In all the histories of learned, pious and devout men, you shall scarcely meet with one that disdained the world more generously; not out of ignorance of it, as one brought up in cells and darkness, for he was known and endeared to men of the most resplendent fortunes; nor out of me. lancholy disposition, for he was cheerful and content in all estates, but out of a due and deliberate scorn, knowing the true value, that is, the vanity of it. As preferments were heaped upon him without his suit or knowledge, so there was nothing in his power to give, which he was not ready and willing to part withal, to the deserving or indigent man. His vicarage of St. Nicholas Church in Newcastle, he gave to Mr. Alvye of Trinity College, upon no other relation, but out of the good opinion which he conceived of his merits. The vicarage of Witney, near Oxford, after he had been at much pains, travel and expence to clear the title of the Rectory to all succeeding Ministers, when he had made it a portion fitting either to give or keep, he freely bestowed it upon the worthy Mr. Thomas White, then Proctor of the University, late Chaplain to the College, and now Incumbent upon the Rectory. A College lease, of a place called Lye, in Gloucestershire, presented to him as a gratuity by the Fellows, he made over to a third, (late Fellow there) merely upon a plea of poverty. And whereas they that first offered it unto him were unwilling that he should relinquish it, and held out for a long time in a dutiful opposition, he used all his power, friendship, and importunity with them, till at length he prevailed to surrender it. Many of his necessary friends and attendants have professed that they made several journies, and employed all powerful mediation with the Bishop, that he might not be suffered to resign his Prebendship of Winchester to a fourth; and upon knowledge that by their contrivauce, he was disappointed of his resolution herein, he was much offended that the manus mortua, or law of mortmain should be imposed upon him, whereby in former days they restrained the liberality of devout men towards the Colleges and the Clergy. But this was interpreted as a discourtesy and disservice unto him, who knew that it was a more blessed thing to give than to receive. But that which remained unto him, was dispersed unto the poor, to whom he was a faithful dispenser in all places of his abode, distributing unto them with a free heart, a bountiful hand, a comfortable speech, and a cheerful eye. How disre. spectful was he of Manimon, the god of this world, the golden image which kings and potentates have set up? before whom the trumpets play for war and slaughter, and nations and languages fall down and worship, besides all other kind of music "From him I learned many instances and for jollity and delight, to drown (if it were exemplifications of that holy, but heavy possible) the noise of blood, which is most doom of our Saviour, the things which are audible, and cries loudest in the ears of in high esteem with men are abomination the Almighty. How easily could he cast in the sight of God. And that, the com- that away, for which others throw away mon notions of the world, touching good their lives and salvation, running headlong and evil, are as distorted and monstrous, into the place of eternal screechings, weepas if a man should define an humble meeking, and gnashing of teeth. If it were not man, by cowardice: or a prudent Christian to be one that had conquered his conscience. And I hold myself obliged further to profess, that I have not only reaped from this author's sown fields, an harvest of knowledge, but also some weighty sheaves of consolation: he hath so convincingly (above others) proved out of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms, (and the Jews also) that our blessed Lord Jesus is the Christ, that my soul rests upon it as upon a basis immoveable.”—Ibid. mission to the authority of Scripture. I did not know what a monster that idol infallibility was, till I saw it drawn out by his pencil. I had swallowed, and as I thought concocted, the common definition of faith, by a full particular assurance. But when I read this author, I perceived, that plerophory was the golden fruit that grew on the top-branch, not the first seed, no not the spreading root, of that tree of Life, by feeding on which, the just do live; and that true Fiducia can grow no faster then, but shoots up just parallel with Fidelitas ; I mean that true confidence towards God is adequate to sincere and conscientious obedience to his holy precepts. for this spirit of covetousness, all the world would be at quiet. Certainly (although the nature of man be an apt soil for sin to flourish in,) yet if the love of money be the root of all evil, it could not grow up in him, because in him it had no root: and if it be so hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God, and the narrow gate which leads unto life, then he that stooped so low by humbleness of mind, and emptied himself so nearly by mercifulness unto the poor, must needs find an