of his congregation to America; but before he could accomplish his design, it pleased God to remove him to a better world. He died March 1, 1625, in the fiftieth year of his age. The life of this amiable man, both in public and private, exhibited a fair transcript of those numerous virtues which elevate and adorn the human character. He possessed a strong mind, cultivated by a good education. In his younger days, he was distinguished for good sense and solid learning; and as his mind, under the influence of divine grace, began to expand, he acquired that moderate and pacific temper for which he was celebrated among christians of different denominations. His uncommon probity and diffusive benevolence highly recommended him to the Dutch ministers and professors, with whom he lived in the most perfect harmony. They lamented his death as a public loss; and as a testimony of their esteem and affection, though he was not of their communion, the magistrates, ministers, professors, and many of the citizens, honoured his funeral solemnities with their presence. Mr. Robinson was an admirable disputant; as appears by his public disputation in the university of Leyden, when the Arminian controversy agitated and divided the churches in Holland. The famous Episcopius having given out a public challenge to defend his Arminian tenets against all opponents, the learned Polydore and the chief ministers of the city urged Mr. Robinson to engage in a public disputation. But he, being a stranger, and of so mild and peaceable a spirit, signified his unwillingness; but by their repeated solicitations, he at length consented. "In the issue," our author observes," he so defended the truth, and so foiled the opposer, putting him to a nonplus in three successive disputations, that it procured him much honour and respect from men of learning and piety.". The attachment which subsisted betwixt Mr. Robinson and

his people was very great. "Such was the mutual love and respect which he had to his flock, and his flock to him, that it was hard to judge whether he was delighted more in having such a people, or they in having such a pastor.' His death was, therefore, a serious loss to the remaining branch of his church at Leyden. Most of them, however, after a few years, joined their brethren in New England; among whom were his widow and children. His son Isaac lived to ninety years of age, and left a posterity in

* Prince's Chronological Hist. vol. i. p. 38.

the county of Barnstaple. Mr. Robinson's church at Leyden was the first INDEPENDENT church since the reformation.

His WORKS.-1. A Justification of Separation from the Church of England, against Bernard, 1610.-2. Remarks on Mr. Smyth's Confession of Faith, 1614.-3. A Treatise on Communion, 1614.4. People's Plea for the Exercise of Prophesie, 1618.-5. Apologia justa et necessaria Christianorum, æque contumeliose ac communitæ dictorum Brownistarum ac Barrowistarum, 1619.-This was translated in 1644.-6. An Appendix to Mr. Perkins's Six Principles of the Christian Religion, 1641.—lle probably wrote some others.

RICHARD STOCK, A. M.-This worthy divine was born in the city of York, and educated in St. John's college, Cambridge; where, on account of his great ingenuity, industry and progress in learning, he was much beloved by the famous Dr. Whitaker. Leaving the university, he became domestic chaplain first to Sir Anthony Cope, of Ashby in Northamptonshire,+ then to Lady Lane, of Bourton-onthe-Water in Gloucestershire. Afterwards, he became assistant to Mr. Thomas Edmunds, vicar of Alhallows, Bread-street, London; where his labours were particularly acceptable and useful. He continued for sixteen years to assist Mr. Edmunds, at whose death he accepted the pastoral charge, and continued sixteen years more, even to the end of his days. His labours were made a signal blessing to the people. Great numbers were converted, comforted, and established under his ministry. He was the means of bringing many persons to a saving knowledge of the truth, who afterwards became celebrated ministers of the gospel. Though many ministers preached to others, and not to themselves, Mr. Stock practised what he preached. His life was one uniform practical comment upon his doctrine. He was much beloved, revered and honoured; and always faithful and courageous in reproving sin.

Mr. Stock having in his younger years preached at Paul's cross, he spoke with considerable freedom against

• Morton's Memorial, p. 63.-Morse's American Geog. p. 156, 157.— Morse and Parish's New England, p. 30.

+ Sir Anthony Cope signalized himself in the cause of religious liberty, and was a constant friend to the persecuted nonconformists. He was burgess for Banbury in Oxfordshire; and, in the parliament of 1586, he offered a bill to the house of commons, to abolish all the penal and disgraceful laws against the puritans, to set aside the Book of Common Prayer, and to adopt a fresh one, not liable to so many exceptions. The bill was warmly supported by several able statesmen, but was rejected by the superiority of the court party.-MS. Chronology, vol. ii. p. 377. (4.)

the iniquities of the city; which some persons took so ill, that they charged him with rashness, and called him Green-head. Towards the close of life, having to preach at the election of the lord mayor, he particularly enlarged upon the same topic, and said, " that a Gray-head now spoke the same things that a Green-head had formerly done." The end of his labours was the beginning of his rest; and having finished his work, he was called to receive his gracious reward. He died April 20, 1626. He was a person of good learning, excellent talents for the pulpit, and an example to his people in conversation, in charity, in faith, in purity. Wood denominates him "a constant and judicious preacher, a pious minister, and a zealous puritan and reformer of the profanation of the sabbath." His remains were interred in Alhallows church, where the following monumental inscription was afterwards erected to his memory:+

To the sacred MEMORY

of that worthy and faithful servant of Christ,
Master RICHARD STOCK;

who after thirty-two years spent in the ministry,
wherein by his learned labours,
joined with his wisdom,

and a most holy life,

God's glory was much advanced,
his church edified,
piety increased,

and the true honour of a pastor's place maintained;
deceased April 20, 1626.

Some of his loving parishioners
have consecrated

this Monument of their never-dying love,
Jan. 28, 1628.

