expending two hundred pounds in beautifyino it. — lie used there to otficiate,
turning his back to the people. — He used extraordinary bowing to it. — He
compelled others to do the same, using violence on those who refused. — He
abolished the singing of Psalms in the church. — He caused three hundred
wax candles to be set up and lighted in the church, on Candlemas-day at
night, in honour of our Lady. — He caused divers images, most glorioui-ly
painted, to be erected in the church. — He used these words in his sermon :
" The reformers of this church, when they abolished the mass, took away
all good order, and, instead of a reformation, made it a deformation." —
He caused iwo /Ao»sanrf pounds to be expended in setting up images and
other superstitious innovations. He caused the holy knife for cutting the
sacramental bread to be consecrated ; and he set up a splendid picture of
our Saviour, with a golden beard, and a blue cap on his head. — Rush-
worth's Collec vol. v. p. 208— 210.— Illusiration of Neal, p. 81.
92 LIVES OF THE PURITANS.
and squatting down, nodding of heads, and whirling about till
then- noses stand eastward ; in candlesticks, crucifixes, burn-
ing of wax-candles, and (what is worst of all) gilduig of
angels, garnishing of images, and setting them up : if, 1 say,
religion consists in these, and such like superstitious vanities,
ceremonial fooleries, apish toys, and popish trinkets, we had
never more religion than now. They are whores and whore-
mongers, they commit spiritual fornication, who bow their
bodies before the idol."* These were the most exceptionable
passages in Mr. Smart's sermon, even his enemies being
j"fjges.
The very day on which he preached this invective and
seditious sermon, as it is called, against the decent and allowed
ceremonies of the church of England, a letter missive was
issued to apprehend him, and bring him before the dean and
other commissioners. Upon his appearance he delivered up
his sermon to be copied, declarh)g that he would justify every
particular therein contained. After he had entered into a
bond of one hundred pounds for his future appearance he was
dismissed. From the time of his lirst appearance to January
'29^h following, he appeared no less than eight different times
before his ecclesiastical judges. In the mean time, articles
were exhibited against him, to which he gave his written
answ ers. At length, however, he was sent to the high com-
mission at Lambeth. Fuller says, that for preaching the
above sermon, " Mr. Smart was kept a prisoner four months
by the high commision of York, before any articles were
exhibited against him, and five months before any proctor was
allowed him. From the high commission of Yoik he was
carried to the high commission at Lambeth, and, after long
trouble, remanded back to York, fined Jive hundred pounds,
ordered to recant, and, for neglecting which, he was fined a
second time, excommunicated, degraded, deprived, and com-
niitied to prison, his damage amounting to many thousand
pounds."t It is inquired by what law Mr. Smart was treated
thus, for preaching against setting up images, altars, placing
them at the east end of the church, and bowing to them,
directly contrary to the Book of Common Prayer, and the
homily against idolatry, confirmed by act of parliament.^t He
remaiiicd in prison eleven or twelve years, till he was released
by the long parliament. The puritans had so much esteem
« Grey's Examination of Neal, vol. i. p. \\8, 119.— Illustration of Neal,
p. 13i.
t Fuller's Chiirrh Hist. b. xi. p. 173.— IHustratioD gf Neal, p. 5, 72.
X lluuiley's Prelates' Usurpations, p. 160.
SMART. 9S
•and compassion for him, that during his imprisonment, they
raised him ^400 a year.* Bishop Laud, it should be observed,
was the leading person in all the cruelties inflicted upon
Mr. Smart.f
November 12, 1640, the humble petition of Mr. Peter
Smart, prisoner in the King's-bcnch, complaining of the hard
usage he had met with, was read in the house of commons,
when it was referred to the committee appointed to consider
tlie petition of Dr. Leighton and others. The house further
ordered, " That Mr. Sinart, in all his particulars, shall have
the same liberty as that granted to Ur. Leighton, and shall
have copies of the records in the king's-bench and the high
commission gratis^
On January l'2tli following, an order passed the house,
" That Dr. Easdale, Roger Blauchard, and Phineas Hodson,
D. D. shall shew cause to this house why they do not pay the
monies adjudged to be paid to Mr. Peter Smart, upon a
judgment in the king's-bench, against the said Easdale,
* Granger's Biog. Hist. vol. ii. p. 110.
