could know but thofe that were under it. He wished, that his fons had been prefent, that they might see what the power of death was, and what it was to die. He defired alfo that fome neighbours of the town might be called in, that he might preach his laft fermon to them. And indeed, to this very time, his fpirits, fpeech, and memory, continued very active and ftrong. About four o'clock in the afternoon, his wife, and his wife's brother and fifter, ftanding by his bedfide, afked him how he did? He answered: Very weak :" Adding, That he was going to Jefus Chrift: Bid them not be afraid of death; with which words he put forth his hand, and said, "Brother, fifter, take death by the hand: Be not afraid; death is a coward: He flies from me." They found that his hands were cold and clammy, whereby they perceived that he grew near to his end. And himfelf, not long after, feeling that the diffolution of this earthly tabernacle was now approaching, lifting up his eyes towards heaven, cried out, "Come, Lord Jesus!" And prefently, with a fmiling countenance, he added: "Art thou come?" And fo he breathed out his laft, on December the 29th, 1666, in the fixty-third year of his age. Some particulars out of a letter fent by Mr. J. Weaver to the Doctor's fifter Parry, and other relations in Warwickshire, are fubjoined in the note below. His fecond wife was this Mr. Weaver's fifter*. Dr. Winter kept his chamber but one week, his bed but one day, his difeafe the physicians could not well understand, not being very fick: His understanding and memory he retained to the laft. On his death-bed he faid he thought he knew as much of the eftate of glory as another, yet he now faw that all the minifters in the world were but children in that glorious myftery. When he took his bed on the Lord'sday (from which he never rofe) he defired to speak fome words to those about him, being, as he faid, "the words of a dying man." In which he went on with that ftrength of memory, understanding, and voice, as if he had been in a pulpit, throwing his hands out of bed: He quoted many places of fcripture, the book, chapter, verfe, and the exprefs words fo exactly, as made all wonder. The room was filled with tears to fee fuch a faint in heaven while on earth. He was defired to compofe himfelf." No, (faith he) were I fure this would be my last night, I would preach thefe two hours." The next day he grew weaker in body, but ftronger in fpirit, being much in heavenly raptures, admiring free grace, which had prepared fuch a weight of glory for finners. He wifhed all the town were there that he might preach to them his laft ferHe died on Chriftmas-eve, and was buried at South la Henkam, (as he defired) in Rutlandshire. mon. JOHN JOHN WILKINS, D. D. BISHOP OF CHESTER, HIS learned and ingenious Prelate was fon of Mr. Walter Wilkins, citizen and goldimith of Oxford; and was born in the year 1614, at Fawley, near Daventry, in Northamptonshire, in the houfe of the reverend and wellknown Mr. John Dod, he being his grandfather by the mother's fide. He was taught his Latin and Greek by Edward Sylvefter, a noted grecian, who kept a private fchool in the parish of All-Saints in Oxford: His proficiency was fuch, that at thirteen years of age he entered a ftudent at New-Inn, in Eafter-term, 1627. He made no long stay there, but was removed to Magdalen-Hall, under the tuition of Mr. John Tombes, and there he took his degree in arts. He afterwards entered into orders, and was first chaplain to William lord Say, and then to Charles count Palatine of the Rhine, and prince elector of the Empire, with whom he continued fome time. To this laft Patron his skill in the mathematics was a very great recommendation. Upon the breaking out of the civil war, he joined with the parliament, and took the folemn league and covenant. He was afterwards made warden of Wadham-college by the committee of parliament appointed for reforming the university; and being created bachelor in divinity, April 12, 1648, he was the day following put into poffeffion of his wardenfhip. Next year he was created doctor in divinity, and about that time took the Engagement then enjoined by the powers in being. It is proper in this place to fay, that though he took the covenant, yet (as Dr. Lloyd affures us in his funeral fermon) in the very height of Cromwell's power, he expressed his affection to the old conftitution, and protected many by the influence he had obtained, and which he employed principally for fuch purposes. In 1656, he married Robina, the widow of Peter French, formerly canon of Chrift-church, fifter to Oliver, then lord protector. In 1659, he was, by Richard the protector, made mafter of Trinity-college in Cambridge, the beft preferment in that univerfity. After K. Charles the Ild's reftoration, he was ejected from thence, and became preacher preacher to the honorable fociety of Gray's-Inn, and rector of St. Lawrence-fury, London, in the room of Dr. Seth Ward, who was promoted to the bishopric of Exeter. About this time he became a member of the royal fociety, was chofen one of their council, and proved one of their moft eminent members and chief benefactors. Soon after this, he was made dean of Rippon; and, by the intereft of the duke of Buckingham, he was created bishop of Chefter, and confecrated in the chapel of Ely-house, in Holbourn, the 15th of November, 1668, by Dr. Cofin, bishop of Durham; Dr. Laney, bifhop of Ely; and Dr. Ward, bifhop of Salisbury; on which occafion Dr. Tillotfon, afterwards archbishop of Canterbury, who had married his daughter-in-law, preached the fermon. The friendship, which fubfifted between our Author and Dr. Tillotson, is a proof of their mutual moderation; as it is evident, there was no fmall difference in their theological principles. Tillotson was thought (how juftly we will not determine) to be veering towards Socinianifm; whereas Wilkins was in doctrine a ftrict and profeffed Calvinif. We need quote no more to prove this, than what has been already quoted by Dr. Edwards in his Veritas Redux, p. 553. God might (fays Dr. Wilkins) have defigned us for veffels of wrath; and then we had been eternally undone, without all poffible remedy. There was nothing to move him in us, when we lay all together in the general heap of mankind. It was his own free grace and bounty, that made him to take delight in us, to chufe us from the reft, and to fever us from thofe many thousands in the world who fhall perifh everlaftingly." Gift of Prayer. c. 28. In his Ecclefiaftes, fection 3, he commends to a preacher, for his best authors, Calvin, Junius, P. Martyr, Mufculus, Paræus, Pifcator, Rivet, Zanchius, &c. as moft eminent for their orthodox found judgement."