following curious and amusing account of him: "This Master Feake, within this twelvemonth, was preacher in London, and hath preached many strange and odd things at Peter's in Cornhill, besides Wool-church, and other places: as, for separation from our assemblies, expressing_many heterodox things about mixed communion at the Lord's supper, against maintenance of ministers by tithes; and, in sermons and prayers, hath had many flings at the assembly; but now is preacher in the town of Hertford, and in All-saints, the greatest parish and church of that town, being put into a sequestrated living by the power of some of the independents. As for his carriage at Hertford, where he hath preached since last January, it hath been as follows: His preaching and praying shews him to be no friend to the assembly, nor to the directory; he hath never used the Lord's prayer since he went thither, but hath preached against the use of it as a prayer. It is observed of him by understanding men, his auditors, that they never heard him appoint or sing a psalm; he reads but one chapter, or a piece of a chapter, and hath not baptized any since his going. One of the committee, a justice of peace, put up some articles against him at the assizes at Hertford, to both judges then on the bench. The first was this,That God would destroy not only unlawful government, but lawful government, not only the abuse, but the use of it; and as he had begun to destroy it in England, so would he, by raising combustions in the bowels of France and Spain; and that he would destroy aristocracy in Holland, for tolerating arminianism.' When he denied the words, one being present and asked, affirmed him to have preached thus; and there are found four others, understanding men and of good worth, who will testify the same. When Master Feake explained himself before the judges, that there was in monarchy and aristocracy an enmity against Christ, which he would destroy; and as he was preaching, some turbulent fellows and sectaries clambered up by the bench, and cried out, My lord, my lord, Mr. Pr. doth it in malice: we will maintain our minister with our blood.' Whereupon the judge threw away the paper, and said he would hear no more of it, though he had before commanded Master Eldred to read openly all those heterodoxies. The Lord's day following Master Feake in the pulpit endeavoured to answer all the articles put up against him to the judges, in a great auditory." * Edwards's Gangræna, part iii. p. 81, 147, 148. Upon the sequestration of Mr. William Jenkin he became minister of Christ's church, London, and afterwards one of the lecturers at Blackfriars; but was most violent against Cromwell's government. He is denominated a bold and crafty orator, of high reputation among the anabaptists. He preached with great bitterness against the civil adininistration during the commonwealth, but especially against the protector, calling him "the man of sin, the old dragon, and the most dissembling and perjured villain in the world," and desired, that if any of his friends were present, they would go and tell him what he said.t The protector, therefore, to support his own authority, ordered him to be taken into custody. He was apprehended in the year 1653, when he was carried before Cromwell and the council, and committed prisoner to Windsor-castle.t The baptists, disliking the proceedings of government, protested against them in a work entitled, " A Declaration of several of the Churches of Christ, and godly people in and about the city of London, concerning the kingly interest of Christ, and the present sufferings of his cause and saints in England," 1654. In this piece they declare, "That they value the churches of Christ, which are the lot of God's inheritance, a thousand times beyond their own lives; that it is their duty to persevere therein to the utmost hazard of their lives; that the Lord made them instruments to vex all in his sore displeasure, who take counsel against Christ, whom the Lord hath anointed and decreed king; and that they were not merely the servants of man; and that they not only proclaimed Jesus. Christ to be king, but that they would submit to him alone upon his own terms, and admit him only to the exercise of his royal authority." This declaration was subscribed by a great number of persons; ten of whom are said to be "of the church that walks with Mr. Feake, now close prisoner for this cause of Christ, at Windsor-castle." He remained under confinement several years; was in prison in 1655; but enjoyed his liberty in 1657|| These tribulations did not cause him to desist from his public labours. For he was no sooner released from prison than he renewed his ministerial exercise, and was preacher in the city, most probably at various places, in the year 1658;¶ but when he died we are not able Kennet's Chronicle, p. 793. + Thurloe's State Papers, vol. i. p. 621. Ibid, vol. ii. p. 67 § Declaration, p. 9, 21. Thurloe's State Papers, vol. iii. p. 485. v. 755. to learn. He was author of several pieces, the titles of which have not come to our knowledge. RALPH PARTRIDGE was a most worthy minister, and a great sufferer from the persecuting prelates. He was hunted by the severity of the bishops, as he used to express it, "like a partridge upon the mountains, till at last he was resolved to get out of their reach, and took flight to New England." Upon his arrival, he settled at Duxbury in the colony of Plymouth, and was held in very high repute through the country. The synod of Cambridge, in 1648, made choice of him, together with Mr. Cotton and Mr. Mather, to draw up their model of church government. He was a person of great humility and self-denial, and always content with the meanest circumstances. When most of the ministers of Plymouth colony left their places, on account of their want of a sufficient maintenance, this good man continued with his people to the last. He lived a pious and unblamable life, possessed a grave and solid judgment, was famous in disputation, and much honoured and beloved by all who knew him. This excellent servant of Christ was scarcely ever interrupted in his ministry by bodily sickness, during the period of forty years. He died in a good old age, in the year 1658.