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word, that was all he said; and upon a solemn assurance that it was, he replied, "Doctor, I am satisfied, and you may be assured of my favour; but look to yourself, or Hyde will be too hard for you."

After his ejectment he usually resorted to his own church, where he heard his successor, Dr. Patrick, till he was obliged 40 desist. After this he preached on Lord's day evenings in his own house, and on Wednesday mornings; for which Justice Ball proceeded against him. When the indulgence, given in 1670, expired, and the Dr. was apprehended, after his sermon on the Lord's day, many persons of distinction attended him; so that he met civil treatment; and, when a prisoner in the Gate-house, the keeper, though usually severe, granted him every convenience.

After his release, when the indulgence was renewed, he preached in a large room in Whitehart-yard; but there he was at length disturbed. A band of rabble came on Lord's day morning to seize him; but, having timely notice, he escaped their fury. The place was fined 40. and the minister, who preached for him, 201. When the indulgence was confirmed in 1672, the merchants set up a lecture at Pinner's Hall, which was opened by Dr. Manton,

When his health began to decline, he could not be persuaded long to desist from his delightful work of preaching; but he at length consented to spend some time with Lord Wharton at Woburn. Finding however but little benefit, he soon returned, and gave notice of his inten

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tion to administer the Lord's supper; but did not live to perform that service. The day before he was confined to his bed, he was in his study, of which he took a solemn leave, blessing God for the many pleasant and useful hours he had spent there, and expressing his joyful hope of a state of clearer knowledge and higher enjoyments. night he prayed with his family, under great indisposition, and recommended himself to God's wise disposal; desiring that, "if he had no farther work for him to do, he would take him to himself." When he went to bed, he was seized with a lethargy, to the great loss and grief of his friends, as it deprived him of all capacity for conversing with them. He died 18th Oct. 1677, in the 57th year of his age.

Dr. Manton was a man of great learning, judgment, integrity and moderation. He had a fine collection of books: and his delight was in his study. He had carefully read the fathers and schoolmen, and well digested the commentators on Scripture. He was also well read in ancient and modern history, which rendered his conversation entertaining and instructive. He discoursed with young gentlemen who had travelled, so as to surprise them with his superior knowledge of things abroad. He took great pains with his sermons, and sometimes transcribed them more than once. good thought came into his mind in the night, he would light his candle, and sometimes write an hour. His delivery was natural and free, clear and eloquent, quick and powerful, and always suited to the simplicity and ma

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jesty of divine truth. His earn-
estness was such, as might soften
the most obdurate spirits.
" I
am not speaking," says Dr. Bates,
"of one whose talent was only
in voice, who laboured in the
pulpit, as if the end of preaching
were the exercise of the body.
This man of God was inflamed
with holy zeal; and spoke, as
one who had within him a living
faith of divine truths. The sound
of words only strikes the ear,
but the mind reasons with the
mind, and the heart speaks to the
heart." He abounded in the
work of the Lord, preaching
with unparalleled assiduity and
frequency; yet always superior
to others, and equal to himself.
In the decline of life he would
not leave his beloved work, the
vigour of his mind supporting
the weakness of his body. As a
Christian, his life was answera
ble to his doctrine. His con-
tempt of the world secured him
from being wrought on by those
motives, which tempt sordid
spirits from duty. His charity
was eminent in procuring sup-
plies for others, when in mean
circumstances himself. But he

the subject of his last public dis◄

course.