Thy livelesse trunk (O Reverend Stocke)
Like Aaron's rod, sprouts out again;

And, after two full winters past,

Yields blossoms and ripe fruit amaine.

For why, this worke of picty,
Performed by some of thy flocke
To thy dead corps and sacred urne,

Is but the fruit of this old Stocke,

There was another Mr. Richard Stock, who lived about the same time, rector of Kirk-Eaton in Yorkshire, where he

♦ Clark's Lives annexed to Martyrologie, p. 61-66.

+ Athena Oxon. vol. i.

P. 774.

Stow's Survey of London, b. iii. p. 200.

left a standing monument of his piety and charity, by the erection and endowment of a free-school. It does not, however, appear whether he was any relation to our learned divine.

His WORKS.-1. The Doctrine and Use of Repentance, 1610.2. A Sermon at the Funeral of John Lord Harrington, 1614.-3. Commentary on Malachi, 1641.-4. Stock of Divine Knowledge, 1641.5. Truth's Companion.

ANTHONY WOTTON, B. D.-This learned person was born in London, and educated first at Eton school, then at King's college, Cambridge, where he took his degrees. Being a person of considerable reputation, he became fellow of the college, and was for some time chaplain to the Earl of Essex. Upon the death of Dr. Whitaker, in the year 1596, he stood as candidate for the king's professorship of divinity at Cambridge; but Dr. Overall, by a superior interest, carried the election. Mr. Wotton, notwithstanding this, was highly applauded in the university.+

He was, during the above year, chosen first professor of divinity in Gresham college. Also, upon the resignation of his professorship, he was chosen lecturer of Alhallows Barking, London. Here he met with some trouble on account of his nonconformity. Having used this expression, "Lord, open thou the eyes of the king, that he may be resolved in the truth, without respect to antiquity," his words were supposed to insinuate, "that the king was blind, wavering, and inclined to popery."‡ For this, therefore, with some other things, he was silenced by Archbishop Bancroft.§

Mr. Wotton, on account of his views of the doctrine of justification, fell under the displeasure of some of the

Thoresby's Vicaria Leodiensis, p. 66.

+ Fuller's Hist. of Camb. p. 152. Ward's Gresham Professors, p. 39. § Archbishop Bancroft was a stout and zealous champion for the church, which, it is said, he learnedly and ably defended to the confusion of its enemies. Clarendon says, "that he had an excellent knowledge of the church; that be almost rescued it out of the hands of the Calvenian party, that he very much subdued the unruly spirit of the nonconformists, and that his death could never be sufficiently lamented." Fuller says, "it is confessed that he was most stiff and stern in pressing conformity, which he did very fiercely throughout all his province.” Collier says, "his unrelenting strictness gave a new face to religion. The liturgy was more solemnly observed the fasts and festivals were more regarded; the use of copes was revived; the surplice generally worn; and all things in a manner recovered to the first settlement under Queen Elizabeth. Some who had formerly subscribed in a loose, reserved sense, were now called upon to sign their conformity in more close, unevasive terms: so that now there

London ministers. His chief antagonist was Mr. George Walker, another zealous puritan, who, having opposed him for some time with great zeal, as a follower of Socinus, charged him with heresy and blasphemy; and sent him a letter, dated May 2, 1614, desiring a conference before eight learned divines to be chosen by both parties. They accordingly met for the purpose; Messrs. Walker, Stock, Downham, Westfield, and Gouge, on the one part; and Messrs. Wotton, Balmeford, Randall, Hicks, and Gataker, on the other. But the matters in dispute not being adjusted at that time, they had a second conference. In order to a better settlement of the points in controversy, Mr. Gataker proposed that Mr. Walker should set down in writing the heretical and blasphemous positions of Socinus, and Mr. Wotton's erroneous assertions as agreeing with them; that when they assembled they might the more readily come to a conclusion. Both parties agreed to the proposal. Upon their second meeting, after some debate, it was their unanimous opinion, that Mr. Wotton had not maintained any heresy or blasphemy whatsoever; which they accordingly subscribed under their own hands. The persons who attended the second conference, and who subscribed this declaration, were those mentioned above, excepting Mr. Baylie in the place of Mr. Westfield.*

Mr. Wotton was concerned in the controversy with Dr. Montague, afterwards bishop of Chichester; who, in a work

was no room left for scruples and different persuasion." Warner says, that he filled the see of Canterbury" with no extraordinary reputation about six years, He was naturally of a rough uncourtly temper, which was heightened by his great authority in the high commission. He had extremely high notions of government in church and state. He was most certainly a greater friend to prerogative than to liberty." By some be was charged with covetousness and want of hospitality, which occasioned the following satire upon his death:

Here lies his grace, in cold clay clad,
Who died for want of what he had.

According to Rapin, "Bancroft never ceased to plague the puritans, and never ceased incensing the king against them, doing them all the mischief he could. Herein he was too closely imitated by the rest of the bishops, who found a double advantage in destroying the puritans. He is also accused of having been one of the most zealous to instil into the king the maxims of arbitrary power." He is styled "a great persecutor and silencer of hundreds of most godly, conscientious, preaching ministers" and is said to have lived an evil life, and died a fearful death.—Granger's Biog. Hist. vol. i. p. 339.-Clarendon's Hist. vol. i. p. 68.-Fuller's Church Hist. b. x. p. 55, 57.-Collier's Eccl. Hist. vol. ii. p. 687.-Warner's Hist. of Eng. vol. ii. p. 496.-Rapin's Ilist. of Eng. vol. ii. p. 163, 176.-Prynne's An tipathie of English Prelacie, part i. p. 152, 239. Edit. 1641.

Ward's Gresham Professors, p. 39.