up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. In a word, it would require a volume, to write of all the gifts, graces, and praise-worthy qualities of this eminent servant of Christ.

In his public ministry, his usual manner was, occa sionally to quote the sayings of many of the fathers; which some taking exceptions at, he thus apologized for himself, " If any (said he,) take exceptions at my alledging of fathers, (as some have taken offence at "my using of reasons to confirm the doctrine, but with "very little reason, as I suppose), I must pray them to "give me leave to use them, till I can see that unlawful"ness which they affirm to be in the practice, and to cen"sure me in charity for the use of them, as I do them for "not using them. I will look as well to my heart in the "use of them, as God shall enable me; and when I shall "see the hurt of them, I will endeavour as much to "avoid them. In the mean time, I will make as much "use as I can of them, to edify the church of God."

In his younger days, being called to preach at St Paul's Cross, he dealt pretty plainly and freely in taxing some abuses in the city in unequal ratings, by which the meaner sort were overburdened, whilst the rich and great ones escaped with more ease. This gave great offence to many of them, who checked him as over-rash for dealing in such matters, calling him a green-head: But in his latter days being called to preach at the lord-mayor's election, he fell again upon the same subject, and told them, a grayhead spake now what a green-head had done before.

In these, and such like employments, public and private, he spent his time: He spent his strength like a torch or taper, wasting and consuming himself for the profit and benefit of others; having his work with GOD then, and his reward for it from God afterwards. And it was for the sake of these employments principally, that he desired recovery of health and strength: In the performance of which, through great earnestness, he often strained himself, even in the midst of his infirmity and weakness, to the evident increase of both. What is the sign (saith Hezekiah, when he was promised.recovery) that I shall go up to the house of the Lord? as desiring continuance of life, and recovery of health, for no one end more than that. And it was from the same motive, that this good man was desirous of recovery, that he likewise might again repair to the house of GOD, and that he might return to GOD's work again.

VOL. II.

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To which purpose, the very last Lord's day before his decease, having, after many relapses recovered a little strength, he made shift to get out to a neighbouring congregation, there to join with GOD's people in public performance of such solemn service of GOD, as that day is usually spent and employed in. And having held out with them to the end, in both parts of the day, he rejoiced exceedingly, that he was able so to do; the rather, because he thereby conceived some good hope, that he should be strong enough, ere long, to return to his wonted work and employment again. But the Lord saw it better (for his will appears by his work) to put an end to his incessant labours here, and to translate him to the place of his endless rest, upon the twentieth day of April, 1626, having been preacher at Allhallows, Breadstreet, during the space of thirty-two years; where he was an example to his people in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. But, as one saith, An exact face is seldom drawn but with much disadvantage; so neither is his 'character; therefore we may well conclude, as one doth of Basil, There wanted but his own tongue to speak of his worth.'

RICHARD ROTH WEL.

ROTHWEL.

RICHARD ROTHWEL was born in Lancashire,

at or near Bolton in the Moors, about the year 1562. His education was in the schools, and afterwards in Cambridge; in the one he attained to an exact knowledge of the tongues (especially Greek, and Hebrew, wherein he was a critic) and in the other of the arts; so that he became a skilful linguist, subtile disputant, copious orator, and of a deep insight into all kinds of knowledge, human or

divine.

In this first course of his studies (says Mr Clark, or rather Gower, after his manner, from whom we take most of this article) appeared presently to his observers the buds and blossoms of that fame which after he attained, for he had a prompt wit, a quick apprehension, a clear understanding, a sound judgment, a ready speech, and a strong memory; all these seldom meet in one man,

but

but did in him very eminently, and were improved by diligent study, which (out of desire of learning and knowledge) he continued to the last without ceasing.

His constitution of body, and moral endowments of mind, were great props and supporters to his intellectual habits. Virtue becomes more acceptable from a handsome person: This is not the ordinary lot of scholars; he was tall, well set, of great strength of body and activity, of a stern countenance, of invincible courage, of approved valour, and of a very goodly and majestic presence: Grief nor any misery could ever break him, but joy would presently melt him into tears. He was of a generous spirit and deportment, yet withal very humble and courteous ; his language was sententious and proverbial. I have heard many others say, what I must needs say myself, I never came to him, but I went the more learned from him. He had a great dexterity in communicating his mind to another, and speaking to his understanding. GOD gave him a great inlet into the hearts of men.

He spent many years in the university before he entered into the ministry; he was ordained presbyter by Dr Whitgift, then archbishop of Canterbury, who forbade him meddling with the interpretation of Moses's types, the books of Canticles, Daniel, and the Revelation; which as he then thought himself, as the bishop did, were not so useful for him to study as some other scriptures.

