mained unsatisfied; to which his grace replied, "that he was satisfied in his integrity." He was nevertheless suspended; and though, by the mediation of friends, his suspension was taken off several times, he was as repeatedly brought under the ecclesiastical censure. He thus continued at Shrewsbury seventeen years, sometimes enjoying his liberty, and sometimes under the frowns of the persecuting ecclesiastics.*

This worthy servant of Christ, at last finding no prospect of public usefulness at Shrewsbury, removed to Wrenbury in Cheshire. Nor did he enjoy his liberty there, but went from house to house, instructing and comforting the people of God. It was his very meat and drink to do the will of his heavenly Father, and to be useful to souls. Therefore, in imitation of Christ, he went about doing good. His frequent suspension from his beloved work was exceedingly grievous to his active and pious soul. As there was no prospect of his restoration at any future period, he accepted an invitation, in the year 1636, to succeed Mr. John Paget, as co-pastor with Mr. Rulice to the English church at Amsterdam. Notwithstanding this, his difficulties were not ended; for by the power and influence of Archbishop Laud, all ministers were forbidden to leave the country without a license from the council. The faithful servants of the Lord were persecuted, and cast aside as useless, for attempting to worship God according to the testimony of scripture and the dictates of conscience, and were prohibited from retiring into a foreign land where they could enjoy the privilege without restraint. This surely savoured too much of the Romish bigotry and oppressions. In these painful circumstances was Mr. Herring; but he prayed to the Lord for deliverance, and so escaped the snare of his enemies. He took shipping at Yarmouth, and arrived at Rotterdam, September, 20, 1637, and went immediately to Amsterdam, where he was most affectionately received by his colleague, the English merchants, and the magistrates of the city. In this situation he continued the rest of his days, and was particularly esteemed for his genuine piety and ministerial usefulness.

Mr. Herring, towards the close of life, especially the night before he died, laboured under the furious assaults of Satan. But the painful conflict was no sooner over, than he arose upon his knees in bed, and, with his hands lifted up

to heaven, exclaimed, "He is overcome, overcome, through the strength of my Lord and only Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom I am now going, to keep a sabbath in glory." The next morning, being the Lord's day, March 28, 1644, he entered upon the joy of his Lord, aged sixty-two years. "He was a pious man," says Fuller," and a painful and useful preacher, but disaffected to the discipline of the church." Mr. Clark denominates him "a hard student, a solid and judicious divine, and a workman who needed not to be ashamed. He was one of whom the world was not worthy; a messenger one of a thousand, and a faithful minister of Christ. He was a Boanerges to brawny-hearted sinners; and a Barnabas to broken-hearted saints. His sweet elocution pleasantly set forth his holy and judicious sermons. His sermons delivered to the congregation were printed in his actions. In doctrine, he shewed uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity; and in life, he shewed himself a pattern of good works. He was a conscientious nonconformist, and an avowed enemy to the pride and power of the prelates; for which he cheerfully and courageously bore his share of sufferings."+

Mr. Herring was eminently distinguished for meekness and love to his worst enemies. This will appear from the following anecdotes:-Dr. Lamb, a violent persecutor of the puritans, especially of Mr. Herring, being on a journey in the country, and having the misfortune to break his leg, was brought to the same inn where Mr. Herring was stopping all night. The good man was called upon that night to exercise in the family, and prayed so fervently and affectionately for the doctor, as greatly surprised those who were present. Being asked why he manifested so much respect towards a man so unworthy of it, he replied, "The greater enemy he is, the more need he hath of our prayers. We must prove ourselves to be the disciples of Christ by loving our enemies, and praying for our persecutors."-On another occasion, Archbishop Laud having said, “ I will pickle that Herring of Shrewsbury," the good man meekly replied, "If he will abuse his power, let it teach christians the more to use their prayers: that the enemies of the nonconformists may see they have a God to trust in, when trampled upon by ill-disposed men."‡

*Fuller's Worthies, part iv. p. 47. + Clark's Lives, p. 163–168.

Ibid. p. 163.

GEORGE PHILIPS.-This excellent person was born at Roudham in Norfolk, and educated at one of our universities. He was descended from wealthy and honourable parents, was richly furnished with learning, piety, and other endowments, and admirably qualified for the ministerial function. After he had finished his studies at college, he entered upon his public ministerial work at Boxford in Essex, where his labours were particularly acceptable and useful. He was induced afterwards to examine the controversy relative to church discipline and the ceremonies, when, after mature deliberation, he imbibed the sentiments of the nonconformists; and, not being ashamed of his principles, but looking upon it as a duty to make them publicly known, he occasionally noticed them in the exercises of the pulpit. This led some of his hearers of rigid episcopal sentiments to bring complaints against him to the celebrated Mr. John Rogers of Dedham. But Mr. Rogers had so high an opinion of our divine, that though he had not himself then particularly examined the controversy, he said, "I believe Mr. Philips will preach nothing without some good evidence for it from the word of God. You should, therefore, regard whatever he makes evident from that sacred word." The more Mr. Philips studied the subject, the more he became dissatisfied with the ecclesiastical establishment, and confirmed in his nonconformity.

