which shall be proved out of the word of God, to be unlawful, I will leave it: and whatsoever I use not, which may be also proved out of the word of God that I ought to use, I will, God willing, use it." Also, on one of these occasions, when Mr. Snape appeared before his ecclesiastical inquisitors, he confessed, and said, "It was agreed upon in the classical and general assemblies, that dumb ministers were no ministers of Christ, and that the ministers should preach to promote a pure ecclesiastical government."+. Mr. Snape is said to have confessed in effect the whole of that with which he and his brethren were charged. He acknowledged that he moved the mayor of Northampton to unite with other towns, in presenting a supplication to the queen, humbly beseeching her majesty to hear their cries, and grant them a more pure ecclesiastical discipline. He joined with his brethren in their association at Warwick, in 1588; when they declared against private baptism, reading apocryphal books and homilies in the church, com municating with unlawful ministers and the government of bishops and archbishops, and for the erection of a better discipline. He is said, also, to have used the following rash expres sions, against the persecuting prelates: I pray God strengthen our faith, and arm us with patience; and then let the devil and his deputies the bishops, do what they can. In the mean time let us take our pennyworths of them, and not die in their debt. It fareth with us as with the prisoners in popery. God send us their comfort." And he compared the established church, under the oppressions of the bishops, "to Babel and the Red Dragon, dyed red with the blood of the saints." Oppression will make a wise man mad. At one of Mr. Snape's examinations, the following curious interrogatory was proposed, to which he was required to give his answer:-"Have you said and signified this, viz. How say you, if we devise a way to take off all the antichristian yoke and government of bishops, and will jointly erect the discipline and government all in one day, in such sort as they shall never be able to prevail to the contrary? But peradventure, it will not be this year and half?' Ör, did you use any words to the like effect, or tending or Baker's MS. Collec. vol. xv. p. 72. + Baxter's Second Plea, p. 32. + Baker's MS. Collec. vol. xv. p. 73, 74, sounding that way? To whom, when, and where, and what was your meaning, and only meaning thereby ?" Such inquisition was certainly designed to ensnare his conscience, and to compel him to become his own accuser, even in the presence of his judges.. After having suffered eleven months' close imprisonment, Mr. Snape united with many others under similar oppressions, in presenting a supplication to the lord treasurer, humbly desiting to be admitted to give bail. At the same time, Archbishop Whitgift sent them a form of submission, which they unanimously rejected. A particular account of these transactions is given in another place.+ But when he was released from prison, we are not able to learn. The following anecdote is related of this persecuted servant of God. Mr. Snape, it is said, being cast into prison by the bishops for nonconformity; and all his money being expended by his long confinement, he met with much unkind usage from the jailer. The good man being one day on his knees in fervent prayer to God, and the window of his chamber being open, observed something thrown into the room; but he resolved to finish his prayer, before he examined what it was. When he rose from his knees, he found, to his great surprize, a purse full of gold lying on his chamber floor. By this unexpected supply, he was more comfortable in his situation, and enabled to make his keeper better natured ever after. The Lord heareth the young ravens when they cry; how much more will he hear his afflicted people! JOHN HOLMES was brought up under Bishop Jewel, and was an excellent preacher, and a man of great piety. Bishop Woolton of Exeter having obtained a good opinion of him, presented him to the benefice of Keane in Devonshire. He no sooner entered upon his public charge, than he began to labour as a faithful steward of the manifold mysteries of God. Being deeply concerned for the welfare of his flock, he manifested a strong affection for their best interests. He embraced every opportunity of affording them the best instruction, particularly by his catechetical exercises, a practice to which they had been very little accustomed. He also faithfully reproved their gross vices and disorders; for which he was complained of to the * Baker's MS. Collec. vol. xv. p. 76. Mather's Hist. of New Eng. b. iii. p. 10. + See Art. Cartwright. bishop; who, though he had been minister of the same place, deprived him of the living. In the year 1590, Humphrey Specot, esq. presented Mr. Holmes to the rectory of Tetcote, in the same county; but the above prelate refused him institution, and put him to numerous troubles, pretending that Mr. Holmes was an inveterate schismatic, merely because he could not with a good conscience observe every punctilio of conformity. RICHARD GREENHAM, A. M.This most excellent servant of Christ was born about the year 1531, and educated in Pembroke hall, Cambridge; where he took his degrees in Arts, and was chosen fellow.