"creature, and not worthye of the name of a worme; yet "accepted to serve the Lord and his people. Indeed, my "dear friend, between you and me, you knowe not me; my "weaknesses, my inordinate passions, my unskillfullnesse, "and every way unfitnesse to my worke; yett the Lord, "who will have mercye on whome he will, does as you Pray for me. Salute all christian friendes, though ❝ see. "unknown. "I rest your affectionate friend to serve you, "O. CROMWELL.' Mr. Cotton was a divine indefatigably laborious all his days. He lived under a conviction of that sacred precept, "Be not slothful in business, but fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." He rose early, and commonly studied twelve hours a day, accounting that a scholar's day. He was resolved to wear out, rather than rust out. He was a man of great literary acquirements, and so well acquainted with the Hebrew, that he could converse in it with great ease. He was a most celebrated preacher, delivering the great truths of the gospel with so much gravity and judgment, that his hearers were struck with admiration and reverence; and with so much plainness, that persons of the weakest capacity might understand him. He was remarkable for practical religion and christian benevolence, and his whole life was filled with acts of piety and charity. He was a person of great modesty, humility, and good-nature; and though he was often insulted by angry men, he never expressed the least resentment. A conceited ignorant man once followed him home after sermon, and with frowns told him his preaching was become dark or flat. To whom he meekly replied,Both, brother; it may be both: let me have your prayers that it may be otherwise." At another time, Mr. Cotton being insulted by an impudent fellow in the street, who called him an old fool, replied, "I confess I am so. The Lord make thee and me wiser than we are, even wise unto salvation." We give one instance more. Mr. Cotton having, by the desire of a friend, given his thoughts upon the doctrine of reprobation, against the exceptions of the arminians, the manuscript fell into the hands of the cele brated Dr. Twisse, who published a refutation of it; upon which Mr. Cotton thus modestly observed, "I hope God will give me an opportunity to consider the doctor's labour of love. I bless the Lord, who has made me willing to be • Sloane's MSS. No. 4156. taught by a meaner disciple than such a doctor; whose scholastical acuteness, pregnancy of wit, solidity of judgment, and dexterity of argument, all orthodox divines so highly honour; and before whom all arminians and jesuits fall down in silence. God forbid that I should shut my eyes against any light brought to me by him. Only I desire not to be condemned as a pelagian or arminian before I am heard."* Mr. Cotton often wished not to outlive his work. Herein his desire was granted; for his last illness was very short. Having taken leave of his beloved study, he said to Mrs. Cotton, "I shall go into that room no more." He was desirous to depart, that he might enjoy Christ and the company of glorified saints, particularly his old friends, Preston, Ames, Hildersham, Dod, and others, who had been peculiarly dear to him while he lived. Having set his house in order, and taken a solemn leave of the magistrates and ministers of the colony, who came to see him in his sickness, he sweetly slept in Jesus, December 23, 1652, aged sixty-seven years. His remains were interred with great lamentation and funeral solemnity. He is denominated "an universal scholar, a living system of the liberal arts, and a walking library. He was deeply skilled in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, and an extraordinary theologian."+ Fuller has honoured him with a place among the learned writers and fellows of Emanuel college, Cambridge. Dr. Cotton Mather, the pious historian, was his grandson. His WORKS.-1. The Way of Life, 1641.-2. Doubts of Predestination, 1646.—3. Exposition upon Ecclesiastes and Canticles, 1648. 4. The Way of the Congregational Churches Cleared, 1648.5. Commentary on the First Epistle of John, 1656.-6. Milk for Babes.-7. A Treatise on the New Covenant.-8. Various Sermons. -9. Answer to Mr. Ball about Forms of Prayer.-10. The Grounds and Ends of Infant Baptism.-11. A Discourse upon Singing Psalms. -12. An Abstract of the Laws in Christ's Kingdom, for Civil Government.-13. A Treatise on the Holiness of Church Members. -14. A Discourse on Things Indifferent.-15. The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.-16. Answer to Mr. Cawdry.-17. The Bloody Tenet Washed and made White in the Blood of the Lamb.-18. A Copy of a Letter of Mr. Cotton's of Boston in New England, sent in Answer of certain Objections made against their Discipline and Orders there, directed to a Friend. Mather's Hist. b. iii. p. 26-29. + Ibid. p. 95. WILLIAM LYFORD, B. D.-This worthy divine was born at Peysmore, near Newbury, in Berkshire, about the year 1598, and educated in Magdalen college, Oxford, where he was chosen fellow. While at the university, he entered upon the ministerial function, and in the year 1631 was admitted to the reading of the sentences in the college. Afterwards, by favour of the Earl of Bristol, he became minister of Sherborn in Dorsetshire, where he continued the rest of his days. Upon the commencement of the civil wars he espoused the cause of the parliament; and in 1643 was nominated one of the assembly of divines; but choosing rather to continue in his stated ministerial exercises, he did not sit among them. He was zealous and laborious in the work of the Lord, taking unspeakable pleasure in every duty of the pastoral office. He fed the lambs in Christ's flock, and possessed an excellent talent for catechizing youth, wherein he was eminently useful. Mr. Lyford was a divine of an excellent spirit, and an avowed advocate of peace and moderation. He took no active part in the public broils of the nation; but drew up his thoughts in writing, in a work entitled, "Cases of Conscience propounded in the Time of Rebellion." This work, according to Bishop Kennet, was written with plainness, modesty, and impartiality, in discussion of the three following questions: 1. Whether it be lawful to keep days of public rejoicing and thanksgiving for victories in a civil war?