ROBERT BOLTON.

THIS eminent Divine was born at Blackborne in Lancashire, in the year 1572. His parents, finding in him a strong inclination for learning, put him to a school in the town, wherein he plied himself so closely to his books, that in a short time he became the best scholar in the school. In his younger years he was a profane swearer and sabbath breaker; but, in an after period, a most illustrious example of the power of divine grace, and at length a faithful follower of Jesus Christ, and a powerful preacher of the Gospel.

About the twentieth year of his age, he was entered at Lincoln college, Oxford, where he made close application to the study of logic and philosophy; and having been well grounded in the rudiments of learning at school, he soon out-stripped those of his own time, and obtained the character of an excellent scholar. While he was thus diligently employed in his studies, his father died, with whom he lost the means of his support. But this affliction, in Providence, proved very advantageous for his growth in learning; for not being able to buy books, he borrowed, of his tutor and others, the best writers on natural and moral philosophy, and abridged them into his note-books, before he returned them. such was his desire to obtain perfection in whatever he studied, that though he was a good Greek scholar, yet, that he might be a still greater proficient, he copied all Homer, in a fair Greek character, which he wrote much better than the common hand in use. This brought him to such readiness, that, being a famous disputant, he could discourse in the public schools in the Greek, with as much facility as in the Latin or English; and in them all he wrote and spoke in a sublime style, which was so familiar to him, that he could not avoid it even in common conversation.

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He removed to Brazen-nose college, with a view to one of the fellowships, which are chiefly confined to Lancashire and Cheshire men; but for want of friends he was not chosen fellow, till about the thirtieth year of his age; at which time he took his master of arts degree. He performed the exercises of the college and of the university, being regent master, with such general satisfaction,

faction, that he was successively chosen to be reader of the lectures of logic, and of moral and natural philosophy. He was so much admired in the university for his public disputations, that though he was a master of arts but of short standing, he was appointed by the vice-chancellor, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, at King James's first visiting that university, to be one of the disputants before the king.

Besides his knowledge in logic and philosophy, he was a great student in metaphysics and mathematics, and in all school-divinity, especially in Thomas Aquinas, which he had read over once or twice, and written short notes upon. But all this while, he was not a scholar in the school of Christ. He loved stage-plays, cards, dice, and all the fashionable amusements of the times, but hated good men and their conversation, whom he would brand with the name of Puritans, believing them void both of learning and sincere religion. This has been the custom of later times than that of Mr. Bolton, and more or less of all ages. GOD's people have ever been honoured with an opprobrious name, and cried down for madmen and fools, if not downright hypocrites and knaves. See Wisdom, v. 4. This temper of mind discovered itself in Mr. Bolton once in particular at Cambridge; for being there at a commencement, he was induced, by the fame of Mr. Perkins, to go and hear him preach; of whom he said, after hearing him, that "he was a barren, empty fellow, "and a passing mean scholar:" But when GoD changed his heart, he soon changed his opinion of Mr. Perkins, and "thought him as learned a divine, for his age, as our "church has for many years enjoyed.'

The manner of his conversion was as follows: While at Brazen-nose, he was intimately acquainted with a Mr. Anderton, his countryman, and for some time his schoolfellow, a good scholar, but a thorough papist. This man having become a popish priest, and knowing Bolton's learning and parts, and that he was likewise straitened in his circumstances, took the advantage of it; and among other arguments, used to induce him to be reconciled to the church of Rome, and to go over with him to the English seminary, he told him he should be furnished with all necessaries, and have plenty of money. Mr. Bolton accepted of the proposal, and the time and `place were appointed in Lancashire, where they should meet, and from thence take shipping: Mr. Bolton went accordingly, but Mr. Anderton never came; so he escap

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ed that snare. Soon after he returned to Brazen-nose college, and became acquainted with one Mr. Peacock, a pious learned man, by whose conversation he not only saw, that those doctrines of the church of Rome, which his schoolmaster had very early inculcated upon him, were unscriptural and absurd, but also that a thorough renovation of heart was essentially necessary to constitute him a true believer. It pleased GOD, (says Mr. E. Bagshawe, his biographer) by his [Mr. Peacock's] acquaintance to frame upon his soul that admirable ' workmanship of his repentance and conversion to eternal life; but by such a way of working, as the Lord 'seldom useth but upon such strong vessels as, in his singular wisdom, he intends afterwards for strong en'counters and rare employments. It was not any soft 'still voice, but in terrible tempests and thunder: the Lord running upon him as a giant, taking him by the neck and shaking him to pieces, as he did Job; beating him to the very ground as he did Paul, by laying before him the ugly visage of his sins, which were so 'heavy upon him, that he roared for grief of heart, and so affrighted him, that I have heard him say, "often rose out of his bed in the night, for very anguish of spirit." And what further increased his spiritual distress, he was at the same time exercised with 'horrible thoughts of GoD, and terrible thoughts of faith,' which Luther called, the buffeting of Satan; and with which Luther himself was so assaulted at his conversion, that Justus Jonas, then with him, in a letter to Melancthon writes, ut nec calor, nec sanguis, nec sensus, nec vox superesset: That neither speech, sense, blood, or ' heat appeared in him.' This sharp fit of Luther's lasted but for a short time, but Mr. Bolton's continued for many months: Yet God gave him at length a blessed issue; and these grievous pangs, in which he was born again from above, produced two admirable effects in him, as well as in Luther and others, designed for eminence and great usefulness in the church; namely, An invincible courage for the cause of GOD; and great wisdom, from experience, in comforting afflicted spirits.

