soul of him—I mean the notions, the accomplishments, the dispositions of that great soul-transmigrated into our most Richardsonian Hooker.

§ 10. As his person was thus adorned with a well-grounded learning, so his preaching was notably set off with a liveliness extraordinary: insomuch that I cannot give a fuller, and yet briefer description of him, than that which I find given of Bucholtzer, that pattern of preachers, before him: Vivida in eo omnia fuerunt, vivida vox, vividi oculi, vividæ manus, gestus omnes vividi:* he was all that he was, and he did all that he did, unto the life! He not only had that which Quintilian calls, "A natural moveableness of soul," whereby the distinct images of things would come so nimbly, and yet so fitly into his mind, that he could utter them with fluent expressions, as the old orators would usually ascribe unto a special assistance of Heaven, [Deum tunc Adfuisse, veteres Oratores aiebant]† and counted that men did therein THEIOS LEGEIN, or speak divinely; but the rise of this fluency in him, was the divine relish which he had of the things to be spoken, the sacred panting of his holy soul after the glorious objects. of the invisible world, and the true zeal of religion giving fire to his discourses. Whence, though the ready and noisy performances of many preachers, when they are, as Plato speaks, THEATROU MESTOI, or full of the theatre, acting to the height in the publick for their applause, may be ascribed unto very mechanical principles; yet the vigour in the ministry of our Hooker, being raised by a "coal from the altar" of a most real devotion, touching his heart, it would be a wrong unto the good Spirit of our God, if he should not be acknowledged the author of it. That Spirit accordingly gave a wonderful and unusual success unto the ministry wherein he breathed so remarkably. Of that success there were many instances; but one particularly I find mentioned in Clark's examples, to this purpose: A profane person, designing therein only an ungodly diversion and merriment, said unto his companions, "Come, let us go hear what that bawling Hooker will say to us;" and thereupon, with an intention to make sport, unto Chelmsford lecture they came. The man had not been long in the church, before the quick and powerful word of God, in the mouth of his faithful Hooker, pierced the soul of him; he came out with an awakened and a distressed soul, and by the further blessing of God upon. Mr. Hooker's ministry, he arrived unto a true conversion; for which cause he would not afterwards leave that blessed ministry, but went a thousand leagues to attend it and enjoy it. Another memorable thing of this kind, was this: it was Mr. Hooker's manner once a year to visit his native county; and in one of those visits, he had an invitation to preach in the great church of Leicester. One of the chief burgesses in the town much opposed his preaching there; and when he could not prevail to hinder

* In him every thing was full of life: there was life in his voice, in his eye, in his hand, in his motions, "The Deity animated him," the ancient orators were wont to say.

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it, he set certain fidlers at work to disturb him in the church-porch or church-yard. But such was the vivacity of Mr. Hooker, as to proceed in what he was about, without either the damping of his mind, or the drowning of his voice; whereupon the man himself went unto the church-door to over-hear what he said. It pleased God so to accompany some words uttered by Mr. Hooker, as thereby to procure, first the attention and then the conviction of that wretched man; who then came to Mr. Hooker with a penitent confession of his wickedness, and became indeed so penitent a convert, as to be at length a sincere professor and practiser of the godliness whereof he had been a persecutor.

§ 11. The spiritual court sitting at Chelmsford, about the year 1630, had not only silenced Mr. Hooker, but also bound him over in a bond of fifty pound to appear before the high commission, which he could not now attend, because of an ague then upon him. One of his hearers—namely, Mr. Nash, a very honest yeoman, that rented a great farm of the Earl of Warwick at Much-Waltham-was bound in that sum for his appearance; but as Paul was advised by his friends that he would not venture into the theatre at Ephesus, thus Mr. Hooker's friends advised him to forfeit his bonds, rather than to throw him self any further into the hands of his enemies. Where fore, when the day for his appearance came, his honest surety being reimbursed by several good people in and near Chelmsford, sent in the forfeited sum into the court; and Mr. Hooker having, by the Earl of Warwick, a courteous and private recess provided for his family at a place called Oid Park, for which I find the thanks of Dr. Hill afterwards publickly given in his dedication of Mr. Fenner's treatise about impenitency, he went over to Holland. In his passage thither, he quickly had occasion to discover himself, when they were in eminent hazard of shipwreck upon a shelf of sand, whereon they ran in the night; but Mr. Hooker, like Paul, with a remarkable confidence, assured them that they should be preserved; and they had as remarkable a deliverance. I have also heard that when he fled from the pursevants, to take his passage for the Low-Countries, at his last parting with some of his friends, one of them said, "Sir, what if the wind should not be fair, when you come to the vessel?" Whereto he instantly replied, "Brother, let us leave that with Him who keeps the wind in the hollow of his hand:" and it was observed that, although the wind was cross until he came aboard, yet it immediately then came about fair and fresh, and he was no sooner under sail, but the officer arrived at the sea-side, hap pily too late now to come at him; which minds me of what befel Dr. Goodwin, not long after. That great man lay wind-bound in hourly suspicions that the pursevants would stop his voyage, and seize his person before the wind would favour his getting away for Holland. In this distress, humbly praying to the Lord Jesus Christ for a more propitious wind, he yet said, "Lord, if thou hast at this time, any poor servant of thine that wants this wind more than I do another, I do not ask for the changing of it; I sub

