466 'lhe HIs T 0 ~y of t'be PuRITANs; VoL. u• Oliver the year 1643 he was chofen a member of the affembly of divines at W ejl~ Pro~eE!or. minjler. When he was at London he was offered feveral confiderable pre– ~ ferments, but refufed them, refolving to return to his people at We/by who honoureJ him as a father; for by his awakening fermons, and ex: emplary life and converfation, he accomplilhed a great reformation of JVJr. Ainf· manners in that town. He was full of fpiritu al warmth (fays the worth, preacher of his funeral fermon), filled with an holy indignation againft fin, aCtive in his work; and never more in his element than in the pulpit. As his life was holy fo his death was comfortable. He blef– fed God that he was not afraid to die ; nay he earnefl:ly defired to be gone; often crying out in his !aft ficknefs, ~vhm wiil that hour come? One a/fault more and this earthen vfjfel will be broken, and Ijhall be 7vith God. He died the beginning of December 1654, before he was arrived to the age of fixty. Of Dr. BolDr. Samuel Bolton was educated in Cambridge, and from thence removed ton. to the living of St. Martin's Ludgate. Upon his coming to the city, he was chofen one of the additional members of the affembly of divines, be– ing a perfon of great name and charaCter for learning, and practical preach– ing. He was a burning and lhining light (fays Mr. Clarke), an interpre– ter one of a thoufand, an admirable preacher, and his life was an excellent commentary upon his fermons. Upon the death of Dr. Bain6rigge, he was chofen mafier of Chrijl College Cambridge, which he governed with great wifdom and prudence till his death, which happened about the roth of Otlober r6 54· He was buried with great folemnity in his parifh church of Ludgate on the 16th of the fame month, very much lamented · by the London clergy of thofe times. Of Mr. Mr. Jer. If/hitaker was born at Wakejie!d in rorkjhin! I 599· and edu– Whitaker. cated in Sidney College Cambridge, where he proceeded in arts. He taught the free fchool at Oakham in Rutlandjhire feven years, and then became minifter of Strettcm in the fame county, where he continued thirteen years; In 1643 he was nominated one of the affembly of divines at W'!flminfler, which brought him to L ondon, where he was chofen to. the reCtory of St. Mary Magda/m Bermondfey, in Southwark. He preached three or four fermons every week ; two in Southwark, one at Wejlminjler, and one at Chrifl Church London. He never withdrew from any opportunity of preach– ing if he was in health; and though he preached often, his fermons were folid and judicious. He was an univerfal fcholar, both in arts and lan – guages; well acquainted with the fathers and fchoolmen, an acute dif– putant, and inferior to none in his acquaintance with the holy fcriptures. He was of the prejbyterian perfuafion, and had a chief hand in compof– ing the Difence qf the GO.fpel Miniflry, publilhed this year by the provin– cial fynod of London. He refufed the engagement, and lamented the - · wm
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