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Mr. Bolton, from this time, purposing to enter into the ministry, was ordained in the thirty-fifth year of his age; and, two years after, was presented by Mr. Nicolls, serjeant at law, to the living of Broughton in Northamptonshire: At which time he published his first book, entitled, "A Discourse upon true Happiness," and de

dicated

dicated it to Mr. Nicolls, his patron. This first fruit of Mr. Bolton's genius and study, we are assured, was made the mean of conversion to several, who read it merely for the sake of his diction and style.

Being settled in the parsonage of Broughton, in the fortieth year of his age, he married Ann Boyce, of an ancient family in Kent, to whose care he committed the whole management of his domestic concerns, while he himself attended only to the weightier matters of his calling. For twenty years successively, he preached twice every Lord's Day, and catechized in the afternoon; and every day before the Lord's Supper he expounded a chapter, by which means he went through most of the historical part of the Old and New Testament. All which was so well studied and prepared, that it might have served a very learned auditory. In all his ministerial labours, he had in view the glory of GoD and the conversion of sinners, which God made abundantly successful, to the bringing many unto the righteousness of faith.

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He had great knowledge, from experience and practice, in relieving and comforting afflicted consciences; so that people applied to him far and near: And several from beyond sea desired his advice and direction in different cases of conscience. This determined him in publishing his last excellent treatise, entitled, "Instructions for a ❝right comforting afflicted Consciences." Though in his preaching he was "a son of thunder," yet to those that mourned in spirit he was 6.6 a son of consolation" indeed, and, with a tender compassionate heart, poured the oil of mercy into their wounds. He had great skill in discovering Satan's devices, and in battering down his kingdom. In all his sermons he used to discover the filthiness of sin, and to press very powerfully upon the conscience the duties of sanctification; which he did with such courage and holy boldness, that the truths he delivered pierced the very joints and marrow; with so much impartiality too, that he spared none in their sins, great or small, knowing that he was to deliver his Master's will, with whom was no respect of persons; and also with so much wisdom, that, in reproving sin, he never personated any man to put him to shame, nor ever pressed upon the conscience the guilt of sin, but with the authority of scripture: And when he had searched the conscience to the quick, he always took care to set forth Christ in all his grace and compassion, as the almighty and all-sufficient Saviour. He would often pro

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test, that it was a trouble to him to preach against their sins; that he delighted not to vex their consciences; that he should be glad the case was so with them, that he might only preach the riches of God's mercies in Christ all his days; but that he knew no other way to pull them out of the snare of Satan, than the way he was led to take.

Indeed he was a burning and shining light; and what most of all added lustre to his learning and parts, and extensive usefulness, was his holy exemplary life and conversation. His piety was remarkable; as is evident from his second book, entitled, "Directions for walking "with God," which were framed out of the meditations of his own heart, as a guide for himself, for ordering his steps in the ways of righteousness; and which, through grace, he strictly observed throughout the course of his life. He usually prayed six times a-day: twice by himself, twice with his family, and twice with his wife. Besides, he often set apart days for private humiliation and prayer; always before the receiving of the communion, and sometimes on account of the afflictions of the church at home and abroad; which he was observed to perform with so much fervency and zeal, though, like Luther, he used such humility, as in the presence of Almighty GOD; but such fervency and faith, as if he had been talking with his friend.' He was very zealous for GOD; to whose glory he sacrificed himself and all his studies: This I can the more safely affirm, (says Mr. Bagshawe) because I know he frequently refused preferment from some of the nobility and bishops; and for no other reason, but that he might not be divorced from that country where his ministry was so well re'ceived, and so very successful.' He was universally bountiful; but he exceeded in those public distresses of Germany, France, Bohemia, &c. He always spent his income, yearly, in the maintenance of his family, and in acts of hospitality and charity.

In September 1631, he was seized with a quartan ague, the disease of which Calvin died; and perceiving, after two or three fits, that he grew very weak, he finished some particulars respecting his will, and then wholly retired from the world, comforting his soul with meditations of the joys of heaven, the subject he had prepared to preach upon the Sunday following. His last muchadmired work, entitled, his "Four last things: Death, "Judgment, Hell, and Heaven," he had just finished;

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