and listed not to encounter him any farther pretending a necessity to be gone and so left the place So mightily it pleased God by him to convince them Another was this A Protestant Knight in Ireland had prevailed so far with his Lady who was then a Papist as to admit of a Parley about their Religion and she made choice of one for her that was called amongst them the Rock of Learning The Knight made choice of this our Primate to encounter him and upon the day appointed many persons of note were there assembled the learned and prudent Primate before the Disputation began spake thus to the Lady Madam said he let us know the end of our meeting Is it that this Gentleman and I should try our strength before you If so then it is like that we can speak Languages and quote Authors which you do not understand how then will you know who gets the better Therefore this is not our end If this Gentleman desires to shew his learning and reading that way if he please to come to the College of Dublin where there are men that will understand us both and can judge between us I shall willingly deal with him at those weapons but now our business is something else It is supposed that we two whom your Husband and you have chosen can speak more for the defence of our Religion than you that chose us and your desire is to know by hearing our discourse in your own Language how to rectifie your judgements Now therefore I will give you a rule which if you please to remember you shall be able to discern which of us two have the truth on our side and it is this The Points we will discourse of shall be such without some knowledge whereof no man may in an ordinary way attain to the end of his Faith the salvation of his soul. In these you may easily lose your selves not onely by Heresie which is a flat denying of them but by Ignorance also by a bare not know of them The word of truth contained in the Scriptures is the rule both of Faith and Life common to small and great concerning these things Now whilst we keep to the true sense of the Scriptures in these points you may understand us both but when we shall fly to subtle distinctions to evade plain Texts or flye from the Scriptures to take sanctuary in Authors which you know not assure your selves that we are at a loss and seek victory rather than truth Keep this Rule Madam in you minde for this Gentleman dares not deny it to be a true one and then you will be the better for our meeting And now Sir said he to the Jesuit her Champion I am ready to engage with you in any such points The Dispute was begun and after a short encounter the Jesuit was driven to those shifts whereupon the Primate said Madam do you understand my Argument that I propounded to this Gentleman She answered Yes and do you said he understand this Gentlemans answer She answered No indeed It is too high for me But said the Primate I do and can answer him in his own way but then you would not understand me neither Therefore Sir said he to the Jesuit I pray you help the Lady to understand your answer as she doth my Argument then I will further reply But it pleased God within a while so to disable the Jesuit from proceeding that he left the place with shame and the Lady by this and some further endeavours became not only a good Protestant but a very gracious woman The last instance I shall give of the successfulness of his labors is this About twelve or thirteen years ago we had an Ordination of Ministers in our seventh Classis at which time according to our custome we called in the young men that were to be Ordained one after an other and examining of them about the work of Gods Grace in their hearts three of them acknowledged that they were converted by Gods blessing upon the labours of this our Lord Primate whilst he preached at Oxford where they then were Students about the beginning of the long Parliament Anno Christi 1640 He came out of Ireland into England being invited thereto by some eminent persons wherein the special providence of God did manifest it self for his preservation it being the year before the Rebellion brake out in Ireland as if according to the Angels speech to Lot nothing could be done there till he was come hither and escaped to this his Zoar. His Library which was very great in the first year of the Rebellion viz. 1641 was in Drogheda which place was besieged four moneths by the Irish Rebels and they made no question of taking it and some of their Priests and Friers talked much what a prize they should gain by that Library but the barbarous multitude spake of burning it But it pleased God to hear the Fastings and Prayers of his people within and in a wonderful manner to deliver them and so all his Books and Manuscripts were sent him that Summer to Chester and from thence were brought safe to London The sufferings he now lay under were many and great All his personal estate was lost and that which belonged to his Primacy in Ireland was destroyed only for the present he was preacher in Covent Garden Anno Christi 1641 The great business of the Earle of Strafford came in agitation upon which a scandal was raised of him by a rash if not a malicious Pen in his Vocal Forrest as if he had made use of a pretended distinction of a personal and Political conscience to satisfie the late King that he might consent to the beheading of the said Earle telling him that though the first resisted yet he might do it by the second but to clear him of this a person of quality affirmed under his hand that some years agone a rumour being spread of the death of this Reverend Prelate whose loss was much lamented at Oxford when this concerning the Earle was then by one objected against him the late King answered that person in very great passion and with an oath Protested his innocency therein Besides he left under his owne hand a relation of that whole business a true Copy whereof followeth That Sunday morning wherein the King consulted with the four Bishops viz. of London Durham Lincoln and Carlisle the Archbishop of Armagh was not present being then preaching as he then accustomed to do every Sabbath in the Church of Covent Garden where a message coming to him from his Majesty he descended from the Pulpit and told the Messenger that he was then as he saw imployed in Gods business which as soon as he had done he would attend upon the King to understand his pleasure But the King spending the whole afternoon in the serious debate of the Lord Straffords Case with the Lords of his Council and the Judges
conscience pure and intire he gave up that which was intended as a baite to Apostacy But the Lord who hâ—â—h promised to his faithful followers reparation and satisfaction for all their losses for his sake raised him up Friends by whose assistance and encouragement he pursued his studies at Oxford and in process of time when not onely the clouds of ignorance and superstition were dispelled but also those bloody storms in the Marian dayes were blown over he took upon him the publick Ministry of the Gospel and was houshold Chaplain to that great Favourite Robert Earle of Lecester and afterwards Pastor of St. Edmunds in Lumberd street London In which Parsonage house by his wife who was of an honest Family of the Pigots in Hertfortshire amongst other children he had this Thomas who was born September the 4. Anno Christi 1574. In his Childe-hood he was so addicted to those means which his Parents applied him unto for the implanting in him the seeds of good Literature that he rather needed a bridle than a spur For his love of learning equal to that admirable capacity wherewith the Father of Lights had furnished him was so active in the acquiring of it that his Father was fain often gently to chide him from his book Neither were his nimble wit sharp judgement and vast memory perverted to be the instruments of that debauchery wherewith the corruption of our Nature doth too often stain and desloure our first dayes For he had a lovely gravity in his young coversation so that what Gregory Nazianzen said of the great Basil might be averred of him That he held forth Learning beyond his age and a fixedness of manners beyond his Learning Having happily finished his Tyrocinnia of first exercises in the Grammar-Schooles wherein he overcame by his strange industry the difficulties which thâ—se times destâ—tute of many helps which our present dayes do enjoy conflicted withall and outstripped many of his fellows which ran in the same course before he had compleated sixteen years viz. Anno Christi 1590 he was by his Father placed in St. Johns College in Cambridge Not long after his settlement there his Father being called by God to receive the reward of his labours left him not wholly destitute and yet not sufficiently provided for any long continuance of his studies in that place But God who hath engaged his truth and mercy to the upright and even to his seed also Ps. 112. 