Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

ye hear; and when he goes before you in the practice of those duties, see that you follow his example; and pray for him, that the work of the Lord may prosper in his hands, and that he may be instrumental in bringing many sons and daughters unto glory. In order to help you suitably to improve the great blessing now bestowed upon you in this servant of Christ, cast your reflections back, and recollect how you improved under the worthy man who lately laboured among you. Do you feel conscious of never having given him just cause of grief,either by slighting the sacred doctrines he delivered,or neglecting to follow the precepts he laid before you? By this reflection, and a due attention to the intimations of conscience, you will be enabled suitably to improve the advantages new put into your hands. And remember, that as those days are no more to return, when your for mer minister met you here, and with the affectionate feelings of a friend and brother, pointed you the way to celestial happiness, so are they now fleeting away under the administration of him who has supplied his place. Time is pushing us rapidly forward into eternity, and admonishes us by its speed, to be active and diligent in duty, while it is called to-day, for the night cometh wherein no man can work: "But as Christians let us remember that an everlasting day is to spring from this night, and that at its dawn we are all to appear before the tribunal of Christ. He is no respecter of persons, but will demand an exact account of every man, of us who preach, and of you who hear, and reward them according to their works. Who can express or conceive the amazement of those who have here been unprofitable under the means of grace, when they shall see the day of vengeance approaching, and all the terrors of the last judgment gathering round about them! Then shall the hearts of those who now seem to care for nothing, sink and melt away within them! What would they then give, if they had but been wise enough to attend to instruction while the day of grace lasted! What will then be their sensations, when they shall remember their folly, and be afraid to lift up their heads towards heaven, when their judge is now revealed to every eye, no longer to be neglected or despised with impunity; but, attended with millions of the heavenly host, seated on a throne rendered majestic and terrible with dark clouds and flames of fire.".

If you suitably attend to these things, my beloved brethren, it will induce you faithfully to serve God in his holy Church, keeping the unity of spirit in the bond of peace; to watch the dispositions of your hearts; to be constant in your devotions, both public and private, and to use your endeavour to secure to yourselves a continuation of the ordinances of Christianity. This last can be done only by supporting that order of men which Christ hath appointed for their administration. And please to remember that the clergy are no otherwise divided from the laity, than only by being taken out from them to wait continually on the service of our common Lord; to communicate his will; to bear his tidings of peace; to soothe the afflicted members of his body, and to apply the balm and oil prescrib ed by the great physician of souls, to the wounds inflicted by sin; a circumstance which, instead of estranging, must certainly endear to them all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.

FOR THE CHURCHMAN'S MAGAZINE,

ON THE TRINITY.

TO what shall we liken the Holy Trinity? It resembles the human mind. But how? Why, the mind, or rational part, of man, which was made after the image of God, (Gen. i. 26. 27.) is a mysterious Trinity in unity. Its operations may be considered as divided into three kinds, the understanding, the will, and the memory; each of which, when mentioned separately, may be called the mind, and is called so in scripture, as each person in the Holy Trinity is called God. These three distinct subsistencies or operations, however, do not make three minds, but only one. Where the scripture writers mention ignorance, or blindness of mind, (Eph. iv. 13.) they mean the understanding. Where they speak of calling things to mind, and keeping them in mind, they mean the memory; and where they mention a ready mind, a willing mind, a fervent mind, the desires of the mind, &c. they mean the will; and in all such expressions they speak with strict philosophical propriety. But though each of these modes of operation, may be called by the same common name, yet they constitute but one mind-just as the three persons in the divine Trinity make but one God.

It is also observable, that the different subsistences in this human Trinity cannot act separately, or in opposition to each other, any more than can the different persons in the Godhead. The understanding cannot act upon any subject unless the will chooses and inclines that it should, nor unless the memory assists in keeping the subject in mind. The memory cannot act, unless the understanding, by consent of the will, takes some view of the subject; nor can there be any act of the will, unless the understanding acts at the same time upon the same subject, and the memory keeps the subject in view. Thus these different faculties in the human mind cannot act separately or independent of each other; they must all move together, and therefore, though each one in particular may be called the mind, yet they altogether make but one mind. Of these faculties it cannot properly be said that one is greater or less than another; nor is "one afore or after other" in order of time; they are all co-equal and co-existent; But in the order of nature there may possibly be a prierity. The understanding is the fundamental or parent faculty-the will is begotten by it, and the memory proceeds from both. But they all begin to exist and to operate at one and the same moment; nor is there, in point of time, any sensible difference among them. Similar to this is the Most Holy Trinity-the three Persons are co-equal and co-eternal. In a strict sense, one is not greater than another, nor was one before another in order of time, for they are all equally eternal; they are one self-existent, independent being; each of them may be called God-yet they all make but one supreme, intelligent being; as a man's understanding, will and memory, make but one intelligent mind. "There are three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the word, and the Holy Ghost; these three are

