For thoufands who wifhed for good bijhops, were on the parliament fide; and the generality of thofe who were called Puritans and Prccifianst and were for ferious godlinefs, both minifters and people, ad hered to the parliament. On the other fide, they who were for a loofe kind of life, both minifters and people ; againft the ftri£t obfervation of the Lord's-day, and fond of recreations at thofe facred feafons ; who placed all their religion in going to church, and hearing Common-Prayer; who were againft ferious preaching, and for running down all who were ftri&er than themfelves ; thefe adhered all along to the king. This circumftance alone determined multitudes of fober and honeft perfons which fide to take. The nation was long before divided into two parties, with refpeft to religious mat ters; the brief confideration of the rife and progrefs of which divifion, adds not a little light to the animofities which were at that time on foot. it A brief Hiftory of the Times. 5 It Unhappily fell out in the days of Queen Mary, that our Reformers being fugitives at Frankfort, fell into a divifion : one part of them were for 'Diocefans, and the Englijh liturgy, and ceremonies, that they might not depart more than was neceflary from the Papijls, nor feem inconftant by departing from what King Edward had begun. The other were for Calvin's difci- pline and way of worfhip ; for the fetting up of parochial iifci- pline, and for a plain and fimple way of worfhip, fuited as near as poflible to the word of God. When thefe two parties returned to England,' the Diocefan party got Queen Elizabeth's countenance, and their way eftablifhed. The other party were difcountenanced, and fupprefled by law. The latter neverthelefs were fervent preachers, and of holy lives : and fo indeed were many of the bifhops alfo in thofe days. But when Jewel, Pilkinton, Grindal, &c. were dead, many fuc- ceeded them of another ftamp. The filenced Difciplinarians (as they were ftiled) did by their writings, fecret conference, preaching, and godly lives, work much upon fuch as were religioufly addi&ed. So that this opinion fpread very much, "That a juft parochial difcipline would very much reform the church, and that Diocefans by excluding it cherifhed vice." The prelatical party finding their places and power, lands and lordfhips, affaulted by this opinion, thought it ne ceflary more and more to fupprefs the promoters of it. Here upon, putting epifcopacy liturgy and ceremonies into the fubfcriptions which they impofed on all that would be minif ters or fchoolmafters, they kept and caft out many worthy and able men. Whereas, many bifhops preached but feldom, and abundance of places had ignorant readers who could not preach, or weak preachers whofe performances were very mean, and many of them were alfo fcandalous in their lives, fo that many thoufands of the people were perifhing in igno rance and fin for want of help. Hereupon, the Difciplinarians cried out of the feverity and impofitions of the prelates : and they on the other fide, vehe mently inveighed againft the Nonconformifis. They called them Puritans, which was the name whereby they were com monly known. And in procefs of time, the vitious multitude called all Puritans that were ftricT: and ferious in a holy life, though ever fo conformable. So that the fame name in a bifhop's mOuth, fignified a Nonconformijl ; and in an ignorant drunkard or fwearer's mouth, a godly obedient chriftian, Now the ignorant rabble, hearing that the Bijhops were againft the B 3 Puritanst 6 INTRODUCTION. Puritans, were the more enraged againft all thofe to whom they gave that name. They cried up the Bijhops; partly be caufe they were againft the Puritans, and partly becaufe they were earneft for that way of worfhip which they found moft fuitable to their ignorance, careleffnefs and formality ; and thus the intereft of the diocefans, and of the prophane and ig norant, was unhappily united. Many alfo were prejudiced againft the bijhops, by obferving that failing, praying, and other religious exercifes, were punifhed in the High-Commijjion and the Bijhops Courts, as if they were worfe than common- fwearing and drunkennefs : And it added to their difturbance, to have a book publifhed for recreations on the Lord's-Day, with the bifhops approba tion, as if they concurred with the prophane : That afternoon fermons and leisures, tho' carried on by conformifts^ were put down in divers counties : That fo many pious minifters were fufpended or punifhed for not reading the book of fports, and for neglecting the ceremonies, &c. and fo many thoufand families, and fo many worthy minifters were driven out of the land : That bowing towards altars, and other in novations, were daily brough't in by the Hyper-conformifts, none knowing where they would end : And finally, that the bifhops proceeded fo far, as to fwear men to their whole government by the et catera oath, and that they approved of Jhip-money and other fuch encroachments on their civil inte- refts. Thefe were the caufes why fo many of thofe who were counted moft religious fell in with the parliament. It hath indeed been aflerted, " That feditious preachers ftirred up the -people, and were the caufe of all the commo tions ;" which is a notorious falfity. Many indeed difco- vered their diflike of the book of fports, bowing to. altars, putting down afternoon fermons, filencing minifters, &c. and were glad that the parliament attempted a reformation; but very few even of thefe ftirred up to War, but were fear ful of the confequences. This however is certain, that whether they did fo more or lefs, almoft all of them were conforming minifters, the laws and bifhops having caft out the Nonconfirmifts long enough before, They who made up the affembly at Weflminjier, and who thro' the land were the honour of the parliament's party, were almoft all fuch as had till then conformed, efteeming fome things to be law ful in cafe of neceffity, tho' they longed to have that necef fity removed. The A brief Hiftory of the Times, 7 The mention of the Wejiminjler fynod, feems to require fome account of it. This was not a convocation accord ing to the diocefan way of government, nor was it called by the votes of the minifters according to the Prefbyterian way ; but the parliament chofe all the members themfelves, merely with a view to have their opinion and advice for fet- tlifig the government, liturgy, and doctrine of the church of England. And they were confined in their debates to fuch things as the parliament propofed. Some counties had two .members, and fome but one. And becaufe they would feem Impartial, and give each party the liberty to fpeak, they chofe many of the moft learned epifcopal divines ; as Abp. UJher, Dr. Holdfworth, Dr. Hammond, Dr. Wincop, Bp. Weflford, Bp. Prideaux, Bp. Brownrigg, Dr. Sanderfon, Dr. Hacket, and others to join with them ; but few of them came, becaufe it was not a legal convocation, the king having declared againft it. Dr. Featly, who was one of them, being charged with fending intelligence to the king at Oxford of what palled in fynod and parliament, was imprifoned. The divines, (of whom a lift is given below %) were men of eminent learning and D.D. 1 % William Twifs, D.D. Newbury, Prolocutor. Corn. Burgefs, Watford, J. AfleHors. John White, Dorchefler, 3 William Gouge,D.D. Blackfryars. Robert Harris, B. D. Hanwell. Tho. Gataker, B. D. Rotberhitbe. Oliver Bowles, B. D. Sutton. Edward Reynolds, D.D. BramJIon. Jeremiah Whitaker, M. A. Stretton. Antony Tuckney, B. D. Bofion. John Arrowfmith, Lynn. Simeon Aftie, St. Bride's. Philip Nye, Kimbolton. Jeremiah Burroughs, M. A. Stepney. John Lightfoot, D. D.^AJhly. Stanley Gower, Brampton- Bryan. Richard Heyricke, M. A. Mancbejier. Thomas Cafe, London. Thomas Temple, D. D. Batterfey. George Gipps, Ayleftone. Thomas Carter, Oxford. Hum. Chambers, B. D. Claverton. Tho. Micklethwaite, Cherryburton. John Gibbon, Waltham. Chrift. Tifdale, Upburjiborne. John Philips, Wrentbam. George Walker, B. D. Edm. Calamy, B.D. Aldermanbury. Jofeph Caryl, M. A. Lincolns-Inn. Lazarus Seaman, D. D. London. Henry Wilkinfon, B.D. Waddefdon. Richard Vines, M. A. Calcot. Nicolas Proffet, Marlborough. Steph. Marlhal, B. D. finchingfield. Jofhua Hoyle, D. D. Dublin. Thomas Wilfon, Otham. Thomas Hodges, B.D. Kenfington. Thomas Bayly, B. D. Maningford- Bruce. Francis Taylor, M. A. Yalding* Thomas Young, Statu-market. Thomas Valentine, B. D. Cbalfont St. Giles. William Greenhill, Stepney* • Edward Peale, Conipton* ¦ John Green, Pencombe, B 4, Andrew t INTRODUCTION. and godlinefs, minifterial abilities and fidelity. Many lords and commons were joined with them, to fee that they did not go beyond their commiffion *, Six or feven Independents were Andrew Pern, Wilby. Samuel de la Place, French church. John de la March. John Drury. Philip Delme. Sydrach Sympfon, London. John Langley,. Weft Tuderly. Richard Cleyton, Sbo. Will. Gouge, D. D. Ed. Staunton, D. D. Tho. Temple, D. D. George Walker, Edm. Calamy, Jer. Whitaker, Dan. Cawdrey, Will. Spurftow, D.D. La. Seaman, D. D. Simeon Afhe, Tho. Cafe, JJic. Proffer, Tho. Thorowgood, Edw. Corbet, Hen. Roborouh, John bownham, Arthur Jackfon, James Nalton, Thomas Cawton, Charles Off-fpring, Samuel Clark, Jo. Wall, Francis Roberts, Samuel Bolton, Mat. Haviland, John Sheffield, William Harrifon, William Jenkin, John-Viner, Elidad Blackwell, John CrofTe, John Fuller, William Taylor, Peter Witham, Francis Peck, Chrift. Love, J. Wallis, D. D. Thomas Watfon, William Wickins, Tho. Manton, D. D. Thomas Gouge", William Blackmore, Robert Mercer, Ra. Robinfon, John Glafcock, Tho. Whatcly. Jonathan Lloyd, John Wells, Benj. Needier, Nath. Staniforth, Steven Watkins Jacob Tice, John Stileman, Jofias Bull, John Devereux, P=tul Ruffel, Jofhua Kirby, Arthur Barham. N. B. The two names printed in Italic are not in the copy of the origi nal paper printed at the time, in which the number is 57. age 16 INTRODUCTION", age of 18 years and upwards; viz. " I do promife to be trad and faithful to the commonwealth as "it is now eftablifhedj without a king or houfe of lords." Without taking this en gagement no man could have the benefit of fuing another at law, nor have any mafterfhip in the univerfities, nor travel above fo many miles from his houfe, tjfc. Mr. Vines, and Dr, Rainbow were hereupon put out of their headfhips in the uni* verfity, and Mr. Sympfon and. Mr. Sadler put in their places :¦ Dr. Reynolds alfo Was call out of the deanry of Chrift-Church Oxon, and Dr. Owen fucceeded him. The covenant * was now laid afide, as an almanack out of date. Many epifcopal divines wrote for the engagement, and pleaded for taking it, upon the fame diflinction .of De Faclo & De Jure, as hath fince been fo celebrated among us. But the moderate church party and the prefbyterians refufed it. Charles II. was now in Holland, and had been proclaimed king by the Scots, who refolved to fupport his caufe. He had alfo many warm friends in England. A little before the fight at Worcejler, feveral perfons were feized on in London for hold ing correfpondence with him : many of them were Prejbyte^ rian minifters, who for meeting together to contrive how to raife a fmall fum of money for Maffey's relief in Scotland, were charged with plotting againft the government. Eight of then! were fent to the Tower. .Mr. Arthur Jack fon, Dr. Drake, Mr. Watfon, Mr. Love, Mr. Jenkin, Mr. Thomas Cafe, Mr, Ralph Robinfon, and Mr. Rich. Heyrick. Mr. Nalton and Mr. Caughton fled into Holland. Mr. Love was tried at a court of juftice, condemned and beheaded, and a worthy gentleman, Mr. Gibbons, with him for the fame caufe. This blow ftruck deep at the roo1^ of. the new commonwealth. The reft of the minifters were releafed upon Mr. Jenkin's recantation, and fubmiffion to the government. . Cromwel, being flufhed by his fuccefs againft the royalifts in Scotland, thought he might now do what he pleafed- Having thus far feemed to be a fervant to the parliament, he was at length forfettingup for himfelf. In otder to this, he firft feeks to make them odious throughout his army, and then he treats privately with many of them to diffolVe themfelves,. * The folemn league'and covenant was a renunciation of popery and prelacy, and a mutual bond, by which the fubfcribers engaged upon oath, to oppofe all religious innovations, and to affift each other in defending their libejties. that A brief hiftory of the Times," if that another free parliament might be chofen. But they per-8 cei-ved the danger, and were for filling up their number by neW elections. Impatient of further delay, he took Harrifon and fome foldiers with him, and in a fort of rapture went to the houfe, and reproved the members for their faults ; pointing to Vane, he called him a juggler ; and to Henry Martin, called him a whoremafter. Having two fuch to inftance in, he takes it for granted that they were all unfit to continue in the go-1 vernment, and fo difcards them, Ai D. 1653. The young commonwealth was thus left headlefs. Nothing might now feem to ftand between CromWelland the crown. A parliament muft be called, but the foldiers, as moft religious* miift be the choofers ; accordingly two' out of a county were chofen by thei officers, upon the advice of their fectarian friends in all parts, This was in contempt called The Little Parliaments They made an act, that magiftrates fhould marry people inftead of the clergy. They then came to the bufinefs of tythes and minifters. Before this, Harrifon being authorized thereto, had at once put down all the parifh minifters of Wales, becaufe moft of them were ignorant and fcandalous, and had fet up a few itinerant preachers in their Head, who were for number incompetent for fo great a charge, there being but one to liiany of thofe wide parifhes. At length jt was put to the vote in this parliament, Whether all the parifh minifters of Eng land fhould at once be put down or no? And was carried in the negative but by two voices. In the iflue, Sir C. W. and fome others, put it to the vote, Whether the houfe, as inca pable of ferving the commonwealth, fhould go and deliver up their power unto Cromwell, from whom they had received it ? They carried it in the affirmative, and away they went, and folemnly refigned their power to him ; who then carried all before him. A junctoof officers drew up a writing, called " The inftrument of the government of the commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland/." This inftrument made Oliver Cromwell Lord Protector of the commonwealth. The Lord Mayor and Aldermen, the Judges and Officers of the army, were fuddenly drawn together to Wejlminfter-Hall, and upon the reading this inftrument, inftalled Cromwell in the of fice of Protector, and fwore him accordingly; and thus the commonwealth feemed once more to havea head, A. D. 1656. One of his chief works was the purging of the miniftryj The fynod of Weflminjier was diflblved with the parliament ; and a fociety of minifters, with fome others, chofen by Crom^. Vol, L' C well i8 INTRODUCTION. •well to fit at Whitehall, under the name of Triers, who were moftly Independents, but had fome Prefbyterians joined with them, and had power to try all that came for inftitution or induction ; without whofe approbation none were admitted. They themfelves examined all who were able to come up to London; but if any were unable, or of doubtful qualifications, they referred them to fome minifters in the county where they lived ; and, with all their faults, thus much muft be faid of thefe Triers, that they did a great deal of good to the church ; they faved many a congregation from ignorant ungodly drun ken teachers ; fuch as either preached againft an holy life, or preached as men who never were acquainted with it, and ufed the miniftry but as a common trade to live, by : fuch as thefe they ufually rejected, and in their ftead admitted of any able ferious preachers, who lived godly lives, tho' of different opinions. Cromwell had the policy not to exafperate the minifters and otheis, who did not confent to his government, but let men live quietly, without putting any oaths of fidelity upon them ; , except his parliaments, who were not fuffered to enter the houfe till they had fworn fidelity to him. The fectarian party in his army and elfewhere he chiefly trufted to and pleafed, till' he thought himfelf well fettled ; and then he began to under mine them, and by degrees to work them out. Tho' he had fo often fpoken for the Baptifts, he now blames their unruli- nefs and their zeal for their own way, and endeavours to fet tle himfelf in the people's favour by fupprefling them. He had enemies among all parties, and many fought to difpatch him ; but he efcaped their attempts, and at length died of a fever, Sept. 3, 1658, aged 59. Never man was more highly extolled, or more bafely vilified than he, according as mens interefts led their judgments.— Mr. "Baxter hath left this as his judgment concerning him : " That he began low, and rofe higher in " his refolutions as his condition rofe; and the promifes which " he made in his lower condition, he ufed as the intereft of *' his higher following condition did require; and kept as *' much honefty and godlinefs, in the main, as his caufe and ** intereft would allow him, and there they left him. And '* that his name ftandeth as a monitory pillar to pofterity, to " tell them the inftabilify of man in ftrong temptations, if " God leave him to himfelf," &c. &c. His fon Richard, according to his will, fucceeded him. The feveral counties, cities, and corporations of England, fend up their A brief Hiftory of the TimeS» 19 their congratulations, to own him as Protector. But the army it feems fet him up only upon trial, refolving to ufe him as he behaved himfelf. When they faw that he began to favour the fober people of the land, to honour parliaments, and to refpect; the minifters called Prefbyterians, they prefently refolved to make him know his mailers. The Fifth-Monarchy-Men, under Sir Henry Vane, raifed a violent clamorous party againft him among the city fectaries, A. D. 1659. But the afTembly at Wallingford Houfe did the main bufinefs ; it was there de termined, that Richard's parliament muft be diflblved : and it Was as foon done almoft as determined. As he fought not the government, fo he was refolved it fhould coft no blood to keep him in it ; and therefore he refigned it by a writing under his hand, and retired. The nation being tired with changes, foon difcovered their uneafinefs. Sir G. Booth and Sir T. Middleton raifed forces in Chejhire and North Wales for K. Charles, but being failed by the cavaliers that fhould have joined with them, Lambert foon routed them : and at the fame time Six^rthur Hefilrige feize3 Portfmouth for the Rump. Monk purges his army in Scotland of Baptifts, and marches into England. The Rump party With Hefilrige divided the army at home, and fo difabled them to oppofe Monk, who marched on, to the great furprize of all. At firft, he joined with the Rump againft the citizens, and pulled down the city gates to terrify them ; but at length, be ing invited into the city by Sir Thomas Allen, then Lord Mayor, he joined with them againft the Rump, which was the very thing that turned the fcales, and brought in the King. Monk calls together the old fecluded members, agreeing with them that they fliould fit but a few days, and then diflblve them felves and call another parliament. They confented, ap pointed a council of ftate, and diflblved themfelves. In this council it was put to the queftion, " Whether they fhould call in the King upon treaty and covenant, or entirely con-! fide in him ?" It was refolved to truft him absolutely, Mr. A, particularly fo perfuading. The new parliament meeting, prefently appointed a day of falling and prayer for themfelves. The Houfe. of Commons chofe Dr. Gauden, Mr. Calamy, and Mr. Baxter, to carry on the work of the day. The very next morning, May 1, 1660, they-unanimoufly voted home the King, who being fent for from Holland^ certain divines and others were fent by the parliament and city to attend him, Viz. Mr. Calamy, Dr. Menton, Mr. Bowles, &c. His Majefty C 2 gave 20 INTRODUCTION gave them fuch encouraging promifes, as raifed in fome of them very high expectations. When he came in, as he palled thro' the city towards Wejlminjler, (May 29, 1660) \S\zLondan minifters in their places attended him with acclamations, and by the hands of old Mr. Arthur Jackfom, prefented him with a richly-adorned Bible; which he received telling them " It " fhould be the rule of his actions.'" §. III. Attempts for a Coalition. The Savoy Conference, and its fruitlefs Ififue. WHEN the King was. received with the general accla mations of his people, the expectations of men were various, according to their feveral interefts. Some plain and moderate Epifcopalians thought of an union with the Prefby- terians. The more politic part of them knew that all their antient power, honour, and revenues wbuld be reftored, and none fuffered to fhare with them. But many of the Prefby- terians were in great hopes of favour. Befides promifes from men in power, they had an aflurance from K. Charles himfelf, in his declaration from Breda, April 4, 1660, in thefe words, " We do declare a liberty to tender confeiences, and that no " man fhall be difquieted, or called in queftion, for differences " of opinion, which do not difturb the peace of the king- " dom." To cherifh their hopes, ten of them v/ere made the King's chaplains in ordinary, tho' none of them ever preached, except Mr. Calamy, Dr. Reignolds, Mr. Baxter, Dr. Spurjlow, and Mr. Woodbridge, each once. By this means, having eafy accefs to his majefty, they waited upon him with Lord Man- chefler, recommending to his ferious confideration the union of his fubjects in religious matters, begging that only neceflary things might be the terms of it. The king declared himfelf highly pleafed with their inclinations to agreement, and re folved to do his part to promote it ; but told them, " It could " not be expected but by abating fomething on both fides, and " meeting in the midway, He therefore defired them to " offer him fome propofals in order to an agreement about " church-government, this being the main difference, and to " fet down the moft that they could yield to." They alfo begged that their brethren on the other fide might do the feme. The king promifed they fhould. After this, the minifters met from day to day at Sion College, to confult openly with any of their hrethren that would join with A brief Hiftory of the Times. 