his heart he forgave his enemies; and should rejoice to 66 meet those in heaven, who had treated him as if he were "not fit to live on earth." A little before he died, he thus expressed himself: "As for my bonds, I bless God for them; "and if I had known, when I came in, that I should die "here, I would have done no otherwise than I have done. "The time will come when I shall be freed from the asper"sions of faction." He breathed his last while Mr. Weeks (a minister of another congregation in Bristol, and then his fellow-prisoner) was by prayer commending his soul into the hands of Jesus Christ. The preceding account of the cruel treatment which Mr. Thompson met with, corresponds with that contained in the church-book belonging to the Baptist-church, in Broad-street, Bristol. It is there added, "That being a corpulent man, the corpse could not be kept, and that the next day, March 5, he was honourably interred at Philip's church-yard, being carried from the prison to the grave, accompanied, it was judged, by five thousand people, which made adversaries admire." RICHARD DYER, M. A. of Magd. Hall; afterwards Student of Christ-Church, whence he was ejected in 1660, for his Nonconformity. He was the son of Mr. Gower Dyer, of Aldermanbury, and elder brother to Mr. Samuel Dyer, of Alhallows, London-Wall. He had been chaplain to three lord-mayors, Frederick, Viner, and Kendrick. He never preached after he was silenced; but was some time chaplain to Conyers, Esq. of Walthamstow, and tutor to his son. He afterwards lived in St. Katherine's by the Tower, and kept a grammar school about seven years. He was a very pious but melancholy man. He had transcribed for the press, several sermons preached at the university, and at St. Paul's, with other theological discourses, which were burnt by a fire that happened in St. Katherine's. This he laid more to heart than his loss in the great fire of London, though that was very considerable. He died in 1695, aged 70. Mr. SAMUEL ANGIER, Student. Born at Dedham in Essex, Aug. 28, 1639, and brought up in Westminster-school, from whence he removed to this college, Dec. 8, 1659, where he continued student till he was cast out by the Act of uniformity. After his ejectment, he lived with Dr. Owen, for whom he always entertained a most profound respect. In 1667, he visted his uncle Mr. John Angier of Denton, and became his assistant, which he continued to be till his un cle's cle's death, Sept. 1667. He was ordained Oct. 29, 1672. His preaching afterwards exposed him to many troubles and difficulties. Warrants were often taken out against him; and in 1680, he was excommunicated at Stockport church. Being requested to draw up an account of his ejectment and sufferings, for the author's use, his answer was, "The ill treatment he then met with would blacken the characters of some who were dead, and be very offensive to some still living, and therefore he was for declining it." He preached for several years in an out-building near his house: but on Aug. 19, 1708, he began to preach in a commodious place which his congregation erected for him, where he continued his labours till the Sabbath before his death, Nov. 8, 1713, in the 75th year of his age. His funeral sermon was preached by Mr. Aldred, on 2 Cor. i. 12. He was an excellent scholar, and retained much of his school-learning. He was a judicious and lively preacher, and a zealous asserter of the doctrine of free-grace. He was an eminent christian, and zealous of good-works: much in prayer, and very particular in praying for his friends and neighbours, especially in affliction. When his sight failed him, he frequently entertained himself with repeating the greatest part of David's psalms and Paul's epistles from hist memory. He was all his days a close student, a great lover of Bible-knowledge, an exact preacher, and one who lived as he spoke, and spoke as he lived. Notwithstanding all his sufferings he was fully satisfied with his Nonconformity to the last. He was buried in the chapel erected for him in Dukenfield, where, upon a marble tomb stone, there is a Latin inscription. Mr. WILLIAM SEGARY, Student. A good disputant. When he left Oxford, he retired into the country, where he taught school, and died very old. Mr. WILLIAM WOODWARD. Probably the person mentioned at Whitchurch, Herefordshire. Mr. STAFFORD. Of whom no other account is to be procured than that he had taken his degree of M. A. CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE: * EDMUND STAUNTON, D. D. President. He was born in 1600, of the ancient and worshipful family of the Stauntons in Bedfordshire. His father, Sir Francis Staunton, had several sons, of whose education he was peculiarly careful. careful. Edmund, who was one of the youngest, was sent early to Oxford, where he applied so close to study, and got such applause, that while he was an under-graduate he was chosen a probationer fellow before eighteen of his seniors. At about eighteen years of age he had a threatening illness, from which he was remarkably recovered, when through the drunkenness of the surgeon who blooded him, his life was in imminent danger. He was another time as remarkably preserved from being drowned. These merciful deliverances were preparatory to that good work which, about this time, God began in his heart, as they led him to serious thoughts concerning his spiritual and eternal state, to close self-examination and fervent prayer. Having been about two months' under a spirit of bondage, so that many times, as he says, he durst not close his eyes in the night lest he should awake in hell, he at length, being very earnest with God in prayer for the manifestations of his love, was immediately. filled with a strong persuasion of it, and with joy unspeakable and full of glory.' From this time he applied himself to the diligent reading of the scriptures, and the study of divinity, and determined upon the work of the ministry; telling his father, (who had given him his choice of the three learned professions) that “He esteemed the turning of souls to righteousness the most desirable work in the world, and attended with the greatest reward. hereafter, though the others might bring in more wealth and honour here." He first preached a lecture on the Lord's-day. afternoon at Witney in Oxfordshire, about six months, and had encouraging seals of his ministry. His labours were so acceptable that people flocked from all parts to hear him. This was not pleasing to the incumbent, who took the more time in reading prayers, that this novel lecturer might have the less time for preaching, and then left the church; but he was followed by none but his clerk, whom he would not suffer to give out the psalm. Mr. Staunton had preached several times on that text, Buy the truth, and sell it not; upon which the incumbent, when he met any coming into the. church as he went out, would say with a sneer, What, are you going to buy the truth?" 