that part of the City was filled with his armed enemies against whom whilest he opposed himself he was invironed by his adversaries and taken Prisoner who presently carried him away to Antwerp Whilst he was Prisoner there he fell dangerously sick and lay fourty daies tormented with a Fever and as soon as he began to recover he called for a Bible by reading whereof he much eased and refreshed his mind and body and by the diligent study thereof he began to embrace the reformed Religion and to have a tast of true Piety and the right manner of calling upon God Not long after he payed his Ransome which was fifty thousand Crowns and so returned home and being weary of the Factions and Affairs at Court and seriously thinking of his change of Religion he gat leave of the King to turn over his Regiment of Foot to his Brother Andelot and his Government of the Isle of France to his Brother-in law Marshall Monmorancy and shortly after he sent one of his intimate Friends to the King humbly to signifie to him that he intended also to lay down his Government of Picardy and therefore desired him to think of one to succeed him therein The King answered that he wondred at his resolution and scarce thought him wise to divest himself so suddainly of so many places of honour and profit and from that time he began generally to be suspected of his change in Religion shewing a minde so free from ambition and desire of rule Monsieur Andelot also discovering his resolution in Religion the Cardinall of Lorraine who hated the Family of Coligni with a deadly hatred as the greatest enemies to the greatnesse of his Family watched his opportunity and suggested to the King that all men took notice that many great men of France were infected with the poison of Calvinisme which they scattered amongst the inferiour sort of people and in particular that Monsieur Andelot had blabbed out many things to the dishonour of the solemn sacrifice of the Masse c. The King being incensed hereby commanded the Cardinall of Chattillion his Brother and Monmorancy his Cosen to send for Andelot and to admonish him to answer modestly to the questions which should be proposed to him When he came before the King he professed his great good will towarde him and spake many things of his great merits and then told him that he was sorry to hear that which was reported viz. that he thought ill of Religion and therefore he required him to tell him what he thought of the Mass which the Calvinists spake so much against Andelot being a man of great courage answered confidently according to the truth which the King being offended at exhorted him to look to himself and to prevent the danger before it were too late Whereunto Andelot with greater courage answered that he had hitherto shewed himself obedient in all things to his Majesty whom he had found alwaies bountifull to himself and his Family but in the cause of Religion he could neither daub nor dissemble with God That his Body Wealth and Dignity were in the Kings power of which he might dispose as he pleased but his Soul was subject to God only that gave it to whom therefore in this cause he must needs be obedient as to his greater Lord. At this the King was so inraged that snatching up a dish he therewith hurt his Son the Dolphin that sat next him and then he commanded one of his privy-chamber to carry Andelot to the City of Meaux where he remained a Prisoner in the Bishops house till he was removed to the Castle of Melodune Not long after King Henry the second dying his Son Francis succeeded him who was married to Mary Queen of Scotland the Daughter of the Duke of Guises Sister by which means the Guises ruled all at Court and they also boasted often of the Kingdom of England to which this Mary was Heir apparent as they said The Admirall knowing their cruel barbarous and bloody dispositions who would never be free from turbulent Counsels and especially from pesecuting those of the Religion he was now without further delay resolved to lay down his Government of Picardy and for that end acquainted Lewis of Bourbon Prince of Conde concerning his intention wishing him to beg that place of the King which accordingly he obtained Our Admirall being thus eased of these publique Burthens and the troubles of them which withdrew his mind from Religion he kept at home in his own Castle and the rather because of his Wife Carola Lavollia born of an Illustrious and Ancient Family which was wonderfully given to the study of Religion exhorting her Husband also that casting off the remainders of Idolatry and Superstition he should wholly betake himself to the true service of Christ. The Admirall having often heard her presse this upon him dealt seriously with her telling her that he never knew any either in France or Germany which embraced in truth this reformed Religion but that they were overwhelmed with manifold afflictions under which they almost perished He told her also that by the Laws of France which were confirmed by all the Parliaments