he was one of the commissioners on the presbyterian 1648-9. side at the conference in the Savoy, and that he refused to subscribe the Act of Conformity in 1662; but afterwards, upon better thoughts, he complied, and became minister of Northampton, was made archdeacon of Norwich, and installed prebendary of Worcester, and died possessed of these preferments, and a worthy member of the church of England, in a good old age, in March 1693. The other was that great prelate, bishop Prideaux, who by his learned works was famous abroad as well as in his own country, which, with his steady loyalty to his sovereign, made him worthy of the bishopric of Worcester, which was conferred upon him in 1641, though by the confusions of those times he reaped little or no advantage from it; for he died in mean circumstances in September, 1650, and left no legacy to his children but pious poverty, God's blessing, and a father's prayers, as he expresseth it himself in his last will. This learned bishop, in those times of persecution, fled for sanctuary in or near that college which he had formerly governed as rector with great applause. Both these considerable persons took more notice than ordinary of Mr. Bull; they would frequently call upon him to mind his studies, and took all occasions to encourage him in the prosecution of them; and their advice he would often own made very deep impressions upon him. Which sheweth of what consequence it is for men of figure and authority to cultivate those tender minds that are under their government, by animadverting sometimes upon their faults, and, when there is occasion, 1648-9. by exciting their industry with just commendations and proper encouragements. with Mr. Acquainted While Mr. Bull resided in Exeter college, he sat Clifford, at the same table, and contracted a particular aclord high quaintance, with Mr. Clifford, who afterwards came treasurer. by several gradual promotions to enjoy the greatest afterwards post in this kingdom: for after he had served in several parliaments, and had been present in several engagements at sea, in the war against the Dutch, and had been employed abroad in several embassies ; and in all those posts having given great proofs of his courage and capacity, and skill in business, he was first made comptroller, and afterwards treasurer of the king's household, one of the commissioners of the treasury, and for some time, during the earl of Arlington's absence in Holland, executed the office of secretary of state; in 1672, he was created baron Clifford of Chudleigh in Devonshire, and in the same year made lord high treasurer of England, which white staff he resigned in June the year following, being not willing, as it was said, to qualify himself according to the Test act. But this greatness of Mr. Bull's friend was attended with no advancement to his fellow collegiate; though I am informed his lordship did make some attempts to procure Mr. Bull preferment; and solicited my lord keeper Bridgman particularly for a prebend of Gloucester; but it is possible that my lord's reign of favour being short, he might retire from his great employments before there happened any vacancy in that church; besides [He was lord keeper from Aug. 30, 1667, to Nov. 5, 1672, between which dates the application must have been made, while Bull was rector of Suddington.] Mr. Bull living at a distance from court, and not 1648-9. understanding the art of intriguing for preferment, might easily be forgot by a great man, who never wanted such in his eye that made interest for his favour. from Ox refusing the 1649. IV. Mr. Bull had not been admitted two years He retires in Exeter college before the Engagement was im- ford upou posed upon the nation by a pretended act of parlia- engagement, which passed in January, 1649. The kingly ment. office being abolished upon the murder of an excellent prince, it was declared, that for the time to come England should be governed as a commonwealth by parliament; that was, by that handful of men who, by their art and power and villainy, had wrought that wonderful alteration. And that they might secure their new government, and have some obligations of obedience from their subjects for the future, who had broken all the former oaths which they had taken, as is observed by a noble author, this new oath was prepared and established; the form whereof was, that every man should swear, That he would be true and faithful to the commonwealth of England, as it was then established, without a king or house of lords. And whosoever refused to take that engagement, was to be incapable of holding any place or office in church or state; and they, who had no employments to lose, were to be deprived of the benefit of the law, and disabled 5 [Lord Clarendon, who says that the substance of the oath was, that every man should swear, that he would be true and faithful to the government established without king or house of peers, and that he would never consent to the readmitting either of them again.] 1649. from suing in any court. There was great zeal shewn in several places to procure this acknowledgment and submission from the people to this new government; particularly all the members of the university were summoned to appear, and solemnly to own the right and title of the commonwealth to their allegiance. Our young student appeared upon this occasion, and signalized himself by refusing to take the oath. The several hypotheses that were then started to make men easy under a change of government, which was directly contrary to the national constitution, could not prevail upon him to comply. Neither the argument of providence, nor present possession, nor the advantages of protection, which were all pleaded in those times, were strong enough to influence a mind that was early determined to be constant in his duty towards the church and the king. He goes with his tutor Mr. Ackland to NorthCadbury. It must be owned that it was a great happiness to Mr. Bull, that his tutor Mr. Ackland set him an example of this steady loyalty; for then precepts operate to the best purpose, when we strengthen them by our own practice. But besides, Mr. Bull had this further advantage from Mr. Ackland's refusing the engagement, that they retired together from the university to North-Cadbury in Somersetshire, whither also many other of his pupils, who were desirous to continue under the conduct of so good and so able a man, quickly followed; where they pursued their studies without distraction; and found that quiet in a village, which they had in vain sought for in a college. It is not certain how long he continued with his tutor in this retirement; but by the best judgment that can be made, in a fact at such a distance, it is highly probable they did not 1653. part till Mr. Bull had attained the nineteenth year of his age; and so consequently that he then laid that foundation of learning, which is necessary as a preliminary to any particular learned profession, and upon which he built his future studies in divinity. fluenced to And what was yet of greater importance, by this He was inretreat into his own country, he had frequent con- great seriverse with one of his sisters, a woman of incompara- a sister. ousness by ble parts, and of solid piety, whose good sense exercised itself chiefly upon the best objects; for she made religion her great care and employment. It was this woman that the providence of God made. instrumental in reducing Mr. Bull entirely from his youthful vanities; for by the strength of her reason she exposed the folly and emptiness of them: by the frequency of her admonitions she prevailed upon him to consider the weight of what she urged; and by the tender and affectionate manner with which all her discourses were tinctured, she made deep impressions upon his mind; but above all, by the ardency and fervour of her prayers, she prevailed for such a supply of divine grace as enabled him to forsake them. This substantial proof of friendship he always remembered with great gratitude to God and his sister; and that seriousness of mind which Heaven by her means bestowed upon him, had an admirable effect upon his studies, which he now prosecuted with such earnestness, as rendered him afterwards so useful and so famous in the world. He puts himself V. His application and industry began now to be conspicuous; and having no thoughts of returning under the to the university, the state and condition thereof an eminent divine. |