was examined about diverting himself with the hook and line on the Lord's day, he protested, saying, "I do not know which is the Lord's day. I think every day is a sabbath day; for you do nothing but preach and pray all the week long."* Mr. Fisk married a lady of piety and of a good fortune, several hundred pounds of which was denied her, through the displeasure of her father, upon accompanying her husband to New England. On their arrival, in the year 1637, he preached for several years at Salem, and became tutor to a number of gentlemen's sons. In the month of October, 1644, he was chosen pastor of the church at Wenham, where he abode twelve years. He was content with a small salary, while he spent a considerable estate in promoting the welfare of the new colony. About the year 1656, he removed, with the greater part of the church, to Chelmsford; where he spent the remainder of his days. There his greatest trial was the loss of his pious wife; who, having so extensive a knowledge of the scriptures, served him, says our author, instead of a concordance. Mr. Fisk, upon his death-bed, said to his children, "You have the sure mercies of David. Study to emulate one another, and provoke one another to love." He died January 4, 1676, aged fifty-five years. He was a most able, faithful, and useful preacher. He published "The Olive Plant Watered." THOMAS PARKER, A. M.-This excellent divine, the son of Mr. Robert Parker, the famous old puritan, was born in the year 1595, and admitted into Magdalen college, Oxford, before his father's exile. His father being driven out of the land for nonconformity, he removed to Ireland, where he pursued his studies under the famous Dr. Usher. Thence he went to Leyden in Holland, where he enjoyed the assistance of the learned Dr. Ames. His labours were indefatigable, and his progress answerable to his exertions. Before the age of twenty-two he received the degree of master of arts with universal admiration and applause. He was greatly beloved and admired by the renowned Maccovius. Afterwards he returned to England to pursue his theological studies; and he settled at Newbury in Berk shire, where, for some time, he preached and kept a school. Here he appears to have been assistant to the celebrated Mather's Hist. of New Eng. p. 142. + Ibid. p. 142, 148. Dr. Twisse. Being, however, dissatisfied with the arbitrary and cruel proceedings of the ruling prelates, he removed to New England, with a number of christians from Wiltshire, in the year 1634. He went in the same ship with Mr. James Noyes, another puritan minister, with whom the greatest intimacy and affection subsisted as long as they lived. Mr. Parker, and about one hundred of his friends, upon their arrival in the new plantation, sat down at Ipswich. In this situation they continued about a year, then removed to Quafcacunquen, which they now called Newbury. The beautiful river, on whose banks they settled, was, in honour to their revered pastor, called Parker's river: tradition says, "because he was the first who ascended it in a boat." Mr. Parker was chosen pastor of the church, and Mr. Noyes teacher. There Mr. Parker, by the holiness and humility of his life, for many years, gave his people a lively commentary of his doctrine. But, by his incessant application to study, he became blind several years before his death; yet, even then, he taught Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. The loss of both his eyes was certainly very painful; yet he bore the cross with becoming submission to the will of God, and would sometimes pleasantly say, "Well, they will be restored shortly, in the day of the resurrection." He departed to the world of light in the month of April, 1677, in the eighty-second year of his age, and the fifty-second of his ministry. He was exceedingly charitable, a hard student, an excellent preacher, and one of the best scholars and divines of the age. He considered the sabbath as beginning on the Saturday evening, yet kept the sabbath evening as his people did. When he was asked why he adopted a practice different from his opinion, he replied, " Because I dare not depart from the footsteps of the flock for my own private opinion." When he kept a school he refused any reward, saying, "he lived for the sake of the church; therefore he was unwilling to receive any scholars, besides those who were designed for the ministry." His whole life was employed in prayer, study, preaching, and teaching school. He published " Meditations on the Prophesy of Daniel;" and "De Tractatione Peccatoris ;" and left behind him many volumes of manuscripts. #Morse and Parish's Hist. p. 43, 44. + Mather's Hist. of New Eng. b. iii. p. 143, 144.-Morse and Parish's Hist, of New Eng. p. 46. ! PETER HOBART, A. M.-This pious person was born at Higham in Norfolk, in the year 1604, and received his education at Cambridge, where he discovered much gravity, sobriety, and hatred of all vice. By his pious parents he was dedicated to the Lord from his earliest infancy. After he had finished his studies at the university, he taught school, and preached occasionally for a conformist minister, at whose house he lodged. This minister being requested to give his opinion of young Hobart, said, "I do highly approve of his abilities. He will be an able preacher; but I fear he will be too precise." He was afterwards exceedingly harassed and persecuted from one place to another, on account of his nonconformity; yet the good providence of God took care of him and his family, and they never suffered want. His last place of abode was Haverhil in Suffolk, where his labours were rendered a blessing to many souls. The arbitrary proceedings of the prelates became, at length, so intolerant, that he resolved to retire to New England, where he should be free from all episcopal molestation, obtain a settled place of abode, and be constantly employed in the work of the Lord. Accordingly, in the year 1635, he embarked with his