a journey into Essex, preached in several parts of that
county, and baptized by immersion great numbers of people,
especially about Bocking, Braintree, and Terling. This
made the presbyterians in those parts very uneasy ; especially
the ministers, who complained bitterly that such things should
be permitted, and would have urged the magistrates to suppress
them. " No magistrate in the country, however, dare meddle
v/ith him ; for they say they have hunted such persons out of
the country into their dens in London, and imprisoned some
of them, but they have been released."*
If any credit may be given to Mr. Edwards, the conduct
of Mr. Oates and some others, in one of their excursions,
Mas highly censurable. He says, " I was informed for
certain, that, not long ago, Oates, an anabaptist, and some
of his fellows, went their progress into Essex to preach and
dip, and among other places they came to Billericay. On a
Tuesday at a lecture kept there, Oates and his company, with
some of the town, when the minister had done preaching,
went up in a body, about twenty of them, (divers of them
having swords,) into the upper part of the church, and there
quarrelled with the minister that preached, pretending they
would be satisfied about some things he had delivered, saying
(o him, he had not preached free grace. But the minister,
one Mr. Smith, replied, if they would come to a place where
he dined he would satisfy them ; but it was not a time now
to speak. AVhereupon these anabaptists turned to the people,
and said to them, they were under antichrist, and in anticlirist's
way," and more to the same purpose. After this they com-
mitted a riot in the town.+
The same author relates a circumstance in the life of Mr.
Oates, that was attended with more serious consequences.
** Last summer," says he, " I heard he went his progress into
Surrey and Sussex, but now this year he is sent out into
Essex. This Oates is a young lusty fellow, and hath traded
chiefly with young women and young maids, dij:>ping many
of them, though all is fish that comes to his net. A godly
minister of Essex, coming out of those parts, related, that
he hath baptized a great number ©f women, and that they
were called out of their beds to go a dipping in rivers,
dipping many of them in the night, so that their husbands
and masters could not keep them in their houses ; and it is
* Edwards's Gangrasna, partii. p. 3, 8. — Crosby 's Baptists, vol. i. p. 236.
+ Edwards's Gangraena, part i. p. 106. Third edit.
GATES. 4'i9
commonly reported, that this Oates had for his pains ten
shiUings a piece for dipping the richer, and two shillings and
six-pence for the poorer. He came very bare and mean into
Essex, but, before he had done his work, was well lined, and
grown pursy. In the cold weather in March he dipped a
young woman, one Ann Martin, whom he held so long in the
water that she fell presently sick, and her belly swelled with
the abundance of water she took in ; and within a fortnight or
three weeks died, and upon her death-bed expressed her dip-
ping to be the cause of her death."* The enemies of the baptists
considered this as a fair opportunity for exercising their power
to oppress them. Accordingly, for this, " and other misde-
meanors, he was committed to Colchester jail, made fast in
irons, and bound over to the next sessions at Chelmsford.
The other crimes laid to his charge were these : * That he
had preached against the assessments of the parliament and
the taxes laid upon the people, teaching them that the saints
were a free people, and should contribute not by compulsion,
but voluntarily ; but now, contrary to this, they had assess-
ment upon assessment, and rate upon rate.' That in his
prayers he made use of this petition : ' That the parliament
might not meddle with making laws for the saints, which
Jesus Chiist was to do alone.' Since his commitment," our
author adds, " there hath been great and mighty resort to him
in the prison. Many have come down from London in
coaches to visit him ; and I have a letter by me," says he,
" from a minister in Colchester, wherein he writes thus :
*â– Oates, the anabaptist, hath had great resort to him in the
castle, both of town and country ; but the committee ordered
the contrary last Saturday.' "
Mr. Oates was brought to trial April 7, l646, and acquitted
of the charge of murder ; but the judge bound him to his
good behaviour that for the future he should neither preach
nor dip. This, however, had very little effect upon him ; for,
on the following Lord's day, he returned to his work as usual.
Though Mr. Oates escaped with his life, the presbyterians
were determined he should not go unpunished. " The
people at Wethersiield," says Edwards, " hearing that Oates
and some of his companions were come to the town, seized on
them (only Oates was not in the company) and pumped them
soundly. And Oates coming lately to Dunmow in Essex,
some of the town hearing where he was, fetched him out of
» Edwards's GangraBna, part ii. p. 121. + Ibid. p. 122.