Whosoever made profession of this Religion was to be burnt alive and all his estate to be forfeited to the King Yet saith he if you be so prepared with Faith and courage that you can be content to undergo the same lott with others you shall see that I will not be wanting to do my duty To this she answered That the condition of the Church at this day was no other then what it had been in former ages even from the beginning and she perswaded her self that it would be the same to the end of the world And thus each of them incouraging other the Admirall began to instruct his Family in the true knowledge and worship of God and gave them Bibles and other good Books to read for their furthtr edification Withall he stoutly forbad them those oaths and blasphemies which were common in France especially in the Court He provided also godly Governours and Schoolmasters for his Children so that in a short time there was a wonderfull change in his Family yea by his example his two Brethren Odet the Cardinall and Andelot were exceedingly stirred up to the study of Religion The Admirall from his childhood had been bred in the Court which did in those daies exceedingly abound with luxury and other vices from which he was not altogether free but so soon as he imbraced the true Religion there was such a strange alteration in his life and deportment that the powerfull work of Gods Spirit did wonderfully appear therein Before he durst come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper he conferred with divers Godly Ministers both about Transubstantiation and Consubstantiation for the setling of his judgment in the truth and once being present in the Town of Vatevill at a private
explain himself more fully to them which afterwards he did accordingly And so after long communication and great promises of favour the King gently dismissed him with these words Let every man have his Doctor as himself best liketh this shall be my Doctor His adversaries seeing and hearing this dust never after that time molest him any further He did many excellent works of Piety and Charity and amongst the rest he erected that famous foundation of Pauls School London where one hundred fifty three poor mens sons should be taught freely and for this end he built a very convenient dwelling house for the Schoolmaster He assigned also a large annual stipend both for the Head-Master and Usher whom he willed rather to be chosen out of the number of married men then of single Priests with their suspected chastity He left sundry rents and houses for the payment of those stipends which he committed to the oversight of the Worshipfull company of Mercers in London He caused to be ingraven upon the School in Latine Schola Catechisationis puerorum in Christi Opt. Max. fide bonis literis Anno Christi M.D.X. The first Moderator of this School was Mr William Lilly a man no lesse eminent for his Learning then Dr Collet was for this Foundation he made the Latine Grammer which ever since by authority hath been used in all Schools Dr Collet was very expert in the Scriptures especially in Pauls Epistles which he hath illustrated by his Commentaries He held Justification freely by the merits of Christs and not by our own works He was an enemy to the idle and unchast life of the Popish Clergy He abhorred those that persecuted the Professors of the truth He died Anno Christi 1519. and was buried in Pauls Church upon whose Tomb Mr Lilly engraved this Motto Disce mori mundo vivere disce Deo The Life of Miles Coverdale sometimes Bishop of Exester who died Anno Christi 1568. MIles Coverdale was born in the North of England and from his childhood was much given to learning and by his diligence and industry profited exceedingly therein so that in the reign of King Henry the eighth he was one of the first that professed the Gospel in England He was very well skilled in the Hebrew and translated the Bible into English and wrote sundry Books upon the Scriptures which Doctrine being new and strange in those daies he was much hated and persecuted for it especially by the Bishops whereupon he was forced to fly into the Low-Countries There he printed the Bibles of his Translation and by sending them over and selling them in England he maintained himself But John Stokesly Bishop of London hearing thereof and minding to prevent their dispersing in England enquired diligently where they were to be sold and bought them all up supposing that by this means no Bibles would be had but contrary to his expectation it fell out otherwise for the same money which the Bishop gave for these Books the Merchant sent over to Miles Coverdale by which means he was enabled to Print as many more which he also sent into England This caused the Bishops to pursue him with such eagerness that he was forced to remove himself out of Flanders into Germany and to settle himself under the Palsgrave of the Rheine where he found much favour At first he taught children for his subsistence but having learned the Dutch