Mr. Smith was a preacher uncommonly followed by persons of piety, especially those of the puritanical party. He was generally esteemed the first preacher in the nation; and, on account of his prodigious memory, and his fluent, eloquent, and practical way of preaching, he was looked upon as the very miracle and wonder of the age. It may be truly said of him, that he was a man peaceable in Israel. For though he scrupled conformity himself, and utterly disapproved the imposition of it on others; still he could live on terms of intimacy with those from whom hè dissented. His fame was so great, that he was usually called the silver-tongued preacher, as if he was second even to Chrysostom. His church was so crowded with hearers, that persons of quality, as well as others, were frequently obliged to stand in the aisles; and his wonderful dexterity in preaching was such, that, by his solid reasons, he fastened conviction upon the judgments of his auditory; by his apt similitudes, upon their fancies; by his orderly method, upon their memories; and by his close applications, upon their consciences. He died apparently of a consumption, about the year 1600, aged fifty years. Mr. Smith was author of many Sermons and Treatises, published at various times. They passed through many editions, and some of them were carried abroad and translated into Latin. His sermons were so universally admired, that they were for many years used as a family book in all parts of the kingdom. They are so solid, says Fuller, that the learned may partly admire them; yet so plain, that the unlearned may perfectly understand them. His "Sermons, with other his learned Treatises," and his Life by Fuller, were collected and published in one volume quarto, in 1675.

ARTHUR DENT was the learned and pious minister of South Soubery in Essex, but persecuted by Bishop Aylmer for nonconformity. About the year 1584, he endured many troubles from this prelate, for refusing to wear the surplice, and omitting the sign of the cross in baptism.§ He afterwards united with his brethren, the persecuted ministers of Essex, in presenting a petition to the lords of the council, in which, say they," We have received the

Wood's Athenæ Oxon. vol. i. p. 231.-Nichols's Hist. of Leicestershire, vol. ii. p. 390.

+ Life of Mr. Smith. MS. Register, p. 741.

Church History, b. ix. p. 142.

charge to instruct and teach our people in the way of life; and every one of us hearing this sounded from the God of heaven, Woe be unto me, if I preach not the gospel, we have all endeavoured to discharge our duties, and to approve ourselves both to God and man. Notwithstanding this, we are in great heaviness, and some of us already put to silence, and the rest living in fear; not that we have been, or can be charged, we hope, with false doctrine, or slanderous life: but because we refuse to subscribe that there is nothing contained in the Book of Common Prayer contrary to the word of God. We do protest in the sight of God, who searchoth all hearts, that we do not refuse from a desire to dissent, or from any sinister affection; but in the fear of God, and from the necessity of conscience." A circumstantial account of this petition, signed by twenty-seven ministers, is given in another place.*

Mr. Dent was author of a work, entitled "The Ruine of Rome; or, an Exposition of Revelation;" in the dedication of which, Mr. Ezekiel Culverwell gives the following account of the author:-"To give some public testimony of my love towards him, and reverence of the rare grace which we all, who enjoyed his sweet society, did continually behold in him, whose learning his labours do shew; and whose diligence, yea extreme and unwearied pains in his ministry, publicly, privately, at home and abroad, for at least four and twenty years, all our country can testify. All which being adorned with such special humility, do make his name the greater, and our loss the more grievous. I may not leave out this, which I avow to be as certain as it is singular, that, besides all others his great labours, he had a special care of all the churches, night and day, by study and fervent prayer, procuring the prosperity of Zion, and the ruin of Rome. And to end with his blessed end: his life was not more profitable to others than his death was peaceable to himself; scarcely a groan was heard, though his fever must needs have been violent which dispatched him in three days. Having made a pithy confession of his faith, this faith,' said he, have I preached; this faith have I believed in; this faith I do die in; and this faith would I have sealed with my blood, if God had so thought good; and tell my brethren so.' He afterwards said, 'I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid

*See Art. George Gifford.

up for me the crown of righteousness;' and with his last breath added, I have seen an end of all perfection, but thy law is exceeding broad."" He died most probably some time after the year 1600.

WILLIAM CHARKE was fellow of Peter-house, Cambridge, in 1572, where, most probably, he received his education. Cambridge, at this time, was a nest of puritans; but Dr. Whitgift, with the other heads of colleges, laboured to expel the growing faction, as it was called. Many of the students and fellows were disaffected to the ceremonies and discipline of the church, among whom was Mr. Charke. He did not, therefore, remain long unobserved; for the heads of colleges, of whom Whitgift was chief, presently brought complaints against him to Lord Burleigh, chancellor of the university.

