in company with Mr. Martin Tomkins* and Mr. (afterward the eminent Dr.) Lardner, and soon after appeared in the pulpit.

This gentleman was settled with a dissenting congregation at Stoke Newington. In the year 1718 Mr. Asty, the pastor of a congregation in Ropemaker's alley, Moorfields, on making an exchange with Mr. Tomkins for one Lord's day, thought fit to alarm his people with the danger of pernicious errors and damnable heresies creeping in amongst the dissenters; and particularly referred to errors concerning the doctrine of Christ's deity. Mr. Tomkins, to counteract the ill tendency of this discourse and of the censures it conveyed, preached, the succeeding Lord's day, from John xx. 21-23, on the power of Christ to settle the terms of salvation. The inference which he deduced from the discussion of his subject was, "that no man on earth, nor body of men; no, nor all the angels in heaven, have power to make any thing necessary to salvation, but what Christ hath made so." In the conclusion of his discourse, he applied this general principle as a test by which to decide on the importance of the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity, and of the deity of Christ. Here he entered into a particular survey of the various passages in the historical and epistolary books of the New Testament connected with this point, and gave, at large, his reasons, why he did not apprehend the orthodox notion concerning the deity of Christ to be a fundamental doctrine of Christianity. This sermon, though the preacher neither denied nor intimated any doubt of the truth of the orthodox doctrine, gave much disgust, and made a great noise. The minds of his people were irritated, and every attempt which Mr. Tomkins used to calm them and restore harmony proving unsuccessful, he resigned his pastoral connexion, after ten years' services among them. Prejudice rose so high against him, that he was, afterward, denied the communion of the church, in which he had been many years before; when, on being disengaged from stated ministerial functions, he desired to return to it.

Mr. Tomkins did not again settle as the pastor of a congregation; but did not wholly lay aside the character, or drop the studies, of the Christian minister. For he occasionally preached, and published several valuable theological tracts. The first, about the year 1723, was " A sober Appeal to a Turk or an Indian concerning the plain sense of Scripture, relating to the Trinity: being an Answer to Dr. J. Watts's late book, entitled, The Christian Doctrine of the Trinity, or Father, Son, and Spirit, three Persons and one God, asserted and proved, by plain evidence of Scripture, without the aid and incumbrance of human schemes." This piece was drawn up in terms of decency and respect, and in the language of friendship towards that excellent and eminent person, to whose tract it was a reply: and the whole was writteu in an exemplary strain of moderation and candour. In the year 1748, it came to a second edition to which were added, 1. Remarks on Dr. Watts's three citations relating to the doctrine of the Trinity, published in 1724. 2. A sober Appeal to all that have read the New Testament, whether the reputed orthodox are not more chargeable with preaching a new Gospel, than reputed Arians? 3. A Reply to Dr. Waterland's Animadversions upon some passages in the Sober Appeal.' To neither of the editions of this treatise was the author's name affixed. In 1752, Mr. Tomkins published, also without his name, a piece which gained him great reputation; entitled "Jesus Christ the Mediator between God and Man; an Advocate for us with the Father, and a Propitiation for the Sins of the World." A new edition of this work appeared in 1761. He published, in 1738, "A calm Inquiry, whether we have any warrant from Scripture for addressing ourselves in a way of prayer or praise, directly to the Holy Spirit: humbly offered to the consideration of all Christians, particularly of Protestant Dissenters." This piece has seriously impressed the minds of many, and has, undoubtedly, contributed very much to the disuse of the trinitarian doxology amongst the dissenters. Mr. Tomkins himself, so far back as the time when he was minister to the congregation at Stoke Newington, had forborne it, because he could find no instance of it in Scripture. All Mr. Tomkins's pieces are proofs of the candour of his spirit, and of the clearness and strength of his judgment. Long since his death there has appeared, in the Theological Repository, vol. 3. p. 257, " A Letter from him to Dr. Lardner, in reply to his letter on the Logos; in defence of the Arian hypothesis." In this enumeration of his publications it had almost escaped me to mention another, and that the first in order of time, viz. "The Case of Mr. Martin Tomkins, being an Account of the Proceedings of the dissenting congregation at Stoke Newington, upon occasion of a sermon preached by him July 13, 1718” This piece

