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we have not been able to learn. His being under the wing of so honourable and worthy a patron, might prove a sufficient protection. One of the same name, and probably the same person, was afterwards a minister in Bristol, then at Reading in Berkshire, and lastly at St. Sepulchre's, London, where he died about November, 1612. There were two other Mr. William Burtons, both persons of distinguished eminence, who lived about the same time.+

His WORKS.-1. A Sermon preached at Norwich, on Jer. iii. 14., 1589.-2. A Catechism containing certain Questions and Answers concerning the Knowledge of God, and the right use of the Law, 1591.-3. David's Evidence; or, the Assurance of God's Love, 1592.-4. A Caveat for Sureties, 1593.-5. Exposition of the Lord's Prayer, drawn into Questions and Answers, 1594.-6. The Rousing of the Sluggard, 1595.-7. Conclusions of Peace between God and Man, containing comfortable Meditations for the Children of God, 1595,-8. Sermons on the Church's Love to Christ her Husband, 1595, -9. David's Thanksgiving for the Arraignment of the Man of Earth, 1508.-10. Ten Sermons on Matt. v. 3, 4., 1602.-11. The Anatomy of Belial, 1602.-12. Certain Questions and Answers concerning the Attributes of God, 1602.-13. Questions and Answers concerning the right use of the Law of God, 1602.-14. An Abstract of the Doctrine of the Sabbath, briefly, yet fully and plainly set forth, 1606.

RICHARD ROGERS.-This excellent divine was educated at Cambridge, and was afterwards for many years the laborious and useful minister of Wethersfield in Essex. He was a zealous, faithful, and profitable labourer in the vineyard of the Lord, for the space of forty-six years. He was a man of considerable learning, and of a most humble, peaceable, and exemplary life; but a great sufferer for nonconformity. In the year 1583, upon the publication of Whitgift's three articles, and the severites which accompanied them, Mr. Rogers, with twenty-six of his brethren, all ministers of Essex, presented their petition to the lords of the council for relief; an abstract of which is given in another place.

This petition does not seem to have produced the desired effect: for Whitgift suspended and silenced them all, and protested that not one of them should preach without subscription and an exact conformity. What kind of treat

* Wood's Athenæ Oxon. vol. i. p. 286, 287.
+ Biog. Britan, vol. iii. p. 42. Edit. 1778.
See Art, George Gifford,

ment they afterwards met with, appears from an account now before me, wherein it is said, "that thirty-eight ministers, denominated the learned and painful ministers of Essex, were oftentimes troubled and molested, for refusing to subscribe, to wear the surplice, or use the cross in baptism." Though our divine had his share in these tyrannical proceedings, he was afterwards sheltered under the wing of a most worthy patron. Sir Robert Wroth warmly espoused his cause; who, notwithstanding the protestation and censure of the archbishop, ordered him to renew his preaching, and he would stand forwards in his defence. After enduring suspension about eight months, he was restored to his ministry. He continued for many years under the protection of Sir Robert, enjoying the peaceable exercise of his ministry. He was particularly anxious to obtain a more pure reformation of the church; he therefore united with many of his brethren in subscribing the "Book of Discipline." In the year 1598, one Mr. Rogers, most probably this pious divine, was cited to appear before the high commission; but whether he received any ecclesiastical censure, we are unable to ascertain.t

In the year 1603, Mr. Rogers and six other ministers felt the weight of the archbishop's outstretched arm; and for refusing to take the oath ex officio, he suspended them all. Upon their suspension they were further summoned to appear before his lordship; but it is said the archbishop died on the very day of their appearance; when they were discharged by the rest of the commissioners. But in the following year they were exceedingly molested by Bancroft, Whitgift's successor. During the whole summer they were continually cited before him, which, in addition to many other hardships, caused them to take numerous, long, and expensive journies. In these tribulations Mr. Rogers bore an equal share with his brethren.

Dr. Ravio succeeded Bancroft in the diocese of London, and appears to have been of the same cruel, persecuting spirit as his predecessor. He was no sooner seated in his episcopal chair, than he began to prosecute the nonconformists. Among others, he cited Mr. Rogers to appear before him, and protested in his presence, saying, "By

* MS. Chronology, vol. ii. p. 589. (10.)

+ Neal's Puritans, vol. i. p. 423.

Baker's MS. Collec. vol. xi, p. 344.

MS. Chronology, vol. ii. p. 503. (7.) 589. (10.)

the help of Jesus, I will not leave one preacher in my diocese who doth not subscribe and conform." But, poor man! he died soon after, and so was disappointed. *

Mr. Rogers, in his own private diary, April 25, 1605, makes the following reflections: "I was much in prayer about my troubles, and my God granted me the desire of my heart. For, by the favour and influence of William Lord Knollys, God hath, to my own comfort, and the comfort of my people, delivered me once more out of all my troubles. Oh that I may make a holy use of my liberty! But it greatly troubles me," adds the good man, "that after labouring betwixt thirty and forty years in the ministry, I am now accounted unworthy to preach; while so many idle and scandalous persons enjoy their ease and liberty."+

Upon Dr. Vaughan's translation to the see of London, and his restoration of many of the suspended ministers, Mr. Rogers makes these reflections, May 30, 1606: "If I preach no more, I heartily thank God for my liberty, both at home and abroad, for this year and a half, and I hope with some fruit. The bishop has been my friend. April 2, 1607, this week came the painful news of our Bishop Vaughan's death; who, for twenty-eight months, being all the time he continued, he permitted all the godly ministers to live peaceably, and to enjoy liberty in their ministry."+ On another occasion, Mr. Rogers having been in great danger of suspension, and many of his brethren being silenced, makes this reflection: "By God's great mercy, I have gained twelve weeks more liberty than I looked for. Therefore I have the greater cause to be content when silencing cometh, especially as many are silenced before me." Mr. Rogers was living in the year 1612; but we are unable to ascertain the exact period of his death.

