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1687. See Watkins's History of Bideford. Dr. Walker brings some heavy charges against him, which Dr. Calamy shews to be malicious and ill-founded. Contin. p. 242.

WORKS. Manifest Truths against Mr. Tobie Allein.-A Gospel-glass, representing the Miscarriages of English Professors. This last he wrote with uncommon activity and self-denial, under the sentence of death.

THOMAS MALL, M. A, He was the son of a minister, and was educated at Pemb. Hall, Camb. where he was very studious, and soon became Fellow. Going into Cornwall, with some others, to preach the gospel, he met with such encouragement, acceptance and success, that he returned no more to his college. He was afterwards called to Exeter, and was joined with Mr. Stucley, at the cathedral.

WORKS. The Opinion of the old Nonconformists, in a Controversy that fell out in his Congregation.-A Cloud of Witnesses; being an Epitome of the History of the Martyrs, alphabetically disposed, with a Preface by Mr. Flavel,-An Exhortation to holy Living--The Axe at the Root of Professors' Miscarriages.

ST. JOHN'S. ROBERT ATKINS, M. A. of Wad. Col. Oxf. Fellow. Born at Chard in Somerset, 1626. Of fifteen children he was the youngest son. He was designed for a merchant, and had a master provided for him in London; the day was fixed, and all things were in readiness for hist journey; but he was not to be found. His father [afterwardslearning the cause, and finding him averse to business] altered his purpose, and sent him to Oxford. When he first appeared in the pulpit at St. Mary's, being but young, and looking younger than he was, from the smallness of his stature, the hearers despised him, expecting nothing from "such a boy," as they called him, worth hearing. But his discourse soon turned their contempt into admiration. After having spent twelve years in the university, he became one of Cromwell's chaplains; but soon growing weary of that situation, by reason of the insolence of the sectaries, he removed to Coopersale in Essex, a benefice of 300l. per ann. He found the place over-run with sects; but his solid doctrine, joined with a free and obliging conversation, so convinced and gained upon them, that after a while he had not one Dissenter leftin his parish. Judge Archer was his parishioner and friend, and continued such to his death. He was forced to quit this place on account of his health, to the great sorrow of his people. He assured them, that if he could have lived with

them

them he would not have left them; but declared that he would not again accept of so great a benefice. He was invited by Mr. T. Ford to Exeter. At his first coming thither he preached at St. Sidwell's, while the choir of the cathedral was preparing for him. When it was finished it was a most convenient and capacious place, (commonly called EastPeters) where he had a vast auditory, being generally esteemed an excellent preacher. His voice was clear, and his pronunciation very agreeable. He was so happy in his expressions, as at once both to instruct and charm his hearers. His tutor Dr. Wilkins, used to say, That three of his pupils (of whom Mr. Atkins was one) were some of the best preachers in England.

In September, 1660, he was expelled from East-Peters. "Church music" (to use his words in his Farewell sermon upon that occasion) "justling out the constant preaching of the word; the minister being obliged to give place to the choristers, and hundreds, yea thousands, to seek where to hear a sermon on the Lord's-day, rather than singing-service should be omitted, or not kept up in its ancient splendor and glory." Hereupon he was chosen at St. John's, from whence he was again ejected by the Act of uniformity. Great offers were made him, if he would have conformed, particularly by the earl of Radnor; but being dissatisfied as to some of the terms imposed, the offer of a mitre could not move him to act contrary to his sentiments. However, his principles were moderate and loyal, and his charity truly catholic, so as to draw on him the censure of some rigid people, as if he was inclined to conform. In his Farewell sermon at St. John's, (Aug. 17,) he says. "Let him never be accounted a "sound Christian, that doth not both fear God and honour "the king. I beg that you would not interpret our Nonconformity to be an act of unpeaceableness and disloyalty. "We will do any thing for his majesty but sin. We will “hazard any thing for him but our souls. We hope we "could die for him; only we dare not be damned for him. "We make no question, however we may be accounted of here, we shall be found loyal and obedient subjects at our "appearance before God's tribunal."-He frequently attended the public worship, and exhorted others to do the same; but continued to discharge his duty to his own people in private, as opportunity offered, and he discovered an undaunted courage in it, tho' he was naturally timorous

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A little before his second ejection, as he was preaching against the growing vices of that time, one of his hearers (a gentleman of great quality) stood up just before him, and stared him in the face; but knowing on whose errand he came, he proceeded with his discourse, not fearing the frowns of the greatest. The very next morning his clerk brought him a libel, full of reflections on this gentleman, and some others, which he found sticking upon the church door. On reading this paper, he left it in his study, and went into the country. He was no sooner gone, but a messenger was sent after him, with an order for him to appear immediately before several justices of the peace in Exeter. He appeared, and was charged with this libel. Tho' he professed his innocence, he was menaced, and without any proof was committed to prison; but the next day Bishop. Gauden procured him his liberty. Some of the magistrates of the city, who were very severe against other dissenting ministers, favoured and connived at him. Three meetings were discovered in his house, and the names of many persons taken; yet neither he nor the house were fined. The mayor and a justice, who were far more busy than their brethren, once fined his house 201. tho' the people were not found in his, but in a neighbour's house. Hereupon they came and broke open his doors, to distrain for the fine; but finding his books and best goods removed, they seized on him, tho' he was then very ill of the gout; brought him down from his warm chamber in a chair into his court; exposing him some hours to the cold air, (by which his health. was much impaired) and made his mittimus to send him to prison for this fine. But of all the multitude gathered about this house, the mayor and justices could not, either by promises or threatenings, get any to carry him to prison. At length some of his friends paid his fine. The rest of the justices utterly disliked this severity.