It was not long before his furniture and abilities attracted notice. And, in the next year, he was chosen assistant to Dr. John Single ton,* in the service of an Independent congregation, in Aldersgatestreet; and on the doctor's death, in 1706, he was elected their pastor. In this relation he continued, for thirty-six years, till about five months before his decease. When he accepted the pastoral office, the church, though some persons of considerable fortune and character belonged to it, was very small, as to numbers; but such acceptance did his ministry meet with, that the place of worship became, in a few years, too strait to accommodate the numbers that desired to attend on Mr. Neal's preaching; which obliged them to remove to a larger house in Jewin-street.

He fulfilled the duties of his character with attention and diligence: statedly preaching twice every Lord's day, till the three or four last years of his life; and usually devoting two or three afternoons in a week, to visiting his people. He pursued his studies with so close an application, as to reserve little or no time for exereise; though he was assiduous in his preparations for the pulpit, he gave himself some scope in his literary pursuits, and particularly indulged in the study of history, to which his natural genius strongly led him. "He still (observes Dr. Jennings) kept his character and profession in view, as a Christian divine and minister."+

The firstfruits of his literary labours appeared in 1720, under the title of "The History of New England; being an impartial account of the civil and ecclesiastical affairs of the country, with a new accurate Map thereof: to which is added, an Appendix, containing their present charter, their ecclesiastical discipline, and their municipal laws." In two volumes 8vo. This work contains an entertaining and instructive narrative of the first planting the gospel in a foreign heathen land: and besides, exhibiting the rise of a new bears on it all the marks of being a fair and impartial, as it is an instructive, narrative. The character of candour and piety, which he supported, and with which his writings are impressed; the simplicity and integrity with which he bore his testimony to scriptural worship, Christian moderation, and the divine unity; and the weight and influence of his publications in the trinitarian controversy, have justly entitled Mr. Tomkins to this particular mention.

* Dr. John Singleton was a student in the university of Oxford; from whence, after he had been there eight years, he was turned out by the commissioners in 1660. He then went to Holland, and studied physic; but never practised it any farther than to give his advice to particular friends. His settlements were various. Residing some time with lady Scott in Hertfordshire, he preached then to some dissenters at Hertford. He was afterward pastor to a congregation in London. When the meetings were generally suppressed, he went into Warwickshire, and lived with his wife's brother, Dr. Timothy Gibbons, a physician. Upon king James giving liberty he preached first at Stretton, a small hamlet, eight miles from Coventry; and then became pastor to the Independent congregation in that city. From whence he was again called to London, to succeed Mr. T. Cole. Palmer's Nonconformist's Memo rial, vol. 1. p. 170. There is a sermon of Dr. Singleton's in the Morning Exercises. + Funeral Sermon for Mr. Neal, p. 33.

Commonwealth, struggling in its infant state with a thousand difficulties, and triumphing over them all, it includes blographical memoirs of the principal persons in church and state. It was well received in New England; and the next year their university honoured the author with the degree of master of arts, the highest 'academical title they had power to confer.

In the same year there came from Mr. Neal's pen, "A Letter to the Rev. Dr. Francis Hare, dean of Worcester, occasioned by his reflections on the dissenters, in his late visitation-sermon and postscript." 8vo.*

In 1721 he published "The Christian's Duty and Interest in a time of public danger, from Ezekiel ix. 4. A sermon preached at the Rev. Mr. Jennings's meeting-place in Wapping, on Friday, October 27, being a time of solemn prayer on account of the plague." This discourse is preserved in the library of Queen's college, Cambridge.

