continued preaching till December 27th following, when he preached his last sermon.* Thus our pious and learned divine knew by painful experience the truth of that doctrine which he delivered to the people. "Every faithful minister," says he, "who laboureth to win souls to God, shall be sure to be well rewarded, how ill soever an unthankful world may reward him. If we judge by sense and reason, we shall hardly be able to conceive how it can be true; for no kind of men ever seems to be more neglected of God in this life, than faithful ministers. In all ages these men have been in much trouble, and their enemies have prevailed against them; and that oftentimes even unto death. But," says he, "if we look into it with a spiritual eye, we shall find that God hath a special care to provide for faithful ministers; and that none have such promises of protection and deliverance from trouble. If it please the Lord to let his ministers suffer, it is," saith he, "either because their testimony is finished; or because God will receive more honour by their suffering, and constant confession of his truth, than by their peace: as saith the apostle of his own troubles: I would, brethren, ye should understand, that the things which have happened unto me, have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel."+ This excellent servant of Christ discovered in his last sickness very becoming submission to the will of God. His conversation was spiritual, holy, and heavenly. He gave a solemn charge to his son, to take heed unto the flock of Christ; and on the Lord's day, while his son was at prayer with him, he closed his eyes in peace, and entered upon the joy of his Lord, March 4, 1631, aged sixty-eight years. Mr. Hildersham preached at Ashby upwards of forty-three years, excepting the intervals of his suspension for nonconformity. He was a pious, learned, and useful preacher. Fuller styles him a worthy divine, and a just and upright man," but has incorrectly classed him among the fellows and learned writers of Christ's college, Cambridge.‡ Echard denominates him " a great and shining light of the puritan party," and observes, "that he was justly celebrated for his singular learning and piety." Lilly, the astrologer, who was educated at Ashby school, says, "He * Clark's Lives, p. 122. + Hildersham on John, p. 282-284 Fuller's Worthies, part i. p. 159.-Hist. of Cam. p. 92. was an excellent textuary, of exemplary life, pleasant in discourse, a strong enemy to the Brownists, and dissented not from the church of England in any article of faith; but only about wearing the surplice, baptizing with the cross, and kneeling in the sacrament. Most of the people in the town were directed by his judgment, and so continued in it."*. He was a divine of great moderation, and of a most amiable christian spirit. He used to say, "that he never heard any faithful preacher of the gospel, however mean his talents might be, but he could discover some gift in him that was wanting in himself, and could receive some profit from his preaching." He died in perfect satisfaction with his nonconformity, as appears from his last will and testament, in which were these words:"I do hereby "declare and protest, that I do continue and end my days "in the very same faith and judgment, touching all points "of religion, as I have ever been known to hold and profess; "and which I have, both by my doctrine and practice, and "by my sufferings also, given testimony unto."+ The excellent Mr. Samuel Hildersham, ejected in 1662, was his son.+ Mr. Hildersham's remains were interred in the chancel of Ashby church, where, on the south side, is the following monumental inscription erected to his memory.§ M. S. Near to this place lieth interred the body honourably descended from Sir RICHARD POOLE, and satisfying doubts, and especially for his extraordinary knowledge and his painful and zealous preaching, He lived in this place for the most part of forty-three years and six months, love and reverence of all sorts, and died with much honour and lamentation, * Lilly's Life and Times, p. 6. Edit. 1774. + Clark's Lives, p. 120. Palmer's Noncon. Mem. vol. iii. p. 147. Nichols's Hist. of Leicestershire, vol. ii. p. 622. The character given of Mr. Hildersham, in the above monumental inscription, is confirmed by one of his contemporaries; who says, "that the loss which the town of Ashby sustained by his death was very great; for he was a peace-maker among his neighbours, and the patron of the poor. By his great wisdom and care, wickedness was checked, and godliness was promoted. He was a friend to every one in a good cause; and it was his constant delight to be serviceable to all. He left a precious name behind him, and had epistles of commendation written in the hearts of the people.' In addition to the two excellent volumes already specified, Mr. Hildersham was author of "Lectures on Psalmı Xxxv.," published in 1632; and "A Treatise on the Lord's Supper." Of this work, Mr. John Cotton says, "Those questions and answers furnish a christian with a more proper view of that spiritual duty, than any other book in any language, that I know, in so small a compass." It is commonly bound with a treatise on the same subject by Mr. Bradshaw.t THOMAS HILL was of Hart-hall, Oxford, and a popular preacher in the university. He was zealous in the advancement of truth, and in opposition to error; yet he discovered great moderation. Having preached a sermon from James i. 16. in St. Mary's church, May 24, 1631, he made the following observations: "Were my time and learning parallel to my zeal, what a tempting doth here present itself, to shew how rashly (I say not cruelly) our