science as to express his persuasion, that if he had conformed he could not have been saved §. When he left his parsonagehouse, he wrote thus in his diary: "For thy sake, O Lord, I left my house. So far as I can look into mine own heart, for thee only have I left houses and lands; may I have my hundred fold in the world to come. It was said of Abraham that he went out, not knowing whither he went : I am sure I went out, not knowing whither to go." Tho' he met with many difficulties as a Nonconformist, they were sanctified to his spiritual advantage.

After his ejectment he preached about occasionally while he was in Derbyshire: his longest settlements were at Belper and Hull. At the latter place he laboured several years with faithfulness, diligence, and acceptance. He was there, however, at length imprisoned, on which occasion he writes thus: "A prisoner for Christ! Good Lord! what is this "for a poor worm! Such honour have not all his saints. Both the degrees I took in the university have not set me "so high as when I commenced prisoner for Christ."-God singularly blessed his labours at Hull, and his behaviour in that place procured him much respect from the magistrates of the town. But the earl of Plymouth coming thither, after he was made governor of it, sent for the mayor and aldermen, and with great vehemence urged them to suppress the meetings of the Dissenters; threatening them with the loss of their charter if they did not. One of the aldermen (Mr. Duncalf) told the earl "that, by many years observation, he found the Dissenters who lived among them were pious, peaceable men, and loyal subjects to the king; and therefore, he being an old man, and going into another world, would have no hand in persecuting them." But this did not hinder his lordship from pressing the matter so far, as that the mayor and aldermen sent immediately to apprehend Mr. Charles and Mr. Ashley, the ministers of the two dissenting congregations. Mr. Ashley had so much warning given him, that he escaped out of town before the officers came to his house; but Mr. Charles was apprehended and brought before the mayor and aldermen, who committed him to prison. The

§ To some persons this may have the appearance of insufferable bigotry. But it should be observed, that he was not censuring those whose consciences allowed them to conform: He spoke only of himself, who could not do it without acting against his conscience. And we are told Rom. xiv, 23, Whatsoever is not of faith (that is with a full conviction of its lawfulness) is sin. And certainly all wilful deliberate sin, if persisted in, is inconsistent with the hope of salvation.

4

freedom

freedom of speech which he used while he was before the magistrates made some men very angry; which coming to his ears, he the next day wrote an account of all that he said, and sent copies to several of his friends to prevent misrepresentations. It was as follows: On Feb. 2. 1682, being brought before the magistrates of the town of Hull, he begun thus:

I am here, my masters, in obedience to your warrant; what's your pleasure with me? But I pray you consider before you do any thing, that imprisoning the ministers of the gospel is the devil's work; and I do not apprehend you can do his work, and escape his wages§.

:

Aldermen: Mr.

Charles, we expected another manner of salutation from you. Mr. C. What manner of salutation, gentlemen, did you expect from me?--Ald. A salutation of peace; you are to preach the gospel of peace. Mr. C. I am so, and also the terror of the Lord, to all wicked and impenitent sinners, and hard-hearted hypocrites.Ald. You are SO.- -Mr. C. But, my masters, are there no malefactors in Hull, but two ministers of the gospel, Mr. Ashley and I? Are there no drunkards, no swearers, no Sabbath-breakers? Nay, if you look into your cellars, is there nothing of the growth and product, and manufactory of the French king's dominions?-Mayor. You may inform. (Thereupon he was ordered to withdraw. Being called in a little after, the discourse was continued thus:)

Ald. Mr. Charles, have you taken the oaths of allegiance and supremacy?-Mr. C. I am ready to take them.Ald. Are you in holy orders, according to the church of England? -Mr. C. I came not here to accuse myself.. Ald. Do you preach? Mr. C. You know what I do.

-Ald. Do you not inhabit the town? and have you nọt an house in Mytton-Gate?Mr. C. You can tell as well as I. But, gentlemen, before you pass any ugly sentence, consider the dying votes of the last Westminster parliament, of immortal honour. "Resolved, That the execution of the "penal laws upon Dissenting Protestants, is at this time "grievous to the subjects, and a furtherance to Popery, and a weakening to the Protestant Religion, and dangerous to "the kingdom.". Ald. It was not their dying votes. -Mr. C. They were their dying votes. Ald. It was the Papists that they intended.Mr. C. It was on the be

§ Such a mode of address is not to be vindicated. It is no wonder that the magistrates should have been exasperated by it. ED. half

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half of the Dissenting Protestants that the votes passed. Ald. Do you call the execution of the king's laws ugly work?Mr. C. But before you execute the king's laws, (God bless him, and prolong his life, and send him to outlive me) I pray you hear me this one thing. There have been some persons in England, who have made as great a figure in the world as any in Hull, (no disparagement to the worthiest of you) who were hanged for executing the king's laws. Ald. That is sedition.Mr. C. Sedition! sedition! And all our chronicles and histories, and several of our law-books and acts of parliament ring of it. But if you will execute the law, pray do not out-do the law; for it is severe enough upon us. -Ald. If we do, you may look for your remedy.Mr. C. Remedy! I had rather never be sick than be put to look for my remedy. -Ald. When was there ever any hanged for executing the king's laws? There never was any such thing.- -Mr. C. Yes; Empson and Dudley, for executing the king's laws in Harry the Seventh's time, were hanged in the first year of Harry VIII. And this very law which you are about to execute upon me, was obtained of a parliament of such constitution, that it was carried but by two votes, of an 105 yea's, against 103 no's.- -Ald. What constitution was that parliament of? Was it not of king, lords, and commons ?Mr. C. Yes, yes. Ald. We did not send for you to preach to us.Mr. C, I doubt you want one to tell the truth. Ald. We have a protestant church, and a protestant ministry.Mr. C. Long, long, long may you so have! Yet I pray, let me acquaint you with this: The Jews had a church established by God's own law, and a ministry established by law, and yet their silencing, imprisoning, and murdering a few poor fishermen that were commissioned, by the Redeemer of the world, to preach the everlasting gospel, cost them so dear, that God has not done reckoning with them unto this day; and it is now above 1600 years ago. Ald. It was not for silencing the apostles; it was for crucifying Christ.