Mr. Neal gave to the public, in 1722, "A Narrative of the method and success of inoculating the small-pox in New England, by Mr. Benjamin Colman; with a reply to the objections made against it from principles of conscience, in a letter from a minister at Boston. To which is now prefixed, an historical introduction." On the appearance of this piece, her royal highness Caroline, princess of Wales, sent for him to wait on her, that she might receive from him farther satisfaction concerning the practice of inoculation. He was introduced by a physician of the royal family, and received by the princess in her closet; whom he found reading "Fox's Martyrology."-Her highness did him the honour of entering into a free conversation with him for near an hour, on the subject of inoculation: and afterward on other subjects, particu larly the state of the dissenting interest in England, and of religion in New England. After some time the prince of Wales, afterward George II. came into the room, and condescended to take a part in the conversation for above a quarter of an hour. Mr. Neal had the honour of kissing the hands of both the royal personages.§

In 1722 he published, at request, a sermon preached to the societies for Reformation of Manners, at Salter's-Hall, on Monday June 25. This discourse, grounded on Psalm xciv. 16, is to be met with in the library mentioned before.

In the beginning of the next year the request of the managers of

The title of this sermon was " Church Authority Vindicated." This discourse also attracted the notice of bishop Hoadley, who published an answer to it.

It then raged at Marseilles in France, being brought thither from the Levant; and eighteen thousand died of it.

Cooke's Index to Sermons, vol. 2. p. 241. Article Neal.

The MS. account of Mr. Neal.

the charity-school in Gravel-lane, Southwark, procured from hint the publication of a sermon, preached January 1, for the benefit of that institution, on Job xxix. 12, 13, entitled, "The Method of Education in the Charity-schools of Protestant Dissenters; with the Advantages that arise to the Public from them."

After this nothing of Mr. Neal's appeared from the press for several years, till in 1726 the death of the Rev. Matthew Clarke, a minister of considerable eminence amongst the dissenters of that period, gave occasion for his publishing a funeral sermon for him, from Matt. xxv. 21. This discourse was, next year, reprinted, and annexed to a volume of sermons upon several occasions, by Mr. Clarke; of which Mr. Neal was the editor, and to which he prefixed some memoirs of the author.*

At the beginning of this year he printed a sermon, entitled "Of sorrowing for them who sleep in Jesus," occasioned by the death of Mrs. Anne Phillibrowne, who departed this life February 1, 1726-7, in the forty-third year of her age. This discourse is also to be found in Queen's college library, Cambridge.

In 1730, the united request of the ministers and the church pre. vailed with him to publish a sermon, entitled, "The Duty of Praying for Ministers and the Success of their Ministry," from 2 Thess. iii. 1.; preached at the separation of the Rev. Mr. Richard Rawlin, +

Mr. Matthew Clarke, a gentleman of eminence amongst the dissenting ministers of that period, and the father to Dr. Clarke, a physician of extensive practice, who died not long since at Tottenham in Middlesex, was descended from a genteel family in the county of Salop. He was the son of the Rev. Matthew Clarke, who was ejected from Narborough in Leicestershire; and was born February 2, 1663-4. His father, who had been an indefatigable student in Trinity-college, Cambridge, led him through the learned languages. His academical studies were pursued, under the learned Mr. Woodhouse, at Sherifhales in Shropshire, a tutor of eminence in those times. Mr. Clarke, when he had finished his academical course, spent two years in London, for the benefit of conversing with learned men, and forming himself on the model of the most celebrated preachers. He began his ministry in 1684, with great acceptance. So that great additions were made to the church, which his father had formed, at Market Harborough; and he laid the foundation of several societies of Protestant dissenters in those parts. Being engaged, when he was on a visit to London, in 1687, to supply the congregation at Sandwich in Kent for a few Lord's days, he was prevailed with to spend two years there; which he did with eminent success. Iu 1689, he was unanimously invited to become assistant to the aged Mr. Ford, the pastor of a congregation in Miles's lane; which was then reduced to a very low state: but the auditory, in a few years, became crowded; and seven or eight in a month were added to the communion. In 1697, Mr. Clarke was chosen one of the lecturers at Pinner's-hall. He married, in 1696, Mrs. Anne Frith, daughter of Mr. Robert Frith, of Windsor, who was repeatedly mayor of that corporation. His pulpit abilities were greatly admired, and his services much sought; so that he usually preached twice or three times on a Lord's day, and several times in the week. He died March 27, 1726, aged sixty-two years, much beloved and much lamented, and leaving behind him the character of having been amongst the best and most useful divines of his age. Mr. Neal's Memoirs of his Life.