21 With them, that none might fay they were excluded. Many of the city minifters came to them, and- many countiy mi nifters, then in town, joined them, of whom Mr. Newcomen was the moft conftant. In about three weeks they agreed to a paper of propofals, in which (after an humble addrefs to his majefty, and four preliminary requefls, viz. That ferious god linefs might be countenanced, and a learned and pious minifter in each parifh encouraged ; that a perfonal public owning the baptifmal covenant might precede an admiffion to the Lord's Table; and that the Lord's Day might be ftriclly fanctified) they offer to allow of the true anti<=nt primitive prefidency in the church, with a due mixture of prefbyters, in order to the avoiding the evils which are incident to the adminiftration of a Angle perfon; and for reforming which they propofed, that Bp. Vflier's " Reduction of epifcopacy into the form of fynodical government received in the antient church," fhould be the ground- work of an accommodation ; that fuffragans fhould be -. chofen by the refpe£live fynods ; the aflbciations be of a mo derate extent ; the minifters be under no oaths, or promifes of obedience to their bifhops ; and that the bifhops govern not by will andpleafure, but according to canons and conftitutions to be eftablifhed by act of parliament. They owned the law- fulnefs of a prefcribed form of public worfriip ; but defired, that fome learned, pious, and moderate divines, of both forts, might be employed either to compile a new liturgy, or to re form the old ; adding fome other forms in fcripture phrafe, to be ufed at the minifter's choice. — As to the ceremonies, they humbly reprefented, that the worfhip of God was perfect without them ; that they had ever fince the reformation been matter of contention ; that they were at beft but indifferent, and in' their own nature mutable ; and therefore they begged, that kneeling at the facrament might not be impofed ; that the. furplioe, the crofs in baptifm, and bowing at the name of Jejus, might be abolifhed ; and that care might be taken to prevent future innovations contrary to law. Quickly after the king's return, many hundreds of worthy minifters were difplaced, becaufe they were in fequeftrations where others had been call out by the parliament. The mi nifters, waiting upon his majefty with their propofals, figni- fied their full fatisfaction that all fuch fhould be call out as were in any benefice belonging formerly t<~ one that was not grofsly infufficient or debauched; but humbly begged, that all Who had fucceeded fcandalous perfons might hold their C 3 places ; 22 INTRODUCTION, places; as. alfo where the old incumbents were dead ; and that his majefty would be pleafed to publifh his pleafure that no. oath or fuhfcription, or renunciation of orders, might be re quired of any, till it was feen what was the iflue of the defired agreement. The king treated them very refpectfully, and re newed his profeffions of defiring an accommodation; told them he was well pleafed that they were for a liturgy, and yielded to the eflence of epifcopacy ; and promifed them that the places, where the old incumbents were dead, fhould be. confirmed to the pofleffors, But it much, difappointed them to find none of the divines on the other fide appear. After Waiting fome time, they received a fevere anfwer, by way of reflection, on the propofals they had made to his majefty; in which they declare they do not perceive any neceffity for their preliminary requefts. As to church-government, they declare for the former hierarchy without any alteration. Bp. Vfher's Reduction, &c. they reject, as being at beft but a heap of private conceptions. The liturgy they applaud as unexcep tionable, and think it cannot be faid to be too rigoroufly im- pofed, when minifters are not denied the exercife of their gifts in praying before and after fermon ; which fort of praying, they declare however, is but the continuance of a cuftom of no great authority, and grown into common ufe by fufferance pnly. As for the ceremonies, they could not part with one j and conclude with faying, " Were any abatements made, " we are fatisfied, unquiet fpirits would but be thereby en-, *' couraged to make farther demands." Shortly after, inftead of the diocefans conceflionss the .mi nifters were told, that the king would put all that he though^ meet to grant Aem into the form of a declaration, and they fhould fee it before it was publifhed, and have liberty to fig— riify what they difliked. A copy of the faid declaration was, accordingly fent them by the lord chancellor. Having made fome. remarks upon it, they drew up a petition to the king, and delivered it to the lord chancellor; but he never called them to prefent it, but defired the particulars of what altera-, tions they would, infift on. They delivered him a breviate of thefe, which he took time to confider of. A day was ap-: pointed for his majefty to perufe the declaration as the lord chancellor had drawn it up, and determine on the particulars, upon the hearing of both fides. The king accordingly came to the lord chancellor's, with the dukes of Albemarle anrl Qrmendt tjie ?arl of Manchejler, &c. Dr, Sheldon, bifhop of A brief Hiftory cf the Times.1 23 of London, and feveral other bifhops and clergymen, on one fide : on the other, Dr. Reignolds, Mr. Calamy, Dr. Manton, Dr. Spurftow, Mr. Baxter, and others. As the lord chancellor read over the declaration, each party was to fpeak to what they difliked, and the king to determine how it fhould be. There were various altercations about prelacy, re-ordination, and other particulars. When the whole was perufed, the lord chancellor drew out another paper, intimating that the king had alfo been petitioned by the Independents and Baptifts for liberty, and therefore he read an additional part of the declaration, to this purpofe, " That others alfo be per- " mitted to meet for religious worfhip, fo be it, they do it *' not to the difturbance of the peace ; and that no juftice of " peace or officer difturb them." This being defigned to pro cure liberty to the Papifts, there was a general filence upon the reading it, At length, Mr. Baxter, fearing their filence might be mifinteipreted, fpake to this purpofe : " That theydefired " not favour to themfelves alone, and rigorous feverity againft " none ; but as they humbly thanked his majefty for his de- " clared indulgence, to themfelves, fo they diftinguifhed the " tolerable party from the intolerable : for the former, they " humbly craved juft lenity and favour; but for the- latter, " ( fuch as Dr. Gunning had before mentioned ) Papifts and Soci- " nians, they could not make their toleration their requeft." To which his majefty faid, " That there were laws fufficient " againft the Papifts." Mr. Baxter replied, " They under- " flood the queftion to be, Whether thofe laws fhould be " executed or not?" Upon which the matter was dropped. But before the breaking up of the meeting, the king, having determined what he would have ftand in the declaration as to the fenfe of it, named four divines to determine of any words in the alterations, if there were any difference, viz. Bp. Mor- ley, Bp.Hinchman, Dr. Reignolds, and Mr. Calamy; and if they difagreed, theearl of Anglefea and the lord Hollis were to decide. At length it came out fo amended, that it was fitted to be an inftrument of concord and peace, if fettled by law, and the liturgy altered as the declaration promifed. Several of the mi nifters were offered preferments : Mr. Calamy had the bifhopric of Coventry and Litchfield offered him; Dx. Reignolds, that of Norwich ; and Mr. Baxter, that of Hereford; Dr. Manton, the deanry of Rochefler ; Dr. Bates, the deanry .of Coventry and Litchfield; and Mx. Edward Bowles, the deanry of Tori: but all refufed, (on account of the uncertainty of the continuance of C 4 the 24 INTRODUCTION. the terms in the declaration) except Dr. Reignolds, who de clared when he accepted the bifhopric of Norwich, that he did it upon the terms laid down in the declaration,' and not as epifcopacy flood before in England; and that he would no longer hold or exercife it than he could do it on thofe terms. , In the declaration, dated Ofloberzs, 1660, the king expreffes the higheft opinion of the Prefbyterian minifters, as perfons full of affection to him, of zeal for the peace of church and ftate, and neither enemies of epifcopacy nor liturgy ; but mo- deftly defiring fuch alterations in both, as without fhaking foundations, might belt allay the prefent diftempers, which the indifpofition of times, and the tendernefs of fome men's con- fciences had contracted. At the fame time afluring them of his refolution to grant them all the indulgence they required, promifing that they fhould exercife their function, and enjoy the profits of their livings, without being bbliged to thofe oaths and fubfcriptions to which they objected. Upon this an addrefs of thanks was drawn up, figned by many of the mi nifters in and about London ; which was gracioufly received. But after all, this declaration had no effect, faveonlya year's fufpenfion of the law that afterwards took place. At a dis tance in the country fome men were fo violent, that they in dicted minifters at the affizes and feffiohs, notwithftanding the declaration, taking it for no fufpenfion of the law.; tho' upon application to the king and lord chancellor, they were gene rally delivered. But a.s to the matter of church-government, none of the conceffions in the declaration were put in execu tion. However, a commiffion was at length granted to cer tain perfons nominated, to meet for the purpofe of reviewing the liturgy. The commiffioners on one fide were, the Arch- bifhop of York, the bifhops of London, Durham, RocheJler, Chi- chefler, Sarum, Worcefter, Lincoln, Peterborough, Chefter, Carlifte, and Exeter. Thofe on the other fide, Dx. Reignolds, Dx. Tuckney, Dr. Conant, Dr. Spurftow, Dr. Wallis, Dr. Manton, Mr. Calamy, Mr. Baxter, tMr. Jackfon, Mr. Cafe, Mr. Clark, Mr. Newcomen. The affiflants on one fide were, Dr. Earle, Dr. Heylin, Dr. Hacket, Dr. Barwick, Dr. Gunning, Dx, Pierfon, Dr. Pierce, Dr. Sparrow, and Mr. Thorndike ; and on the other fide, Dr. Horton, Dr. Jacomb, Dr. Bates, Mr. Raw- iinfon, Mr. Cooper, Dx, Lightfoot, Dx. Collins, Mr. Woodbridge, and Dr. Drake. The Savoy was appointed as the place of meeting. When they were met, the B.p, of London told the minifters, « That 5 they, ¦ A brief Hiftory of the Times. 25 they, and not the bifhops, had fought the conference, being defirous of alterations in the liturgy ; and that therefore there was nothing to be done, till they had brought in all they had to fay againft it in writing, and all the additions which they defired." The minifters moved for an amicable conference, according to the commiflion, as more likely to anfwer the great end ; but the Bp. of London infilled upon it, " That nothing fhould be done till all exceptions, alterations, and additions were brought in at once." After fome debate, it was agreed, " That they fhould bring all their exceptions at one time, and all their' additions at another time." They accord ingly drew up their exceptions, and offered them to the bifhops. They propofcd, that the liturgy might have nothing in it doubtful, or qiieftioned amongft pious, learned, and orthodox perfons ; and particularly mentioned a variety of alterations, which the reader will eafily judge of, from the reafons they afterwards gave for their nonconformity. (See §. V.) Mr. Baxter drew up the additions, or new forms, (for thofe who might fcruple to ufe the old) filled, The Reformed Liturgy * ; which the minifters generally approved, as indeed it was un dertaken at their requeft. During the interval, the convocation was chofen, which was politicly deferred till now; for had it been called when the king came in, the inferior clergy would have been againft the diocefans. But now the diocefan party wholly carried it in the choice. The election was in London, May 2, 1661. Mr. Calamy and Mr. Baxter were chofen by a majority of three Voices. But the bifhop of London, having the power of chufing two out of four, or four out of fix, that are chofen by the mi nifters in a certain circuit, was fo kind as to excufe them by pitching on others : and fo the city of London had no clerk iri the convocation. May the 4th, the paper of exceptions was given in at a meeting with the bifhops. May the yth, there was a meeting at Sion College of the minifters of London, for the choice of a prefident and afiiftants for the next year. Some of the Prefbyterians, upon a pettifh fcruple abfenting them-r felves, the diocefan party carried it, and got the pofleffion and rule of the college. May the 8th, the new parliament and convocation fat, conftituted of men devoted to the diocefan intereft. May the 22d, by order of pailiament, the national vow and covenant was burnt by the common hangman. * That the world might judge of this performance, Jix.-Calamy has preftrved a copy of it at the end of Mr. Baxter's life, A peti-* *£ INTRODUCTION. A petition was, by the confent of the minifters, drawn up and prefented to the bifhops at the fame time with the reformed liturgy ; in which they, with great humility and earneftnefs, defired them to abate their impofitions, in order to the peace of the church ; pathetically urged many moving arguments to induce them to a compliance; and begged only that they would " grant them the freedom which Chrift and his apoftles left " unto the churches," The bifhops, after fome delay, fent them a paper of reafon- ings againft their exceptions, without any abatements or al terations at all, worth naming ; an anfwer to which was alfo drawn up. At laft, the commiflion being within ten days of expiring, the minifters fent to the bifhops to defire fome perfonal conference upon the fubject of the papers, which was yielded to; and at the meeting the anfwer to their laft paper was delivered them. The minifters earneftly prefled them to fpend the little time remaining in fuch pacify ing conference as tended to the ends mentioned in the king's declaration and commiflion. There is reafon to think, that the generality of the bifhops and doctors who were prefent at thefe meetings, did not read the reformed liturgy, or the re ply of tfie minifters to their reafons againft the exceptions they had given in. So that it feems, before they knew what was in them, they refolved to reject the papers of the minifters, right or wrong*. When they came to debates, the minifters defired the bifhops to animadvert on the alterations of the liturgy, and declare what they allowed or difallowed in them. But they would not be prevailed with to debate that matter, or give their opinions about thofe papers, It was then movad, That they would go over the particulars excepted againft, and declare what alterations they could yield to. But they told them, " They had nothing to fay " upon that head, till the neceflity of an alteration in general " was proved, which it had not as yet been ; they would yield * Dr. Allen, of Huntingdon/hire, clerk in this convocation, earneftly laboured with the bifhop of London, that they might fo reform the li turgy, that no fober man might make exception ; but was wifhed to for bear, for what fhould be, was concluded on. --- Canfor miffs Plea fir Nonconf. pag. 31. So very nice and exact were the high partv, that they would not yield fo much as to forbear the leffons of the Apocrypha : in- fomuch, that after a, Jong tug at the convocation-houfe about that mat ter, a good doctor came out at laft with great joy, " that they had carried *' it for Bell and the Dragon." 3 *'to 'A brief Hiftory of the Times. 27 *c to all that was proved neceflary, but looked upon none as *' neceflary." The minifters urged them again and again with the words of the king's declaration and commiflion; and ob- ferved, " It was ftrange, that when the king had fo long *' and publicly determined upon the end, and called them to " confult about the means, they fhould at laft prefume to " contradict him, and determine the end itfelf unneceflary, *' and confequently no means neceflary : and that therefore *' all their meetings had been feut trifling." . They replied, *' they muft prove alterations neceflary :" The minifters an- fwered, " they were neceflary to peace and, unity, which with- *' out them would not be attained :" Which they would by no means yield. This was to draw on a difpute, before the end of which, the time of the commiflion was like to expire. To this therefore the minifters objected. — But nothing elfe would be yielded to, and fo a difpute was agreed on, to ar-, sue the neceflity of altering the liturgy. After two days debate about the order of the difputa-s tjon, Dr. Pierfan alone undertook to difpute on the fide of the bifhops, when the minifters had difcharged the oppo nent's province ; which was accepted, Three of a party were chofen on each fide to manage the difpute. The bifhops chofe Pr. Pierfon, Dr, Gunning, and Dr. Sparrow; the minifters chofe Dr. Bates, Dr. Jacomb, and Mr. Baxter : and they met to difpute accordingly. But there were fo many fpeakers, and fo many interruptions, and fo many perfonal reflections, that it was to very little purpofe. A* length, Bp. Cojins produces a paper as from a confiderable perfon, containing a method to end the controverfy; which was, " to put the complainers *' upon diftinguifhing between the things they charged as " finful, and thofe which they oppofed as inexpedient only." The three difputants on the minifters fide, were defired to draw up an anfwer to it againft the next morning ; which they did; and charged eight things as flatly finful, and contrary to the word of God, viz, *< that no minifter be admitted to bap- *' tize without ufing the fign of the crofs : — or officiate with- " out the furplice. — That none be admitted to the Lord's " Supper, without receiving it kneeling, &c. &c." After a great deal of loofe difcourfe, they came at length to the dif pute, which was managed in writing : the fole. argument was, " the finfiilnefs of enjoining minifters to deny the commu- *' nion to all. that dare not kneel." The minifters proved their afTertion thus ; That it was denying the facrament to thofe 28 INTRODUCTION. thofe whom the Holy Ghoft commands us to receive; urging Rom. xiv. i, 3. " Him that is weak in the faith receive " you, but not to doubtful difputation, &c." The epifcopal divines anfwered, " That that text was not to the purpofe, "becaufe it fpeaks of things lawful and not commanded ; " whereas the debate was about things lawful and alfo com- " manded ; and, withal, becaufe the receiving there men- " tioned, is not to be underftood of immediately receiving " perfons to the holy communion." The Prefbyterian dif- putants replied : " The text forbids any fuch commands of " things lawful, as are not confiftent with receiving and for- " bearing : and that it muft neceffarily take in receiving per- " fons to the Lord's Supper, becaufe it requires the receiving " men to that church-communion in the general, of which " the facrament is a moft eminent part, &c." But when. Dr. Gunning had read certain citations and authorities for the other fide, Bp. Cofins, the moderator, put the queftion, " All " you that think Dr. G. has proved that Rom. xiv. fpeaketh " not of receiving the facrament, fay Aye." Upon which there was a general cry Aye, aye, among the hearers of the epifcopal party, of whom there were many in the hall, whereas the Prefbyterians had but two or three. At length the epifcopal divines became opponents upon the fame queftion, and argued thus : " That command, which " enjoins only an act in itfelf lawful, is not finful." This Mr. Baxter denied. They then added; " That command, " which enjoins an act in itfelf lawful, and no other act or " circumftance unlawful, is not finful." This alfo Mr. Baxter denied : as he did fome other propofitions of theirs. At length, findftig themfelves embarrafled, the difpute broke off with noife and confufioh; and high reflections upon Mr. Baxter's cloudy imagination, arid his perplexed, fcholaftic, and metaphyseal manner of diftinguifhjng ; and Bp. Saun- derfon being in the chair, pronounced that Gunning had the better of the argument. Bp. Morley aflerted in print, that Mr. Baxter's affertion was not only falfe, but deflructive of all authority, human and divine. Upon this the whole na tion almoft was filled wilh tragical exclamations againft the abominable affertion of one of the difputants at the Savoy, *' that things not evil of themfelves, may have accidents fo " evil as may make it a fin to him that fhall command them." And thus ended the difpute at the Savoy, and all endeavours fop A brief Hiftory of the Times. 29 for reconciliation upon the warrant of the king's commiflion. It may not be amifs to add fome remarks upon- the temper and carriage of the commiffioners on both fides ; feveral of whom feldom or never appeared : as Dr. King Bp. of Chejler, Drs. Heylin, Barwici and Earle. Sheldon, Bp. of London came fel dom, tho' he, with Henchman and Morley, had the chief ma nagement of affairs. Others who were prefent, did not much concern themfelves in the debate, as Dr. Frewen Abp. of York, Bps. Lucy, Warner, Saunderfon, Laney, Walton, Sterne, Dr. Hacket, and Dr. Sparrow. Dr. Morley was the chief fpeaker. His manner was vehement, and he was againft all abatements. He frequently interrupted Mr. Baxter. — Bp. Cofins was conftant, and tho' inclined to moderation, faid fome very fevere things. He appeared well verfed in the ca nons, councils, and fathers. — Bp. Gauden was never abfent.' He often took part with the Prefbyterian divines, and was the only moderator, among the bifhops, excepting Reignolds, who fpoke much the firft day for moderation, but afterwards only now and then a qualifying word, tho' he was heartily grieved for the fruitlefs iffue of the conference. Of the difputants, Dr. Pierfon (afterwards Bp. of Chejler) difputed accurately, foberly and calmly, and procured for himfelf great refpect from the Prefbyterian minifters, who thought, if all had been'in his power, it would have gone well for them. — Dr. Gunning was the moft forward fpeaker, and ftuck at nothing. Bp. Burnet fays, that he ufed all the arts ot fophiftry in as confident a manner as if they had been found reafoning : that he was unweariedly active to very little pur pofe, and being very fond of Popifh rituals and ceremonies; he was much fet upon reconciling the church of England to Rome. ' Accordingly when Dr. Bates urged it upon him, that on the fame reafons as they impofed the crofs and furplice, they might bring in holy water, and lights, and abundance of fuch ceremonies of Rome, which we have caft out; he' anfwered, " Yes ; and fo I think we ought to have more, and " not fewer." On the fide of the Prefbyterians, Dr. Horton never appeared, nor Dr. Drake, becaufe of a mifnomer in the commiflion. Dr. Lightfoot, Dr. Tuckney, and Mr. Woodbridge were prefent only once or twice. — Dr. Bates and Dr. Manton behaved with great modefty. The chief difputant was Mr. Baxter, who had (fays Mr. Neal) a very metaphyfical head and fertile invention, and was 56 INTRODUCTION. was one of the moft ready men. of his time for an argument^ but too eager, and tenacious of his own opinions. Next to him was Mr. Calamy, who had a great intereft among the mi nifters in town and country. Among the auditors, there was, with the bifhops, a crowd of young divines, who behaved indecently. Among the few that came in with the Prefbyterians, were Mr. Miles and Mr. Tillotfon, afterwards Abp. of Canterbury. At the clofe of the laft day it was agreed that nothing fhould be given in on either fide to the king, as charged on the other, . but in writing ; and that they fhould on each fide give this ac count, that they were all agreed upon the ends, the church's welfare, unity and peace, and his majefty's happinefs : but after all their debates, were difagreed about the means. The difpute being ended, the Prefbyterian commiflioners met by themfelves, and .refolved to draw up an account of their endeavours, and prefent it to his majefty, with a peti tion for his promifed help for thofe alterations and abate ments, which they could not procure of the bifhops. But all availed nothing ; and they were generally entertained wifh.re- proach, and branded as rigid Prefbyterians, tho' they pleaded for primitive epifcopacy. They were reprefented in the com mon talk of thofe who were gaping for preferment, as the moft feditious people in the world, unworthy to be ufed like men, or to enjoy any liberty. It was the conftant cry, that they were plotting, or fetting the people againft the govern ment. In the latter part of this year many worthy minifters, and fober gentlemen,and others, were imprifoned in divers coun ties throughout the land, under a pretence of plotting.. In November, one Mr. Ambrofe Sparry (a fober learned minifter, who had never owned theParliament's caufe, and was for mo derate epifcopacy) had a wicked neighbour whom he re-. proved for adultery, who bearing him a grudge, thought he had now a time to be revenged. He (or his confederates for him) framed a letter, as from a namelefs perfon, directed to Mr. Sparry, " that he and Capt. Yarrington fhould be ready " with money and arms at the time appointed, and that they *' would acquaint Mr. Ojland and Mr. Baxter with it." This. letter he pretended a man left behind him under a hedge, who fat down and pulled out many letters, and put all up agairf except this, and went away. He carried the. letter to Sir John Packington A brief Hiftory of the Times. 31 Packington (who was zealous in fuch work) who fent Mr. Sparry, Mr. Ofland, and Capt. Yarrington * to prifon. Many upon this occafion, efpecially Mr. Sparry, lay long in prifon : and when the forgery and injury was detected, they had much difficulty in obtaining a releafe. Tho' Mr. Baxter was named there, he was then in London, and had been fo for fome time, by which he efcaped ; and yet where men were taken up and imprifoned in diftant counties, it was faid to be for Baxter's plot. §. IV. The Ail of Uniformity ; and Refletlions upon it. NOtwithftanding all their difcouragements, Mr. Calamy and fome other minifrcJs ftill ufed their intereft with thofe in power, to get the parliament to pafs the king's decla ration into a law ; and fometimes the lord chancellor and others gave them fome hope : but when it came to the trial, they were difappointed ; and the declaration did not only die before it came to execution, but all attempts for union and peace were'at an end. Nay, a rigorous act was brought in for uniformity, clogged on defign to make the weight of conformity heavier than ever. Uniformity feemed to be accounted "the one thing neceflary by thofe who had got the reins in their hands ; fo neceflary, that no reafon muft be heard againft it, and that thofe called Prefbyterians muft be forced to do that which they accounted public perjury, or be caft out of truft and office, both in church and common- * He was a man (fays Dr. Calamy) of an eftablifhed reputation ; and in the year 1681, publifhed a full difcovery of the firft Prefbyterian fham. plot : in which he declares he related nothing but what he could prove by letters, and many living witnefles; and his account was never publicly contradicted.— He fays, that many, both of the clergy and laity, difliking (he king's declaration concerning ecclefiaftical affairs, refolved to run things to the utmoft height : and that fome of the leading Church-men were heard to fay, " they would have an aft fo framed as would reach " every Puritan in the kingdom : and that if they thought any of them " would to ftretch their consciences as to be comprehended by it, they " would infert yet other conditions and fubfcriptions, fo as that they *' fhould have no benefit by it." To pave the way for it, they contrive a Prefbyterian plot/ which was laid in about 36 different counties. That the general cry occafioned by thefe fham plots much promoted the Unifor mity-Bill, which pafTed that feflions, will eafily be judged by any one that will but pemfe Yarringtan's narrative, to which the reader is referred for fatisfaftioR. wealth. 