Subscription to the Book of Common Prayer and the ecclesiastical ceremonies was now enforced with the utmost rigour, as a necessary qualification to every minister of Christ, which made strange havock among the churches, and persecution raged with extreme violence. All ministers, however great their talents, however excellent their piety, or however tender their consciences, were prohibited from preaching the gospel, unless they would bow to the traditions of men. All conscientious dissenters were obliged to lay down their ministry, suffer themselves to be cast into prison, or leave their native country. Some took one course, and some another; but Mr. Philips embraced the last. He resolved to remove to a place where he could enjoy liberty to preach without human impositions and cruel persecution. Therefore, in the year 1630, he embarked for New England, in company with the excellent Mr. Winthrop, and many other worthy christian friends. Soon after their arrival, Mr. Philips experienced a painful

Mather's Hist. of New Eng. b. iii. p. 82.

trial by the death of his wife, who had cheerfully left her native country, to accompany him to the new plantation.

Mr. Philips and his friends, upon their arrival in the American wilderness, fixed upon a spot on the banks of Charles's river, which they gave the name of Watertown. Here their first concern was to unite together in church fellowship, and to build a house for God, even before they built themselves habitations to dwell in. They set apart a day for extraordinary fasting and prayer, when they entered into a solemn covenant in the presence of God and one another. This covenant, dated July 30, 1630, is still preserved, and very excellent, but too long for insertion.* About forty on that day subscribed this instrument, the first of whom was Sir Richard Saltonstal; and Mr. Philips was chosen to the office of pastor. Members were afterwards admitted to the church by subscribing the covenant a little altered, with a confession of faith annexed. In the above month, upon the first sitting of the court of government, it was determined, that Mr. Philips should have a house built at the public expense; and Governor Winthrop and Sir Richard Saltonstal were appointed to carry the same into effect. It was also ordered that Mr. Philips's salary should be thirty pounds a year.+

This excellent servant of the Lord continued at Watertown till the end of his days. His faithful labours and holy life became a great blessing to the new colony. The Lord made him instrumental in the conversion and salvation of many souls. He died of a complaint in his bowels, July 1, 1644, and was carried to his grave with universal lamentation. "He possessed a quick invention, a solid judgment, and a strong memory; was an excellent scholar, an able disputant, and a good theologian. He read the whole Bible through six times every year." He was author of a work, entitled, "A Reply to a Confutation of some Grounds of Infants Baptism: as also concerning the Form of a Church, put forth against me by one Thomas Lamb,' 1645.

* Mather's Hist. of New Eng. b. iii. p. 83.

+ Morse and Parish's Hist. p. 39.

Mather's Hist. b. iii. p. 82-84.

CALIBUTE DOWNING, D.D.-This zealous person was born at Shenington in Gloucestershire, in the year 1604, descended of an ancient and worthy family, and educated in Oriel college, Oxford. After he had completed his studies at the un versity, he became successively rector of Ickford in Buckinghamshire, of West Ilsley in Berkshire, and vicar of Hackney, near London. Upon the last removal, Wood says, he sought to become chaplain to the Earl of Strafford, the lord lieutenant of Ireland, concluding that employment the readiest way to become a bishop; and while he had any hopes of obtaining such preferment, he wrote and spoke boldly in vindication of that calling. But being a reputed weathercock, turning whatever way his own humour and ambition blew him, he, upon some discontent, watched his opportunity to gain preferment in any way in which it could be obtained. For," our author adds, " he was esteemed by the faction to be fitted for any base employment, and was one who ever looked awry on the church." This representation, proceeding from the pen of bigotry, and designed to reproach his character, contains a sufficient refutation of itself. Though Dr. Downing might, like some other clergymen, both in ancient and modern times, be too anxious to obtain greater preferment; there is certainly no substantial evidence, at least Mr. Wood has produced none, that he was ever very fond of bishops, or any other splendid and lucrative ecclesiastical office; especially as he ever looked awry on the church.

In the year 1640, Dr. Downing, in a sermon before the artillery company, maintained, that for the defence of religion, and the reformation of the church, it was lawful to take up arms against the king, if it could be obtained in no other way." For this, he was forced to abscond, when he retired to the house of the Earl of Warwick, till the meeting of the long parliament. In the year 1643, he resigned his vicarage, and was succeeded by Dr. Spurstowe, afterwards one of the ejected nonconformists.+ Upon the commencement of the civil war, he became chaplain to Lord Roberts in the Earl of Essex's army, in which office he has incurred the heavy censure of our high-church historians. Dr. Downing and Mr. Marshall are charged with publicly avowing, "that the soldiers taken prisoners and released by the king upon their oaths, that they would never bear arms against him, were not obliged by that oath; and + Kennet's Chronicle, p. 778.

Wood's Athens, vol. ii. p. 26.