1 labouring any more, he desired his friends not to pray for the continuance of his life, but "for faith, for patience, for repentance, and for joy in the Holy Ghost. Lord," said he, "cast me down as low as hell in repentance, and lift me up to heaven by faith and confidence in thy salvation." He was full of grace, full of peace, full of assurance. assurance. The Tuesday before he died, he said, "This day sevennight is the day on which we used to remember Christ's nativity, and on this day I have preached Christ. I shall scarcely live to see it. But for me that child was born, and unto me that son was given." He died December 25, 1649, in the seventy-fifth year of his age. Mr. Clark says, "he was a person of a quick invention, a sound judgment, a strong memory, and great learning and piety. He was grave without austerity, pleasant without levity, courteous without hypocrisy, and charitable almost without an equal." Fuller has placed him on the list of learned writers, being fellows of Emanuel college, Cambridge.t His WORKS.-1. Three Sermons, 1615.-2. Death Subdued, 1619. -3. The Guide to True Blessedness, 1650.-4. Divine Charac ters, 1658. FRANCIS WOODCOCK, A. B.-This pious divine was born in the city of Chester, in the year 1614, and educated in Brazen-nose college, Oxford, where he took one degree in arts. He entered into holy orders while at the university, and was episcopally ordained, soon after which he removed from that seat of learning, and had a cure of souls bestowed upon him. Wood says, "he was always puritanically affected;" therefore, upon the commencement of the differences between the king and parliament, he espoused the cause of the latter, and was afterwards chosen one of the assembly of divines, when he assiduously attended during the whole session. Being brought up to London, he was chosen lecturer of St. Lawrence Jewry, and frequently preached at St. Olave's in Southwark, to which he was afterwards appointed minister by an ordinance of parliament, dated July 10, 1646. He took the covenant with the rest of his brethren, and was chosen proctor to the university of Cambridge. He died in the year 1649, aged thirty-five * Clark's Lives annexed to his Martyrologie, p. 205-214. Whitlocke's Mem. p. 220. Neal's Puritans, vol. iii. p. 64. years, and his remains were interred in St. Olave's church. He was esteemed a good scholar and an excellent preacher.. His WORKS.-1. The Two Witnesses, in several Lectures at St. Lawrence Jewry, on Rev. xi., with the great Question discussed, Whether the two Witnesses were slain or no? 1643.-This work was made public by an order from the committee of the house of commons, dated April 27, 1643.-2. Christ's Warning-piece, giving Notice to every one to watch and keep their Garments, delivered in a Sermon at Margaret's, Westminster, before the House of Commons, at their solemn Fast, October 30, 1644-1644.-3. Lex Talionis; or, God paying every Man in his own Coin, a Fast Sermon before the House of Commons, July 30, 1645, on 1 Sam. ii. 30., 1645.-4. Joseph Paralleled by the present Parliament, in his Sufferings and Advancement, a Sermon preached before the House of Commons on their solemn Day of Thanksgiving, Feb. 19, 1645, on Gen. xlix. 23, 24., 1646. EDWARD SYMMONDS, A. M.-This pious man was born at Cottered in Hertfordshire, and educated at Peter-house, Cambridge. Upon his leaving the university, he entered into the ministerial office, and appears to have preached at Fowey in Cornwall. In the year 1630 he became rector of Little Rayne in Essex, where he continued till the commencement of the civil wars. He omitted the use of the cross in baptism and wearing the surplice, for which he was brought before a justice of peace; but whether the prosecution was dropped, or he was punished for this two-fold marvellous crime, we are not able to learn. "His omission of the cross and surplice, and his friendship with Stephen Marshall, plainly intimate," says Dr. Walker, "that he was something inclinable to the puritans ;" and we venture to add, that the former alone sufficiently proves that he was a puritan and a nonconformist. He was nevertheless brought into many troubles during the civil wars, by the committee of scandalous ministers. Appearing before the committee, he was sequestered for preaching and publishing, "That the king, being the supreme magistrate, hath immediate dependence upon God, to whom only he is accountable-that the title of the Lord's anointed is proper and peculiar to the king: that royal birth is equivalent to royal unction: that authority is a sacred thing, and essential to the king's person: that resistance is against the way of God, destructive to the whole law of God, inconsistent with the spirit of the gospel, the perpetual practice of christianity, the calling of ministers, common prudence, the rule of * Wood's Athenæ Oxon, vol. ii. p. 82, 83.-Walker's Attempt, part ii. + Walker's Attempt, part ii. p. 361, p. 6. humanity, nature itself, reason, the oath of allegiance, and even the late protestation." These charges, which Mr. Symmonds acknowledged, are expressed in his own words. He was further charged with having defamed the parliament, affirming, "That the parliament would force the king to comply with their laws: that they raised a force against the king; and that they are not to be obeyed, though they command according to the will of God, if it be not according to the command of the king: and pressing his auditors to believe whatsoever is set forth in the king's declarations; because a divine sentence is in his mouth, and he CANNOT ERR: and that if David's heart smote him for cutting off Saul's garment, what would it have done if he had kept him from his castles, towns, and ships?" For these things, the lords and commons in parliament assembled gave an order, dated March 3, 1642, that his living should be sequestered into the hands of Mr. Robert Atkins, A. M. who was appointed to preach every Lord's day till further order. Mr. Symmonds, besides his sequestration, endured many other hardships. His