32 INTRODUCTION. wealth. While this act was depending, the minifters, ftill rn- terpofing as they had opportunity, had peremptory promifes given them by fome in great places, that care fhould be taken before the act pafTed, that the king fhould have power referved to him to difpenfe with it as to fuch as deferved well of him at his reftoration, or whom he pleafed. But at length the a£t pafied the houfe, and all their great friends left them in the lurch. And when afterwards, upon the utmoft encouragement from men in power, they had drawn up a petition * to prefent to his majefty for indulgence, they were grievoufly1 threatened with incurring a praemunire by fo bold an attempt. Thisri- gorous act, when it paffed, gave the minifters, who could not conform, no longer time than till Bartholomew-day, Auguft the 24th, 1662, when they we„bi\\ caft out. When the day * The petition was this : — " May it pleafe your moft excellent majefty, " Upon former experience of your majefty's tendernefs and indulgence " to your obedient and loyal fubjeils (in which number we can with all " clearnefs reckon ourfelves) we, fome of the minifters within your city " of London, who are likely, by the late aft of uniformity, to be caft out " of all public fervice in the miniftry, becaufe we cannot in confcience " conform to all things required in the faid aft, have taken the bbldrrefs " humbly to caft ourfelves and concernments at your majefty's feet, de- " firing that of your princely wifdom and compafTion you would take '" fome effeftual courfe whereby we may be continued in the exercife of " our miniftry, to teach your people obedience to God and your majefty. " And we doubt not, but by our dutiful and peaceable carriage therein,. " we fhall render ourfelves not, altogether unworthy of fo great a favour." —This was prefented Auguft 27, three days after the aft took place, by Mr. Calamy, Dr. Manton, Dr. Bates, Sec. Mr. Calamy made a fpeech upon the occafion, intimating that " thofe of his perfuafion were ready " to enter the lilts with any for their fidelity to his majefty : — that they " did not expeft to be treated as they had been : — that this was the laft " application they fhould make, &c." The, king promifed to confider of their bufinefs. The next day the matter was fully debated in coun cil, when his majefty declared he intended an indulgence. The friends of the minifters fpoke1 freely on their behalf. But Dr. Sheldon, Bp. of London^ in a warm fpeech, declared, " it was now too late to think of « fufpending that law, for h,e had ejefted fuch of his clergy as would " not comply with it, the Sunday before; — that, in this cafe, he fhould " not be able to maintain his authority among the clergy, and the. le- «• giflature would be rendered contemptible ;— and, if the importunity of " fuch difaffefted people were a fufficient reafon to humour them, nei- " ther the church nor the flate would ever be free from diftraftions." Upon the whole, it was carried that no indulgence fhould be granted. came,, A -brief Hiftory of the Times. 33 came, it brought/much gladnefs to fome, and forrow to others, and occafioned many and very different reflections *. The following remark, made by a man of note, deferves to be re corded. " Had all the minifters (faid he) conformed, people " would have thought there was nothing in religion ; and that " it was only a thing to be talked of in the pulpit, and ferve a " ftate defign ; while the minifters turned and changed any " way with the ftate : but thefe men giving up their livings, " and expofing themfelves and families to outward evils, ra- " ther than they would conform to things impofed, not agree- " able (as they apprehended) to the gofpel they preached, " have convinced men, there is a reality in religion, and given " a check to atheifm." This ail of uniformity which made fuch an alteration in all parts of the land, by ejecting fo many valuable and ufeful perfons, (of whom a particular account is to be given) was pafTed in an heat +, but its effects have been dreadful and lafting. So that we may well (and I hope with out offence) drop a tear, upon the remembrance of fo many worthies in our Ifrael, who were buried at once in a common grave. This was an action without a precedent : The like to this the Reformed Church, nay the Chriftian world, never faw be-. fore. Hiftorians relate, with tragical exclamations, that be tween 3 and 4 fcore bifhops were driven at once into the ifland of Sardinia by the African Vandals : that 200 minifters were banifhed by Ferdinand, king of Bohemia ; and that great havock was, a few years after, made among the minifters of Germany by the Imperial Interim. But thefe all together fall fhort of the number ejected by the act of uniformity, which was not lefs than 2000. The fucceeding hardfhips of the latter were alfo by far the greater.. They were not only fi- lenced, but had no room left for any fort of ufefulnefs, and * It is generally faid, it was carried but by very few votes : and that fome who were agaipft it were kept from the houfe by ftratagem. Dr. Bates, in his fermon at Mr. Baxter's funeral, fpeaking of this aft fays, that the oid clergy from wrath and revenge, and the young gentry from their feryile compliance with the court, were very aftive to carry on and compleat it. f A dignitary of the church of England, when a fober gentleman {hewed fome regret that the door was fo ftrait, that many fober mi nifters could not have admiffion, replied, " It is no pity at all : if we « had thought fo many of them wpuld have conformed, we would have f< made it ftraiter," Vol, I, D were 34 INTRODUCTION, were in a manner buried alive. Far greater tendernefs wasi ufed towards the Popijh clergy ejected at the Reformation ; they were fullered to live quietly ; but thefe were opprefled tq the uttermoft, and that even by their brethren who profefled the fame faith with themfelves. Not only excluded prefer ments, but turned out into the wide world without any vifible way of fubfiftence. Not fo much as a poor vicarage, not a blind chapel, not a fchool was left them. Nay tho' they of fered, as fome of them did, to preach for nothing, it muft not be allowed them ; [but many cruel laws were enacted againft them which expofed them to dreadful fines and imprifonment for difcharging any part of their minifterial function, or coming near the place where they formerly difcharged it:] and this at a time when their help was greatly wanted, there being but few to fupply their places, many large congrega-r tions deftitute of preaching, and many places over-run with ignorance and prophanenefs. And for what reafon were they caft out ? Only becaufe they would not confent to what they could not believe, nor vow againft what appeared to be their duty. Had they been enemies to a]l order and regularity, it had been much more tolerable : but there was no juft ground for fuch an infinua- tion ; a regular difcipline was what they pleaded for, and mo derate epifcopacy was what moft of them would have freely fubmitted to. Whofoever have charged them as fond of anarchy and confufion, knew not the men or their communi cation. Some, it muft be owned, were againft the royal fa mily, yet there were others who fullered for adhering to it : the Lancajh'ire minifters were many of them ejected for refilling and writing againft the engagement, even when many of the epifcopal party took it ; and feveral hazarded their lives in or der to bring back the king. Had they been loofe in their morals, their treatment might have been juftified : but they were as exemplary for ftrictnefs as any in'the land. Had they been meanly qualified for the minifterial work, the church might much better have fpared them : but inflead of that, we may fafely defy their greateft enemies to produce iri any age or country, two thoufand men better qualified for public minifterial work-, or more diligent and laborious in it. And tho' it may be fuppofed, that in fo great a number, fome were weak, and of but mean endowments, there were others of con fiderable parts and learning : yet they were caft off with dif- dain. And what was all this for, but to promote uniformity ? h A brief Hiftory of the Times. 25 A charming word! (for the thing itfelf is yet to be fought for, even among themfelves, who caft them out.) But certainly, 'tis an odd fort of uniformity which hinders unity, by dividing the church into parties. What was the aim of all, but to fettle impofitions, which in all ages have been greedily fwal- lowed by men of loofer principles, while they have been fnares to the moft confcientious ; who will look carefully about them, and are not for wriggling themfelves either in or out by diftinctions and evafions, (which yet they were as able to have framed as their neighbours) but would do all in fim- plicity and godly fincerity, without equivocations or referves ; thereby endeavouring to maintain and fpread a principle of honefty in the world. It has been pleaded that the Puritanical party fet the pat tern, by bearing fo hard on the fequeflered minifters in the parliament-times. But whatever that pattern was, we muft go farther backward for the original. Yet I would not thence pretend to juftify any rigorous methods, which chriftianity does neither require nor allow. But certainly they who fo much exclaimed againft them, fhould better have known the heart of a ftranger, than to have imitated, much lefs out-done them, in ejecting a number fo very far fuperior, without any allowance towards their fupport from the livings whence they were ejected ; whereas the parliament allotted a fifth part to thofe who were fequeflered, whatever were the caufe ; tho' infufficiency or fcandal. Many things were done in the par liament-times, which the agents in them lived to fee reafon to wifh uhdone. But yet when matters were at the utmoft heighth, many epifcopal perfons kept their places ; things in their own nature indifferent, and acknowledged to be fuch, were not grounds of filencing and driving into corners ; nor were the fHffeft of the High Church party, (Gunning and others of his ftamp) denied their liberty, provided they gave the Public fecurity of their good behaviour. " It is but like for like," was a plea in the mouth of all forward perfons. But was not the fcore paid before-hand by tfie rigor of K. Charlesl's reign, to look no further. back. It cannot indeed be denied, biit that all parties among us, when they have had the afcendant, have borne too hard upon thofe who lay at their rnercy ; and it is much to be lamented. But is fuch hereditary revenge as Hannibal's, who was fworn at the altar never to be reconciled, a thing agreeable to Chriftian principles, or becoming ambaffadors of the Prince of Peace i D ?. It 36" INTRODUCTION It hath been faid by fome, that " they were intolerably hu* " mourfome." But why fhould it be imagined, that for hu- mour^fake they fhould facrifice their all, and expofe them^ felves and their families to want and beggary ? Was not a comfortable life as defirable to them as to others ? Can it be fuppofed, they were fo blind as not to fee where their own intereft lay, which is a charm few are able to refill ? Were they not as capable of preferments as their neighbours ? Why then fhould they refufe them, and embrace poverty and dif, grace, imprifonment and other hardfhips, which could not in themfelves appear eligible to any man ? Can any account be given of this, if confcience did not fway them ? Should they not then have been confidered ? — How much good might they have done, if they had been kept in the eftablifhment ? [or tolerated out of it ?] And to whom muft the land afcribe the lofs of their valuable labours, but to the eager efpoufers of rites and ceremonies ? And in what did the heat of thefe zealots iflue ? Did they gain their point and fix uniformity ? Did they not rather run things to fuch an heighth, that pro- phanenefs had at length over-run us, and all that was dear to us was in danger, when bare-faced Popery afcended the throne, trampling at once on our religion and liberties? Who can boaft of their gain in the ftrife for uniformity ? Were the bufy informers beloved and advanced ? Were they not gene rally infamous ? And did not many of them come to a tra gical end ? Will it be found that they who were fierceft, when in commiflion of the peace, in profecuting the poor Diflenters, have profpered moft in their families and eftates? Or is the memory of thofe ftatefmen who were moft active in this fervice, rr»ft grateful to true-hearted Englifhmen ? Did God difown thefe worthies, when the great ones caft them off? J,et any perfons obferve and judge. They and their families were fupplied by an invifible hand. A noted man among them (who himfelf had a good eftate) reckoned up as many who were ejected within a few miles round him, as with their wives and children made' up above a hundred, who were all turned out to the wide world, and lived upon Providence ; concerning whom he obferved, that tho' they were oft in ftraits, yet they were not forfaken. The fame perfon (when he was old) obferved, that tho* many of the ejected minifters were brought very low, had many children, were greatly harrafled by perfecution, and their friends gene rally poor, and unable to fupport; them, he never knew nor- heard; A brief Hiftory of the Times. %j beard of anyNonconformift minifter in prifon for debt. Pro vidence was inftead of livings to thofe who left their livings for the fake of their confciences. , They were driven firft out of their freeholds; and afterwards from all corporations, on purpofe that they might be feparated from their kind neigh bours. Cautions were entered againft them, in all ways of livelihood they were capable of; and yet they lived com fortably, arid maintained their families creditably ; many of them bred up their fons to the miniftry, in which they were ufeful ; and they at laft died in peace, and were laid in their graves with honour. Did nonconformity die with them ? Would to God it had, provided the caufes of it had been removed ! Would to God it had, if there were nothing in it but humour arid fancy, and prejudice, as fome will have it. But as long as if is founded upon fuch liable principles, [as the fucceeding lection will give an account of] it muft be expected that nonconformity will continue. And tho' we, who dome after thofe who were ejected in the miniftry, have our authority called into quef tion by fome, if we can approve oiirfelves to God, we need jiot be uneafy. If we, who rife up in the room of thofe who in fo noble a manner adhered to the old Puritanical principle (which was indeed that of the firft Reformers) as to venture all that was dear to them rather than do violence to their con fciences ; do but imitate their faith and patience, piety and purity ; if we do but partake of the fame divine fpirit whereby they were acted ; and have but the fame preferice of God with us, to guide and affift us, to profper and fucceed us, to com fort and fupport us, which they had, we need not envy any their preferments, nor be afraid of the iflue. We may reft fatisfied with the goodnefs of our caufe, and need not fear being able to approve ourfelves to our governors, the chriftian World, to all impartial judges, to our own confciences, arid to out God* §. V. The Grounds of the Nonconformity of the ejeSted Minifters. IT is not to be fuppofed that two thoufand men fhould be all of a mind. Among the excluded minifters there was a diverfity of fentiments, fo that the grounds of their noncon formity were different. The following abftract contains the reafons of thofe who were the .moft moderate, and leaft fond of feparation, and which, for the moft part, were common to them all. D 3 I. They 38 INT R,0 D U C T I O N. I. They were required by the act of uniformity to be re- ordained, if not epifcopally ordained before. This was what they could not fubmit to, becaufe it would, in their appre- henfion, be a nullifying their paft ordination, * which . feemed not to them a light matter, as the credit of the Re formed Churches abroad, and the peace of their people, were nearly concerned in it : nor would their confciences allow them to trifle with holy things, Jn pretending to be moved by the Holy Ghoft, to take upon them the office of a Deacon, when they knew themfelves already fixed fufficiently in the higher office of Prefbyters, and folemnly to pray to him for what they were aflured they had already. II. They were required to declare their unfeigned aflent and confent to all, and every thing contained and prefcribed in and by the book, intitled, The Book of Common Prayer, and adminiffration of the facraments, and other rites and ce remonies of the church ; together with the pfalter or pfalms of David, and the form or manner of making or ordaining. and confecrating of bifhops, priefts and deacons. And they muft alfo, ex animo, fubfcribe thefe words : " that the book of " common prayer, and of ordaining bifhops, priefts and dea- " cons, containeth in it nothing contrary to the word of " God ; and that it may lawfully be ufed : and that they " themfelves would ufe the form in the faid books prefcribed " in public prayer, and adminiftration of the facraments, " and no other." But they could not do this for the follow ing reafons : i. Very few of them could fee the book, to which they were to declare their aflent and confent, before the time limited by the act was expired : For the Common Prayer Book with the alterations made by the convocation, did not come out of the prefs till a few days before the 24th of Auguft, when the act took place. So that of the feven thoufahd minifters in England who kept their livings, few but thofe in or near London, could have a fight of it till after they had declared , their aflent and confent to it. On which account it is ra ther to be woruiered at, that fo many could act in fo weighty a matter, upon an implicit faith, than that fucb a number fhould in fuch circumftances ftand out. But, * In fome eafes, an exprefs renunciation of their former prdinatioa was required. •~ * . 1 2. When A brief Hiftory of the Times.' 39 2. When they had opportunity to perufe the book, they met with feveral things there, which, after the ftricteft fearch they could make, appeared to them not agreeable to the word of God. They obferved that there muft be not only confent, but aflent too ; and that to every thing in particular contained in this book. Words could fcarce be devifed more full and fignifi- cant to teflify their higheft commendation of every rite and ceremony, every point and fyllable, in every page and line. So that one might imagine the framers of this declaration and fubfcription were of trie mind of the famous Dr. Swadlih,v:hO very roundly aflerts, " that there was not a tittle of it, "but " was by the dictate of the Holy Ghoft." Such a declara tion as was required was, in their apprehenfion, as much as could be defired concerning the Bible itfelf; and more than ought to be made concerning any copy of it now extant. But as for the Book of Common Prayer, &c. they found feveral exceptions to it, which appeared to them of great confe- quence, viz. (1.) That it teaches the doctrine of real baptifmal regener ation, and certain falvation confequent thereupon : '< We " yield thee hearty thanks, that it hath pleafed thee to re- " generate this infant with thy holy fpirit." " It is certain t " by God's word, that children which are baptized, &c. are " faved :" whereas the word of God fays nothing about it. The fenfe of the church in this point is fufficiently clear from the office for confirmation, " Almighty and everliving " God, who haft vouchfafed to regenerate thefe thy fervants " by water, and the Holy Ghoft, and haft given unto them " forgivenefs of all their fins," &c. This was a thing that appeared to our minifters of fuch dangerous confequence, that they durft not concur in it, or any way approve it, for fear of contributing to the hardening of a multitude of vain, loofe, carelefs, fecure creatures, in a fatal mrftake about the fafety of their ftate ; neither could they fee how they could arifwer for it to God another day. (2.) Thatitprefcribes the ufe of godfathers and godmothers, in baptifm, to the exclufion of parents. This they efteemed finful, not only becaufe it juftled out the parents right to de- Vote their children to God in baptifm, but alfo opened a wide door to the profaning one of the folemnities of our holy reli gion; inafmuch as fponfers are not required to be chofen with due care and caution; and in many cafes it is really impoffible to procure ferious perfons to undertake the office. D 4 > And 40 INTRODUCTION. And they found that many made themfelves obnoxious to lying and perjury in the face of God and the church ; as it is very common for the fponfors never to fee the child more, after the chriftening-day, nor ever enquire more after it ; holding themfelves really bound to nothing, but look ing "upon all as mere ceremony and compliment. Befides, thefe fponfers perfonate the child as believing in Ghrift, re nouncing fin, &c." which has no authority from pofitive law or natural right. This aflent and confent moreover obliges . minifters to deny baptifm to all fuch as have not fponfors, however good their characters, or however confcientious their fcruples in this matter. This our minifters ap prehended finful. They durft not concur in letting the will and advice of man againft Chrift, who " invited little " children to come to him, and was angry with thofe who " forbad them." And it feemed to them very odd that the fame perfons fhould be fo forward to deny baptifm to poor in fants for want of a formality, when yet they apprehended it would give them a certain affurance of falvation. (3.) This aflent, confent, and fubfcription, obliges mi nifters to ufe the fign of the crofs in baptifm. The filenced minifters regarded this as a facrament fuperadded to that which our Lord -had inftituted ; and they thought that as Chriftians firft ufed it to diftinguifh themfelves from Heathens, we fhould difufe it to diftinguifh ourfelves from the idolatrous Papifts, who fuperftitioufly adore the crofs, foolifhly figning themfelves with it upon every occafion, confiding in it to pro tect them from all evil. They thought the ufe of it tended to encourage fuperflgtion, and that making it neceflary is a ms- nifeft encroachment on the kingly power of our Saviour, as it is making new terms of communion, in which they durft not concur. (4.) This aflent, confent, and fubfcription, obliged therh to reject all fuch from the Lord's Supper as would not receive it kneeling. The canon forbids minifters, upon pain of fuf penfion, to give it to any that do not kneel. This alfo they confidered as making anew term of church communion, con trary to Chrift's appointment, which requires all Chriftians to receive each other in love and concord; and not to doubtful difputations, as depriving Chrift's members of their right ; an ufurpation upon mens confciences, and a means of dividing the church. Even thofe of them who could not charge kneel ing as finful, and who could themfelves have complied, with ' it. A brief Hiftory of the Times. 