+ Prynue's Cant. Doome, p. 78,9.3, 493. — During Mr. Smart's confine-
ment in prison, he received a letter from Mrs. Smart, dated Witten-Gilliart,
April 6, 1632. This letter, which is said to be " larded with cant, and to be
a specimen of female casuistical puritauism," was as follows: —
" Most loving and dearly beloved husband,
" The grace and blessing of God be with you, even as unto mine
" owne soule and body, so do 1 dayly in my harty prayer wish unto you
"and my children; for I doe dayly twise, at the least, in this sort
'* remember you. And I dp not double, deere husband, but that both you
'• and I, as we be written in the booke of life, so we shall together enjoy
*' the saime everlastingly, throught the saveing grace and mercy of God,
" our deare Father, in his Soonne oar Christ : and for this present life, let
" us wholly appointe ourselves to the will of our God, to glorifie him,
"whether by life or by death ; and even that merciful! Lord make us
" worthy to honor him either way, as pleaseth him, Amen, Ye what great
" cause of rejoysing have we in our most gratious God, we can not but
" brust fourth into the prasing of such a bountiful) God, which maide you
" worthy to suffer for his name and worde saike: for it is given to you of
** God, not only that ye should believe in him; but also, that ye should
*' suffer for his saik, I Peter, 4, 5. Yf ye suffer rebuke in the name of
" Christ, that is, in Christ's cause, for his truths sake, then ar ye happy
*' and blessed ; for the glory of the spirit of God resteth upon you, and
*' therefore rejoice in the Lord, and againe I say rejoice; for the distressed
" church doth yet suffer dayly thinges for her mortification, and for this
" cause, is contemned and despised. But alas! if thy servant David, if
" thine onelv Soonne our Saviour Christ livede In shame and contempt, and
** weere a moking stocke for the people ; whle should not we then
*' patiently suttVr all things, that we might eii'er into glory, through many
" troubles, vexations, sh-ime, and ignominy, &c. — The blessing of God be
" with all, Amen, pray, pray. — Your loving and faithfull wife untill
" death,
" SVSANNA SJIABT."
lUnstration of Ntnl, p. 61— 7f>.
94 LIVES OF THE PURITANS.
Blanchard, and Hodson, at the suit of the said Peter Smart
about ten years since."
On January 22nd, Mr. Rouse presented the report of the
committee concerning Mr. Smart to the house of commons,
upon which the house resolved :
1 . " That the several proceedings of the high commission
court of York and Canterbury, against Mr. Smart, and the
several fines by them imposed upon him, are illegal and
unjust, and ought not to bind.
2. " That the degradation of Mr. Smart, and his depriva-
tion from his prebend, and other ecclesiastical livings, are
wnjust and illegal ; and that he ought to be restored to all of
them, together with the mean profits^
3. " I'hat Dr. Cosins and others, the prosecutors of Mr.
Smart, ought to make him satisfaction for his damages
sustained.
4. " That Dr. Cosins (a chief actor in Mr. Smart's prose-
cution) is guilty of bringing superstitious innovations into the
church, tending to idolatry ; and of speaking scandalous and
malicious wortls against his majesty's supremacy and the
religion established.
5. " That Dr. Cosins is, in the opinion of this house, unfit
and unworthy to be a governor in either of the universities, or
to continue any longer head or governor of any college, or to
hold and enjoy any ecclesiastical promotions."*
The house then referred it to the committee, to prepare
such things as might be thought fit to be transmitted to the
house of lords concerning Dr. Cosins ; and also to consider
of the most proper way of making Mr. Smart reparations for
the damages he had sustained. When Mr. Rouse delive>»ed
the charge against Dr. Cosins, at the bar of the house of lords,
he said, among other things, " That by the arms of the priests
Mr. Smart had been oppressed and ruined. He fell upon
their superstitions and innovations, and they fell upon him
with their arms ; they beat him down ; yea, they pulled him
up by the roots, taking away all the means of his support ;
yet leaving him life to feel liis miseries. There is no crueltj
like priestly cruelty ; and this cruelty cast him into long
contimied misery, whence he could obtain no release by any
priestly mercy. And now it is prayed, that as these delin-
quents, by their cruel oppressions of Mr. Smart, have
advanced the cause of poptry, so they may in a suitable
degree be punished; tliat in them priestly cruelty, and the
* Ru«hworih"s CoUec. vol. v. p. 41, 136, 152.— Nalson's Collec, vol. i.
p. 733, 134.