Dr. Harris, in the memoirs of his life, mentions the following anecdote of him. "Being to preach before the Lord Mayor and court of Aldermen at St. Paul's, the Doctor chose a subject, in which he had an opportunity of displaying his judgment and learning. He was heard with admiration and applause by the more intelligent part of the audience. But, as he was returning from dinner with the Lord Mayor, a poor man, following him, pulled him by the sleeve of his gown, and asked him, if he were the gentleman, that preached before the Lord Mayor. He replied, he was,

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CENT, M. A.

had great experience of God's SKETCH OF REV. THOMAS VINfatherly provision, to which his filial confidence was correspondent. His conversation in his family was holy and exemplary, every day instructing them in their duty from the Scriptures. His humility was great. He was deeply affected by a sense of his frailties and unworthiness. A little before his death he said to Dr. Bates, "It is infinitely ter rible to appear before God the Judge of all, without the protection of the blood of sprinkling." This alone relieved him, and supported his hopes; which was

THOMAS and Nathaniel Vincent were sons of the worthy and reverend Mr. John Vincent; of whom it was observed, that he was so harassed for his nonconformity, that, though he had many children, not two of them were born in the same county, This Mr. Thomas Vincent, the elder son, was born at Hertford in 1634, and educated at OxFORD. He succeeded the Rev. Mr. Case, as rector of St. MARY MAGDALEN, MILE STREET,

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London, from which he was ejected. He was a worthy, humble, eminently pious man, of sober principles, and of great zeal and diligence. He had the whole of the New Testament and Psalms by heart. He took this pains (as he often said) "not knowing but they, who took from him his pulpit, might in time demand his Bible also." Even Wood says, He was always held in great esteem for his piety by those of his persuasion." But his eminence and usefulness were not knowledged by a particular party only, but by all sober persons, who were acquainted with him. He was one of the few ministers, who had the zeal and cour. age to continue in the city amidst all the fury of the plague in 1665; and he pursued his ministerial work in that needful, but dangerous season, with all diligence and intrepidity, both in public and private. He had been for some time employed in assisting Mr. Doolittle at Islington in giving young persons an academical education; for which service he was thought well qual ified. Upon the progress of the distemper in the city, he acquainted his good friend and colleague with his design to quit that employment, and to devote himself chiefly to the visitation of the sick, and the instruction of the healthy, in that time of pressing necessity. Mr. Doolittle endeavoured to dissuade him, by representing the danger he must run; told him, he thought he had no call to it, being then otherwise employed; and that it was rather advisable he should reserve himself for farther service to the rising age,

in that station, wherein he was then so usefully fixed. Mr. Vincent not being satisfied to desist, they agreed to request the advice of their brethren in and about the city, upon the case. When Mr. Doolittle had represented his reasons at large, Mr. Vincent acquainted his brethren, that he had very seriously con sidered the matter, before he had come to a resolution. He had carefully examined the state of his own soul, and could look death in the face with comfort. He thought it was absolutely necessary, that such vast numbers of dying people should have some spiritual assistance. could have no prospect of usefulness in the exercise of his ministry, through his whole life, like that which now offered itself.

He

He had often committed the case and himself to God in prayer, and upon the whole had solemnly devoted himself to the service of God and souls upon this occasion; and therefore hoped none of them would endeavour to weaken his hands in this work. When the ministers present had heard him out, they unanimously declared their satisfaction and joy; that they ap prehended the matter was of God, and concurred in their prayers for his protection and success. Hereupon he went out to his work with the greatest firmness and assiduity. He con. stantly preached every Lord's day through the whole visitation in some parish church. His subjects were the most moving and important, and his manage, ment of them the most pathetic and searching. The awfulness of the judgment, then every where obvious, gave a peculiar

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edge to the preacher and his auditors. It was a general inquiry through the preceding week, where Mr. Vincent was to preach on the Sabbath. Multitudes followed him wherever he went'; and several were awakened by every sermon. He visited all, that sent for him, without fear; and did the best he could for them in their extremity; especially to save their souls from death. And it pleased God to take particular care of him; for, though the whole number, reckoned to die of the plague in London this year, was 68,596, and seven persons died of it in the family, where he lived, he continued in perfect health all the time. He was afterward useful, by his unwearied labours, to a numerous congregation, till the year 1678, when he died at Hoxion.

ORTON,

LIFE OF REV. JOHN SERGEANT.