41 jt, were yet afraid of excluding others upon fuch an account, as it was far from being a neceflary matter, and as per fons might have good reafon to be backward to alter the pofture ufed by our Saviour in the adminiftration ; and to be fhy of feeming to fymbolize with idolaters, in ufing that which is well known to be ufed by the Papifts with an inten tion of adoring the elements. (5.) This aflent, confent, and fubfcription, includes an ap probation of that affertion, that bifhops, priefts, and deacons, are three diftinct orders in the church by divine appointment. It is faid, indeed, " That this is evident to all men diligently " reading the Holy Scriptures and antient authors." But tho' they had diligently read both, they could not fee this in either. Nay, they found that even the church of England was formerly of another mind. Bp. Stillingfleet proved, as they thought by fufricient evidence, that Archbifhop Cranmer, and .other reformers of the church of England, held that there was no difference in order between a bifhop and a prefbyter, but only in degree. (6.) They coujd not confent to pronounce all faved that are buried, except the unbaptized, excommunicate, and felf- murderers. For tho' they owned themfelves bound to j udge with .the utmoft degree of charity concerning all, yet pofitively and without any limitation to avouch concerning every one whom they buried, " That God in great mercy has taken his foul, " and taken it to himfelf," tho' cut off in the midft of his fins, without any figns of repentance ; this was beyond their faith, and they found nothing like it in the gofpel, which fpeaks in another language of impenitent tinners ; and they could not fee how charity would excufe dangerous errors and falfhood. By this means they faw they fhould be neceflitated to pronounce many faved at the grave, whom in their pulpits and writings they thought themfelves obliged to condemn ; and fhould thus be in danger of hardening the ungodly and prophane in their hope of coming off fafe at laft, altho' they perfifted in their difiblute and licentious courfe. Befides, . it feemed to them to be but a wild and fanciful fort of charity ia thofe men, who had fuch hopes of perfons dying in grofs fins^ while many of their confciences were too tender to allow the Office to Diffenters, becaufe they were hopelefs fchifmatics. (7. ) They could not exprefs their confent to a rule for find ing out Eajler day, which they knew to be falfe. The rule is this : " Eajler day is always the firft Sunday after the firft full " moon; 42 INTRODUCTION- " moon, which happens next after the 21ft of March ; and if " the full moon happens upon a Sunday, Eajler-day is the Sun- *« day after." The frequent falfity of this rule may be feen by confulting the common almanacks, and by comparing it with the table that follows it in the Common Prayer Book, to find outEafler-day for ever. Tho' this in itfelf was but a trifle, yet for perfons to be obliged to confent to that as true, which in many cafes they knew to be falfe, was no fmall. hardfhip *. (8.) They could not confent to read apocryphal leffons, 'which they found appointed to be read wholly and intirely, morning and evening for two months together, under the title of Holy Scripture ; while in the fame order (as appears by the kalendar) fome books of the facred canon are wholly left out, fome of them read but in part, and many of them mutilated and curtailed. Tho' they could freely own there were many valuable things in the. apocryphal books, they -could not have fuch a degree of refpect for them as to think them fit to be read in churches in the room of the Holy Scrip tures. They efpecially objected to the ftories of Tobit and his dog, Bell and the dragon, Judith and Baruch, &c. which they found the moft celebrated bifhops and doctors of the church owning to be falfe and fictitious. And they were afraid of contributing to miflead weak and ignorant people, to fancy •them of equal authority with the Holy Scriptures; of which there is the more danger, becaufe in the order of reading the leffons, the title of Holy Scripture and Old Teftament is given to the Apocrypha. (9.) They could not exprefs an entire approbation of the old verfion of the Pfalms, becaufe they found feveral miftranfla- tions in it, which was indeed more accommodated to theSep- tuagint, than to the original Hebrew, e. g. In Pf. cv. 28. our Pfalter reads the'words thus : " and they were not obe dient to his word ;" our Bible reads them, " and they re belled not againft his word." Thus therefore they argued, If the tranflation be true in the Pfalter, it is falfe in theBible ; and if it be true in the Bible, it is falfe in the Pfalter. How could they give their aflent, that they rebelled, and rebelled not ? And fo in fome other cafes. (10.) They could not aflent and confent to St. Athanafiufs creed, in which there is this expreflion, " which faith except * Dr. Calamy very largely proves the juftice of this objeftion. See p. zz8— 2.11. " every A brief Hiftory of the Times; 43 * every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he " fhall perifh everlaftingly." This to our fathers feemed very harfh. Tho' they approved of the creed in general as heartily as their brethren, yet could they not look upon themfelves to be fo far called to judge other men, as to conclude all cer tainly damned for ever, who are not fo well fkilled in that myftery, as not to believe every word here written. More over, fome of the ejected minifters, (as well as many who conformed) had fo much charity, as to apprehend' that who- foever walked fincerely up to his light, with a general repent ance for his unfeen errors, was in a ftate of acceptance with God. (11.) They could not aflent and confent to this rubrick, that " none fhall be admitted unto the holy communion, until " fuch time as he be confirmed, or be ready and defirous '* to be confirmed." Tho' many of them were defirous to have confirmation reftored, and thought it would be ufeful,' if managed with a becoming gravity, yet to deny perfons the communion, who were willing to own their baptifmal cove nant, for refufing to be confirmed in the epifcopal way, was what they knew not how to juftify. ¦III. They were alfo required, by the act of uniformity, to take the oath of canonical obedience, and fwear fubjection to their ordinary, according to the canons of the church. Herein they could not comply, 1. Becaufe they found feveral things highly exceptionable in thofe canons, according to which this obedience was. to be performed. Particularly that perfons are ipfofaSto excommu nicated, and that they themfelves might be obliged to pro nounce them fo, for a variety of things which they could not think deferving fo dreadful a punifhment. For inftance, By can. 4. for charging the Book of Common Prayer with *' containing any thing repugnant to the Scriptures." Tho' this fhould be allowed to be an error, they could not fee it to be of that magnitude as to deferve excommunication. Be- fides, they efteemed it a great abufe of excommunication, to have it thundered out againft any perfons before they were heard to fpeak for themfelves, or told of their fin and called to repentance. By can. 5. for " affirming any of the 39 articles to be *' erroneous." They could not bind themfelves to con form to this canon, for the reafons before mentioned. Be- fides, they found the words of feveral of the articles liable to exception ; h44 INTRODUCTION. exception ; and fome of them of fmall moment and dubious^ They could not fee the warrant of that authority afcribed tc» the church in the 20th article *. They knew of no charter Chrift had given to the church to bind men up to more than himfelf hath done. Neither could they efteem every thing that is true fo neceflary to church-communion,that all who dif- fent muft be prefently caft out. They found Bp. Jeremy Taylor overthrowing the 9th article about original fin; and Du Hammond refining upon the 14th; and denying the 17th ; in which they had many followers, who were all by this canon ipfo faclo excommunicated : a thing in which they durft not concur, as eafily forefeeing that this would make the articles an engine of endlefs ftrife and divifion. By can. 6. for affirming, that " the rites and ceremonies of " the church of England axe. fuperftitious," &c. In this canon the church feemed to thein to affume a moft exorbitant power, by laying fo great a ftrefs upon every one of its ceremonies. Befides, thefe minifters themfelves efteemed thofe ceremonies unwarrantable, and they could not agree to excommunicate' themfelves. By can. 7. for affirming, that " the government of the " church of England, by afchbifhops, bifhops, deans, &c. is " repugnant to the word of God." Tho' fome of the filenced minifters could have gone farther than others in fubmitting to diocefan epifcopacy, yet that bifhops fhould govern the church in a fecular manner, by laymen, who do that in their name which they know nothing of; could not in their judg ment be reconciled with the word of God. By can. 8. for affirming, that " the form and manner of " making andtconfecrating bifhops, priefts or deacons, con- " taineth any thing in it repugnant to the word of God." Tho' it fhould be allowed there were nothing amifs in this book of ordination, yet the belief of its innocency could not, in their eflimation, be juftly deemed a matter of fuch moment, as to be neceflary to falvatiqn, or that perfons fhould be caft out of the church for the want of it. By the 9th, 10th, and nth canons, " fuch as feparate " themfelves from the communion of the church of Englandt " and fuch as own thofe feparate focieties to be true churches, " are all to be excommunicated, and only reftored by the * " The church bath power to decree rites and eeremonjes, and hath " authority in eontroverfies of faith." " arch- A brief Hiftory of the Times. 45 *' archbifhop." Canons of this kind they durft not fwear fubjection to, becaufe they thought them very uncharitable. Suppofing it granted that thefe perfons really were in an error, they could not fee their errors to be comparable to thofe of the Papifts, who are, by many of the prelatical party, owned to be a true church. Societies being gathered and maintained without the confent of the ruler, cannot incapacitate them from being true churches ; for to condemn them on that ac count is to difown all the churches of Chrift, which were in the World for fome hundreds of years, who were all in com mon in that condition. Thefe minifters thought it very fit to leave thofe to themfelves, who were fo confined in their charity ; apprehending it their duty to embrace all thofe as their brethren who feared God; and wrought righteoufnefs, how different foever their particular fentiments or modes might be. By can. 38. " A minifter repenting of his fubfcription, or *' afterwards omitting any of the prefcribed forms or ceremo- *' nies, is firft to be fufpended, then excommunicated, and " then depofed from the miniftry." This they apprehended might, in many cafes, be to confent to caft a man out of the church for being confcientious. By can. 57. " All that go for baptifm for their children, or " the communion for themfelves from their own parifh, be- *' caufe the minifter is no preacher, to another parifh that " hath a preaching minifter, are fufpended, and after a month *' to be excommunicated." To this they could not fubmit, becaufe they apprehended there was much more need of dri ving the people to preaching minifters than from them ; and they thought it finful either to countenance ignorant and fcandalous perfons, who had intruded into the miniftry, or to encourage people in being contented with fuch. By can. 58. fi Every minifter, when officiating, is re- f ' quired to wear a furplice, under pain of fufpenfion." This fymholical veftment, was what they found many learned and excellent minifters had in former times been againft. And they thought it of fo little neceffity or ufe, that even thofe who fhould rather have fubmitted to it, than have been de prived of their miniftry, durft not concur in the fufpenfion of others, 'who were more fcrupulous of it than themfelves. By can. 68. " Minifters are required to baptize all chil- w dren without exception, who are offered te them for that f? purpofe,'? .1 The' 46 INTRODUCTION. Tho' fome of the filenced minifters were much ftraiter in their notions about the qualified fubjedls of baptifm than others, they were generally againft fubmifliori to this canon, becaufe not convinced that the children of all comers (e.g. infidels and prophane, &c.) have a right to this ordinance. And they apprehended fwearing obedience herein, to be a confenting in effect, to the profaning this facred inftitution. By can. 72. " Minifters are debarred the liberty of keeping " private falls upon any occafion, or fo much as being prefent " at them, without expofing themfelves. to fufpenfion the firft " time, excommunication the fecond, and depofition the " third." Thefe minifters efteemed thofe unworthy of that facred function, who were not to be trufted to faft and pray with their people, as occafions might require. And, taking this to be a part of their office, they could no more renounce it than the liberty of preaching the gofpel. By can. 1 12. " The minifter, jointly with the parifh offi- " cers, is required every year, within 40 days after Eajler, to " exhibit to the bifhop or his chancellor, the names of all his " parifhioners, of the age of fixteen, who did not receive the " communion at Eajler before." With this canon agrees the rubrick in the communion office, which requires every pari- ¦ftiioner to communicate at the leaft three times in the year, of which Eajler is to be one. And if they refufe after pre- fentation, they are to be excommunicated^ and are liable to .be confined in gaol till they die, by virtue of the writ de ex communicato capiendo. In this the filenced minifters durft not concur, being convinced this would fill the church with fuch as ought rather to be kept away; prevent all poflibility of difcipline, and be a bar to that purity, which is a great defign of Chriftianity, as well as greatly terrify many timorous Chrif tians. Omitting fome others, the three laft canons relate to the authority of fynods, and require all to be excommunicated who affirm, that " a convocation, fummoned by the king's. " authoriy, is not the true church of England by reprefenta*- " tion ; or that the abfent as well as prefent, are not to be " fubject to the decrees of fuch an affembly ; or that their " canons and conftitutions are defpicable, &c ." Thefe canons they could not oblige themfelves to fubmit to, becaufe of the difputable nature of the matters contained in them. " That a " convocation is the true church of England by reprefenta- " tion," feemed to them juftly quefticmable, not only be caufe A brief Hiftory of the Times. 47 caufe the laity (whom they thought a part of the church) were altogether excluded, but alfo becaufe the clergy were far from being therein fajrjy reprefented. But tho' they fhould be miftaken in points of this nature, it feemed to them ftrangely and needlefly fevere, that an excommunication muft prefently be thundered out, for what might be a mere miftake without any malignity. They thought this highly unfuitable to the Chriftian fpirit, and contrary to the will of our Saviour, who had fo often recommended mildnefs and gentlenefs to his church ; and therefore they could not fwear fubmiffion. It hath been pleaded by many, that the oath of canonical obedience doth not oblige to approve of all that is in the ca nons. To which they anfwered, that, in their judgment, the cafe of a minifter was much the fame as that of a juftice of peace, who tho' not bound by his oath to approve of every law of the land, yet is bound by his office, when he is, called to it, to execute them all. 2. Another capital reafon why thefe minifters fcrupled taking the oath of canonical obedience was, that they found the epifcopal government managed by chancellor's courts, (which were kept in the bifhops name indeed, while they were not fuffered to a£t in thCm) where laymen exercife authority, by decretive excommunications and abfolutions. They found the word ordinary, mentioned in the oath, would admit of. divers fenfes. That it not only meant the bifhop of the diocefe, but the judges in their courts. And as for the other chief minif- ' ters added in the oath, to- whom fubjection was to be fworn., they faw not how lefs could be thereby meant, than all the archdeacons, officials, commiflaries, and furrogates, with the reft of the attendants upon thofe courts. Now they durft not bind themfelves by oath to a fubmiffion of this nature, for fear of concurring to overthrow the paftoral office. They thought the keys of the church as much belonged to the pallor as the adminiftration of the facraments ; and that in cafe of abufe, an appeal might more properly be lodged with a fynod, or with a meeting confifting partly of minifters, and partly of deputies from the neighbouring churches, than with a fet of wrangling lawyers, whofe concern in fuch matters they looked upon as irrational as well as unfcriptural ; and whofe management of them was more likely to be calculated for their own profit, than the credit of religion, -and the purity of the church. As forfheprovifion made by the rubrick before the commu nion office, *' That when a minifter keeps any perfons from " the 48 INTRODUCTION. *' the facrament, he fhould within 40 days give an account to " the ordinary, that he may proceed againft them according " to the canons," they could not acquiefce in it, being dif- fatisfied as to the grounds upon which thefe ordinaries (whe ther mere laymen, fimple prefbyters, or diocefans) appro priated the cognizance of matters of this nature to themfelves, which in the judgment of common fenfe was more proper for thofe that had the opportunity of perfonal infpedlion, than for Arrangers. They were alfo confirmed in their diflike of this method of procedure, becaufe of the tedioufnefs, difficulty, and expenfivenefs of it ; becaufe of the number that muft be accufed if the canons were followed ; becaufe of the great hindrance it would be to them in their minifterial work ; and in a word, becaufe of the impoffibiiity of keeping up any real difcipline in fuch away : in which they were much confirmed by obfervation arid experience *. Excommunications and abfolutions they looked upon a$ very weighty matters, and durft not agree to trifle in them. If the bifhops could truft their confciences with their chan cellors, they defired to be excufed till they were better fatisfied in the point. They could not yield to receive and publifh their excommunications blindly, leaft they fhould be charge able with their irregularities and abufes, and be the inftruments of molefting, worrying and ruining, as religious perfons perhaps as any in their parifhes. Nor durft they confent to publifh the abfolutions of notorious debauchees, who have given, it may be, rib other proof of repentance of their crimes than paying the fees of the court. Thefe things, they well knew, expofed the cenfures of the church to fcandal and con tempt, and therefore they were unwilling to give an helping hand. * The church party themfelves have not been infenfible of corruptions in this refpefl. Among others, Pp. Burnet, at the clofe of his Hift. of the Ref, obfeives, " There is one thing (we could heartily with there " were no more) yet wanting to complete the reformation of this church ; " which is, the reftoring a primitive difcipline againft fcandalous perfons, *f the eftablifhing the government of the church in ecclefiaftical hands, " and taking it out of lay-hands, whe have fo long prophaned it, and " have expofed the authority of the church, and the cenfures of it, chiefly " excommunication, to the contempt of the nation ; by which the rever- " ence due to holy things is in fo great a meafure loft, and the dread- " Julleft of all cenfures is now become the moft fcorned and defpifed," IV- They A brief Hiftory of the Times." 49' IV. They were alfo required, by the adt of uniformity, to tibjure the Solemn League and Covenant, in thefe words 5 " I A. B. do declare, that I do hold there lies no obligation " upon me, or any other, perfon, from the oath commonly *' called, The Solemn League arid Covenant, to endeavour " any change or alteration of government, ether in church " or ftate ; and that the fame was iri itfelf an unlawful oath, ,{ and impofed upon the fubjedls of this realm againft the " known laws and liberties of this kingdom." Tho' many of the minifters who were ejected had not taken this covenant, and more of them were all along againft the im- pofing it, their confciences would not allow them to yield to fuch a renunciation as this, for which a parallel can hardly be found in any age. Every man's endeavouring in his proper fphere to altefchurch-government, as far as he is convinced of its being faulty,- appeared to them a matter of duty; and a thing to which that covenant fo far obliged all who took it, that all the princes and prelates in Chriftendom could not give them a difpenfation. But for every one in holy orders to de termine for all in three kingdoms who took the covenant, that they were no way obliged by it, they efteemed an unprece dented inftance of affirming. They remembered that king Charles hmfelf had taken f it in Scotland, with all poffible ap pearance of ferioufnefs and fo.lemnity. They durft not run the hazard of tempting the king himfelf, and thoufands of his fubjedls, to incur the guilt of perjury, or of hardening them under that guilt. V. Befides the oath of allegiance and fupremacy, all in holy orders were, by the act of uniformity, obliged to fubfcribe this political declaration : " 1 A. B. do declare, that it is not law- " ful, upon any pretence whatfoever, to take arms againft the " king ; and that I do abhor that traitorous pofition of taking " arms by his authority againft his perfon, or againft thofe *{ that are commiffionated by him." Tho' the filenced minifters were as free as any for the oath of allegiance, and ready to give the government any reafonable aflurance of a peaceable fubjection, yet they were not for fub- fcribirig this declaration, for fear of contributing to betray the liberties of their country. For, being fenfible that it is poffi ble for the law and the king's commiffion to be contrary to $ach other, they thought it the duty of Englijhmen as free people, to adhere rather to the former than the latter. They •J- This he did no lefs than three times. Voi... I. E efteemed 50 INTRODUCTION. efteemed felf-defence a part of the law of nature, and thought that the body of a nation have by that law a felf-defendmg power againft their enemies ; and it was their comfort under the fevere cenfures caft upon them, to have the antient Greeks and Romans, philofophers, orators and hiftorians, the antient bifhops of the church, the moft celebrated modern hiftorians, civilians, and canonifts, together with fuch eminent perfons even in the church of England, as Bp. Bilfon, Bp. Jeremy Tay lor, and Mr. Hooker, concurring in the fame opinion with them. And notwithstanding all the clamours of their infulting bre thren, they were fatisfied that thofe who were moft forward for this declaration, and moft fierce in condemning thofe who fcrupled it, would not keep to it, if at any time they found things were come to extremity, as the event verified. Up on the landing of the prince of Orange, when in order to the fecuring religion, liberty, and property, all ranks and quali ties, both of clergy and laity, finding room for a particular exception (where they would before allow of no cafe what foever) ventured to join with a foreign prince whom they had called in to their afliflance, againft the perfon of their fovereign K. James, and thofe who were Commiflioned by him;. As for the poor ejected minifters, who endured fuch hardfhips for refuting this declaration, they came off with this honourable teflimony from impartial fpectators, that by their refu'fal they helped, as much as in them lay, to pave the way for that glorious Revolution, to which we owe all our prefent happi- nefs, and all our future hopes ; while the promoters of this declaration, and all that adhered to it, could contribute no thing in the cafe, without bidding defiance to their moft dar-v ling principle : the principle which for twenty years together had made the pulpits ring and the prefs groan f. For fuch reafons as thefe, the minifters who were ejected, durft not comply with the a£t of uniformity, and fall in with the national eftablifhment. Hereupon they have been gene rally afperfed and blackened with all imaginary freedom. But this muft be acknowledged after all, that if they erred in this matter, it was for fear of erring ; and therefore they de- .f N. B. Thefe two laft points, of renouncing the covenant and fub- fcribing againft tiking arms in any cafe whatfoever, have riot for fome time been infilled on, with fuch as enter the miniftry in the eftablifhed church. The former was fixed by the a£t but till 1682, and then it dropped of courfe. The latter continued till the Revolution, and then' (as it was high time) was fuperfeded, fcrved A brief Hiftory of the Times." g.f ferved refpect rather than reproach, becaufe they acted like men of integrity, according to the light they had. If but one thing had been made neceflary to their continuing in their places, (which, upon due enquiry they thought finful) they had been bound to have refufed. But here were many things which they knew not how they could yield to, without fin j arid becaufe their confciences would not fufFer them to do it, henceforward the church^doors were fhut upon them with con tempt, and others filled their vacant pulpits. Hereupon they were much perfuaded to lay down their miniftry ; but the ge-* rierality of them could not be fatisfied, to do it on many ac-- counts* They feared the guilt of perfidioufly breaking their ordination-vow, by which they obliged themfelves to the di ligent performance of their miniftry. Many of their people, having given Up themfelves to their conduct in divine things," claimed the continuance of their relation and miniftry, and begged they would not defert them ; profeffing that they could not truft their fouls to the care of many of thofe who were placed in their ftead ; that they feared the fin of unfaithfulnefs 'and cruelty, and incurring the guilt of ruining fouls by being filent. The magiftrate's authority was indeed againft them y but they found themfelves under a folemn obligation to an higher authority to fulfil their miniftry, as they were able, for neglecting which they knew the command of the magiftrate could furnifh them with no juft excufe. The