430 LIVES OF THE PURITANS.
the house, and threw him into the river, thoroughly dipping
him-"*
Dr. Calamy gives an account of a public disputation, in
which Mr. Gates was engaged with Mr. William Sheffield, a
minister afterwards ejected. He says, " Mr. Gates, an ana-
baptist, coming into the country, disturbed several congrega-
tions, and dispersed public challenges to dispute with any
minister or ministers upon the point of baptism. Several
justices of the peace sent to Mr. Sheffield, desiring him to
accept the challenge, and dispute the point with him in
Leicester-castle. He yielded to their desire, and, by agree-
ment, Sir Thomas Beaumont was moderator. At the
entrance of the dispute, Mr. Sheffield openly protested that
it was truth, and not victory, he was aiming at and pursuing;
ansl diat, tiierefore, if he could not answer the arguments
that should be brought against him, or maintain the points he
pretended to defend, against the opposition of his opponent,
he would frankly acknowledge before them. He desired the
same of Mr. Gates, who also agreed. The dispute continued
three hours, and was managed with great fairness and temper.
At length, Mr. Gates was gravelled with an argument, and
yet loudly called on by the people present either to answer,
or, according to promise, to confess he could not. Where-
upon he frankly confessed that he could not at present answer
it. The justices, at the breaking up of the meeting, obliged
^Ir. Gates to give his promise that he would no more disturb
the congregations in that county. "f
Mr. Gates lived till after the restoration, when a place of
considerable importance was offered him by the Duke of
York. This temptation prevailed with him at first to conform ;
and he was presented to the living of Hastings in the county
of Sussex. Afterwards, according to Crosby, his conscience
smote him, and he left his living. Coming again among the
nonconformists, he returned to Mr. Lamb's congregation;
where he continued about live or six years, and died about the
year 1666. The same author, who styles him " a popular
preacher and a great disputant," says he was minister to a bap-
tist church in Lincolnshire.t Edwards charges Mr. Gates with
* Edwards's Gangrfena, part iii. p. 105, 106.
+ Calamy's Account, vol. ii p. 421, 422,— Such dispurationsas that now
related, and many others mentioned in this work, are to be regarded only
as a sort of religious duels, which can no more decide the equity of any
cause than an appeal to the sword or pistol, and ought to be as much
discounienanced among all denominations of christians.
:{: Crosby's Baptists, vol. iii. p. 60,61.
J. WILSON. 431
the tenets of arminianism • and with having pubUcly declared
in his sermon in Bell-alley, " That the doctrine of God's
eternal election and predestination was a danniable doctrine."*
Bailie, on the other hand, charges him with propagating
antinomianhmA These contradictory charges we shall not,
however, attempt to reconcile. There is probably no more
truth in either of them than there was in similar charges
which they brought against his fellow-labourer, Mr. Lamb.j
John Wilson, A. M. — This excellent divine was born
at Windsor, in the year 1588, and educated tirst at Eton
school, then in King's college, Cambridge, where he was
chosen fellow. While at Eton, he twice narrowly escaped
being drowiled. He was a youth of considerable talents,
application, and improvement ; and when the Duke of Biron,
ambassador from the court of France, visited the school, he
was appointed to deliver a Latin oration in his presence, of
which this honourable person manifested his high approba-
tion by making him a very handsome present. During his
abode at Cambridge he became seriously concerned about
his soul. This soon awakened in his breast the warmest
desires for the welfare of others, especially the malefactors
in prison, whom he assiduously visited and instructed. He
remained for some time exceedinslv bigoted to the established
church, and decidedly averse to the puritans, as if they held
many strange and erroneous opinions. He utterly declined
their acquaintance ; yet, on account of his precise deportment,
he was denominated one of them. Afterwards, by reading
some of their works, he saw cause for altering his opinion,
and for thinking more favourably of them, when he formed
an intimate acquaintance with Mr. Richard Rogers, Mr.
Greenham, Mr. Dod, and others. He now saw, as our
author observes, that they who were stigmatized by the name
of puiitans were the most suitable companions for one
seriously concerned about his own salvation. He, therefore,
embarked with them, though accounted the offscouring of
all thmgs, and united with several of liis brethren in the
university in keeping private meetings for prayer, fasting,
and religions conversation.^
Hitherto he remained a conformist, but determined to
examine the subject for himself. To this end he procured all
•* Edwards's Gangrsena, part i. p. 126. Socoid edit.
t Bailie's ADabaptism, p. 9.5. J Sec Art. Tbonjas Lamb.