language the Prince Elector Palatine gave him a Benefice at a place called Burghsaber where he did much good by his Ministry and holy life maintaining himself partly by his Living and partly by the liberality of Thomas Lord Cromwell who was his good Lord and relieved him very much At length when by the happy coming in of King Edward the sixth Religion was altered in England and the Gospel had a free passage he returned into his native Countrey where he did very much good by Preaching At the time of the commotion in Devonshire for Religion he was appointed to go down as Chaplain with the Lord Russell who was sent to suppresse the same and after the work was over for his excellent learning and godly life he was made Bishop of Exester being consecrated thereunto at Lambeth by Tho. Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury Anno Christi 1550. He most worthily performed that Office that was committed to him He preached constantly every Sabbath and Holy day and most commonly twice in the week he read a Divinity Lecture in one Church or other within the City of Exester Considering his Means he was a great lover of Hospitality and kept a very good house He was sober and temperate in his diet holy and blamelesse in his life friendly to the godly liberall to the poor courteous to all men void of pride full of humility abhorring covetousnesse and an enemy to all wickednesse and wicked men whose society he shunned and whom he would in no wise intertain or keep in his house or company His Wife was a most sober chast and godly Matron His houshold another Church in which was exercised all godlinesse and Vertue He suffered no one person to abide in his house who could not give an account of his faith and Religion and who lived not accordingly And as he was very carefull to promote Religion in his Diocess so was he as ready to give direction for good Government in all Ecclesiasticall affairs And because himself was not skillfull therein neither would be hindred from his godly studies nor encumbred with worldly matters and yet judging it meet that the Government should be carried on with all uprightnesse Justice and Equity he sent to Oxford for a learned man to be his Chancellour and by the assistance of his Friends he obtained Mr Robert Weston Doctor of the Civil Law and afterwards Lord Chancellour in Ireland unto whose fidelity he committed his Consistory and the whole charge of his Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction allowing him not only all the Fees belonging thereto but also lodged and found him his Wife and Family horse and man within his own House and gave him a pension of 40lb lb per annum besides which was a very great matter in those daies so liberall was this good Bishop in the allowance which he made to this good Chancellor And surely the Bishop was no more godly and carefull in performing his Office of preaching then his Chancellor was diligent strict and just in doing of his Office without the reproach of partiality or bribery Yet notwithstanding that this godly Bishop lived most holily painfully and virtuously the common people whose old bottels were not capable of new wine could not brook nor digest him and when they could find no other cause this was judged a crime sufficient that he was a Preacher of the Gospel an enemy to Papistry and an honest married man Hereupon many devises were set on foot for his disgrace and removing him out of his
of unbelief that I may not depart from thee the living God Deliver me from tentation Accept of Jesus Christ for me Teach me to improve all Providences To live upon the Promises Let Christ be my life O Lord let me never shrink from thee For the good of the publique Lord turn the heart of this Nation and all our hearts Turn the heart of the King Sanctifie the Parliament and make them faithfull Blesse the Assembly and make them faithful and upright with thee Let not the Army do unworthily but what thou would have them to do Blesse all the Ministers For other Nations Lord do good to Scotland and the Churches in France Blesse New-England and forrain plantations For the places to which he was related Lord provide a faithfull man for Queens-Colledge A faithfull man for this place New-Church in Westminster A faithfull Pastor for those in the Countrey For Friends and those about him Lord remember all those that have shewed kindnesse to me and have taken pains with me and recompence them Thou hast promised that he which giveth a Cup of water in the name of a Disciple and he that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall have a Prophets reward Afterwards having forgotten to crave a blessing upon somewhat given him to take he prayed Lord pardon my neglect and forgetfulnesse of thee and deliver from tentation and the evil of tentation Thou art holy if thou shouldst forsake us Our Fathers trusted in thee and were delivered Lord glorifie thy name in my poor spirit and let none of thy people ever see me shrink from thee for Jesus Christ his sake Being