1 2. especially when the Son doth not degenerate nor thwart the Providence of God by a forfeiture of his title to the Promises provided friends and means for him who was by an hidden counsel then designed to be an instrument of doing much service to the Church of Christ. Thus the fruit was not nipped in a promising bud by the Frost of want Now not from meer favour but from merit upon the proof of his Learning he was 〈◊〉 chosen Scholler of that worthy Society wherein he continued his studies with unwearied diligence and happy success till he with abilities answerable to his Degree commenced Master of Arts. For an instance of his industry take this viz. That he was a constant Auditor of that eminent Light of Learning Mr. John Boys who read a Greek Lecture in his bed to certain young Students that preferred their nightly studies before their rest and ease The notes of those Lectures he kept as a treasure and being visited by Mr. Boys many years after he brought them forth to him to the no small joy of the good old man who professed that he was made some years younger by that grateful entertainment About this time was contracted that streight friendship betwixt our Mr. Gataker and that faithful servant of Jesus Christ. Mr. Richard Stock which continued to the death of this Reverend Minister as appears by Mr. Gatakers testimony given unto him at his Funeral An evidence of that good esteem which Mr. Gataker had now acquired for his Learning and Piety was this That a College being then to be erected by the Munificence of the Countess of Sussex the Trustees of that Foundress being persons eminent for Prudence and Zeal did choose him for one of that Society and they transplanted him into that new Nursery of Arts and Religion being confident that he would as indeed he did by Christs assistance prove very fruitful both for the ornament and benefit of that Seminary Indeed they laid hold of him before the house was fit for Inhabitants fearing lest so fair and promising a Flower should be taken up by some other hand But while the College was in building that he might not lose any opportunity of doing good he retired himself to the house of Mr. William Aylofes in Essex who had prevailed with him to instruct both himself in the Hebrew Language and his eldest Son in that Literature which was proper to his age In this Family partly by his own inclination and partly by the encouragement of the Governours thereof he performed Family Duties for the instruction and edification of the whole houshold expounding to them a portion of Scripture every morning that the Sun of Righteousness might as constantly arise in their hearts as the day brake in upon them In this Exercise whereby he laboured to profit both himself and others he went over the Epistles of the Apostles the Prophesie of Isaiah and a good part of the Book of Job rendring the Text out of the Original Languages and then delivering cleer Explications and also deducing usefull Observations Dr. Stern the Suffragan of Colchester on a time visiting the Mistress of the Family to whom he was nearly related happened to be present at one of these Exercises at which time Mr. Gataker explicated the first Chapter of St. Pauls Epistle to the Ephesians which is known to be most pregnant of Divine My steries But this portion of holy Writ he treated upon with such happy elucidations that the judicious Doctor was much satisfied with his pains therein and admiring the endowments of Mr. Gataker exhorted him instantly to be Ordained to the work of the Ministry whereby those his gifts might be authoritatively exercised for the publick good and improved for the building up of the Church and withall offered him his assistance in that business But Mr. Gataker well weighing the burden of that Calling and judging modestly of his own abilities which he conceived disproportionable for that Office to the full discharge whereof the Apostle hath set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who is sufficient thanked the Doctor for his kinde offer but deferred the matter to further consideration But afterwards by the advice of the Reverend Mr. Henry Alvey formerly his Tutor and whom in this business he now took for his counsellour upon his remonstrance of divers reasons and the importunity of Dr. Stern afresh re-iterated he assented to be Ordained by the said Suffragan The Fabrick of Sidney-Sussex College being now finished
Sir your head doth not lye right he answered It will lye right in my Coffin July the 25 at one a clock in the morning Death began to seize on his left foot from which the spirits retiring he felt the deadness of that part and a very sharp pain in the part of the leg adjoyning to it Hereupon he called for his Son and told him He feared that he should have a difficult death He then commanded two Surgeons to be sent for to look upon his leg whom he required to tell him whether or no his Foot were any whit discoloured It seems he had conceived some fear of a Gangrene but being satisfied by them that there could not be any ground for such an apprehension he rested with patience In the evening of that day being visited by Mr. Santhil and lying in great anguish by reason of the violence of his heat he prayed for pity and patience support here and a comfortable issue July 26. Early in the morning being full of pain gasping and panting he cryed out How long Lord How long Come speedily But though Death had made an encroachment upon his outward perishing part yet his inward man felt no decay For with a full use of reason he that morning ordered the continuance of a weekly relief to certain poor persons as also ofâ—some small monethly Pensions to some widows for a season He also caused his Physitian to be consulted with about taking something that might procure rest and was erected to a more cheerful disposition He also enquired after News and dicoursed freely yet confessed himself to be in pain About three a clock that afternoon feeling some great change after the putting forth of Nature he called his Sister Son and Daughter to receive his last charge and when they were come he thus spake unto them My heart fails and my strength fails but God is my Fortress and the strong Rock of my salvation Into thy hands therefore I commend my soul for thou hast redeemed me O God of truth Then turning his discourse to his Son he said Son you have a great charge look to it Instruct your wife and family in the fear of God and discharge your Ministry conscientiously To his Sister a Gentlewoman two years elder than himself he said Sister I thought you might have gone before me but God calls for me first I hope we shall meet in Heaven I pray God to bless you His Daughter he admonished to minde the worldless and God more for that all things without Piety and the true fear of God are nothing worth He advised also that his Son Draper being a man of means should entertain some godly Minister into his house to teach his children and instruct his family He exhorted them all to love and concord which he said he hoped the rather because he had cleerly settled his estate so as to prevent differences He inlarged himself in each of these a little wishing them all to lay to heart the words of a dying man After this he desired that all should withdraw and leave him to his rest which he hoped was at hand But all his conflicts were not yet accomplished July the 27 His voice began to be less intelligible the putrid preternatural heat having furred up his mouth as is usual in Feavors yet both his understanding and senses were very quick and active About six of the clock in the evening he called for his Son to recommend his soul unto God by prayer and endeavoured to express what he desired but could not do it so clearly as to be well understood yet by his gestures he gave assurance that he understood perfectly and concurred fervently with the devotions used on his behalf Within an hour after Nature being quite spent he gave up the ghost and was translated into that Rest which he so often and earnestly had desired to finde in another World because he could obtain none in this Thus after forty three years inspection of this pious and diligent Pastor of Redrith he left his Flock returning to the great and chief Shepherd of our souls from his gracious hands to receive an incorruptible Crown of glory having almost compleated fourscore years For his Person the express whereof though he was often importuned by dear Friends he would never allow to be taken either by pencel or sculpture He was of a middle stature of a thin body and of a lively countenance of a fresh complexion that looked young when he came to preach at â—incolns Inne and yet was grey betimes which made him to be thought elder than he was because he had long appeared ancient in the eyes of the world of a choicely temperate diet of a free and cheerful conversation addicted much to study yet not secluding himself from fit company He was of a quick apprehension sharp reason solid judgement vast memory which through Gods mercy continued fresh to the last of his dayes He was Helluo librorum one that did not vainly encrease his Liberary for ostentation but chose books for use which also he made of them so happily that he had conquered a strong portion of learning which he made to serve him upon all occasions He was not so great