S Mother's Hist, of Ne^ Edj, b. iii. p. 4i, 42.
432 LIVES OF THE PURITANS.
the books in his power, both for and against conformitj,
and entered upon a minute and impartial examination of
the arguments on both sides ; the result of which was, that
lie cordially espoused the principles of the nonconformists.
Mr. Wilson having, upon conviction, imbibed these senti-
ments, acted upon them, and omitted certain human impo-
sitions in the worship of God ; for which the Bishop of
Lincoln pronounced his expulsion from the university
within fifteen days, if he did not conform. Ilis father. Dr.
William Wilson, rector of Cliff, and prebendary of St, Paul's,
Kochester, and Windsor, used all the means in his power to
bring him back to conformity, and interceded with the
bishop to have a longer time allowed him. Mc sent his son
to several learned doctors, w ilh a view to have his scruples
and objections removed ; but this, instead of reclaiming
him, only served to confirm hira the more in his principles,
ilis father then diverted his attention from the ministry, and
directed him to the study of the law. He accordingly went
to London, and spent about three years at one of the inns of
court. All his father's eflfbrts, nevertheless, proved in-
eftectual. He was still bent upon the ministry, and he
could be satisiled with no other employment. Therefore,
with the consent of liis father, he returned to Cambridge,
and, by the favour of the Earl of Northampton, obtained
admission into Emanuel college without subscription.
Mr. Wilson, having finished his studies*at the university,
became chaplain in several rcs])ectable families; and after
preaching about thre(; yeius at Bumsted, Stoke, Clare, and
Cavendish, in Suftblk, he Avas chosen to succeed old Mr.
Jenkin, minister at Sudbury in that county, iieie he
])reachcd with great acceptance and applause for several
years ; but Avas at length suspended by the Bishop of Lon-
don ; and after being restored, he was again silenced by the
Bishop of Norwich. Afterwards, by the favour and media-
tion of the Earl of Warwick, he again obtained hi-?
miidsterial exercise. But, as he found himself constantly
exposed to fresh troubles, he resolved to withdraw from the
scenes of persecution, and retire into a foreign land.
Previous to his departure, visiting his father on his death-
bed, the old gentleman thus addressed him : — " I have
taken much care of thee," said he, " while thou wast at the
imiversity, because thou wouldst not conform. I fain would
have bronght thee to some higher preferment ; but I see thy
conscience is very scrujmlous about some things imposed in
the church. Nevertheless, I liave rejoiced to see the grace
J. WILSOri. 433
and fear of God in thy heart ; and seeing thou hast hitherto
maintained a good conscience, and walked according to thy
light, do so still. Go by the rule of God's holy word, and
the Lord bless thee."* Previous to his departure from his
native country, he married the pious dauojhter of Lady
Mansfield.
In the year 1630, Mr. Wilson, together with a number of
his friends, embarked for New England, where they arrived
in the month of July. As the great object of these chris-
tian pilgrims, in leaving their uative country and settling in
this wilderness, was *' to enjoy the ordinances of the gospel,
and worship the Lord Jesus Christ according to his own
institutions;" so they were no sooner arrived than Mr.
Wilson, Governor Winthrop, and some others, entered into
a formal and solemn covenant with each other, to walk
together in the fellowsliip of the gospel. This covenant
was as follows: — " In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
" and in obedience to his holy will and divine ordinance,
*' we whose names are here underwritten, being, by his most
" wise and good providence, brought together to this part of
^' America^ in the Bay of Massachusets, and desirous to
^' unite ourselves in one congregation or church, under the
*' Lord Jesus Christ our head, in such sort as becometh all
" those whom he hath redeemed and sanctified to himself,
" do hereby solemnly and religiously (as in his most holy
" presence) promise and bind ourselves to walk in all our
*' ways according to the rule of the gospel, and in all
*' sincere conformity to his holy ordinances, and in mutual
" love and respect to each other, so near as God shall give
'' us grace.
