though he lived in evil times, and endured many persecutions, and other tribulations, he lived to see better days. Mr. Knollys was favoured with an extraordinary measure of bodily strength, which fitted him the better for his great labours in the ministry, and enabled him to bear with resolution his numerous sufferings in the cause of Christ and a good conscience. He was very diligent and laborious in his work, both before and after his separation from the established church. While a conformist, he commonly preached three or four times on the Lord's day: at Halton, at seven in the morning; at Humberstone, at nine; at Scartho, at eleven; and at Humberstone again, at three in the afternoon. In addition to this, he preached every holiday, and at every funeral, as well of the poor as the rich. Nor was he less diligent in his beloved work after he became a nonconformist. For upwards of forty years successively he preached three or four times every week, whilst he enjoyed health and liberty; and when he was in prison it was his usual practice to preach every day. He possessed an excellent gift in prayer, and has recorded several remarkable answers to his petitions, particularly during the time of the great plague. The success of his ministry, after he became a baptist, was very great; but he seems to think that his labours were without any fruit while he continued in the church. How far this statement might proceed from prejudice, we will not pretend to ascertain; but the manner in which it is recorded appears to savour too much of it. He seems at first to have carried his separating principles to the same rigorous extent as the Brownists, who, not wholly unlike their episcopal brethren, were too free in their uncharitable censures. Indeed, bigotry, even in good men, appears to have been the prevailing evil of those times. Mr. Knollys continued in his work as long as he had strength to perform it. He often entered the pulpit when he could scarcely stand, and when his voice could with difficulty be heard. Such an affection he had for his work, that he was unwilling to leave it. He bore his sufferings with the greatest courage and cheerfulness; took up his cross and followed the Lord daily; and behaved with great meekness towards his enemies. Through the whole of his life he exhibited a bright example of christian piety. He did not confine his affections to christians of his own party, but loved the image of God wherever he saw it. And so circumspect was he in the whole of his behaviour, as even to command the reverence and esteem of those who were enemies to his principles. Dr. Mather, speaking of other excellent men, makes honourable mention of him as a person of a most pious and worthy character. Though our excellent historian, Mr. Neal, appears to cast some reflections upon him, he does not seem to have deserved them.‡ Granger uncandidly and unjustly insinuates, "that he was strongly tinctured with quakerism."§ His WORKS.-1. Christ exalted; a lost Sinner sought and saved by Christ; God's People an holy People; being the Sum of divers Sermons preached in Suffolk, 1646.-2. The Shining of a Flaming Fire in Zion; an Answer to Mr. Saltmarsh, his thirteen Exceptions against the Grounds of New Baptism, in his Book, entitled, The Smoke of the Temple, 1646.-3. A Preface to Mr. Collier's book, entitled, The Exaltation of Christ, 1647.-4. The Parable of the Kingdom of Heaven Expounded, Matt. xxv. 1-3., 1664.-5. Grammatica Latinæ, Grecæ & Hebraicæ, cumpendium; rhetoricæ ad umbratio; item radices Grecæ & Hebraicæ, omnes quæ in sacraScriptura veteris & novi Testamenti occurrent, 1665.-6. An Exposition of the whole Book of the Revelations, 1668.-7. An Essay of sacred Rhetoric, used by the Holy Spirit in the Scripture of Truth, 1675.-8. Last Legacy to the Church, 1692.-9. Some Account of his Life, to the year 1670, continued by Mr. Kiffin, 1692.-10. The World that now is, and that which is to come.-11. A Defence of Singing the Praises of God.-12. Preface to Mr. Keach's Instructions for Children. JOHN WARD, A. M.-This excellent person was the son of Mr. Nathaniel Ward, and grandson of old Mr. John Ward of Haverhil in Suffolk, where he was born, November 5, 1606. He possessed the spirit of his forefathers, being a pious, learned, and conscientious nonconformist. Refusing to aspire after worldly emolument, he was content with a mean and obscure situation in the county of Suffolk. Though he used to say, " as there is no place like the sea for fishing, so the more hearers a minister has, the greater reason there is to hope that some will be caught in the gospel net;" yet, on account of his uncommon modesty and humility, he preferred entering upon his ministry where he should be least exposed to public notice. He was so extremely Life of Mr. Knollys, by himself. Edit. 1692.-Crosby's Baptists, vol. i. p. 226–232, 334-344.-Harrison's Fun. Ser. for Mr. Knollys. + Mather's Hist of New Eng. b. iii. p. 7. Neal's Puritans, vol. iii. p. 151. Granger's Biog. Hist. vol. iii. p. 338. The author last mentioned observes on these two books of controversy; "If the reader should have patience to peruse these two very singular pieces, he will most probably be of opinion, that there is much more smoke than fire in them both."