a treasurer as a free dispenser of those riches of the minde which he did communicate readily expeditely and cleerly He was an ornament to the University and of that Society designed for the study of the Law a Light of the Church the salt of the place where he abode a loving Husband a discreet Parent a faithful Friend a kinde Neighbour a courteous entertainer of strangers a candid encourager of Students a stout Champion for the Truth yet a lover of peace preserving the unity of Charity even where there was difference of judgement an Adversary to novel fancies as well as to antiquated superstitons in Religion of a Christian Magnanimity in despising the world and therefore resolute through bad report as well as good to maintain a clear conscience In brief he was a faithful Shepherd and a fit mirrour for Pastors as well as an exact patern for people who having almost compleated eighty years departed full of 〈◊〉 but being dead yet speaks in his living Monuments of sound Learning His Printed Works are these Of the Nature and use of Lots in 4o. A Just Defence of the same against Mr. Jo. Balmford in 4o. Tho. Gatakeri Londinatis Antithesis partim Guilielmi Amesii partim Gisberti voetii de sorte Thesibus reposita in 4o. A Discourse of Transubstantiation with a Defence thereof in 4o. Davids Instructer The Christian mans care The Spiritual Watch. The gain of Godliness with Self-sufficiency The Just mans joy with signs of Sincerity Jacobs Thankfulness Davids Remembrancer Noahs Obedience A Memorial of Englands Deliverance in 88. Sorrow for Sion Gods Parley with Princes with an appeal from them to him Eleazers Prayer being a Marriage Sermon A good Wife Gods gift A Wife indeed Marriage
mâ—st Orthodâ—x Divines They determine according to St. Austin against the Doctrine of the Pelagians Prove the Man of sin spoken of 1 Thess. 2. to be the Bishop of Rome and for the Morality of the Sabbath of both which this most learned Doctor was very confident and oft wished that some of our learned men of late had spared their pains when they went about to prove the contrary In defence of the last of these he wrote a most excellent and learned Letter to Dr. Twiss who had desired his judgement about it He wanted not enemies who sought to scandalize him to King James under the Title of a Puritan which was very odious to him in those dayes seeking hereby to prevent his further promotion but God so ordered it that it proved an occasion of his advancement for King James being jealous of him upon that score by reason of the eminency of his learning fell into serious discourse with him and therein received such abundance of satisfaction both of the soundness of his judgement and piety that notwithstanding the opposition made by some great ones without his seeking he made him Bishop of Meath in Ireland which just then fell void whilst he was in England and the King often boasted that he was a Bishop of his own making Whilst he was thus Bishop Elect he was chosen to preach before the House of Commons Feb. 18. 1620 in Margarets Westminster The Sermon by order of the House was printed and it is a most learned one Upon his return into Ireland he was consecrated Bishop of Meath at Droheda by Archbishop Hampton with the assistance of two Suffragan Bishops according to the custome at which time there was given him an Anagram of his Name as he was then to write himself which was this James Meath I am the same and he made it good ever afterwards His preferment did not cause him to grow slack in his constancy of preaching as it did too many who having caught the Fish laid aside the Net But as Possidonius saith of St. Austin he was still the same which he bound himself the rather unto by the Motto of his Episcopal Seal Ve mihi si non Evangelizavero Woe is me if I preach not the Gospel which he continued in the Seal of his Primacy also He had many Papists in his Diocess whom he endeavoured to reclaim by private conferences and at length they were willing to hear him preach so it were not in a Church which he condescended to and preached in the Sessions-house and his Sermon wrought so much upon some of them that their Priests forbad them hearing him in any place ever after Anno 1622 there were some Papists censured in the Star-chamber for refusing to take the Oath of Supremacy at which time he was called thither to inform them of it before the sentence passed which occasioned that learned Speech of his upon that subject since printed with his English works While he was Bishop of Meath he answered a challenge sent him by the Jesuite Malone and his going over into England to Print it occasioned another learned Tractate of the Universality of the Church of Christ and the Unity of the Catholick Faith in a Sermon preached before King James on Eph. 4. 13. Till we all come in the unity of the Faith c. And Gods providence so ordered it that whilst he was thus busied in England Archbishop Hampton dying he was made his successour Primate of Ireland Anno Christi 1624 and he was the hundreth Bishop of that See Being thus promoted to the highest preferment his Profession was capable of in his native Country he was so far from being puffed up with Pride that he was more humble and frequent in preaching and it so fell out that for some weeks together overtoyling himself in the work of the Ministry to the overwasting of his spirits whic he did at the request of some Essex Ministers who importuned him to preach on the week dayes because they could not come to hear him on the Sabbaths he fell into a Quartane Ague which held him three quarters of a year After his recovery the Lord Mordant afterwards Earle of Peterborough being a Papist and desirous to draw his Lady to the same Religion he was willing that there should be a meeting of two eminent persons of each party to dispute what might be in controversie between them The Lady made choice of our Lord Primate and prevailed with him though newly recovered from the aforesaid long sickness and scarce able to take such a journey The Jesuite chosen by the Earle went under the name of Beaumond but his true name was Rookwood brother to Ambrose Rookwood one of the Gunpowder Traitors The place of meeting was at Drayton in Northamptonshire where there was a great Library so that no Books of the ancient Fathers were wanting upon occasion for their view The points to be disputed on were concerning Transubstantiation Invocation of Saints worshipping of Images and the visibility of the Church Three dayes they were in this Disputation three hours in the forenoon and two hours in the afternoon each day and the conclusion was this After the third day of meeting the Lord Primate having been hitherto opponent now the Tables were to be turned and the Jesuit according to his desire was to oppose and the Lord Primate to answer But when the time came and the Jesuit was expected instead of coming he sent his excuse to the Lord Mordant which was that all the Arguments which he had framed in his head and premeditated so that he thought he had them as perfect as his Pater Noster were now slipt from him and he could not possibly recover them again and that he believed it was a just judgement of God upon him for undertaking of himself to dispute with a man of that eminency and learning without a licence from his Superiour The Lord Mordant seeing his tergiversation upon some further discourse with the Lord Primate was converted and became a Protestant and so continued to his death One Challoner a Secular Priest afterwards writing a book against this Beaumond by way of scorn bids him beware of coming any more to Drayton lest he meet with another Usher to foil him again to the dishonour of his profession and himself The Lord having made his labours so succesful the Countess of Peterborough had him alwayes in great respect and upon his losses in Ireland and other distresses here she took him home to her owne house with whom be lived about nine or ten years and then died there Anno Christi 16â—6 in August he went back into Ireland where he was entertained with all the expressions of love and joy that could be The discourses which daily fell from him at his Table in clearing difficulties in the Scripture and other subjects especially when learned men came to visit him tended exceedingly to the edification
