thee:" then added, "Hold fast, hold fast," and closed his eyes in peace, August 9, 1641, aged thirty-seven years.* JOHN EATON, A. M.-This person was born in Kent, in the year 1575, and educated in Trinity college, Oxford. For several years after he left the university, he preached in various places; was curate at Katherine-Colemar, near Aldgate, London; and in 1625, became vicar of Wickham-Market in Suffolk, where he continued to the end of his days. It is said that he was a person of a peculiar mould, very paradoxical in his opinions, and a great antinomian, for which he was more than once cast into prison. His writings, which contain his peculiar sentiments, were, "The Discovery of a most dangerous Dead Faith;" 1641. "Abraham's Steps of Faith;" 1641. "The Honey-comb of Free Justification by Christ alone, collected out of the mere Authorities of Scripture," 1642. For the publication of a former edition of the last article, he was imprisoned in the Gatehouse, Westminster.+ Indeed, he was for several years questioned and censured by the high commission, for maintaining that God cannot see sin in those who are justified. He was in perils often, in London, Norwich, and Wickham. Nevertheless, he is represented as a faithful servant of Jesus Christ; and, by the blessing of the Lord upon his labours, was instrumental in begetting many children to God. Archdeacon Echard admits, that by means of his zeal, his exemplary patience, and his great piety, he was exceedingly admired in the neighbourhood where he lived, and highly valued for many years after his death. And though he committed some mistakes, in his assertions about the doctrines of grace, he was, upon the whole, "a pattern of faith, holiness, and cheerfulness in his He died in the year sufferings, to future generations." 1641, and in the sixty-sixth year of his age. There was another Mr. Eaton, denominated the great apostle for promoting independency in Yorkshire and Lancashire; he was ejected after the restoration. * Mather's Hist. of New England, b. iii. p. 81. + Paget's Heresiography, p. 92. Strype's Annals, vol. ii. p. 379. Echard's Hist. of Eng. vol. ii. p. 278, but Edwards's Gangræna, part iii. p. 68, 164.-Palmer's Noncon. Mem. vol. ii. p. 361. JOHN HOWE was a man of great piety, and an excellent divine, but greatly troubled on account of his nonconformity. When he was first induced to examine the grounds of conformity, he espoused the cause of the puritans, and continued with firmness to adhere to their sentiments. By the favour of Archbishop Laud, he became minister of Loughborough in Leicestershire; and because he could not in conscience observe all the superstitious ceremonies enjoined by this arbitrary prelate, he was thought unfit to continue his ministerial labours in so populous a town. Laud therefore, suspended him from his ministry.❤ But the chief cause of his suspension and other troubles, was, his praying only once in the pulpit, that God would preserve the young prince from the infection of popery. The queen, the prince's mother, who was a notorious papist, had numerous popish priests about her, using their utmost endeavours to have the mind of the prince established in the popish opinions; and, indeed, one of the articles of the queen's marriage was, that all her children should be nursed and brought up near the queen, until they should arrive at the age of fourteen years. There was, therefore, great cause of fear. Mr. Howe, for offering up the above prayer, was condemned in the high commission court, November 6, 1634, to be committed to prison during his majesty's pleasure, suspended from every part of his ministry, fined five hundred pounds, required to make a public recantation before the court, and condemned in costs of suit.+ Such was the terrible sentence inflicted upon this excellent servant of Christ for the above imaginary crime! Laud says, that Mr. Howe's prayer expressed in these words, "That God would preserve the prince in the true religion, of which there was cause to fear,' was so grievous and graceless a scandal cast upon a religious king, as nothing could be greater. It was the shew of a prayer for the prince," says he, "but was, indeed, intended to destroy the king in the hearts of the people. And," he adds, “ if I had not there consented to his punishment, I had deserved to be punished myself."+ How long this divine continued in prison, or by what means he was released from these troubles, we have not been able to learn. On account of these cruel oppressions, great numbers, both ministers and others, were driven to Holland, Calamy's Life of Howe, p. 5. Edit. 1724. + Prynne's Cant, Doome, p. 420. Wharton's Troubles of Laud, vol. i. p. 383. America, and other places; so Mr. Howe, to avoid persecution in future, sought an asylum in Ireland. He continued in that country till the breaking out of the rebellion, about the year 1641, when many thousands of protestants lost their lives. Indeed, Mr. Howe himself, and his family, were exposed to the greatest danger. The place to which they retired was for several weeks besieged and assaulted by the rebels, though without success; and by the special providence of God, which was the guard of his life, he was mercifully delivered from all his troubles. After being exposed for several years to the calamities of war, he returned to his native country, and settled in Lancashire; but at what place, or when he died, we are not able to learn.* The celebrated Mr. John Howe, silenced by the Act of Uniformity in 1662, was his son.+ MR. WROTH.