+ Mr. Rawlin was a minister of reputation amongst the Independents, one of the six preachers of the Merchants' lecture at Pinner's-hall, and the author of a volume of sermons on justification, which met with great acceptance, and passed through more than one edition.

to the pastoral office in the church at Fetter-lane, June 24. A passage in this discourse deserves to be quoted, to shew the catholic and generous sentiments of Mr. Neal. Having referred to the persecutions of the Christians under the Roman emperors, and then to the prevalence of darkness and superstition for a thousand years after Rome became papal, he proceeds, "The light of the gospel broke out again at the Reformation; but, alas! what obstructions has it met with ever since! how much blood has been spilt, and how many families ruined, and sent into banishment, for the profession of it! There is at this time a bloody inquisition in Spain; and the sword of the magistrate is drawn against the preaching of the gospel in Italy, France, Poland, in several parts of Germany, and in other Popish countries. I wish I could say, that all Protestant governments were willing the gospel should have its free course; but our fathers in this nation have drunk of the bitter cup of persecution; our teachers have been driven into corners, and the mouths of thousands stopped in one day: Blessed be God, that there is now a more open door! Let us pray, that all penal laws for religion may be taken away, and that no civil discouragements may lie upon Christians of any denomination, for the peaceable profession of their faith, but that the gospel may have free course,'

cr

In the year 1732 came out the first volome of Mr. Neal's great work, "The History of the Puritans." The following circumstances gave birth to this publication. Dr. Edmund Calamy, many years before, had, in his " Abridgment of the life of Mr. Richard Baxter, and the continuation of it," laid before the public a view of the state of nonconformity, and of the characters and sufferings of the principal adherents to it, during the period that immediately succeeded to the act of uniformity in 1662. Dr. John Evans,* on

* Dr. John Evans, the author of two volumes of judicious and admired sermons on the Christian temper, and of many single sermons, was the son of Mr. John Evans, of Baliol-college, Oxford, and ejected by the act of uniformity from Oswestry. He was born at Wrexham in the year 1679. His mother was the daughter of the eminent colonel Gerard, governor of Chester-castle. He received his education first under Mr. Thomas Rowe, of London; and afterward under Mr. Richard Frankland, at Rathmill, in Yorkshire. He enjoyed great advantages under both, and made a singular proficiency in all the parts of rational and polite literature. His first settlement was in the family of Mrs. Hunt, of Boreatton in Shropshire, relict of Rolaud Hunt, esq.; and sister of lord Paget, ambassador to the Ottoman court. In this retirement he read over entire Mr. Pole's Latin Synopsis, in five volumes folio, which laid the foundation of his great skill in Scripture criticism, and all the Christian writers of the three first centuries, under the direction of the learned Mr. James Owen. His first settlement, as a minister, was in the place of his nativity: from whence he removed to London, to be assistant to Dr. Danial Williams, pastor of a congregation in Hand-alley, Bishopsgate-street; which afterward removed to New Bond-street, Petty-France. Dr. Evans, after several years, was by Dr. Williams's desire made co-pastor with him, and succeeded him at his death. On taking the whole charge of the congregation, he spent a week in solemn retirement and in extraordinary exercises of devotion. He was one of the six preachers of the Merchants' lecture at Salters'-hall, and for several years concerned in the Lord's day evening lecture in