586

fucceffor to Mr. George Day, who had been ejected from Wivelfcombe in Somerfetfhire. Here he would have also given his fervices for nothing, if he had not been advised to the contrary by his father-in-law; who on this principle, that it would be a prejudice to thofe who fhould fucceed him, diffuaded him from it. He was referved in his natural temper, and fond of privacy and retirement; but was an example of beneficence and charity; and in his public ministry, he was governed by an earneft aim to honour GOD, and to edify his hearers; and spreading the knowledge of Christ among his people was his fingular pleasure. He is reckoned to have tranflated into Latin fome works of the learned Dr. Lightfoot. He died 13th October 1728, Wilfon's History, vol. iii. p. 200.

10. Mr. Edmund Calamy, celebrated for the respectability of his character, the weight

of his influence, his controverfy with Bishop Hoadly on the principles of nonconformity, and numerous publications, particularly the abridgement of Mr. Baxter's Life, and a con tinuation. This last work will perpetuate his name in Ecclefiaftical History, and the execution of it will be an honourable memorial of his abilities and principles. See Biographia Britannica, by Kippis. Dr. Calamy was born on the 5th April 1671, and died 3d June 1732.

11. 12. Mr. after Dr. Kerr, M. D. and Mr. Thomas Rowe, who afterwards were themselves eminent tutors; the former, first at Highgate, and then in St. John's-fquare, Clerkenwell; the latter in London; and whose names and characters will claim a tribute of respect in a fubfequent period of the hiftory of Diffenting Academies,

13. Mr. Walters Bedford. N. B. The preceding lift is formed on the authority of Mr. Thompson's MS,

6. Mr. John Shuttlewood's Pupils. To p. 239.

1. Julius Saunders, who, at an early period of life, was entered at Oxford, with a view

of taking orders in the efta blishment; but after close and ferious examination, he was

induced to take bis lot among lift of Mr. Doolittle's pupils.

the diffenters. During the reign of Charles II. he fuffered three years' imprisonment in the gaol of Warwick for his nonconformity. He formed an independent congregation at Bedworth, a populous village near Coventry; and was alfo the means of fupporting, if not raifing, another church of the fame denomination in the city. He was a gentleman of great piety, but of the fterneft caft; and for many years fupported a character of great weight and influence in the neighbourhood; and his name is tranfmitted down to us as one who was "a "burning and fhining light." Evangelical Mag. p. 578, fupplement to 1806; and Proteftant Diffenters' Mag. 1797, p. 242. 2. Mr. Thomas Emlyn, in 1678, commenced his academical studies at this feminary, and spent four years in it; though, it is obferved by his biographer, the obfcure privacy of it did not fuit his inquifitive mind, eagerly thirsting after knowledge; for he was kept unacquainted with the learned world, and could fee but very few books, and those chiefly of one fort. Memoirs of his Life, p. 6; and before the

3 Mr. Ebenezer Wilson, son of the Rev. John Wilfon, many years paftor of the baptift congregation at Hitchin, Herts, and father of the Rev. Samuel Wilfon, a popular minister of a church of the fame denomination in Goodman's fields, London. Mr. Ebenezer Wilson received his academical education partly, alfo, under Mr. Jollie, at Attercliffe. He was for fome years fettled with a congregation at Bristol, as affiftant to Mr. Thomas Vaux, paftor at Broadmead. In 1704 he accepted an invitation to the paftoral office in a baptist congregation at Turner's hall, London; which, though small, confifted of fome wealthy perfons, by whom he was greatly refpected, and who contributed liberally to his fupport. was a worthy man and a scholar, but not popular as a preacher. Crosby, vol. iv. p. 326-328; & Wilfon's Hift. vol. i. p. 144.

