sometimes more privately, as the times would allow. For some years before his death, which was on April 6, 1717, he was pastor of the Baptist-church at Pinners-hall. He was interred in Bunhill-fields, and his funeral sermon was preached by Mr. (afterwards Dr.) Jer. Hunt, on Prov. xiv. 32. § The following is an extract from it. He was train'd up at Oxford, under the care of Dr. Goodwin, at a time when the seeds of religious practice, with a concern equal to that which was expressed to advance in letters, were thrown into young and tender minds. How they were received by this great man, the influence they had on his future conduct sufficiently discovers. By the force of them he quitted the advantages of which he might have formed a reasonable expectation, and at an age too when they commonly appear the most alluring; and chose to run all risques, rather than act contrary to his light,-a happy presage of future eminence. God by the natural abilities he endued him with, seemed to design him for considerable service. He was blessed with a native modesty and mildness of temper, which were improved by care, and heightened by religion. His fancy was clear and lively, and continued with him to an age, when usually it takes its flight; and it was so well conducted by him, that it was not suffered to outrun correctness of thought, and exactness of judgment, His memory was so strong, that the abatement of it could not be well discerned by others, any considerable time before his removal.

His acquired talents, the long course of his preaching will best discover. Since I have had the happiness of being acquainted with it, I have heard the good man treat from this place, on converse with heaven, by the Divine Spirit, in strains so high (though the draught of his own experience) as in another would have put me in pain, fearing the management, and doubting the event; when with the greatest skill he has guarded against the wild airs and extravagant flights of enthusiasm. He has with clearness opened the beauteous scenes of the grace of the gospel, but ever with a view to make them the happy means, by the agency of the Spirit, of transforming men's minds to the beauties of holiness. If what the apostle asserts is true, 2 Tim. iii. 16. That all scripture given by inspiration of God, is profitable for doctrine, &c. that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works; the large and wide view he had of the sacred writings, must have rendered him greatly accomplished for this part of the ministerial office. The

constant intercourse which by prayer he maintained wit heaven, joined to a large experience of human life, gave him an uncommon ability of offering up to God suitable addresses for others, on particular and special occasions.

But let us leave the preacher, and trace the Christian: He knew the justest sentiments of revealed religion, and the highest flights of devotion, would not entitle him to the character of a righteous man, and give him hope in his dying minutes, if he did not add to them all the virtues of the Christian life. He therefore, by the aids of the Divine Spirit, carefully improved them to the height that may render him a fit example for others. He was mild and gentle, humble and modest, temperate and sober, to a degree not commonly attained. His love extended to such as did bear the image of God, though they thought in a way different from him. All relative du ties were so well performed by him, that it is with difficulty I mention the father, the pastor, and the friend; because they must excite grief in the breasts of many. In his deportment he was modest and grave, yet pleasant and courteous, virtues hardly practised by persons of his advanced years. His candour was remarkable; when the miscarriages of any who ought to have been shining lights to others, reached his ear, he took occasion from thence to praise the Divine goodness to him, and though his concern for the honour of religion, and the recovery of the person was conspicuous, yet he was far from expressing a delight to insult and aggravate beyond measure. He had no such stains of his own to colour over, as might induce him to make use of so artful a conduct, In a word, he was so happy as to pass a life of almost seventyseven years without a blemish. Blessed saint! Uncommon instance! Worthy our imitation! So beautiful even is this imperfect sketch of so amiable a life!

His death was equally remarkable: When he had faithfully served his Lord above fifty years, a few months before his death he fell under a decay of nature, without any considerable sense of pain, or uneasiness of sickness. When I paid him a visit, three days before his decease, he appeared perfectly serene and calm: The hope he expressed of future happiness, was not the rapturous assurance of some Christians, of less extent of thought; the humble and knowing saint owning his many imperfections, had recourse to the merits and intercession of his Lord. When I was going to take my leave of him, he. took me by the hand, and gave me a steady and a piercing look, which had in it a mixture of concern; I am so weak,

(says

(says he) that I cannot now so well pray in my family: The good man thought it strange that the intercourse he had maintained with God in his family so many years, should be interrupted, little thinking his kind Father would so soon turn his prayer into praise. The manner of his dying was such as literally agreed to the account scripture gives of the departure of true Christians, viz. falling asleep in Jesus.

Mr. SPRINT. There were several of this name. Samuel and two of the name of John. See the Index. Whether this Mr. Sprint was a different person from all these, seems to be doubtful.

ST. MARY'S HALL.