spoken to to cast the burden of his sicknesse and pain upon God he answered I should do very unworthily if when I have preached to others that they should cast their burdens upon God I should not do so my self In these and many other the like Christian expressions he did manifest the same savour of holinesse even to the time of his death which had been constantly discovered in the time of his life He departed this life Anno Christi 1647. and of his age 46. having served God faithfully and painfully in his generation being a very great Instrument of much good and an excellent pattern for imitation His body lieth interred in the New-Church at Westminster and his memory yet liveth in the minds of those that knew him The Life of Gaspar Colinius Great Admirall of France GAsppar Colinius or Coligni was descended of a very Ancient and Honourable Family his Predecessors had Kingly Priviledges in their own Country as the Power of Life and Death of Coining Money Imposing Taxes and Tributes c. His Father was Gaspar de Colonia or Colinius who lived under King Francis the first and had to Wife Ludovica Monmorancy the Sister of Annas Monmorancy Great Constable of France When in the year 1522. the Admirall Bonivet had taken Fontaraby in the Confines of Spain as soon as he was returned into France the Spaniards came and besieged it with a great Army The siege lasted twelve moneths whereby the Inhabitants suffered much extremity by reason of Famine King Francis hearing of it commanded this Gaspar to raise an Army and relieve Fontaraby which Army he presently Levied but in his march he fell sick and died at Ax August 4. Anno Christi 1522 leaving three Sons behind him Odet Gaspar and Francis Ludovica his Widow was made one of the Ladies of Honour to the Queen of France and was very carefull of the education of her Sons and lived a most chaste and vertuous life all the remainder of her daies dying in Paris Anno Christi 1547. Pope Clement the seventh seeking to increase his Authority in France made the elder Brother Odet a Cardinall knowing that by reason of the eminency of his Family he might be very usefull to him By which means the Inheritance fell to this our Gaspar the second Brother who was born Feb. 16. Anno Christi 1517. whose ingenuity and towardlinesse appearing in his childhood his Mother was very carefull of his education and for his Instruction in Learning she made choice of Nicholas Beraldus to be his Schoolmaster a man famous in those daies in France She also provided him Tutors to instruct him in Military Arts of such as were most skilfull therein This Gaspar being thus furnished both for Peace and Warre when he came to the age of twenty four the Dolphin of France the Kings eldest Son besieging Baion at that time Gaspar went to serve under him and to put in practice what he had before gotten in the Theory In which Service he shewed much alacrity and courage and in advancing near to the enemies Trenches he was wounded with a Bullet in his throat The same year also the King having intelligence that his and the enemies Army were ready to joyn battell in Insubria Gaspar obtaining leave hastened thither and in that battell gave great proof of his Valour and Prudence so that shortly after K. Francis dying and his Son Henry succeeding to the Crown he advanced him to great honour and whereas his Uncle Annas Monmorancy was Generall of the Horse he made this Gaspar Colonel of a Regiment of Foot In which Office he carried himself so well that in a little space he gat much repute for his Justice Valour and Prudence and thereby became very gratefull to the common people For whereas the Souldiers formerly by their rapines and plunderings used much to oppresse them this new Colonel kept them in awe by military Discipline especially he severely punished them for incontinency swearing and blasphemy and his Orders were so generally approved of that shortly after the King put them amongst his Military Laws The same King also advanced him to greater honour taking a great liking to him making him one of his own Horsemen which vulgarly are called of the Kings Order And whereas contention arose about that time between the King of France and King Henry the eighth of England about the Town of Bulloine which a little before upon conditions of peace had been pawned to the English the King of France distrusting the English made this Gaspar Governour of all that Countrey who presently going into Picardy whither King Henry of France had sent an Army to besiege Bulloine He with admirable art and diligence built a Castle near to it which was such a shelter to the French and did so hinder the Sallies of the English that in a short time they were forced to treat about surrendring of the City For the finishing of which Treaty the whole businesse was referred by the King of France to our Gaspar and his Uncle Rupipontius which being ended and the Town surrendred Gaspar returned to the King and was shortly after made the Great Admirall of France which amongst the French is counted the greatest honour in the Kingdom having the command of the Sea and