+ SYDRACH SYMPSON, B. D.-This meek and quiet divine received his education in the university of Cambridge, and afterwards became a celebrated preacher in London. He was appointed curate and lecturer of St. Margaret's church, Fish-street; but his preaching soon gave offence to Archbishop Laud, who, in his metropolitical visitation, in the year 1635, convened him before him, with several other divines, for breach of canons. Most of them having promised submission, they were dismissed. By the intemperate superstition and bigotry of Laud, and the violence with which he exacted conformity, many eminent divines were driven out of the kingdom. Among these were Mr. (afterwards Dr.) Thomas Goodwin, Mr. Philip Nye, Mr. Jeremiah Bur-. roughs, Mr. William Bridge, and Mr. Sympson. They all retired to Holland, and were afterwards denominated the five pillars of the independent or congregational party; and, in * Mather's Hist. of New England, b. iii. p. 99. + Morton's Memorial, p. 153. Wharton's Troubles of Laud, vol. i. p. 536. the assembly of divines, were distinguished by the name of the dissenting brethren. Upon Mr. Sympson's arrival in Holland, he went to Rotterdam; and beholding the good order of the English church at that place, under the pastoral care of Mr. Bridge, he desired to become a member; and, upon delivering his confession of faith, was received into their communion. After some time, Mr. Sympson discovered certain things in the church which he did not well approve; and urged the utility of prophesyings, that, after sermon on the Lord's day, the people might express their doubts, and propose questions to the ministers, with a view to their better edification. This, however, with some other things, produced a misunderstanding betwixt Mr. Bridge and Mr. Sympson; which, at length, caused the latter even to separate himself from the church, and begin a new interest. This new society had, indeed, a very small beginning, but afterwards, through the blessing of God, it became very considerable.+ Mr. Joseph Symonds, another persecuted puritan, succeeded him in the office of pastor to this church.t About the commencement of the civil war Mr. Sympson returned to England; and in the year 1643 was chosen one of the assembly of divines, and he constantly attended during the session. In all their debates he conducted himself with great temper and moderation. He was one of the five divines who published and presented to the house of commons, in 1643," An Apologetical Narration submitted to the Honourable Houses of Parliament," in favour of the independents. In the year 1645 he was appointed one of the committee of accommodation. In the year 1647 he united with his dissenting brethren in presenting their reasons to the houses of parliament, against certain parts of the presbyterian government. In the year 1650 he was appointed, by the parliamentary visitors, master of Pembroke-hall, Cambridge, in the room of Mr. Vines, who was turned out for refusing the engagement. In 1654 he was chosen a member of the committee for drawing up a catalogue of fundamentals, to be presented to the parliament. During the same year he was constituted, by order of the council, one of the commissioners. for the approbation of public preachers; these commissioners were commonly distinguished by the name of tryers. In Neal's Puritans, vol. iii. p. 317. + Edwards's Antapologia, p. 142, 143. Bailie's Dissuasive, p. 77. Papers of Accom, p. 13. Reasons of Dissenting Brethren, p. 40, 133, 192. 1655 he was appointed, by a commission from the protector Cromwell, one of the new visitors of the university of Cambridge. During the long parliament he gathered a church and congregation in London, upon the plan of the independents, which assembled in Abchurch, near Cannon-street. Mr. Sympson was a divine of considerable learning, of great piety and devotion, and a celebrated preacher. Dr. Grey calls him a celebrated preacher of rebellious principles; which is plain, says he, from the following passage in one of his sermons: "Reformation is liable to inhuman treacheries. Pharaoh's dealing was very treacherous. He bade the people go; gave them liberty by proclamation; and when he had got them at an advantage, he brought up an army to cut them off. The reforming of the church will meet with such kind of enemies." If the learned doctor had not been in the constant practice of ascribing rebellion to the puritan divines, he would have found some difficulty in discovering rebellious principles from this passage. And so far from appearing plain from the passage, that he was a celebrated preacher of those principles, we think it would puzzle all the learning of the two universities of Oxford and Cambridge to make the discovery. Mr. Edwards censures him for attempting to propagate his own sentiments relative to church discipline, liberty of conscience, and universal toleration. In his last sickness, he laboured under spiritual darkness and some melancholy apprehensions; on which account certain of his friends and brethren assembled at his house to assist him. with their prayers. When they took their leave of him, he thanked them, and said, he was now satisfied in his soul, and lifting up his hands towards heaven, exclaimed, "He is he is come!" and died the same evening. This was in the year 1658. Mr. Sympson published several sermons preached before the parliament, one of which is entitled, "Reformation's Preservation, opened in a Sermon preached at Westminster before the Honourable House of Commons, He was author at the late solemn Fast, July 26, 1643." of some other pieces, the titles of which have not reached come, us. * Sylvester's Life of Baxter, part ii. p. 197.-Neal's Puritans, vol. iv. p. 27, 183. + Grey's Examination, vol. i. p. 188. ‡ Antapologia, p. 215, 216, |