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Pierce now Ld Bp of this Diocesse, & of his Lordship's answer returned me, or in words to this effect, I can & by these presents doe truly testify, and shall be ready by oath, if called upon to confirm the same." John Conant.

No. 2. "Another Testimony of the said John Conant.... May 4. 1640."

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[Written after his Lecture was discontinued.]

Being demanded whence it came that I discontinued my Wednesday's Exposition,-my answer is this"-[He then repeats the substance of the former narrative of his interview with the Bishop, and adds] " He told me that it was not in my power to make holy days: that by preaching on Wednesdays I drew men from their callings &c." The following Memorandum is subjoined. "March 16. 1640. I meeting Mr. Ford at Sherb. [probably Sherborn] he intimated that the Bishop had employed Dr. Duck to dissuade me from my Lecture, and again confessed, what he had formerly told me, that the Bishop asked him whether I surceased my lecture. He answering that he thought yea; But what, said he, if I should go on with my Lecture? The Bishop answered, That he would suspend me. Mr. Ford replied, What if Mr. Conant do appeal? He answered, That he knew the archbishop's minde well enough already."

No. 3. (No title or date.) "Our said Bishop Pierce, BP of Bath and Wells having publickly given charge that in ca techising our children and servants, no other question should be asked or Answers given than such as in express words are mentioned in the Catechism contained in the Book of Common Prayer (for transgressing of which charge he enjoined an ancient and painful minister of his diocese open Penance in the public congregation) I did, Octob. 10. 1633 (the time before mentioned) intreat his Lordship that I might enjoy that liberty which formerly we had, for asking some other Questions & receiving some other answers, tending to the plainer unfolding and understanding of those which are expressed in the Catechism in the Book of Common-prayer. This liberty he denying, I replied, that I could not then know whether or not such children and youth understood themselves or me, & so whether they any whit profited in knowledge or no. He telling me that I might privately send for them to my house & there examine them, I demanded what course I might take to bring them thither, & what I should do if they refused so to come thereto, he answered, That in case they refused, he could

not

not help me--and thus we having no liberty to examine our younger people publickly, nor authority to deal with them privately, multitudes will by this means live and die in ignorance, and we know not how to prevent or redress the same.' John Conant.

No. 4. [Another paper, dated Decemb. 31. 1640, contains the substance of the preceding, with this addition]— "Also he publicly enjoined that until the Communion Table were turned North and South, the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper should not be there administered."

[With respect to this prelate's zeal about the right position of the Communion-table, there is another curious Testimonial, written in a different hand, not easy to be read, with the names of two persons subjoined, who most probably were the Church-wardens. As it may be amusing to some readers, we shall give them an exact copy of it.] No. 5. “ Wee whose names are here under written doe testifie that wee being ordered by Byshop Pierce Byshop of Bath and Wells to sett our Communion Table north and south at the East end of the chancell, and being afterwards called to Wells to give an account what wee had done, wee answering that wee had not done it, in regard wee were informed that the minister was bound to stand at the north side of the Table when he ministred the communion, wch he could not do if the Table were so turned: the Byp replyed that the Table had fower sides, though two longer and two shorter, so as the minister might stand at the north side though one of the shortest sides. Wee further demanding how wee should be discharged if we so turned the Table as his Lordship required, he answered that his command was sufficient for us. In testimony hereof that this was the Bishop's answer, or to this purpose, we have hereunto subscribed our names.”

Joh. Andrewes,
Nicolas Parsons.

WORKS. It doth not appear that Dr. Conant published any thing till he was laid aside from preaching and was blind, when he wished some of his sermons to be printed, and employed Dr. Williams, afterwards Bp. of Chichester, to be the editor, who published five volumes 8vo. He himself prefixed the following address-" To the inhabitants of Northampton, and more especially to those of the parish of All Saints there:-Christian friends and neighbours. Though my great age, and the infirmities attending it, have lately

con

constrained me to quit my relation to you, yet I still account myself obliged to endeavour to promote your spiritual welfare what I may. In order whereunto, I lay before you some few of those plain and practical sermons which I formerly preached unto you; hoping that they may take better effect than when you heard them from the pulpit; which that they may so do, is the unfeigned desire and earnest prayer of your truly loving friend and servant,

John Conant.”

Dr. WILLIAMS inserted the following short account of these discourses and of the author.