curfe and doom of the unprofitable fervant that hid his talent (Matt, xxv.) much affected them. Befides, they found the neceflities of the people in moft parts of the nation great, notwithftanding the legal provifion for them : and without being cenforiOus, it was to'o evident to them, that many of the minifters were unqualified. And making the beft of things, they found that populous cities, and the ignorant parts of the country," needed more help than the parifh minifters did or could afford them. In fhort, maturely weighing the whole mat ter, they apprehended it their indifpenfable duty, as men and. minifters, to do' their beft in the exercife of all their talents, human, chriftian, and minifterial, to feek to fave people's fouls ; and endeavoured, as well as they could, to arm- themfelves with patience to bear all the fufterings they might expect to meet with. And they wanted not hearers and adherents. Many arguments and infinuations indeed were ufed to divert the people from atall regarding them ; but their efteem for them was too deeply rivetted, the grounds of their diffatisfaction too palpable, and the care taken to remove E ?, the 5i I N T R O D U C TION. the grounds of their objections too fuperficial, for them to be much moved with thefe affaults. Many of the people had found benefit by their former labours, and thereupon thought themfelves obliged to ftick to them. Finding them caft off without having any crime juftly alledged againft them, they thought it inhuman and barbarous to defert them. And being Convinced of the juftice of the caufe in which they were en gaged, viz. in prefling a farther reformation in matters of re ligion, they thought it their duty to efpoufe the fame caufe, and adhere to the fame principle. They could not fee how the prefentation of ai patron and the inftitution of a bifhop, could make it the duty of all in a parifh, prefently to acquiefce in thofe minifters who were put in their places : nor could they reconcile the fuppofition with the inviolable rights of human nature ; which leave a man as much at his liberty to choofe a paftor for his foul, as £ phyfician for his body, or a lawyer for his eftate. The peo ple alfo had many of the fame objections againft conformity which the minifters themfelves had, arifing particularly from the want of difcipline in the church; the impofition of the crofs and of fponfors in baptifm ; kneeling at the Lord's flip per, and other human inventions, and unfcriptural terms of communion. Things being in this pofture, what muft they do ? Muft they fit ftill, without any ordinances at all ? Or go againft their confciences to enjoy them ? Muft they live, like Pagans till they got rid of their fcruples ? It appeared to be their duty to take fuch opportunities as they had of wor- fhipping God according to their confciences, being careful to maintain lgve and charity towards thofe from .whom they differed. This was the courfe they accordingly took ; hav ing fometimes the fmiles, and fometimes the frowns of go vernment. Among other charges brought againft them, "both minifters and people, on account of their feparate afiemblies,- they were cried out againft from the prefs and pulpit as dan gerous Schifmatics, and under that notion brought under a popular odium. For as a member of the church of England (the ingenious Mr. Hales of Eaton) faid long ago, " herefy " and fchifm are two theological fcare-crows, ufed by thofe " that feek to uphold a party in religion, to terrify their op- " ponents." However the Nonconformifts weighed the mat ter, confidcred the grounds of the charge, found themfelves innocent, and made their appeal to the unprejudiced, in di vers apologetic writings. They A brief Hiftory of the Times. & They pleaded that their practice was not what the fcripture calls fchifm. As fchifm is there reprefented, it lies not fo much in variety of opinions, or different practices, modes or forms, as in a want of love and charity. For as herefy is op- pofed to faith, fchifm is oppofed to love. He that is con- verfant with fcripture may eafily obferve, that there may be fchifm, or a fchifmatical, fpirit working in a church, where: there is no local feparation ; 'and that there may be a fepara tion and yet no fchifm on the part of them that feparate : nay, that there can be no fchifm in fcripture-account, where there is not an uncharitable alienation of chriftians' hearts from each other. They farther pleaded, that their feparation was no$ voluntary, but forced. They were caft out of the church by her impofitions, and excommunicated by her canons : on which account many of the Laudenfian faction, even to this day deny them chriftian burial. They were free to hold con- ftant communion with the eftablifhed church, upon thofe terms which Chrift had made neceflary, but were rejected with fcorn, becaufe of their non-compliance in things which, after the utmoft fearch, they could not find the word of God would warrant. So that they did not throw out them felves, but were rejedted. They farther pleaded, that if there were a fchifm, it lay at their door who laid the foundation of it by their impofitions, and who might remove it, and prevent the difmal confequences they fo much complain of, by leav ing the things that are fo ftrictly enjoined, in their natural in- ¦difference. They were the more confirmed in their adherence to thefe principles, by finding the moft eminent divines of the church forced to make ufe of the very fame in their noble de fence of the Reformation, againft the Romanifts : and indeed it feemed to them remarkable that thofe which were reckoned, by .the clergy, the moft fuccefsful weapons againft the Diffen ters, fhould be the fame that are ufed by the Papifts againft the Proteftant Reformation. Upon rhe whole; as for the above reafons they thought their feparation from the church of England was not finful, they endeavoured to manage it fo peaceably and charitably, that it might not become fchifmatical. A main expedient, pitched upon by the moft moderate for this purpofe, was, communi cating occafionally with the eftablifhed church. Hereby they thought they fhould fhew their love and charity to thofe from whom they ordinarily feparated ; and yet, at the fame time, fliould fhew their firm adherence to their fundamental princi- E 3 . Plesi 54 INTRODUCTION. pies, of keeping the ordinances of Chrift, as he had appointed them, without additional terms of communion ; and of purfu- ing a farther reformation. But they had the common lot of thofe who in any cafe have been for keeping within a due me> diocrity ; they have been eagerly aflaulted by thofe addicted to extreams on either hand of them, and run down as utterly in- excufabje becaufe of their moderation *. §, VI. The Treatment of the Nonconf or mift Minifters after their Ejeclion, till the Death of Charles II. THE ejected minifters continued for ten years in a ftate of filence and obfcurity. It was their aim and endea vour to be found in the way of their duty to God and the king ; but they could not be fuffered to live in peace f. Such was the policy of the court, that they muft either be crufhed by their fellow Proteftants, or if favoured with any connivance, they muft have the Papifts partners with them, that fo the Proteftant intereft might be that way weakened. The act of uniformity took place, Auguft the 24th, 1662. On the 26th of December following, the king publifhed a declara tor!, expreffing his purpofe, to grant fome indulgence or li berty in religion, not excluding the Papifts, many of whom (he faid) had deferved fo well of him. Some of the Noncon- fbrmifts were hereupon much encouraged, and waiting pri vately on the king, had their hopes confirmed, and would have perfuaded their brethren to have thanked the king for his de claration ; but they refufed, leaft they fhould make way for the toleration of the Papifts. The declaration took not at all, either with parliament or people ; and fo the poor Nonconfor- mifts were expofed to great feVerities. They who at the king's coming in were fo much carefled, were now treated with the utmoft contempt. The filenced minifters were hot only for bidden to preach in public, but were fo carefully watched in private, that they could not meet to pray together, but it was 3 feditious conventicle. -Mr. Baxter and Dr. Bates were de fired to be at Mr. Beak's in Hatton-Garden, to pray for his wife, who was dangeroufly ill, Thro' fome other neceflary * Whether their conduit herein was right or not, their motive was doubtlefs a moft commendable one. Thofe who would fee a defence of their occafional conformity, are referred to Dr. Calamy, vol. *, p. .285, &c. '¦J- As foon as the act of uniformity took place, more plots were hatched, tp keep up the fpirit which Yarr'tngton't plot firft ftirred up-. 5 occafions A brief Hiftory of the Times. SS occafions they failed of being there, and if they had not they had been apprehended ; for two juflices of the peace came with a ferjeant at arms to feize them, and fearched the houfe, and even the Tick gentlewoman's chamber. Many excellent minifters quickly after were laid in gaols in many counties for the heavy crime of preaching and praying. , In June 1663, the old peaceable Abp. of Cant. Dr. Juxon, died, and Dr. Sheldon Bp. of London fucceeded him. About that time there was a frefh report of liberty for the filenced minifters. They were blamed by many, for not petitioning the parliament; tho' they had reafon enough againft it. Many members encouraged the expectation of either an indulgence, ox a comprehenfion ; and it was wafmly debated, which of the two would be more defirable. Some were for petitioning for a general indulgence ; but others declared they would fuf- fer any thing rather than promote Popery. Mr. Baxter, when confulted by a perfon of diftindtion, de clared for a comprehenfion. But inftead of indulgence or comprehenfion, on the 30th of June, the act againft private meetings (called the conventicle act) pafTed the houfe of com mons, and foon after was made a law, viz. " that every per- " fon above 16 years of age, prefent at any meeting under *.' pretence of any exercife of religion, in other manner than " is the practice of the church of England, where there are five *.' perfons more than the houfhold, fhall for the firft offence, " by a juftice of peace be recorded, and fent to gaol 3 months, " till he pay 5I. and for the 2d offence, 6 months, till he pay " 10 1. and the 3d time being convicted by a jury, fhall be ba- *-' nifhed to fome of the American plantations, excepting New- " England or Virginia." It was a great rurdfhip attending this act, that it gave fo much power to juflices of the peace to record a man an offender without a jury : and if they did it without caufe, there was no remedy, feeing every juftice was made a judge. Before, the danger and fufferings lay on the minifters only, but now the people alfo were forely tried. In the year 1665, the plague broke out, which carried off about an hundred thoufand perfons in the city of London. The ejected minifters had till this time preached very privately, and but to a few : but now, when the minifters in the city-churches fled, and left their flocks in the time of their extremity, feve ral of them pitying the dying and diftrefled people, who had none to help them to prepare for another world, nor to com fort them in their terrors, when about 10,000 died in a week j E 4 were $8 INTRODUCTION. were convinced that no obedience to the laws of man could juftify their neglecting men's fouls and bodies in fuch extre mities. Thereupon they refolved to flay with them, enter the forfaken pulpits, and give them what afliftance they were able, under fuch an awakening providence ; vifit the fick, and get what relief they could for the poor, efpecially fuch as were fhut up. The perfons that fet upon this work were Mr. T, Vincent, Mr. Chejler, Mr. Janeway, Mr. Turner, Mr. Grimes, Mr. Franklyn, and fome others. The face of death fo awakened preachers and hearers, that the former exceeded themfelves in lively fervent preaching ; and the latter heard with a peculiar ardour and attention. And thro' the blefling of God, many were converted, and religion took fuch hold on their hearts, that it could never afterwards be loofed. Whilft God was confuming the people by this judgment, and the Nonconformifts were labouring to fave their fouls, the parliament, which fat at Oxford, was bufy in making an act to render their cafe incomparably harder than it was be fore, by putting upon them a certain oath *, which if they refufed, they muft not come (unlefis upon the road) within five miles of any city or corporation, any place that fent bur- gefles to parliament, any place where they had been minifters, or had preached after the adl of oblivion. The main promo ters of this act among the clergy were, Abp. Sheldon and Bp, Ward, And tho' fome vehemently oppofed it, the lord chan cellor Hyde and his party carried it, When this act came out, thofe minifters who had any maintenance of their own, found out fome dwellings in obfcure villages, or in fome few mar ket-towns that»were not corporations. Some who had no thing, left their wives and children, and hid themfelves abroad, and fometimes came fecretly to them by night. But the moft, refolved to preach the more freely in cities and cor porations till they went to prifon. Their ftraits were great; for the country was fo impoverifhed, that thofe who were wil ling to relieve them, had generally no great ability. And yet God did mercifully provide fome fupplies for them'; fo that fcarce any of them perifhed for want, or were expofed to for- * The oath was this. «< I, A. B. do fwear, that it is not lawful, upon any pretence whatfoever, to take arms againft (he king ; and that I do abhor the traiterous pofition of taking arms by his authority againft his perfon, or againft thofe tha.t.are commiffionated by him, in purfuance pi fuch commiflion : and that I will not at any time endeavour any al teration pf the government, either in church pr ftate," 3 M A brief Hiftory of the Times.* $7 Aid beggary : but fome few were tempted againft their former judgments to conform. The Nonconformifts being charged in this new act, with feditious doctrines and heinous crimes, many were much concerned : and hereupon endeavoured to •find out a fenfe in which the oath might be taken fafely, to prevent their pafling under that brand to pofterity. Dr. Bates confulted the lord keeper Bridgeman about it ; who promifed to be at the next feflions, and on the bench to declare openly, that by endeavour, in the oath, to change church government, was meant only unlawful endeavour. Upon which declara tion, he and other Nonconformifts, to the number of twenty, took it. This year orders were fent from the Abp. of Canter bury to the feveral Bifhops of his province, that they fhould make a return of the names of all ejected Nonconformift mi nifters; with their place of abode, and manner of life. The number of minifters who were imprifoned, fined, or otherwife fuffered for preaching the gofpel, was very great. The dreadful fire in London, which happened the next year, made the way of the Nonconformifts plainer to them. For the churches being burnt, and the parifh minifters gone, for want of places and maintenance, the people's neceffity became unqueftionable ; they having no places now to worfhjp God in, except a few churches that were left Handing, which would not hold any confiderable part of them. Whereupon the Nonconformifts opened public meeting -houfes, which were very full ; but ftill agreed fometimes to communicate with the eftablifhed church. In the year 1667, the lord chancellor Hyde was impeached and difcarded : and it feemed a remarkable providence of God, that he who had been the grand inftrument of ftate in the fore going tranfactions, and had dealt fo feverely with the Noncon formifts, fhould at length be caft out by his own friends and banifhed. The duke of Buckingham fucceeded him as chief favourite ; under whom the Nonconformifts in London were connived at, and people went openly to their meetings with out fear. This encouraged the country minifters to do the like in moft parts of England, and crowds of the moft reli gious people were their auditors. In Jan. 1668, the lord keeper Bridgeman fent for Mr. Baxter and Dr. Manton, and treated with them about a comprehen fion and toleration. A few days after, he fent them his pro pofals, and they met with Dr. Wilkins and Mr. Burton to con fer about them* Mr. B% I N T'R.O DUCTION, Mrs Baxter^ and his brethren moved for other things to be added. Dr. Wilkins profefled himfelf willing for more, but laid that more would not pafs with the parliament.. After a long debate, a bill was drawn up by judge Hale, to be prefented to the parliament. But they no fooner fat, than the High-church party made fuch an intereft, that, upon put ting it to the vote; it was carried that no man fhould bring an act of this nature into the houfe. In September, 1669, Sir John Baber informed Dr. Manton, that the king was inclined to favour the Nonconformifts, and that anaddr.efs now would be accepted. An addrefs was agreed on, and prefented by Drs. Manton, Bates, Jacomb, and Mr. Ennis. The king met them in lord Arlington's lodgings, received them gracioufly, and promifed to do his utmoft to get them comprehended within the public eftablifhment. But after all, the talk of liberty did but occafiqn the writing many bitter pamphlets againft toleration. * ..This year Sir Wtn. Turner was lord mayor of London, who never difturbed the Nonconforming^ minifters, or troubled men for religion : and their liberty in.London encouraged many preachers thro' the land. The next year, (1670,) the act againft conventicles was re newed, and made more fevere than ever. Several new claufes were put in, viz. " that the fault of the mittimus fhould not djifable it ; that all doubtful claufes in the act fhould be in terpreted as would moft favour the fuppreflion of conventicles ; that they that fled, or removed their dwelling into another county, fhould be purfued by execution, &c." Mr. Baxter was apprehended at Atlon, and committed to Clerhnwell prifon for fix months ; and having obtained an habeas corpus, the fame juftices, as foon as they heard of his releafe, made a new mit timus to fend him to Newgate: but he kept out of their reach. Dr. Manton, tho' he had great friends and mighty promifes of favour, was fent prifoner to the Gatehoufe, for preaching in his own houfe in the parifh where he had been minifter, and for * The next year came out a far more virulent book, called Ecclefiaflical Policy, written by Sam. Parker, who was afterwards a bifhop : A man pf extraordinary parts, who was bred up among the zealous enemies of prelacy, but feeing fome weakneffes among them, and being of an eager fpirit, was turned with the times into the contrary extreme. He wrote the moft fcornfully and raflily, the moft prophanely and cruelly againft the Nonconformifts, of any man that ever affaulted them. He was firft anfwered by 'Dr. 0 fenters were proffecuted afxeffi, in defiance of the votes of par liament, and: feveral zealous proteftants were tried by mer cenary judges, with packed juries, upon Irijh evidence. Or-. ders were fent from the king and councjl-rboard to fupprefs all conventicles, which were foNowed carefully enough by the juftices of Hicks' s-Hall, the borough of Southwark, and fome in the city alfo. This year alfo (^682) the meetings .of. the Diffenters were often broken up, and the laws againft them vigoroufly executed. Many minifters were imprifoned, and they and their hearers fined, Mr. Baxter was fuxprized in his own houfe; but Dr. Cox making oath before five juftices that he was too ill to go to prifon, the .officers executed. their warrants on the goods and books in the houfe, tho' he made it appear they. were none of his.; and they fold even the bed *4 INTRODUCTION. bed which he then lay upon. Dr.Annefly, and feveral others alfo, had their goods diftrained for latent convictions ; others were imprifoned upon the corporation-act, while others were wor ried in the fpiritual courts. Warrants were figned for diftreffes in Hackney to the value of 1400/. and one of them for 500/. And on Jan. 9. 1683, Mr. Vincent was tried at the Surry feflions upon the 35th of Eliz. and caft. The fame courfe was per- fifted in the fucceeding year, when 200 warrants were iffued out for diftreffes upon Uxbridge and the neighbourhood, for going to conventicles. Dr. Bates and feveral others were diftrained upon ; and the gentlemen of DoiJors Commons got money apace. This year a new plot was trumped up, which coft thehrave Ruffet, Sydney, &c. their lives. July the 24th a decree paffed in the univerfity of Oxon againft certain " pernicious books and damnable doctrines," v.g. " That the fovereignty of Erig- " land is in the three eftates, king, lords, and commons, &c. ,c that felf-prefervation is the fundamental law of nature," &c. Several perfons, taken at meetings, were convicted as rioters, and fined 10/. a-piece ; and fome young people of both fexes fent to Bridewell. About this time (A. D. 1684.) one Mr. Robert Mayot, of Oxford, a pious conformift, gave by his laft will 600/. to be diftributed by Mr. Baxter to 60 poor ejected minifters. But the king's attorney, Sir R. Sawyer, fued for it in the chancery, and the lord-keeper North gave it all to the king. It was paid into the chancery by order, and as Provi dence ordered it, there kept fafe till K. William afcended the throne, when the commiflioners of the great feal reftored it to the ufe for which it was intended, and Mr. Baxter difpofed of it accordingly. This year there was a moft cruel order made by the juftices •f peace at the quarter feflions at Exon againft all nonconform ing minifters, allowing a reward of 40J. to any perfon who apprehended one of them ; and the Bp. required the order to be read by all the clergy, the next Sunday after it fhould be tendered to them. This year Mr. Baxter was again appre hended, and Mr. Rofewell imprifoned in the Gatehoufe, by a warrant from Sir George Jefferys, for high treafon. Mr. Jtnkyn died in Newgate, as did alfo Mr. Sampfield, Mr. Ralphfon, and feveral others in other prifons, (of wbofe fufferings fee more in the account of their lives). And quickly after died K. Charles himfelf, viz. Feb. 6, 1685. Tho' he continued the profecu- tion of the Diffenters, yet they held on their meetings, heartily praying for his peace and profperity ; and at laft they were as much concerned at his death as any people in the kingdom. ' . A brief. Hiftory of the Times. 6$ §. VII. The Cafe of the Diffenters in the Reign of James II. ti the Revolution. TH A T the rigorous ufage of the Diffenters in the fore going reign was owing to Popifh counfels, they them felves never doubted ; and tho' fome were a long time before they would fee or at leaft own it, yet it was a great comfort to them after all their fufferings, to find fuch men as Bp. Stilling- fieet at laft openly acknowledging it. [See his charge to his clergy, in his primary vifitation, p. 49.] They little expected better treatment in this reign, when bare-faced Popery lifted up its head among us ; but wife is that Providence which go verns the world, which ferves its own ends, even by thofe very things whereby poor mortals are moft difappointed. It is indeed enough to amaze any one, to. obferve the meafures of this reign, with their confequences, whereby all mankind were difappointed. The church-party not only expected to have the Diffenters wholly under their feet, but depended fo much upon their merits in their adherence to the duke in his diftrefs, and his pofitive aflurances, that they were very fecure and thought the day their own : but on a fudden found their all in fuch danger, that without new methods their religion and liberty was gone. The Diffenters expected not only greater rigors and feverities than before, but concluded they fhould, if it were poflible, be extirpated ; whereas, to their aflonifhment, they found themfelves eafed of their foregoing hardfhips, and courted and careffed by thofe who they knew would rejoice in their ruin, and had left no method unat- tempted in order to it. The Papifts thought, by railing thofb who had been fo long deprefied, to have inflamed them with revenge againft their brethren, and fo to have widened the ani- mofities among protectants, that they might thereby have ren dered all the more fureand fpeedy facrifice to their malice and cruelty. But they hereby did but drive the contending parties the nearer together, and made them the more vigorous in their united effort to avert the common impending ruin. In the reign of K. James II, which began Feb. 6, 1685, the fame methods were continued at firft as had been ufed in his brother's time. On Feb. 28. Mr. Baxter was committed to the King' s-Bench prifori, by lord chief juftice Jeft'eries's warrant, for fome exceptionable paffages in his " Paraphrafe on the " New Teftament," as reflecting on the order of diocefan " Vol. I. F bifhops, 66 INTRODUCTION. bifhops, and afferting the lawfulnefs of refiftance in fome pof- fible cafes. He was brought to his trial May 30. But the chief juftice would not fuffer his council to plead for their client ; and when he offered to fpeak for himfelf, interrupted him, and treated him with the bafeft fcurrility. The jury, be ing directed by the chief juftice, immediately laid their heads together at the bar, and found him guilty. On June the 29th following, he had judgment given againft him. He was fined 500 marks, to lie in prifon till he paid it, and be bound to his good behaviour for feven years *. The next year the Diflenters were profecuted in the wonted manner. Their meetings were frequently difturbed both in city and country. Fines were levied upon them. The informers broke in upon Mr. Fleet wood, Sir John Hartop, and fome others at Stoke-Newington, to levy diftreffes for conventicles, to 6 or 7000 /. Many were excommunicated, and had capiaffes iffued out againft them ; but particular perfons, on making application to thofe above, were more favoured than had been ufual. A noble fet of controverfial writings was now publifhed by the divines of the church of England, againft the errors of the church of Rome; and ft muft be owned that they lignalized them felves, and gained immortal honour by their performances. If the Diffenters did not appear fo generally, nor fo publicly up on this occafion, (for which their enemies have reproached them) it may without much difficulty be accounted for. It fhould beconfidered, that they had written againft Popery very freely before, and had the lefs reafon to do it at this time; that they did not find their people fo much in danger, as many that were educated in the church of England ; that they both in city and country preached with great freedom againft it now ; which fhewed that if they wrote lefs againft it than others, it did not arife from.fear ; that many thought it not fo proper to attempt to take this work out of the hands of the church of England divines, who not only did it well, but who were in duty bound to do the more in oppofition to the com mon danger, becaufe, they had done fo much to occafion it; and who had fo vifibly improved in light, and in thelargenefs of their notions, by being neceflitated to fupport fome princi ples in thefe debates, which they had flighted before, and feemed willing to difcard :— and finally, that feveral of the Diffenters did at this time attempt to publifh fome tracts * See a more particular account of this trial in the Narrative of Mr. 