from adjacent places, as well as his parishioners. But after he had been here about two years, Dr. Seaton, of Kingston in Surrey, having a mind to this living, and either finding, or making a flaw in this title, soon dispossessed him of it. The Dr.'s attorney, thinking highly of Mr. Staunton's ingenuity, proposed an exchange, to which both parties agreed. But the Dr. when he had got Bushy, would not part with Kingston. However Mr. Noy, his attorney, abhorring this baseness, threatened to find a flaw in his title to Bushy, and many of the inhabitants of Kingston who prized Mr. Staunton's ministry, so worked the Dr. that he soon resigned, and Mr. Staunton took his place. He here continued about twenty years, endeavouring to fulfil his ministry, not only preaching twice on the Lord's day, but catechizing the younger and ignorant sort of people, and teaching them from house to house. He also set up a weekly lecture, which was supplied by several eminent ministers in their turns. By these means, together with the holiness of his life, he wrought a general reformation in the town, both among the magistrates and the people. He was beloved by all the godly, and feared by the wicked. Nor did he only produce an external reformation; for when he left this place in 1648, there were thirty persons who gave him a paper in which they owned him as their spiritual father, and doubtless many more could have added their names to the list. In 1635, when the Book of Sports came out, he was one among many who were suspended for not reading it. During his suspension he took his degree of D. D. at Oxford, which he says he did to put the greater honour upon his sufferings. His exercise was greatly applauded. But there were several doctors in the university whose fingers itched to be dealing with him because he was a Puritan; among whom was one who was so miserably nonplussed by Dr. Staunton in the disputation, that the auditors hissed him, and one called for a candle, that the Dr. might see his arguments. Dr. Staunton was a member of the Assembly of divines, and was in such esteem, that he was appointed one of the six morning preachers in Westminster-abbey. In 1648, when the visitors discharged Dr. Newlin from the headship of this college, Dr. Staunton succeeded him. Here he continued about twelve years, in which time his whole deportment was very exemplary. He at first put in execution all such statutes as tended most to the advancement of learning and religion,. and was frequently present at the lectures and other exercises, ΤΟ us and reprove the negligent. He set every Lord's-day, early in the morning, , for exercising the senior students, and e work of the ministry. He constantly. His publicly every Saturday. He preached y Lord's day, to the edication of many, course in the university-church and colmoreover often preached lectures in the hhe rather sought opportunities than dehe had a meeting every week at his own lodand spiritual conference, consisting of the e college and others, wherein he bore a principal forth out of his store of experimental knowledge ca and old. He took great care to introduce such > the college as discovered some signs of grace, at ich as were docile and inclinable to what is good. He stantly present at public worship in the chapel, mornd evening, observing and reproving such as were reAnd when he sat at meat in the college hall, his concastcar was, to discourse in such a manner as might the instruction of those present. Spiritual discycase was indeed his meat and his drink. By his prudent 1,44 ament and pious example, religion and learning rekably flourished in this college*, and many who were uted under his care, became learned, pious, and useful d, among whom was Mr. Joseph Allein. 4 1600, being discharged from his office, he withdrew the city, in which he had sown much precious seed, and watered it with his tears. His departure was much like » Paul from Ephesus, Acts xx. Having recommended to Divine Providence to fix the bounds of his habita ct, he first went to Rickmansworth in Hertfordshire, he was well received by persons of all ranks. His first cf design was to settle an able minister there, but his cadeavours were ineffectual. However he found the go that pulpit himself; but because the entrance was wer than in some other places, he sought out a wider d more effectual. He preached round about that and in the neighbouring counties, at least at twenty sending and being spent in the service of his great All the Act of uniformity imposed a general silence. ticular account of the methods he took to promote religion in the college, while he was president, may be seen at the end 2 shother hand. See Clark's Lizes. upon upon the Nonconformists. After this he was unwilling to be idle; almost every week keeping a day of fasting in his own family, or that of some other godly minister or christian friend; on which, occasions he would take up some hours in the word and prayer, and discovered such a brokenness of spirit and dissolved soul, as those present could not forget. His wife growing infirm, he took apartments in a family at some distance, where he was very useful. As long as he lived there, there was a church in that house. From thence he removed to another family near St. Albans, in which town he was instrumental in correcting some extravagances. His frequent removes seem to have been designed with a view of doing the more extensive good. [His last removal was to Bovingden, a very small village, where a kind and pious gentlewoman offered him all accommodations in her house gratis. He accepted the offer, but what he saved this way he expended in charity; particularly in distributing religious books in the village and the neighbouring places. He here attended daily to the duties of the family, and instructed the several members of it. If any of the poor in the neighbourhood chanced to come in, he would say something that tended to do them good. In this place he enjoyed great privacy, but he could not satisfy himself with it. The words of Paul were often in his lips, Woe be to me if I preach not the gospel. He therefore often rode to St. Albans, or some other adjacent place, and once or twice a year to London and Kingston; and not being able to preach in a church to many, he would preach in a chamber to a few.-At length this eminent servant of God, like a torch or candle, in lighting others consumed himself. On July 8, 1671, he was struck with the palsy, which much affected his speech, but he was capable of conversing to the edification of those who visited him, to whom he gave the most serious advice, and the most pressing exhortations to attend, in the time of their health, to the great concerns of the soul. With regard to himself, he discovered the most happy frame of mind, saying, among other things, "I neither fear death nor desire life, but am "willing to be at God's disposal." In two days his speech was entirely taken from him, but his understanding and me mory were continued; and for four days he lay in a comfortable condition, lifting up his eyes and hands towards heaven with a smiling countenance; and when a minister, a little before his departure, prayed with him, he shewed great affecVOL. I..ÑO. 5. tion tion and joy in God. On the 14th of the same month he died in the 71st year of his age. He was a man of uncommon piery, who took much pains in personal religion. He was remarkably careful in the work of se.f-examination, which he often pressed upon others. He left a paper, in which his evidences for heaven are distinctly drawn out, with scripture-proofs. (Life, p. 29-32.) Hẻ kept a journal of God's mercies to him, in which are contained some remarkable appearances of providence for him.As a preacher, he was very laborious and eminent. He feared that rebuke from Christ another day,-Thou wicked and slothful servant! When he visited his friends, he usually preached among them; and though he sometimes offered his services, they were not ordinary ware. He always disliked immethodical indigested preaching, but laid great stress upon plainness. In his applications he was ever most lively and affectionate, so as to impart not the gospel only, but his very soul also. He was called the searching preacher. His prayers also were very striking; as a proof of which, when he once went to preach at arborough, near Oxford, a man was so much affected with his first prayer, that he ran home and desired his wife to make haste and come to church, for there was one in the pulpit who prayed like an angel. The woman hastened away, and God so ordered it, that the sermon proved the means of her conversion, and she afterwards proved an eminent Christian. He was so familiarly acquainted with the holy scriptures, that his head was insteal of a concordance. He greatly loved the word, and therefore could not easily forget it. Where* he went be carried the New Testament or the Psalter with him, and was often speaking in the day of what he had *d in the morning. And at night he fixed upon some pas ps to smploy his waking hours on his bed. He seldom won a letter but he added some pertinent texts for a P. S. audablem parted with a friend but he would leave some **ipino passage with him. “ Pray, (said he) let me leave * be with you, and think of it when I am gone.”Mapova hime fun o prayer. No day passed wherein he aimed on ligidly passed it over. He would often say to lly friend who came to visit him, Come, must we pothet before we part ?" He always chose the kneel#being the most humble.-He was a strict obat the ads day. It was rare to hear him speak one rine trancgossary action on that day; and را مره 66 |