"It may be expected by those who knew the reverend author of these sermons, and the public station he was in for several years in the university of Oxford, as Divinity Professor there, that he should have gratified the world with another sort of work: I mean his Lectures which he there read, and were composed with great learning, accuracy and judgment. But that it seems, is not so agreeable to his native modesty, who chuses rather to live and die in a kind of obscurity, than be set as a city upon a hill; and values himself more upon the relation he had to a parochial cure, and the capacity he was in of doing good to the souls of men, than of being in one of the most public stations in the church, and in which, since by the privation of his sight, and other infirmities of age, he has been no longer able to serve, he thought, by publishing some practical discourses, preached to that auditory, he might, though he be in a sense dead, yet speak and be useful among them. These discourses are such as he usually composed, plain and practical, and suited to the meanest capacity. And if there be any thing that is not of that nature (as there is very little) and which the author, had he had the last perusal, would have revised; the error is to be imputed to the publisher, to whose care and choice they were committed. John Williams." (No date; but the 2d edit. was printed 1699. A sixth volume was added in 1722, at the desire of his son.)

JESUS COLLEGE.

FRANCIS HOWEL, M. A. Principal. He was also reader of Moral Philosophy to the university, but was turned out by K. Charles's commissioners. He afterwards lived in or near London, and preached one part of the day with Mr. Collins, with great acceptance. He died at Bethnal-Green, in March 1679.

ST.

ST. JOHN's COLLEGE.

THANKFUL OWEN, M. A. President. He was born in London, and was remarkably preserved in his youth as he was swimming near Oxford, after he had sunk twice under water. He was a man of an excellent temper, and possessed a considerable share of polite literature. He was admired for an uncommon fluency and easiness in his composures, and for the peculiar purity of his Latin style. He performed exercises for the Doctor's degree, but did not take it. He was ejected by the commissioners in 1660, after which he went to London and lived privately, much respected, and never repented of his Nonconformity. Upon Dr. Goodwin's decease he was chosen to succeed him, but died suddenly about a fortnight after, Ap. 1, 1681, at his house in Hatton-Garden, just after finishing an epistle for a volume of Dr. Goodwin's works. He was preparing for the press, and had almost finished, a book intitled Imago Imaginis, designed to shew that Rome Papal was an image of Rome Pagan!* When Dr. Owen gave notice of his funeral, he said, "That he had not left his fellow behind him for learning, religion, and good humour." He was buried in the same vault with Dr. Goodwin, at Bunhill-fields, and a Latin inscription is subjoined to that on the Dr. expressive of the above singular circumstance attending his death. Both are copied in Maitland's Hist. of London, p. 774.

JOHN TROUGHTON, B. A. Fellow. After his ejection he retired to Bicester in Oxfordshire, where he privately taught academical learning. After the Indulgence in 1672, he often preached in Oxford. Wood says, "That though he had been blind by the small pox from four years old, he was a good school-divine and metaphysician; was much commended while in the university for his disputations; and was respected by, and maintained an amicable correspondence with, some of the conformable clergy, because of his great knowledge and moderation. He died at Oxford, Aug. 20, 1681, aged 44.

WORKS. Lutherus Redivivus: or the Protest. Doct. of Justif.. by Faith only, &c.-A letter to a Friend touching God's Provi dence about sinful Actions.-Popery the grand Apostacy, Sermons on 2 Thess. i. 12.-An Apology for the Nonconformists, &c.—

* See this argument since discussed in Dr. Conyers Middleton's Letters from Rome.

An

An Answer to Dr. Stilling fleet's Sermon, and to his Defence of it.— The Covenant Interest of Believers and their Infants.

Mr. JOHN WHITWICK, Fellow. He lived for some time on the small stock he had left, and afterwards officiated as chaplain in some private families; but was often reduced to great straits.

THOMAS BRACE, B. D. He was noted for a good preacher in the university, and afterwards about Westminster, where he preached privately among his friends.

PHILIP STEVENS, M. D. A very serious good man. He was reckoned a great herbalist; and joined with Mr. Wil liam Brown in publishing Catalogus Horti Botanici Oxoniensis.

LINCOLN COLLEGE.

Mr. ROBERT WOOD, Fellow. After his ejectment he was teacher of the mathematics and navigation, at the Blue-Coat Hospital, Christ-Church, London.

HITCHCOCK, M. A. Fellow. He after his ejectment became a counsellor at law, residing at Hackney, and attended the ministry of the Nonconformists.

ROBERT SPEERE, M. A. After his ejectment he went to Jamaica, and exercised his ministry at Port-Royal, in that island.

*

MAGDALEN COLLEGE.

THOMAS GOODWIN, D. D. first of Christ's Col. afterwards of Kath. Hall, Camb. He was born at Rolseby in Norfolk, Oct. 5, 1600. His parents early devoted him to the ministry, and brought him up in a suitable manner. He was blest with good natural abilities, which he so improved by diligent study, as to secure great esteem in the university, where he was received at the age of thirteen. During the first six years which he spent in Christ's College, he walked in the vanity of his mind; ambitious designs entirely possessed him, and all his aim was to get preferment and applause. But God, who had destined him to higher ends, was pleased to change his heart, and turn the course of his life to his own service and glory. He left a particular account of his conversion, and of his experience both before and after it ;

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