excellence, and one so universally beloved, were sure to bring the greatest odium upon his persecutors. Mr. White was afterwards a great sufferer from the public confusions of the nation. His excellencies could not screen him from the destructive ravages of the civil wars. Prince Rupert and his forces being in those parts, a party of horse was sent into the town, when the soldiers plundered his house, and carried away his library. But, upon the approach of these calamities, the good man fled from the storm; and, retiring to London, was made minister of the Savoy.

In the year 1640, Mr. White was appointed one of the learned divines to assist the committee of religion, consisting of ten earls, ten bishops, and ten barons. In 1643, he was chosen one of the assembly of divines, and constantly attended. He was deservedly admired on account of his great zeal, activity, learning, moderation, and usefulness, during the whole session. Upon the meeting of both houses of parliament, the assembly of divines, and the Scots comsioners, in Margaret's church, Westminster, to take the covenant, he engaged in the public prayer; and, to prepare their minds for so sacred an engagement, as our author observes, he prayed a full hour. In 1645, upon the revival of the committee of accommodation, he was chosen one of its members. And about the same time he was appointed to succeed Dr. Featley in the sequestered rectory of Lambeth; and, according to our historian, he was appointed to have the care and use of the doctor's library, until the doctor should be able to procure his, which had been carried away by Prince Rupert's soldiers. In 1647, Mr. White was offered the wardenship of New College, Oxford, but refused the office.

When the public broils of the nation were concluded, he returned to his flock and his ministry at Dorchester; where he continued in peace the remainder of his days. He died suddenly, July 21, 1648, aged seventy-two years. His remains were interred in the porch of St. Peter's church, Dorchester, but without any monumental inscription. He was a most faithful pastor; and a divine of sound doctrine,

* Wood's Athenæ Oxon, vol. ii. p. 61.

+ This committee was appointed by the house of lords, and designed to examine all innovations, as well in doctrine as discipline, illegally intro. duced into the church since the reformation. It was extremely offensive to the intolerant spirit of Archbishop Laud.-Wharton's Troubles of Laud, vol. i. p. 174, 175.

Whitlocke's Mem. p. 70.

Papers of Accommodation, p. 13. Wood's Athenæ Oxon. vol. ii. p. 61. 1 Wood's Hist. & Antiq. 1. ii. p. 149.

an admirable judgment, and a most powerful genius, being no less eminent for piety, faith, and diligence. Also, he was a person of uncommon gravity, and so universally beloved and respected, that he was usually called the patriarch of Dorchester. The puritans at a distance, as well as those about him, according to Wood," had more respect for him than even for their diocesan; yet he was a most moderate puritan." "He was a constant preacher," says Fuller, "and, by his wisdom and ministerial labours, Dorchester was much enriched with knowledge, piety, and industry."t Mr. John White, the ejected nonconformist, was his son.

His WORKS.-1. The Way to the Tree of Life, 1647.-2. A Commentary upon the Three first Chapters of Genesis, 1656.-3. Directions for Reading the Scriptures.-4. Of the Sabbath.-5. Several Sermons.-Most probably he was author of some other articles.

PETER SMART, A. M.-This great sufferer in the cause of nonconformity was born in Warwickshire, in the year 1569, and educated first at Westminster school, then at Broadgate's-hall, Oxford, and afterwards elected student of Christ's Church, in the same university. After taking his degrees he entered into the ministry, when Dr. William James, dean, and afterwards bishop, of Durham, presented him first to the grammar-school at Durham, then made him one of his chaplains; and, in 1609, presented him to the sixth prebend in the cathedral of Durham, and the rectory of Boldovers. In the year 1614 he was removed from the sixth to the fourth prebend; but his patron, the bishop, dying in about three years, he received no further advancement.

The first business of a public nature in which Mr. Smart appears to have been engaged, was his appointment to the high commission for the province of York. He was nominated one of the commissioners in the year 1625; and though at their second assembly he qualified according to law, he seldom honoured the court with his attendance, and subscribed only to one sentence. Upon the renewal of the commission in 1627, he again qualified, but seldom attended.

