SALTERS'-HALL.-English Presbyterian. v. 8. For we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Mr. Mayo left two sons in the ministry; one a Conformist, at St. Thomas's, Southwark; the other a Nonconformist, first at Kingston, and afterwards at Hackney, and Silver-street. He published several pieces, the titles of which shall be specified below. (x) NATHANIEL TAYLOR. (Y)-This eminent Divine, whom Dr. Doddridge styles, "The Dissenting South,” was a native of Burbich, in Wiltshire, where his father, the Rev. Thomas Taylor, was the parochial minister, till ejected at the Restoration. This faithful confessor, though he had (x) Works.—1. A plain Answer to this practical Question, What Course may a Christian take to have his Heart quickened and enlarged, in the Duty of secret Prayer?-2. A Sermon in the Morning Exercise against Popery, shewing, That the Papists dangerously corrupt holy Worship, by their sinful Prayers to Saints and Angels.-3. A Sermon in the Continuation of the practical Morning Exercise, Vol. iii. shewing, What we must do to prevent and cure Spiritual Pride.-4. A Sermon in the Casuistical Morning Exercise, Vol. iv. shewing, From what Fear of Death are the Children of God delivered by Christ, and by what Means doth he deliver them from it.— 5. The Life and Death of Dr. Staunton. To which is added, The Doctor's Treatise of Christian Conference; and his Dialogue between a Minister and a Stranger.-6. Two Conferences: One betwixt a Papist and a Jew: The other betwixt a Protestant and a Jew. In two Letters, from a Merchant in London, to his Correspondent in Amsterdam.—7. A Letter from Leghorn. 8. A Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans; in the second Volume of Mr. Poole's English Annotations.-9. The Cause and Cure of Strife and Divisions. (y) Besides this Mr. Nathaniel Taylor, there was another person of both his names, who lived at this period. The person here intended was a Clergyman of the Church of England, and in 1684, Master of the Free Grammar-School at Brigg, in Lincolnshire. In 1691, he published a Visitation Sermon, on Psa. cxxii. 6, in the title of which he appears to have been a Doctor of Divinity. There is a portrait of this person, in a clerical habit, with a broad-brimmed hat, and sitting in his school with the boys.-Noble's Continuation of Granger, vol. i. p. 106. SALIERS-HALL.--English Presbyterian. eight children, refused considerable preferment on the ground of Nonconformity, and was a great sufferer for conscience-sake, particularly from Dr. Seth Ward, Bishop of Sarum. After his ejectment, he settled at Salisbury; but, in 1676, removed to London, where he, soon afterwards, died. His son Nathanael, he named after Nathanael Fiennes, of Newton-Tony, Esq. who had been very kind to him, as well as to several other Nonconformists in the county of Wilts.* The subject of this biographical sketch received his university learning, in conjunction with Mr. John Shower, under the very worthy and learned Mr. Edward Veal, one of the Bartholomew Confessors, and afterwards an eminent tutor in the neighbourhood of London. The two pupils having cultivated a close intimacy, met frequently, some years before they began to preach, in order to assist each other in preparing for their ministerial work. They appeared in public about the same time; and had the benefit of the countenance and advice of that excellent Divine, Mr. Stephen Charnock, on whose ministry they both attended. That great man directed them in their studies, condescended to be an auditor of some of their first sermons, and, afterwards, would faithfully communicate to them his thoughtsan advantage which they often reflected upon with pleasurė and thankfulness.† Mr. Taylor's great capacity and diligence made his improvement in learning very conspicuous; and having imbibed a large portion of the spirit of the gospel, he appeared with accomplishments for his work, equal to those of most ministers of his day. As a preacher, he was so acceptable as soon to attract considerable notice, and after spending some time in a private station in the country, he returned to London, in 1683, and settled as assistant to the Rev. • Calamy's Contin. p. 865--867. + Mr. Shower's Sermon on the Death of the Rev. Nathaniel Taylor, p. 27. SALTERS'-HALL.-English Presbyterian. Vincent Alsop, in Westminster, in the room of Mr. Shower, who was gone upon his travels into foreign countries. The affairs of the nation putting on a gloomy aspect, Mr. Taylor retired to Holland, in 1687, in company with his friend Mr. Shower, the learned Mr. John Howe, and some other ministers, who were apprehensive for the liberties of their country. But, it having pleased God to appear in a wonderful manner for the deliverance of Britain from the councils of a popish tyrant, by the seasonable arrival of the Prince of Orange, Mr. Taylor returned to London. Soon after his arrival, he was chosen to assist the Rev. Richard Mayo, pastor of a congregation then at Buckingham-house, College-hill, but afterwards at Salters'-Hall; and, upon that gentleman's death, in 1695, he succeeded to the pastoral charge. In this situation he continued with great honour and usefulness, till he was suddenly removed by a painful disorder, in the meridian of his days. Above a year before his decease, he was chosen into the Merchants' Lecture, on a Tuesday morning, at Salters'-Hall, and delivered a series of discourses upon the Covenant of Grace, a subject which he did not live to finish. In delivering some of his latter discourses, he was forced to creep into the pulpit, and to preach as well as pray upon his knees.