THE LITE or THE AUTHOR. thecollege at Dublin. With great reluctance, and after much deliberation; Mr. Owen complied, and continued there about a year and a half, preaching and overseeing the affairs of the college. He then returned to Cogge- shall, but was soon called to preach at Whitehall. In September 1650, Cromwell required him to go with him into Scotland, and he being averse togo, pro- cured an order of parliament. He staid at Edinburgh about half a year, and once more returned to his people at Coggesball, with whom he hoped to have spent the remainder of his days. But he was soon afterwards called by the house of commons to the deanry of Christ- Church, Oxford, which, with the consent of his church, he accepted; and in the following year,. (when he was also diplomated D. D.) he was chosen vice-chancellor of the university, in which office he continued about five years. This honourable trust be managed with singular prudence. He took care to restrain the vici- ous, to encourage the pious, to prefer men of learning and industry, and under his administration the whole body of that university was visibly reduced to good or- der, and furnished with a number of excellentscholars, and persons of distinguished piety. He discovered great moderation both towards Presbyterians and Epis- copalians, to the former of whom he gave several va- cant livings at his disposal, and the latter he was ever ready to oblige. A large congregation of them, statedly celebrateddivine service very near him, according to the liturgy of the church of England, but he never gave them the least disturbance, though he was often urged to it. He was hospitable in his house, generous in his favours, and charitable to the poor, especially to poor scholars, some of whom he took into his own family, and maintained at his own .charge, giving them academical education. He still redeemed time for his studies, preachingeveryother Lord's-dayat St. Mary's, and often at Stadham, and other adjacent places, and writing smite excellent books. In 1657 he gave place to De. Conant as vicechancellor, and in 1659 he was cast out of his deanry, not long after Richard's being made protector. It has been said*, that he had a prin- * Mr. Baxter says in his Life, " Dr. Owen and his assistants did the main-work " In the Memoirs of Dr. Owen this i ontradicted, with some degreeof asperity. Dr. Calamy as warmly maintains it, by relat- ingwhat Dr. Manton haddeclared to several then living, vie " that be- ing invited to the meeting at Wallingford-house. standing in a passage, cipal hand indeposing Richard, but this hehimself and his friends solemnly denied. After the Dr. had quitted his public station, he retired to Stadham, where he pos- sessed a good estate, and lived privately, till the pzrse- cution grew so hot that he was obliged to remove frónt place to place, and at length came to London, where he preached as he had opportunity, and continued writing. His animadversions on a Popish book, called Fiat lux (for which Sir E. Nichols procured him the bishop of London's licence) recommending him to the esteem of the lord chancellor Hyde, who assured him, that " he had deserved the best ofany English Protestant of lateyears, and that the chards Mao bound to own and advance hiss," at the same'time offering him prefer- ment, if he would accept it: but expressed his surprise that so learned a man-should embrace the novel opinion or Independency. The Dr. offered to prove that it was practised for several hundred years after Christ, a- gainst any bishop his lordship should please to appoint. They had further discourse about liberty of consci- ence, &c. But notwithstanding all thegood servicethe Dr.. had done the church of England, he was persecut- ed from place to place, and once very narrowly escap- ed being seized by some troopers at Oxford, who came in pursuitof him to the house wherehe was, but rode off on being toldby the mistress that he was gone early that morning, which she thought had been the case. When laid aside here, he had thoughts of going into New-England, where he was invited to the government of their university,, but he was stopped by particular or- ders from the king. He was afterwards invited to be professor of divinity in the United Provinces; but he felt such a love for his native country, that he couldnot quit it so long as there was any opportunity of being serviceablein it. During Charles's indulgence he was assiduous in preaching, and set up a lecture, to which many persons of quality and eminent citizens resorted. he distinctly heard Dr. Own say with vehemence, "He mug come dome, and he shall come down But this is no decisive evidence, as the Dr. might not then be speakingof the protector: and it is confessed that Dr. Manton did not no understand him till after the event. Mr. Baxter however stands exculpated from any intention to peepegátefalse- hood concerning Mr. Owen, by what Mr. Silvestee relates in his pre- face, " That hewrote to Mrs. Owen, in a most affectionateand respectful manner, to desire her to send him what she could in favour of the Dr. that Ile might insert it, or expungethe above passage; but that his offer was rejected with contempt"
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