Protestants also must have born some share To consider hereof a great Assembly of Papists and Protestants of the whole Nation was appointed in the Lord Deputy Faulklands time The place of their meeting was in the Hall of the Castle in Dublin At which time the Bishops by our Lord Primates invitation met at his house where he and they drew up and unanimously subscribed a Protestation against the Toleration of Popery A Copy whereof because it deserves perpetual remembrance is here inserted The Judgement of the Archbishops and Bishops of Ireland concerning the Toleration of Popery which is applicable also against the Toleration of other Heresies The Religion of the Papists is Superstitious and Idolatrous their Faith and Doctrine erroneous and Heretical their Church in respect of both Apostatical To give them therefore a Toleration or to consent that they may freely exercise their Religion and profess their Faith and Doctrine is a grievous sin and that in two respects For 1. It is to make our selves accessary not onely to their Superstitions Idolatries Heresies and in a word to all the abominations of Popery but also which is a consequent of the former to the perdition of the seduced people which perish in the Deluge of the Catholick Apostacy 2. To grant them a Toleration in respect of any money to be given or contribution to be made by them is to set Religion to sale and with it the souls of the People whom Christ our Saviour hath redeemed with his most precious blood And as it is a great sin so also a matter of most dangerous consequence the consideration whereof we commend to the Wise and Juditious Beseeching the Zealous God of Truth to make them who are in Authority zealous or Gods glory and of the advancement of true Religion zealous resolute and couragious against all Popery Superstition and Idolatry Amen Ja. Armachanus Mal. Cashlen Anth. Medensis Tho. Hernes Laghlin Ro. Dunensis c. Georg. Derens. Rich. Cork Cloyne Rosses Andr. Alachadens Tho. Kilmore Ardagh Theo. Dromore Mic. Waterford Lysm Fran. Lymerick This Judgement of the Bishops Dr. George Downham Bishop of Derry at the next meeting of the Assembly which was April the 23 1627 published at Christ Church before the Lord Deputy and Council in the middest of his Sermon with this preamble viz. Are not many amongst us for gain and outward respects willing and ready to consent to a Toleration of false Religions thereby making themselves guilty of a great offence in putting to sale not onely their own souls but also the souls of others But what is to be thought of Toleration of Religion I will not deliver my own private opinion but the judgement of the Archbishops and Bishops of this Kingdome which I think good to publish unto you that whasoever shall happen the world may know that we were far from consenting to those favours which the Papists expect After he had published it the people gave their votes with a generall acclamation crying Amen The judgements of the Bishops prevailed so much with the Protestants that now the Proposals drove on very heavily and after much debate of things the L. Deputy finding the discontents of both parties encreasing desired our Lord Primate as the fittest person both in regard of his esteem in the Assembly and being a member of the Council and therefore concerned in promoting of the Kings business to sum up the state of things and to move them to an absolute grant of some competency that might comply with the Kings necessities without any such conditions with which upon their answer he would cease moving any further which upon very little warning he did with much prudence according to his double capacity of a Privy Counsellour and a Bishop A copy of which Speech desired of him by the Lord Deputy was immediately transmitted into England But it not being prevalent with the Assembly to induce them to supply the Kings wants it was dissolved Not long after the Lord Deputy Falkland being called back into England when he was to take Boat at the water side he reserved our Lord Primate as the last person to take his leave of and fell upon his knees on the sands and begged his blessing which reverend respect shewed to him gained a greater reputation to himself both in Ireland and England and indeed from his younger years the several Lord Deputies had alwayes a great esteem of him It was no small labour to him to answer those many Letters which came to him from forreign parts and our own Nations upon several occasions some for resolution of difficulties in Divinity others about Cases of Conscience and practical subjects Twelve of the most eminent Divines in London who at his being here were wont to apply themselves to him as to a Father as Dr. Sibbs Dr. Preston c. between whom and him there were most entire affections wrote to him for his directions about a Body of practical Divinity which he returned them accordingly He much endeavoured the augmentation of the maintenance of the Ministery in Ireland and for that end he had obtained a Patent for Impropriations to be passed in his name for their use as they should fall but it was too much neglected by themselves whereby his desires were frustrated He preached every Lords day in the forenoon never failing unless he was disabled by sickness in which he spent himself very much In the afternoons his directions to Dr. Bernard his assistant were that before publick Prayers he should Catechize the youth and that after the first and second Lesson he should spend half an hour in a brief and plain opening the Principles of Religion in the publick Catichisme and therein he directed him to go first through the Creed at once giving but the sum of each Article the next time to go through it at thrice and afterwards to take each time one Article as they might be more able to bear it and to observe the like proportionably in the Ten Commandements the Lords Prayer and the Doctrine of the Sacraments The good fruit of which was apparent in the common people upon their coming to the Communion at which time by ordeâ— the receivers were to send in their names and some account was constantly taken of their fitness for it His order throughout his Diocess to the Ministers was that they should go through the Body of Divinity once a year which he had accordingly drawn out into fifty heads When any publick Fast was enjoyned he kept it very strictly preaching alwayes first himself and therein continuing at least two hours in a more than ordinary manner enlarging himself in prayer the like was done by those that assisted him in the duty His expences for Books was very great especially whilst he enjoyed the revenues of his Archbishoprick a certain part whereof he laid aside yearly for that end but especially for the purchasing of Manuscripts and other Rarities
Harris had the happiness to live with and near this man of God and that in such a conjunction as greater could not be During the time of their converse they studied together and daily read a Chapter in the Original together And after Mr. Dod was restored to the liberty of his Ministry in another Diocess he would not expound a Text preach a Sermon answer a case of Conscience whereof many were daily brought to him without the concurrence of Mr. Harris with him so highly did that eminent Divine prize him and would often blame him for his reservedness and unwillingness to put forth himself Mr. Dod being as was said before removed into Northamptonshire to Fausley God was pleased to supply his want by the resort of sundry young Students from Oxford to Hanwell so that Mr. Harris his house was a little Academy and amongst others he took much comfort in Mr. Pemble who would do nothing especially in Divinity without his advice as also Mr. Capel who oft resorted to him in his grievous conflicts and temptations for advice and succour and also in his well known Treatise of Temptations Whilst he was at Hanwell he had frequent calls to London sometimes to Pauls Cross sometimes to preach before Parliaments and other sometimes at Country-Feasts which occasioned many invitations to places there But of all the Auditories that of Saviours in Southwark was most grateful to him and there he could have spent the remainder of his dayes if his voyce would have reached so great an Assembly From thence he was invited to some lesser Churches but God had not yet finished his work by him at Hanwell and therefore something or other still interposed Probably he had closed with Aldermanbury had not the then Bishop of London Land complemented him out of it commending his Conscio ad Clerum at Oxford and promising him better preferment than he thought he should merit Some other offers were made to him but still he met with some cross Providence which made him come to a resolution to end where he began At Hanwell he went over many Scriptures but his people found least good from that which cost him most pains viz. his Sermons upon the Colossians which Epistle he preached throughout Indeed at that time he thought he could not speak too highly to a people who had been so taught but upon further trial he found that he could not go too low so that as some of his hearers after told him his pains upon that Epistle was wholly lost as to them His Sermons upon Historical Scriptures best pleased most of his auditors but with himself and the more spiritual sort his labours upon the Book of the Canticles prevailed most the Notes whereof he was often pressed to make publick which he refused upon a double account 1. Because a great part of them were lost and dyed with Dr. Preston to whom he had lent them and whom he used to call A needlese engrosser of other mens Notes 2. He less satisfied himself in his elder years in divers passages of that mysterious Book Yet if the world were at leasure to hear old men speak it might be very useful to collect those dispersed Papers and it is hoped that some of his near Relations who best know his hand and method