386 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. birthright of man, which awakened the intolerance of this furious presbyterian. He was a man of an excellent character and ofhigh repu- tation; therefore, in the year 1653, he was appointed by the parliament to be one of the committee fore the approbation of public preachers, commonly called tryers. Here his name is classed with those of Dr. Owen, Dr. Goodwin, Dr. Manton, and many other celebrated divines.. This probably called him out of Wales, and brought him back to London. He died about the year 1660. Mr. Cradock was an independent in his views of church government; but he could agree in the important doctrines of the gospel, with those who differed from him in matters of discipline. He had a low opinion of himself, and a very high esteem for his Lord and Master. He excelled in clearviews of the doctrine of justificationby the imputed righteousness of Christ, and in the great simplicity of his manner of .preaching.t His " Works," consisting of sermons, expositions, and observa- tions, were collected and published in one volume octavo in the year 1800. By his zealous endeavours he procured the New Testament to be printed in Welsh, for the use of the common people.4.. WILLIAM JEFVERY was the son of pious parents, born at Penhurst in Kent, about the year 1616, and afterwards lived at Seven-oaks in the same county ; where he and his brother David were the chief supporters, if not the founders, of a congregation of baptists. He was chosen pastor to this con- gregation, which greatly increased under his zealous and labo- rious ministry, At the time of his ordination to the pastoral office, it was denominated the church of Bradburn ; arid afterwards that which assembled at Bedsell's-green. He did not confine his labours to any one place ; but, while he took particular care ofhis own flock, he extended his labours to distant places in the country. By his unwearied assiduity, many separate congregations were raised, and a church was formed about Speldhurst andPembury, over which Mr. John Care was ordained elder. This church afterwards removed to Tunbridge -wells. By the united labours of Mr. Jeffery and several others, it is said there were more than twenty particular congregations gathered in the county of Kent; * Scobell's Collec. part ii. p. 279. + Cradock's Works, Pref.- t Parliament Extlained, p.29. Edit. 1646.
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