"encouraging religious assemblies." Referring to this imprisonment, in a letter written some time afterwards, he says:-"Some from our neighbouring parts are sent to the place of ancient experience [the prison], where they have a stock of prayers and presence to begin upon; they begin on straw, learning to endure hardness as good soldiers. The Lord make that Word good to them which often hath been, in that place, sweet to me (Exod. xxiii. 25; Eccles. iv. 14)." The Act of Uniformity was the death-knell of Christian freedom. Not only the ejected ministers, but all others who refused obedience, were subjected to persecution. Mr. Cheare became again an occupant of Exeter jail, and lay there three years, "enduring great inhumanities from merciless jailors," yet enjoying the consolations of religion in an eminent degree. Writing to a friend, who had known something of persecution, he says:—“ I received yours of the 11th of the seventh month, and in it a testimony of teaching and supporting grace and presence continued to you abroad, which He is pleased not to deny His poor worms here, in these holes of the earth, where violence hath thrust us in as so many slaughter-houses of men; but over-ruling grace makes them as the presence-chambers of the great King, where He brings and feasts His favourites with the best things, and proclaims among them, Thus shall it be done to them whom the King delights to honour.” This honour have not all, that yet are saints; much less have any this mercy, who either through the fear or formality of their unconverted souls are enforced shamefully to put off that profession which hypocritically they did put on in a day of seeming prosperity; not but these walls, as a draw-net, do enclose bad and good; but at length a discovery is made more manifest; he chooseth in this furnace of affliction, a week in a prison giving plainer discovery of a man's spirit than a month in a church.”

He was released in 1665, and returned to his work, but

had scarcely entered on it when his enemies obtained an order for his perpetual banishment. He was placed on the small island of St. Nicholas, whence he had a full view of his former abode, and doubtless often gazed on it with sadness. But he was not alone. Other Christian friends shared his exile. Their discomforts were many; the military guard which was constantly in attendance prevented them from engaging in religious exercises; and Mr. Cheare had the additional trial of a severe attack of illness, which lasted nine months, and brought him to the brink of the grave. Yet, though "cast down," he was not "destroyed." Divine comforts sustained him, and the sympathy of his brethren on the mainland was practically shown in contributions for his support. They were not long needed Another illness came on, under which he rapidly sank. At even-tide it was light. His dying experience afforded a beautiful illustration of the power of the Gospel. It cheered those who watched around his bed, and the published record edified many. He exchanged exile for a heavenly home, March 5, 1668.*

SECTION XI.

Biographical Notices Continued-John Tombes, B.D.-Francis Bampfield, A. M.-Henry D'Anvers-Edward Terrill-Dr. Du Veil-John Bunyan.

OHN TOMBES, B.D., was an eminently learned man.

His writings in defence of believers' baptism were numerous and weighty. Educated at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, he was appointed to the "Catechetical Lecture" in that Hall, on the death of his tutor, when he was but twenty-one years of age, and discharged the duty to the satisfaction of all concerned. About the year 1631, he obtained the living of Leominster, in Herefordshire, where he Ivimey, ii. 103-116.

*

BB

preached and laboured ten years. His zeal for “a reformation in the Church, and the purging out of all human inventions in the worship of God," exposed him to the fury of antireformers. When the King's forces occupied Leominster, Mr. Tombes was driven out of the place, and most of his property plundered. After a short stay in Bristol, he re-. paired to London, where he preached, first in Fenchurchstreet, and afterwards in the Temple Church. But he had been studying the subject of baptism for several years. Doubts respecting the authority of infant-baptism troubled him while he held his lectureship at Oxford. He sought satisfaction with great earnestness and diligence. The Scriptures were carefully examined; the best writings on both sides were read; and frequent conferences were held with learned ministers, for which there was ample opportunity at that time, as the Assembly of Divines was then sitting. But his scruples took faster hold of him, and at length he yielded to the conviction of the unscripturalness of infant-baptism. Dismission from his situation in the Temple followed the publication of one of his works on the subject. He then retired into the country, and became minister of Bewdley, Worcestershire. There, in 1646, he was baptized, and formed a Baptist church, to which he ministered separately, still retaining the charge of the parish; but the want of sympathy between him and the people occasioned his removal, and he returned to Leominster, at which place he closed his public ministry, soon after the Restoration. We have before stated, that he was appointed one of the Triers in Cromwell's time. The terms of uniformity were too hard for him. He withdrew into private life. "Having not long before married a rich widow at Salisbury, by whom he enjoyed a good estate, he resolved to live in rest and peace in his old age." The latter part of his life was spent in communion with the * Crosby, i, 290.