-Ibid. diffident of his own opinion, that he would never undertake any thing important relative to the church without previously consulting some judicious friend. And he used to say, "I had rather always follow advice, though it sometimes mislead me, than ever act without it, though I may do well with my own opinion." In the year 1633 he became rector of Hadley in the above county ;* but was obliged to resign it on account of his nonconformity. The dowery of his wife was a parsonage worth two hundred pounds a year, in case he could have conformed to the church of England. But a living of two hundred pounds a year was too weak an argument to convince his understanding and conscience of the lawfulness of conformity. As he could not, with a good conscience, continue in the church without manifold interruptions, he retired, in the year 1639, to New England, as an asylum from the rage of persecution. After his arrival, in 1641, he became pastor of the church at Haverhil; where he continued to watch over the flock of Christ, and to labour for the salvation of souls, during the period of fifty-two years. He preached his last sermon after he had entered upon the eighty-eighth year of his age; and being soon after seized with a paralytic affection, he died December 27, 1693. He was a person of quick apprehension, clear understanding, strong memory, and facetious conversation. He was a good scholar, an excellent physician, and a celebrated divine. His wife was a person of most exemplary piety, with whom he lived, in the greatest harmony and affection, upwards of forty years; during which period, he used to say, "she never gave him one offensive word.”+ Newcourt's Repert. Eccl. vol. ii. p. 291. + Mather's Hist. of New Eng. b. iii. p. 167, 168. ADDENDA: CONTAINING A SKETCH OF THOSE PURITAN DIVINES OF WHOM NO FURTHER INFORMATION COULD BE OBTAINED. MR. ALLEN was an eminent puritan divine, and among the first sufferers for nonconformity in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. In the year 1564 he was convened before the high commission at Lambeth, when he was sequestered and deprived for refusing subscription. He afterwards obtained absolution, and was again restored to his ministry. MR. BROKLESBY was vicar of some church in the city of London, but prosecuted for nonconformity. He was accused of having asserted, 1." That it was not lawful for women to baptize.-2. That, in the ministration of sacred things, he was above the queen.-S. That the Virgin Mary was begotten and conceived in sin.-4. That the purifying of women, according to the usage of the church, was superstitious. And, 5. That the ecclesiastical ceremonies were the abominable rags of popery." Though it does not appear what sentence was inflicted upon him for these assertions; yet, April 3, 1565, he was deprived of his ministry for not wearing the surplice, and was the first who was thus punished for this significant crime.t MR. EVANS was one of the ministers belonging to the congregation of separatists in London, in the beginning of the reign of Queen Elizabeth; and, as a punishment for his • Strype's Grindal, p. 98. + MS. Register, p. 10.-MS. Remarks, p. 170. nonconformity, he was sent by the high commission into Scotland. He did not, however, continue long in the north, but, in May, 1568, returned to his native country. Because he could not, with a good conscience, conform to the ecclesiastical establishment, he kept private assemblies, with others of his brethren, as he had done before. But, by the recommendation of Archbishop Grindal, he was convened before her majesty's council for keeping conventicles; though it does not appear what punishment was inflicted upon him. Mr. Evans is said to have been "a man of more simplicity than the rest of his brethren." MR. FITS was one of the pastors of the separate congregation noticed in the above article. This church having assembled in private places for some time, was discovered, December 19, 1567, at Plumbers'-hall, when the members were committed to prison, and kept under confinement nearly two years. As the name of Mr. Fits is not in the list of those released from prison, he became pastor to these people, most probably, some time after this period. One of the elders of this separate church was Mr. John Bolton, who afterwards revolted from his brethren and recanted at Paul's cross; for which he was reproved and excluded by the rest of the church. His recantation was occasioned by the flattery and threatenings of the bishops. But finding afterwards that they slighted him, and considering how he had sinned against his own conscience, the terrors of the Almighty fell upon him, and, like Judas, he hanged himself.§ HUGH BOOTHE, A. M. was educated in Trinity college, Cambridge, where he discovered his zeal for nonconformity. This presently awakened the attention of the ruling ecclesiastics; and, February 1, 1572, he was convened before the heads of colleges; but it does not appear whether he was released, or some heavy punishment inflicted upon him. Mr. John Studley, A. M. of the same college, was convened at the same time, and for the same offence; but this is all we know of him. Strype's Grindal, p. 121, 122. + See Art. Hawkins. § Cotton's Churches, p. 4. |