them long to go on, in such work as this, without distur bance. The then Lord Mayor, understanding what was designed against them, privately sent for Mr. Doolittle and Mr. Vincent, engaging his word of honour that they should not be detained. When they waited upon his Lordship, he endeavoured to dissuade them from preaching, intimating the danger they might otherwise be in. But they told his Lordship, they were satisfied of their right and call to preach the gospel, and therefore could not promise to desist; and in the way of their duty they could trust Providence with their persons and concerns. Upon which, as had been promised, they were dismissed. The Saturday following, a messenger of the king's, with a company of the train bands, came about midnight to seize Mr. Doolittle in his house; but, while they were breaking open the door, he got over the wall to a neighbour's house, and so escaped. After they had searched in vain, and were gone, he returned in the morning, purposing to preach. But a gentleman belonging to Mr. Watson, hearing of what had been done, came early to see him, and gave an account that the like search had been made after Mr. Watson and Mr. Vincent, who therefore thought it not proper to preach, and advised him to desist also, as it looked as if there was some design against them in particular, Mr. Doolittle had one who readily undertook to preach for him, by which means he was preserved that day; for when the minister was in his sermon, a company of soldiers came into the place, and the officer that led them cried aloud to the minister, I command you, in the king's name, to come down. The minister answered, I command you, in the name of the King of kings, not to disturb his worship, but let me go on. Upon which the officer bade his men fire. The minister, undaunted, clapt his hand upon his breast, and said, Shoot, if you please: you can only kill the body, and after that can do no more. Upon which, the people being all in an uproar, and the assembly breaking up, the minister got away in the crowd, unobserved, and without hurt.

6

After this, Mr. Doolittle was obliged to be absent from his dwelling-house for several weeks, as guards were set before the meeting-house, to prevent the worship of GoD there; and at length the justices came, and had the pulpit pulled down, and the doors fastened, with the king's broad arrow set upon them. Upon the licence granted by King Charles, in 1672, he resumed his place and work as a preacher, and, moreover, taking a large house at Islington,

set

set up an academy, and as a tutor fitted several young men for the ministry, among whom his own son was one, the late Reverend Mr. Samuel Doolittle, who was many years pastor of a congregation at Reading in Berkshire. When King Charles's licence was recalled, and the act came out, driving dissenting ministers five miles from a corporation, Mr. Doolittle broke up house-keeping, and went with his family to board at Wimbleton. Several of his pupils went with him, lodging themselves in neighbouring houses, from whence they went to him at appointed hours to be instructed. After this he removed to Battersea, where his goods were seized and sold: And not only here, but in other places, his house was rifled, and his person often in danger; but Providence still favoured his escape, so that he was never imprisoned. At length the toleration gave him an opportunity of returning to his old place and people in Mugwell Street, where he continued as long as he lived, a faithful preacher and pastor, watching for souls, as one that must give an account. Besides his preaching twice every Lord's Day, he had also a weekly lecture on Wednesdays. He also printed many practical books, by which, being dead, he yet speaketh. He had a great felicity and delight in catechizing, and urged ministers to it, as of special tendency to propagate knowledge, establish persons in the truth, and prepare them to read and hear sermons with greater advantage.

In 1602 his wife died, who was truly the desire of his eyes, and the most agreeable companion of his life for thirty-nine years. He had by her three sons and six daughters. The loss of his affectionate wife made a very deep impression upon his spirits, which occasioned his preaching and printing those discourses which he called The Mourner's Directory." In his latter years he was greatly afflicted with the stone, and by that and other distempers, more than once brought, to appearance, very near the grave; but, on his people's meeting in prayer for him, he was wonderfully restored, and longer spared on this side heaven, as a happy instrument to help others thither.

When thus delivered, he was full of care to answer the purposes of grace in prolonging his day, under the quickening apprehension that it must have an end. With this thought he did what his hand found to do, with all his might, as one waiting for his Lord, and willing and desirous to be found amongst those servants who shall be blessed by him at his coming. Upon his recovery from

a sore

a sore fit of the stone, in which his life was in danger, he thus writes to his people in the epistle before the Mourner's Directory: "I am sensible I have but a little time to tarry with you; in the grave, whither I am going, I can neither preach nor catechize, nor do any thing for myself or you; the daily thoughts whereof are spurs and goads to me to put on and hasten to do all I can while I am with you. O that I could preach every sermon as a dying man, and so near unto eternity! O that you may hear as those that stand upon the brink of the grave, and borders of an eternal world, not knowing which of you may pass out of time into an everlasting state before you may have an opportunity to hear again! That you and I may mind and practise what is preached and heard, according to God's word. With blushing I do acknowledge my inability for such great work; but though I have but kalf a talent, the Lord knows I do desire to use it and improve it for his glory, and the advantage of immortal souls that shortly must be damned or saved, and that my endeavours may be so watered with the blessing of GOD, (who can work by whom he will) that they may issue in the conviction, conversion, and sanctification of the hearers, that they may be saved and not damned, and the account may be given by me and them with joy and not with grief." Though he entered betimes into the way as a Christian, and into Christ's vineyard as a minister, he held on in both without fainting, even to the seventyseventh year of his age, and the fifty-third of his ministry. A life prolonged to unusefulness, he would sometimes aention as the greatest trial he feared; but GoD was gracious to him, and prevented his being put to that trial; for he was capable of service to his last week, and the very Lord's day before his death he preached and catechized with great vigour. The subject of his last seimon was, 1 John v. 4. And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. By this faith he had lived, and from the same principle, looking unto Jesus, he was enabled in a becoming manner to die.