'Baxter's life. Fid. Kiddetvmnfter. againft A brief Hiftory of the Times; 67 againft Popery, but met with difcouragement when they fent them to the prefs, becaufe they came from fuch as were not of the church of England, who feemed defirous to ingrofs the ma nagement of this controverfy, at this time, wholly to them felves. This actually was the cafe as to fome treatifes then written by nonconformifts ; and ft need not feem ftrange, if this, being generally known, fhould hinder others from making like attempts. A full anfwer to this objection againft the Diffenters may be feen in Mr. Tong's Defence of Mr. Henry's Notion of Schifm, p. 154, 155. ' The king's difpenfing power was at length the fubjedt of much difcourfe and debate. But at laft eleven of the judges determined in favour of it.— Injunctions went out from feve ral of the bifhops, to all minifters in their diocefes, ftrictly enjoining all churchwardens to prefent thofe that did not come to church, or that received not the facrament at Eajler. And it feemed to be a prevailing opinion, that the Proteftant Dif fenters muft be profecuted, or Popery could not be fupprefled. But the unfeafonablenefs of fuch rigors, and the fcandalous villainies and perjuries of many of the moft noted informers, both in city and country, made fenfible men foon weary. James, in order to carry on his defigns the more fuccefsfully, granted an ecclefiaftical commiffion, directed to the Abp. of Canterbury^ the lord chancellor, the Bps. of Durham and Ro- chejler, the earl of Rochejler, &c. devolving the whole care of ecclefiaftical affairs upon them, in the largeft extent that ever had been known in England. They opened their commiflion Auguft 3, and foon convinced all the clergy in the kingdom, that the Papifts were coming to take pofleffion. They made hereupbn fuch exclamations, as plainly fhewed they were un able to bear a fmall fhare of thofe feverities themfelves, which had for a long time been fo liberally inflicted upon others. March the 18th, the king acquainted the council, that he1 had determined to iffue out a declaration for a general liberty of confcience, to all perfons of all perfuafions. And there upon he ordered the attorney and folicitor-general not to per mit any procefs to iffue in his majefty's name, againft any Diffenters whatfoever. The declaration, publifhed for this purpofe, bore date April the nth, 1687. The Differiters, thankful as they were for their eafe and liberty, were yet fear ful of the iffue; neither could many of any confequence be charged with hazarding the public fafety by falling in with the. meafures of the court, of which they had as great a dread F 2 as 68 INTRODUCTION. as their neighbours. And tho' they had a fair opportunity for revenge, they could not think it defirable, either as men or as chriftians. If fome of them over-did it in their addrefles, the high-church party, who had been fo ufed to high flights of compliment, had little reafon to refledt on them. But they were not many that could be charged. Among the reft, Mr. Baxter and others, had no concern in addrefling, but waited to fee the effects of the marquis of Halifax's declaration on be half of the church-party, (in aletter to the Diffenters,) "That " all their former haughtinefs towards the Diflenters was for " ever extinguifhed ; and that the fpirit of perfecution was " turned into a fpirit of peace, charity, and condefcenfipn ; " that the church of England was convinced of its error in be- " ing fevere to them ; and all thinking men were come to a " general agreement, no more to cut ourfelves off from the " Proteftants abroad, but rather enlarge the foundations, up- " on which we are to build our defences againft the common " enemy." > Among other methods now taken to prombte Popery, Mr. Ob. Walker, mafter of Univerfity College, Oxford, kept a prefs at work in the college, upon feveral Popifh books that were to be fpread all thro' the riation. Some gentlemen of that univerfity, got the fheets from the pre'fs as faft as they were printed, and had anfwers ready to thefe books as foon as ever they came out, and thus prevented their mifchievous effects. The king, finding that all his meafures would be inevitably broken if the penal laws and tefts were not taken off, by means of which his friends flood continually expofed, refolved to leave no method unattempted that might contribute to this defign. The*gaining the concurrence of the next heirs would have been a very plaufible plea with thofe who were moft averfe to it ; and therefore he refolved to try the prince and princefs of Orange, and be fully certified of their fenfe- and in clination. Their anfwer was fo ftrongly agairift any thing that " would be dangerous to the Proteftant religion," that the court was much difappointed ; many ftaggering perfons confirmed, the Church party revived, and the Diffenters com forted, in hopes the liberty they had obtained was like to prove lafting. fJBut, upon the failure of this firft project, his majefty went upon another, which, had it fucceeded, muft have defeated the Proteftant fucceflion; and that was, pro viding the nation with an heir of his own body by the pre fent queen, tho' the had for many years been reckoned paffc child-bearing.] The A brief Hiftory of the Times. 69 T,he queen's pregnancy was proclaimed, in the-Gazette, Jan. 2, 1688, and a form pf prayer appointed, drawn up by the Bps. of Durham, Rochejler, and Peterborough ; in which God was praifed for frefh hopes of royal iffue P. About this time, com- miflioriers were appointed by the king, and fent into the feve ral counties of England, to enquire what money or goods had been levied upon Diflenters upon profecutions for recufancy, and not paid into the exchequer. Many were afraid of being called to an account; and it was commonly'apprehended that a ftrict enquiry would have caufed great confufion. Here the Diffenters had a fair opportunity of being revenged on many of their bittereft enemies: but they generoufly paffed all by, upon the promifes and affurances that were given them by leading perfons both of the clergy and laity, that no fuch ri- ,gorous methods fhould ever be ufed towards them for the time to come, but that they might depend upon great temper and moderation for the future. The king, emboldened with the profpect of a Popifh fuc- ceflbr, on April 37, renewed his declaration for liberty of confeience, with fome additions, and a promifeto get it efta blifhed by act of parliament. On May 4, an order was paffed jn council, that it fhould be read in all the churches; and that all the Bps. fhould take care to have the order obeyed. The refufers were to be profecuted by the ecclefiaftical commif- fionersi The whole body of the clergy refufed (very few ex-" cept'ed) and feven Bps. interpofed", and waited upon the king to give him the reafons of their refufal, urging particularly, that the declaration was founded upon fuch a difpenfmg power, as had often been declared illegal in parliament. Hereupon they were imprifoned in the tower, indicted of an high mif- demeanor, and tried at the king's bench bar, but acquitted, with univerfal acclamations. While the Bps. were under this profecution, the Abp. San- croft fent certain articles to his clergy thro' his whole pro- * Viz. in thefe expreffions. — " Bleffed be that good Providence which has vouchfafed us frefh hopes of royal iffue by our gracious queen Mary. Strengthen her we befeech thee, and perfect what thou haft begun : com mand thy holy angels to watch over her continually, and defend her from all dangers and evil accidents, that what flic has conceived may be hap pily brought forth, to the joy of our fovereign lord the king, the further eftablifhment of his crown,, the happinefs and welfare of his whole kingdom, and the glory of thy name, fife." Had the Diffenters been obliged to ufe fuch a form, upon fuch an occafion, they would have thought it a great hardfhip. F 3 vince; 70 INTRODUCTION vince; the nth of which was in thefe words, " that they alfo walk in wifdom towards them who are not of our com munion : more efpecially, that they have a very tender regard to out brethren, the Proteftant Diflenters :— that they take all opportunities of afliiring them, that the Bps. of this church are really and fincerely irreconcileable enemies to the errors, fuperftitions, idolatries, and tyrannies of the church of Rome : —and that they moft affectionately exhort them to join with us in daily fervent prayer to the God of peace, for an uni- verfal bleffed union of all reformed churches, both at home and abroad, againft our common enemies, &c." The ecclefiaftical commiffioners, Aug. 16, fent forth their mandates to the chancellors, archdeacons, &c. of every dio- cefs in England, to make enquiry by whom the king's order, about reading the declaration, had been obeyed, and where not, that fo all that had neglected it might be feverely punifhed. This would have made moft woful havock all over the king dom, had not the approaching Revolution put an effectual flop. But it was not long before a rumour began to fpread, that the prince of Orange was coming with a potent army and fleet from Holland, to refcue the nation from Popery and flavery. The king gave public notice of it by a declaration dated the 4th of Otlober. Upon which the meafures of the court were entirely broken. On the 5th of Nov. the prince of Orange landed at Torbay, in the county of Devon. In his declaration dated at the Hague, Oil. 10, he gave an account of the reafons of his expedition into England. The body of the nation heartily fell in with the prince, anrl a mighty Revolution was brought about With out bloodfhed. Intereft wrought a change in mens opinions. They who always condemned the principle of taking up arms in defence of liberty and property, now thought it lawful, laudable, and neceflary. But one hardfhip they were un der at this time, which was a fenfible conviction to many, of the great inconvenience of being under a confinement to particular forms in divine worfhip : While they privately prayed for the prince of Orange's profperity, they were forced in public to pray according to the liturgy, « that God would " be the defender and keeper of king James, and give him vic- " tory over all his enemies." But God, to the unfpeakable comfort of the nation, preferred their private prayers to their public ones. The prince came to St. James's on the 18th of Dec. and on the 21ft, a few of the Diffenting minifters waited upon him, with A brief Hiftory of the Times. 71 1 with the Bp. of London, congratulating him upon his glorious expedition, and its happy fuccefs. On the 2d of Jan. the Dif- fenting minifters in a body, to the number of go or upwards, attended the prince at St. James's, with a fuitable addrefs, prefented by Dr. Bates, and were very gracioufly received. There were fome who concurred with the prince in his ex pedition for their own fecurity, who afterwards, when their fears were over, were for compromifing matters with K.James, and trufting his promifes afrefh. But the convention that was then fummoried by the prince's letters, after warm debates, declared the throne vacant, K. James having abdicated the government, and broken the original contract with his peo ple; to the no fmall mortification of fuch as had all along ftifly denied that there was any contract between them. Here upon, drawing up a declaration for vindicating the ancient rights and liberties of the people, they offered the crown to the prince and princefs of Orange, who accepting it, were proclaimed king and queen of England, Feb. 13, 1689, and crowned April 11. following, with univerfal acclamation; and none had a greater fhare in the common joy than the Dif fenters, [who confidered this glorious Revolution as the iEra of their liberty, which was fecured by law in the beginning of this reign, by the pafling of the act of toleration ; which has, thro' a kind Providence, remained inviolate to /this day ; tho' the benefits of it are fufpended upon fuch conditions as the friends to religious liberty wifh to fee removed,] F4 Minsters ^ri> 'fpril, a, 71 erri Ministers ejedted or filenced IN THE Cities of London and Westminster, and in the Borough of Southwark. ST. Ale an's, Wood-Street, [RS] Mr. Haftefoot Bridges; of St. John's Col. Cambridge. He was a gentleman and a fcholar; much admired, tho' of a referved difpofition. About the year 1680, he lived at Enfield in Middlefex ; but whether he preached there or not doth not appear. He was poffefled of an eftate, and was difpofed to do good wjth it. His only daughter being badly married, he gave the whole of it (on condition of her dying childlefs, as fhe did in 1695) to chari table ufes: principally to the college where he was educated, and to the parifh of which he was minifter. [Dr. Wm. Watts was fequeflered from this rectory. He had been chaplain to Charles I. and, from Dr. Walker's account, appears to have been a refpedtable and learned man. If it be true, as that writer relates, that he and his family were treated with feve- rity on the change of the times, Mr. Bridges was in no fort acceffary to it; nor did he immediately fucceed him, (but one Glendon) fo that he might not enjoy the living till after the Dr's. death, as he died fome time before the Reftoration.] Ibid. Mr. Fifher was affiflant to Mr, B. and was ejected with him. Aldeemaneury, [Perp. C. 150I.] Mr. Edmund Calamy, B. D. [A] of Pemb. Hall, Camb. The fon of a citizen of London; born Feb. 1600, and admitted to the univerfity at 15. His inclination to the Anti-Arminian party, hindering his pre ferment there at that time, Bp. Felton of Ely took notice of him, -and made him his chaplain. It is not likely therefore that he fhould then be of the Laudenfian faction, as Dr. W. iiifinuates, and there is good evidence of the contrary. He was ever 74 Ministers ejected ever after a thankful imitator of the piety, charity, and dili gence of that good bifhop ; and would often mention him with honour. And well he might; for theBp. directed him in his younger fludies, and was very careful that he might not be interrupted in them. Here he ftudied at the rate of 16 hours a day. He read over the controverfies of Bellarmine entirely, with all his anfwerers : alfo many of the fchoolmen ; efpecially Thomas Aquinas, in whom he was moft exactly verfed. He read over Auguftine's works five times ; befides many other eminent authors ancient and modern. The holy fcrip- tures, and commentators upon them, were his daily ftudy. He firft had the vicarage of St. Mary's in Swaffham, Cdm- bridgejhire, where God owned him to do much good ; tho' he did not live there, but in the houfe of. Bp. Felton, who gave him this living, which he refigned after the Bp's. death, and went to St. Edmund's-Bury in Suffolk, where Mr. Burroughs was his fellow-labourer. He there continued above 10 years, till Bp. Wren's articles, and the book of fports, drove him and 30 more worthy minifters out of the diocefe. After Mr. Fen- ner's death, he was prefented by the earl of Warwick to the rectory of Rochford in Efifex, which he accepted, hoping under the wings of fuch a patron, and a quiet Bp. to have more re- pofe : and fo he had ; but felt the inconvenience of removing from one of the pleafanteft, to one of the moft unhealthful airs in England; being feized with a quartan ague, which brought upon him a dizzinefs in his head, which he com plained of all his life after; on account of which he avoided the pulpit, and preached in the defk. Upon the death of Dr. Stoughton, he was chofen at AUermanbury, in 1639, and his pa tron followed him to London, He was one of thofe divines who, in 1641, met by order of parliament in the Jerufalem chamber, in order to accommodate ecclefiaftical matters. He was for the Prefbyterian difcipline; but of known moderation towards thofe of other fentiments. No minifter in the city was more followed ; nor hath there ever been a week-day lec ture fo frequented as his; which was attended by many per fons of the greateft quality, and that conftantly for 20 years together ; being feldom fo few as 60 coaches. In Oliver's tune, he kept himfelf as private as he could. In 1659 he joined with the earl of Manchejier and other great men in encouraging Gen. Monk to bring in the King, in order to put an end to the public confufions. He preached before the parliament the day before they voted the King home, and Was one of thofe in LONDON, &?f. 75 tHofe divines who were fent over to him into Holland. In 1660, after the King was reftored, he was made one of his chaplains in ordinary, tho' neither he nor any of the other Prefbyterians preached more than once in that capacity. About this time he was often with his majefty, and wajs al ways gracioufly received. He was very active in order to an accommodation, and had a main hand in drawing up the pro pofals about church-government, which laid the foundation of the Savoy conference. And, being one of the commiflioners appointed, he was employed with others in drawing up excep tions againft the liturgy, and the reply to the reafans of the epif copal divines. He was reckoned to have the greateft intereft in court, city and country, of any of the minifters, and therefore extremely careffed at firft ; but foon faw whither things were tending : among other evidences^of it, this is one; having Gen. Monk for his auditor a little after the Reftoration, he had occafion to fpeak of filthy lucre; " and why, faid he, is it called filthy, but becaufe it makes men do bafe and filthy things ? Some men (waving his handkerchief towards the general's pew) will betray three kingdoms for filthy lucre's fake." He commonly had the chair among the city minifters in their meetings, and was much efteemed for his prudence and conduct. He was one of the Cornhill-ledturers. He refufed a bifhoprick, becaufe he could not have it upon the terms of the king's declaration j but kept his temper and moderation after he was ejected. Bp. Wilkins had fuch an opinion of his judgment about church-go vernment as to wifh he could have conformed, that he might have confronted the bold aflertors of the Jus Divinum of epif copacy in the convocation ; in which he was not allowed to fit, tho' he was chofen by the city minifters, 1661, to repre- fent them. A certain writer had.afRrmed that he declared be fore the king and divers lords of the counfel, " that there was nothing in the church to which he could not conform, were it not for fcandaiizing others." But Mr. Baxter anfwers (Apol.for Nonconf. p. 152J " we muft teftify, who were in his company from firft to laft, we heard him over and over proteft that he took feveral things in comformity to be intolerable fins." . He preached his farewel fermon a week before the adt of uniformity took place, on 2 Sam. xxiv. 14. Upon advifing with his friends at court, a petition f for indulgence was f See Introduction, p. 3*. c drawn 76 Ministers ejected drawn up, and prefented to his majefty. Very foon after this he was imprifoned, in terrorem, for preaching an occafional fermon. Lord Clarendon reprefents his preaching at that time as feditious: but it was occafioned entirely by a difappoint- menfcwith regard to the preacher expected. The cafe was this : Mr. Calamy going to the church of Alder manbury, where he had been minifter, with an intention to be an hearer, the perfon expected to preach happened to fail. To prevent a difappointment, and thro' the importunity of the people pre fent, he went up, and preached upon the concern of old Eli for the ark of God. Upon this, by a warrant of the lord mayor, he was committed to Newgate, as a breaker of the act of uniformity. But in a few days, when it was feen what a refort there was to him of perfons of all qualities, and how ge nerally the feverity was refented, he was difcharged by his majefty's exprefs order. He lived to fee London in afhes ; which fo affected him, that he took to his chamber, and never came out of it again, but died in a month. WORKS. Several fermons bef. the two houfes of P. — and bef. the magiftrates of the city. — Sermons at the fun. of Dr. S. Bolton ; the Earl of Warwick ; Mr. Sim. Afhe, Sec— [A farewel ferm. juft bef. Barth.-day 1662, in the collect, of farewel fermons: where alfo may be feen — The Serm. for which he was imprifoned foon after his ejectment.] — A vindication of himfelf ag. Mr. Bur ton. — The godly man's ark. Since his death there was, — A treatife of meditation, printed in a clandeftine way, from fome im perfect notes taken by a hearer. He had an hand in drawing up the i.indic. of the Prefbyt. gov. and miniftry, 1 6<;o : and the Jus diuakerifm. Alhallows, Honey-Lane ; Mr. John After. He had been rector of Beciington, a fequeflered living in Somerfetfhire. Af ter his ejectment, by the fpecial favour of the court of alder men, he lived and died ordinary of Wood-Jlreet compter. Alhallows, Lombard-ftreet, [R. nol.] Mr. Thomas Lye, M. A. of Wadham Col. Oxford. For fome time minifter of Chard in Somerfetfhire, and one of the triers of minifters in thofe parts. He was chofen by the parifhioners of Alhallows to fucceed Mr. Cardell, who was ejected by the commiflioners in 1657. He was eminently ufeful by his excellent art of ca techizing youth, whom by many artifices he enticed to de light in getting knowledge in the beft things. Many in and about London recounted with pleafure, as long as they lived, his unufual method of inftrudting them in the firft principles of religion; and feveral owed their firft ferious impreflions to his catechetical exercifes ; in which he was^not fatisfied with con veying a little notional knowledge, but did his utmoft to fet things home upon the heart ; fuiting himfelf to the capacity of his young auditory, to whom he always difcovered a moft ten der affection. He died June 7, 1684. WORKS. The child's delight ; with an Englifh grammar and fpelling-book, &c. intermixed with moral precepts. — Exglan.. of Aflemb. Catech.