THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S MAGAZINE, For JANUARY, 1802. Quidquid auri fupra et infra terram eft, nullius pretii eft, fi cum virtute comparetur. PLATO. LIFE OF JOHN LORD HARRINGTON, BARON OF EXTON. JOHN Lord Harrington was the eldest fon of the Lord and Lady Har education of his daughter, Elizabeth, who was married afterwards to Frederick, Prince Elector Palatine. They were perfons eminent for prudence and piety, who carefully educated this their fon, both in religion and learning; and this honourable lord,, thankful for the care and honour received from them, returned honour to them again with advantage, being no lefs honourable, than they were to him.' He was of an excellent wit, firm memory, fweet nature, and prompt to learning; fo that, in a fhort time, he was able to read Greek authors, and to make use of them in their own language: he spake Latin well, wrote it in a pure and grave style, and was able to confer with any ftranger readily and laudably in the French and Italian tongues. Underftood the authors which he read in Spanish; and, for arts, he was I well read in logic, philofophy, and the mathematics. He made a good progrefs in the theoretic part of the military art, and navigation: fo that he wanted nothing but practice to make him perfect in both. And, for his understanding in heavenly matters, and the mysteries of salvation, it was admirable, fo that there was fcarce any queftion could be propounded to him, about thofe matters, unto which he was not able to give an understanding and quick anfwer. • T Being well grounded in religion and learning at home, his noble father fent him to travel abroad in France and Italy, that by experience he might ripen that knowledge which he had before gained; and, for a guide and tutor for him in his travels, he chofe and fent over one Mafter Tovey, a grave and learned religious man, and formerly the head mafter of the free-fchool at Coventry. But how dangerous a thing it is for religious gentlemen to travel into thefe Popish countries may appear by the example of this nobleman and his tutor, whofe found religion, and heavenly zeal for the truth, being taken notice of Vol. 11. Churchm. Mag. Jan. 1802. B ***by by the Jefuits, they took their opportunity to adminifter a flow-working poifon to them, that, feeing they had no hopes of corrupting their minds, they might deftroy their bodies, and bring them to their graves. Of this poifon Mr. Tovey, being aged, and fo lefs able to encounter with the ftrength of it, died prefently after his return to England; but the Lord Harrington, being of a ftrong and able body, and in the prime of his age, bore it better, and conflicted with it longer; yet the violence of it appeared in his face presently after his return, and, not long after, haftened his death. He was eminent for fobriety and chastity; his lips were never heard to utter any unchafte or unfeemly fpeech; which was the more admirable, confidering that he was in the heat of youth, living in the court, and had been a traveller into thofe countries which are fchools of uncleanliness, whence few return fuch as they went out; but, if chaste, are made unchafte, or, if unchafte before, are made feven-fold worfe than they were but this our nobleman was as fish fresh in falt waters, and kept himself undefiled, as Lot in the midft of Sodom: and, indeed, he took the right way to preferve his chastity, by avoiding the incentives and provocations to luft. He spent not his time in courting of ladies, and amourously contemplating the beauty of women, which are bellows of luft and baits of uncleannefs: but he preferred his books before their beauty; and, for his fociety, chofe men of parts and learning for arts and arms. Befides, he was very temperate in his diet, fhunning tafting; and was frequent in fafting; and hated idlenefs and much fleep, which are the two nurfes of uncleannefs; and in the night, when he lay awake, to prevent temptation, he exercifed his thoughts with heavenly meditations. His juftice, fo far as he had occafion to fhew it, was very exemplary: he dealt honourably and honeftly with every body he had to deal with; and, whereas his father had contracted great debts by his prince-like houfe-keeping, and other public and private occafions, he was very folicitous for the difcharge of the fame, giving power to his executrix to fell part or all his land, if need were, therewith fpeedily to difcharge the creditors; and being afked, when the writing was drawn up, whether he affented to it? he anfwered, yea, with all my heart, for my honour and my honefty are my nearest heirs. But the fplendor of his religion outfhined all his moral and natural accomplishments: this was the temple that fanctified the gold, and the altar that fanctified the offering: This was that which ennobled his fobriety, juftice, and other virtues. And this appeared both by his private and public exercifes of piety, which were rare in a young man, more rare in a young nobleman, and hardly found in fuch a measure in any man, of what age or condition foever. He ufually rose every morning about four or five o'clock, feldom fleeping above five or fix hours at a time. When he first waked, his conftant care was to fet his heart in order, and fit it for holiness all the day after, offering the