them in composing their differences with England, in the time of Cromwell. Mr. Peters, during his imprisonment, wrote certain papers, as a legacy to his daughter, which were afterwards published, from which some parts of this memoir have been extracted. Though a comfortable annual maintenance was conferred upon him by the parliament, he was deprived of all at the restoration; and Mrs. Peters, who lived many years after his death, was wholly dependent upon her friends for support.+ His WORKS.-1. God's Doings, and Man's Duty, opened in a Sermon preached before the House of Commons, the Lord Mayor, and the Assembly of Divines, 1646.—2. Peters's Last Report of the English Wars, occasioned by the Importunity of a Friend, pressing an Answer to some Queries, 1646.-3. A Word for the Army, and two Words for the Kingdom, to clear the one and cure the other, forced in much Plainness and Brevity from their faithful Servant, Hugh Peters, 1647.-4. Good Work for a Good Magistrate, or a short Cut to a great Quiet, 1651.-5. Some Notes of a Sermon preached the 14th of October, 1660, in the Prison of Newgate, after his Condemnation, 1660.-6. A Dying Father's Last Legacy to an only Child; or, Mr. Hugh Peters's Advice to his Daughter, written by his own hand, during his late imprisonment in the Tower of London, and given her a little before his death, 1660.-The portrait of Mr. Peters is prefixed to this little work. JOHN DURY.-This zealous divine was born in Scotland, but sojourned some time in the university of Oxford, particularly for the benefit of the public library. He was there in the year 1624, but it does not appear how long he continued. Afterwards, he travelled into various foreign countries, particularly through most parts of Germany, where he visited the recesses of the muses. By long continuance in foreign parts, he spoke the German language so fluently, that, upon his return to England, he was taken for a native German. Our author adds, that he was by pro Ludlow's Memoirs, p. 407. + Mr. John Knowles, in a letter to the governor of New England, dated July 6, 1677, thus observes :-" There is another trouble which I presume "to put upon you, that is, to speak to the Reverend Mr. Higginson, pastor "of Salem, to move that congregation to do something for the maintenance "of Mrs. Peters; who, since her husband suffered here, hath depended wholly upon Mr. Cockquaine, and that church whereof he is pastor. "I fear she will be forced to seek her living in the streets if some course ❝be not taken for her relief, either by Mr. Higginson, Mr. Oxenbridge, or some other sympathizing minister."-Massachusels Papers, p. 514. VOL. III. 2 B fession a divine and a preacher, but whether he took orders according to the church of England, which he always scrupled, doth not appear. However, these scruples, by some means or other, he overcame. For, though he had been ordained in one of the foreign reformed churches, he was required to be re-ordained before he could be admitted to a benefice in England; and, accordingly, submitted to the renewal of this ceremony under the hands of Bishop Hall of Exeter.+ Mr. Dury was for many years employed in a design of promoting a reconciliation between the Calvinists and Lutherans abroad; or, as he used to express it, "for making and settling a protestant union and peace in the churches beyond the seas." We shall give an account of this object, in the words of one who warmly censures both Mr. Dury and his undertaking. "He made a remarkable figure in his time, by running with an enthusiastic zeal for uniting the Lutherans and Calvinists. He was so strongly possessed with the hopes of success, that he applied to his superiors for a dispensation of nonresidence upon his living, in order to travel through the christian world to accomplish the design. And he not only procured a license for the purpose, but obtained the approbation and recommendation of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and was assisted by Bishop Hall, and the Bishop of Kilmore in Ireland. He began by publishing his plan of an union in 1634; and, the same year, appeared at a famous assembly of Lutherans at Frankfort in Germany. The churches also of Transylvania sent him their advice and counsel the same year; and he afterwards negociated with the divines of Sweden and Denmark. He directed his attention to every quarter. He consulted the universities, communicated their answers, and was not discouraged by the ill success which he met with. He conferred with the learned divines in most of the places on the continent, and obtained their approbation of his design. His project, however, was much ridiculed: * Wood's Athenæ Oxon. vol. i. p. 849, 850. + Prynne's Cant. Doome, p. 390. Archbishop Laud made mention of this circumstance at his trial. But although he at first espoused Mr. Dury's undertaking, he appears afterwards to have thrown some difficulties in the way.--Ibid. p. 539, 541. Bishop Bedell of Kilmore, who loved to bring men into the communion of the church of England, but did not like compelling them, was of opinion, that protestants would agree well enough if they could be brought to understand each other. He was therefore induced to promote Mr. Dury's design, and, towards defraying the expenses of which, he subscribed twenty pounds a year.-Biog. Britan. vol. ii. p. 136. Edit. 1779. but this only served to inflame his zeal. He afterwards endeavoured to unite, not only the Lutherans and Calvinists, To this end, he but even the whole christian world. travelled through many parts of Germany, where he was cordially received and liberally entertained. He seems to have been an honest man, but enthusiastical. His notions were but idle fancies, and his scheme was equally wild and impracticable." Notwithstanding the censures of the above writer, it is manifest that Mr. Dury's undertaking received the warmest patronage and encouragement of many celebrated divines. In the year 1635 he exchanged several letters upon the subject with the learned Mr. Joseph Mede. He first solicited this celebrated scholar to give his thoughts upon the best method of pursuing the design; and then stated the method in which he had addressed the Batavian churches, desiring his remarks upon it. Mr. Mede most cordially approved of his endeavour to promote a pacification, but He commended Mr. Dury's was doubtful of its success. method of addressing the foreign churches; owned his good intentions; and spoke of his abilities in terms of the "From his wisdom and abilities highest approbation. therein," says he, "I am fitter to receive knowledge and instruction than to censure or give direction."