Wood's Athenæ Oxon, vol. ii. p. 60, 61. + Fuller's Worthies, part ii. p. 340.

Palmer's Noncon. Mem. vol. ii. p. 145.

Granger says he was minister at Bowden, by which is probably intended the same place.-Biog. Hist. vol. ii. p. 169.

Wood's Athenæ Oxon. vol. ii. p. 11.-Illustration of Neal in the article of Peter Smart, p. 2, 3.

This was about ten months previous to the commencement of his troubles, occasioned by a sermon which he preached in the cathedral at Durham. In this sermon, delivered July 27, 1628, he spoke with considerable freedom against the superstitions and popish innovations, which Dr. Cosins and others had introduced into that church. His text was, I hate all those that love superstitious vanities, but thy law do I love. For the satisfaction of the reader, we shall insert some of the most exceptionable and offensive parts of this sermon. He said, "The whore of Babylon's bastardly brood, doating upon their mother's beauty, that painted harlot, the church of Rome, has laboured to restore her all her robes and jewels again, especially her looking-glass, the mass, in which she may behold all her bravery. For they, despising all the plain simplicity of that grave matron, Christ's holy spouse, have turned her offices all out of doors, with all her household-stuff, her tables, her books, her cups, her communions, the very names of her ministers: instead whereof, the words priest and altar are taken up by them; because without a priest no sacrifice can be offered; without priest and sacrifice there is no use of an altar; and without all these there can be no mass. But the mass coming in, brings in with it an inundation of ceremonies, crosses, crucifixes, chalices, images, copes, candlesticks, tapers, basons, and a thousand such trinkets which attend upon the mass.

"Before we had ministers, as the scripture calls them, we had communion tables, we had sacraments; but now we have priests, we have sacrifices and altars, with much altar-furniture, and many massing implements. Nay, what want we? Have we not all religion again? For if religion consists in altar-ducking, cope-wearing, organ-playing, piping, and singing, crossing of cushions, kissing of clouts, oft starting up

* An account of these innovations is still on record. Dr. Cosins removed the communion table in the church of Durham, and erected it altar-wise, expending two hundred pounds in beautifying it.—He used there to officiate, turning his back to the people.-He used extraordinary bowing to it.-He compelled others to do the same, using violence on those who refused.-He abolished the singing of Psalms in the church.-He caused three hundred wax candles to be set up and lighted in the church, on Candlemas-day at night, in honour of our Lady.-He caused divers images, most gloriously painted, to be erected in the church.-He used these words in his sermon: The reformers of this church, when they abolished the mass, took away all good order, and, instead of a reformation, made it a deformation."He caused two thousand pounds to be expended in setting up images and other superstitious innovations. He caused the holy knife for cutting the sacramental bread to be consecrated; and he set up a splendid picture of our Saviour, with a golden beard, and a blue cap on his head.- Rushworth's Collec. vol. v. p. 208–210.—Illustration of Neal, p. 81.

and squatting down, nodding of heads, and whirling about till their noses stand eastward; in candlesticks, crucifixes, burning of wax-candles, and (what is worst of all) gilding of angels, garnishing of images, and setting them up: if, I say, religion consists in these, and such like superstitious vanities, ceremonial fooleries, apish toys, and popish trinkets, we had never more religion than now. They are whores and whoremongers, they commit spiritual fornication, who bow their bodies before the idol." These were the most exceptionable passages in Mr. Smart's sermon, even his enemies being judges.