THOMAS COLE, M. A. He was brought up at Westminster-school, and thence elected student of Christ-Church, Oxford. In 1656 he became Principal of St. Mary's Hall, where he was tutor to Mr. West, and many more divines of the Church of England, as well as other eminent scholars, particularly the great Mr. LOCKE, who being a layman, continued in communion with the established church, but discovered a high regard for those conscientious men who left it because they could not comply with the Act of Uniformity; and shewed an abhorrence of that act itself, and a contempt of those in general who so readily fell in with it; as sufficiently appears from the passage quoted at length in the Preface to this work,

Mr. Cole, after his ejectment from Oxford by the king's cominissioners in 1660, kept an academy near Nettlebed in Oxfordshire. He was a man of good learning, much of the gentleman, and eminent for virtue and piety. [His character had been shamefully traduced as an encourager of immorality in his family, by Mr. Wesleyt, who had been one of his pupils, but who afterwards conformed, and wrote vehemently against his former friends, (a method not uncommon) to evince the truth of his conversion. Mr. Samuel Palmer, in an excellent Defence of Dissenting Academies,◊ (P. 97)

+He was the father of the late celebrated Mr. John Wesley. He married Dr. Annesley's daughter, and was himself the son of an ejected minister. See WHITCHURCH.

The editor of the present work doth not claim the most distant relationship to the author of the above tract, but is of High-church extraction. This scarce and curious piece, bound up with some others in a 4to vol. was put into his hands, many years ago, by his excellent friend Mr. JoB ORTON, with a view to its being deposited in some public library, where it might be of use. Accordingly it is now lodged in Dr. WILLIAM'S LIBRARY, Red

Cross-street.

vindicates the character of Mr. Cole in particular, in these words: "He was a man of a most innocent and spotless life. "And though the judgment of that excellent person was "somewhat differing from my own in his polemic writings,

yet we are all witnesses, and so is every man with whom "he conversed, of the value he had for moral virtue, by his "constant, sober, virtuous, and pious life."]

From Nettlebed Mr. Cole removed to London, where he took the charge of a large congregation, and where he became one of the lecturers at Pinners Hall. [At the time that the controversy was so warmly agitated respecting what is called the Neonomian doctrine, he was one of those who vigorously opposed it; and his opposition seems to have been made in the integrity of his heart, and from a firm persuasion of the truth and importance of the doctrine he espoused. Mr. Trail, who visited him upon his death-bed, desired him then to deliver his thoughts upon that subject. He answered, "With all my heart; I have enough to say of that. One thing I am convinced of, That it is a foolish thing to seek for the justification of a sinner without satisfaction to the justice of God, which nothing can make, but the righteousness of Christ imputed to him," &c. Mr. Trail then asked him, if he had no kind of repenting that he had given occasion for the contention there had been about this doctrine? He replied, "Repenting! No; I repent I have been no more vigorous in defending those truths, in the confidence whereof I die. If I desire to live, it is that I may be more serviceable to Christ in defending his name in the pulpit. But he can defend his truths when his poor creatures are laid in the dust." Mr. Trail further asked, "We desire, Sir, to know the peace and comfort you have of these truths, as to your eternal state?" He answered, "They are my only ground of comfort. Death would be terrible indeed, if it were not for the comfortable assurance faith gives me of eternal life in Christ, and for the abundant flowing in of that life -not what I bring to Christ, but derive from him; having received some beginning of it, which I see springing up to eternal life, &c.-But (says he) we cannot look into these things with a true belief, if we do not shew forth our faith by our works; neither can we look upon that faith to be saving, which doth not dispose to all practical holiness. They do not know the constraining love of Christ that can be wicked and licentious under such comfortable doctrine."-Speaking to another person who came to visit him, of the disputes in 4 which

which he had engaged, that person remarked, [what some others have apprehended not far from the truth] that "He thought they all preached the same doctrine, and that the difference was only in WORDS."-"If so, (said Mr. Cole) it is very unhappy that we should fall out by the way. If Satan has been the cause, the Lord rebuke him. I have stood up for the doctrine of the gospel according to my light and understanding of it; if I were mistaken in any fundamental point, God would have shewn me my error."

The frame of his mind, with regard to his approaching end, was the most happy imaginable; which he expressed to different persons, at different times, in such words as these:—

"I wait for a peaceable dismission. I long to see his sal"vation. I would not live always. I long to be with Christ. "It is a pleasant thing to die. But God's time is my time; my work is done when his is."-To one who visited him a little before his death, he said, "You are come to hear my "last dying groans; but know, when you hear them, it is "the sweetest breath I ever drew since I knew Christ. I "have a promise I shall be for ever with the Lord. I long "to be released. But not my will but thine be done. I

long for death as a weary traveller does for rest. Nothing "troubles me but life, and nothing will relieve me but death; "but let God do what he will with me, all he does is best." When one remarked that he was sleepy, he said, "I shall sleep quickly, and awake in everlasting day. Ere long my "days and nights will be all one. The apprehension that faith "gives of a better life is my comfort. As for my going, God "can make it no loss to you. He can set on and take off "his workmen as he pleases."

There having been a public meeting for prayer on his account, he said to one who had been attending it, “I thank "you for your prayers, but I am a subject too low for such a "solemnity." However, he desired the prayers of his own church; but being asked, What the church should pray for? he answered, " Nothing for me, but a strong faith in Christ "Jesus. I have done with all other satisfaction but what God "in Christ can give." When one said, "But your life is for "service," he replied, "God is the best judge of that. Pray "that God would glorify himself in my life or death: I sub"mit." Having enquired what time it was, he said, "Time "passeth into eternity. We live but dying lives in the body,