you

-Mr. C. It was so indeed; but that did not fill up the measure of their sin, nor bring the wrath of God upon them ཏ and their posterity, to the uttermost, till they forbad the apostles to preach to the Gentiles, that they might be saved. 1 Thess. ii. 15, 16,- -Ald. We have as learned men in the church of England as you.Mr. C. Yes, yes; some whose books I am not worthy to wipe the dust from. Town-Clerk. He does not speak as he thinks.Mr. C.

How

How can you tell that, unless you were God Almighty, the searcher of hearts, whose prerogative only that is? Are not you the town-clerk?-Town-Clerk. Yes. Mr. C. I wish you had as much wisdom and honesty as the townclerk of Ephesus had; he took the part of the blessed apostle

St. Paul; but you are very brisk against me. I pray you,

gentlemen, do not judge my case, and deprive me of my liberty, by a piece of the law, but let the whole Act be read. -Ald. 'Tis a long act, and we must go to dinner. One of them said, It is a short act, a short act; let it be read. For which he had little thanks given him by some. However, the act was read; and then they went on.— -Mr. C. Where are the two witnesses? Let me see them face to face, (according to the manner of England) that will swear I was the parson, vicar or curate, and did refuse to give my assent and consent to take the oath, and to make the declaration, according to the Act of uniformity.Ald. It is no matter.

-Mr. C. There must needs be proof, that I am such a person as the act describes; for there are more preachers in Hull than Mr. Ashley and I: and you may as well, if you have not proof that I am the parson, vicar, or curate, send for the man that goes next by in the streets, and execute the Five-mile-act upon him.- -Ald. Do you think we sit here like a company of fools? Will you take and subscribe the oath, according to the act?-Mr. C. Let me see it proved according to the act, that I am concerned in it, and then I will tell you more of my mind.--Ald. You do preach, you do baptize, you do administer the sacrament.Mr. C. Did you see me?Ald. No; but we did hear so.

Mr. C. And will you deprive a man of his liberty by hearsay? You may then find yourselves work enough, as the world goes. Upon this they ordered him to withdraw; and he was carried to the jail, where he was imprisoned six months. After he was set at liberty, he continued labouring among his people to the day of his death.

He was an excellent scholar, well skilled in the oriental languages, and a great historian; an accurate, lively, and successful preacher; indefatigably studious; very retired and devout; a prudent œconomist; of a warm and courageous temper, and a zealous reprover of reigning vices. He enjoyed firm health till overtaken by the student's diseases, the stone and strangury, which he bore with invincible patience, and of which he died December 23, 1603, with great peace and comfort, yea with assurance and triumph.

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MONEY

MONEY-ASH. Mr. ROBERT COOK.

NORTON [V. 45l. 3s. 6d.] Mr. JEREMY SCOALES. He was born at Salford near Manchester. When he was ejected, he removed to his native place, and there lived on his estate. He was very industrious in his Master's work, and preached as he had opportunity. He used to take much delight in days of prayer and humiliation, in which he was often charged by his brethren with holding out too long; tho' he was usually pertinent and acceptable. He was an upright-hearted man. He died April 27, 1685, aged 56, and left a son in the ministry among the Nonconformists whose name was Nathaniel. See Mr. Mathew Henry's Life, p. 279.

PENTRIDGE [V. 127. 15s.] Mr. ROBERT PORTER. Of Camb. Univ. He was a native of Nottinghamshire. His abilities were great, his fancy rich and fertile, and his wit rendered him the desire and pleasure of gentlemen in conversation. After God had effectually touched his heart, which was not till after his coming from Cambridge, he betook himself to close study and a strict conversation. His proficiency was considerable. Few men better understood their Bible than he. His judgment was solid, his eloquence natural, and his language scriptural. His people were poor, but his labours among them were great and very prosperous. His stated income was not above fifteen pounds per ann. but being greatly beloved by the neighbouring gentry and others, they aised it to near fifty. He was invited to places where he might have had much more, but he refused, because he found his ministry successful, and thought it would be difficult for the people to get a suitable supply.--He was abundant in prayer, preaching, catechizing, and visiting from house to house. If the meanest persons in his parish were sick or in any difficulty, he was always ready to pray with them, or give them a sermon suited to their exigencies, in both which he had an uncommon faculty.

When he was ejected in 1662, he continued as long as he could within the parish, to assist his people in private. Sometimes he preached in his own house; sometimes he went by night to an obscure house about a mile off, till the coming out of the Oxford-act, when he retired to Mansfield, where he ended his days. From thence he used often to visit his former flock, keeping days of prayer with them, &c.

And