in writing may take some pains therein for the publick good At Hanwell Mr. Harris continued preaching for about forty years a constant painâ—ul and faithfull Preacher both upon the â—abbaths and other occasions which fell out often for when he came thither he found that there had been an accustomed course of preaching upon such Festival dayes then so called which might not enterâ—ere with the Lecture or Market at Banbury which he also kept up especially on Easter and Whitson Mundayes unto which multitudes of Christians resorted far and near as the Doves to the windows yet without any superstition And on the morrow they were entertained with the like Feast at Banbury by Mr. Wheatley O what a Faire of souls was then held at Hanwell and Banbury by these two Brothers How did Religion then flourish and Professors thrive like the Calves in their stalls The truth is these Preachers carved out sound and wholesome food and their hearers came with good stomacks expecting what they found viz. Milk for Babes and strong meat for strong men and accordingly did grow thereby In those dayes godly Preachers stuffed not their Sermons with aiery notions and curious speculations but sought out profitable matter which they delivered in sound words and in plain method of Doctrine Reason and Use accommodating themselves to every mans capacity and God gave them a plentifull Harvest in that Country These his imployments at home together with his natural Bookishness made him less forward to engage in Lectures abroad onely he was one in a combination at Dedington in Oxfordshire and for sometime he kept a Lecture alone at Stratford upon Avon in Warwickshire every other week unto which there was a great resort both of the chief Gentry and choisest Preachers and Professors in those parts and amongst them that Noble and Learned Knight Sir Thomas Lucy of Charlcot had alwayes a great respect for him About this time a great Living in the Country was offered him about which he was very indifferent and indeed was but very indifferently dealt with in it which occasioned him to say That he never bore any thing more impatiently than the abuse of Religion to base and private ends and that carnal policy would render Profession despicable at least whilst some men took such a liberty to themselves in equivocating and dawbing and the reason of such mens success was not because they had more wit than others but more boldness to say and do what others durst not All this while he continued at Hanwell in much prosperity and the Neighbours thereabouts frequented his Sermons amongst whom he received the greatest seals of his Ministry But though he found so much encouragement from abroad yet we must not forget his people at home who were so far brought into a conformity that at sometimes there was not a Family in the Town where Gods Name was not in some measure called upon nor a person that refused to be prepared by him for the Lords Supper And as the Lord was thus pleased to bless and succeed his labours so he caused him to thrive in his outward estate likewise which himself could not but take notice of for though his means was not great and his children many for whose sakes he kept a Schoolmaster and the resort of Friends to his house not small both on Sabbath dayes and Lecture dayes yet was he in a thriving condition which occasioned him to say That there was a secret blessing attending on house-keeping For said he I am not able to give an account of my expences and of Gods supplies But now began those cloudy times and his sadder dayes when Troops and Armies
not to say My Father or my Master would not afford me time for if they did he would protest against them in the day of Judgement And as he was going to the Congregation on the week-dayes he would often finde some of the Country people that were come early to the Market and then would ask them where they did live and when they answered five or six or more miles off he would thence take occasion to shew them how vain a thing it was to pursue the world and to neglect the care of their precious and immortal souls and would ask them how they could rise so early to get the world and not rise as early to get interest in Jesus Christ and to attain the favour of God and assurance of eternal happiness And then looking back upon his Family he would say to them You see here how these people can rise betimes to get a little part of the world and you will hardly rise early to get the assurance of the favour of God which is far better than the whole world As he returned from Sermons he would be speaking to them that went with him of what they had heard exhorting them to be mindfull of it and to put it in practice and when one of the company was troubled hearing him to press such things upon them told him that he had heard many good Sermons at St. Peters the Cathedral but never heard one at the great Conduit before he presently replied Sirs are ye troubled to be put in minde of the word of God I pray God the time come not when you are in hell that you wish you had not onely practised the Sermons which you heard at St. Peters but had received good counsel from the Word at the great Conduit also Thus by his diligent attending upon and carefull applying the means of Grace and Gods blessing upon them he attained a very great measure of assurance even to a kinde Plerophory such as the Apostle speaks of 1 Thess. 1. 5. Much assurance and Col. 2. 2. Full assurance of understanding by which he was carried as with full â—ails to holy duties And truly if we connsider the measure continuance and constancy of it there are few Christians that have attained the like Assurance was much in his tongue and in his heart it was that which he earnestly laboured for and obtained by fervent prayer and diligent use of the means God gave him the Testimony and Seal of the Spirit and so assured him of his eternal love in Christ as also of his Adoption and eternal happiness in Heaven God gave it him as part of his reward for his sincere and faithfull service At sometimes he had more than ordinary comforts and incomes of the Spirit for the strengthning of his Assurance As for instance At a time he being at a Sermon and attending heedfully to those discerning and differencing marks of uprightness which were then laid down and one mark being more powerfully pressed and coming fully home to his condition he being in a deep and serious meditation and reflecting upon himself and finding it to be truly in him it seemed to him as if one struck him upon the shoulder encouraging and saying Be of good cheer thou art the man upon which he had presently such inward joyes and ravishings of spirit as were unexpressible And as by diligence he obtained so he carefully kept his assurance by frequent trial of himself and his spiritual estate towards God he used to try himself by all the marks of sincerity which he found in the Scriptures heard by the Ministry of the word or read in the books of godly Divines and thereby he did clear up his evidences for heaven and he did not onely try his estate by some marks but he kept a narrow watch over his heart and wayes and thereby his assurance was preserved and he kept it for a long time together even for thirty years and more and being asked whether he never met with any temptations of doubting of his estate towards God he gave this answer That he had been and often was sorely assaulted by Satans temptations which were set against his Faith and Assurance and that he had been foiled in respect of the application of some particular promises but he was not thereby driven from his hold-fast of Christ or from the assurance of his interest in the Covenant of Grace yet still he acknowledged that his assurance and all his ability in spiritual things was through Christ that strengthened him as Paul Phil. 4. 13. As he had this assurance himself so he was alwayes forward to stir up others to labour for it there were scarce any that he met with if he supposed that their faces were heaven-ward but he would be questioning with them about their assurance blaming them if they did not diligently seek after it and encouraging them to labour for it And when some did ask him how they should get it he gave them this answer that they should importunately seek it of God and not give him any rest till he granted it unto them I would said he lock or bolt my Chamber door and beg it of God and never give him rest till I had obtained it and then he advised them that they should daily try themselves by some marks and he often mentioned three that he used to try himself by 1. A sincere desire to fear the name of God as Nehem. 1. 11. 2. A sincere endeavour to do the will of God in all things required as Psal. 119. 6. 3. A full purpose of heart to cleave to the Lord as Act. 11. 23. and these he did not onely speak of but pressed them with much earnestness as longing that others should partake of that high priviledge and heavenly gift with himself If he met with any Schollar and such an one especially as applied himself to the study of Divinity his usual question to such was What evidence have you for heaven You Schollars have the best opportunities of all men for the getting of assurance you are still looking into Gods book and into other good books and should acquaint your selves with your spiritual estate towards God and so have a greater measure of assurance than others The like course he took when he met with any others as occasion was offered or if he found none he would take it of himself Once when he was a Parliament man being at London and coming accidentally into the shop of an intimate acquaintance a man of great estate and imployment and an Alderman of the City he expressed his wondring at so great trading for the things of the world and thereupon demanded how he could in the midst of such wordly business attend the weighty affairs of heaven His Friend answered that he hoped he looked after the good of his soul. Mr. Jurdaine replied How can you attend upon the worship of God every morning His Friend answered that though he