THE LIVES Of Two and Twenty English Divines EMINENT In their Generations for Learning Piety and painfulnesse in the Work of the Ministry and for their Sufferings in the Cause of CHRIST Whereunto are annexed the LIVES of Gaspar Coligni that famous Admirall of France slain in the Parisian Massacre and of Joane Queen of Navarr who died a little before By Samuel Clarke Pastor of Bennet-Fink London Qui sanctum virum imitatur quasi Exemplum aliquod intuetur seseque in illo quasi speculo prospicit ut adjiciat quod deesse virtutis agnoscit Minus enim seipsum homo considerat sed dum alterum intendit id quod minus est virtutis addidit Isiod de summo bono LONDON Printed by A. M. for Thomas Vnderhill and John Rothwell in Pauls Church-yard 1660. The Names of those whose Lives are contained in this Part. Dr. Collet p. 1 Bishop Coverdale 4 Dr. Sands 7 Mr. Richard Greenham 14 Mr. Thomas Cartwright 19 Mr. Paul Baines 27 Mr. William Bradshaw 32 Mr. Richard Stock 78 Mr. Richard Rothwel 85 Dr. Preston 95 Mr. Arthur Hildersam 144 Dr. Thomas Tailor 157 Mr. Hugh Clarke p. 160 Dr. Sibs 166 Dr. Chaderton 168 Mr. John Ball. 171 Bishop Potter 182 Mr. Richard Sedgwick 184 Mr. Julines Herring 188 Mr. John Dod. 198 Mr. Robert Balsom 213 Mr. Herbert Palmer 218 Gaspar Coligni Admirall of France 243 Ioane Q. of Navarr 297 To his loving Friend Master CLARKE upon his Lives of these eminent DIVINES SAMUEL CLARKE Anagr. Make us recall MAke us recall the lives of Worthies dead Herein thou art blest soul our learned Clark In suffering times thereby to hold up head And live their lives Herein thou art our Mark To soare aloft their Glories to ascend And sing such Praises here thou art our Larke To live when we are dead and so to end Our Pilgrimage and enter Noah's Arke Thy paines and pattern Make us to recall Their Graces Glories and their Lives withall John Herring Mr. of Arts and Minister of Gods Word The Life of Doctor Collet Dean of Pauls who died Anno Christi 1519. JOhn Collet was born of Worshipfull Parents in London his father Henry Collet having been twice Lord Maior of London by whom he was carefully trained up in learning In his younger daies he travelled into France and Italy whereby he much improved his learning At his return into England he went to Oxford commenced Doctor of Divinity and began to read publickly upon Pauls Epistles instead of Scotus and Tho. Aquinas which before were only in request in that University When he came to London he Preached often and had a very great Auditory both of Courtiers and Citizens His diet was very frugall his life upright and unblamable In discipline he was very severe in so much as being made Dean of Pauls his Canons complained that they were held in too much by him He alwaies preferred the honest and honourable estate of Matrimony before the unchast single life of Priests At dinner time he used to have some portion of Scripture read to him either out of Pauls Epistles or Solomons Proverbs He used no supper at all He was no friend to the irreligious religious orders of Monks and Friars He was an enemy to the barbarous Divinity of the School-Doctors as of Scotus and Thomas Aquinas insomuch as when Erasmus highly commended Aquinas for his learning and acutenesse Doctor Collet answered What tell you me of the learning of that man who unlesse he had been of an arrogant and presumptious spirit durst never have taken upon him to discusse and define all things so boldly and rashly as he did And except he had rather been worldly minded then heavenly he would never so have polluted Christs wholsome Doctrine with mans prophane Doctrine as he hath done The Bishop London at this time was Fitz James who of a long time bore a great grudge to Dr Collet and therefore joyning with two other Bishops they entred an action of complaint against him before Dr Warham Archbishop of Canterbury The Articles exhibited against him were three First For preaching against the worshipping of Images Secondly About hospitality for that he preaching upon those words in the Gospel Feed feed feed having expounded the two first for feeding by Doctrine and example the third he expounded for feeding by hospitality yet not so much for feeding the body as the soul by good counsel and conference The third was for speaking against such as preached bosom Sermons declaring nothing to the people but what they bring in their Papers with them This the Bishop of London used to do and therefore took it as spoken against himself which much irritated him against Dr Collet But the Archbishop more wisely weighing the matter and being well acquainted with the worth of Collet so took his part against his Accusers that at that time he freed him out of trouble Another design of Fitz James was to make him an heretick for translating the Pater noster into English but the Archbishop holp him out of that also Yet the Bishops malice was restlesse for when he could not prevail