EDMUND STAUNTON, D. D.

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL AT KINGSTON UPON THAMES, PRESIDENT OF CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE, OXFORD, AND A MEMBER OF THE VENERABLE ASSEMBLY OF DIVINES AT WESTMINSTER.

EDMUND STAUNTON was born at Woburne in

Bedfordshire, England, in the year 1600. He was descended from the ancient family of the Stauntons in Bedfordshire. His father, Sir Francis Staunton, had several sons, of whose education he was peculiarly careful, while he left them good temporal estates also. He reckoned,

that wisdom, or learning, is good with an inheritance, Eccl. vii. 11. He accordingly trained up his children in learning, not only that it might be an ornament to them, but also that they might thereby be serviceable to the church or commonwealth. This Edmund, 'who was one of the youngest, when instructed in grammar learning, was sent early to Oxford University, and admitted into Corpus Christi College. Here he applied himself very closely to study, and made extraordinary proficiency in learning. And he obtained such applause, that while he was an under graduate, he was chosen a probationer fellow in that college before eighteen of his seniors.

When he was about eighteen years of age, he fell dangerously sick, and was much exhausted, and near unto death before his disease was understood; until a skilful physician found that it was a pleurisy, and ordered opening a vein. A surgeon was immediately sent for, but could not readily be found. At length the messenger brought him from a tavern, but he could not perform his work. He struck the patient's arm twice, but no blood came. In this mournful posture, the sottish swinish surgeon left his paticnt all night. When he had slept himself sober, he came the next morning very early, and knocked at the college gate. Upon this being opened, he ran immediately to Mr Staunton's chamber, and asked if he was yet alive. Upon finding him alive, he speedily opened a

vein in his arm, which bled freely; and the patient, though half dead, soon recovered, and became healthy.Here we may observe, that through the drunkenness of the surgeon, this celebrated person's life was in imminent danger.This part of our narrative clearly discovers the very awful and dangerous consequences of the sin of drunkenness, with the sottish and swinish nature of that evil, which is full of deadly poison.

The subject of this Memoir was also another time as remarkably preserved from being drowned. Soon after he had commenced Bachelor of Arts, he went into the water alone to wash himself, and not being able to swim, he fell into a deep, where he could feel no bottom; but by the Providence of God he was remarkably delivered. He took hold of a little turf of grass by the side of the bank, by the means of which he climbed up, and was saved under God, and by his Providence.

These remarkable and merciful deliverances were preparatory to that good work of grace, which, about this time, the Author and Finisher of faith began in him. These dangerous circumstances wherein he was, with the wonderful deliverances from them, led him to serious thoughts with regard to his spiritual and eternal state, to close self examination and fervent prayer.

I shall give the account of this in his own words, as found with Mr Mayo, his Biographer, who says, that he had this account in a manuscript under his own hand. "About the year 1620, I had many sad and serious thoughts concerning my spiritual and eternal state. Then upon the advice of Dr Barcroft, I bought Brinsley's Watch, the second part; where the sins against the Commandments are set down in order, and I fell upon the work of examination; wherein this seems remarkable, that, reading over the several sins there mentioned, my heart (such was the blindness and deceitfulness of it) cried not guilty of any one of them: Whereupon 1 began to suspect my heart, and calling upon God to enlighten mine eyes, and discover my sins to me, and then reading them over again, I judged myself guilty, very guilty, even of most of the sins there set down and enumerated.

Af

ter this I lay about two months under a spirit of bondage, being full of fears and inward trouble, so that many times I durst not close mine eyes in the night lest I should awake in hell. I thought every night the devil would come for me, and fetch me away; but anon, the Lord was graci ously pleased to shine upon me, and this remarkable pas sage I shall never forget:That, being one evening at prayer, all alone in the dark, I remember the chamber well in Corpus Christi College, and the corner of the chamber, I was very earnest with God for the manifestation of his love to my soul, and the assurance of pardon for my sins; and at length I brake out into these words, or words to this purpose; Lord, I will not go out of thy presence; I will not go off from my knees till thou speakest comfort to me;-whereupon I was immediately filled with a strong persuasion of the love of God to my soul, and with joys unspeakable and full of glory."