Mr. Charke, in his sermon at St. Mary's, December 3, 1572, asserted, 1. "That the states of bishops, archbishops, metropolitans, and popes, were introduced into the church by Satan.-And, 2. That the ministers of the church ought not to be superior one to another." For divulging these sentiments, he was the very next day cited before Drs. Whitgift, Pern, Howford, Kelk, and Bying, the vice-chancellor; before whom he acknowledged the delivery of the two propositions, the former directly, the latter implicitly. He was brought before them a second time, in February following, and was often admonished and commanded to revoke his errors publicly at St. Mary's, on a Lord's day, which he absolutely refused: only he acknowledged that there ought to be some superiority among ministers, in matters of jurisdiction. Upon which, the vice-chancellor, with the consent of the heads, pronounced sentence upon him of exclusion from the college, and banishment from the university. He was, therefore, excluded and expelled from the place. Whether his punishment was not greater than the crime with which he was charged, is left with the candid reader to determine.

Mr. Charke, upon his departure from Cambridge, appealed from the judgment of the vice-chancellor and heads, to Burleigh, the chancellor. This he did, says Mr. Strype, in a well-penned epistle, written in a good Latin style, desiring, by his lordship's means, to be again restored to his

college, promising to conduct himself quietly and peaceably. In this letter, he said, "That he denied not himself to be one, who, being led by argument taken from scripture, and the example of foreign churches, thought something to be wanting, whereby our church, lately rescued from darkness, might come nearer the original pattern. That when he was aware how his opinion might prove dangerous to be divulged among the unskilful multitude, because it appeared something new to the common people, and was different from the ordinances, he kept to himself the knowledge of the truth, and had ever studiously avoided the promulgation of it in his sermons; but that in a private senate, and in the Latin tongue, he thought he might use greater liberty. He had, therefore, in a very learned and wise assembly, explained his opinion more freely in those matters. And that, by so doing, he had ignorantly fallen into the crime of violating a law; and so was cited to appear in judgment. And that his judges had forbidden him not only the use of water and fire, by which men live; but the use of learning too, by which they live well. He, therefore, humbly appealed to his equity and goodness, as the only hope he had left of recovering his place; praying him to write to the university for his restoration; and that hereafter he might be wholly rejected, if he violated the peace either of the church, the state, or the university."*

The chancellor, knowing him to be a good scholar, and that he was treated with tyrannical severity, upon receiving this humble and peaceable supplication, made intercession for him, by addressing the following letter to the vice-chancellor and heads of houses:+

"After my very hearty commendations.

"Whereas you have expelled William Charke, late fellow of Peter-house, for some speeches used in a sermon which he lately had ad clerum, tending to the disturbing the quietness and peace of the church, and manifestly contrary to the orders taken for the maintenance of the same peace. For as much as the said Charke hath been with me, and partly wisely extenuating his fault, and partly very honestly acknowledging that he committed the same by overmuch vehemency of spirit, and promising faithfully never hereafter to deal in this or the like again, that may be offensive, hath shewed some good parts, affec*Strype's Whitgift, p. 43, 44..

+ Baker's MS. Collec. vol. xxix. p. 373.

tion, and good gifts to be in him, the which, in mine opinion, it were great charity and good wisdom, by gentle usage and persuasion, to reduce to be profitable in the church, rather than by too suddenly cutting him off from the course of his studies, utterly to lose. These are

heartily to pray you, the rather for my sake, and for proof of him hereafter, to receive him again into the university and his fellowship within the college, upon his like promise made to you not to meddle hereafter in such kind of doctrines. Wherein, if you shew some indulgence for this time, and rather suppress the memory of his said speech and doctrine, for it was delivered in the Latin tongue, and not popularly taught, in my judgment you shall do well; and so praying you to do, I bid you hearty farewell. From my house, Feb. 20, 1572.

"Your loving friend,

"WILLIAM BURLEIGH." This intercession, however, was to no purpose. It does not appear that Mr. Charke was ever restored to his fellowship. He was, about the same time, one of the superadded members of the presbytery at Wandsworth in Surrey. In the year 1580, we find him employed, with other learned men, in a conference with Campian, the famous popish priest. He was engaged in the fourth day's dispute, when the subjects of discussion were,-1. "Whether the scriptures contain sufficient doctrine for salvation. And, 2. Whether faith alone justifieth." These conferences were afterwards collected and published, by the consent of both parties.+

Upon Mr. Charke's banishment from the university, he was countenanced and entertained by several of the nobi lity, and patronized by persons of learning and real worth. He was domestic chaplain first to Lord Cheiny, then to the Duchess of Somerset, at Chelsea, and was with her when she died. In the year 1581, he was chosen constant preacher to the society of Lincoln's-inn. But, to succeed effectually in their choice, the society applied to the Bishop of London, for his approbation and allowance. The bishop, knowing Mr. Charke's great abilities, and that he was eminently qualified for a situation of so much learning, did not refuse; but signified that application should be first made to the lords of the council, for their allowance. This was accordingly done, and the lords Kingdom's MSS. p. 39.-Fuller's Church Hist. b. ix. p. 103. + Strype's Anuals, vol. ii. p. 646.