forget to acknowledge Gods goodness in bestowing any of these outward things upon him He found by experience that they were but uncertain riches 1 Tim. 6. 17. And that they had wings and would fly away Prov. 23. 5. But he did not run crying after them as they use to do who set their hearts upon them whereas he saw and acknowledged Gods hand as well in taking away as in giving as Job did Job 1. 21. and therefore was quiet and content having experimentally learned in some good measure that excellent lesson with St Paul I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content Phil. 4. 11. By vicissitudes and changes of estates God did exercise his faith patience and contentation Having passed through the severall inferior Offices he at last ascended to the highest place of honour in the City to be Mayor there wherein as hath been shewed he demeaned himself as became a Christian Magistrate and his ambition therein was highly to honour God who had thus honoured him And afterwards he was twice chosen to be a Burgess of Parliament wherein his zeal for God and against the corruptions of the times was abundantly manifested He was a great stickler to have the Bill passed for the punishment of Adultery with death but those times would not bear it Surely some of the Lawmakers knew some speciall reason for it When he made a motion for the passing of that Bill one or more of the Members in the House cried out Commit it Mr. Jurdain commit it upon which a great laughter was occasioned whereupon he presently said unto them in a zealous manner like himself Do you laugh when a man speaks for Gods honour and glory Upon which there was a more than ordinary silence in the House The Bill was at that time laid aside but in a following Parliament it was called upon by the name of Mr. Jurdains Bill He was also as it 's said the first man that promoted the Bills for the more strict sanctification of the Sabbaths and against Swearing Yea God did not only advance him to places of honour and dignity in the eye of the world but gave him an high place also in the hearts of his people and therein God made good his promise 1 Sam. 2. 30. Such as honour me I will honour His name was very precious in the esteem of those that knew his worth both whilest he lived and since his death Indeed it is confessed that he was a by-word unto many and that his name was taken up by way of reproach but it was by such as were upbraided and reproved by his holy and gracious conversation And he valued not their reproaches knowing that his Lord and Master did suffer much more in this kind and that this was but a Chip of that Cross which as he was commanded he was willing to bear Yea he was well content to drink of this bitter Cup after his Master and with him he despised the shame Heb. 12. 2. which the men of the world cast upon him Nay he accounted it his honour to suffer shame for the Name of Christ as the Apostles did Act. 5. 4. But some there were that brought shame upon themselves whilest they thought to cast contempt and scorn upon him Amongst other instances this one was remarkeable That being chosen Burgess for the Parliament not without much opposition and going up to London to clear the Election at which time there was an accusation sent up against him by a man of no mean place and power That he was the Host of the Schismaticks Whereupon some presumed that he would have been sent back with disgrace and accordingly there was a Sermon prepared by one to jeer him at his return this being his Text Psal. 114. 5. What ailed thee thou Jordan that thou wast driven back Thus men of prophane spirits will dare to make the sacred Word of God to serve their own base lusts and ends But Mr. Jurdaine instead of being driven back was confirmed in the place to which he was chosen and so shame was cast into the face of this wicked scorner and his Sermon or Invective rather proved abortive And as Mr. Jurdaine stood up boldly for God so did God stand by and for him and assisted him and carried him through many troubles and dangers that did threaten and even compass him about One act of Gods providence amongst many others was most notable in delivering him out of trouble He having done an act of justice as was hinted before in punishing an unclean person whose offence was aggravated by some hainous circumstances being moved with an holy indignation against the offence he went as it seems besides the letter of the Law in some circumstance Whereupon some friends of the person punished being stirred up with fury for the disgrace that reflected upon them without weighing the dishonour that was done to God and the foul blot that was cast upon Religion resolved to prosecute him to the uttermost for it wherein they put him to great charge and trouble by prosecuting him in the Star-Chamber and when the cause was to come to a finall determination it was much feared by many of his friends and through the boastings of his adversaries that some heavy censure would have passed upon him to his crushing if not to his utter undoing But when his friends on earth failed he flees to Heaven for succour and defence and cried unto God in Davids words Psal. 22. 11 19. Be not far from me O Lord for trouble is near for there is none to help O my strength hast thou to help me And he set apart the evening and a great part of the night by fasting and Prayer to engage God of his side who hath the hearts of all men even of the greatest in his hands to turn them as he pleaseth Prov. 21. 1. And behold the next morning he received a reall and gracious answer from Heaven being not only acquitted but commended by the Lord Keeper God stirring up the hearts of divers in that high and arbitrary Court to speak for him Thus the Lord was a very present help to him in the time of trouble Psalme 46. 1. After he was thus through Gods mercy freed and returned to his house he piled up the Books and Papers of all the proceedings in that troublesome and vexatious business under his Cupboard in his Parlour which was the place to which he did often resort and where he had that daily sweet and heavenly communion with God aforementioned and being asked the reason why he left so many Books and Papers to lie in that manner His answer was These I keep in my sight as memorials and monuments of Gods mercy in freeing me from my troubles Many other particulars might be instanced in but by that little which hath been said you may guess at the great worth of this holy man Only give me leave to adde the observations and testimony
the rest of the Chapter all those places the Lord often made a stay unto my soul And afterwards the Lord so blessed one means or other unto me insomuch as I was kept from sinking and falling into such horrour as many of the people of God sometimes fell into But yet my fears and doubts were so many as that my comfort never lasted long If the Lord did but hide his face I was troubled No longer could I beleeve then I found new strength given in that the Lord would ever have mercy upon my soul. The sense of Original sin and Actual transgressions in their filthiness and guiltiness caused my fears yet to remain upon my spirit my faith then seemed very small if I had any which I much questioned I durst not then say Lord encrease my faith but I could cry earnestly Lord work faith in me I found much dulness and deadness manifold distractions in duties so that God might justly have withdrawn himself from me for ever yet notwithstanding all my uneven walking with God he was graciously pleased to manifest his mercy unto my soul. When I was stricken with such weaknesses as I apprehended might quickly have ended my life I fell into a great fear At the first finding my heart to sink the Lord was pleased to gâ—ive me so much respite as to pour out my soul before him desiring strength and support from him to keep up my spirit and to make me willing to submit to his dispensations and the Lord graciously answered my prayers in that he removed all my former doubtings and fears all the time of that sickness which was long and so dangerous that neither I nor others expected my life The Lord then cleared up my evidences for