J. BALL. 441 ordination without subscription, he entered upon the minis- terial office, and became minister at Whitmore, near New- castle, in Staffordshire. Here he resided for many years in the house of Edward Mainwaring, esq. a gentleman highly esteemed for his piety, generosity, and usefulness.- Mr. Ball was exceedingly beloved by the ministers in those parts. As he was particularly 'concerned for the prosperity of Zion, and deeply impressed with the lamentableevils of the times, he frequently united with his brethren- in the observance of days of fasting and prayer. For keeping a fast on Ascension-day, they were often convened before the Bishop of Chester, who greatly aggravated their crime, because it was observed on that holy day. These troubles, however, did not move Mr. Ball. Amidst all the storms and tempests of the times, he remained firm in the truth. Indeed, previous to his entering into the ministry, he was determined to satisfy his own conscience, and not to receive every thing in the established church, right or wrong therefore, he impartially examined the controversy betwixt the conformists and nonconformists ; and the result of his unbiassed inquiries was, a thorough dissatisfaction with the former, particularly with the subscription tyrannically imposed upon the clergy. During this period he looked upon a lord bishop as a very formidable creature; yet he had several contests with the Bishop of Chester, but came off unshaken, and more firmly established in the principles of nonconformity.. Lady Bromley, of Sheriff-Hales in Shropshire, was many years famous for promoting, by her influenceand practice, the interests of the Redeemer's kingdom, and the genuine principles of the reformation. She was the great patroness of the persecutednonconformists in that part ofthe country. Messrs. Ball, Nicolls, Pierson, Herring, and others, when they were harassed and deprived of their ministry, were kindly entertained by this worthy lady. These divines often preached in her neighbourhood, whom she sheltered from the oppressive measures of the prelates, as long as she was able ; and when they durst not preach, they kept days of fasting and humiliation at her house.t Though Mr. Ball was often prosecuted in the ecclesiastical courts for refusing subscription and keeping conventicles, he was, against separation.t Clark's Lives annexed to Martyrologie, p. 147, 148. f MS. Chronology, vol. ii. p. 395. (23.) Ibid. vol. iii. A. D. 1640.
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