he said he would struggle no more, because he found, that what was prescribed for the refreshing of nature oppressed it rather, therefore he would wait the Lord's leisure. An ancient servant that attended on him, desiring leave to rectify the bed-clothes, and saying withal, Sir, your head doth not lie right,' he answered, "It will lie right in my coffin." July the twenty-fifth, at nine in the morning, death began to seize on his left foot, from which the spirit retiring, he felt the deadness of that part, and a very sharp pain in the part of the leg adjoining to it. He called for his son, and told him he feared he should have a difficult death. He then commanded two surgeons to be sent for to look upon his leg, whom he required to tell him, whether or no his foot were any whit discoloured. It seems he had conceived some fear of a gangrene, but being satisfied that there could not be any ground for such an apprehension, he rested with patience. In the evening of that day, being visited by Mr. Sainthill, and lying in great anguish with violence of heat, he prayed for pity and patience, support here, and a comfortable issue.

July the twenty-sixth, early in the morning, full of pain, gasping and panting, he cried out, "How long, "Lord, how long, come speedily." But though death had made an encroachment upon his outward perishing part, yet his inward man felt no decay: For with a full use of reason, he that morning ordered the continuation of a weekly relief to certain poor, and also of some small monthly pensions to some widows for a season, caused his physician to be consulted about taking something that might procure rest, was erected to a more cheerful disposition; inquired after news, and discoursed freely, yet confessed himself to be in pain. About three o'clock that afternoon, feeling some great change after that putting forth of nature, he called for his sister, son, and daughter, to receive his last charge: thus he spake unto them: "My heart fails, and my strength fails, but God is my fortress, and the strong rock of my salvation: Into thy hands therefore I commend my soul; for thou hast redeemed me, O GOD of truth!" To his son he turned his discourse thus: Son, you have a great charge, look to it, instruct your wife and family in the fear of GOD, and discharge your ministry conscientiously." To his sister, a gentlewoman two years older than himself, he said, "Sister, I thought you might have gone before me, but GoD calls for me first; I hope

we

we shall meet in heaven. I pray God bless you." His daughter he admonished to mind the world less and GoD more, for that all things without piety and the true fear of GoD are worth nothing. He advised that his son Draper (being a man of means) would entertain some godly minister in his house, to teach his children and instruct his family. He exhorted them all to concord; which he hoped the rather, because he had clearly settled his estate, so as to prevent differences. He enlarged him self in each a little, wishing all to lay to heart the words of a dying man. After this he desired that all should withdraw, and leave him to his rest, which he hoped was at hand: But all his conflicts were not yet accomplished.

July the twenty-seventh, his voice began to be less intelligible, the putrid preternatural heat having furred up his mouth, as is usual in fevers: Yet his understanding and senses also were very quick and active. About six o'clock in the evening he called for his son to recommend his soul unto God by prayer, and endeavoured to express what he desired, but not so clearly as to be well understood: Yet by his gestures he gave assurance, that he understood perfectly, and concurred fervently with the devotions used on his behalf. Within an hour after, nature being quite spent, he gave up the ghost, and was translated into that rest which he so often and earnestly had desired to find in another world, because he could obtain none in this. Thus after the forty-three years inspection of this pious and diligent pastor of Rotherhithe, he left his flock, returning to the Great and Chief Shepherd of our souls, from his gracious hands to receive an incorruptible crown of glory: And of his flock I may take up the words of Nazianzen to Basil, concerning the condition of that church whereof Gregory's father had been bishop: You see how full of sadness and trouble this destitute flock appears-making question whether ever it shall enjoy another discreet shepherd, but very confident it shall not receive an equal to their deceased pastor, and resolved to acquiesce satisfied in their lot, if they can obtain one that shall be not much worse. For his person, the express whereof (though often importuned by dear friends) he would never allow to be taken either by pencil or sculpture: He was of a middle stature, of a thin body, and of a lively countenance, fresh complexion, and looked young when he came to teach at Lincoln's Inn, and yet was grey betimes, that made him be thought older than he was, because he

had

had long appeared ancient in the eye of the world; of a choicely temperate diet; of a free and cheerful conversation, addicted to study, but not secluding himself from fit company; of a quick apprehension, sharp reason, solid judgment, vast memory, which by God's mercy continued fresh to the last of his days: He was helluo librorum, one that did not vainly increase his library for shew, but chose books for use, which he made of them so happily, that he had conquered a vast portion of learning, and made it serve him upon all occasions. He was not so great a treasurer, as a free dispenser of those riches of the mind, which he did communicate readily, expeditely, clearly. He was an ornament of the university, and of that society designed for the study of law; a light of the church, the salt of the place where he abode: A loving husband, a discreet parent, a faithful friend, a kind neighbour, a courteous entertainer of strangers, a candid encourager of students, a stout champion for the truth, yet a lover of peace, preserving the unity of charity where there was a difference of judgment; an adversary to novel fancies, as well as to antiquated superstitions in religion: Of a Christian magnanimity to despise the world, and therefore resolute through bad report, as well as good to maintain a clear conscience. Briefly, he was a faithful shepherd, and a fit mirror for pastors, as well as an exact pattern for people; who having almost completed eighty years, departed full of life, but being dead yet speaks in his living monuments of sound learning.