He

4. Mr. John Sheffield, fon of the Rev. William Sheffield, ejected from Ibstock in the county of Leicester, by the Act of Uniformity; under the preffure of which Act he and his fon continued to groan all their days. He was intended

fions into the country to preach lectures. In 1697 he was invited, on the death of Mr. Nathaniel Vincent, to fucceed him as paftor of the congregation of diffenters at St. Tho mas's, Southwark. In this connection he remained to his death on Jan. 24, 1726, aged 73; affifted at one time by Mr. Joshua Bayes, and then Mr. Henry Read, as his colleagues. He was a man of great intregrity and plain-heartedness, an enemy to diffimulation. His charity was not confined to a party, but embraced all who adhered to the common Head; an advocate for catholic chriftianity, he difapproved of the national establishment, and was contented to decline the emoluments of it; for " he thought "it fet up fuch a fort of uni"formity as hindered unity, " and turned the national

for trade, but the ftrong bent of his mind for learning determined his father to place him under the tuition of Mr. Shuttlewood, then a refident in the neighbourhood; " a worthy "and learned man," fays Dr. Calamy, "who deferved much "better treatment than he met "" with from an illnatured "world;" and whom Mr. Sheffield followed in his feveral removals, pursuing his ftudies with great diligence and application. He entered into public life with a mind well ftored with useful knowledge, and with a warm heart, preach ing as one who did himself believe what he delivered to others. He had ftudied his bible dili gently, making that his only standard, and was reckoned by the great Mr. Locke, whom he often met with at a friend's houfe in Effex, to understand it well, and to excel in explain-church into a mere party." ing difficult texts. He began his ministry, for a continuance, Temple-hall in Leicestershire, where he officiated as chaplain to a lady, whose name was Palmer, and opened a meetinghoufe for flated religious worfhip; preaching alfo at Ather ftone, and in the courfe of the week making frequent excur

Where he thought the honour of GoD and the religious edification of men were concerned, his courage was undaunted, and his mind not to be intimidated from its purposes. His affairs were managed with discretion, and without much noife; his favourite motto being, Qui "bene latuit, bene vixit." He

maintained in all refpects very mild deportment towards his colleagues and brethren in the miniftry, by whom he was greatly respected. In the latter years of his life his piety and refignation were greatly exercifed by very painful diforders; and on opening his body after his death two ftones were extracted, one from the bladder, fmooth, not fo large as is often feen, and fo lodged as probably not to come often at the neck of the bladder; the other, rough, craggy, and very large, filling up the whole pelvis of the kidney, with several protuberances, and a rough (pike of confiderable length, which ran into the ureter. He bore the exquifite pain occafioned by these concretions with remarkable patience, and even compofure; and in moments of great uneafinefs and acute fenfation, often answered the enquiries of his friends with a fmile that expreffed the ferenity of his mind. His greatest depreffion of fpirits arofe from being laid afide from his work; but when complain

ing that he was quite useless,
he would recollect himself and
exprefs the refignation of his
Bleffed Mafter, who in the fe-
vereft trials faid, "Father,
"not as I will, but as Thou
" wilt." He was an excellent
man, greatly honoured, living
and dying. Calamy's Funeral
Sermon for Mr. Sheffield, p.
33-40. He left a fon, Mr.
Wm. Sheffield, in the ministry.
5. Mr. Matthew Clarke;
6. Dr. Joshua Oldfield;
N. B. These gentlemen are
named by the late Mr. Samuel
Palmer (Noncon. Memor. v.ii.
p. 126, 1st ed.) as ftudents
under Mr. Shuttlewood; but it
is apprehended the author was
misinformed. The former, we
have feen before, received his
academical learning under Mr.
Woodhoufe; the latter, Dr.
Harris informs us, ftudied phi-
lofophy under Mr. Rayner, and
then refided fome time in
Chrift's college, Cambridge,
in the latter years of those
learned and excellent perfons,
Dr. Henry Moore and Dr.
Cudworth. Fun. Dif. p. 380.

VII. Mr. Cradock's Pupils. To page 239.

1. Mr. Robert Billio, who of the congregation in Marewas Mr. Matthew Henry's im- ftreet, Hackney.

mediate fucceffor as minifter

3. Sir Francis Brickley, of divinity. He took orders in Attleborough, Norfolk.