wife and four children; and, after a long and sickly voyage, arrived at Charlestown, where he found his parents, brethren, and sisters, got safe before him. He received invitations from several churches, but settled, with his friends, upon a new plantation, which he called Higham. There he gathered a church, and continued its able and useful pastor many years. Mr. Hobart was a hard student, and always studied standing, which practice he recommended to others. He was a man of exemplary piety, and loved good people of all persuasions. He used pleasantly to say, that those who were furiously hot about church discipline, and cold about the life and power of godliness, were all church and no Christ. He was pastor of the church at Higham about forty-three years; after which, old age and its infirmities coming upon him, he was obliged, during the last year, to resign his charge. A few weeks before his death, having assisted at the ordination of his successor, he exclaimed, "Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace;" and, soon after, he resigned his soul into the hands of God, on January 20, 1678, in the seventy-fourth year of his age.* *Mather's Hist. of New Eng. b. iii. p. 153–155. SAMUEL WHITING, A. M.-This worthy divine was born at Boston in Lincolnshire, November 20, 1597, and educated in Emanuel college, Cambridge. He was awakened to a serious concern for his soul by attending upon the ministry of the excellent Dr. Sibbs and Dr. Preston. After he had finished his studies at the university, he became domestic chaplain to Sir Nathaniel Bacon and Sir Roger Townsend, in whose families,' by his wise and serious instructions, the interests of religion were greatly promoted. He was next chosen colleague in the ministry with Mr. Price of Lynn in Norfolk, where he continued three years. During this period he was interrupted by the Bishop of Norwich, and prosecuted in the high commission court, where, for the single sin of nonconformity, he expected to lose a considerable estate; but, happily for him, while the cause was pending, King James died, and so for the present the prosecution was dropped. The Earl of Lincoln interceding for him, the bishop promised to molest him no more, if he would remove out of his diocese.* Mr. Whiting afterwards settled at Shirbick, near Boston, where he remained for some time unmolested, the Lord blessing his labours. In this situation he was among his old friends, and near Mr. Cotton and Mr. Tuckney, by whom he was highly esteemed. He found, however, that there was no continued rest under the government of persecuting ecclesiastics. He was again prosecuted and silenced for rejecting the traditions of the popish fathers. He considered the imposition of human rites and ceremonies in divine worship as involving the very spirit and conduct of the church of Rome. The gospel he thought was insecure, while such rites and ceremonies were imposed; therefore concluded that the parade of human ceremonies, and the preaching of the word of God, had a direct tendency to drive each other out of the church. Having no prospect of being ever restored to his ministry, he resolved to withdraw from the cruel oppressions, when he found an asylum in New England. On leaving his native country, and expecting never to return, he sold all his estates, saying, "I am going to sacrifice unto the Lord in the wilderness, and will not leave a hoof behind." He embarked in the beginning of April, 1636, and arrived in New England towards the end of May, being so sick during the whole voyage that he could preach only one sermon. Upon his safe arrival he made Mather's Hist. of New Eng. b. iii. p. 156, 157. the following pious reflection: "We have left our friends who were near and dear unto us; but if we can get nearer to God, he will be unto us more than all. In him there is a fulness of all the sweetest relations. We may find in God whatsoever we have forsaken, whether fathers, or mothers, or brethren, or sisters, or friends, who have been near and dear to our souls." He had no sooner arrived in the new colony than he was chosen pastor of the church at Lynn, where he spent the remainder of his days. The following year Mr. Thomas Cobbet, another puritan minister, going to New England, became his colleague in the pastoral office. They lived together in mutual love and attachment twenty years, until Mr. Cobbet removed to Ipswich. Towards the close of life, Mr. Whiting's youngest son became his assistant; and during the last twenty years he was much afflicted with the stone in the bladder, which he bore with exemplary patience. Though he enjoyed scarcely one day of perfect ease through the whole of this period, he was never hindered one day from attending upon his public ministerial exercises. He died December 11, 1679, aged eighty-two years. He was a person of exemplary meekness, holiness, and peace; a hard student, and an excellent scholar, especially in Latin and Hebrew. He was author of "A Discourse on the last Judgment," 1664; and "Sermons on the Prayer of Abraham.” JOHN WHEELWRIGHT was minister at some place in Lincolnshire, where he was instrumental in the conversion of many souls, and highly esteemed among serious christians, but was silenced for his nonconformity. After he was silenced, he lived privately, for some time, near Lincoln, but, on account of the oppressions of the times, was obliged to remove from one place to another. Finding no rest for the sole of his foot, he withdrew from the scenes of persecution, and retired to New England. We do not, indeed, find in what particular year he crossed the Atlantic, but it is certain he was among some of the first settlers in the new colony. In the year 1629, part of the present state of New Hampshire in New England was purchased of the Indians, when a deed was obtained from them by Mr. Wheelwright and others from Massachusets. Before the year 1637, * Mather's Hist. of New Eng, b. iii. p. 157, 158. + Ibid. p. 158-160. |