Pelagian votaries have handled the decrees and statutes of the King of heaven. But they are to be mischieved into honour, (no matter how,) which tempts them to disrelish sound doctrine on no other ground than did David, because the lords do not favour it. 1. Sam. xxix. 6. Scripture they use worse than the Turks do christians at Tunis; enslave it to the vassalage of the foulest error; and, according to their most current garb, employ it to defend popery, or, as bad, Pelagianism. Popish darts, whet afresh on a Dutch grindstone, have pierced deep, and, without succour, will prove mortal. I am persuaded these late transmarine tenets had not been so jolly and brief among us, nor the opposite truth so diametrically condemned by many, had they first made • Clark's Lives, p. 119, 120. + Hildersham on John, Epis. proof of these points in their own retired and serious contemplations." For these slight glances at popery and Arminianism, he was, by the instigation of Bishop Laud, convened before the vice-chancellor and heads of houses, when he was required to make the following degrading recantation, in a full convocation, on his bended knees :+- I, Thomas Hill, "do freely and sincerely acknowledge before this venerable "assembly of convocation, that in a sermon lately by me "preached in St. Mary's, I did let fall divers scandalous 66 speeches, partly in opposition to his majesty's injunctions, "by odious justling together the names of certain factions "in the church, and imputing Pelagianism and popery to "the one side: partly in disparagement of the present government of state and church, by making foul and "erroneous opinions the readiest steps now a days to pre"ferment. As also in disparaging the whole order of "bishops, in point of learning and religion, making them "favourers of unsound and erroneous doctrine, and dis"favourers of sound doctrine. As likewise in imputing to "a great part of our clergy, only politic and lunatic religion: "besides private glances against particular persons, con"cerning some speeches delivered in their late sermons. "In all which passages in my sermon, I confess to have given just offence to the university, and to deserve the "sharpest censures. Wherefore, with all humble sub"mission, I beseech the whole university, represented in "this venerable house, to pass by this my wilful error of " undiscreet and misguided zeal, and do faithfully promise "henceforward to abstain from all such scandalous asper❝sions and intimations, as tending only to the disparagement "of the church, and the distraction and disquiet of the "university. And this my submission I humbly crave may "be accepted, which I do here make willingly, and from "my heart, with true sorrow for what is past. 66 "THOMAS HILL." It appears from the records of the university, that Mr. Hill made the above recantation, July 16, 1631, when he was no doubt released from the hands of his cruel oppressors. There was another puritan divine of the same name, who lived at the same time, was doctor in divinity, and a person of distinguished eminence in his day. * Prynne's Cant. Doome, p. 178. + Ibid. p. 174.-Wharton's Troubles of Laud, vol. ii. p. 51. ROBERT BOLTON, B. D.-This excellent divine was born at Blackburn in Lancashire, in the year 1572, and educated first in Lincoln college, then in Brazen-nose college, Oxford, where he was chosen fellow. He made uncommon progress in logic, philosophy, and the learned languages. The means of his support being small, he borrowed books of his tutor and other persons; when, for his greater advantage, besides reading them with close attention, he preserved abridgments of them in his common-place book. With a view to obtain a more perfect knowledge of the Greek, he transcribed with uncommon pains the whole of Homer, in a very fair character. He became famous for his lectures on natural and moral philosophy, and was learned in metaphysics, mathematics, and school divinity. Having so eminently displayed his learning and abilities in the public disputations of the schools, he was chosen by the vice-chancellor, when King James first visited the university, to be one of the public disputants before his majesty. Notwithstanding all his ornamental and useful accomplishments, he was still destitute of the one thing needful; he had no serious concern for his soul; but loved plays and cards, was a horrible swearer, sabbath-breaker, and familiar associate of the wicked. He hated all good men, especially those odiously stigmatized by the name of puritans; and even denominated the celebrated Mr. William Perkins "a barren empty fellow, and a very mean scholar." His views, however, were afterwards changed. Having experienced the renewing influence of divine grace, he said that Mr. Perkins was as learned and godly a divine as the church had enjoyed for many years. During Mr. Bolton's residence at Oxford, he became intimately acquainted with one Anderton, formerly his school-fellow, but now a learned popish priest, who, taking an advantage of his mean circumstances, persuaded him into a reconciliation to the church of Rome, and to accompany him to one of the English seminaries in Flanders; where, said he, "you shall have gold enough." The time and place of embarking were accordingly appointed: but Anderton disappointing him, he renounced the object altogether, and returned to his college. Here, by the instructions of the excellent Mr. Thomas Peacock, he was brought under such deep convictions of sin, that for many months he lost his appetite, his sleep, and all peace of mind. In the end, by a continuance in prayer and deep humiliation before God, he found mercy and received comfort. This memorable |