-A juft teftimony of their inestimable worth! He was a person of great natural endowments, and by his indefatigable ftudy attained to an univerfal infight into all, or at least most parts of, useful learning. He was a great mathematician, and very much advanced the study of aftronomy, both while he was warden of Wadham-college in Oxford, and at London, when he was a member of the royal fociety. He was as well fkilled in mechanics and experimental philofophy, as any man in his time, and was a great promoter of them. This is Wood's character of him in Athen. Oxon. In divinity, which was his main business, he excelled, and was a very able critic; his talent of preaching was admirable, and more fuited to profit than to please his hearers; he affected an apt and plain way of fpeech, and expreffed his conceptions in a natural ftyle. In his writings he was judicious and plain, and valued not circumstances so much as the fubftance. This appeared evident in whatever fubject he undertook, which he always made easier for thofe that came after him. He treated fometimes on matters that did not properly belong to his profeffion; but always with a defign to make men wifer and better; which was his chief end in promoting universal knowledge, and one of the main reasons for his entering into the royal fociety. His virtues and graces were very uncommon, at least as to that degree of them to which he attained: His prudence was very remarkable, and feldom failed him; but he was fo open-hearted and fincere himself, that he was ready (except he knew fome caufe to the contrary) to think other men to be fo too; by which he was fometimes imposed on. His greatnefs of mind was evident to all that knew any thing of him, nor was the depth of his judgement lefs difcernable. He never was eager in purfuit of dignities; but was advanced to them by his worth. He contemned riches as much as others admired them; and spent his ecclefiaftical revenues in the fervice of the church from which he received them; and being fecured against want, he would often fay, "That he would be no richer:" And his conduct made it evident that he was as good as his word. He was a stranger to revenge, and yet not infenfible of perfonal injuries, especially fuch as reflected on his good name, if they proceeded from fuch as had a good reputation of their own. The reproaches of others he defpifed; but frequently wifhed he had been better understood by the former. He bore it, however, patiently, as his misfortune; never requited them with the like measure; but always mentioned them with respect, and laid hold on all opportunities to oblige and do them good. His converfation was profitable and pleafant; and his difcourfe was commonly of ufeful things, without occafioning trouble or wearinefs in those that converfed with him. He cultivated that most neceffary (but too much neglected) part of friendship, to give feasonable reproof, and wholefome advice, upon occafion. This he did with a great deal of freedom; but with so much calmness and prudence, that it feldom gave offence. He was particularly careful of the reputation of his friends; and would fuffer no blot to lye upon the good name name or memory of any of them, if he could help it. Those of his enemies, who were strangers to moderation themfelves, made that virtue in which he excelled, the chief fubject of their reproaches, as if he had been a perfon of unfteady principles, and not fixed in matters of religion. This drew fevere cenfures upon him from archbifhop Sheldon, bifhop Fell, and archbishop Dolben, &c. without confidering that he could not but have a great deal of charity for diffenters, by reafon of his education under Mr. John Dod, his grandfather, a truly pious and learned man; who diffented in many things from the church of England, long before the feparation which afterwards followed upon archbishop Laud's feverities and new impofitions. And as his grandfather never approved of the extremities on the other fide, but continued loyal to the laft, and advised others to continue in their allegiance; in like manner Dr. Wilkins, (though he had clearness when the government was diffolved, to fubmit to the powers then in being, by which he procured an interest and a fhare in the government of both universities;) was always a friend to thofe who were loyal, and continued well affected to the church of England, and protected several of them by the interest he had in the then government. After the Reftoration, he conformed himself to the church of England, and ftood up for her government and liturgy; but difliked vehemence in little and unneceffary things, and freely cenfured it as fanatacism on both fides. Having thus conformed to the church himfelf, he was very willing to bring over others: In which he was not without fuccefs, especially in his own diocese; where the extremes on both fides were as remarkable, as in moft parts of the nation. Being a person of extensive character himfelf, he was for an indulgence and a comprehenfion, in order to have brought our divifions in matters of religion to a conclufion; which drew upon him the hatred and obloquy of those who were for contrary measures. It is the fate of moderate men to be hated by the bigots of all parties. His indefatigable pains in ftudy brought a fuppreffion of urine (not the ftone) upon him, which proved incurable. He had for many days a profpect of death; which he viewed in its approaches, and gradual advances upon him. And a few days before his diffolution, he frequently faid, "That he found a fentence of death within himfelf." But, in the height of his pain and apprehenSee Vol. III. p. 171. |