Heaven and gave me in so much comfort against the apprehension of death as I never had in all my life before Other like trials of the Lords love I found still when I was in the greatest extremity and stood most in need of help from him insomuch as at such times I have hoped that I should never again have questioned the love of God to my soul But I have found it otherwise by sad experience For when these impressions were worn of I have been ready to call all in question again concerning my poor soul. It made me oft to think of that which was laid to Solomons charge that he forgat the Lord that had appeared to him twice I found it the hardest thing to believe that ever I went about But this wavering condition could not satisfie my soul for the Lord giving me sometimes a glimpse of his love made me long after fuller enjoyments of it so that I was carried out with a restless impatience to beg that the Lord would take away the heart of unbelief from me which did both dishonour him and hinder me from that peace which the Lord was willing that his people should enjoy My heart then being brought unto that frame I was more willing than ever I was before to impart my condition unto some spiritual Friends whom I desired to deal impartially with me acquainting them with the whole condition of my soul how far the Lord had carried me on and at what I stuck and still as new objections did arise I laboured to get satisfaction Being convinced that I had too much prejudiced my self in that I had not sooner made my condition known to some who were able to give me advice This way of communicating my condition I found the Lord blessed unto my soul insomuch that my hopes were more confirmed my fears more removed my faith more strengthned and by the hearing of such Sermons and reading such Books as came closest unto the conscience and were most for trial of ones spiritual condition I found the greatest benefit by and received the most comfort from them Formerly I had many fears that I was not one of them who had an interest in the Election of Grace But the Lord afterwards put into my heart to enquire whether I had those Graces of his Spirit wrought in me which none but his own elect people could have Upon the strictest searching into mine own heart the Lord was pleased after many years of fear at last to evidence unto my soul that there was a change wrought in my heart will and affections notwithstanding the remainders of sin and corruption which still encompassed me about being confident that he that had begun this good work would not leave it unfinished unto the day of Jesus Christ and the Lord was pleased to set home divers Promises for the strengthning of my faith to wit those which set down the Everlasting Covenant 2 Sam. 23. 5. The Everlasting love of God Jer. 31. 3. Joh. 11. 13. The certainty of the Foundation 2 Tim. 2. 19. The certainty of the Promises 2 Cor. 1. 20. They are all in Christ Yea and Amen and that the children of God have eternal life promised unto them and that none shall be ever able to pluck them out of Christs hands Joh. 10. 28. Then for divers years the Lord was pleased to stay me to lead and guide me till he had set my feet upon that Rock which is higher than I from whence I trust that I shall never be removed And now my hearts desire is to ascribe that measure of hope and comfort which the Lord hath given me at any time onely unto the praise of the glory of his Grace who hath made me accepted in his Beloved which is so great a mercy as I can never be thankfull enough for nor walk answerable thereunto I know when I look into my heart there is matter of fear that the Lord will withdraw the influences of his comforts from me But that which I rest upon is the free mercy of God in Christ expecting performance of his Promises made Rom. 6. 16. Sin shall not have dominion over you because you are not under the Law but under Grace And Ezek. 36. 25. that he will sprinkle clean water upon me and that he will give me a new heart and put a new spirit within me that he will take away my stony heart and give me an heart of flesh being perswaded that the Lord will keep me by his own Power through faith unto salvation And now that I may have all the Graces of the Spirit strengthened and encreased in me which I finde that I stand in continual need of It is the desire of my soul to be a partaker of the Lords Supper which through the blood of Christ onely I have right unto This is the particular account of Gods gracious dealing with this godly Gentlewoman considering there was no administration of the Sacrament in that Parochial Congregation where she lived and used formerly to receive it nor any Pastor at all to officiate there she being desirous to enjoy that great Ordinance and that after a pure way of administration sent this aforementioned Narrative
acknowledged Having thus preached for a while as a Probationer he refused to continue it any longer having not as yet received Ordination He also scrupled to be as yet Ordained by reason of his defect of years the Canons requiring twenty four and he being yet but twenty one But by some grave and learned men he was told that the Lord had need of his labours and so upon their perswasions and importunity his age being dispensed with according to some former presidents he was ordained at the usual time the Sabbath before Christmas day Anno 1601 by his Uncle Henry Usher Archbishop of Armagh with the assistance of some other Ministers The first Text that he preached publickly upon before the State after his Ordination was Rev. 3. 1. Thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead which fell out to be the same day upon which was fought the Battel of Kinsale which being a day specially set apart by prayer to seek unto God for his blessing and assistance in that engagement and being his first fruits after his entrance into the Office of the Ministry God might in a more than ordinary manner make his labours efficatious and prevailing the rest of that Epistle to the Church of Sardis he finished afterwards It was well known that if the Spaniards had gotten the better that day the Irish Papists had designed to murther the English Protestants both in Dublin and other places but especially the Ministers Hence said he arose a tentation in me to have deferred my Ordination till the event of the Battel had been known that so I might the better have escaped their fury but I repelled that suggestion and resolved the rather upon it that dying a Minister and in that quarrel I might at least be the next door to a Martyr The Spaniards being as was said before overthrown at Kinsale and the hopes of the Irish as to that design being frustrated they began generally to subject themselves to the Statute which was now put in execution in their coming to Church and that it might tend the more to their profit the Lord Lieutenant and his Council desired the Ministers at Dublin so to divide themselves that in imitation of what he had already begun at Christ Church there might be a Sermon on the Lords dayes in the afternoon at every Church upon those Controversies St. Katherines a convenient Church was assigned for Mr. Usher who removed accordingly and duely observed it and his custome was that what he had delivered in one Sermon he drew it up into Questions and Answers and the next Lords day several persons of note voluntary offered themselves to repeat those Answers before the whole Congregation which made them more clear and perspicuous to the Popish party It pleased God by his and the labours of others of his Brethren in the Ministry not only in Dublin but in other parts of the Kingdome that the Papists came so diligently to Church that if they had any occasion to absent themselves they used to send in their excuses to the Church-wardens and there were great hopes in a short time to have reduced the whole Nation to Protestanisme But on a sudden the execution of the Statute was suspended and the power of the High Commission Court then erected and used onely against the Papists was taken away whereupon the Papists presently withdrew themselves from the publick Assembles the Ministry was discouraged all good mens hearts were grieved and Popery from that time forward encreased till like a great Deluge it had overflowed the whole Nation Upon this the spirit of this holy man like Pauls at Athens was exceedingly stirred in him insomuch as preaching before the State at Christ Church upon a special solemnity he did with as much prudence courage and boldness as became his young years give them his opinion of that abominable Toleration of Idolatry making a full and clear application of that passage in Ezekiels Vision Chap. 4. 