against Dr Collet before the Archbishop he laid a train to accuse him to the King and the occasion thereof was this About this time King Henry the eighth was preparing War against France and the Bishop with his complices took advantages against Dr Collet for that in one of his Sermons he had seemed to preferre Peace before any kind of Warre though never so just For this they inveyed against him in their Sermons and traduced him also before the King Yet on good Friday after Dr Collet preached before the King at which time he treated upon the Victory of Christ exhorting all Christians to fight under Christs standard against the devil adding moreover what an hard thing it was so to do He shewed also that all they who upon private hatred or ambition took weapons against their adversaries one Christian to destroy another they did not fight under Christs Banner but under Satans He exhorted therefore all Christians in their Wars rather to make Christ their Prince and Captain in fighting against their enemies then to imitate Julius Caesar Alexander c. The King hearing this and fearing lest the hearts of his souldier should by these words be withdrawn from the Wars took him aside into his Garden after Sermon and had much private conference with him Bishop Fitz-James and his a associates seeing this were now confident that they should see Collet presently sent Prisoner to the Tower and therefore they waited for his return out of the Garden But contrary to their expectation the King used him very courteously bad him put on his Cap much commended him for his learning and integrity of life and agreed with him in all points that he had taught onely he desired him lest the rude Souldiers should misinterpret that which he had said that in his next Sermon he would
whispered with Mr. Mountague he confessed that for Arminius he had never read him and that he had written some things negligently in that book which he never thought should thus be scanned among friends and therefore promised to write another book in Butter and Honey and therein more exactly for to acquit himself Some of the good Lords proposed that in stead of this Book which Mr. Mountague had promised to write the Synod of Dort might be received and established as the doctrine of the Church of England seeing there was nothing there determined but what our Delegates approved But Dr. White opposed this mainly for said he the Church of England in her Catechism teacheth to believe in God the Sonne who redeemed me and all mankind which that Synod did deny Dr. Preston answered That by Redemption there was only meant the freeing of mankind from that inevitable ruine the sin of Adam had involved them in and making of them savable upon conditions of another Covenant Joh. 3.16 17. so as now salvation was not impossible as it was before the death of Christ but might be offered unto any man according to the tenor of that Commission Mark 16.15 16. Which could not be unto the devils for they were left in that forelorn condition whereinto their sin and disobedience put them Heb. 2.16 2 Pet. 2.4 that the Jaylor was a boisterous bloody fellow Act. 6.24 27. yet Paul makes no doubt for to tell him vers 31. That if he believed on the Lord Jesus he should be saved with his house But Dr. White in no sort received this but affirmed earnestly that Christ died for all alike in Gods intention and Decree for Cain as well as Abel for Saul as much as David for Judas as much as Peter for the reprobate and damned in hell as well as for the Elect and Saints in heaven But Dr. Preston answered That there was a speciall salvation afforded to Believers 1 Tim. 4.10 That Christ was indeed a ransome for all 1 Tim. 2.6 but the Saviour only of his body Eph. 5.23 that he redeemed all but called and justified and glorified whom he knew before and had predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Sonne Rom. 8.29.30 that to whom in this sense Christ was given to them were given also all things appertaining unto life and godlinesse 2 Pet. 1.3 as faith 2 Pet. 1. â— Phil. 1.29 Eph. 2.8 Repentance Act. 11.18 2 Tim. 2.25 A new heart Ezek 36.26 His Spirit Gal. 4.5 6. So that nothing can be charged on them but Jesus Christ hath undertaken and is engaged to discharge them Rom. 8.31 32 33 34. So that they can never perish nor be taken out of Christs hand Joh. 10.28 29 30. but as they are begotten again unto a lively hope 1 Pet. 1.3 so they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation vers 5. whereas Judas was lost Joh. 17.12 and is gone to his own place Act. 1.25 and there are many nations and people of the world that have no outward offer made unto them in the Gospel Psal 147.19 20. Act. 16.6 7. and those that have it have not hearts given them to understand it and believe it Deut. 29.2 3 4. Esa. 6.9 10. Mat. 13.13 14 15. and therefore they are lost 2 Cor. 4.3 4. and are damned 2 Thes. 2.10 11 12. For he shewed that in Adam all men were lost Rom. 5.12 and none recovered but by Christ therefore