-This excellent person was educated in the university of Oxford, afterwards rector of Llanfaches in Monmouthshire, and domestic chaplain to Lady B He is accounted the first nonconformist minister in Wales. About the year 1620, he began to signalize himself by faithfully preaching the gospel, and discovered uncommon concern for the salvation of souls. Previous to this he was a elergyman much addicted to mirth, levity, and music. An old manuscript relates the following anecdote: A gentle man in the neighbourhood having a suit at law depending, of great importance to his fantily, went to London to attend the trial; which, to his great satisfaction, proved in his favour. Sending home the pleasing information, his family and friends were overcome with transports of joy. The gentleman, therefore, appointed a certain day when he would return, and ordered great preparations to be made for his arrival, when the evening should be spent in feasting and mirth. Mr. Wroth, being invited, brought a new violin, to bear his part in the general triumph. But while they were in full expectation of the gentleman's arrival, bebold! to their unspeakable mortification and distress, news came that he had been seized by death upon the road. is not easy even to conceive what impressions were made on the minds of all present. The transition from triumphant joy to the deepest sorrow and anguish, was almost indescrib * Calamy's Life of Howe, p. 5, 6. It able. Amidst the general consternation, Mr. Wroth cast away his violin, and falling on his knees in the midst of the company, most fervently prayed for the blessing of God upon this alarming providence. It is further added, that from this time he became a changed man, of which he gave full proof by his faithful ministry and exemplary life.* Mr. Wroth no sooner felt the power of divine grace, than he discovered uncommon concern for the souls of his people. He presently became a laborious and faithful preacher, and his labours were not in vain. He was instrumental in the conversion of many souls; among whom was Mr. Walter Cradock, who became his excellent fellow-labourer in the vineyard of Christ. His way of preaching, however, soon roused the malice of his enemies, and rendered him obnoxious to his superiors. It is recorded, that "the pious Mr. Wroth, with a great many devout and conscientious divines, severely felt the persecutions of the times, and were suspended from their livings for not reading the cursed Book of Sports on the Lord's day."+ In the year 1635 the Bishop of Llandaff preferred articles against him in the high commission court, threatening to punish him according to his deserts. His lordship calls him " a noted schismatic," and says that he led many simple people after him, and wilfully persisted in his schismatical course. The year following, the bishop complained of the slowness of the prosecution, and observed that this made him "persist in his by-ways, and his followers judge him faultless." And in 1638 the good man was forced to submit, though it is not said what kind of submission he made.‡ In the year 1639 Mr. Wroth, with the assistance of Mr. Walter Cradock, Mr. Henry Jessey, and some others, formed a church at Llanfaches, according to the model of the independents. This society was a mixture of pædobaptists and antipædobaptists. It was furnished with two ministers, as co-pastors; Mr. Wroth was of the former denomination, and Mr. William Thomas of the latter. The two pastors were intimately acquainted with the independents and baptists at Bristol, by whom also they were highly respected, as appears from the records of the church in Broad Mead, Bristol. It is observed in these records, that when Mr. Wroth and other reforming ministers came from South Wales, the professors of religion used to run Thomas's MS. Hist. p. 111. + Ibid. p. 112. after them, hungering for the food of their souls. When our pious divine was in Bristol, he lodged at the house of Mr. Listun, whose children he used to teach the following lines: Thy sin: thy end: the death of Christ: The day of doom: the joys of heaven: Thus this holy and humble man would be doing good both to young and old wherever he went; and such was the zeal of many in those times, that they would go from Bristol to hear him preach in his own country. Mr. Wroth and his brethren, Mr. Erbery and Mr. Cradock, were exceedingly harassed and persecuted in Wales, when they resolved to preach the gospel in all places, whether consecrated or unconsecrated. In imitation of Christ, they went about doing good, wherever they had an opportunity and when they were persecuted in one city, or in one part of the country, they determined, in obedience to Christ, to flee unto another. Upon the prospect of the national confusions, Mr. Wroth, being an old man, wished, in submission to the will of God, to be at rest before the sound of war was heard in the land. Herein his desire was granted. He died a little before the sword was drawn, about the beginning of the year 1642.+ WILLIAM RATHBAND was a puritan divine of great eminence in his day. He preached nineteen years at a chapel in Lancashire, but afterwards, being much persecuted for nonconformity, removed into Northumberland. Having published a book against the Brownists, which Dr. Stillingfleet quoted to prove that preaching, when prohibited by the established laws, was contrary to the doctrine of all the old nonconformists; Mr. William Rathband, his son, in a letter to Mr. Baxter, assures him, "That his father was not to be reckoned among those who held that sentiment, since he exercised his ministry, though contrary to law, for many years at a chapel in Lancashire; and after he was silenced he preached in private, as he had opportunity, and the times would bear, of which I myself," says he, "was sometimes a witness. Afterwards, upon the invitation of a * Thomas's MS. Eccl. Hist. p. 295, 296. |