SMART. 9B
veiy cause of popery, may appear to be punished and sup-
pressed ; and Mr. Smart, suflfering for the cause of protestancy,
may be so repaired, that in him pious constancy, and the
cause of protestancy, may appear to be righted and repaired."*
Mr. Rouse, in a speech before the house of commons,
March 16, 1640, denominated Mr. Smart " the proto-
martyr ;" and he was usually called, " the protomartyr in
these latter days of persecution."!
Mr. Smart, therefore, received some reparations for
damages, but whether adequate to his losses and sufferings,
is extremely doubtful. His case was several times before
tlie lords, who passed various orders in favour of his repa-
rations.* By an order which they passed in 1642, he was
restored to his prebend in Durham, and presented to the
vicarage of Acliff in that county .§ In lG44 he was witness
against Archbishop Laud at his trial, and was living October
31, 1648, being then seventy-nine years of age.f| Mr. Smart
was a tolerable poet, a pious and judicious minister, a reverend
and grave divine, and a zealous enemy to superstition ;^ but
his enemies say, that he was of a most forward, fierce, and
ungovernable spirit; and that he was justly unprisoned and
duly rewarded for his excessive obstinacy.** This, however,
is the first time we have heard that excessive obstinacy was
dull/ rewarded thus. It is said, " he had not preached in the
cathedral church at Durham, though a prebendary of it, for
seven years, till he preached that seditious sermon for which
he was questioned. And while he held and enjoyed his pre-
ferment, and his health too, he seldom preached more than
once or twice a year." This account comes from one of his
prosecutors, being his bitter enemy; and appears extremely
suspicions. For if Mr. Smart had been so indolent and
inattentive to his ministerial function as here represented, how
was it that he gained so high a reputation among his brethren.^
The puritans, it is well known, invaiiably abhorred the con-
duct of idle, worldly shepherds, over the flock of Christ.ti
His Works. — 1. The Vanity and Downfal of Superstition and
Popish Ceremonies, in two sermons, in the cathedral church of
Durham, preached iu July 1628, printed 1G28. — 2. A brief but true
* Rushworth's Collec. vol. v. p. gll.
+ Grey's Examination, vol.i. p. 119. — Wood's Athenae Oxon. vol. ii, p. 13,
X IlluBtration of Neal, p. 137 — 142.
\ Nalson's Collec. vol. ii. p. 406.— Neal's Puritans, vol. ii. p. 202.
ij Illustration of Neal, p. 161.
5 Prynne's Cant. Doome, p. 93. — Wood's Atlienae Oxon. vol. ii. p. 12.
•* Illustration of Neal, p. 5, 162. :
ft Biographia Britao. vol. iv. p. 283. Edit. 1778.
66 LIVES OF THE PURITANS.
bond, by the advice of his friends, he forfeited, preferring
it as a lesser evil to pay so great a sum, than fall into
the hands of the ruling prelates, whose tender mercy was
cruelty.*
Mr. Hooker, to avoid the storm of persecution, fled to
Holland. He had no sooner taken shipping, and the vessel
got under sail, than the enraged pursuivants arrived on the
sliore, but happily too late to reach him. During the passage,
the ship was in the utmost danger of being lost ; but this holy
man, in this perilous situation, exercised an unshaken
confidence in God, who sent a remarkable deliverance. In
Holland, he preached about two years at Delft, as assistant
to Mr. Forbes, an aged and excellent Scotch minister. He
was next called to Rotterdam, where he was employed for
some time as colleague to the celebrated Dr. William Ames.
The greatest friendship and affection subsisted betwixt these
two learned divines. The latter declared, that, notwithstand-
ing his acquaintance with many scholars of different nations,
lie had never met with a man equal to Mr. Hooker, either as
a preacher or a learned disputant. He assisted Dr. Ames
in composing his celebrated work, entitled, " A Fresh Suit
against Human Ceremonies in God's Worship." But Mr.
Hooker not finding Holland agreeable to his wishes, and a
number of his friends in England inviting him at this time to
accompany them to America, he returned to his native
country to prepare for the voyage. He was no sooner come
to England, than the bishop's pursuivants were again
employed to apprehend him. At one time they were upon
the very point of taking him, and even knocked at the door
of the chamber in which he and Mr, Samuel Stone were
employed in friendly conversation. Mr. Stone went to the
door ; w hen the officers demanded whether Mr. Hooker was
there. "What Hooker?" replied Mr. Stone. "Do you
mean Hooker who once lived at Chelmsford i" The officers
answered, " Yes, that is he." " If it be he whom you look
for," observed Mr. Stone, " I saw him about an hour ago at
such a house in the town : you had best hasten there after
him." The officers taking this evasion for a sufficient
account, went their way, while Mr. Hooker concealed
himself more securely, till he w ent on board in the Dow ns.