such as had not Christs intercession could not recover but Christ prayed not for some Joh. 17.9 and therefore such could not be saved Heb. 7.25 Dr. White acknowledged there was a difference for though all had so much as by good improvement might serve their turn yet the Elect had more for God abounded towards them Eph. 1.8 9. Rom. 5.15 17 20. As all the Troop have horses but the Officers have better Both Travellers have staves to leap over the ditch but the one a better and stronger then the other The worst had grace enough to keep corruption and the renitency of their natures down but the Elect such as would do it easily for Christ had tasted death for every man Heb. 2.9 and died for those which yet might perish 1 Cor. 8.11 and bought those that yet brought upon themselves swift damnation 2 Pet. 2.1 because they did not husband and improve the favour offered to them Dr. Preston answered That Christ was in himself sufficient to save all and might be said to be provided for that end and use as a medicine is to cure infected persons though it cure none actually but those that drink it as Prosper Habet in se quod omnibus prosit sed si non bibitur non medetur As 1 Joh. 5.11 12. but many did not thus apply Christ because they had him not so offered and exhibited as others had Mat. 11.21 Luk. 10.13 for God gave some faith and repentance as we have shewed as the Serpent Moses was commanded for to make was in it self sufficient to cure those that were bitten Numb 21.8 9. yet cured none but only those that looked on it So as Moses lift up the Serpent in the wilderness shall the Son of man be lift up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have life everlasting Joh. 3.14 15. But Dr. White urged that place Esa. 5.4 that God had done all he could but they neglected and rejected the counsel of God against themselves Luk. 7.30 Dr. Preston answered That God had done all that they could challenge of him for he had given them in Adam power Eccl. 7.29 and proposed another way of mercy in a Mediatour and therefore he appeals to any one that was indifferent Esa. 5.3 but this was unto Israel he dealt not so with other nations Psal. 149.20 Beside he had done what he could without reversing and rescinding his Decree Joh. 12.38 39 40. for otherwise he could have given them the same spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4.13 the like gift that he did unto others who believed on the Lord Jesus Act. 11.17 could have wrought in them both to will and to do according to his good pleasure Phil. 2.13 could have healed them as he promised Esa. 57.18 and as he did persecuting Saul 1 Tim. 1.6 but God had other ends Rom. 9.17 and attributes Rom. 9.22 which he was willing to discover Prov. 16.4 But Dr. White asked how then he could require faith and repentance Mark 1.15 Act. 17.30 which was all one as if he should require one to give his judgment and opinion of a colour that had his eyes shut and then shut his eyes as fast as he could Dr. Preston answered That he might do it to shew and discover our impotency as we bid our little children rise that by their own fault fell that we may let them know their inability and be the more beholding unto us to help them up as Mark. 9.23 24. and because the call and command of Christ is the Vehiculum
hearts of many of which some live here some in glory His Books will prove more durable Monuments of his name then that his Sonne erected for him in Ashby Church And yet his Name with the lively picture of his Person lives in his worthy Son Master Samuel Hildersam whose learning Cambridge knew while he was Fellow of Emanuel Colledge and whose present ministerial labours and pious conversation at West-Felton in Shropshire do perpetuate the honour of his reverend Father whose very memory he doth much reverence and whose rich Vertues both personal and ministerial he doth happily imitate And his good help from his Fathers Papers and other waies hath most conduced to the drawing up of this faithfull relation that God may be glorified and many souls may be edified by this famous example thus presented unto publick view Dr. TAYLOR The Life of Doctor Thomas Taylor sometimes Pastor of Aldermanbury London who died Anno Christi 1632. THomas Taylor was born at Richmond in Yorkshire of worthy and godly Parents His Father was Recorder of that Town and a very Gaius or Onesiphorus to the silenced Ministers of England and to the exiled Ministers of Scotland He brought up divers Sonnes into the Ministry This Sonne of his as the other was of a Child trained up in the holy Scriptures which are able to make wise to salvation Afterward as age came on he was well grounded in other Learning and was sent to Cambridge where he became Fellow of Christs Colledge as one that should do the Lord Christ abundance of good service He was there most painfull and unweariable in the study of Tongues Arts Sciences all sorts of Exercises about them and especially for Divinity which was his Profession One while he was Hebrew Reader