easier passage: doubtless, they that say and do these things, show plainly that they seek another country, that is, an heavenly, for if they had been mindful of this, they might have taken opportunity to have used it more advantageously. His devotions towards God were assiduous and exemplary, both in public and private. He was a diligent frequenter of the public service in the Chapel, very early in the morning, and at evening, except some urgent occasions of infirmity did excuse him. His private conferences with God by prayer and meditation were never omitted, upon any occasion whatsoever. When he went the yearly progress to view the College-lands, and came into the tenant's house, it was his constant custom, (before any other business, discourse or care of himself, were he never so wet or weary) to call for a retiring room to pour out his soul unto God, who led him safely in his journey. And this he did not out of any specious pretence of holiness, to devour a widow's house with more facility, rack their rents, or enhance their fines. For excepting the constant revenue to the founder (to whom he was a strict accountant) no man ever did more for them, or less for himself. For thirty years together he used this following Anthem and Collect (commanded by the pious founder) in họnour and confession of the holy and undivided Trinity, Salva-nos, libera nos, vivifica nos, O beata Trinitas, &c. "Save us, deliver us, quicken us, O blessed Trinity. Let us praise God the Father, and the Son, with the Holy Spirit, let us praise and super-exalt his name for ever. mighty and everlasting God, which hast given unto us, thy servants, grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of the divine majesty to worship the Unity: we beseech thee that through the stedfastness of this faith, we may evermore be defended from all adversity, which livest and reignest," &c. This he did perform, not only as a sacred injunction of the founder (upon him and all the Society) but he received a great delight in the performance of it. No man ever wrote more highly of the attributes of God than he, and yet he professes that he always took more comfort in admiring, than disputing, and in praying to, and acknowledging the majesty and glory 'of the blessed Trinity, than by too curiously prying into the mystery. He composed a Book of Private Devotions, which some judicious men (having perused the same) much extolled and admired, as be. REMEMBRANCER, No. 66. ing replenished with holy raptures, and divine meditations, which is not now to be found. Thus have many famous scholars, and polemical men (in their elder times) betaken themselves to catechizing and devotion, as Pareus, Bishop Andrews, Bishop Usher. And Bellarmin himself seems to prefer his book De Ascensione mentis ad Deum, of the Ascension of the Soul to God, before any other part of his works. “Books (says he) are not to be estimated, Ex multitudine foliorim, sed ex fructibus, by the multitude of the leaves, but the fruit. My other books I read only upon necessity, but this I have willingly read over three or four times, and resolve to read it more often; whether it be (says he) that the love towards it be greater than the merit, because (like another Benjamin) it was the son of mine old age, or, &c." I shall not prevent the Reader, or detain him so long from the original of that book as to repeat the eulogies which are there conferred upon him: I cannot forbear one passage in that preface wherein he makes this profession. "I speak it in the presence of God, I have not read so hearty, vigorous a champion against Rome (amongst our writers of his rank) so convincing and demonstrative as Dr. Jackson is. I bless God for the confirmation which he hath given me in the Christian Religion against the Atheist, Jew and Socinian, and in the Protestant against Rome." As he was always a reconciler of differences in his private government, so he seriously lamented the public breaches of the kingdom. For the divisions of Reuben he had great thonights of heart. At the first entrance of the Scots into England, he had much compassion for his countrymen, although that were but the beginning of their sorrows. He well knew that war was commonly attended with ruin and calamity, especially to Church and Churchmen; and therefore that Prayer was necessary and becoming of them, Da pacem Domine in diebus nostris, &c. "Give peace in our time, O Lord, because there is no other that fighteth for us but only thou, O God." One drop of Christian blood,(though never so cheaply spilt by others like water upon the ground) was a deep corrosive to his tender heart. Like Rachel weeping for her children, he could not be comforted, His body grew weak, the cheerful hue of his countenance was impaled and discoloured, and he walked like a dying mourner in the streets. But God took him from the evil to come; it was a sufficient degree of punishment for him to foresee it; X X it had been more than a thousand deaths unto him to have beheld it with his eyes. When his death was now approaching, being in the chamber with many others, I overheard him with a soft voice repeating to himself these and the like ejaculations. I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his Word do I hope; my soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness, I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness. And he ended with this Cignean caution, Psal. cxvi. 5. Gracious is the Lord and righteous, yea, our God is merciful. The Lord preserveth the simple, I was brought low, and he helped me. Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. And having thus spoken, soon after he surrendered up his spirit to him that gave it.. If you shall curiously inquire what this charitable man left in legacy at his death, I must needs answer, that giving all in his life time, as he owed nothing but love, so he left nothing when he died. The poor was his heir, and he was the administrator of his own goods, or (to use his own expression in one of his last dedications) he had little else to leave his Executors, but his papers only, which the Bishop of Ar magh (being at his funeral) much desired might be carefully preserved. This was that which he left to posterity in pios usus, for the furtherance of piety and godliness, in perpetuam Eleemosynam, for a perpetual deed of Charity, which I hope the reader will advance to the utmost im provement*. He that reads this will find * "If others at the first view, (nay, after some reviews) of this author come not up to my rate, or esteem of him, I have their excuse as ready in my pen, as mine own blame is fresh in my memory. "For when a fatherly friend of mine (Mr. Ni. Ferrar, of happy memory), thinking my younger years had need of such an instructor, commended this author unto my reading; for some time after, I wished he had lent me his understanding together with his books: yet with frequent reading, I first began to like, at last I mastered, and made mine own, so much of him as enabled me to improve and impart his sense to others; I often took his matter, and preparing it to their capacity, preached it in popular auditories. I shame not to tell this, because I think it no plagium! I know my title to it was just, by donation; the author intended it for this purpose: his his learning christening him the divine, and his life witnessing him a man of God, a preacher of righteousness, and, I might add, a prophet of things to come. They that read those qualifications which he in second and third Book requires in them which hope to understand the Scriptures aright, and see how great an insight he had into them, and how many hid mysteries he hath unfolded to this age, will say his life was good, superlatively good *. very design being to afford helps to younger students, and to give the abler hints and provocations for searches into the less beaten, but more profitable paths, the abstruser, but richer veins of theology." -Ibid. "This great author having framed to himself an idea of that complete body of divinity which he intended; for his own more regular proceeding, and the reader's better understanding, did direct all his lines in the whole periphery of his studies, unto the heads contained in the Creed, as unto their proper centre. "The first five books relate only to the (I believe in God:) the five being chiefly, first article, or first part of the article, if not wholly spent, in declaring what belief is. What motives we have to beneedful, for plantation of faith. lieve Holy Scripture. What helps be What errors be, negatively, privately or posi tively opposite to faith; with their originals. "The sixth book, (with the nine appendices) treating of God's essence and attributes; very largely of his infinite power and providence, visible in the creation and government of the world, relate to that part of the article wherein we profess our faith, (in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.) "All the five sermons or treatises placed, tome 2. fol. 401, being figured and counted with the seventh book, as parts of it, because introductive to it: the seventh book itself: the whole eighth and ninth : the latter part of the tenth; and the former part of the eleventh books, relate to the articles concerning our blessed Saviour, from his conception to his coming to judgment, inclusive. "How this learned author proves, by reason, that the resurrection of the body is possible; how he confirms a Christian's faith, that it is future, and shall be, see tome 3. fol. 421, &c. "He that would taste the joys, or see a Thus have I presented you with a Memorial of that excellent man, but with in glimpse of the glory in life everlasting, let him read tome 3. fol. 498, &c. "He that would see the dreadful torments of death eternal, may without danger take a view of them, (tome 3, fol. 448, &c.) and seeing, so fear them, that (by God's grace) he never come to feel them. "The twelfth book hatlı (in the former part of it) a most rational and solid discourse of the holy catholic Church. "Another particular not needless to be known, is this: the author's works at first were printed by