66 His friends having got a living for him at Bushy in Hertfordshire, he removed thither, and had a welcome reception, especially from those who had any savour of religion. Here he preached and catechized on the Lord's-day, and at other times with great success, with respect to many who came from from adjacent places, as well as his parishioners. But after he had been here about two years, Dr. Seaton, of Kingston in Surrey, having a mind to this living, and either finding, or making a flaw in this title, soon dispossessed him of it. The Dr.'s attorney, thinking highly of Mr. Staunton's ingenuity, proposed an exchange, to which both parties agreed. But the Dr. when he had got Bushy, would not part with Kingston. However Mr. Noy, his attorney, abhorring this baseness, threatened to find a flaw in his title to Bushy, and many of the inhabitants of Kingston who prized Mr. Staunton's ministry, so worked the Dr. that he soon resigned, and Mr. Staunton took his place. He here continued about twenty years, endeavouring to fulfil his ministry, not only preaching twice on the Lord's day, but catechizing the younger and ignorant sort of people, and teaching them from house to house. He also set up a weekly lecture, which was supplied by several eminent ministers in their turns. By these means, together with the holiness of his life, he wrought a general reformation in the town, both among the magistrates and the people. He was beloved by all the godly, and feared by the wicked. Nor did he only produce an external reformation; for when he left this place in 1648, there were thirty persons who gave him a paper in which they owned him as their spiritual father, and doubtless many more could have added their names to the list. In 1635, when the Book of Sports came out, he was one among many who were suspended for not reading it. During his suspension he took his degree of D. D. at Oxford, which he says he did to put the greater honour upon his sufferings. His exercise was greatly applauded. But there were several doctors in the university whose fingers itched to be dealing with him because he was a Puritan; among whom was one who was so miserably nonplussed by Dr. Staunton in the disputation, that the auditors hissed him, and one called for a candle, that the Dr. might see his arguments. Dr. Staunton was a member of the Assembly of divines, and was in such esteem, that he was appointed one of the six morning preachers in Westminster-abbey. In 1648, when the visitors discharged Dr. Newlin from the headship of this college, Dr. Staunton succeeded him. Here he continued about twelve years, in which time his whole deportment was very exemplary. He at first put in execution all such statutes as tended most to the advancement of learning and religion, and was frequently present at the lectures and other exercises, to to encourage the studious and reprove the negligent. He set up a divinity-lecture every Lord's-day, early in the morning, in the college chapel, for exercising the senior students, and initiating them into the work of the ministry. He constantly catechized the juniors publicly every Saturday. He preached once or twice every Lord's day, to the edification of many, besides his constant course in the university-church and college-chapel. He moreover often preached lectures in the country, for which he rather sought opportunities than declined them. He had a meeting every week at his own lodgings for prayer and spiritual conference, consisting of the members of the college and others, wherein he bore a principal part, bringing forth out of his store of experimental knowledge things new and old. He took great care to introduce such only into the college as discovered some signs of grace, at least such as were docile and inclinable to what is good. He was constantly present at public worship in the chapel, morning and evening, observing and reproving such as were reAnd when he sat at meat in the college hall, his constant custom was, to discourse in such a manner as might tend to the instruction of those present. Spiritual discourse was indeed his meat and his drink. By his prudent government and pious example, religion and learning remarkably flourished in this college*, and many who were educated under his care, became learned, pious, and useful men; among whom was Mr. Joseph Allein. miss. In 1660, being discharged from his office, he withdrew from the city, in which he had sown much precious seed, and well watered it with his tears. His departure was much like that of Paul from Ephesus, Acts xx. Having recommended himself to Divine Providence to fix the bounds of his habitation, he first went to Rickmansworth in Hertfordshire, where he was well received by persons of all ranks. His first and chief design was to settle an able minister there, but his best endeavours were ineffectual. However he found the way to that pulpit himself; but because the entrance was narrower than in some other places, he sought out a wider door and more effectual. He preached round about that county, and in the neighbouring counties, at least at twenty places, spending and being spent in the service of his great master, till the Act of uniformity imposed a general silence *A more particular account of the methods he took to promote religion and learning in the college, while he was president, may be seen at the end of his life, by another hand. See Clark's Lives. upon |