to the Colledge Being soon ripe he entred into the Ministry at the age of one and twenty years In Queen Elizabeths time he was called to preach at Pauls Crosse and preached the Sermon in King James his time In the course and work of his Ministry he spent thirty five years with all diligence and painfulnesse even to the very end when by right he might have spared himself living in all sincerity and godly purenesse with entire love of souls with all watchfulnesse with meeknesse wonderfully quickned with zeal He was an utter enemy of Popery Arminianisme Antinomianisme and other Sects which crept up in those times as appeareth partly by his writings Amidst all his pithy Discourses he was also an excellent and nimble Orator and wound up his matter with a good farewell even when at times it was but ordinary And from this course he would scarce suffer himself to be withdrawn at any time to refresh his spirits by a little freedom Yea sometimes when he was drawn forth into the Countrey for recreation by the solicitation of Gods people he escaped not without his usuall burden Or he spent his vacant time in preparing Books for the Presse which were both many and very usefull and will be to posterity who have cause to blesse God who giveth gifts to men and publique mindes that they may profit farre and near both hearers and strangers all debtors to him And men of understanding observed a great Seal put to his Ministry in several places whereto he was called Some converted others confirmed others comforted in the way of God And in these times of division wherein many Professors have turned into by-waies those that were his constant Hearers continue in that way stedfast and unshaken in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus Yea at Reding there was a generation of young Preachers who under his Ministry grew up in knowledge and holinesse and some eminency of gifts profiting by him and his pains there and some professe it at this day Perhaps also in the great City of London and at Cambridge Neither was he altogether for the publick but pious in private and not only in the course of his Family but in keeping Fasts among the godly of the place which in those daies was something a dangerous exercise And to make them solid Professors indeed he put them upon a weekly way of handling Chatecheticall points of Divinity that is every week to conferre of one of the heads of Religion according to the Catechisme subjoyned to Mr. Dods Treatise on the Commandments still proving the Doctrines by Testimonies of Scripture For other personall qualifications he was a man full of love alms-deeds and mercifull consideration of the needy though not with a Trumpet And he was a man blest of God with all the blessings of wisdome Prov. 3.16 Length of daies riches and honour He had every where both godly and great Friends and is likely still to have among those that shall converse in his worthy works In that his holy and blessed course he drew on toward his end It was his Clymacterical year of 56. Having over-laboured himself with preaching in the City he betook himself to his Countrey-house at Isleworth to be a little refreshed But having inflamed and corrupted his blood by preaching he soon fell into his mortall disease a Pleurisie for curing whereof though no meanes were wanting yet the desired effect through the Counsel of God followed not In the beginning of his sicknesse he set his house in order most holily and as became so worthy a Father and then bad farewell to all as one throughly prepared for his departure full of Faith and Patience and joy in the holy Ghost a great help in that acute disease Carefull of the welfare of the Church at home then in danger to be corrupted grieved for the evils he knew in some mens dealings Rejoycing greatly in the midst of the apprehension of death for the happy proceedings of the heroicall King of Sweden then victorious in Bavaria And once when he was told he must a little help himself by cheerfulnesse he fell into a most contentfull discourse of those noble deliverances and victories and more would have spoken if weaknesse had permitted But especially his joy in God and in the conquest of Christ Oh said he we serve a good Lord who covers all imperfections and gives great wages for little work and in mercy he hath provided for me some of the greatest With other holy speeches full of faith and joy which his infirmity would not suffer him to utter perfectly In which manner he languished by degrees and at last on the Lords day being the usuall day of his principall labours he was dismissed of all and went to keep a perpetuall Sabbath in heaven where now he resteth from his labours and his works follow him even a full reward in endlesse glory which eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither can enter into the heart of man to conceive what things those are which God hath prepared for them that love him The Life of Master Hugh Clark who died Anno Christi 1634. HUgh Clark was born at Burton