piece-meal, as they came off hand, some at Oxford, some at London, some fifty-seven, some forty-seven, others thirty-seven years ago. The fourth book (of justifying faith,) was twice printed in quarto; once in the year 1615, a second time (divers years after) with some small variation in Obedience to the King, who prohibited divines to meddle with quinquarticular controversies: this last edition is made according to the first impression of that fourth book, as being conceived to be the better. "The nine Sermons printed and placed all together (tome 2, fol. 287, &c.) which upon the first folio bear this title, (divers Sermons, with a short treatise befitting these present times); and afterward fol. 349, 351, have this title set before the four latter Sermons, (a treatise concerning the signs of the times, or God's forewarnings): these, making (in their titles) finite disadvantage from the unskilfulness of the relator, and some likewise from the very disposition of the party himself. The humble man conceals his perfections with as much pains, as the proud covers his defects, and avoids observation as industrithat would draw a face to the life, comously, as the ambitious provoke it. He mands the party to sit down in the chair in a constant and unremoved posture, and a countenance composed, that he may have the full view of every line, colour, and dimeusion; whereas he that will not yield to these ceremonies, must be surprised at unawares, by artificial stealth, and unsus pected glances, like the divine who was drawn at distance from the pulpit, or an ancient man in our days, whose statue being to be erected, the artificer that carved it, was enforced to take him sleeping. That which I have here designed (next to the glory of God, which is to be praised in all his saints) is the benefit of the Christian reader, that he may learn by his example, as well as by his writings, by his life as well as by his works, which is the earnest desire of him who unfeignedly wishes the health and salvation of your souls. E. VAGHAN. mention of time and times, may make an inquisitive reader desirous to know the time when these Sermons were preached; and that was, as I suppose, about the year of our Lord 1635."-Ibid. MISCELLANEOUS. To the Editor of the Remembrancer. love to draw " from the deep well SIR, THE annexed simple and beautiful outline of the Christian faith, emphatically termed "The Contentes of the Scripture," has not, I believe, received particular notice in any work relating to our early English Reformers. It will be acceptable to your readers, I hope, for its merit, and doubly so to those who of English undefiled." Its author cannot with certainty be determined, but it was probably composed by John Rogers, distinguished as the first martyr in the reign of Queen Mary, editor of the English Bible, to which these "Contentes" are prefixed; and translator of the Apocrypha. This Bible giving the [Roman] Clergy offence, was gotten to be restrained."-(Strype's Cranmer, book i. chap. xv.) That copies in our days. The title is as this "restraint" was excessive, follows: and amounted almost to annihilation, is well known, and is indeed proved by the great rarity 串 of Dr. Cotton, in his very accurate "List of Editions of the Bible," notices copies in the British Museum, Lambeth, Bodleian, St. Paul's, Christ-Church, Baliol College, All Soul's College, Earl of Bridge water, Earl of Pembroke, Dr. Gifford, Mr. Tutet. The copy now before me was Mr. Gulston's, and afterwards the late Sir M. M. Sykes. It was purchased at the sale of his library by Messrs. Rivingtons' and Cochran, in whose possession it now remains. *«The undertakers and printers were Grafton and Whitchurch, who printed it at Hamburgh (a). The corrector was John Rogers, a learned divine, afterwards a Canon of St. Paul's, in King Edward's time, and the first martyr in the next reign. The translator was William Tyndal, another learned martyr, with the help of Miles Coverdale, after Bishop of Exeter. But before all this second edition was finished, Tyndal was taken and put to death for his religion, in Flanders, in the year 1536. And his name then growing into ignominy, as one burnt for an heretic, they thought it might prejudice the book, if he should be named for the translator thereof; and so they used a feigned name, calling it Thomas Matthew's Bible; though Tyndal, before his death, had finished all but the Apocrypha, which was translated by Rogers above said, who added also some marginal notes.”—(Strype's Cranmer, book i, chap. xv.) (a)" Wanly thought it more probable, that it was printed at Paris. Though it is very plain, that the Types are German: and, very probably it was printed where the Pentateuch and Practice of Prelates were printed, viz. at Marborch, or Malborow, which I take to be a misprint for either Marpurg in Hessia, or Marbeck in the Duchy of Wittenburg, where Rogers was superintendent, and from thence sometimes called Rogers' Bible."-(Lewis' Hist. of Transl. pp. 107-8. This "License" was procured by Cromwell, at the pressing instances of Arch |