mit unto it." And immediately the wind came about unto the right point, and carried him clear from his pursuers.

§ 12. Arriving in Holland, he was invited unto a settlement with old Mr. Paget; but the old man being secretly willing that Mr. Hooker should not accept of this invitation, he contrived many ways to render him suspected unto the classis on a suspicion that he favoured the Brownists; unto whom he had, indeed, an extream aversion. The misunderstandings operated so far as to occasion Mr. Hooker's removal from Amsterdam; notwithstanding he had so fully expressed himself when, in his answer to one of Mr. Paget's questions, he declared in these words, "To separate from the faithful assemblies and churches in England, as no churches, is an error in judgment, and sin in practice, held and maintained by the Brownists; and therefore to communicate with them in their opinion or practice is sinful and utterly unlawful; and care should be taken to prevent offence, either by encouraging them in their way, or by drawing others to a further approbation of that way than is meet." Going from Amsterdam, he went unto Delft; where he was most kindly received by Mr. Forbs, an aged and holy Scotch minister, under whose ministry many English merchants were then settled. The text whereon he first preached at his coming thither, was Phil. i. 29, "To you it is given not only to believe, but also to suffer;" and after that sermon Mr. Forbs manifested a strong desire to enjoy the fellowship of Mr. Hooker in the work of the gospel; which he did for about the space of two years; in all which time they lived so like brethren, that an observer might say of them, as they said of Basil and Nazianzen, "They were but one soul in two bodies;" and if they had been for any little while asunder, they still met with such friendly and joyful congratulations, as testified a most affectionate satisfaction in each other's company. § 13. At the end of two years, he had a call to Rotterdam; which he the more heartily and readily accepted, because it renewed his acquaintance with his invaluable Dr. Ames, who had newly left his place in the Frisian University. With him he spent the residue of his time in Holland, and assisted him in composing some of his discourses, which are, "His Fresh Suit against the Ceremonies:" for such was the regard which Dr. Ames had for him, that notwithstanding his vast ability and experi ence, yet, when it came to the narrow of any question about the instituted worship of God, he would still profess himself conquered by Mr. Hooker's reason; declaring that, "though he had been acquainted with many scholars of divers nations, yet he never met with Mr. Hooker's equal, either for preaching or for disputing." And such was the regard which, on the other side, he had for Dr. Ames, that he would say, "If a scholar was but well studied in Dr. Ames his Medulla Theologiæ,* and Casus Conscientio,† so as to understand them thoroughly, they would make him (supposing him versed in the Scriptures) a good divine, though he had no more books in the

* Marrow of Theology.

+ Cases of Conscience.

world." But having tarried in Holland long enough to see the state of religion in the churches there, he became satisfied that it was neither eligible for him to tarry in that country, nor convenient for his friends to be invited thither after him. I have at this time in my hands his letter from Rotter dam to Mr. Cotton, wherein are these words:

"The state of these provinces, to my weak eye, seems wonderfully ticklish and miserable. For the better part, heart religion, they content themselves with very forms, though much blemished; but the power of godliness, for ought I can see or hear, they know not; and if it were thoroughly pressed, I fear least it will be fiercely opposed. My ague yet holds me; the ways of God's providence, wherein he has walked towards me, in this long time of my sickness, and wherein I have drawn forth many wearyish hours, under his Almighty hand (blessed be his name) together with pursuits and banishment, which have waited upon me, as one wave follows another, have driven me to an amazement: his paths being too secret and past finding out by such an ignorant, worthless worm as my self. I have looked over my heart, and life, according to my measure; aimed and guessed as well as I could: and entreated his Majesty to make known his mind, wherein I missed; and yet methinks I cannot spell out readily the purpose of his proceedings; which I confess have been wonderful in miseries, and more than wonderful in mercies to me and mine."