— Five fermons in the Morn. Ex. — Fun. Serm. for Mrs. E, Nicole,— and one for W. Hjeu_ 1 Alhallows So Ministers ejected Alhallows on the Wall, [R. iooI. ] Mr. Samuel Dyety M. A. of Peterhoufe, Camb. Dr. Lewis laying claim to this living, Mr. Dyer, not willing to difpute it with him, quitted it before Bartholomew- day : but then he was ejedled from his ledturefhip at Lothbury. He afterwards kept a fchool at Mile- End, for 25 years or more, and was chaplain to Avery, Efq. He was congregational in his judgment ; and fometimes preached for Mr. Mead at Stepney. He died A. D. 1700, aged 67. His elder brother, Mr. Richard Dyer, was ejected from Magd. Hall, Oxford. St. Alphage, London-Wall, [RS] Mr. Thomas Doolittle, M. A. of Pemb. Hall, Camb. ** He was born at KidderminJler, of religious parents, 1630. He early difcovered an inclination to learning. Some of his friends would have had him brought up to the law, and he was actually put upon trial to an at torney ; but being fet to copy fome writings on the Lord's- day, he refolved againft that profeflion, and determined upon the miniftry ; in which he had Mr. Baxter's encouragement, whofe difcourfes on the Saints^rejl were bleffed for his faving converfion; which was the ground of that peculiar efteem and affection he would often exprefs for that holy man. He was an experienced chriftian before he was a minifter ; and as he improved in learning he grew alfo in grace. When he left the univerfity he came to London, where he was foon taken notice of for his warm and affedlionate preaching ; arid the parifh of St. Alphage being vacant, called him to be their pas tor. Fie accepted it with great diffidence, and applied himfelf to his work with all his might, and fhe hand of the Lord was eminently with him; fo that to old age he was wont to recol lect with thaflkfulnefs the divine power that attended his firft miniftrations. He continued in this place nine years, viz. • till the Bartholomew-act paffed ; when, having carefully fludied the terms required, and prayed for the divine diredtion, he thought it his duty to be a Nonconformift, and che'arfully caft himfelf and his family upon providence. And he had'quick experience of its concern for him ; for the day after hepreached his farewel fermon one of his parifhioners prefented him with 20 1. faying, " there was fomething to buy bread for his chil dren, as an enrouragement to his future truft." He then, fet up a boarding- fchool in Moorfields ; and fo many were defirous to have their children with him, as foon to require a larger houfe. Upon the breaking out of the plague, he called his friends to gether, to icek the divine direction j and, according to their advice, in LONDON, &c. 81 ad viae, (on account of thofe under his care) he removed to . Woodford bridge, by Epping foreft, leaving Mr. T. Vincent in his houfe. In this village his family continued healthful ; and many reforted to his houfe for the worfhip of God. Af ter the ficknefs, he returned to London ; and having counted the coft, fet up a meeting-houfe near his own, viz. at Bun- bill-ftelds, tho' againft the law : and that proving too ftrait, he erected a large and commodious place in Monkwell-ftreeti [now occupied by Dr. Fordyce and Mr. Toller] where he preached to a numerous auditory, and had many feals to his miniftry. The then lord mayor fent for him and Mr. Vin cent (who aflifted him), and endeavoured to diffuade them, from preaching, on account of the danger they were in. They told his lordfhip that they were fatisfied of their call to preach the gofpel, and therefore could not promife to defift. The Saturday following, a meffenger of the king's, with a com pany of the train-bands, came at midnight to feize Mr. D. iri his houfe, but he made his efqape. He purpofed to have preached the next morning, but was prevailed upon to for bear. Another perfon, however, readily undertook to preach for him. While he was in his fermon, a company of foldiers/ came into the place, and the officer cried aloud to him, " I command you, in the king's name, to come down." He an- fwered, " I command you, in the name of the King of kings, not to difturb his worfhip, but let me go on." Upon which^ the officer bid his men fire. The minifter, undaunted, clapped his hand upon his breaft, and faid, " fhoot, if you pleafe ; you can only .kill the body." The people then being all in an up roar, he got away in the crowd unhurt. After this, Mr. Z>. was abfent from home fome weeks, and, on Lord's days^ guards were fet before the meeting-houfe. At length, the juftices came, and had the pulpit pulled down and the doors fattened, with the king's broad arrow fet upon them. The place being convenient, was foon after ufed as a chapel for the lord mayor, without any allowance to the owner. Upon a licence granted by K. Charles in 1672 *, Mr. D. refumed his place, and moreover fet up an academy at IJUngton, and fitted feveral young men for the miniftry ; among the reft, his fon, who was many years pallor of a church at Reading, Berks. When the Oxford-atl paffed, Mr. D, removed to Wimbleton, and feveral of his pupils took lodgings in the neighbourhood, and attended his lectures privately. While here* he met with « [This is flill preferred in the veftry in Monkwell-ftreet.J Vet. I. G a 82 Ministers ejected a remarkable providence. As he was one day riding out with a friend, he was met by a military officer who took hold of his horfe ; Mr. D. afking him what he meant by flopping him on the king's highway, he looked earneftly at him, but not being certain who he was, let him go, and went away threatening " that he would know who that black devil was before he was three days older." Some of Mr. D's. friends were much concerned for him ; but, on the 3d day, one brought him the news that the captain was choaked at his table with a bit of bread. After this he removed to Batterfea, where his goods were feized and fold. In feveral other places his houfe was rifled and his perfon often in danger, but providence favoured his efcape, fo that he was never imprifoned. At length the to leration gave him an opportunity of returning to his place and people in Monkwell-Jlreet, where he continued as long as he lived, preaching twice .every Lord's day. He had alfo a lec ture there on Wedn'ejdays, at which he delivered his expofition of the affembly's catechifm. He had a great delight in cate chizing, and urged minifters to it, as of fpecial tendency to propagate knowledge, eftablifh perfons in the truth, and pre pare them to read and hear fermons with advantage. He made religion his bufinefs, and was beft pleafed when taken up in the exercifes of it. Scarce any one fpent more time in his fludy, the advantage of which appeared in his own improve ment and the better preparations he made for the public ; not fatisfying himfelf to offer to God or his people that which coft him nothing. In his latter years he was greatly afflicted with , the ftone, and by that and other diforders, more than once brought near the grave ; but on his people's fervent prayers, was wonderfully reftored. And he was careful to anfwer the purpofes of grace in prolonging his life, under the quickening apprehenfion that it muft have an end. A life prolonged be yond his ufefulnefs was the greateft trial he feared, and God gracioufly prevented it ; for the Lord's day before his death he preached and catechized with great vigour, and was confined but two days to his bed. In the valley of the fhadow of death he had fuch a fenfe of the divine pretence as proved a powerful cordial for his fupport. He died May, 24, 1707, aged 77, and was the laft of the ejected minifters in London. He was buried at Bunhill, and Dr, Williams preached his fun. ferm. on 2 Cor. i. 12. After his death was found a folemn and very particular form of covenanting with God, which may be feen in the memoirs ef his life prefixed to his Body of Divinity. WORKS. in LONDON, yf. 8 3 ¦ WORK Si, A fpiritual antidote againft finful contagion in dying times. — Treatife of the Lord's fupper. — Directions how to livk after a wafting plague. — Rebuke for fin after God's burning anger. — Young man's inflruclor and old man's remembrancer. — Captives bound incBains made free by Chrift their furety. — The Lord's laft fufferings. — Call to delaying finners. — Scheme of the principles of chrift. relig. — Swearer filfenced. — Love_to_Chrift ne- cefTary to efcape the curfe at his coming;— Earthquakes explained , and improved. — Mourner's directory, {occafionedbyt^fdeathofhis •wife.] — Plajn_method of catechizing. — Saints convoy to heaven. •—Four fermons in Morn. Ex. — Since his death : Compleat body of divinity, on afl'emb. catech. with memoirs of his life prefixed, fol. St. Andrew Hubbard, Little Eaftcheap, [R.S.] Mr. William Wickins, of Eman. Col. Camb. Born at London in Sept. 1614. Upon leaving the univerfity, he lived fome time as chaplain with Sir Edw. Scot, of Scot's-Hall, in Kent. When he came to St. Andrew Hubbard, Mr. Ranew, the fequeflered mi nifter, defiring that he might continue for fome time in the houfe belonging to that living, he yielded to it, tho', as it fell out, much to his own detriment. For a fire broke out one Saturday night near where he lived, and burnt With great fury, fo that he and his family efcaped only with their lives. This calamity he bore with great patience, and fo compofed a mind, that it did not hinder him from his pulpit-work the very next day. But having borrowed fome clothes, he went thro' all the fervice of the day (which happened to be facrament-day) as at other times. He continued here 14 or 15 years ; but meeting with many difcouragements, and his family and charge increafing, fome friends (without his feeking) pro cured his removal to St. George's in Southwark, another fe queflered living, tho' he was infenfible of it; and upon the Reftoration, one laying claim to it, he readily refigned it, and became preacher at the Poultry Compter, where he continued till Aug. 2.4., 1662. It may be mentioned as an inftance of his; felf-denial and generofity, that when after his being filenced, (and he had no great abundance) a gentleman afked him if he did not need affiflance, and offered him 5I. he replied, if I be lieve my friend Mr. E. Lawrence ftands more in need of it," and requefted that it might be difpofed of to him ; as was ac cordingly done. He was one of thofe who ufed to meet at Sion Col. and was often concerned in ordaining young minif ters. One of the laft on whom he laid hands, was the excel lent Mr. M. Henry, on May 9, 1687. He was for fome time G % in 84 Ministers ejected in the family of alderman Forth at Hackney, but finifhed the courfe of his miniftry at Newlngton-Grcen, in conjunction firf! with Mr. Starkey, and afterwards with Mr. Bennet, who preached his fun. ferm. on Alls xiii. 36. He was very happy in having conftant health, which enabled him to continue an hard flu- dent even to old age. Next to the holy fcriptures, there wa* no ftudy more delightful to him than that of the oriental learning, and efpecially of the Jewijh laws and cuftoms, in the knowledge whereof he was reckoned by good judges to have had but few equals- The originals of the Old and New Tefw tament were very familiar to him,, for he read them chiefly in his clofet,, without much concerning himfelf with any trarifla- tion. He was very chearful in converfation ; but commonly would take care before he left any company, to drop fome» thing ferious and favoury, which made his company profitable as well as pleafant. He was very defirous of doing good to> fouls:, which was his inducement to continue preaching longer than fome who had a true value for him thought to be neceflary. But when he found by a fudden feizure he was difabled, he readily acquiefeed in the will of God. Removing to London to be under the immediate care of his near rela tions,, after gradually decaying for about two years, he had an eafy and comfortable end. Being afked a little before by a friend, how- he was, he, in a very ferious and affecting man ner, cried out, " help me in praifing God for his great mercy to me, that I have perfect eafe of body ; and blefl'ed be his name, have that too which is much better ; even peace of eonfcience, and good hope towards God through Jefus Chrift."' He was buried in Bunhill-fields, Sept. 21, 1699,, aged 85V WORKS. A Pka for the Miniftry.— Warrant for bowing at the Name of Jefus examined Something concerning the Dates of St. Paul's Epiftles> — An eified, &c." The morning before he died, he faid " It is one f See theft refuted at large in Dr. C.'s, Contin. p. 4, 5. thing in LONDON, &e. By thing to fpeak of Chrift and of heaven, and another thing to feel the confolation of Chrift and of heaven, as I do ;" (clap ping his hand upon his breaft) ; and at another time, " the comforts of a holy life are real, and foul-fupporting. 1 feel the reality of them, and you may know by me, that it is not in vain to ferve God."] WORKS. Sermons before the Pari. — Several before the Ma- giftrates on pub. occaf — Fun. Serm. for Dr. Spurftowe's only child;— Mr. Jer. Whitaker ;— Mr. Ralph Robin/on ;— Mr . Rob. Strange; — Mr. Tho. Gataher; — Mr. Rich Fines; — and the Countefs of Manchefter. — Alfo feveral Prefaces to the works of others. He publifhed, The Power of Godlinefs, and — A Treatife on the Gov. of Grace, by the famous old Nonconformift, Mr. John Ball, who committed to him all his MSS. To the former of thefe Mr. AJhe wrote an Introduction. Bartholomew, Exchange, [R. S. iool.] Mr. Philip Nye, [A.] of Oxford univerfity, where he was a very hard ftudent. In 1630, he was curate at St. Michael's, Cornhill. In 1633, he went into Holland, to be free from impofitions. He returned at the beginning of the long parliament, and by the E. of Manchejler's favour, became minifter of Kimbolton in Hunting- donfbire. In 1643, he, with Mr. St. Marjhal, was fent with the commiflioners from the parliament into Scotland, to move for afliftance from thence. He had a great concern in choofing the members of the afiembly of divines, in which he was one of the diffenting brethren. He fucceeded Dr. Reeve in the rec tory of ASion. He was one of the chaplains who attended the commiflioners to Charles I. in the ifle of Wight, 1647. He was' made one of the triers of minifters in 1653 ; and was a prin cipal jerfon in managing the meeting. of the congregational churches at the Savoy, by the Protestor's order; where the de claration of the faith, order, and practice of the .ongregational churches in England* 'was agreed upon by their elders and mef- fengers, Oil. 12, 1658. He had a great knowledge in the dif- ciplinarian controverfy : there was fcarcely a book written upon the fubject which he had not read. Soon after the Ref toration, there was an order of parliament for lodging his pa pers with the Abp. of Cant, at Lambeth, where they yet remain. [He was a great politician, infomuch that] it was debated in * This was printed in 1659, and the year following tranflated into Latin by Profefloi1 Hornbeck, and publifhed at the end of his Efift. ad DVRJEM. de bide l cad. G 4 council 8l Ministers ejected Council; for feveral hours, whether he (with JobriGoddwfc arid Hugh Peters) fhould be excepted for lifej and it wis con- pluded, " that if he fhould hereafter accept or exercife any office, ecclefiaftical, military or civil, he fhould, to all intents and purpofes, ftand as if he had been totally excepted. [S*e act of indemnity, 12 Car. II,] After his ejectment [he preached privately, as opportunity offered, to a congregation of Diffen ters] till the year 1672, when he died, aged 76, and left be-* hind him the character of a man of uncommon depth, who was feldom or never outreached. He had a compleat hiftory pf the old Puritan Diffenters in MS; which was burnt, at Al- dennan darkfon's, in the fire pf London. WORKS. Lett, to his brethren in Scotland on fuccefs of af fairs there, 1643. — Exhort, fo take fol. league and cov. — ExceL and lawf. of dit. in a fpeech to H. of Com. — Epift. Difc. aSout Toleration. — Keys of Kingdom of Heaven, and the power thereof. Mr. Ant, Sadler examined about his dealing with the Triers. 1 he Principles of Faith prefented to Committee of Pari, for Relig.— Beams of former Light, fhewing the Evil of impofing doubtful Forms upon Minifters, &c. — Cafe of great and prefent Ufe.— The L_awfulnefs of the Oath of Supr. and Power of the King in eccL Affairs. (The zchedit. dedicated by his fon to James II.)— Vind. of 1 Diffenters, proving their Congr. not inconfift. with King's Suprem. — Some Account of the Nature of Ecclef. Courts.— Lawfulnefs of hearing Minifters of Ch. of England.— Serm. bef. citizens of London, 1659. Ibid. Mi. John Loder, [L]. A valuable worthy man. Hs is interred at Bunhill-fields, where the infcriptiqn on his tomb (hews that heMied Dec. 30, 1673. Bennett-fink, [D. or Perp. C. tool. Mr. Samuel Clark, A. B. ** of Eman. Col. Camb. After his death, a narrative of his life was found in his ftudy, drawn, up by himfelf, without any defign of having it expofed to public vieyr. It is prefixed to the laft Volume of his lives,, and the following Recount of him is extracted from it. He was born of pious parents at Woolfton in Warwick/hire, where his father was a godly, able, faithful, and ufeful minifter above 40 years. He was put to fchool at Coventry, where (falling among diffolute lads) he degenerated from the principles of his firft education, tho' not without frequent checks of. con- fcierice. At the univerfity he was under the care of Mr. Thomas Hooker, where he did not anfwer his father's care, nor the in LONDON, &e; $9 the means he enjoyed, being (as he afterwards' thoaght) a ftraiiger to a Work of grace in his heart, tho' in the fight of the world he was blamelefs. Whfen he commenced B. A. his1 fa ther, having but a fmall income, took him home ;¦ where he fell ill of the fmall-pbx, and was reftored beydnd expectation., Soon after he was fent for by a gentleman to inftru'ct his chil dren, and to aflift Mr. Slader, the minifter tif Kndwle, in) Warwickfhire. The family in which he lived was prophane, and he was too foon reconciled- to it ; but was qufckly invited to aflift Mr. Byrem, of Thorntdn in Chejhire.- In the family there he was expofed to fome great temptations, but it pleafed the Lord in mercy to hedge up his way with thorns ; and by ftriking him with extraordinary terror, to bring him to reflec tion and deep humiliation ; and by degrees to give him fome comfort in believing and applying the promifes of free grace in Cfirift Jefus. He here met with trouble from a malicious perfon, who profecuted him for the omiflion of fome cere monies ; on which account he refolved to leave that place and come to London: but meeting with fome godly perfons of Wir- ral, who had heard him preach, they importuned him to come among them at Shotwick. There being fcarce a conftant preacher befides himfelf in that part of the country, pedple came 6 or y niiles'round to hear him. At this place he found the firft feals of his miniftry, being an inftrument in converting many fouls to God. Here he fet up meetings' for prayer and conference, which were held at the houfes' of the richer people by turns ; at which queftions were difcufled which he had pre'vioufiy pro- pafed. The benefits arifing from thefe friendly aflbciations he found to be many and great. Hereby knowledge was in- ereafed, fo that (fays he) " I never was acquainted with more underftanding chriftians in all my life, tho' the beft of them went irt ruflef coats and followed hufbaridry." Hereby holy affections were kindled and kept alive. Mutual love was pro moted j fothat all the' profeflbrs, living within ro or 12 miles afunder, were as intimate as if they had been of One houfhold. The rieceiBties of the poor being known, were provided for. The weak were ftrengthened, the mourning comforted, the erring reclaimed, the dejected raifed, and all mutually edified iri their holy faith. Moreover they hereby enjoyed opportu-r pities for private fafts and days of thankfgiving, as there was! eceaffori.— He here married a pious, humble, prudent, and fweet-te.rhpered perfon, the daughter of a minifter of Bed- worth. But having been here about 5 year?, he was afrefh profecuted go Ministers ejected profecuted for the omiflibn of ceremonies ; and his enemiei were fo inveterate that they would not fuffer him to preach a farewel-fermon. Juft at this time he received a letter from the mayor, aldermen, old Mr. Fenn, and other godly people in Coventry, importuning him to preach a lecture there on Lord's-day afternoons and Tuefday mornings. He complied, and was at firft treated with refpect, but could not be quiet long; for Dr. Buggs, who had engroffed both the livings, feeing his hearers leave him, foon difcovered his enmity againft Mr. C. and having power Of both the pulpits, denied him entrance into either. The corporation having another church, at the end of the town, in their difpofal, appointed him lecturer there. But the Dr. having his fpies about him, thought he had got fome advantage againft him for fome ex- preflions he had ufed in the pulpit, and commenced a profecu- tion againft him before the Bp. (Moreton), who forbid his preaching in his diocefe ; but Mr. C. having a licence from the Abp. (Abbot) he refufed obedience. The affair however caufed him trouble ; and the new mayor being a friend of the Dr's, he was obliged to quit this lecturefhip ; upon which he aflifted his father, who lived near the city. Robert Lord Brook invited him to be his domeftic chaplain ; but, being married, he declined it. However, he found his lordfhip a faft friend to him ever after. About this time he was applied to by the magiftrates of Warwick to preach a lecture there, but was op- pofed by the vicar. The earl of Warwick however made him his chaplain, and, by a letter to the vicar, engaged him to ad mit him as his affiftant. In this capaoity, for about 5 years, God was pleafed greatly to blefs and fucceed his labours, and particularly in the Lord Brook's family, who refided moftly in the caftle. But thefe things excited the envy of Mr. Hall the vicar, who fought to pick quarrels with him, and caufed him often to be prefented for the omiflion of ceremonies ; but the Bp. fhewed him favour. At length Mr. H. being impatient of his continuance, came to pull him out of the pulpit, and, by his clamours, adtually obliged him to give over. He then complained of him to Abp. Laud, and threatened to profecute him in the high- commiflion court, but providence fo ordered it, that he heard no more of the matter. About this time the minifter of AlceJier died, and Lord Brook gave Mr. C. the living, to which he was alfo unanimoufly chofen by the people. This place was very prophane, but Mr. C.'s public and private la bours were the means of working a great reformation. Soon- after in LONDON, &d- gi after he was fettled here, the book of fports came out, and he was often threatened for refufing to read it ; but it pleafed God to preferve him from any fuffering on account of it. On this occafion he preached largely on the doctrine of the Sab bath, and obferved a remarkable judgment upon two of his neighbours; who, encouraged by that book, and in contempt of his miniftry, dared to prophane that holy day. (See his ex amples, p. 153.) Thefe, feconding the word, flruck a great awe into the hearts of many, and reftrained them from the like diforders. He continued here about 9 years, in which time many were converted and others edified in the faith ; and the town, which before was called drunken Alcefter, was now exemplary. The et catera oath threatened new dangers. Many minifters in that diocefe met and drew up a petition to the king, which Mr. C. and Mr. Salway prefented to his majefty, then at York; to which he anfwered, that they fhould not be molefted for refufing the oath till the parliament met. Another petition was then drawn up, and fertt by the fame perfons. Mr. C. being in London after the differences between the king and parliament grew fo high, was unexpectedly recommended to preach at Bennet-Fink church, then vacant, and as unex pectedly chofen. He accepted the call, upon condition of his returning to AlceJler when the florm was over. He accordingly did fo. But finding many of his people led away by fectaries, and feveral young men fet up for preachers, fo that he was not likely to be comfortable or, ufeful there any more, and having provided a godly minifter for them, he refolved to re- 'turn to Bennet-Fink. In 1660 he prefented the addrefs of the London minifters to the king, on occafion of his publifhing his declaration concerning ecclefiaftical affairs. In 1661, he was made a commiflioner for reforming the Book of Common- Prayer. In 1666, he removed from London to Hammer Jmith. He was 7 or 8 years a governor, and 2 years prefident of Sion- College. Having given a lift of his writings, he clofes his ac count of himfelf thus : " 1 mention thefe things, not feeking my own praife and glory, (for I am lefs than the leaft of all God's mercies) but to give glory to God, who enabled me to do fo much work, wherein I hope I was ferviceable to him and his church, without the neglect of my work in the miniftry." In this he continued 40 years, till the act of uniformity took place: upon which he laid afide his miniftry, and attended the church of England, both as an hearer and a communicant ; for (as he fays) he durft not feparate from it, nor was he fatisfied about $2 MINISTERS" EJECTED about gathering a private church out of a true church, as he judged the church of England to be. . He continued 20 years in this retirement ; but his time was not loft. He employed gteat part of it in revifing the books he had publifhed, and in writing others, which have been very ufeful, efpecially to per fons of the middle rank, who, by his induftry, have got much profitable knowledge. In the latter end of December 1682, the decays of nature came violently upon him, and at length he was unable to help himfelf, and began to falter in his fpeech ; yet his underftanding remained clear to the laft. As upon other occafions, fo now more efpecially, he was often fpeaking of his change, and his converfation was favoury, fuch as be came a dying perfon. He difcovered a lively fenfe of eternity upon his fpirit, and a comfortable affuranccof his own title to a bleffed eternity. On Dec. 25, 1682, having bleffed thofe about him, he refigned his foul into the hands of his Father; being aged upwards of 83 years. He had two fons ejected. [One of them was Mr. Samuel Clark, of Grendon in Bucking- hamjhire, (the author of the Annotations on the Bible) ; the other, Mr. John Clark, of Hungerford.J The whole which his family gave up for conference- fake was not lefs than 600 1. per annum. A great grandfon of his (Dr. Samuel Clark) was pallor of a congregation of Proteftant Diffenters at St. Albans. [He was father to the late Mr. Samuel Clark of Bir- tningham ; formerly afliftant to Dr. Doddridge, in his academy; and afterwards to his fucceflbr, the prefent Dr. Caleb Ajhworth of Daventry ; and was killed, by a fall from his horfe, 1769, aged 42. — See his character in Dr. AJhwortlfs funeral fer* mon for him.] » WORKS. A Majctyrology, with the Lives of 32 Divines. —The Lives of fundry eminent Perfons. — The Marrow of Eccl. Hiftory, with Cuts. — The Marrow of Divinity, with fundry Cafej of Confcience. — His Examples (thefe in folio.) — The-Lifeof our bleffed Saviour. — Difc. ag. Toleration.