The HISTORY of the PuRITANS. 117 Chap. IV. gard it at this day. Some of the moft learned divines among the pref- K. Charies T. byterians, as well as independents, were in this fentiment. Mr. Edmu12d ~ Calamy, in his fermon before the houfe of lords on this day, has thefe · expreilions. " This day is commonly called Cbr!ftmas day, a dny that " has heretofore been much abufed to fu perftition and profanenefs. It is " not eafy to fay, whether the fuperftition has been greater, cir the profane- " nefs. I have known fame that have preferred Chrijimas day before the " Lord's day. Some that would be fure to receive the facrament on Chnft- ,, mas day though they did not receive all the year after. Some t ho ng>~, " though they did nor play at cards all the year long, yet they mufl: play " at Chiriftmas, thereby it feems, to keep in memory the birth of Chnfl:. " This, and much more, hath been the profanation of this fe afl: ; and " truly, I think the fuppflition and profanenefs of this day is fo rooted " into it, that there is no way to reform it, .but by dealing with it 3 S Heze- " kiab did with the brazen (erpent. This year God by his providence, has ''buried this feafl: in a f3ft, and I hope it wi11 never rife again. You have " fet out, right honourable, a ftritl order for keeping of it, and.you are " here this day to ob(erve your own order, and I hope you will do it '' fl:rittly. The neceffities of the times are great, never more need of '' prayer and fafl:ing. The Lord give us grace to be humbled in '' this day of humiliation, for all our own and England's fins,, " and efpecially for the old fuperflition and profanene(s of this " feafl:." About midfummer this year died doClor <fhomas Wejtjield bilhop of Death of bi• Bri.ftol, born in the ifie of Ely r573· educated in Jefos-Col!ege Cambridge,fh•P Wea– and afterwards reetor of Hortifey, and of St. Rartholomew the Great, umfiweldl.k , J , a er s aon, and arch-deacon of St. Alba12 s. In the year I 64 I. he was ad van- Suft~ C!er. ced to the fee of Bri.ftol, which he accepted, though he had refufed it p. 3, • (as is faid) twenty-five years before. He was a gentleman of great modefl:y, a good preacher, an excellent orator. The parliament had fuch an efleem for him, that they named him one of the a!fembly of divines,. and be had the goodnefs to appear among them for forri.e time. Upon the bilhop·s complaint, that the profits of his bilhoprick were detained, the committee ordered them to be refl:ored, and gave him a pafs to go to Brijlol to receive them, wherein they ftile him a perfon o.f great learning and merit. He died in po!feilion of his bilhoprick, June· 25. r644· aged feventy-one, and compofed his own epitaph, one line· of which was, Senio & mcerore confiClus,. Worn out with age a12d griif. An~
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