His piety and charity were very exemplary, and his modesty so great, that he declined not only large offers in the country, but also ecclesiastical dignities and court preferments, and studiously waved the counsel of some that had given notice of him to Prince Henry, son to King James I. and had it in design to make way for his admission to a chaplain's place to his highness. He was a man so moderate and conscientious, that he would not go the length of any party, which was the true reason of his not accepting preferments. Mr. Gataker's house was a private seminary for divers young gentlemen of this nation, and many foreigners resorted to him, and lodged at his house for advice and direction in their studies. In the reigns of James and Charles I. he disliked the high notions that were regarded then by churchmen, as the maxims of government, which, he rightly foresaw, would be fatal both to them and the church. This kept VOL. III.

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him at a distance from those that were in highest authority; and though his patrons at Lincoln's Inn would have procured him a prebend at least, yet he refused it, and when it appeared he was not to be gained, it was natural to hold him suspected, in which state he continued for many years. When he came to sit in the assembly of divines at Westminster, for which he never received any thing, he drew upon himself the dislike at least, if not the hatred, of such as were zealous for the bierarchy. But when he declared himself in that assembly in favour of episcopacy, and excepted against the solemn league and covenant till the words were so altered as to be understood only of ecclesiastical courts, and what he and those of his opinion took to be the exorbitant power of bishops, he lost the affections of the other party, who were for destroying episcopacy, root and branch.

His open declaration against the subsequent proceedings of those who resolved all power and authority into that of the sword, heightened the aversion of the predominant faction, and exposed him to that ill treatment which he met with from their tools, who charged him with inconstancy, changing sides, and squaring his doctrine to the times: Whereas he was always consistent in his principles, and instead of shifting from party to party, was never the instrument of any party, but lived contented upon a very small provision, at most a hundred pounds a-year, and was reviled for keeping that. His extensive learning was admired by the great men abroad, as Salmasius and others, with whom he held a correspondence. Axenius styles him a man of infinite reading and exact judgment; and Colomies tells us, that of all the critics of that age, who have written for the advancement of polite learning, there is none superior to him in the talent of explaining authors, and that he was a man of extraordinary application and exactness: This character was forced from him by the power of truth itself, for he has not spared such passages as he judged worthy of censure. Morhoff speaks of all our Author's Latin works with high commendation. And Baillet has a chapter concerning his writings, in which he acknowledges his profound skill in the learned languages, his great accuracy, and his admirable sagacity, but adds, that he was too bold in his conjectures. Our Author left several manuscripts, some of which were published by his son, Charles.

In the course of his long life he had four wives successively. His first marriage already taken notice of, was to the widow of Mr. William Capper, to whose daughters he was so providentially kind in their education, and disposing in marriage to two divines of note, and continuing such a fatherly love to them and theirs, that the world mistook them for his own children, especially as he had bred them up with two children, sons of his own. This wife died in childbed of a son, who bore his father's name, and after he had seen the most remote parts of the world, returned home to his father, at whose house he died. His next wife was daughter to the Rev. Mr. Charles Pinner, who died in childbed of a son, Charles, afterwards an eminent divine. Many years were passed in widowhood, before he took for his third wife a gentlewoman of a considerable family, being sister to Sir George and Sir John Farewel, by whom he had three children, whereof a son and daughter died before their mother, but the third, a daughter, survived her father. His last wife was the widow of a citizen, with whom he lived twenty-four years, but without issue by her, and survived her two years within a few days.

His Works. "I. Of the Nature and use of Lots, 4to. first edit. 1619; second edit. reviewed, corrected, and enlarged, 1627. II. A Just Defence of the same against Mr. Balmford, 4to. 1623. III. Thome Gatakeri Londinatis Antithesis, partim Gulielmi Amesii, partim Gisberti Vætti de Sorti Thesibus reposita, 4to. 1638. IV. A Discourse on Transubstantiation, with a Defence thereof, 4to. 1624. V. David's Instructor. VI. The Christian Man's Care. VII. The Spiritual Watch. VIII. The Gain of Godliness, with Self-sufficieney. IX. The Just Man's Joy, with Signs of Sincerity. X. Jacob's Thankfulness. XI. David's Remembrancer. XII. Noah's Obedience, XIII. An Anniversary Memorial of England's Delivery in 1588. XIV. Sorrow for Zion. XV. GOD's Parley with Princes, with an Appeal from them to him. XVI. Eleazar's Prayer, a Marriage Sermon. XVII. A Good Wife GoD's Gift. XVIII. A Wife indeed. XIX. Marriage Duties. XX. Death's Advantage. XXI. The Benefit of a good Name, and a good End. XXII. Abraham's Decease. XXIII. Jeroboam's Sonnes Decease. XXIV. Christian Constancy crowned by Christ. These were published first severally in 4to. and were afterwards collected into one volume, in folio. XXV. The Decease of Lazarus, in 4to. XXVI. St. Stephen's Last Will and Testament, 4to. XXVII. A

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