He might, indeed, be sentenced to the pillory, as one persecuted for righteousness sake. This was no uncommon thing in those days. And that his majesty might reverse the cruel sentence, being founded neither in justice nor sound policy, is not for a moment disputed. But to prove that Mr. Sedgwick was guilty of simony, sacrilege, and adultery, as here alleged, requires better evidence than our author has produced. The heavy charge wholly rests on the testimony of "Mercurius Aulicus," a scurrilous and abusive weekly paper, published during the civil wars, and designed, by malice and falsehood, to blacken the memory of all who espoused the cause of the parliament. But our author adds concerning Mr. Sedgwick, that “after all his actings to carry on the blessed cause, he very unwil lingly gave up the ghost," in the month of October, 1643, aged forty-two years. His remains were interred in the chancel of St. Alphage church, when Mr. Thomas Case preached his funeral sermon, of which Wood, upon the above authority, gives the following account: "John Sedgwick (one of the three brothers with four fingers on a hand) hath spent his lungs, and caused Mr. Thomas Case to exercise his, which he did very mournfully in his funeral sermon lately preached, telling the audience, that his departed brother was now free from plunder; and that when he was ready to expire, he would often ask, How does the army? How does his excellency? (meaning the Earl of Essex;) with many such sweet expressions, as moved a certain citizen to send Mr. Case a fair new gown, lest he chance to recur to his old way of borrowing." The design of this representation is obvious to every reader.

His WORKS.-1. Fury fired, or, Crueltie scourged, a Sermon on Amos i. 12., 1625.-2. The Bearing and Burden of the Spirit, in two Sermons on Prov. xviii. 14., 1639.-3. The Eye of Faith open to God, 1640.-4. The Wonder-working God; or, the Lord doing Wonders, 1641.-5. England's Troubles, 1641.-6. Antinomianisme Anato mized; or, a Glass for the Lawless, who denie the Moral Law unto Christians under the Gospel, 1643.

RICHARD SEDGWICK.-This eminent minister was born at East Dereham in Norfolk, in the year 1574, and educated in Peter-house, Cambridge. It does not appear whether he was any relation to Mr. John Sedgwick, a memoir of

❤ Wood's Athenee, vol. ii. p. 16, 17.

His father, a

whom is given in the preceding article. respectable clothier, suffering great losses by fire, became reduced in his circumstances. He had an uncle in Yorkshire, who, possessing large estates, and having no children, took him in his tender years under his care, gave him a good school education, and intended to make him his heir: but God designed to give him a better portion. His uncle and the rest of the family were much addicted to profaneness; yet in this situation God in mercy awakened him to a serious concern for his soul. While the other branches of the family were engaged in their profane sports, young Sedgwick was oftentimes mourning over their sins before the Lord in private. His uncle at first thought that he retired only on account of his uncommon fondness for books; and therefore gave him occasionally a gentle rebuke, urging him to use greater liberty. But at length, perceiving that his nephew was become seriously thoughtful about religion, and that he retired for the purpose of private devotion, he treated him very roughly; and finding that he could not by any threatenings constrain him to renounce his religion, he cast him out of his family, saying, "A puritan shall never inherit my land."

Young Sedgwick, being rejected by his uncle, returned to his mother, who sent him to the university, where he distinguished himself in all kinds of useful learning. After finishing his studies, he entered upon the ministerial function, and settled at some place in Kent. While in this situation, he was called to preach occasionally in the cathedral of Canterbury; and exposing the manifold corruptions of the cathedral worship, he incurred the displeasure of the ruling ecclesiastics; on account of which he was required to make a public recantation, and a day was appointed for the purpose. During the interval he derived unspeakable encouragement from these words, "Whatsoever I command thee, thou shalt speak: be not afraid of their faces; for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord," and resolved that he would not recant, but abide by the truth which he had already delivered, whatever it might cost him. At the time appointed, he preached again at the cathedral, to a very large assembly, all expecting to hear a debasing recantation; but, to the great mortification of his malicious persecutors, instead of a recantation, he laboured, with all his learning and abilities, to confirm what he had before advanced, warmly recommending the ecclesiastics to reform their abuses. This so exceedingly

offended his enemies, that they immediately complained of him to the archbishop, and to escape the storm he was obliged to leave the place.*

Mr. Sedgwick escaped the snare of his enemies, and was entertained for some time by Sir Edward Bois, a man of distinguished piety, and a great friend to the persecuted puritans. Afterwards he became domestic chaplain to Sir Edward Anslaw, at Crawley in Surrey, where he preached twice every Lord's day. Sir Edward was a pious and worthy person, and his house was a constant asylum for the persecuted puritans. Upon the removal of this excellent family, Mr. Sedgwick became assistant to the venerable Dr. Wyburn, minister of Battersea in the above county. He had not continued long in this situation before fresh snares were laid for him. As a zealous and faithful servant of Christ, he reproved sin with great boldness, and spoke against the corruptions of the church with some degree of freedom; for which he was cited before the high commission, to answer the several charges exhibited against him. He appeared before his ecclesiastical judges according to appointment, and resolved to defend the truth whatever it might cost him; but, to his great surprise, he was treated with civility, and honourably acquitted. This was towards the close of the reign of Queen Elizabeth.+