He sailed for iScvv England in the year 1633, when Mr.
Stone and Mr. Cotton, both celebrated puritans, accompanied
him in the same ship. Mr. Hooker arriving at Newtown,
* Malher's Hist, of I^ew Eng. b. iii. p. 58—61.
HOOKER. 67
afterwards called Cambridge ; and being most affectionately
received by his old friends, who had gone over the preceding-
year, he said, " Now I live, if ye stand fast in tlie Lord."
Great numbers soon after following these adventurers from
England, Newtown became too narrow for them : accord-
^^^Sh) ii^ 1636, Mr. Hooker, with many of his friends,
removed to a fertile spot on the delightful banks of the river
Connecticut, which they called Hartford. There he lived all
the rest of his days, and was deservedly esteemed " as the
father, the pillar, and tlie oracle of the new colony." As a
preacher, he was remarkably animated and impressive ; not
only his voice, but every feature in his countenance, spoke
the ardour of his soul. All was life and reality in his
descriptions. His preaching was not that theatrical affecta-
tion which is exhibited by men who paint for admiration, but
that zeal which is kindled by a coal from God's altar. His
moving addresses flowed from his own exquisite relish of
divine things, and an impassioned desire of promoting them
in the hearts of others. His success, like his services, was
very eminent. A profane man, for the purpose of diversion,
once said to his companions, " Come, let us go and hear what
bawling Hooker will say to us." For the sake of sport, they
all went to Chelmsford lecture. Conviction presently seized
the mind of this person. The word of God became quick
and powerful, and he retired with an awakened conscience.
Also, by the subsequent instructions of Mr. Hooker, he
became an humble follower of Christ ; and afterwards
followed this worthy minister to New England, that he might
enjoy the benefit of his preaching as long as he lived. At
another time, one of his enemies hired a fiddler to play in the
church-yard and the church-porch, with a view to disturb
him in his sermon ; but the design had not the least effect
upon Mr. Hooker's mind : he went on witfl his sermon in his
unabated zeal and vivacity. When the man went to the
door to hear what he said, his attention was instantly caught;
conviction immediately seized his conscience; and at the
conclusion of the service, he made his humble confession to
Mr. Hooker, and ever after lived a religious life. By the
application of his doctrine, he had a surprising talent for
reachino; and awakening the consciences of his hearers.
This learned divine was remarkable for humility and a
holy dependence upon God. This will appear from the
following circumstance. Some time after his settlement at
Hartford, having to preach among his old friends at Newtown,
on a TiOrd's day iji the afternoon, his great fame had collected
98 LIVES OF THE PURITANS.
And the very sabbath after this man was buried, Mr.
Blackerby obtained his Hberty, and preached on that day in
Hundon pulpit.
Mr. Blackerby was eminently distinguished for personal
religion and true holiness. To promote this, was indeed his
chief business. Though he was not without his infirmities;
yet, to all impartial judges, he was free from the allowance of
any iniquity. His whole deportment was as if God, his holy
law, and the day of judgment, were constantly before his
eyes. He was always deeply impressed with the majesty and
holiness of God, and maintained a constant watchfulness
over his heart and life. He practised mortification and self-
denial, and was justly reputed " one of the holiest men living."
Nevertheless, he was deeply humbled under a sense of his
manifold infirmities and imperfections. This he often dis-
covered to a grand-child of his, whom he used to address as
follows : " Oh, thou little thinkest what a vile heart I have,
and how I am plagued with proud thoughts. Child, if thou
liast any acquaintance with God, pray for me, that God would
purify this filthy heart. Oh ! if God did not enable me, in
some measure, to keep a watch over it, I should act to the
shame of my face." While he brought these bitter accusa-
tions against himself, he exercised the greatest candour
towards others, even those who diflfered from him in matters
of subscription and church discipline. He used to observe,
with the famous Mr. Perkins, " That when a man is once
acquainted with his own heart, he will be apt to think every
one better than himself: and an appearance of the love of
God in any, will make him put the best construction on all
their words and actions." Yet no hope of preferment, nor
any painful sufferhig, would prevail upon him to act contrary
to the convictions of his own mind. Though he could not,
with a safe conscience, conform to the church of England,
with the view of obtaining a living, or to secure himself from
the iron hand of persecution ; yet, in those things wherein it
appeared to be his duty to conform, no man was more exact
than himself. Like many other nonconformists, he had no
objection to the use of some parts of the Book of Common
Prayer.
