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Upon the death of Dr. Stoughton, he was chosen at Aldermanbury, in the year 1639, and his patron followed him to London.-He was one of those divines who, in 1641, met by order of parliament in the Jerusalem chamber, in order to accommodate ecclesiastical matters. He was for the Presbyterian discipline; but of known moderation towards those of other sentiments. No minister in the city. was more followed; nor was there ever a week-day lecture so much frequented as his; which was constantly attended. by many persons of the greatest quality, for twenty years together; seldom without above sixty coaches.-In Oliver's time he kept himself as private as he could. In 1659 he joined with the Earl of Manchester, and other great men, in encouraging General Monk to restore the King, in order to put an end to the public confusions. He preached before the parliament the day before they voted the King home, and was one of those divines who were sent over to him into Holland. In 1660, after the King was restored, he was made one of his chaplains in ordinary, though neither he nor any of the other Presbyterians preached more than once in that capacity. About this time he was often with his majesty, and was always graciously received. He was very active in order to an accommodation, and had a main hand in drawing up the proposals about Church-government, which laid the foundation of the Savoy conference. And, being one of the commissioners appointed, he was employed with others, in drawing up Exceptions against the Liturgy, and the Reply to the Reasons of the episcopal divines,

He was reckoned to have a greater interest at court, in the city, and the country, than any of the ministers; and therefore was extremely caressed at first; but he soon saw whither things were tending: of which, among other evidences, was the following: Gen. Monk, being his auditor, a little after the Restoration, he had occasion to speak of filthy lucre; "And why," said he, "is it called filthy, "but because it makes men do base and filthy things? Some "men (waving his handkerchief towards the general's "pew) will betray three kingdoms for filthy lucre's "sake" He commonly had the chair among the city ministers at their meetings, and was much esteemed for his prudence and propriety of conduct. He was one of the Cornhill-lecturers, and a member of the Westminster Assembly. He refused a bishoprick, because he could not have it upon the terms of the King's Declaration; but kept

his temper and moderation after he was ejected. Bishop Wilkins had such an opinion of his judgment about churchgovernment, as to wish he could have conformed, that he might have confronted the bold assertors of the Jus Divinum of episcopacy in the convocation; in which he was not allowed to sit, though he was chosen by the city ministers, 1661, to represent them. A certain writer had affirmed, that he declared before the king and several lords of the council," That there was nothing in the church to "which he could not conform, were it not for scandaliz"ing others." To which Mr. Baxter answered, in his Apol. for Nonconf. "We must testify, who were in "his company from first to last, we heard him over and over protest, that he took several things in conformity "to be intolerable sins."

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Mr. Calamy preached his Farewell-sermon a week before the Act of uniformity took place, on 2 Sam. xxiv. 14. And David said unto God, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the Lord, for his mercies are great, and let me not fall into the hand of man. As a specimen of his spirit and manner, it may not be amiss here to introduce a brief abstract of this discourse. The drift of it is to illustrate and improve this point, "That "sin brings persons and nations into, great perplexities." Besides many outward troubles, he observes, this brings a spiritual famine upon a land: a famine of the wordUse 1. This reproves those who commit sin to avoid perplexity-who to escape suffering will do any thing-who will be sure to be of the religion that is uppermost, be it what it will. Consider-It is sin only that makes trouble to deserve the name. There is more evil in the least sin, than in the greatest calamity. Whosoever goes out of God's way to avoid danger, shall meet with greater danger. 2. This should teach us above all things, to abhor sin. Cautions against twelve sins, among which, slighting the gospel. 3. What cause to fear that God should bring this nation into great distress? And what reason, you of this congregation and parish, have to expect to be brought into great straits, because of your unfruitfulness under the means of grace? You have long enjoyed the gospel. Dr. Taylor served an apprenticeship in this place, Dr. Stoughton another; and I through divine mercy, almost three and a half. Are there not some of you who begin to loathe the manna, and to look back to Egypt? Have not some of you itching ears,

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who would fain have a preacher that would feed you with dainty phrases; and who begin not to care for a minister that unrips your consciences, and speaks to your hearts: some who by often hearing sermons are become sermonproof? There is hardly any way to raise the price of the gospel ministry, but the want of it.-I may not flatter you who have not profited by it. You may justly expect God may bring you into straits, and take away the gospel from you: may take away your ministers by death or other ways. What God will do with you I know not: a few weeks will determine. He can make a great change in a little time. We leave all to him. But let me commend one text of scripture to you. Jer. xiii. 16, 17. Give glory to the Lord before he cause darkness, and your feet stumble, c. But if you will not hear, my soul shall weep in secret places for you, because the Lord's flock is carried captive. Give glory to God by confessing and repenting of your sins, before darkness come; and who knoweth but that may prevent that darkness.