-2. Whether it be lawful for the civil magistrate to impose an act of worship in itself unlawful, or esteemed to be so, on men of a different judgment, especially on a minister, who must needs be not only a passive hearer, but an actor in the business, under temporal pains of sequestration, imprisonment, deprivation, &c. ?-3. Whether a minister performing such an act of worship, upon such a force or fear, or for temporal ends, does perform an acceptHe answered each of these able service unto God?"* questions in the negative, in which he discovered his sentiments relative to the controversies of the day. Mr. Lyford, during his last sickness, looked for the appearance of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." This supported and comforted his mind under a long and painful illness. During the whole of it, his confidence was fixed on Jesus Christ, the rock of ages. In his letters written at this period, he thus expressed himself: "However it may please God to dispose of my health, I rest comfortably assured of his everlasting love to me in his Son Jesus Christ; who loved me and gave himself for me. In the use of the means, I wait to see what the Lord will do with me. I know it will be well with me at last, having so many pledges of his everlasting love to support me. My wasting continues, and my appetite faileth; but my God faileth not. In him, and in contemplation of the great things he hath done for me, and the far greater things he will yet do, I find refreshment." A few days previous to his dissolution, his friends desiring him to give them some account of his hopes and comforts, he cheerfully replied, “I will let you know how it is with me, and on what ground I stand. Here is the grave, the wrath of God and devouring flames, the great punishment of sin, on the one hand; and here am I, a poor sinful creature, on the other: but this is my comfort, the covenant of grace, established upon so many sure promises, hath satisfied all. The act of oblivion passed in heaven is, I will forgive their iniquities, and their sins will I remember no more, saith the Lord. This is the blessed privilege of all within the covenant, of whom I am one. For I find the spirit which is promised bestowed upon me, in the blessed effects of it upon my soul, as the pledge of God's eternal love. By this I know my interest in Christ, who is the foundation of the covenant; and therefore, my sins being laid on him, shall never be charged on me. As the earthly house of his tabernacle was dissolving, with great difficulty, he said, “ My dissolution is more comfortable to me than my marriage-day. Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." And when the trying moment arrived, he cheerfully surrendered his soul into the hands of his dear Redeemer, October 3, 1653, aged fifty-five years, when his remains were interred in the chancel of Sherbourn church.* Fuller observes, that Mr. Lyford was "a man of a pleasant countenance, a courteous carriage, a meek spirit, great modesty, and that his memory is still preserved in his learned works." Wood says, "he joined the presbyterians, was much followed for his edifying and practical preaching, and that his works savour much of piety, zeal, and sincerity, but shew him to have been a zealous Calvinist." Dr. Walker affirms, "that he suffered much from the faction, both in his * Memorials of Mr. Lyford, prefixed to his " Plain Man's Senses Exercised." Edit. 1655. + Fuller's Worthies, part i. p. 96. Wood's Athenæ Oxon, vol. ii. p. 96. name and ministry; and they wondered," says he, "that so holy a man as he was, should doat so much on kings, bishops, the Common Prayer, and ceremonies." He bequeathed, in his last will and testament, the sum of one hundred and twenty pounds to Magdalen college, Oxford," in gratitude for the advantages which he had there enjoyed; and in restitution for a sum of money, which, according to the corrupt custom of those times, he had received for the resignation of his fellowship." Mr. Francis Bamfield, afterwards ejected in 1662, was his successor at Sherborn.‡ His WORKS.-1. Principles of Faith and a Good Conscience, 1642.-2. An Apologie for our Public Ministrie and Infant-Baptism, 1653.-3. The Plain Man's Senses Exercised to discern both Good and Evil; or, a Discovery of the Errors, Heresies, and Blasphemies of these Times, 1655.-4. A Legacy; or, an Help to Young People to prepare them for the Sacrament, 1656.-5. Cases of Conscience, propounded in the time of Rebellion, Resolved, 1661.-6. Conscience Informed, touching our late Thanksgivings, 1651.-7. Sermons on various Occasions. JOHN LATHORP.-This excellent person was minister of Egerton in Kent; but, renouncing his episcopal ordination, was chosen pastor of the independent church, under the care of Mr. Henry Jacob, London, upon Mr. Jacob's retiring to America. This little society, which had hitherto assembled in private, moving from place to place, began about this time to assume courage, and ventured to shew itself in public. It was not long, however, before the congregation was discovered by Tomlinson, the bishop's pursuivant, at the house of Mr. Humphrey Barnet, a brewer's clerk, in Blackfriars ; when, April 29, 1432, forty-two of them were apprehended, and only eighteen escaped. Of those who were taken, some were confined in the Clink, some in New Prison, and others in the Gatehouse, where they continued about two years. They were then released upon bail, except Mr. Lathorp, for whom no favour could for some time be obtained. He, at length, petitioned the king, and his numerous family of children laid their lamentable case at the feet of Archbishop Laud, requesting that he might go into banishment in a foreign land; which being granted, he went to New England, in the year 1634, when he was accompanied by about thirty of his * Walker's Attempt, part ii. p. 419. + Memorial of Mr. Lyford. Wood's Athena, vol. ii. p. 571.-Palmer's Noncon. Mem, vol. ii. P. 419. |