The very day on which he preached this invective and seditious sermon, as it is called, against the decent and allowed ceremonies of the church of England, a letter missive was issued to apprehend him, and bring him before the dean and other commissioners. Upon his appearance he delivered up his sermon to be copied, declaring that he would justify every particular therein contained. After he had entered into a bond of one hundred pounds for his future appearance he was dismissed. From the time of his first appearance to January 29th following, he appeared no less than eight different times before his ecclesiastical judges. In the mean time, articles were exhibited against him, to which he gave his written answers. At length, however, he was sent to the high commission at Lambeth. Fuller says, that for preaching the above sermon, "Mr. Smart was kept a prisoner four months by the high commision of York, before any articles were exhibited against him, and five months before any proctor was allowed him, From the high commission of York he was carried to the high commission at Lambeth, and, after long trouble, remanded back to York, fined five hundred pounds, ordered to recant, and, for neglecting which, he was fined a second time, excommunicated, degraded, deprived, and committed to prison, his damage amounting to many thousand pounds." It is inquired by what law Mr. Smart was treated thus, for preaching against setting up images, altars, placing them at the east end of the church, and bowing to them, directly contrary to the Book of Common Prayer, and the homily against idolatry, confirmed by act of parliament? He remained in prison eleven or twelve years, till he was released by the long parliament. The puritans had so much esteem

* Grey's Examination of Neal, vol. i. p. 118, 119.-Illustration of Neal, p. 131. + Fuller's Church Hist. b. xi. p. 173.-Illustration of Neal, p. 5, 72. Huntley's Prelates' Usurpations, p. 160.

and compassion for him, that during his imprisonment, they raised him £400 a year. Bishop Laud, it should be observed, was the leading person in all the cruelties inflicted upon Mr. Sinart.+

November 12, 1640, the humble petition of Mr. Peter Smart, prisoner in the King's-bench, complaining of the hard usage he had met with, was read in the house of commons, when it was referred to the committee appointed to consider the petition of Dr. Leighton and others. The house further ordered, "That Mr. Smart, in all his particulars, shall have the same liberty as that granted to Dr. Leighton, and shall have copies of the records in the king's-bench and the high commission gratis."

On January 12th following, an order passed the house, "That Dr. Easdale, Roger Blanchard, and Phineas Hodson, D.D. shall shew cause to this house why they do not pay the monies adjudged to be paid to Mr. Peter Smart, upon a judgment in the king's-bench, against the said Easdale,

* Granger's Biog. Hist. vol. ii. p. 170.

+ Prynne's Cant. Doome, p. 78, 93, 493.-During Mr. Smart's confinement in prison, he received a letter from Mrs. Smart, dated Witten-Gilbart, April 6, 1632. This letter, which is said to be "larded with cant, and to be a specimen of female casuistical puritanism," was as follows:

"Most loving and dearly beloved husband,

"The grace and blessing of God be with you, even as unto mine "owne soule and body, so do I dayly in my harty prayer wish unto you "and my children; for I doe dayly twise, at the least, in this sort "remember you. And I do not doubte, deere husband, but that both you "and I, as we be written in the booke of life, so we shall together enjoy "the saime everlastingly, throught the saveing grace and mercy of God, "our deare Father, in his Soonne our Christ: and for this present life, let "us wholly appointe ourselves to the will of our God, to glorifie him, "whether by life or by death; and even that mercifull Lord make us worthy to honor him either way, as pleaseth him, Amen. Ye what great "cause of rejoysing have we in our most gratious God, we can not but "brust fourth into the prasing of such a bountifull God, which maide you "worthy to suffer for his name and worde saike: for it is given to you of "God, not only that ye should believe in him; but also, that ye should "suffer for his saik, 1 Peter, 4, 5. Yf ye suffer rebuke in the name of "Christ, that is, in Christ's cause, for his truths sake, then ar ye happy "and blessed; for the glory of the spirit of God resteth upon you, and "therefore rejoice in the Lord, and againe I say rejoice; for the distressed "church doth yet suffer dayly thinges for her mortification, and for this cause, is contemned and despised. But alas! if thy servant David, if "thine onely Soonne our Saviour Christ livede in shame and contempt, and weere a moking stocke for the people; whie should not we then "patiently suffer all things, that we might enter into glory, through many “ troubles, vexations, shame, and ignominy, &c.—The blessing of God be "with all, Amen, pray, pray.-Your loving and faithful wife untill "death, "SUSANNA SMART."

Illustration of Neal, p. 61-70,