flagged in the business, and shrunk at evil tidings?" Mr Hardwick was a great advocate for the National Covenant. I have seen only one sermon of his, which is entitled, "The Difficulty of Zion's Deliverance and Reformation; together with the Activity which her friends should manifest, during the time that her cause is in agitation." It was delivered at Margaret's, Westminster, before the Honourable House of Commons, on Wednesday morning, the 26th day of June, 1644. 4to. pp. 36. London, 1644. A valuable Sermon.

ROBERT HARRIS, D. D.

PASTOR OF HANWELL, A MEMBER OF THE ASSEMBLY OF DIVINES AT WESTMINSTER, and preSIDENT OF TRINITY-COLLEGE ÎN OXFOrd.

ROBERT HARRIS was born at Broad Campden in Gloucestershire, in England, in the year 1578. His father had the character of a very prudent and intelligent man; and his mother was allowed to be a very religious and charitable woman. Under the tuition of these parents he passed his childhood. He discovered, in this early period of his life, a strong propensity to his play. He acknowledged with compunction, that he greatly preferred his sport to reading the Holy Scriptures at the call of his affectionate parents. This natural averseness to read the Sacred Writings was matter of much grief to him, during his whole life. I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. The carnal mind is emnity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. This all mankind must feel whether they acknowledge it or not. The subject of this memoir was made to possess the iniquities of his youth. Surely after that I was turned I repented; and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. He found always, while he was

a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, sufficient reason for that appropriate prayer, Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me, for thy goodness sake, O Lord, Psalm XXV. 7. His youthful folly, and disobedience to parental authority and the law of the Lord, made a deep and permanent impression upon his tender mind, and occasioned much serious exercise of soul. But, according to the proverb, “An untoward boy may make a good man.' This was indeed fully verified, in the notable example which is now before us-His parents, having designed him either for the Law-business, or for the holy ministry, according as his parts and inclination might lead, sent him in due time, to receive his early education at the free-school of Chipping-Campden, in his native county. Here he was very far from being comfortable in his schoolmasters. They were often changed upon him, through want of salary; and some of them beat their scholars in a brutal and savage manner, without mercy. Such a mode of correction is certainly a disgrace to civilized life. It made very fearful and lasting impressions upon the mind of our young scholar. Though for his own part, he never felt as far as he remembered, the smart of the rod in any school, yet the daily executions upon others, brought such a trembling and sadness on his spirit, that he could not be entirely delivered from so long as he lived. He often said, that such treatment was the bane (ruin) of many school-boys. The inhabitants of Gloucestershire were in a very rude state, at that time; which should be here observed. He was removed from Chipping-Campden to the school at Worcester, where he was placed under the tuition of Mr Bright, and on the Sabbath day he was a hearer of that learned pastor, Dr Robert Abbots. When accomplished in school-education, he removed to Magdalen-college, Oxford, in the latter end of the year 1595. There he shewed an uncommon thirst for knowledge; and very soon began to seek and taste the sweetness of all useful learning. He became an excellent scholar, and a famous logician and disputant. And he was called by his tutor, Mr Goffe,

or Gough, to concur with his other pupils in reading the Bible, in prayer, and in the repetition of sermons." Not being accustomed to this yoke of our Lord Jesus Christ, he found it at first somewhat galling. He observed, that he knew few, if any, of the serious, who followed that practice, and yet he was not able to confute it. In this case, he very properly applied unto the Father of Lights for direction. Prayer is the natural language of the soul, imploring, in its distress, Divine direction and help. It was, accordingly, an excercise most exactly suited to the condition of our young pupil, who now required light to direct him in the way in which he should go. He humbled himself before the Lord in prayer. He fell down in his study, and entreated that the infinitely wise God would either discover the falsehood, if his tutor had any design upon him to seduce him; or, if this way were pleasing to God, that then He would confirm him in it. He was very soon fully resolved to comply with the wholesome measures of his pious tutor. He bought a Bible, read and studied it, with indefatigable diligence and care, along with some good authors in divinity. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. He also made great advances in philosophy, and in the Greek and Hebrew languages. He was singularly happy in his tutor. And when Mr Goffe ceased to be his tutor, they agreed to continue their studies and reading together, for their mutual benefit. In the Hebrew, they had also the concurrence of some other of the fellows, who joined them, one of whom was afterward president. And though Mr Harris was not then complete bachelor in the hall, yet he was readily accepted by the company, being found to be a very diligent student, and equally expert in his grammar, as his companions were. Beside these useful studies, his tutor and he mutually agreed to read the celebrated Calvin's Institutions by turns. These Institutions