But, alas all these natural dispositions, intellectual habits, personal deportments, were but as so many weapons in the hands of a`madman : Judge how able by these he was to resist the truth; for he remained some years without any change of heart, or sensible work of grace upon his soul, but preached learnedly, as they called it, and lived vainly; abhorring debauchery, and debauched companions, through the height of his spirit, but gave himself to hunting, bowling, shooting, more than became a minister of the gospel; and sometimes he would swear faith and troth, and in his passion, greater blasphemies.

I have heard him tell, that there were two knights in Lancashire falling out, and great feud betwixt them; that the one had a very good park with store of deer; that the other had excellent good fish ponds and store of fish: He robbed the park of the one, and presented what he got to the other; And the fish-ponds of the other, and presented the fish to his adversary. Thus he pleased himself in the days of his vanity, with such kind of follies; in doing this one night, the keeper met with him, his dog having

killed a buck: At the fall of the buck the keeper came in with his faulchion and staff, and met Mr Rothwel, who had a staff also; they fell from words to blows; he got the keeper down, bound him by the thumbs, and drew him up to his full height, that he could but touch the ground with his toes, and so left him tied to a tree till next morning, when others found him and loosed him.

At length it pleased GOD, who separated him from his mother's womb, as he did St Paul, and called him by his grace, to reveal his Son in him. Which because it was famous, and he himself afterwards proved the conversion of so many, I shall set it down as I remember I have heard him speak it. He was playing at bowls amongst some Papists and vain gentlemen upon Saturday, somewhere about Rochdale in Lancashire, there comes into the green to him one Mr Midgley, a grave and godly minister of Rochdale, whose praise is great in the gospel, though far inferior to Mr Rothwel in parts and learning; he took him aside and fell into a large commendation of him, at length told him, what pity it was that such a man as he should be a companion for Papists, and that upon a Saturday, when he should be preparing for the Lord's day. Mr Rothwel slighted his words, and checked him for his meddling. This good old man left him, went home, and prayed privately for him; Mr Rothwel, when he was retired from that company, could not rest, Mr Midgley's words had struck so deep in his thoughts.

The next day he went to Rochdale church to hear Mr Midgley, where it pleased GOD so to bless that ordinance, that Mr Rothwel was by the sermon brought home to Christ. He came after sermon to Mr Midgley, thanked him for his reproof, and besought his direction and prayers, for he was in a miserable condition of nature; and under the spirit of bondage he lay for a time, till afterwards, and by Mr Midgley's hands also, he received the spirit of adoption, wherewith he was so sealed, that he never lost his assurance to his dying day.

Though he was a man subject to many temptations, the devil assaulting him very much, yet GOD was mightily with him, that out of his own experience he was able to comfort many. He esteemed and counted Mr Midgley ever afterwards for his spiritual father. This makes me think upon Augustine's speech to GOD when he came to hear Ambrose preach, I did not come hither as a doctor, or teacher, but upon another account, I was brought by thee as an ignorant person to him, that I might be led by

• him

< him to thee as one endued with knowledge.' So did the Lord, by Mr Midgley's plain kind of teaching, put forth the evidence of his Spirit, upon this mighty and learned Rabbi. Consequent upon this change, he disposed of his temporal estate amongst his friends, and lived of the gospel, 1 Cor. ix. ¡1, 14.

He was made chaplain to a regiment under the earl of Essex in Ireland, in which capacity he was exceedingly useful. His preaching run evidently in another manner than formerly, opening the depths of Satan, and deceitfulness of the heart, so that he was called the rough-hewer. He had the power of God went with his ministry, when he preached the law to make men tremble, yea sometimes to cry out in the church: And when he preached the gospel, he was another Barnabas, and had great skill in comforting afflicted consciences.

He studied now the controversies between the conformists and the non-conformists; and had such an apprehension of persecution, that he would neither marry nor receive a benefice, though he had the offer of several; but contented himself with being lecturer at a chapel in Lancashire, and domestic chaplain to the earl of Devonshire. A very common expression of his was, "Persecution is a " pledge of future happiness.'

At length he came to spend most part of his time in the bishopric of Durham, by means of an honourable lady, the lady Bowes, afterwards the lady Darcy in the North. She gave about one hundred pounds per annum to maintain preachers where there were none, nor any means for them. She would lay out all her interest to get them, and then she would dispose of them where there needed, in the North, or in the Peak in Derbyshire, or in other places, and allow them pensions. Sir William Bowes her husband dying, his funerals were kept at Barnard's-castle, where he had some estate: Mr Dike (father of the writers of that name) was then her household chaplain, and went into the North to that funeral; at his return he represented the state of the people destitute of a minister to this lady, who would have sent him thither; but he told her he durst not venture on so surly a people, but commended Mr Rothwel to her. She sent to him then at the earl of Devonshire's house, and proffered him this employment; his answer was, "He would go thither, and if the people “called him, he would then accept of her motion.”

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