Mr. Sedgwick afterwards leaving his native country, became minister to the English merchants at Hamburgh, where he happily introduced a purer church discipline, and the Lord abundantly blessed his labours. During his abode at Hamburgh, though he was zealous for the discipline of the New Testament, it appears that he was no bigot; but joined in communion with the Dutch churches, and admitted them to the Lord's table in the church of which he was pastor. The merchants presently found the benefit of his ministry, in the orderly and christian deportment of those whom they employed. Nevertheless, in this situation he was not without his enemies. Certain persons, extreme bigots to episcopacy, threatened to have him brought to England, and prosecuted for nonconformity; but while this was in agitation, God summoned his principal adversary before another tribunal. He continued a successful labourer in the Lord's vineyard about twelve years; and upon the dissolution of the company of merchants, he returned to England; after which he preached some time at Monmouth. In the year

* Clark's Lives annexed to his Martyrologie, p. 157. + Ibid. p. 158.

1617, a new chapel having been erected in Wapping, London, he was chosen minister, and there continued to the day of his death.

His life and conversation, says Mr. Clark, were holy and exemplary, and his labours abundant. His ministry was close, searching, and useful. His deportment was affable and courteous, yet grave and venerable. He was much given to acts of charity; and he allowed a certain sum annually towards the support of suspended ministers. He constantly exercised a most tender care over the people of his charge, especially during the raging of the plague. Instead of forsaking the flock when danger approached, he still continued to attend upon his numerous duties, labouring to do them all the good in his power. Nor were his diligence and faithfulness unrewarded. For though all the families around him were infected, and multitudes swept away by death, the dreadful malady never invaded his habitation. At length, having fought the good fight, having finished his course, and kept the faith, he was called to receive the crown of righteousness, in the year of our Lord 1643, aged sixty-nine years.*

JULINES HERRING, A. M.-This worthy minister was born in the parish of Flamber-Mayre, Montgomeryshire, in the year 1582, and educated in Sidney college, Cambridge. He was a hard student, and an excellent scholar in the various branches of useful literature. Having finished his studies at the university, he employed his first ministerial labours in the city of Coventry, where he preached with great approbation. At this place he studied divinity under the venerable Mr. Humphrey Fenn, a divine famous in that city, both for his ministry and nonconformity. As Mr. Herring could not, with a good conscience, enter upon the ministry by subscription according to the demands of the prelates, he obtained ordination from an Irish bishop without it. He first settled in the ministry at Caulk, near Melburn in Derbyshire. In this situation he enjoyed the protection and encouragement of Mr. Bainbridge, a gentleman of good estate and great piety. His peace and liberty were preserved for a considerable time from the molestations of the prelates. Multitudes flocked to hear him from all quarters, and many came from a great distance. The

* Clark's Lives annexed to his Martyrologie, p. 158-160.

chapel soon became too small to contain so large a company; but having a clear strong voice, great numbers enjoyed the privilege of hearing him who could not gain admittance. He was instrumental in turning many to righteousness. Under his ministry at this place, Mr. Simeon Ashe, afterwards the famous nonconformist in 1662, received his first religious impressions.*

Mr. Herring, after preaching at Caulk about eight years, could be no longer sheltered from the severities of the prelates, but was driven from the place for nonconformity. Previous to his removal he entered into the married state. His wife was his constant comforter under all his future trials. They had thirteen children; and by the blessing of God upon their appropriate religious instructions, had the unspeakable happiness to behold the indications of piety in the whole of their offspring. To the honour of Mr. Herring, it is observed, that whenever he corrected his children, he previously endeavoured to convince them of the evil of their sin in the sight of God, and then looked up to the Lord for a blessing upon his corrections. This method the Lord seemed to own for much good.

His public labours being interrupted in the above situation, and having no prospect of again enjoying the peaceable exercise of his ministry, the Lord opened for him a door of usefulness at Shrewsbury. Here he preached at St. Alkmond's church every Tuesday morning, and occasionally on the Lord's day. But spies were appointed to watch him, that if possible some advantage might be obtained with a view to his prosecution in the ecclesiastical courts. Yet he conducted himself on all occasions with so much prudence, and invariably prayed so fervently for the king and government, that his very adversaries gave this testimony of him: "That though he was scrupulous in matters of ceremony, he was a loyal subject to the king, and a true friend to the state." His clerical enemies were nevertheless envious of his reputation and popularity, and at length brought complaints against him to Bishop Morton, on account of his nonconformity; but other objections they had none. The bishop committed him to the examination of two clergymen, when Mr. Herring delivered his scruples in writing, and replied to their answers. They, in the conclusion, gave a certificate to the bishop, that they believed Mr. Herring, on conscientious grounds, still re

* Clark's Lives annexed to his Martyrologie, p. 160, 161.—Palmer's Noncou. Mem. vol. i. p. 94.