Church of England, although he refused to accept any benefice or dignity, or to occupy any public position. With singular inconsistency, as it seems to us, he still wrote against infant-baptism.

Mr. Tombes wrote fourteen treatises on baptism. The principal one was entitled, Antipædobaptism, or a full review of the dispute about Infant-Baptism.

FRANCIS BAMPFIELD, A.M., was one of the "excellent of the earth" in those days. He received his education at Wadham College, Oxford, where he spent upwards of seven years in the pursuit of knowledge. About the year 1639, he entered the ministry of the Church of England. The celebrated Bishop Hall ordained him. Shortly afterwards he obtained a living in Dorsetshire, and a prebendal stall in Exeter Cathedral. In 1655 he removed to Sherborne, where he laboured, as in his former location, with exemplary diligence, and was greatly endeared to the people of his charge.

But he had long been dissatisfied with the National Establishment. The corruptions and abuses inherited from Rome were not to be borne with. They could not, in his opinion, be classed among "things indifferent," for they struck at the authority of the Redeemer, as sole Head of the Church, and were totally inconsistent with the spirituality of His kingdom. The enactment of the Act of Uniformity, in 1662, brought Mr. Bampfield to a decision. He took leave of His flock, and commenced preaching as a Nonconformist.

In less than a month he was committed to prison, and there, too, he preached the Gospel. His imprisonments were numerous. One of them lasted eight years. He was then an inmate of Dorchester jail, where he continued his ministerial efforts, and had the happiness of forming a church. He preached in jail almost every day. As soon as he was liberated, he resumed his public work, itinerating

in several counties. In March, 1676, he became pastor of a Sabbatarian Baptist church meeting in Pinner's Hall, London, which had been gathered by his instrumentality. In the record of the formation of this church, it is stated that "the persons who then agreed to join together in church-communion, according to the order of the Gospel, under the conduct of the said Mr. Francis Bampfield, as their pastor, laid their church state upon the only sure foundation, and agreed to form and regulate it by the only certain rule and measure, expressing the nature and constitution of this church in the following terms :-'We own the Lord Christ to be the one and only Lord and Lawgiver to our souls and consciences; and we own the Holy Scriptures of truth as the one and only rule of faith, worship, and life, according to which we are to judge in all cases.' Accordingly, these principles were subscribed by the pastor and divers brethren on behalf of the rest." *

This was his last station. Here he met with the usual disturbances, the congregation being often broken up by the officers of mis-called justice. On February 17th, 1683, while he was preaching, a constable entered and interrupted him. "I have a warrant from the Lord Mayor to disturb your meeting," said the constable. "I have a warrant from Jesus Christ to go on," replied the preacher, and was proceeding with his discourse, when he was seized and taken, with six of his brethren, to the Lord Mayor, who fined them ten pounds each. Nevertheless, they met again in the afternoon, but were compelled to separate, on which they retired to Mr. Bampfield's residence, where he finished the exercises of the day. That day week he was apprehended once more, and committed to Newgate. At the next Quarter Sessions he and several others were placed at the bar, and the oath of allegiance was tendered to them. They declined to take it, because it was understood to * Ivimey, i. 170.