" John Winthrop, Isaac Johnson,
Thomas Dudley, John Wilson, &c."t
A foundation was thus laid of the church at Charlestown,
in the Massachusets colony. This was in July^ im-
mediately on their arrival ; and in the month of August the
court of government ordered, that a dwelling-bouse should
be built for Mr. Wilson at the public expense, and the
governor and Sir Richard Saltonstall were appointed to put
the same into effect. By the same authority it was also
ordered, that Mr. Wilson's salary, till the arrival of his wife,
should be twenty pounds a year. However, before the
following winter, he, with the greater part of the church,
removed from Charlestown and settled at Trimountain,
* Mather's Hist, of New Eng. p. 42—44.
f Backus's Hist, of Baptists, vol. i. p. 46.
VOL. III. 2f
434: LIVES OF THE PURITANS.
afterwards called Boston. This they found a more healthy
and agreeable situation.*
Some time after Mr. Wilson's settlement at Boston, he
came over to England, when his wife, with many others,
returned with him to the new plantation. He afterwards
came to England a second time, and, upon his return, four
ministers and nearly two hundred passengers accompanied
him. He continued pastor of the church at Boston to the
day of his death, and was greatly admired and beloved.
The celebrated Dr. Ames used to say, " If J might have my
choice of the best situation on this side heaven, I would be
teacher to a congregational church of which Mr. Wilson
was pastor." This happiness enjoyed Mr. Cotton, and after
him Mr. Norton, in the church of Boston. He was a most
exact and judicious preacher, especially in his younger
years, and was greatly admired by Dr. Goodwin, Mr.
Burroughs, and other celebrated divines. During the latter
l)art of his life he took greater liberties ; when his sermons
chiefly consisted of exhortations, admonitions, and counsels,
delivered with nmch warmth and aftection.
He was a man of great piety, and uncommon charity and
liberality, employing all his estate to supply the wants of
the necessitous. Being of a sweet natural disposition, he
was universally beloved, and accounted the very father of
the new plantation. All the inhabitants of tlic town being
once upon a general muster called together, a gentleman
present thus observed to ^Ir. Wilson ; " Sir," said he, " here
is a mighty body of people, and there are not seven of them
all who do not love Mr. Wilson." To which he replied,
" Sir, I will tell you something as strange : There is not
one among them all but Mr. Wdson loves."
Mr. Wilson was a man of a meek and quiet spirit, and
always discovered a becoming resignation to the will of
God. When at any time he sustained any outward losses,
he quietly submitted himself to his heavenly Father's will.
Having been once on a journey, a person of his acquaint-
ance met him on the road and told him, saying, " Sir, I
have bad news for you. While you have been abroad,
your house is burnt down." To which he meekly replied,
*' Blessed be God : he has burnt down this house, because
he intends to give me another." He vigorously opposed
the antinomian and familislic errors in the synod of 1637,
but too much favoured the prosecutions of the quakers and
* Morse and Parish's Hiat. p. 39, 40.
CHEARE. 435
baptists, by encouraging the magistrates to put the penal
laws in execution against them. Indeed, this was the
common error of those times.*
Mr. Wilson, during his last sickness, was visited by all
the neighbouring ministers, who tuok their final farewell
with many tears. The elders of his own church also came
to see him, when the venerable old man, after olfering up a
short prayer, lifted up both his hands, and blessed them,
saying, " I am not likely to be long with you. The Lord
pardon and heal us, and make us more heavenly, and take
us off from the world, and make us burning lights by our
doctrine and example. I beseech the Lord, with all my heart,
to bless you, and to bless all his churches, to bless all his
people, all your families, all your wives, and all your chil-
dren, and your children's children, and make us all more and
more meet for our inheritance, and in good time bring us to
enjoy it." As the hour of his departure approached, he lifted
up his hands towards heaven and said, " I shall now soon be
with ray old friends. Dr. Preston, Dr. Gouge, Dr. Sibbs, Dr.
Taylor, Dr. Ames, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Norton, and my children
and grandchildren in the kingdom of my God." And after
offering a short and affectionate prayer, he died, August T,
1667, in the seventy-ninth year of his age, having been pastor
of the church at Boston thirty-seven years. + During all the
changes through which he lived, " he continued unmoved
in his principles, full of faith and prayer, eminent for
sincerity and humility, and highly distinguished for love
and acts of kindness. He was eminently charitable in his
deportment, orthodox in judgment, and holy in conversa-
tion ; and few ever left the world so universally reverenced,
beloved, and laraented."t .
