T. HOLLAND. 213 THOMAS HOLLAND, D. D.-This celebrated scholar and divine was born at Ludlow in Shropshire, in the year 1539, and educated in Exeter college, Oxford ; where he took, his degrees with great applause. In 1589 he succeeded Dr. Lawrence Humphrey, as king's pro- fessor of divinity ; and in 1592, was elected master of Exeter college, being accounted a prodigy in almost all kinds of literature. His distinguished reputation was not confined to his own country. He was highly admired in the foreign universities, as well as in our own public semi- naries. During his professorship, many persons eminent for learning and piety were his scholars, who afterwards became conspicuous ornaments in the church and the commonwealth. Dr. Holland was a thorough Calvinist in his views ofthe doctrines of the gospel, and a decided nonconformist in matters of ceremony and discipline. In one of his public acts at the university, he boldly maintained that bishops were no distinct order from presbyters, nor at all superior to them, according to the word of God. He was a most zealous opposer of the innovations in doctrine, worship, and ceremonies, intended tobe introduced into the university of Oxford, by Bancroft, Neile, and Laud.. In the year 1604 Mr. William Laud, afterwards the famous archbishop, per- forming his, exercise for bachelor of divinity, maintained, " That there could be no true churches without diocesan episcopacy ;" for which, it is said, Dr. Holland sharply rebuked, and publicly disgraced him, as one who endea- voured to sow discord among brethren, and between the church of England and the reformed churches abroad.i. During the above year, Dr. Holland was one of the Oxford divines appointed by King.James to draw up a new trans- lation of the Bible ; and he had a considerable hand in that learned and laborious work. This is the translation now in use.+ Towards the close of life, this celebrated divine spent most of his time in meditation and prayer. Sickness, old age, and its infirmities, served only to increase his ardour for heaven. ife loved God, and longed to enjoy him. His soul was formed for heaven. Hecould find no rest out of heaven ; and his end was peace. Finding the hour of his departure near at hand, he exclaimed, a Come 0 come 4. MS. Chronology, vol. ii. p. 635. (20 + MS. Remarks, p. 583.-Caaterburies Doome, p. 389. Burnet's Hist. of Refor. vol. ii. Recap. S67.
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