Blanchard, and Hodson, at the suit of the said Peter Smart about ten years since." On January 22nd, Mr. Rouse presented the report of the committee concerning Mr. Smart to the house of commons, upon which the house resolved: 1. "That the several proceedings of the high commission court of York and Canterbury, against Mr. Smart, and the several fines by them imposed upon him, are illegal and unjust, and ought not to bind. 2. "That the degradation of Mr. Smart, and his deprivation from his prebend, and other ecclesiastical livings, are unjust and illegal; and that he ought to be restored to all of them, together with the mean profits. 3. "That Dr. Cosins and others, the prosecutors of Mr. Smart, ought to make him satisfaction for his damages sustained. 4. "That Dr. Cosins (a chief actor in Mr. Smart's prosecution) is guilty of bringing superstitious innovations into the church, tending to idolatry; and of speaking scandalous and malicious words against his majesty's supremacy and the religion established. 5. "That Dr. Cosins is, in the opinion of this house, unfit and unworthy to be a governor in either of the universities, or to continue any longer head or governor of any college, or to hold and enjoy any ecclesiastical promotions."* The house then referred it to the committee, to prepare such things as might be thought fit to be transmitted to the house of lords concerning Dr. Cosins; and also to consider of the most proper way of making Mr. Smart reparations for the damages he had sustained. When Mr. Rouse delivered the charge against Dr. Cosins, at the bar of the house of lords, he said, among other things, "That by the arms of the priests Mr. Smart had been oppressed and rumed. He fell upon their superstitions and innovations, and they fell upon him with their arms; they beat him down; yea, they pulled him up by the roots, taking away all the means of his support; yet leaving him life to feel his miseries. There is no cruelty like priestly cruelty; and this cruelty cast him into long continued misery, whence he could obtain no release by any priestly mercy. And now it is prayed, that as these delinquents, by their cruel oppressions of Mr. Smart, have advanced the cause of popery, so they may in a suitable degree be punished; that in them priestly cruelty, and the * Rushworth's Collec, vol. v. p. 41, 136, 152.-Nalson's Collec, vol. i. p. 733, 734. very cause of popery, may appear to be punished and suppressed; and Mr. Smart, suffering for the cause of protestancy, may be so repaired, that in him pious constancy, and the cause of protestancy, may appear to be righted and repaired." Mr. Rouse, in a speech before the house of commons, March 16, 1640, denominated Mr. Smart" the protomartyr;" and he was usually called, "the protomartyr in these latter days of persecution."+ Mr. Smart, therefore, received some reparations for damages, but whether adequate to his losses and sufferings, is extremely doubtful. His case was several times before the lords, who passed various orders in favour of his reparations. By an order which they passed in 1642, he was restored to his prebend in Durham, and presented to the vicarage of Acliff in that county. In 1644 he was witness against Archbishop Laud at his trial, and was living October 31, 1648, being then seventy-nine years of age. Mr. Smart was a tolerable poet, a pious and judicious minister, a reverend and grave divine, and a zealous enemy to superstition; but his enemies say, that he was of a most forward, fierce, and ungovernable spirit; and that he was justly imprisoned and duly rewarded for his excessive obstinacy.** This, however, is the first time we have heard that excessive obstinacy was duly rewarded thus. It is said, " he had not preached in the cathedral church at Durham, though a prebendary of it, for seven years, till he preached that seditious sermon for which he was questioned. And while he held and enjoyed his preferment, and his health too, he seldom preached more than This account comes from one of his once or twice a year." prosecutors, being his bitter enemy; and appears extremely suspicious. For if Mr. Smart had been so indolent and inattentive to his ministerial function as here represented, how was it that he gained so high a reputation among his brethren? The puritans, it is well known, invariably abhorred the conduct of idle, worldly shepherds, over the flock of Christ.++ His WORKS.-1. The Vanity and Downfal of Superstition and Popish Ceremonies, in two sermons, in the cathedral church of Durham, preached in July 1628, printed 1628.-2. A brief but true * Rushworth's Collec. vol. v. p. 211. + Grey's Examination, vol. i. p. 119.-Wood's Athenæ Oxon. vol. ii.p. 12. Nalson's Collec. vol. ii. p. 406.-Neal's Puritans, vol. ii. p. 202. I Prynne's Cant, Doome, p. 93.-Wood's Athene Oxon. vol. ii, p, 12. ++ Biographia Britan. vol. iv. p. 283. Edit. 1778, historical Narrative of some notorious Acts and Speeches of Mr. John Cozens, and some other of his Companions, contracted into Articles.-3. Various Poems in Latin and English.-4. Various Letters. RICHARD BLACKERBY.-This eminently holy and learned divine was born at Worlington in Suffolk, in the year 1574, and educated in Trinity college, Cambridge, where he continued nine years, and made amazing attainments in useful literature. Here he sat under the ministry of the famous Mr. Perkins, by means of whose preaching he was effectually converted to God. For several years he laboured under the most painful awakenings of conscience, approaching almost to melancholy. While he was groaning under these convictions, his father, who was unconscious of the cause of his dejection, called him home, hoping that a change of air might remove his complaint; but his father was not aware of his disease, and the remedy proved ineffectual. Afterwards, he found peace with God, and enjoyed comfort in his own soul, through faith in Jesus Christ, which he never lost to his dying day. Upon his leaving the university, he became domestic chaplain first to Sir Thomas Jermin of Rushbrook in Suffolk, then to Sir Edward Lukenor* of Denham in the same county. Here he continued till he married the daughter of Mr. Timothy Oldman, minister of Denham, whose father was greatly