one." This is a great mystery, but it is as true as it is mysterious; and upon this truth depends the whole fabric of the Christian religion; as the due exercise of a man's reason depends upon his having the full use of the three great faculties of his mind.

SKETCH OF THE LIFE

AND CHARACTER OF BISHOP SANDERSON.

B.

THIS most incomparably learned and pious divine was the younger son of Robert Sanderson, Esq. of Gilthwaithall, in the parish of Rotheram, Yorkshire. He was born September 19, 1587, and educated in the grammar school of his native place; at which time he was observed to apply with unwearied diligence to the attainment of learning. The seriousness of his mind was beyond his years, and it was adorned with more than common diffidence. In his behaviour there was so much calmness, and such an obliging manner, that he was affectionately beloved by his master and schoolfellows. And he, even then, seemed to dedicate himself and all his studies to piety and virtue. When he attained to the age of thirteen, his father came with him to London, in order to place him a year, for his further improvement, in one of the more noted schools of Eton or Westminster, and then to remove him to Oxford. But an old acquaintance, whom he waited upon, examined the young man, and admiring the progress which he had already made in knowledge, advised the father to shorten his journey, and leave his son at Oxford. Accordingly the father committed him to the care of the learned Dr. Kilby, then rector of Lincoln College; by whom he was admitted into that society, about the beginning of the year 1601.— He took his bachelor's degree on January 23, 1604. On May 3, 1606, he was chosen fellow of that college, and became master of arts, October 20, 1607. He was elected reader of logic in the following year; and was afterwards an eminent tutor. In 1611, he was ordained deacon and priest by Dr. King, Bishop of London.And in the years 1613, 1614, and 1616, served the office of sub-rector of Lincoln College. His abilities and behaviour were such, in all these employments, as to procure him both love and respect from the whole society; there being no exception against him, but that he was timorous and diffident even to bashfulnes; an imperfection that he could never get the better of. In the year 1614, he stood candidate for the place of one of the proctors of the university, more out of compliance with the desire of the rector and other members of his college, than to satisfy any ambition of his own; he missed it however for this time. But having published his logic in 1615, he obtained so much credit by his performance, that on April 10, 1616, he was chosen senior proctor without any difficulty. On May 19, 1617, he proceeded to the degree of bachelor of divinity: in the following year he was presented by his relation, Lord Viscount Castleton, to the rectory of Wiberton, near Boston, in Lincolnshire, a living of very good value. But the situation of it was so low and unhealthy, that he resigned it after a year's possession. About that time he was presented by Thomas Harrington, Esq. to the rectory of

