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ters, impose such burdens as thou mayest even groan under if they be only burdens and not sins, they must be borne and not shaken off. Nothing but a necessity of sinning in the act, can absolve thee from that necessity which is laid upon thee of preaching the gospel, and shelter thee from the influence of that wo, which is denounced against thee for not preaching it. The plain question then, which lies before thee, O my soul, (and in the right resolution whereof consists the comfort of suffering, or the duty of continuing at thy work) is, Whether the conditions that are imposed, be sinful or no? Sinful, I say, not only in the imposition of them, but in submission to them? whether thou canst, without sinning against God, his church, thy people, thy conscience, and soul; (all or any of these) submit to the present conditions of continuing in thy place and employment? Here's no room for comparing sin with sin: viz. whether it be a greater sin to leave thy ministry, or perform such a sinful condition? Thou art not necessitated to sin, nor must thou do the least evil, tho' the greatest good might come of it. Thou wilt have little thanks if, when thou art charged with corrupting God's worship, falsifying thy vows, &c. thou pretendest a necessity of it in order to thy continuance in the ministry, &c."

He afterwards proceeds particularly to mention the conditions of the continued exercise of his ministry, (except that, as to the book of Common-Prayer with its amendments, not being then extant, he was forced to suspend his thoughts concerning it,) and upon the whole he concludes, that to hold on in the public exercise of the ministry, to him would be sin.-There were many others who evidently acted in this affair with equal caution, seriousness and impartiality: but this is the most solemn and express debate of that nature, drawn up in writing, which hath as yet appeared. And surely he who observes that openness to conviction; that concern for special direction; that readiness to yield to it without reserve; and that unbiassed temper which breathes in these considerations; will hardly be able to suppose that such a one could be so far forsaken of God, in a matter so momentous, as to take a course in which he could not approve himself to him.

Mr. Oldfield spent the latter part of his life at Alfreton, from whence he took many weary steps to serve his master, and was very useful in that neighbourhood, till his infirmities forced him to cease from his labours. He departed to his

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not this dispensation as much the others' malice? Learn, O my soul right order. The righteousness sufferest will not excuse thy un: procuring cause of thy suffering to justify God, to be silent towar self. But there's another roc danger of splitting. Take heed. providence or mens injustice, w fulness and obstinacy. If that and duty, be found refractorine thy reward, but incurrest the while thou chargest others, v thy own murder as a minis the consideration thou arteu which thou art to suffer wi shalt suffer as a christian f the cause of suffering be a like to be? That if thou (Dum res in integro est thee, O my soul, to lay and respects to, or sinist or the other party. A upon thy own understar pire.

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everlasting rest June 5, 1682, aged 55.-He had four sons in the ministry. John, the eldest, was in the church of England; the rest were Dissenters. Nathaniel was pastor to a congregation in Southwark; and his brother, Joshua Oldfield, D. D. succeeded him there. Samuel had a small society at Ramsbury in Wilts.

WORKS. The first last, and the last first; against Hypocrisy. -The Substance of some Lectures at Wirksworth.-A Piece on Prayer (generally esteemed as valuable as any thing on the subject.)-Serm. on Psalm lxix. 6, in the Country Farewell-sermons.

CHESTERFIELD [V.] JOHN BILLINGSLEY, M. A. Of St. John's, Camb. and Corp. Chr. Oxf. Born at Chatham in Kent, Sept. 14, 1625, and ordained Sept. 26, 1649, in the church of St. Andrew Undershaft in London. While he was at Oxford, he frequently preached in the adjacent places; and at length had a call into one of the remote and dark corners of the kingdom, to preach the gospel; which he did very assiduously, viz. at Adding ham in Cumberland. He found the people very ignorant, and therefore set up catechizing, and joined the association for reviving the scriptural discipline of particular churches, of which an account was printed. From thence he removed to Chesterfield; where he was highly valued by many; the peevishness of some, and the malignity and apostacy of others, added greatly to the burden of his ministerial labours. He was a constant preacher, and did not serve God with that which cost him nought.' His style was plain, his expression clear, his method natural and easy, his voice sweet and audible, tho' not strong. 'Out of the abundance of his heart his mouth spake,' both in prayer and preaching; and God was pleasvery much to bless his labours. He had a large acquaintance, and was acceptable wherever he came. He had great temptations, from secular advantages and the importunity of friends, to have quitted Chesterfield; but he would not yield to a thought of leaving that people, who were dear to him as his own soul; and it was in his heart to live and die with them. At the Restoration, he was a very zealous Royalist; and had it not been for the king's coming in, he would probably have been a great sufferer. Yet this could not prevent his ejection. Bp. Hacket was very earnest with him to conform, when he told his lordship, "If he did, he would do it cordially." Upon which, the bishop (when other arguments failed) used both flatteries and threats; but all in

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