He was a wise, affectionate, and faithful friend, and never
suffered sin to pass unreproved. In the discharge of this
most difficult <luty, he- manifested so much love, seriousness,
and sweetness of spirit, that while he touched the consciences
of those whom he reproved, they still loved him. " His
reproofs," as one observes, " were dipt in oil, driven into the
BLACKERBY. 99
heart, and received with all acceptation, because of the over-
coming kindness with which they were attended." When he
was in company with persons of wealth, and heard them
swear, or use profane language, he would withdraw from
their company with a sad countenance; and would address
them in private, with so much atiection and seriousness, that
they would frequently thank him. On one of these occa-
sions, a gentleman said to him, " Had you reproved me at
table I would have stabbed you, but now I thank you."
He was a strict and zealous observer of the sabbath. As
preparatory to the holy observance of this day, he constantly
preached in his own house on the Saturday afternoon. He
rose earlier on the sabbadi than on other days ; and prayed
six times with his family every sabbath, besides expounding.
the scriptures. He was particularly zealous in recommending
to others the holy observance of this day. Being once
invited to preach at Linton in Cambridgeshire, where a fair
was annually kept on the Lord's day, he so convinced the
inhabitants of the sinfulness of the practice, that, it is said,
they would hold the fair no more on that day. He was of a
most tender and contrite spirit; and enjoyed so much the
presence and blessing of God in holy duties, that he often
said at the conclusion, he would not for many worlds have
missed the opportunity. This holy man was crucified to the
world, and the world was crucified to him. He lived above
the world, having his affections set on better things. His
passionate fondness for the things of this world was so far
subdued, that, though he had a most tender affection for his
relations and friends, the loss of them did not discompose his
mind, nor interrupt his communion with God. When his
eldest daughter, whom he dearly loved, was taken away by
death, he preached her funeral sermon with the utmost com-
posure, and said, he believed she feared God from three
years old. He preached as a man who had not lost his God,
though he hud lost his dearest child. The love of the
creature could never draw his heart from the Creator. He
enjoyed the abundant manifestations of God's love. His
holy and heavenly deportment was accompanied with a
settled peace of conscience, and a full assurance of eternal
life. He often declared before his death, that for more than
forty years he never had a single doubt of his salvation.
When the persecuting prelates were laid aside, and Mr.
Blackerby could take the pastoral charge without subscrip-
tion and observing the ceremonies, he was chosen pastor of
Great Thurlow in Suffolk, where he continued the rest of hie
100 LIVES OF THE PURITANS.
days. With great zeal and faithfulness, he laboured to pro-
mote the glory of God and the good of souls to the very last.
He was taken ill in the pulpit, was carried home, and con-
tinued in a weak state about six weeks, but kept his bed only
two days. He died in the year 1648, aged seventy-four
years. Mr. Blackerby was " an excellent linguist, and ac-
counted the best Hebrean in Cambridge."* Granger says,
" he was perfectly skilled in the learned languages."! At his
death, he expressed his strong hopes, that in the day of judg-
ment there would be many hundreds of his posterity standing
at the right hand of Christ. And it is said, that those who
knew his children believed they Mere all heirs of eternal life :
there were favourable hopes of all his grandchildren, many
of whom were eminent persons; and many of his great
grandchildren were truly pious christians.}: The excellent
Mr. Samuel Fairclough, who was ejected in 1662, married
one of his daughters.^ It is said, that on account of the
heavenly majesty and holiness which always attended Mr.
Blackerby, the excellent Mr. Daniel Rogers of Wethersfield
used to say, he could never come into his presence without
trenibling.||
Thomas Temple, D. D. — This learned divine was
brother to Sir John Temple, master of the rolls, and one of
his majesty's privy council in Ireland. He was fellow of
Trinity college, Dublin, and afterwards resided for some time
in Lincoln college, Oxford. He was beneficed first at Win-
wick in Northamptonshire, then at Battersea in Surrey. At
this last place he was labouring i^i the year 1639) having Mr-
Samuel Wells for his assistant.il Upon the commencement
of the civil war, he espoused the cause of the parliament;
and, in 1643, was appointed one of the licensers of the
press, and nominated one of the assembly of divines, and he
constantly attended duiing the session. He was one of the
committee for the examination and ordination of ministers.**
In 1645, he was chosen one of the committee of accommo-
dation.tt In each of these public offices he discovered great