ROBERT DINGLEY, A. M.-This pious minister was the son of Sir John Dingley, by a sister of Dr. Henry Hammond; was born in Surrey, in the year 1619, and educated in Magdalen college, Oxford. Having finished his studies at the university, he took orders, and, according to Wood, became "a strict observer of church ceremonies, and a remarkable bower to the altar when he entered the church." Upon the commencement of the wars, he espoused the cause of the parliament, became an avowed enemy to superstitious ceremonies in divine worship, and a zealous puritan. He was made rector of Brightstone in the Isle of Wight, where he was much followed by those of his own persuasion, for his excellent practical preaching. He was presented to this benefice when Colonel Hammond, his kinsman, was governor of the island. But while Mr. Dingley was thus caressed and followed by his own party, he was hated by the royalists, on account of his activity as assistant to the commissioners of Hampshire, for ejecting ignorant and scandalous ministers and schoolmasters. This is the only crime alleged against him, for which he was even hated by the contrary party. He died at Brightstone, in the year 1659, and his remains were interred in the chancel of his own church. Over his grave was the following monumental inscription erected to his memory:

His WORKS.-1. The Spiritual Taste described: or, a Glimpse of Christ discovered, 1649.-2. The Disputation of Angels: or, the Angel Guardian, 1654.-3. Messiah's Splendour: or, the glimpsed Glory of a Beauteous Christian, 1654.—4. Divine Optics: or, a Treatise of the Eye, discovering the Vices and Virtues thereof, 1655.—5. Philosophical, Historical, and Theological Observations of Thunder, with a more general view of God's wonderful Works, 1658.-6. A Sermon on Job xxvi. 14., 1658.

* Wood's Athenæ Oxon. vol. ii. p. 155.

JOHN ARROWSMITH, D. D.-This learned divine was born at Gateshead, near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, March 29, 1602, educated in St. John's college, Cambridge, and afterwards chosen fellow of Katharine-hall, in the same university. He was elected one of the university preachers, was beneficed at Lynn in Norfolk, afterwards preacher at St. Martin's, Ironmonger's-lane, London, and chosen one of the assembly of divines. He constantly attended during the session; he united with several of his brethren in drawing up the assembly's catechism; and was one of the divines approved by the parliament to be consulted in ecclesiastical matters. April 11, 1644, he was elected master of St. John's college, when Dr. Beale was ejected, in the following manner:"The Right Honourable Edward Earl of Manchester, in pursuance of an ordinance of parliament, for regulating and into reforming the university of Cambridge, came in person the chapel of St. John's college, and, by the authority to him committed, did, in the presence of all the fellows then resident, declare and publish Mr. John Arrowsmith to be constituted master of the said college in room of Dr. Beale, late master there, but now justly and lawfully ejected: requiring him the said John Arrowsmith, then present, to take upon him the said place, and did put him into the said master's seat or stall, within the said chapel: and did likewise straitly charge all, and every of the fellows, &c. to acknowledge him to be actually master of the college, and sufficiently authorized to execute the said office."

Upon his admission, he was required to make and subscribe a solemn declaration, of which the following is a copy:t

"I, John Arrowsmith, being called and constituted by the Right Honourable Edward, Earl of Manchester, (who is authorized thereto by an ordinance of parliament,) to be master of St. John's college, in the university of Cambridge, with the approbation of the assembly of divines now sitting at Westminster, do solemnly and seriously promise, in the presence of Almighty God, the searcher of all hearts, that, during the time of my continuance in that charge, I shall faithfully labour to promote piety and learning in myself, the fellows, scholars, and students, that do or shall belong to the said college, agreeably to the late solemn national league and covenant by me sworn and subscribed, with respect to all the good and wholesome statutes of the said college, and of the university, correspondent to the said covenant; and by all + Ibid. vol. xii. p. 169, 170.

* Baker's MS. Collec. vol. i. p. 265.

means to procure the welfare and perfect reformation both of that college and university, so far as to me appertains. "JOHN ARROWSMITH."

During the above year he was one of the committee of learned divines, which united with a committee of the lords and commons, to treat with the commissioners of the church of Scotland, concerning an agreement in matters of religion. He took his doctor's degree in the year 1647, and was chosen vice-chancellor of the university the same year. In the year 1651 he was elected regius professor of divinity, upon the death of Dr. Collins, who had filled the chair many years; and was at the same time presented to the rectory of Somersham. In 1653, upon the death of Dr. Hill, he was chosen master of Trinity college, Cambridge, when he was succeeded at St. John's by Dr. Tuckney; and, in 1655, he resigned his professorship, in which office he was succeeded by the same person. He was appointed one of the tryers, and one of the preachers before the parliament. He was a man of unexceptionable character, and of great learning and piety; an acute disputant, a judicious divine, and an excellent author, as appears from the learned productions of his pen, which gained him great reputation. He died in February, 1659, aged fifty-seven years, and his remains were interred in Trinity college chapel, the 24th of the same month.6

Mr. Neal having observed that the learning and piety of our divine were unexceptionable, Dr. Grey adds, “And had our learned historian added, that he was an eminent preacher, and famed for his flowers of rhetoric, I could have helped him to passages in support of such an assertion." He then enumerates the passages as follows:-"You have endeavoured," says he, "to fence this vineyard with a settled militia, to gather out the malignants as stones, to plant it with men of piety and truth, as choice vines, to build the towers of a powerful ministry in the midst of it, and to make a winepress for the squeezing of malignants.-The main work of the spirit of grace is to negociate the treaty of a match betwixt the Lord Jesus and the coy souls of men.-It is a spiritual affection that hath the Holy Ghost for its father, faith for its mother, prayer for its midwife, the word for its nurse, sincerity for its keeper, and trembling for its handmaid.-After some overtures of a match in the reign of king Henry VIII.,

Papers of Accom. p. 13.

