Mr. Howe, of whose church he was a member, says of him, "He afforded one instance, among others, to shew that Religio Medici is not always opprobrious, and that a beloved physician, on the best account, was not appropriate to the first age. In this calling he sincerely studied the good of mankind; and his skill was not unequal to his sincerity, nor his charity to his skill; being as ready to attend the poor as the rich and when his art could not heal their bodies, he did all he could to save their souls. So that his ministerial qualifications were not lost: and they were eminently useful to his own family. In every relation in life he was desirable and exemplary to others, and enjoyed continual peace within. As he lived he died; his last hours being very composed, and concluding with that evlavaoix (that good and easy death) for which he had often prayed." Mr. Howe closes his account of him thus: "In all my conversation with him, nothing was more observable or more grateful to me, than his pleasant and patient expectation of the blessed state which he now possesses the mention whereof would make joy sparkle in his eye, and clothe his countenance with chearfulness, accompanied with such tokens of serenity as shewed an unreluctant willingness to wait for that time which the wisdom and goodness of God should judge seasonable for his removal.] He died about the year 1705.

He had taken great pains in collecting materials for a History of Nonconformity, and Memoirs of the ancient and modern Nonconformists: but he did not live to accomplish his design; and his papers were afterwards scattered. Several of them however fell into Dr. Calamy's hands, which he acknowledges were of use to him; and in his Preface he has given a plan of his design at large. "If this work (says the Dr.) had been finished and appeared in the world, it might have been a means of convincing some, that Nonconformity hath all along had a closer connection with both our civil and religious interest than they are willing to allow; and that the present Nonconformists act, in the main, upon the same principles with those who have been most eminent for serious religion ever since the Reformation."-It doth not appear that he published any thing but a correct edition of Mr. T. Parker's Methodus Div. Gratie; to which he prefixed an excellent epistle; which was while he resided at Framling

ham.

ABRAHAM CLIFFORD, B. D. Fellow. He had been Proc. tor of the university. He was also ejected at Quendon in Es

Published by Button & Son, Paternoster Row.

sex.

He studied physic at Leyden, and practised in London. Wood says, He took his degree of M. D. at Oxford when the Prince of Orange made a visit there, in 1670. He died in the parish of St. Sepulchre in London, in the beginning of the year 1675

WORKS, Methodus Evang. or the Gospel Method of God's saving Sinners; to which Dr. Manton and Mr. Baxter united in writing a Preface.

TRINITY COLLEGE.

JOHN RAY, M. A. Fellow, and F. R. S. He was born at Black-Notley in Essex, in 1628. He had his grammar-learning in a school in Braintree-church, and was first entered at Katherine-hall, 1644, whence, in 1646, he removed to Trinity. In 1649 he was elected Fellow, and was tutor to many gentlemen and clergymen. After the Restoration, viz. in Dec. 1660, he was ordained by Dr. Sanderson Bp. of Lincoln; after which he preached Dr. Hill's funeral sermon in the college-chapel. He quitted his fellowship in 1662, because he could not comply with the Act of uniformity, though the college were peculiarly desirous to keep him in. He afterwards lived sometimes at Chester with Bishop Wilkins, and sometimes at other places. He travelled into Italy with his friend Francis Willoughby, Esq. and on his return, lived mostly with him; soon after whose decease he married, and in 1679 removed to an estate which he had purchased in the place of his nativity, where he continued till his death, Jan: 17, 1705.

In the account given of him in the Compleat Hist. of Europe for 1706, we are told that upon Aug. 24, 1662, he quitted his fellowship: but the reason of his doing it is very darkly expressed. One who knew him well, told the author, the true reason of it was, that he could not satisfy himself to declare, "That none were bound by the solemn league and covenant who had taken it," though he himself never took it. But it is observable, that though he lived many years after the obligation to sign such a declaration ceased, he was not to be prevailed with to return to the ministry. After the Revolution, when Dr. Tillotson (who was his intimate acquaintance) was advanced to the See of Canterbury, some of his friends were earnest with him to move that prelate for some preferment in the church, but he always declined it; giving this reason: That though he used the Common-Prayer, and approved

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approved of it as a form, yet he could not declare his "unfeigned assent and consent to all and every thing contained in it." To another person he expressed his dislike of Sponsors in baptism. He said that he thought the parents the fittest persons to be intrusted to promise for their own children, and condemned the practice of bringing scandalous and unfit persons under such a solemn vow and promise, as that required in the office for the baptizing of children.-These were his declared sentiments in his health: How far they agree with the account of his dying words and behaviour, given by Mr. Pyke in his funeral sermon (since published by Mr. Derham, at the end of his Philosophical Letters) must be left to the reader's candour. [It is certain that he quitted his fellowship because he could not come up to the terms of the Uniformity-act. It is also certain that he preached before that act passed, but never afterwards, though he attended the service of the church of England. So that the claims of Conformists and Nonconformists (who would both have him on their own side) are to be thus adjusted. He was satified with Lay-conformity, but not with Ministerial. He is therefore as justly considered as a sufferer by the Act of uniformity, and a silenced minister, as any one of the Nonconformists, and as properly placed in this list.] He was a good divine; and an extraordinary humanist, as appears by his works, which are many, for (as he says in the preface to his Wisdom of God, &c.) " As he could not serve God in the church by his voice, he thought himself the more bound to do it by "writing.

WORKS. He published Ornithologia of Fr. Willoughby, Esq. in folio; 1676. of which he wrote the two first books, and dedicated it to the Royal Society, of whom he was a member.-Historia Plantarum, 2 vol. fol.-Ejusdem Tomus Tertius, 1704.-Catalogus Plantarum circa Cantab. nascentium.-Appendix, &c.-Catalogus Plantarum Angliæ.-Fasciculus Stirpium Britann. post. edit. Catal. predict. Catalogus Stirpium in ext. Reg. observat.-Methodus Plantarum nova cum Tabulis.-Synopsis Methodica Stirp. Britan. -Ead. Synops. multis Stirpibus & observat. curiosis passim insertis; cum Muscorum Methodo, &c.—Epist. ad D. Rivinum de Methodo Plantarum.-Dissertatio de variis Plantarum Methodis.-Synops. Method. Animal. Quadrupedem & Serpentini generis.-Dic

§ Strictly and properly speaking, he was a Nonconformist, though not a Dissenter; and the conduct of such a man as RAY, (whom the Episcopalians have been so eager to claim) in refusing to comply with the terms of ministerial conformity, affords something like an argument that these terms were not altogether so unexceptionable as some persons would represent them.

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