(Concluded from page 400.) IT has already been mentioned, that the Housatonic Indians lived on two tracts of land, several miles distant from each other. In order to remove the inconveniences occasioned by this circumstance, the General Court, at the request of Gov. Belcher, purchased of the Indians in 1736 all the land, which they owned at Shatekook, and in return granted them a township six miles square, including Wnahktukook, or the great meadow. This township is now called Stockbridge. Mr. Sergeant and Mr. Woodbridge were each made proprietors of one sixtieth part,

and four English famílies, carefully selected, were to be admited for the purpose of assisting in civilizing the Indians, and that the solitary servants of the Lord might be furnished with some cheering society.

Previously, however, to the conjunction of the two compa nies in their new town, they went into the woods for a number of weeks to make sugar from the sap of the maple; and Mr. Ser geant, unwilling they should remain so long a time without instruction, accompanied them. He prayed with them morning and evening in their own language, and preached on the sabe bath.

In the day he taught the children to read, and at night the adults collected that they might learn of him to sing. While he was in the woods the snow was about a foot and a half deep. A deer-skin, spread upon some spruce boughs, with two or three blankets, formed his bed, and water from the "running brook" was his only drink.

We here see the man of true benevolence. We behold an ob ject, which casts contempt on all earthly dignity, and eclipses the glory derived from genius, learn ing, or conquest.

Mr. Sergeant had opportunity particularly to observe the manners of the Indians. He found them kind to one another and very hospitable to strangers. The women and children were bashful; the latter exhibited no kind of respect to their parents, Compliments were unknown, When a stranger visited them, he entered the hut or wigwam as though it was his own, and said nothing until something was given him to eat.

in darkness. To this end he was particularly careful to cultivate the friendship of strangers; he preached to a number of Indians on an Island in Hudson's river, and even visited the Shawanoos, who lived 220 miles distant on the Susquehannah.

Their language in this respect the larger tribes, who were still was remarkable, that it furnished names to designate relations, that are not designated in other languages. Thus, for instance, of the children of the same parents the elder brothers are denominated, by all the younger members of the family, Netok haunut, and the elder sisters, Nmesuk, while the younger children are called by the elder, Nheesumuk. Here then we have names expressive of three relations, in which children of the same family stand to each other. When the Indians were settled in one village at Stockbridge in 4737, Mr. Sergeant was enabled to instruct them in a more regular manner. He had become well acquainted with their language, and translated into it several prayers and Dr. Watts' first Catechism for the use of the children. He conversed frequently with his own people and with strangers who visited them, and endeavoured to impress their minds with the truth and excellence of the Christian religion. At the request of some Indians living at Kaunaumeek, a place about 18 miles to the N. W. from Housatonic, he visited them and preached in the Indian language. He thus opened a way for the establishment of a mission among them a few years afterwards by the zealous and excellent Mr. Brainerd.

From this time to that of his death in 1749, Mr. Sergeant continued his faithful labours as a missionary at Housatonic; but his views were not confined to the small tribe, with which he was connected. He was earnestly desirous that the blessings of the gospel might be extended to

In

Although Mr. Sergeant could not complain of a total want of success at Stockbridge, yet his exertions were not prospered in the degree that he wished. The manne, in which the Indians lived, presented an almost insuperable difficulty. Except when employed in hunting, the men were generally idle, and idleness led the way to drunkenness. Besides this their language was so imperfect and barbarous, that it was impossible by means of it to communicate fully the important truths of the gospel. order to surmount these difficulties Mr. S. was convinced, that it was absolutely necessary to civilize them, and to persuade them to exchange their own for the English language and habits. For this purpose it was that he wished several white families to be placed among them, and the more completely to accomplish this object he formed the plan of a school for the education of Indian children in a manner, which should effect a thorough change in their habits of thinking and acting. He proposed that a number of children and youth, from ten to twenty years of age, and among them some from oth er tribes, should be placed under the care of two masters, one to have the oversight of them in the hours of labour, and the other in the hours of study; that their time should be so divided be

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