+ Baker's MS. Collec. vol. i. p. 265,

Kennet's Chronicle, p. 601, 985. Wood's Athenæ, vol. ii. p. 371.-Calamy's Account, vol. ii. p. 78, 294.-Baker's MS, Collec. vol. i. p. 265.

the reformed church in this kingdom was solemnly married to Jesus Christ, when the sceptre was swayed by Edward VI. That godly young prince (as became the bridegroom's friend) rejoicing greatly, because of the bridegroom's voice. The famous nine and thirty articles of her confession then framed, were an evident sign of her being with child, and that a thorough reformation was then conceived, though but conceived. Many and sore were the breeding fits she conflicted with in Queen Mary's days, and such as gave occasion to fear she would have miscarried."*

In another place, says Dr. Grey, "I shall take the liberty of adding a character of the assembly of divines, from a right reverend bishop of those times ;" and then cites his lordship's words as follows:-" You may judge of them," says the bishop, "by their compeers, Goodwin, Burroughs, Arrowsmith, and the rest of their ignorant, factious, and schismatical ministers, that, together with those intruding mechanics, (who without any calling from God or man, do step from their botcher's board, or horses' stable, into the preacher's pulpit,) are the bellows which blow up this fire, that threatened the destruction of this land."+

The reproachful insinuations of the doctor and the learned prelate are sufficiently refuted from the following account of Dr. Arrowsmith, given by one who appears to have been well acquainted with him:-" He was a burning and a shining light; who, by his indefatigable study of the sublime mysteries of the gospel, spent himself to the utmost, to explicate the darkest places of scripture. This he did with a view to enlighten others in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. He was a holy and learned divine; firm and zealous in his attachment to the cause of Christ, from which no worldly allurement would shake his faith, or move his confidence. He was a man of a thousand. Those who best knew him could give testimony of his diligence, his zeal, his integrity. His public ministry discovered his great dexterity, sound judgment, admirable learning, and indefatigable labours. His soul aspired after more than his weak and sickly body was able to perform. He put forth his energy beyond his strength to do good."

His WORKS.-1. The Covenant-avenging Sword Brandished, in a Sermon before the Honourable House of Commons, at their late

• Grey's Examination, vol. ii. p. 156. Arrowsmith's God-Man, Pref. Edit. 1660.

+ Ibid. p. 91.

solemn Fast, Jan. 25, 1643-1643.-2. England's Eben-ezer; or, Stone of Help set up in thankful acknowledgment of the Lord's having helped us hitherto, in a Sermon preached to both Houses of Parliament at Christ's Church, London, March 12, 1645—1645.— 3. A Chain of Principles; or, an Ordinary Concatenation of theological Aphorisms and Exercitations, 1659.-4. God-Man, 1660.— 5. A Great Wonder in Heaven.-6. Tracta Sacra.

PETER BULKLY, B. D.-This excellent person was born at Odell in Bedfordshire, January 31, 1582, and educated in St. John's college, Cambridge, where he was chosen fellow. He had a considerable estate left him by his father, Dr. Edward Bulkly, whom he succeeded in the ministry at the place of his birth. By favour of the excellent Bishop Williams, who connived at his nonconformity, as he had done at the nonconformity of his venerable father, he continued unmolested upwards of twenty years. Towards the close of this period, his ministry was attended with wonderful success in the conversion of souls. But information was no sooner given to Archbishop Laud than he was immediately silenced for nonconformity. His mouth being stopped, and having no further prospect of ministerial usefulness in his own country, he sold his estate, and, in 1635, went to New England. He took with him a considerable number of planters, who, upon their arrival, settled at a place which they called Concord. There he gathered a church, became its worthy pastor, and expended a large estate, while most of his servants got estates under him. It was his custom, when any one had lived with him a certain number of years, to dismiss him from his service, and fix him in a comfortable situation, and so take another in his room.

Mr. Bulkly was author of "The Gospel Covenant opened," of which the pious Mr. Shepard has given the following account: "The church of God," says he," is bound to bless God for the holy, judicious, and learned labours of this aged, experienced, and precious servant of Jesus Christ; who hath taken much pains to discover, in demonstration and evidence of the Spirit, the great mystery of godliness wrapt up in the covenant; and hath now fully opened many knotty questions concerning the same, which have not been brought so fully to light until now." The work passed through several editions,

Dr. Bulkly was a faithful minister of the gospel, and a person of distinguished eminence. He made additions to Fox's" Acts and Monuments of the Martyrs."-See Fox's Martyrs, vol. iii. p. 861-863. + Mather's Hist, of New Eng. b. iii. p. 96.

‡ Ibid. p. 97.