Abraham Ciieare was born at Plymouth; and being
favoured with religious parents, he enjoyed a pious and
useful education. He knew the scriptures from a child,
and found constant delight in searching them. Having
espoused the peculiar sentiments of the baptists, he was bap-
tized by immersion, and, about the year 1648, admitted a
member of the baptist church at Plymouth. He was soon
after called by the church to the office of pastor. He
possessed eminent gifts and graces, and preached the gospel
with great success. The Lord having owned and blessed
his labours, the church, by its united efforts, purchased
* Mather's Hist. b. iii. p. 44— 16. + Ibid. p. 46—49
J Morton's Memorial, p. 183.
436 LIVES OF THE PURITANS.
certain premises within the borougli of Plymouth, near
Franliford-gale, about the year 1651, and after making
suitable alterations for their own convenience, they nsed the
same for a place of public worship. Here they continued
to assemble in peace and comfort till the fatal year 1662 ;
when Mr. Cheare was apprehended, and cast into prison,
for holding an imlawful conventicle. The church now
became as sheep without a shepherd, surrounded with cruel
and hungry wolves. The worthy pastor endured five years'
confinement in six different prisons, and was at last banished,
for a testimony of his love to Christ, to the island of St.
Nicholas, near Plymouth ; where he died a most happy
death, March 5, 1668. The church, at the time of his death,
consisted of one hundred and fifty members.*
Crosby, by mistake, says he was ejected from Plymouth,
and was afterwards minister to a numerous congregation at
Looe in Cornwall. He was a very pious, laborious, and
useful preacher ; he took great pains in his ministry, and
wrote many seasonable lessons to youth while he was in
bonds for Christ. In the year 1665 he was imprisoned in the
Guildhall, Plymouth ; from whence, after a month's detention,
he was sent to the above island. Previous to this removal he
affixed the follpwing lines to the wall of the prison :+
Nigh four years since, sent out from hence
To Exon goal was I ;
But special grace, in three months' space,
Wrought out my liberty.
'Till Bartholomew, iu sixty-two,
That freedom did remain :
When, witliout bail, to Exon goal
I hurried was again.
Where having lain, as do all the slain,
'Mong dead men, wholly tree ;
Full three years' space, my native place
By leave I come to see.
And thought not then, I here again
A month's restraint should find :
Since to my den, cast out from men,
I'm dming life design'd.
But since ray lines, the Lord assigns
In such a lot to be;
I kiss the rod, confess my God
Deals faithfully with me.
My charged crime, in his due time
He fully will decide ;
And until then, forgiving men.
In peace with him I 'bide.
* Meen'i MS. Collec. p. 494, 495. + Crosby's Baptists, vol. iii. p. 12.
CHEARE. 437
This excellent person, after suffering Uie most cruel
usage, and enduring numerous inhumanities from merciless
jailers, for more than three years, was continued a pri-
soner under military guard upon the foregoing island. On
the Lord's day preceding his deatli, he addressed a chris-
tian lady, then all the family, in the following manner :
"Ah ! sister," said he, "the Lord gave you a heart to
own and profess him, liis name, and ways early, when
they were ways tvery where spoken against; and you have
held up, and out, the profession thereof in a flourishing day,
and now are concerned in, and with the same, in this hour
of temptation, at which I beseecli yon be not affrighted or
offended. You know how it fared with our Lord and
Master, whom the religious, as well as the profane world,
persecuted and expelled their coasts. The servant is not
above his master. It is true, you have had the name of a gen-
tlewoman, and of being descended of great parentage, and
raised to great things on a worldly account : but keep these
all under foot as you ought, and let that still be the song,
Worthj/ is the Lamb to receive power and riches, wisdom
and strength, honour and glory, and blessing. Oh ! give up
all to him, as Araunah of old, as a king to a king, so let
the offering be given up clieerfully, and resignedly, entirelj
to him.
" I bless God, I have learned something of this in con-
versing with you, of your readiness and freeness heretofore,
and now to lay out for the Lord. Though I now go the
way of all flesh ; jci you know in all your hearts, and in
all your souls, that we have none of us cause to be sorry or
repent for what we have laid out for the Lord. And you,
for your part, have heretofore entertained saints, yea, it
may be angels, unawares. The Lord reward you for it ;
and the God, under whose wings you trust, be your great
reward. But, oh ! take Jieed your good be not evil spoken
of; and that your table become not a trap, nor what was
provided for good, turn to your hurt, 1 desire the Lord
Jesus may teach you to look carefully about you, that you
lose not the things you have wrouglit, but receive a full
reward. I remember it is said of Abel, that though dead,