+ Mr. Dury communicated his design to the most celebrated divines of New England, who signified their hearty concurrence in the generous undertaking. And Mr. Baxter observes, that "Mr. Dury having spent thirty years in his endeavours to reconcile the Lutherans and Calvinists, was again going abroad upon that work, and desired the judgment of our association how it might be most successfully accomplished; upon which, at their desire, I drew up a letter more largely in Latin, and more briefly in English." Upon the commencement of the civil wars, Mr. Dury espoused the cause of the parliament, and was chosen one of the superadded members to the assembly of divines. He took the covenant with the rest of his brethren, and was appointed one of the committee of accommodation. It is said, that he afterwards joined the independents, took the engagement, and all other oaths that followed to the restoration. He was certainly a man of a most worthy character, Biog. Britan. vol. vii. p. 4383. Edit. 1747. + Mede's Works, p. 804, 863-866. Wood's Athenæ Oxon. vol. i. p. 850. and was exceedingly revered and beloved by numerous per sons highly distinguished for learning and piety; among whom, it would be a great omission not to mention the famous Sir Robert Boyle, who was his kind friend.* In the great design of promoting concord among christians, he discovered a most excellent spirit, and was indefatigably laborious. Though he was not so successful as the best of christians desired, his endeavours were certainly useful. Through the whole, he acted upon the most generous and worthy principles. This will appear from his letter, dated July, 1660, addressed to the Lord Chancellor Hide; which was as follows: "My Lord, "In the application which I made to your honour when you were at the Hague, I offered the fruit of my thirty years labours towards healing the breaches of protestants; and this I did as one who never had served the turn of any party, or have been biassed by particular interests for any advantage to myself; but walking in the light by rules and principles, have stood free from all in matters of strife, to be able to serve through love. My way hath been, and is, to solicit the means of peace and truth amongst the dissenting parties, to do good offices, and to quiet their discontents, and I must still continue in this way if I should be useful. But not being rightly understood in my aims and principles, I have been constrained to give this brief account thereof, as well to rectify the misconstruction of former actings, as to prevent further mistakes concerning my way that such as love not to foment prejudices may be clear in their thoughts concerning me; and may know where to find me, if they would discern me or any of the talents which God hath bestowed upon me for the public welfare of his churches, which is my whole aim; and wherein I hope to persevere unto the end, as the Lord shall enable me, to be without offence unto all, with a sincere purpose to approve myself to his majesty in all faithfulness. "Your lordship's most humble servant in Christ, During the same month he sent another letter, giving an account of certain proceedings relative to the universal pacification among christians. It was addressed to the Earl of Manchester, lord chamberlain of his majesty's * Biog. Britan. vol. ii. p. 497. Edit. 1778. kousehold. The author now cited denominates Mr. Dury "the Lithuanian scholar," and observes that in December, 1660, he was presented, by favour of the Earl of Manchester, with so much of the Lithuanian Bible as was then printed, which was down to the Chronicles.+ Thus, Mr. Dury lived till after the restoration, but does not appear to have conformed, nor yet to have been ejected. Every thing seems to have given way to his favourite object; therefore he most probably discontinued his stated minis-/ terial exercises some time before this period. His WORKS.-1. Consultatio Theologica super negotio pacis Ecclesiast, 1641.-2. Epistolary Discourse to Tho. Goodwin, Ph. Nye, and Sam. Hartlib, 1642.-3. Of Presbytery and Independency, 1646. -4. Model of Church Government, 1647.-5. Peace-maker the Gospel way, 1648.-6. Seasonable Discourse for Reformation, 1649.7. The reformed School, 1650.-8. The reformed Library-Keeper, 1650.-9. Bibliotheca Augusta sereniss. Princ. D. Augusti Ducis Brunovicensis etc., 1650.-10. The unchanged, constant, and singlehearted Peace-maker drawn forth into the World: or, a Vindication of John Dury from the Aspersions cast upon him in a nameless Pamphlet, called, The time-serving Proteus, and ambidexter Divine, uncased to the World,' 1650.-11. Supplement to the reformed School, 1651.-12. Earnest Plea for Gospel Communion, 1654.-13. A Summary Platform of Divinity, 1654.-14. A Declaration of John Dury to make known the Truth of his Way and Deportment in all these Times of Trouble, 1660.-15. Irenicorum Tractatuum Prodromus, 1662.-And some others. HENRY WHITFIELD was the son of an eminent lawyer; and, his father designing him for the law, he was educated first in one of the universities, then at the inns of court. He was inclined to religion from a child; and as he grew up to years of maturity, being desirous to be employed in preaching the gospel, he gave up all thoughts of the law, and entered upon the ministerial function. He became minister of Ockham in Surrey; at which place, as also in the adjacent country, his labours were wonderfully blessed in the conversion of souls. During the period of twenty years he remained a conformist, but was highly esteemed by all pious nonconformists, many of whom, under the molestations and persecutions of the bishops, were sheltered under his roof. At length, however, upon mature investigation and thorough conviction, he could no longer conform to the church of England. This soon brought him into those * Kennet's Chronicle, p. 197, 198. + Ibid. p. 868. |