accusers, if sufficient credit be due to Dr. Walker, were persons of very inferior character. His family experienced some unkind usage; and he was forced to flee for safety into various parts of the kingdom, and at length into France. The doctor, however, is certainly very incorrect in asserting, " that Mr. Symmonds brought all these miseries upon himself, because he could not go hand in hand with them in rebellion." Many of the royal clergy, who intermeddled not with state affairs, but remained neuter, continued in the peaceable possession of their livings. He died in the year 1649, and his remains were interred in St. Peter's church, Paul's-wharf, London. "He was a person of great piety, courage, wisdom, and learning; an excellent and a profitable preacher;" and though he suffered much during the wars, through his zeal for the royal cause, he was so strict in his life, and so plain, piercing, and profitable in preaching, that he was looked upon as a puritan. He published " A loyal Subject's Belief," 1643; and "A Vindication of King Charles." • Walker's Attempt, part i. p. 67, 68. + Ibid. part ii. p. 358–361.-Fuller's Worthies, part ii. p. 29. Lloyd's Memoires, p. 614, 687. ANDREW WYKE was a zealous minister of the baptist persuasion, and apprehended in the county of Suffolk, for preaching and dipping. When he was brought before the committee of the county, to be examined about his authority to preach and the doctrines he delivered, he refused to give any account of either. He alleged, that a freeman of England was not bound to answer any such interrogatories, either to accuse himself or others; but he signified, that if they had any thing against him, they ought to bring forward their charge, and produce their evidence. This was, indeed, 'considered as great obstinacy, and as high contempt of their authority; therefore he was immediately sent to jail. It does not appear how long he remained in prison; but during his confinement a pamphlet was published either by himself or some of his friends, entitled, "The Innocent in Prison Complaining; or, a true Relation of the Proceedings of the Committee of Ipswich and the Committee of Bury St. Edmunds in the county of Suffolk, against Andrew Wyke, a witness of Jesus in the same county, who was committed to prison, June 3, 1646."+ This work gives a circumstantial account of his adversaries' proceedings against him, and exclaims bitterly against the committee for its persecuting principles and illegal conduct. Withholding from others the blessing of christian liberty, came with an ill grace from those persons, who, only a few years before, while they groaned under the iron rod of the tyrannical prelates, had earnestly pleaded for the same blessing. March 16, 1650, Mr. Wyke, together with several others, was committed to prison at Coventry, to be tried for his crimes. He is represented as having kissed a soldier three times, and said, "I breathe the Spirit of God into thee." During his confinement, he preached every Lord's day at the 'gate of the prison, when multitudes of people stood in the street to hear him. But how long his tribulations continued, or when he died, we are not able learn. HENRY TOZER, B. D.-This learned person was born at North-Tawton in Devonshire, in the year 1602, and educated in Exeter college, Oxford, where he took his degrees, and was afterwards chosen sub-rector and fellow of the house. Having entered into the ministerial office, it is said, that he Edwards's Gangræna, part iii. p. 169, 170. + Crosby's Baptists, vol. i. p. 235. Whitlocke's Mem, p. 430, 432. was useful in moderating, reading to novices, and lecturing in the chapel. He was an able and a laborious preacher, had much of the primitive religion in his sermons, and seemed to be a most precise puritan in his looks and life, on which account his sermons and expositions in the churches of St. Giles and St. Martin in Oxford, were much frequented by the puritanical party. In the year 1643, he was nominated one of the assembly of divines, but declined his attendance, "choosing," says Wood, " to remain at Oxford, and preach before the king or parliament, rather than venture himself among rigid Calvinists." He was a noted theologian, and having preached at Christ's Church before his majesty, or at St. Mary's before the parliament, he was appointed by the chancellor of the university, in 1646, to take his doctor's degree; but this in like manner he refused.* Mr. Tozer was a divine of puritan principles; yet, on account of his unshaken loyalty and the use of the Common Prayer, after it was set aside, he experienced some trouble from the opposite party, of which the following account is given by the pen of Dr. Walker:-" Dr. Hakewell having retired from the college, the government," says he," of course devolved upon Mr. Tozer as sub-rector; nor did he betray or disgrace his post, but shewed himself a stout champion against the illegal visitation, boldly and resolutely opposed it, maintained in the highest degree the rights of the college, and made a noble stand in defence of his own freehold, and that of the other fellows, when that mock-reformation was set on foot, after the surrender of the garrison to the parliament." March 21, 1647, I find him upon a citation before the visitors at Merton college, having been accused to them of "continuing the Common Prayer in the college, after the ordinance for the directory came in force: Also of having sent for and admonished one of the house, for refusing to attend the chapel-prayers on that account." He had also constantly shewed" the utmost dislike to those of the parliament faction, and always countenanced and patronized the loyalists of his college. Although the visitors had thought fit to put off the term; yet, as Dr. Fell, the vice-chancellor, had proceeded to open it at the usual time in the university, without any regard to that order, so did Mr. Tozer also in his private college. "These informations," says our author, "the visitors had * Wood's Athenæ Oxon. vol. ii. p. 71, 72. VOL. III. |