Public disputations on religion to be discountenanced. Dr. Merrick threatened by Archbishop Laud ...... THE LIVES OF THE PURITANS. JOHN. DOD, A. M.-This celebrated divine was born at Shotwich in Cheshire, about the year 1549, was the youngest of seventeen children, and educated in Jesus college, Cambridge; where he continued nearly sixteen years, and was chosen fellow of the house. During his abode in the university, he became thoroughly convinced of his sins, betook himself to deep humiliation, and earnestly sought the blessings of pardon and peace through Jesus Christ; which, to his unspeakable comfort, he at last obtained. While at Cambridge he was particularly intimate with Drs. Fulke, Chadderton, Whitaker, and others, who held their weekly meetings for prayer and expounding the scriptures. In the year 1615, a divine of the same name, and no doubt the same person, was elected proctor of the university. Having received an invitation to becoine pastor at Hanwell in · Oxfordshire, he left the university, and entered upon the stated exercises of the christian ministry. In this situation he preached frequently, catechized the youth, and united with others in a weekly lecture at Banbury. His labours at Hanwell were numerous, and most extensively useful. It is observed, that hundreds of souls were at this place converted under his ministry. He was about thirty years old when he first settled at Hanwell, and remained there about twenty years, where he had twelve children by his first wife, the daughter of Dr. Nicholas Bound. After her death he took a second wife, and was married by his old friend Dr. William Gouge. Mr. Dod's great popularity and usefulness in the above situation, roused the envy of several neighbouring ministers, who, though they seldom preached themselves, would not Fuller's Hist. of Camb. p. 139. + Clark's Lives annexed to his Martyrologie, p. 168, 169. 66 allow their people to go and hear him; and for the singular crime of multitudes flocking to his ministry, he was several times questioned in the bishops' courts. In addition to this, being exercised with some other trials, he was induced to consult Mr. Greenham, his excellent father-in-law. This reverend divine, after hearing his complaints, said, Son, son, when affliction lieth heavy, sin lieth light;" and gave Mr. Dod such suitable advice, that he had abundant cause to bless God for it, and found it of excellent use all the rest of his days. However, he was at length suspended from his ministry at Hanwell by Dr. Bridges, bishop of Oxford. Being driven from his affectionate and beloved people, he preached a short time at Fenny Compton in Warwickshire, then accepted an invitation to Canons Ashby in Northamptonshire. In the latter situation he was treated with peculiar kindness by Sir Erasmus Dryden, a gentleman of great learning and piety; but he did not continue long without molestation. For, upon the complaint of Bishop Neile,+ he was silenced by the archbishop. Though this excellent divine was cast aside, he did not remain idle. When his efforts of public usefulness were set aside, he went about from house to house, giving private instructions; and by his pious discourse and holy deportment, he was nearly as useful as when he enjoyed his public ministry. He was particularly desirous of a more pure reformation of the church, and therefore united with his brethren in subscribing the "Book of Discipline."|| continued under the above suspension several years. on the accession of King James, Sir Richard Knightly procured him his liberty; and he renewed his ministerial labours at Fausley in Northamptonshire, where he continued, in great reputation and usefulness, all the rest of his days. * Clark's Lives annexed to Martyrologie, p. 170. He But + Bishop Neile of Durham and Bishop Andrews of Winchester, attending upon King James, had the following conversation with him: His majesty, always intent upon his prerogative, asked the bishops, "My lords, cannot I take my subjects' money when I want it, without all this formality in parliament?" The Bishop of Durham readily answered, "God forbid, sir, but you should; you are the breath of our nostrils." Upon this the king turned, and said to the Bishop of Winchester, "Well, my lord, what say you?" "Sir,” replied the bishop, "I have no skill to judge of parliamentary cases." The king answered, "No put offs, my lord; answer me presently." Then, sir," said he, "I think it lawful for you to take my brother Neile's money, for he offers it." pleasantry afforded great entertainment to the company.-Biog. Britan. vol. i. p. 185. Edit. 1778. Clark's Lives annexed to Martyrologie, p. 170. This Neal's Puritans, vol. i. p. 423. Here, also, he felt the iron rod of the prelates; and, as in the three former situations, he was for a time suspended from his public ministry.* Mr. Dod was a pattern of patience. He bore his numerous trials with great meekness of spirit and holy resignation to the will of God. He used to say, "Sanctified afflictions are spiritual promotions." In the sixty-third year of his age, he laboured under extreme bodily affliction, and was brought to the very brink of the grave: but when the physician, who gave a check to his complaint, told him he had then some hope of his recovery, the good old man replied, "You think to comfort me by what you say; but you make me sad. It is the same as if you had told one who had been sorely weather-beaten at sea, and was expecting to enter the desired haven, that he must return to sea, to be tossed by fresh winds and waves." Having a comfortable assurance of heaven, he was desirous to leave the world, and to "be with Christ." And as he enjoyed much divine consolation in his own mind; so, in numerous remarkable instances, he administered the same to others. This venerable divine used to say, "I have no reason to complain of any crosses, because they are the bitter fruit of my sin. Nothing shall hurt us but sin; and that shall not hurt us, if we can repent of it. And nothing can do us good but the love and favour of God in Christ; and that we shall have if we seek it in good earnest. Afflictions are God's potions, which we may sweeten by faith and prayer; but we often make them bitter, by putting into God's cup the ill ingredients of impatience and unbelief. There is no affliction so small but we shall sink under it, if God uphold us not and there is no sin so great but we shall commit it, if God restrain us not. A man who hath the spirit of prayer hath more than if he hath all the world. And no man is in a bad condition, but he who hath a hard heart and cannot pray." During the civil wars, when some of the king's party came to his house, and threatened to take away his life, this heavenly divine, with holy confidence replied, "If you do, you will send me to heaven, where I long to be; but *Fuller's Worthies, part i. p. 181. you The first ill blood between King Charles and his subjects, which afterwards led to all the horrors of civil war, was occasioned by the severe proceedings in the high commission court, and the cruel censures in the star-chamber; in both of which the court clergy were allowed too much power.-Biog. Britan. vol. i. p. 372. |