appear to have been much read at that time by students, in England. Dr Saunderson, bishop of Lincoln, says; "When I began to set myself to the study of divinity as my pro

See Wood's Ath. Oxon. vol. ii. P. 261. 2d edition.

per business, Calvin's Institutions were recommended to me, as they were generally to all young scholars in those times, as the best and perfectest system of divinity, and the fittest to be laid as a ground-work in the study of that profession. And indeed my expectation was not at all deceived, in the reading of those Institutions."

a

Mr Harris, having taken one degree in arts. and continued some time bachelor of arts, turned his attention more particularly to the work of the holy ministry. By the Divine blessing upon his studies, and the pious instructions of his excellent tutor, he was brought to a saving knowledge of the glorious Gospel of the grace of God, and soon after became a very eminent Puritan. He generously offered his service in preaching the Gospel, at ChippingCampden, in his native county. But such is said to have been the ignorance of the times, and the state of religious affairs in that place, that when he came to the church there was no Bible to be found, from which he might read his text. Even in the greater town, he did not know where one could be procured. At length, he was directed to the house of the vicar of the parish, who had a Bible in his possession; but, as it had not been seen for some months, it could scarcely be found. Having, however, at last obtained the sacred volume, he went to the church and preached an admirable sermon from Rom. x. 1. Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved: This sermon met with much applause; but the preacher often said, that he lost by the bargain. He found himself in danger of being exalted above measure, through the abundance of his success and popular applause, which was against the prosperity of his soul. Beside, his friends solicited him to cease now from pursuing any longer his studies in the University, and come among them, declaring that he already had a sufficiency of human literature. His father also, having yet many other children to provide for, wished to have him settled in some place in the church. But he then declined public employment in the church,

a See Toplady's Hist. Proof, vol. ii. sect. 20.

and importuned his father to allow him what more patrimony he was pleased to give him, for the farther prosecution of his studies at Oxford. With much difficulty, he obtained his request, and, with great joy, he returned to the University. But very soon after his return, a dreadful plague invaded that famous seat of learning. The students were dispersed, and he was in great perplexity. He was averse to return home, and where to go he knew not. But according to the Jewish proverb, "When the bricks are doubled, then comes Moses." He was, in the extremity of his distress, mercifully relieved, by Divine Providence. One Mr Doyly, who lived not far from Oxford, a gentleman of a very ancient family, and very friendly to the Gospel of Christ, invited Mr Harris to his house. Mrs Doyly was eminently pious. and intelligent, and he was peculiarly comfortable in that family. He there met with one Mr Prier, a pious minister, who was then in a very weakly state, and over-burdened with preaching, both on the Lord's-day, and at extraordinary Fasts, which were appointed on account of the prevalence of the plague. Mr Harris preached some times, through compassion, for Mr Prier, with much approbation. His labours being highly acceptable and useful, he was solicited to continue there for some time, which he did, until the Lord appeared in another call to him.

The venerable and justly celebrated divine, Mr John Dod, being silenced for non-conformity, and ejected from Hanwell in Oxfordshire, by Dr Bridges, bishop of Oxford, Sir Anthony Cope invited Mr Harris to become his successor. He complied with the invitation, and, accordingly, he removed to Hanwell, though with very much grief and fear. Mr Dod, whose labours at Hanwell were very numerous, and most extensively useful, being driven from his truly affectionate and beloved people, they would acknowledge no man as their pastor except him who had been ejected from Hanwell. It was, however, agreed upon that Mr Harris should preach so long as there was any hope of recovering Mr Dod, their former faithful pastor. During this very unsettled state at Hanwell, archbishop Bancroft presented the place to