6. where the Prophet by lying on his side was to bear the iniquity of Judah for forty dayes I have appointed thee saith the Lord each day for a year This said he by the consent of Interpreters signifies the time of forty years to the destruction of Jerusalem and of that Nation for their Idolatry and so said he will I reckon from this year the sin of Ireland and at the end of the time those whom you now imbrace shal be your ruine and you shall bear this iniquity wherein he proved a Prophet For this was delivered by him Anno Christi 1601 and Anno 1641 was the Irish Rebellion and Massacre and what a continued expectation he had of a great judgement upon that his Native Country I saith Dr. Bernard can witness from the year 1624 at which time I had the happiness first to be known to him and the nearer the time approached the more confident he was of the event though as yet nothing that tended towards it was visible to other men The Body of Divinity which is printed in his name is highly commended by Mr. Downam who set it forth and so it is by a stranger Ludovicus Crocius who much desired that some English man would turn it into Latine for the benefit of forreign Churches but it was not intended by him for the Press It was begun by him in publick but finished some years after in private in his Family constantly instructing them twice a week unto which persons of quality and learning resorted and divers of them took Notes whereby several Copies were dispersed abroad some imperfect and mistaken and many passages are in it which were not his neither is the whole so polished as his other Pieces which were published by himself and indeed he was displeased that it came forth without his knowledge yet understanding how much good it had done he connived at it Shortly after the aforementioned defeat given to the Spaniards at Kinsale the Officers of our English Army gave 1800 pounds to buy Books for the College Library at Dublin then Souldiers were advancers of Learning the ordering of which was committed to Dr. Challoner and this Lord Primate who made a journey into England on purpose to buy Books with it He then met with Sir Thomas Bodly who was buying Books for his Library at Oxford and they were very helpful each to other in procuring the rarest Pieces In his journey he visited Mr. Christopher Goodman who had been Professor of Divinity in Oxford in King Edward the sixths dayes then lying on his death-bed at Chester and he would often repeat some grave and wise speeches that he heard from him After this he constantly came over into England once in three years spending one moneth at Oxford another at Cambridge in searching the Books especially the Manuscripts in each University amongst which those of Corpus Christi College in Cambridge he most esteemed the third moneth he spent at London
intending chiefly Sir Robert Cottons Library and conversing with learned men amongst whom even in those his younger years he was in great esteem In his after-years he was acquainted with the rarities in other Nations There was scarce a choice Book in any eminent persons Library in France Italy Germany or Rome it self but he had his way to procure it or what he desired transcribed out of it so that he was better acquainted with the Popes Vatican than some that daily visited it The Puteani fratres two learned men in Paris holp him much with many Transcripts out of Thuanus and others between whom and him many Letters passed Now though the reading of the Fathers all over was a vast work yet the pains he took out of the common road of learning in searching of Records and all the Manuscripts he could get throughout Christendome together with the knotty study of Chronology and Antiquity was equal with if it did not exceed the other Many Volumes he also read onely to attain to the knowledge of the use of words in several ages as Galen Hipocrates c. and most of the Records in the Tower of London Besides there was scarce the meanest book in his own Library but he remembred it even to admiration and had in his head readily whatsoever he had read The first Church-preferment which he had was given him by Archbishop Loftus a little before his death which was the Chancellorship of St. Patricks Dublin unto which he took no other Benefice In that place Mr. Camden found him when he was writing his Britannia Anno Christi 1607 and in his observations concerning Dublin saith of him Most of these I acknowledge to owe to the diligence and labours of James Usher Chancellor of the Church of St. Patricks who in various learning and judgement far exceeds his years In this preferment though the Law required not his preaching but onely in his course before the State yet would he not omit it in the place from whence he received his profits and though he endowed it with a Vicaridge yet went he thither in person viz. to Finglas a mile from Dublin and preached there every Lords day unless he were detained upon some extraordinary occasions and the remembrance that he had been a constant Preacher was a greater comfort to him in his old age than all his other labours and writings His experiments in Prayer were many and very observable God ofen answering his desires in kinde and that immediately when he was in some distresses and Gods Providence in taking care and providing for him in his younger years as he often spake of it so it wrought in him a firm resolution to depend upon God in his latter dayes what ever extremity he might be brought into Anno Christi 1607 when he was twenty seven years old he commenced batchelor of Divinity and immediately after be was chosen Professor of Divinity in the University of Dublin At first he read twice a week and afterwards once a week without intermission throughout the year going through a great part of Bellarmines Controversies In this employment he continued thirteen or fourteen years and was a great ornament to his place Three Volumes of those his Lectures written with his own hand he hath left behinde him and it would be a great honour to that University where they were read and benefit to many others if they were published When he performed his Acts for his degree Latine Sermon Lectures Position and answered the Divinity Act he wrote nothing but only the heads of the several Subjects putting all upon the strength of his memory and present expressions as also he did his English Sermons His readiness in the Latine Tongue was inferiour to none in these latter times which after seventeen years disuse from the time that he left his Professors place appeared when he moderated the Divinity Act and created Doctors to all mens admiration The Provostship of the College of Dublin falling void he was unanimously elected thereto by all the Fellows he being then about thirty years of age but foreseeing that upon the settlement of Lands belonging to it and the establishing of other matters he should be much impeded and distracted in his studies he refused it and so another was sent out of England to fill it The revenues of it were very considerable whereby we may see how mean and little the things of the world seemed in his eyes even in those his younger years About this time the Irish Prelates especially Dr. Hampton his predecessor in the Sea of Armagh had obtained King James his grant for reducing Ireland to the same Ecclesiastical Government of the Church of England the principal occasion whereof was this The English Prelates a little before had used a great deal of severity against the Non-conformists their High Commission and other Courts and Canons had driven many worthy and learned men into other Countries and some of them went into Ireland the Irish Bishops being weary of this resort are desirous to advance their power to the same height with the English Hierarchy combined together and obtained King James his Commission to Sir Arthur Chichester Earle of Belfast a famous Souldier and prudent Governour who was at this time Lord Deputy and bore the Sword there eleven years together with very much honour and esteem in that Nation For the effecting of this a great Assembly of the whole Nation was convened In the Commission the King required them to consult with Mr. Usher whose learning judgement and esteem would much conduce to the promoting of that work But if he approved it not the King required that they should proceed no further for that he would not be the author of any Innovation amongst them This reserve troubled the Prelates exceedingly and therefore they resolved to carry it closely the Kings Letters to them they transmitted from one to another but acquainted not Mr. Usher with them intending to surprize him when the Assembly was met they should come prepared and fortified he would be taken on the sudden Howbeit God that intended him for so great a good at that time in crossing their design that many faithful labourers in his Vineyard might not by this their power be displaced by a special Providence gave him some light though but very little into the matter and the manner was thus Mr. Usher going to visit one of them found him perusing the Kings Letter but upon his coming he laid it down in his window closed at both ends onely there was an open place in the middle and as they were discoursing together Mr. Usher glancing his eye upon it espied his own name and some other vvords about himself of which he could not pick out the meaning but yet he judged them to be of importance as Discipline Ireland England c. Mr. Usher thought it not prudence for him to take notice of those hints neither could