firft-fruits of the day, and of his thoughts unto God. Being up, he read a chapter out of the holy fcriptures; then, with his fervants in his chamber, he went to prayer; then did he spend about an hour in reading fome holy treatife to enliven his affections and increase his knowledge. He read over Calvin's Inftitutions, and Rogers's treatife, which were his two laft books. Before dinner and fupper, he had a pfalm, chap ter, ter, and prayer in his family, and prayer after fupper; and befides thofe public duties, he prayed privately every morning in his closet, after which he betook himself to fome ferious ftudy, for three or four hours together, except he was interrupted by fome fpecial bufinefs. The refidue of the morning he fpent in converfe with his friends, riding the great horfe, or fome fuch other honeft and noble recreation, till dinner-time. Thus avoided he idleness, and prevented temptations, which commonly enfue thereon. Prefently after dinner, he retired into his ftudy, to meditate on fermons he had lately heard; or, if he was disappointed of that opportunity, he neglected not to take the firft that was offered to him; yea, many times, in his travels by land, or by water, he thus bufied himself. The reft of the afternoon he fpent in bufinefs, ftudy of hiftories, the art of war, mathematics, and navigation; wherein he attained to a great measure of perfection. After fupper, he prayed with his fervants; then withdrew himself into his study, where he kept a diary or day-book, wherein he recorded what he had done that day; how he had offended, or what good he had done; what temptations he met with, and how he had refifted them; and, furyeying his failings, he humbled himself to God for them; and, for fuch failings as were fit to be known only to God and his own soul, he wrote them down in a private character, which none could read but himself, and then betook himself to his reft; and to prevent evil thoughts before fleep, one that waited on him in his chamber read a chapter or two to him out of the holy feripture, and this practice he continued for four years together before his death. And, that his public care as well as private to walk with his God might the better appear, the use of his time in the means of God's worthip bore fufficient teftimony; being a moft religious obferver of the Lord's-day, both in public and private duties, yet preferring the public before the private, so that, though he had an household chaplain, yet he ever frequented the public affemblies twice a day; yea, whilft he was a courtier; and, if his occafions caft him into a place where the word was not preached, he would ride to fome other place, many miles, rather than want it. Immediately after fermon, he withdrew himself from company, for about half an hour, to meditate and apply what he had heard to his foul. After the evening fermon, two of his fervants having written, he caufed them to repeat both the fermons in his family before fupper; and fuch was his memory, that he could ufually repeat more than they had written. Then wrote he them down in his book, and prayed himself with his family, wherein he had an excellent gift. And, by way of preparation to the fabbath, every Saturday-night, he ufed to call himfelf to a ftrict account how he had fpent the whole week; and accordingly he humbled himself to God for his failings, and returned praise for mercies received from him. On the fabbath morning, rifing betimes, he used, as he was making himself ready, to repeat to his fervants those fermons he had heard the Lord's-day before, He ufed, monthly, to receive the facrament of the Lord's-fupper; and to fit himself to feaft at the Lord's-table, he kept a private faft the day before, and then he looked over his books for his carriage that month, and spent the whole day in prayer and meditation and felf-examination; obferving how it was with him fince his last receiving; what progress he had made in piety; how he had thrived in grace, and what more ftrength he had gotten over his corruptions. Thus he spent the whole day, not coming out of his B 2 1 his ftudy till about fupper-time. Alfo, the morning before he received, he read 1 Corinth. xi. wherein is contained the inftitution of the Lord's-fupper; and, to his fervants that were to communicate with him, he read a little treatise to them, wherein the right manner of communicating was contained. And, befides thefe monthly fafts, he kept many other days of afflicting his foul, upon fundry occafions. He was wondrous attentive in hearing the word of God preached or read; and carried himself wondrous and exceedingly reverent therein, knowing that he was in the prefence of God; fhewing thereby, that, when he came to hear, not the words of man, but God, he wil lingly laid down his honour at Chrift's feet. And, to avoid oftentation, or the appearance of it, in his private duties, he never admitted any one, either to his prayers, or his repetition of his fermon, in and with his family, but only one friend, that was moft intimate with him. And thus was this holy fervant of Chrift blameless and pure, and this child of God without rebuke, in a naughty and crooked generation, amongst whom he fhined as a light in the world, holding forth the words of life, that he might rejoice in the day of Chrift's coming, that