MERBURY.. 223 he was deprived. Thus much may be gathered from the printed Register, that will give a very authentic character of the man. From the passage, it appears, that he was a useful preacher, and permitted to preach after his depriva- tion ; that he was inoffensive in his temper ; and that no sufferings could provoke him. In the days of King Edward, when others were striving for preferment, no man was more vehement, or more galling in his sermons, against the waste of church revenues, and other prevailing corruptions of the court ; which occasioned Bishop Ridley to rank him with Latimer and Knox. He was a man of as much natural probity and blunt native honestyas his college ever bred : a. man without guile and artifice ; who never made suit to any patron, or for any preferment ; one that had the spirit of Hugh Latimer. No one can read his sermons without ima- gining he has something before him of Latimer or Luther. Though his sermons are bold and daring, and full of rebuke, it was his preaching that got him his preferment. His rebuking the courtiers made them afraid of him, and pro- cured him reverence from the king. He was one of the best masters of his college, as well as one of the best of men the college ever bred.". He was succeeded in the mastership of his hospital by his brother, Mr. Ralph Lever, another puritan divine. Mr. Henry Lever, his grandson, and Mr, Robert Lever, his great-grandson, were both ejected by the act of uniformity in 1662.t His Wongs.-1. Sermon on Rom. 1-7., 1550.-2. A Sermon preached the thyrd Sondaye in Lente before the kynges Majestic, on John vi. 5-14., 1550,-3. A Sermon preached at Paul's Cross, the 14th day of December, on 1 Cor. iv. 1., 1550.-4. The right Way from the Danger of Sin and Vengeance in this wicked World, unto godly Wealth and Salvation in Christ, 1575.-5. A Commentary on the Lord's Prayer.--6. The Path-way to Christ. FRANCIS MERBURY was minister at Northampton, and brought intomany troubles for nonconformity, being several times cast into prison. November 5, 1578, he was convened before the high commission ; when he underwent the following examination before Bishop Aylmer, Sir Owen Hopton, Dr. Lewis, Mr. Recorder, and ArchdeaconMullins, in the consistory of St. Paul's, London : Baker's MS. Collee. vol. i. p. 146, 152. t Palmer's Noncom. Mem. vol. lib p. 58, 78.
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