Mr. Atkins was once taken at another house, where he intended to have preached, The mayor excused himself, telling him, that he thought he had been another man, and dismissed him, on his promise to appear the next day at the Guildhall, if sent for. But he heard no more of the matter. One of his hearers was prosecuted in the spiritual court, for having his child baptized by a Nonconformist. When Dr. Lamplugh, then Bp. of Exeter, understood that Mr. Atkins was the person who had baptized it, he put a stop to the proceedings, dismissed the man, without his paying any costs, and spoke very honourably of Mr. Atkins, for his learning

learning and moderation; on account of which, and the facetiousness of his conversation, many persons of quality had a great esteem for him. He had a large heart and an open hand. He devised liberal things, and often gave in charity beyond his ability. His own and his wife's relations, as also his brethren in the ministry, who were in low circumstances, had a large share in his bounty. Towards the latter end of his life he was much afflicted with the gout; yet would he not neglect his work, but often preached in his own house as he sat in his chair.

The affairs of the church and people of God lay near his heart. On the death of Charles II. the dismal prospect of the return of popery, upon James's declaring himself a Papist, made a very deep impression upon his spirit, and was supposed to have hastened his death, which happened March 28, 1685, aged 59. His funeral sermon was preached by Mr. George Trosse.-Such was his modesty, that notwithstanding his great stock of learning and ministerial abilities, and the repeated importunity of his friends, he could never be prevailed upon to print so much as one single discourse. Great numbers of his sermons however were transcribed, and handed about among his friends, of which six were afterwards published, On the sin and danger of Popery. Also his Farewell-sermon at St. John's. An aged and worthy clergyman expressed a high idea of the author, in the following Letter to the Editor of them.

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"I am willing to give encouragement for the publishing "the Rev. Mr. Atkins's works, because he was my cotemporary in Wadham College, though six years my senior ; "and he was then esteemed a person of eminent parts, of exemplary piety, and an excellent preacher. But I wish "the person who undertakes to publish his sermons would "not omit one which I heard him preach before the mayor "and aldermen, on Mat. vii. 12. with great approbation; nor another, on 2. Cor. iii. 6.—able ministers of the new "testament, a few days before the fatal Bartholomew, when Bishop Gauden and a multitude more were his hearers. I yet well remember he affirmed, and by 1 Cor. iv. 15. proved, That those ministers who beget converts to Christ may most properly be called Fathers in God."

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ST. SIDWELL'S THOMAS POWEL, M. A. ejectment here, he removed to London. He was a good preacher, very active in the ministry, and much esteemed for his piety. He was of the congregational persuasion.

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ST. MARY'S in the Moor. Mr. JOHN BARTLET. Brother to Mr. William Bartlet of Bideford. When he was at the university, Dr. Sibbs was his intimate friend. "He was a great student in anatomy, till observing the straitness of the passage in the throat, he grew so melancholy as to be almost afraid to eat or drink; he therefore, on the advice of his physician, laid this study aside. He was a very laborious constant preacher, and had an excellent copious gift in prayer. His voice was low, but his matter very solid and acceptable. In his younger days he was minister of St.. Thomas's near Exeter, and was then much beloved by Bishop Hall. He was chosen by that good Bishop to preach an assize sermon before the judges, when the plague was in that city. His text was Numb. xvi. 46-48. The sermon much affected the auditory; and was owned, by an ancient religious person, many years after, to have been the means of his conversion. When the Book of sports was sent down, he was prevailed on by the Bishop (who was naturally very timorous) to read it; and at the same time (as his lordship also advised him) he preached on the fourth commandment. He continued in Exeter after his being silenced, and preach ́ed there as he had opportunity. He died in a good old age.

WOKKS. Meditations.-An Explication of the Assembly's Catechism. The Duty of Communicants.---The Use and Profit of Afflictions.---The Practical Christian; or a summary View of the chief Heads of practical Divinity.---Directions for right receiving the Lord's Supper, in Question and Answer, for the benefit of the young.

ST. MARY ARCHES. FERDINANDO NICOLL, M. A. A man of considerable learning, a grave divine, and a laborious minister in this city about forty years. Though he wrote his sermons he commonly preached without using his papers, but always took them with him into the pulpit. Being once called to preach before the judges, he went to church without his notes. But perceiving his mistake before he began, he went back and fetched them, as the very thought of being without them, he said, would have thrown him into confusion; but he preached with great freedom, without once looking upon them. At one time, while he was preaching, he saw several of the aldermen asleep, and thereupon sat down. Upon his silence, and the noise that was presently made in the church, by the people getting up, they awoke, and stood up with the rest. Upon which he

rose

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