— A Sheet in Defence of Tythes.— Sermons on partic. Occafions. — Defcription of Germany. —Hift. of Hungary. — Defcript. of the 17 Provinces of the Nether lands.— hives of Englijh Warriors. — Duty of everyone that intends to be faved.— Englifh Dictionary.— Prefident for Princes.— A Book of Apothegms.— A Lgpking-glafs for Perfecutors.— Account of the Spanijh Invafion and Powder-plot. ST. Bennett's, Sheerhog, [R. S.J Mr. Nehemiah Benton, M. A. of St. John's Col, Camb. 1 Ibid. in LONDON, GV. 93 Ibid. Mr. Nicholas Lockyer : alfo of Pancras, Soper-Lane, f S] ; of New-Inn Hall, Oxf. Born in Somerfetfhire. He fuc- ] ceeded Mr. F. Roufe in the provoftfhip of Eaton Col. in 1658, of which he was deprived foon after the Reftoration. He was fucceeded by Dr; Nieh. Monk, brother to the famous General, in 1660. He had been the Protestor's chaplain. His writings fpeak him to have been very zealous and affectionate ; earneftly bent upon the converfion of fouls. He continued preaching till his death, which was in 1683. WORKS. Several Serm. bef. the Lords and Com. and on other pub. occaf.— Some Sermons on Sincerity.-— Balm for bleed ing England and Ireland in 20 Serm. — Chrift's Communion with ¦ his Church. — Spiritual Inflection, or Review of the Heart.— Memorial of God's Judgments. St. Bennett's, Paul's- Wharfj [R. 100 1. J Win. John Jack-. fon. See Moaidfey in Surrey. Black-Friars, [or as in MS. St. Anne's near Aider/gate, R. 140L] Mr. John GiSbon, B. D. fon of Mr. John Gibbon of Waltham, [A]. He was a very learned and judicious man, and of great modefty. He died of a confump'tion, not long after his being filenced. He printed 2 fermons in Morn. Ex. He that perufes thefe, will regret that no more of his works fhould have been publifhed. ' St. Botolph's, Aldgate, [V. 500 l.J Mr. Zachary Crofton. A quick and warm, but upright man. An acute, learned, and folid divine, and an excellent chriftian. He was born, ancf for the moft part educated, in Dublin, .being related to Sir Edi Crofton, Bart. In the Irijh- troubles, he fled into England; and when he came on fhore, had but a groat, which he fpent the firft night at his quarters. He was pallor of a church at Wren- bury in Chejbire, where he met with much trouble, of which there is an account in his pref. to his Bethjhemejh clouded. He was turned out from Wrenbury for refufing the engagement, and appearing very zealous to diffuade others from taking it. Before his fettling, at Aldgate, he was fome time minifter atSt. James's, Garlickhithe. Not iong after the Reftoration, he had a hot conteft with Bp. Gauden about the obligation of the folemn league and covenant. The Bp. was for cancelling it entirely. Mr. C. did not plead for it as binding any man to rebellion, or to any thing unlawful ; but as obliging every one that took it* itthis place and calling* to endeavour reformation; to be againft 94 Ministers ejected againft fchifm, popery, prelacy and profanenefs, and to defend1 the king. Many writings paffed on both fides* : but at length they who had the upper-hand, (as hath been ufual in the like cafes) backed their arguments with force, to make them un- anfwerable. Mr. C. was fent prifoner to the Tower ; where, when he continued long, at a vaft expence, at a time when he had a wife and 7 fmall children, he fought to get an habeas corpus ; but his life being threatened, he was glad to let the motion fall, and at laft to petition for his. liberty, which with fome difficulty he obtained. But going into Chefhire, he was there imprifoned again. When he procured his liberty, he fet up a grocer's fhop to maintain his family. While he was in the Tower, he attended the chapel-fervice ; being againft fe paration from the parifh churches, tho' he himfelf could not ufe the Common-prayer as a minifter, or the ceremonies. Some who thought his conduct unlawful, wrote againft it. He replied with fharpnefs ; and divers writings were publifhed on both fides, about fuch communion. He afterwards took a farm at Little Barford in Bedfordjhire. In the time of the plague, his fon and daughter (whom he had fet up in'bufinefs in London) went down to him, but could not be admitted into the town, and were kept in little huts at a diflance, he hiring a man to look after them. They all died, and Mr. C. took good care of the man's children. He then removed to London (bringing one of the daughters to be his fervant), and fet bp a fchool in the parifh of Aldgate, having fometimes above 100 fcholars, in which he continued to his death. WORKS. Bethfhemefh clouded, or Animadv. on the Rab binical Talmud of Rabbi John Rogers. — Catechizing God's Or dinance. — The People's Need of a living Pallor, a Fun. Serm. for Mr. John Frojl, with an Ace. of his Life and Death. — The_yirtue and Value of Baptifm, a Serm. on Heb. x. 22. — Sight re-entered, &c. an Account of his Return to his Miniftry. — ^lice againft the Miniftry manifefted. — Felix Scelus, Sec. in fundry Sermons. — The Purfuit of Peace, a Serm. March 29, 1660. — Altar-worfhip, or bowing to the Communion-Table confidered.— -£xaterna Correptio, the Saints Zeal againft finful Altars. — A ferious View of Prefby ters Re-6rdination by Bps. — Analepfts, inanf. to Dr. Gauden's endea vours to invalidate the_/2>/. league and coueenbitbe by the Bp's purfuivants ; and they met with the like difturbance in May following in another place. In Nov. 1639, he was fent by the congregation into Wales to aflift old Mr. Wroth, Mr. Cra- dock, and others, in gathering a church in Llanzvaches in Monmouthfhire. On April 21, 1640, he with a great number of the members of feveral congregations, being met together upon Tower-hill, to feek God by failing and prayer, were in terrupted by the purfuivants, and imprifoned in the Tower by Sir W. Balfore, who foon releafed them; they being bound over by Abp. Laud to anfwer at the next feflions. They ap peared there, but were never called, the profecutors not think- 'ing it adyifeable to proceed. On Aug . 22, 1641, he, with five of his congregation, were feized by order of the lord mayor, and committed prifoners to Wood-Jlreet compter, when they appealed to parliament, and were foon releafed. Upon the reftoration he was ejected from his living at St. George's, filenced from his miniftry, and com mitted to prifon, where (it is faid in Crofby's Hift. of the Bap tifts, vol. 1, p. 320.) he died, full of peace and joy. Dr. c7.'s account goes on as follows : On Nov~ 27, 1661, he was feized, and kept in the meflen- ger's hands, but releafed by the privy council, after a month's wrongful reftraint. Aug . 30, 1662, he was again apprehended (upon mifinformation) and fecured fix months iri the meffen- ger's houfe, till by an order of council he was again releafed, on Feb. 20 following. About 5 or 6 months after his releafe, he fell into his laft ficknefs, but neither he nor they that were about him apprehended his death to be fo near as it really was. However, the good man fell prefently to the trimming of his lamp, as diligently as if God had exprefly told him. He fpent his laft days and nights in fearching his heart, hum bling his foul, extolling free grace, and exhorting all about him iii Ministers ejected him to keep clofe to God, to perfevere in the faith, and pre pare for trials : adding for encouragement, the long experi ence he had had of the goodnefs of the Lord in all times and conditions. The laft evening but one before his departure, having a mind to walk, he was led about the room, and often repeated this expreflion, " God is good : he doth not lead me whither I would not, as he did Peter : good is the Lord to me." Being foon tired, he fat down on his bed, and one who fat by him faid, " They among whom you have laboured can wit- nefs, that you have been a faithful fervant of Chrift, making his glory your utmoft end, for the good of their fouls J' But he replied, " Say no more of that ; exalt God, exalt God." He fpent the firft part of his laft night in bleffing God, and finging pralfes to his name, and fell afleep about n o'clock, "Waking again between 2 and 3, he fell into a wonderful ftrairi of abafirig himfelf, and admiring the love of God, " that he fhould chufe the vilell, the unworthieft, and the bafeft," which laft word he repeated many times, and then cried out, " Oh the unfpeakable loVe of God, that he fhould reach me when I could' not reach him !" And when the cordial ordered for"- that night was brought, he faid, " Trouble me not, upon your peril ; trouble me not." He was then as if he had feen fome glorious vifion, or had been ,in a rapture. He wi& mindful alfo in this his laft night of thofe who were his daily care, viz. the widows and fatherlefs, whom he fpake of with pity, in a low lamenting voice, and the by-flanders judged he was praying for them. Then he defired one pre fent to pray with him, during which time he was ftill, and feemed afterwards much refrefhed. He repeated Joel ii. 28. and bid theitl turn to feveral other texts that he mentioned ; and as he lay, he often called Out, " more julep," mean ing more fcriptures ; for he drank in much confolation from the exceeding great and precious promifes therein contained, and continued to his laft gafp praifing God. The laft words he was heard to fpeak were thefe : " He counted me worthy." And when the found of his words ceafed, his lips were ob ferved ftill to move, and he feemed to be inwardly adoring that God whom in his health he ferved, feared and praifed, and made his boaft of continually ; whofe law he preached^ and whofe goodnefs he proclaimed. He died Sept. 4, 1663, aged 63, lamented by perfons of different perfuafions, feveral thoufands of whom attended his funeral. 3 Bi» "in LONDON, &?«' , nj His Epitaph. Poft varios cafus, et per difpendia vitse Plurima, devidtis hoftibUs, ille jacet. JSub tumulq, invidtus victor, fub pace triumphans Praemia virtutis poffidet ille fuse. Cymba fides, remique preces, fufpira vehti Cum quibus Elyfiis per Styga fertur agrisi Mr. Ob. Wills, ^who wrote with great warmth againft his particular opinions, fpeaks of Kim in the following terms : — " That man of God, Mr. Jeffey, an anti-pcedobdptijl of long Handing; as holy I conceive as any; of good learning, and a very tender confidence ; of an healing and uniting fpirit— I wifh there were more fuch anti-pcedobaptifts as he."] He was fo great a fcripturift, that if one began to rfehearfe any paflagej he could go on with it, and name the book, chapter, and verfe where it might be found. [The original languages of the Old and New Teftament were as familiar to him as his mother tbrigue.] WORKS. A Store^hpufe of Provifibn ; in fundry Cafes of Confcience. — A Scripture Calendar, from 1645 to 1660, defigned to reftore the Knowledge of the Scripture Hours, Days, &c. — The Glory and Salvation of Jehudah and Ifrael, to reconcile Jews and Chriftians in the Faith of the Meffiah ; and a Defcription of Je rufalem.— An Eafy Catechifm for Children ; in which the Anfwers are' wholly in the Words of Scripture. — The exceeding Riches of Grace in Mrs. Sarah Wright. — TheJLord's loudCall to England. — Mifcellanea Sacra, or divers neceffary Truths; — A Looking-Glafs for Children. He was chiefly concerned in the Englifh-GrraS- Lexicon. Ibid, (or St. Thomas's) Mr. John Bifcoe, B. A. of New- Inn Hall, Orf. born at High Wycomb, Bucks, where he alfo died, and was buried June 9, 1679. ^e wz* afliftant to the Commiflioners of Surrey for ejecting fcandalous and infufficient minifters. Mr. Wood fays, " thofe called fcandalous," &c. But it falls out unhappily for him and thofe of his ftamp, that they were not only called but proved fuch before their ejection. A certain writer of their own, (a mighty royalift too, and a confiderable fufferer in that caufe) in a book commended by Dr. Hammond, has thefe remarkable words : " I fear if the martyrology even of thefe fuffering times were fcanned, Venus Vol.. I, I and 1 14 . Ministers ejected* and Bacchus would be found to have many more martyrs than God and loyalty."— Mr. Bifcoe died in 1679. WORKS.' The glorious Myflery of God's Mercy, &c jgrand Trial of. true Converfion 5 or Grace acting- chiefly in the Thoughts : on 2 Cor. x. 5.— Myflery of free Grace. — And fome other fmall tracts. St. Helen's, [V. S.] Mr. Arthur Barhdm. Born at Buck- Jlead in Suff'ex, Nov. 22, 1618. He was firft defigned for the law; but upon his father's death, not being fatisfied with that profeflion, he fold his law-books, and went to Cam bridge, where he fludied divinity with great diligence and de light. When he left the univerfity, he was firft chofen lec turer of St. Olave's in Southwark; from whence he removed to this living, to which he was prefented by Sir John Lang- ham, who was his relation by marriage. There he continued about ten years, preaching with' good fuccefs, till his eject ment in 1602. He then removed with his family to Hackney, Where he continued till the five-mile act pafied, when he left his family and retired into Suff'ex. Upon the indulgence, in 1672, he took out a licence, and preached in his own houfe twice every Lord's-day, catechized in the afternoon, and expounded fome portion of fcripture in the evening. Befides which, he preached a lecture every Friday, catechized two days in a week, and performed family duty every morning and evening in two, and fometimes in three, families befides his own. But this was not fuffered long ; for no fooner was the king's declara tion recalled than he was informed againft, and his goods were feized till he had paid a confiderable fine. About 6 weeks af* ter, a fecondVarrant was ifl'ued out againft him, tho' he had not preached fince the firft. But being beloved by his neigh* hours, they gave him notice of it, fo that he removed his goods to London, and took lodgings. Not long after, he was feized with apoplectic fits, which took away his memory, and quite difabled bim for farther fervice. For the two laft years of his life, he lived with his fon-in-law Mr. John Clark, bookfeller in the city, and exchanged this life for a better, March 6, 169a, aged 74. He was a fincere, godly, humble man ; of a mild and peaceable difpofition ; and was generally beloved by thofe that knew him. St. John Baptift, Mr, Peter Witbam. St. John in London, &fo t\$ St. John the Evangelift [R.] Mr. Robert Tatnal, M. A. of Trin. Col. Camb. of which he became fellow. He had his grammar-learning at Wejlminjler fchool. He made a flart out of the college, for a year, to Coventry, where he was enter tained for expounding the fcripture in Dr. Grew's church, and teaching the free-fehool under Mr. Frankland; in both which employments he acquitted himfelf admirably well, and had not removed thertce, had they afforded a fuitable encou ragement. He was not long after chofen to this parifh, as a fucceffor to Mr. Walker. Being ejedled thence, he took flielter in a fchool, taking great and profitable pains in in ftrudting youth, when he could . not teach men. For the grace of his profeflion, his friends obtained for him his ma jefty's mandate, for the degree of D. D. to the univ„ of Camb. hoping hereby he might be excufed from the ufual fubfcrip tions, which his confcience could not admit of. But fome peevifh men had their eyes upon him ; after the grace was paft, they called for the book of fubfcriptions, and not finding his name there, they ftopt his admiflion ; and 'he was forced to return reinfeSfa; not the worfe man, but upon a new trial, the more firm to his principles. He lived feme while after this, tho' fine titulo out phaleris, to be ufeful in his fchool. He had great fkill in vocal and inftrumental mufic, which rendered him acceptable to many of the gentry in and about the city, — He publifhed a difcourfe about the fear of death. St. John, Wapping, [R. 130/.] Mr. Johnfon, An excellent Ufeful preacher, and a man of good learning. St. John Zachary, [R. S.] Mr. Ralph Strethill. Ibid. Mr. Charles Humphreys, [L.] Probably the perfon mentioned as rector of North Colebury, Salop. St. Katherine's, Coleman-ftreet, [R. S. 100/.) Mr.Jo- feph Church. A worthy man, and of good fubftance till the fire of London confumed it. Afterwards he had but little to fubfift upon ; and having many children, was in great ftraits. He had confiderable offers if he would have conformed ; but he chofe to remain a poor nonconformift, rather than hazard the peace of his confcience. Mr. Papillon and his lady were great friends to him after his ejectment. WORKS. The Chriftian's Daily Monitor to perfonal and relative Duties ; with iTRefolution of fome Cafes of Confcience: for the Benefit of young Perfons. I 2 St. Ka- ii6 MlKISf US EJECTED St. Katharine's in the Tower. Mr. Samuel Slater, fen. Ibid. Mr. Kentijh. St. Lawrence Poultney, [Perp. C] Mr. Thomas Wddfi •worth, M. A. Fel. of Chrift's Col. Camb. Born in St- Sa viour's', Southwark. He was fo weak in the firft month of his life, that he was given over for dead ; but by a wonderful providence was on a fudden recovered. At Cambridge he was under- the tuition of Dr. Outram, who had a great value for him to his dying day. He gained great refpect by his colle giate exercifes, and made good proficiency in that learning and fpiritual knowledge, which tended to promote his future ufefulnefs in the fervice of God and his church. And he was ufeful even while at the college. [He encouraged affociations among the ftudents, with a view to promote real godlinefs. He obfetved in his college a young fcholar of good abilities and good temper, but deftitute of religion, with whom ho took great pains to bring him to mind the concerns of his foul. Soon after, this youth fell fiek, and fent for Mr. W. lamented his former conduct, thanked him for his kind- liefs, and begged the continuance of it. It pleafed God that he died, and died comfortably ; giving good evidence of a work of grace Wrought byMr.^.'s means.] Being called home on occafion of his father's illnefs and death, he employed his ta lents near home as opportunities offered, and gave evident proof fof hi? excellent gifts.— On the death of Mr. Moreton, he was fixed in the redtory of Newington-Butts, Feb. 16, 1652 ; tho' about that time he was chofen fellow of Chrift's Col. In his fettlement here it was very remarkable, that the parifhiohers were divided into two parties, and both of them upon the vacancy went with their petitions to Wejlminjler, neither knowing the other's mind, and he was the perfon pitched up on by both. Here he not only preached conftautly, but zea- loufly taught all his people houfe by houfe. He gave Bibles to the poor, and expended his eflate, as Well as his time, in works of charity among them. And it pleafed God to give him abundant fuccefs. But in Aug. 1660, he refigned this living to Mr. J. Meggs, who vouched himfelf to be the legal- rector ; tho' before he died he acknowledged his claim unjuft. Mr. W. however did not live ufelefs, for befides his kfture on Saturday mornings at St. Antholine's, and for fome time on Lord's-day evenings, and on Monday nights at St. Margaret's, Fijh- in LONDON, Gfc-' tty Fijh-ftreet, (where he had a great concourfe of hearers) he was chofen by the parifhioners of St. Lawrence Poultney. He was alfo lecturer of St. John Bapt'ift. < His parifhioners defired him to give them a fermon on the Saturday night, before the day on which the uniformity-act was to take place, and he complied, tho' they did not make the motion till he was that day at dinner. They named a text, which was Mai. iii. 16. and taking a little time for meditation in .private, he preached a farewel fermon upon it. This was no very difficult thing. to him, who, if he had but a little time for premeditation, was never at a lofs for words in his mailer's work. He was indeed an extraordinary perfon; of Angular ability, judgment, and piety ; wholly devoted to God, and to do good ; and did not care for converfing with the rich, iinlefs they could be prevailed upon to be free in acts of charity. He would re prove fin in any perfon of whatever rank, but with much prudence, and alfo with great candor ; which he took pains to promote in others : for which end he would often give this rule : " If a good fenfe can be put upon what another fays or does, never take it in a bad one." He was always ferious, tho' fre quently chearful, and was remarkable for fandtifying the Sabbath. It was his ufual pradtice, for many years, as foon as he was out of his bed on the Lord's-day, with a chearful heart and voice, to fing part of a pfalm or hymn, or repeat the acclamation of the heavenly hoft, " Glory to God in the higheft, on earth peace, good-will towards men," to put himfelf into a fpiritual frame for the work of the d ay. And in his family his heart was greatly raifed in finging pfalms. He would often fay to his wife and other relatives, " Don't you find a fweetnefs in this day ? Certainly it is the fweeteft day in all the week !" He was a mighty man in prayer, and often ufed to admonifh his friends to watch, for opportunities to feek God in private. In all his relations he was greatly be loved, and Angularly ufeful. When he was ejected, the la mentations of the people would have melted any companionate heart. Thro* their defire and neceffity he preached privately to one congregation at Newington, and another at Theobalds, by turns, without taking any falary from either. He had afterwards a fixed congregation in Southwark, where, as his health required' him to be much in the country, Mr. Parfms Was his affiftant, and he divided his labours between the two congregations. His charity to His diftrefl'ed brethren in the jrjjfiiftry was great, and he made collections fpj them both at I 3 Southwark: y"ii8 Ministers ejected Southwark and Theobalds ; and had a fingular faculty to difpofe Kis hearers to give liberally. When in perfedt health he was thoughtful of changes, and often prayed that God would pre pare him and his for ficknefs, death, and parting. About half a year before his laft fickr.efs he had an exceeding fharp pain ; but faid, when it was over, that " he would not have been without it, to have been without thofe joys he felt under it." For many- years he performed his hard butpleafing work, under a fore diforder from the ftone in his reins, which at laft brought him to his end. After preaching his laft fer mon, he endured a week of extreme pain both night and day, in which he pofl'effed his foul in more than ordinary patience. His pains returning after fome interval pf eafe, he faid, " Ah, vile finner, God is carrying me back again into the wilder- nets to afflict me." When his pains were fharpefl, he faid, *' I am in an agony, but not a bloody one ; what are all my pains to what Chrift underwent for me !" The evening before he died Mr. Bragge afked him how he did ? He faid, " I have been under a very fharp rod, but it was what my .heavenly father laid upon me ; for he has faid, ' As many as I love, I rebuke and chaften.' That (faid he) is a paradox to the world, but everlafling arms are underneath me ; and I blefs God ,he hath taken all the terror of death quite away from me." He faid to Mr. Parfons, his fellow-labourer, " All my felf-righteoufnefs I difown ; and I truft only in Chrift, and hope I have a gofpel-righteoufnefs." When one afked him if he had not the teftimony of a good confcience? he replied, " I have ferved God in fincerity ; and can truly fay, I have believed, and therefore have I fpoken." When thofe about him pitied him in his agonies, he repeated that text, * The heart knoweth his own bitternefs, and a ftranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.' ?' You know (fays he) what my pains are, but you know not what my confolations are. O how fweet will my glory and triumph, be after thefe fharp pains !" When his relations wept about him, he was dif- pleafed, faying, " What ! are you troubled thatGod is .calling home his