the Weft. He was the friend of Archbishop Til lotfon, by whom he was greatly esteemed both for his learning and good temper. "His abilities," fays the writer juft quoted, " qualified him for the

highest dignities in the church; and it is certain 66 great offers were made to him, but he could never "be prevailed with to conform." He published, befides various theological and practical works, a biographical one, entitled, "Vitæ felectæ aliquot "virorum ;" which is principally a collection.*

The other ejected minifter, who, at the age of 70, died on the 16th of October, this year, the author of feveral fingle fermons, and of a tract of celebrity, and esteemed an excellent performance, entitled "The Almost Christian," was Mr. Matthew Mead, whom the Bartholomew Act difpoffeffed of the living of Stepney, near London. He afterwards, upon the liberty granted to the diffenters, collected a congregation in this place, and built a fpacious meeting, the four large pillars in which were a prefent from the States of Holland. He was defcended from a good family in Buckinghamshire, long an eminent preacher, of confiderable fame as a cafuift and a writer, and derived honour to his name from the great eminence of his fon, as a scholar, as a patron of learning, and as a phyfician; who for many years attended on George II. in that profeffional character. Mr. Mead, among other innocent perfons, was accufed as an accomplice in the RyeHouse plot, but was acquitted, on a full vindication Palmer, vol. i. p. 101, &c.; Granger, vol. iii. p. 304-5.

of his innocence by Charles II. when he heard on the charge before the privy council. He was a gentleman and a fcholar, and a most excellent preacher, according to the grateful tef timony of refpect paid to his name and memory by one who had been his ward.*

Palmer, vol. ii. p. 185; Granger, vol. iii. p. 332, 333; Peirce's Vindication of the Diffenters, parti. p. 258.

M M

APPENDIX.

NUMBER I. to Page 11.

The Case of the Protestant Dissenters represented and argued. By Mr. John Howe.

T

HEY are under one common obligation with the reft of mankind, by the universal law of nature, to worship GOD in affemblies.

Men of all forts of religions that have ever obtained in the world, Jews, Pagans, Mahometans, Chriftians, have in their practice acknowledged this obligation. Nor can it be understood how fuch a practice fhould be so universal, otherwise than from the dictate and impreffion of the univerfal law.

Whereas the religion profeffed in England is that of reformed christianity, fome things are annexed to the allowed public worship which are acknowledged to be no parts thereof, nor in themselves neceffary; but which the diffenters judge to be in some part finful.

They cannot, therefore, with good confcience towards GOD, attend wholly and folely upon the public worship which the laws do appoint.

The fame laws do strictly forbid their affembling to worfhip GoD otherwife.

Which is, in effect, the fame thing as if they who made or fhall continue fuch laws, fhould plainly fay, if you will

not confent with us in our fuperadded rites and modes against your confciences, you fhall not worship GoD; or if you will not accept of our additions to the chriftian religion, you shall not be chriftians; and manifeftly tends to reduce to Paganism a great part of a christian nation.

They have been wont therefore to meet however in diftinct affemblies, and to worship GOD in a way which their confciences could approve; and have many years continued fo to do, otherwise than as they have been hindered by violence.

It is therefore upon the whole fit to enquire,

2.1. Whether they are to be blamed for their holding diftinct meetings for the worship of God?

For anfwer to this, it cannot be expected that all the controverfies should be here determined, which have been agitated about the lawfulness of each of those things which have been added to the chriftian religion and worship by the prefent conftitution of the church of England.

But fuppofing they were none of them fimply unlawful, while yet the mifinformed minds of the diffenters could not judge them lawful, though they have made it much their bufinefs to enquire and fearch; being urged alfo by fevere fufferings, which through a long tract of time they have undergone, not to refufe any means that might tend to their fatisfaction; they could have nothing elfe left them to do than to meet and worship diftinctly as they have.

For they could not but esteem the obligation of the univerfal, natural, and divine law, by which they were bound folemnly to worship GoD, lefs questionable than that of a law, which was only pofitive, topical, and human, requiring fuch and fuch additaments to their worship, and prohibiting their worship without them.