The time of his sickness was short, being confined but two days to his bed, during which the physicians thought it necessary to keep him for the most part dozing, so that he could not say much to those about him. But, in the valley of the shadow of death, he had Gon's gracious presence with him, and so much sense of it as proved a powerful cordial to his support, when flesh and heart were eady to fail. Being desired by his son, when he lay speechless,

speechless, to signify if he had inward peace and satisfaction as to his eternal state, by lifting up his hand, he readily lifted up his hand, and soon after fell asleep, May 24, 1707, the last of the London ministers ejected by the act of uniformity. His body was carried to the burying place in Bunhill Fields, followed by a numerous train of

true mourners.

The next Lord's day after the interment, his funeral sermon was preached by Dr. Williams, from 2 Cor. i. 12. For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world. This character, said the doctor, belonged much to, and was exemplified as plainly in, our worthy brother deceased, as in most. Thus whilst in the world he evidenced that he was not of it, and spent his life and labours in preparing himself and others for a better, to which he is now gone. Ministers, even the most holy and useful, must die as well as others. All flesh is grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away, but the word of the Lord endureth for ever; and this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

His Works." I. A Sermon concerning Assurance, in the Morning Exercise at Cripplegate, 4to. 1661. II. A spiritual Antidote against sinful Contagion (a Cordial for Believers, with a Corrosive for the Wicked) in dying Times, 8vo. 1665. III. A Treatise concerning the Lord's Supper, 12mo. 1665. IV. Directions how to live after a wasting Plague. 8vo. 1666. V. A Rebuke for Sin, by GOD's burning Anger, Svo. 1667. VI. The young Man's Instructor, and the old Man's Remembrancer. Svo. 1673. VII. Captives bound in Chains, made free by Christ their Surety: Or, The Misery of graceless Sinners, and their Recovery by Christ their Saviour. Svo. 1674. VIII. A Sermon concerning Prayer, in the Supplement to the Morning Exercise 1674. IX. The Novelty of Popery: A Sermon in the Morning Exercise against Popery. 4to. 1675. X. The Lord's last Sufferings shewed in the Lord's Supper. 12mo. 1682. XI. A Call to delaying Sinners. 12mo. 1683. XII. A Sermon of eyeing Eternity in all we do; in the Continuation of the Morning Exercise. 4to. 1638. XIII. A Scheme of the Principles of the Christian Religion. Svo. 1688. XIV. The Swearer silenced: Or, The Evil and Danger of Profane Swearing and Perjury demonstrated. 12mo. 1699. XV. Love

to

to Christ necessary to escape the Curse at his coming, Svo. 1693. XVI. Earthquakes explained, and practically improved, 8vo. 1693. XVII. The Mourner's Directory, 8vo. 1693. XVIII. A plain Method of Catechizing, Svo. 1698. XIX. The Saints' Convoy to, and Mansions in Heaven, 8vo. 1698. XX. A Complete Body of Practical Divinity; being a new Improvement of the Assembly's Catechism, fol. 1723."

HERMAN WITSIUS,

D. D.

THE celebrated Dr. Marck of Leyden, in his Latin oration delivered at the interment of Witsius, gave the most full account of his life; from which account the following memoir is chiefly extracted.

This excellent man of GoD, and of true science, was born at Enchuysen in West Friesland, on the 12th of February 1639, of religious parents, who devoted him to GOD even from before his birth. He was named Herman from his mother's father, who was a most pious minister at that place for above thirty years. He came (as it is called) before his time, and this premature birth had well nigh cost both mother and son their lives. In consequence of this, he was, when born, so uncommonly small and weakly, that the midwife, and other women present, concluded he must die in a few hours. But, herein, GoD disappointed their fears, and (for what can make void his purposes?) raised this puny infant, afterwards, into a very great man, (not in body, for he was always spare and thin): A man of vast intellectual abilities, brightened and improved by deep study, and whose fame diffused itself throughout the whole Christian world, by his useful, numerous, and learned labours.

His parents, after this danger, took particular care of his education, and were obliged to be extremely tender of his health. Above all, they endeavoured (and their endeavours were crowned with success equal to their largest wishes) to bring him up in the nurture and admonition of 4he Lord: Teaching him, ere he could speak distinctly, to