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Upon Mr. Calamy's advising with his friends at court, 2 petition* for indulgence was drawn up, and presented to his majesty. Very soon after this he was imprisoned, in terrorem, for preaching an occasional sermon, December 29, at the church where he had been minister. Lord Clarendon represents his preaching at that time as seditious; but without any just reason. The case was this: Mr. Calamy going to the church of Aldermanbury, with an intention to be a hearer only, the person expected to preach happened to fail. To prevent á disappointment, and through the importunity of the people present, he went up, and preached from 1 Sam. iii. 13, on the concern of old Eli for the ark of God. Upon this, by a warrant of the lord mayor, he was committed to Newgate, as a breaker of the Act of uniformity. But in a few days, when it was seen what a resort there was to him, by persons of all qualities, and how generally the severity was resented, he was dis charged by his majesty's express order. Mr. Calamy lived to see London in ashes; which so affected him, that he took to his chamber, from which he never came out again, but died in a month.

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See this petition in the Introduction, p. 32.

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WORKS.

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WORKS. Several sermons before the two Houses, and the city magistrates. Sermons at the funerals of Dr. S. Bolton; the Earl of Warwick; Mr. Sim. Ashe, &c.-[The Serm. for which he was imprisoned soon after his ejectment: which, together with the above Farewell Sermon, may be seen in the London collection].A vindication of himself against Mr. Burton.-The godly man's ark. Since his death-A treatise of meditation, printed in a clandestine way, from some imperfect notes taken by a hearer. He had a hand in drawing up the Vindic. of the Presbyt. gov. and ministry, 1650; and the Jus. div. minist. Evang. et Anglicani, 1654. He was also one of the authors of SMECTYMNUUS*,

Mr. LEE was ejected from the Lectureship, in this place.

ALHALLOWS, BREAD-STREET, [R. 1401.]

LAZARUS SEAMAN, D. D. of Eman. Col. Cambridge: He was born at Leicester, in but mean circumstances. On this account he was forced soon to leave the college, and to teach school for a livelihood: so that his learning was acquired by himself. And yet, even Wood owns him to have been a learned man. He became master of Peterhouse, Cambridge, and acquitted himself with abundant honour. [From a printed list of Vice-chancellors, proctors, &c. it also appears that he was Vice-chancellor there in the year 1653.]-An occasional sermon preached at Martin's Ludgate, procured him that lectureship; and his reputation there brought him into Alhallow's Bread-street, and into the Westminster Assembly, where he appeared very active, and very skilful in managing controversies in divinity. In 1642, he was presented by Bp. Laud to Bread-street parish, by order of parliament. But Laud told the earl of Northumberland, to whom Mr. Seaman was chaplain, that out of respect to his lordship, he had, before the receipt of that order, designed him for that benefice. He was a great divine, thoroughly skilled in the original languages;

* A celebrated book before the civil war, written in answer to Bp. Hall's Right of Episcopacy. This title was a fictitious word, composed of the initial letters of the names of its authors, who were, S. Marshal, E Calamy, T. Young. M. Newcomen, W. Spurstow.

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always carrying about with him a small Plantin Bible, without points, for his ordinary use. He was well studied in the controversy about church-government; which was the occasion of his being sent by the parliament, with their commissioners, when they treated with K. Charles I. in the -Isle of Wight; where his majesty took particular notice of the doctor's singular ability in the debates on this subject, which were afterwards printed in the collection of his majesty's works. In his latter days he much studied the prophetic part of scripture. He died in Sept. 1675, and left a very valuable library, which fetched 7001. This was the first that was sold in England by way of auction*. Mr. Jenkyn preached his funeral sermon, from 2 Pet. i. 15. where his character may be seen at large. The following is an extract from it.

["He was a person of a most deep and piercing judgment in all points of controversial divinity: nor was he less able to defend than to discover the truth. Among many instances of it, the following is remarkable: Upon the invitation of an honourable lady, who was at the head of a noble family, and was often solicited by Romish priests to change her religion, he engaged in a dispute with two of the most able priests they could find, in the presence of the lord and lady, for their satisfaction; and by silencing them upon the head of Transubstantiation, was instrumental to preserve that whole family stedfast in the Protestant religion. He was a most excellent and profound casuist. Scarcely any divine in London was so much sought to for resolving Cases of conscience. He was most able and ready in expounding scripture, both in the pulpit and in private discourse, and gave the sense of difficult passages with the greatest perspicuity; so that he might truly be called, An interpreter, one of a thousand. Doctrinal light was the great beauty of his sermons; but he took care to give the warmth of application also. He was a -divine richly furnished with all the materials of didactical and practical divinity; and could, upon all occasions, discourse rationally upon any point without labour or hesi-tation. He was a person of great stability in the truth; not a reed shaken with the wind. He would not debauch his conscience for preferment, but valued one truth of Christ above all the wealth of both Indies.

*The catalogue of this library is preserved in the Museum, belonging to the Baptist Academy, at Bristol.

VOL. I. NO. 2.

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