Boothby Pannell, in the same county, which he enjoyed above forty years, extremely beloved and esteemed. In this parish, he either found, or made his parishioners peaceable and complying with him in the decent and regular service of God. And thus his parish, his patron and he, lived together in a religious love, and a contented quietness: he not troubling their thoughts by preaching high and useless notions, but such plain truths as were necessary to be known, believed and practised, in order to their salvation; and their assent to what he thought was testified by such a conformity to his doctrines, as declared that they believed and loved them. And he did not think his duty discharged by only reading prayers and preaching, but he practised what his conscience told him was his duty; in reconciling differences, and preventing law-suits, both in his parish and in the neighbourhood. He also visited often sick and disconsolate families, raising them from dejection by his advice and cheerful discourse, and by adding his own alms, if they stood in need of it. Dr. Walton, who gives this account of him, affords a remarkable instance of his doing good, in prevailing upon a rich landlord to forgive a poor tenant his rent, who had had his crop of hay carried off by a sudden flood. After which he adds, "thus he went on in an obscure and quiet privacy, doing good daily both by word and deed, as often as any occasion offered itself; yet not so obscurely, but that his very learning, prudence and piety, were much noted and valued by the bishop of the diocese, and by most of the nobility and gentry of that county." Upon his taking this living, he resigned his fellowship May 6, 1619; and soon after married Anne, daughter of Henry Nelson, B. D. rector of Haugham, in the county of Lincoln. About which time he was made prebendary of the collegiate Church of Southwell; and on the 3d of September, 1629, was installed into the prebend of Farendon, in the cathedral Church of Lincoln. In the beginning of the reign of king Ch. I. he was chosen one of the clerks in convocation for the diocese of Lincoln; as he was also in all the subsequent convocations during that reign. And the debates which threatened to arise in some of them, concerning the obscure doctrine of predestination, made him thoroughly consider that point: and he soon discerned the necessity of quitting the sub-lapsarian way of thinking, to which he had been inclined, as well as the supra lapsarian, which he could never fancy. At the recommendation of Bishop Laud, he was appointed in November, 1631, chaplain in ordinary to king Charles I. who expressed a great regard for him. His majesty was never absent from his sermons, and would usually say, "I carry my ears to other preachers, but I carry my conscience to hear Mr. Sanderson, and to act accordingly."

Being thus drawn out of his privacy, his useful learning, especially as an excellent casuist, gained him great credit from the nobility, and greater from the clergy. On the 31st of August, 1636, when the court was entertained at Oxford, he, among others, was created doctor in divinity. In 1641, he was employed, with two other members of the convocation, in drawing up such alterations as they thought fit in the liturgy, and abating some of the ceremonies that were least material, for satisfying the consciences of the

C c

dissenters; but the troubles which ensued rendered this model of reformation useless.

The year following he was proposed by both houses of Parliament to King Charles, who was then at Oxford, to be one of the trustees for the settling of Church affairs, and allowed of by the King; but that treaty came to nothing. On the 21st of July, 1642, his majesty appointed him regius professor in divinity, in this university, with the canonry of Christ Church annexed to it; which situation the national calamities hindered him from entering upon till Oct. 26, 1646; and he continued undisturbed in it very little more than a year. He was nominated in 1643 one of the assembly of divines, but never sat among them; neither did he take the covenant or engagement. His . rectory of Boothby Pannell was sequestered in consequence of it in 1644; but so great was his reputation for piety and learning, that he was not deprived of it. He had the chief hand in drawing up the judgment of the university of Oxford, June 1, 1647, concerning the solemn league and covenant, the negative oath, &c. or their reasons why they could not take their oath, without violating their conscience, When the parliament sent proposals to the king for a peace in Church and State, his majesty desired that Dr. Sanderson, with Doctors Hammond, Sheldon and Morley, should attend him, and give him their advice how far he might with a good conscience comply with those proposals. That request was then rejected, but it being complied with when his majesty was at Hampton Court, and in the Isle of Wight, in 1647, and 1648, these divines attended him there; and Dr. Sanderson often preached before him, and had many public and private conferences with the king, to the king's great satisfaction; who also desired him at Hampton court, since the parliament had proposed the abolishing of Episcopal government, as inconsist ent with monarchy, that he would consider of it, and declare his judgment. On the 14th of June, 1648, he was voted out of his professorship and canonry, by the committee for reforming the university, having been summoned before them on the preceding 22d of November. Whether he obeyed their citation or not, does not appear. One Cross was put into the professorship, and Henry Cornish afterwards into the canonry. Unrighteously turned out of Oxford, he withdrew to his living of Boothby, where he hoped to have enjoyed himself, though in a poor, yet in a quiet and desirable privacy; but it proved otherwise. For the soldiers not only came into the Church and disturbed him when he was reading prayers but likewise forced the common prayer-book out of his hands, and tore it in pieces before his face. Shortly after, he was taken prisoner and carried to Lincoln, on purpose to be exchanged for one Clarke, rector of Allington, who had been made prisoner of war by the king's party.lie was soon released indeed, but upon articles; one of which was that the sequestration of his living should be recalled; by which means he enjoyed a poor but contented subsistence for himself, his wife, and children, till the restoration. But though the articles for his release imported that he should live undisturbed, yet he was far from being quiet or safe; being several times plundered, and once wounded in three places; and yet he had no remedy but patience

« VorigeDoorgaan »