Wherefore, about this time, understanding that many of his friends in Essex were upon the wing for a wilderness in America, where they hoped for an opportunity to enjoy and practise the pure worship of the Lord Jesus Christ, in churches gathered according to his direction, he readily answered their invitation to accompany them in this undertaking. Dr. Ames had a design to follow Mr. Hooker; but he died soon after Mr. Hooker's removal from Rotterdam. However, his widow and children afterwards came to New-England; where, having her house burnt, and being reduced unto much poverty and affliction, the charitable heart of Mr. Hooker (and others that joined with him) upon advice thereof, comfortably provided

for them.

§ 14. Returning into England in order to a further voyage, he was quickly scented by the pursevants, who at length got so far up with him as to knock at the door of that very chamber where he was now discoursing with Mr. Stone, who was now become his designed companion and assistant for the New-English enterprize. Mr. Stone was at that instant smoking of tobacco, for which Mr. Hooker had been reproving him, as being then used by few persons of sobriety; being also of a sudden and pleasant wit, he stept unto the door, with his pipe in his mouth, and such an air of speech and look, as gave him some credit with the officer. The officer demanded, Whether Mr. Hooker were not there? Mr. Stone replied with a braving sort of confidence, "What Hooker? Do you mean Hooker that lived once at Chelmsford!" The officer answered, "Yes, he!" Mr. Stone immediately, with a diversion like that which once helped Athanasius, made this true answer, "If it be he you look for, I saw him about an hour ago, at such an house in the town; you had best hasten thither after him." The officer took this for a sufficient account, and went bis

way; but Mr. Hooker, upon this intimation, concealed himself more carefully and securely, till he went on board at the Downs, in the year 1633, the ship which brought him, and Mr. Cotton, and Mr. Stone to New-England: where none but Mr. Stone was owned for a preacher, at their first coming aboard; the other two delaying to take their turns in the publick worship of the ship, till they were got so far into the main ocean, that they might with safety discover who they were.

§ 15. Amongst Mr. Fenner's works, I find some imperfect and shattered, and I believe, injurious notes of a farewel sermon upon Jer. xiv. 9, "We are called by thy name, leave us not:" which farewel sermon was indeed Mr. Hooker's, at his leaving of England. There are in those fragments of a sermon, some very pathetical and most prophetical passages, where some are these:

"It is not gold and prosperity which makes God to be our God; there is more gold in the West-Indies than there is in ali Christendom; but it is God's ordinances in the vertue of them, that show the presence of God."

Again, "Is not England ripe? Is she not weary of God? Nay, she is fed fat for the slaughter."

Once more, "England hath seen her best days, and now evil days are befalling us." "And, thou, England, which hast been lifted up to heaven with means, shall be abased and brought down to hell; for if the mighty works which have been done in thee, had been done in India or Turkey, they would have repented ere this.”

These passages I quote, that I may the more effectually describe the apprehensions with which this worthy man took his farewel of his native country.

But there is one strange passage in that sermon, that I know not what well to think of; and yet it is to be thought of. I remember, 'tis a passage in the life of the reverend old Blackerby, who died in the year 1648, "That he would often say it was very probable the English nation would be sorely punished by the French: and that he believed Popery would come in, but it would not last, nor could it recover its former strength." The notable fulfilment which that passage hath seen, would carry one to consider the unaccountable words which our Hooker uttered in his farewel sermon. 'Tis very likely that the scribe has all along wronged the sermon; but the words now referred unto, are of this purport, "That it had been told him from God, that God will destroy England, and lay it waste; and that the people should be put unto the sword, and the temples burnt, and many houses laid in ashes." Long after this, when he lived at Hartford in New-England, his friends that heard that sermon, having the news of the miseries upon England, by the civil wars, brought unto them, enquired of him, "Whether this were not the time of God's destroying England, whereof he had spoken?" He replied, "No; this is not the time; there will be a time of respite after these wars, and a time wherein God will further try England; and England will further sin against him, and shew an