he had not run in vain, nor laboured without fruit. He further manifefted the fincerity of his religion, by his love to all that were truly godly, efpecially to faithful and painful minifters; as alfo by his mercy and charity to the needy faints and poor members of Jefus Chrift. After his return from his travels, by way of thankfulness to God, he gave yearly, by the hand of a private friend, twenty pounds to the poor. And, the fecond fabbath after his landing in England (having spent the day before with his tutor, Mr. Tovey, in prayer, fafting, and thanksgiving) he heard the word, received the facrament, and gave to the poor of that parish five pounds; and, befide, he gave forty pounds, to be bestowed upon poor minifters, and other Chriftians, for the relief of their neceflities. Yea, fuch were his bowels of tender mercy, that he gave a tenth part of his yearly allowance, which was a thousand pounds, to pious and charitable ufes; befides much that he gave occafionally, as he travelled, or walked abroad, &c. Alfo, all his other graces were beautified by the ornament of admirable humility; which is rarely found in perfons fo honourable, and honoured both of God and man. From the first day of his laft ficknefs, he ftrongly apprehended the approach of his death, and therefore accordingly prepared himself for it. Befides his private meditations, he called often others to pray for him, and often prayed himself; made confeffion of his fins, and often confeffed his faith, and an undoubted hope of falvation by Chrift Jefus; profeffing with fo much chearfulness, that he feared not death, in what shape foever it came. He uttered many heavenly fpeeches, defiring to be diffolved, and to be at home with God his Father; profeffing, not above two hours before his death, that he ftill felt the affured comforts and joys of his falvation by Chrift; and when death itself approached, he breathed forth thefe longing expreffions: O Thou my joy! O my God! when fhall I be with Thee! and in the midst of such defires, fweetly and quietly refigned up his fpirit unto God. Anno Domini 1613, aged 22 years. ADDITION 15) ADDITION TO THE CATALOGUE OF BISHOPS TO THE Being a Character and Hiftory of the Bishops during the Reigns of Queen NUMBER I. CANTERBURY. DR. MATTHEW PARKER. WHEN I confider with myself the hard beginning, though more profperous fucceffe of the reformed Church of England, methinks it may be compared to a foughten battell; in which fome captaines and fouldiers, that gave the firft charge, either died in the field, or came bleeding home; but fuch as followed, putting their enemies to fight, remained quiet and victorious. Or I may more fitly (without offence) liken that to the fucceffe of them of the Primitive Church, wherein the apoftles and their immediate fucceffors were one while honoured and magnified, by their followers the Chriftians; as. St. Peter, at whose feet the believers layd down all their goods; and St. Paul, who was received as an angel of God; another while tormented and perfecuted, by Jews and Heathen; as the fame apoftles, whipped by Jews; hanged and beheaded by the Romans; fometimes (I fay) a centurion, a lieutenant, a proconfull, favouring them; ftraight a prieft, a fcribe, and a lawyer, promoting against them. A few of Cæfar's houfhold willing well unto them, and believing them. But the Cæfars themselves for three hundred yeeres (except a very few) detefting and fuppreffing them. For in fuch fort Cranmer, Ridley, Latimer, Hooper, Rogers, Coverdale, and many others enduring great conflicts in thofe variable times of King Henry the Eighth, King Edward, and Queen Mary, fuffering by fire, by imprifonment, banithment, loffe and deprivation, with many fights, many flights, and many frights for their confcience fake; thofe that died had the glory of valiant fouldiers, and worthy martyrs; fuch as furvived, have fince in a long and happy peace, enjoyed the comfort of their victory, and are like ftill to hold the fame, if fome mutinous fouldiers of their own camp, doe not by disturbing the peace at home, give heart to the enemy abroad. Among the furveyors of these first leaders, that paft fo many pikes, the first in time, and the highest in place, was Dr. Matthew Parker, who, (as by this author is noted) having loft all his livings for his marriage, now being made Archbishop of Canterbury, diffembled not his marriage, as Cranmer in King Henry the Eighth's time, was found to doe; which, because fome have taken occafion to note with too black inke, to exclude him from the reputation of a rubricated martyr ; and have cited the teftimony of his fonne's widdow, yet living, that the was carried in a trunk, and by misfortune almoft ftifled, by being fet by an ignorant porter with her head downward; which tale goes very current among the Papifts. I can truly affirme, that this is a meere fiction, for I have examined the gentlewoman her felfe (being of kin to my wife, and a Rogers by name) and the hath fworn to me, the never reported, nor ever her felf heard, of any fuch misfortune. But now though this archbishop (Parker) diffembled not his marriage, yet Queen Elizabeth would not diffemble her diflike of it. For whereas it pleased her often, to come to his house, in respect of her favour |
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