* Upon his removal from the university, he became pastor to the congregation at Drayton, near Cambridge; where he continued many years, not sparing himself to promote the salvation of souls. He was a hard student, and constantly rose, winter and summer, at four o'clock in the morning. He always preached twice on a Lord's day, and catechised the young people of his parish. He usually preached four times and catechised once, during the week; and for the greater convenience of his people, these week-day services were observed early in the morning. He took such uncommon pains, and was so remarkably ardent, in his preaching, that at the conclusion of the service, his perspiration was so great, that his shirt was usually as wet as if it had been drenched in water. He was more concerned to be useful, than to obtain any worldly emolument whatever; therefore, he refused several lucrative preferments when offered him. He naturally cared for souls, and manifested on all occasions a warm concern for their salvation. At the same time, he was not unmindful of their temporal comfort, but abounded in acts of liberality to the poor and distressed; for which he and his family often suffered want. In addition to his public ministerial labours, he had a remarkable talent for comfort. ing afflicted consciences; and in this department the Lord greatly blessed his endeavours. Having himself waded through the deep waters, and laboured under many painful conflicts, he was eminently qualified for relieving others. The fame of his usefulness in resolving the doubts of inquiring souls, having spread through the country, Baker's MS. Collec. vol. ii. p..378., multitudes from all quarters, flocked to him as to a wise physician, and by the blessing of God, obtained the desired comfort. Numerous persons who to his own knowledge had laboured under the most racking terrors of conscience, were restored to joy and peace in believing. When any complained of blasphemous thoughts, his advice was "do not fear them, but abhor them.' Mr. Greenham was a man remarkable for peace. He was celebrated for promoting peace among those who were at variance, and in labouring incessantly for the peace of the church of God. He was a most exact and conscientious nonconformist, choosing on all occasions to suffer, rather than sacrifice a good conscience. Though he cautiously avoided speaking against conformity, or those things which to him appeared objectionable in the established church; lest he should give the least offence, he was suspended from his ministry, for refusing to subscribe and wear the habits.+ He was of opinion that rites and ceremonies introduced into the church of Christ, without the warrant of scripture, were of no real advantage, but productive of much superstition; therefore, he prayed that all such things, as hinderances to the success of the gospel, might be taken away. To subscribe to any thing besides the word of God, or not collected from that sacred volume, he durst not, but peremptorily refused.§ Whoever will read his letter to Dr. Cox, bishop of Ely, will easily perceive what manner of spirit they were of, who could bear hard upon so excellent and peaceable a divine. When he was called before the bishop, upon a complaint of his nonconformity, he discovered at once, his prudence, peaceableness, and good sense. His lordship observing that there was a great schism in the church, asked him whether the blame was attached to the conformists, or nonconformists. To which Mr. Greenham immediately replied, "that it might be attached to either, or to neither. For," said he, "if both parties loved each other as they ought, and did acts of kindness for each other, thereby maintaining love and concord, the blame would be on neither side; but which party soever made the rent, the charge of schism belonged to them." The bishop is said to * Clark's Lives annexed to his Martyrologie, p. 19–14. + Parte of a Register, p. 86-93. Greenham's Works, p. 278. Edit. 1601. Parte of a Register, p. 88, 89. This letter is preserved, but too long for our insertion.—Ibid. p. 86–93. have been so well satisfied with this answer, that he dismissed him in peace. Mr. Greenham united with his brethren in subscribing the "Book of Discipline."+ This worthy divine having laboured in the ministry at Drayton about twenty-one years, removed to London, and became minister at Christ-church, where, in about two years, he finished his labours. He died a most comfortable and happy death, in the year 1591, aged sixty years. Fuller, who says he died of the plague, observes, that he was an avowed enemy to nonresidents, and wondered how such men could find any comfort in their wealth. "For," he used to say, "they must see written upon all they have, this is the price of blood." Our author adds, that he was most precise in his conversation, a strict observer of the Lord's day, and that no book made a greater impression upon the minds of the people, than his "Treatise on the Sabbath," which greatly promoted the observance of it through the nation. Mr. Strype denominates him a pious minister, but not well affected to the orders of the established church.s Mr. Greenham was an excellent writer, for the time in which he lived. His works, including Sermons, Treatises, and a Commentary on Psalm cxix., came forth at different times, but were collected and published in one volume folio, in 1601. The excellent Bishop Wilkins speaks in high commendation of his sermons, classing them with the most valuable in his day. And his commentary, says Dr. Williams, is admirable, for the time in which it was written, both for style and method; and, like all the productions of this author, is full of spiritual unction. The above edition of Mr. Greenham's works was published by Mr. Henry Holland, and dedicated to the Countess of Cumberland and the Countess Dowager of Huntington. In this dedication, it is observed as follows: "I come as in the name of the faithful servant of Christ, Mr. Richard Greenham, a man well known unto your honours, and to those most religious patrons of all piety and good learning, the Right Honourable Earls of Huntington, Warwick, and Bedford, of blessed memory, which now sleep in the Lord. Of them was he much reverenced in his life-time; of your honours much lamented after death; for you know the loss of such to be no small rack unto the church and people of God. Such experience and good liking + Neal's Puritans, vol. i. p. 423. * Clark's Lives, p. 13. Strype's Aylmer, p. 152. Christian Preacher, p. 431. 2 E |