† Mr. Taylor, it seems, had some presentiment that he was not to continue long in this world, or, at least, that he should be removed suddenly out of it. Under this impresdisposal of his tem sion, he took particular care about the poral concerns. And, that he was not afraid, but rather desirous of a sudden death, is evident from his own most affecting words: "For my part (says he) on mature deliberation, I do not think it a desirable thing for a good man, who is ready for death, to be worn away like a stone, by a long and continual dropping. May my house and soul be Tong's Life of Shower, p. 51. + Mr. Shower's Sermon, p. 30. in order, and then the sooner it quits this vile body, and leaves this wretched world, if in the twinkling of an eye, so much the better! To which there is but one circumstance more which I desire may be added, viz. That I may die preaching the everlasting gospel, or administering the Lord'sSupper. May my taper be blown out in the sanctuary! and may I presently pass, in an instant, from serving the church militant here on earth, to join with the church triumphant in heaven! But we must not be our own chusers, and to be sure, God will dispose all things in the best manner for them that are his."* Mr. Taylor had been, for several years, severely afflicted with the gout, which frequently laid him aside from preaching and study. This was a source of great affliction to him; but though his frequent returning pains, both of the gout and stone, were sometimes extremely sharp, yet, he was very submissive under the hand of God. When, after his last severe fit of the gout, he was told by a friend who visited him, that he was heard to utter more bitter complaints than usual, he replied, "That his extremity, indeed, was very great, but he had not one hard thought of God, and that he had received so much benefit by his affliction, that he reckoned them amongst the greatest mercies of his life." These severe trials were not without their benefit; as they greatly assisted to preserve and increase the seriousness of his spirit, and his usefulness in preaching.† About two months before his death, he was taken with a disorder in his head, supposed to arise from the gout being gathered, and lodged there. But, on the application of proper remedies, his head was relieved, and a short fit of the gout ensued. Not many days before his death, his head was so greatly affected, that he took but little notice of his children, though, at other times, he was exceedingly fond Mr. Taylor's Sermon on the Death of the Rev. N. Vincent, p. s. SALTERS'-HALL-English Presbyterian, of them. The night before he died, he complained of some signs of a returning fit; upon which he took his accustomed remedy: But the matter flying into his head, and settling there, caused a fit similar to the apoplexy, which occasioned his death, towards the latter end of the month of April, 1702, when he could not have been much above forty years of age. His funeral sermon was preached by his excellent friend, Mr. John Shower, and afterwards printed; as was likewise another, by his assistant, Mr. John Newman. They both contain a full delineation of the character of the deceased. (z) * Mr. Taylor's qualifications for the ministerial office were of a very superior order, and raised him to the rank of one of the most considerable Divines of his age. He possessed strong natural abilities, which were improved by diligent study. Well skilled in the languages, and in the liberal sciences, his time was not spent in unprofitable speculations, but in researches that were subservient to the main end of the Christian religion. As a scripture-critic he greatly excelled; was a good casuist; and well acquainted with the controversies of his day. In explaining the doctrines of the gospel, he recommended his people to keep close to the scripture representation, without attempting to fathom, by mere dint of reason, those mysteries which are purely matters of revelation. He possessed great depth and solidity of judgment, with which, were united a very fine and sprightly fancy. These qualifications enabled him not only to arrest Mr. Shower's Sermon, p. 28. (z) The pious Mr. Matthew Henry, in his diary, makes the following respectful mention of Mr. Taylor's death. "May 5. Having this day Mr. Nathanael Taylor's book against Dr. Sherlock, I immediately received a letter from Sir Henry Ashurst, that Mr. Taylor, was dead. It much surprised and affected me. He was a man of great worth, wit and courage; not much older than myself. On the 21st of June, I received, and read, Mr. Shower's Sermon on Mr. Nathanael Taylor's funeral, which is very affecting.Tong's Life of Matthew Henry, p. 341. |