persecuted, and at length forced to abscond, in the days of Queen Mary. Mr. Blackerby, after remaining two years with his father-in-law, was called to preach at Feltwell in Norfolk. In this situation he continued some time, but, on account of his nonconformity, was at last obliged to remove to Ashdon in Essex, where he abode twenty-three years, and was employed in the education of youth. Some of his scholars became men of considerable eminence. Bernard, whom he recommended to Archbishop Usher, and who afterwards became that learned prelate's chaplain and wrote his life, was one of them. Although Mr. Blackerby, on account of his nonconformity, could not, with a good conscience, accept of any ecclesiastical preferment, or undertake any pastoral charge, within the pale of the national church, yet he constantly preached at one place or another, as he found opportunity. During the last ten years of the Dr. * Sir Edward was member in several parliaments, and a person of considerable eminence. He was a gentleman of great piety, an able patriot, a zealous promoter of a further reformation, and a great friend to the persecuted nonconformists.-MS. Chronology, vol. ii. p. 593. (2.) above period, he preached regularly at Henningham in Essex, or Stoke, or Hundon in Suffolk.* Mr. Blackerby was a man of a most holy and exemplary character, as will appear from the account given of him by Mr. Clark." During his long life," says this author," he never seemed to lose one moment of time in idleness. As a wise man, he spent all his leisure hours in providing for immortality. He rose early, both winter and summer, and spent the whole day in reading, meditation, prayer, and the instruction of others. He was remarkably punctual and conscientious in the observance of family religion. He instructed his pupils daily in true christian piety and useful learning, and walked before them continually in wisdom, love, and true holiness. Young students, upon their leaving the university, put themselves under his tuition, to be further prepared for the public ministry; to whom he taught Hebrew, opened the scriptures, read divinity, and gave excellent instructions relative to learning, doctrine, and future life." In his public ministry, when he was suspended in one place, he fled to another. By this means, though he lived in hard times, he was seldom kept silent for any considerable period. His method in preaching consisted chiefly in opening the meaning of scripture, and in making appropriate observations, followed with a close application. He studied hard to understand the scriptures, had great skill in the original, and lived much in holy converse with God. His preaching was accompanied with so abundant an out-pouring of the Spirit, that he had reason to believe God made him the spiritual father of above two thousand persons. Indeed, the word of God falling from his lips, soon became the savour of life unto life to those who heard it, or they became enraged against it. And though persons of seared consciences sometimes became violently outrageous against his preaching, the signal judgments of God commonly found them out. At Hundon he met with considerable opposition from many of the principal persons in the place, who united together and procured his suspension, but who were afterwards blasted in their estates, some brought to beggary, and all, excepting one, died miserable deaths. The sabbath after his suspension, one of them boasting in the churchyard, that now they had got Blackerby out of the pulpit; a woman standing by, and hearing him, replied, "Blackerby will preach in Hundon pulpit, when you are crying in hell." → Clark's Lives, last vol. part i. p. 57, 58. VOL. III. H And the very sabbath after this man was buried, Mr. Blackerby obtained his liberty, and preached on that day in Hundon pulpit. Mr. Blackerby was eminently distinguished for personal religion and true holiness. To promote this, was indeed his chief business. Though he was not without his infirmities; yet, to all impartial judges, he was free from the allowance of any iniquity. His whole deportment was as if God, his holy law, and the day of judgment, were constantly before his eyes. He was always deeply impressed with the majesty and holiness of God, and maintained a constant watchfulness over his heart and life. He practised mortification and selfdenial, and was justly reputed" one of the holiest men living.” Nevertheless, he was deeply humbled under a sense of his manifold infirmities and imperfections. This he often discovered to a grand-child of his, whom he used to address as follows: "Oh, thou little thinkest what a vile heart I have, and how I am plagued with proud thoughts. Child, if thou hast any acquaintance with God, pray for me, that God would purify this filthy heart. Oh! if God did not enable me, in some measure, to keep a watch over it, I should act to the shame of my face." While he brought these bitter accusations against himself, he exercised the greatest candour towards others, even those who differed from him in matters of subscription and church discipline. He used to observe, with the famous Mr. Perkins, "That when a man is once acquainted with his own heart, he will be apt to think every one better than himself: and an appearance of the love of God in any, will make him put the best construction on all their words and actions." Yet no hope of preferment, nor any painful suffering, would prevail upon him to act contrary to the convictions of his own mind. Though he could not, with a safe conscience, conform to the church of England, with the view of obtaining a living, or to secure himself from the iron hand of persecution; yet, in those things wherein it appeared to be his duty to conform, no man was more exact than himself. Like many other nonconformists, he had no objection to the use of some parts of the Book of Common Prayer. He was a wise, affectionate, and faithful friend, and never suffered sin to pass unreproved. In the discharge of this most difficult duty, he manifested so much love, seriousness, and sweetness of spirit, that while he touched the consciences of those whom he reproved, they still loved him. "His reproofs," as one observes, "were dipt in oil, driven into the |