* Wood says, that this prelate was preferred first to the see of Gloucester, on account of his great learning, gravity, and prudence; and that, though his diocese "was pretty well stocked with those who could not bear the name of a bishop, yet, by his episcopal living among them, he obtained their love and a good report from them." He seems, however, to have changed his course upon his translation to the see of London; where he presently died, having," it is said, "for many years, with much vigilance, served his church, his king, and his country."-Wood's Athenæ Oxon, vol. i. p. 617. + MS. Chronology, vol. ii. p. 589. (10.)

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Dr. Richard Vaughan, successively Bishop of Bangor, Chester, and London, was a person of great learning, piety, and moderation, and as admired preacher. As Fuller says, he was a very corpulent man, but spiritually minded," and a person of an excellent character.-Strype's Aylmer, p. 295,-Granger's Biog. Hist. vol. i. p. 343, 344.

MS. Chronology, vol. ii. p. 589. (12.)

Mr. Knewstubs preached his funeral sermon. Messrs. Daniel and Ezekiel Rogers, both eminent puritan divines, were his sons. Mr. Stephen Marshall was his immediate successor at Wethersfield.

He was eminently faithful and laborious in the ministry; and it is said, "the Lord honoured none more in the conversion of souls." He was styled the Enoch of his day, a man walking with God; and he used to say, I should be sorry if every day were not employed as if it were my last. He was an admired preacher; and Bishop Kennet says, "that England hardly ever brought forth a man who walked more closely with God."+ Mr. Rogers was always remarkable for seriousness and gravity, in all kinds of company. Being once in company with a gentleman of respectability, who said to him, " Mr. Rogers, I like you and your company very well, only you are too precise: "Oh, sir," replied Mr. Rogers, "I serve a precise God.”‡

"

Mr. Rogers was author of "The Seven Treatises," 1603; which was highly esteemed. "A Commentry upon the whole Book of Judges," 1615. In his dedication of this work, he says he had been in the ministry forty years.

RANDALL BATES was a most holy man, an excellent preacher, and a zealous nonconformist, for which he was prosecuted in the ecclesiastical courts, and committed to the Gatehouse; where, after a confinement of twenty months, he died through the hardships of the prison. Mr. John Cotton, who was his contemporary, denominates him "an heavenly saint ;" and says, he suffered in the cause of nonconformity, being choked in prison." Nor could his release be obtained, though Dr. Hering, a learned and excellent physician, earnestly solicited Bishop Neile for his enlargement, declaring that his life was in danger. But the suit of the physician was repulsed with reproaches, and the blood of his patient was spilt through the extreme rigour of his confinement. He died in the year 1613. During Mr.

Granger's Biog. Hist. val. i. p. 219. + Kennet's Chronicle, p. 593,
Firmin's Real Christian, p. 67. Edit. 1670.

Bishop Neile, it is said, " was always reputed a popish and Arminian prelate, a persecutor of all orthodox and godly ministers, and one who preferred popish and Arminian clergy, making choice of them for his chaplains." He was accused of these things to his majesty by the house of commons, in 1628, and complained of in several parliaments.—Prynne's Cant. Doome, p. 531.

p. 28.

Cotton's Answer to Williams, p. 117.-Prince's Chron. Hist. vol. i.

Bates's imprisonment he wrote a book, entitled, "Meditations whilst he was prisoner in the Gatehouse, Westminster," which shews him to have been a person of great humility and piety. It discovers a mind strongly attached to the author's views of christian doctrine and church discipline. His views of the latter appear to have been a compound of presbyterianism and independency, as some of his expressions favour the one, and some the other form of church government.

DANIEL DYKE, B. D.-This excellent divine was born at Hempstead in Hertfordshire, where his father was a worthy minister, and silenced for nonconformity.* He received his education at Cambridge, and became a most faithful and useful preacher; but, like his honoured father, was exceedingly persecuted by the intolerant prelates. He was for some time minister of Coggeshall in Essex; but, upon the publication of Whitgift's three articles, in 1583, he was suspended by Bishop Aylmer, and driven out of the county. Afterwards he settled at St. Albans, in his native county, where his ministry was particularly acceptable and profitable to the people. He united with his brethren in attempting to promote a more pure reformation of the church, and, with this object in view, assembled with them in their private associations. But in this, as in his former situation, the watchful eye of Aylmer was upon him, and he was involved in fresh troubles. Because he continued a deacon, and did not enter into priests' orders, which the bishop supposed he accounted popish; and because he refused to wear the surplice, and troubled his auditory, as his grace signified, with notions which thwarted the established religion, he was again suspended, and at last deprived. This was in the year 1589. The distressed parishioners being concerned for the loss of their minister, petitioned the Lord . Treasurer Burleigh, who had been Mr. Dyke's great friend, to intercede with the bishop in their behalf. This petition sets forth, "That they had been without any ordinary preaching till within this four or five years; by the want of which they were unacquainted with their duty to God, their sovereign, and their neighbours: and so ignorance and disorder had greatly prevailed among them, for want of + MS. Register, p. 741.

*Fuller's Worthies, part ii. p. 28.

Baker's MS. Collec. vol. xv. p. 79.
MS. Register, p. 585.-Strype's Aylmer, p. 159.

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