From this period, the study of the holy Scriptures was his peculiar delight; and he applied himself closely to the diligent reading of them, and to the study of divinity, and determined upon the work of the holy ministry. When he commenced Master of Arts, his father gave him the choice of the three learned professions, a Lawyer, a Physician, or a Preacher. The last of these was his choice. And he told his father, "that he had for some time past inclined his studies that way, and that he esteem. ed the turning of souls to righteousness to be the most desireable work in the world, and that it would have the greater reward hereafter, though the other callings were like to bring in more wealth and honour here." His af fectionate father did make no opposition to his good design, but rather encouraged his pious resolution. He first preached on the Lord's day afternoon at Witney in Ox. fordshire, about six months, and had here his first fruits unto Christ, as Paul had in Achaia, 1 Cor. xvi. 15, being successful in winning souls to him. Here his labours were so acceptable, that people flocked from all parts to hear him. This was not pleasant to the incumbent, who occupied the more time in reading prayers, that Mr Staunton might have the less time for preaching, and then

left the church; but none followed his example except his clerk, whom he would not suffer to read the Psalm. Mr Staunton had preached some time from that text, Buy the truth, and sell it not, Prov. xxiii. 23.-Upon which the incumbent, when he met any coming into the church as he went out, would say, with a sneer, "What, are you going to buy the truth?" His continuance at Witney was very uncertain, and he had great opposition from the minister of the place; accordingly he removed, and became minister of Bushey in Hertfordshire. Here he had a welcome reception, especially from those who had any savour of religion. Here he preached and catechised on the Lord's day, and at other times, with great success; and many attended his ministry, not only the inhabitants of Bushey, but also those who dwelt at Wat ford, and other adjacent places. A respectable minister says, "That little time which Edmund Staunton spent in Bushey was not without good success-many persons, in my own hearing, having acknowledged his ministry to be the means of their conversion."

About this time, he married the daughter of one Mr Scudamore of Watford, by whom he had one daughter. But when he had been about two years in Bushey, Dr Seaton, of Kingston upon Thames, in Surrey, wishing to have this living, and either making or finding a flaw in his title, soon dispossessed him of it. Dr Seaton's Attorney, liking the ingenuity of Mr Staunton, proposed an exchange, to which both parties agreed. Mr Staunton I preferred work to wages, and complied the more readily with this proposal, because his opportunities of service would be greater at Kingston. He reckoned his opportunities of doing good his greatest riches. But when Dr Seaton had obtained Bushey, he would not part with Kingston; but either Mr Staunton must be his Curate, or not go there. Mr Staunton related this to Dr Seaton's Attorney, who, abhorring such baseness, threatened to find a flaw in his title to Bushey.-And many of the inhabitants of Kingston, who greatly esteemed Mr Staunton's ministry, so worked the Doctor, that he soon resigned, and Mr Staunton took his place at Kingston upon Thames, in

the county of Surrey. Here he continued about twenty years, endeavouring to fulfil the ministry which the Lord had given him. And being filled with zeal for the truth, he discharged the duties of his office with great diligence and faithfulness. He preached twice on the Lord's day, and catechised the younger and ignorant sort of people, teaching them also from house to house, though the town was large and populous. He also set up a weekly lec ture, which was supplied by several eminent ministers in their turns. By these means, together with his holy and exemplary life, he was instrumental in working a general reformation in the town, both among magistrates and people. He was loved by all the godly, and feared by the wicked. The good seed then sown did spring up in the place long. And the reformation here was not wholly external; for when he left that place in the year 1648, there were thirty persons who gave him a paper, subscribed by themselves, in which they owned him as their spiritual father; and doubtless, many more could have ad ded their names to the list.

He seems to have been very successful this way. When preaching once at Warborough, near Oxford, one per. son of the congregation was so affected with his first pray er, that he ran to his own house, (which was at a short distance) and told his wife, that she should make herself ready and come to church, for there was one in the pul pit who prayed like an angel, so as he never heard the like. The woman hastened away with her husband; and God so ordered, that this sermon proved a mean of her conversion, and she proved afterward a serious and emi nent Christian.

As a preacher, he was very plain, affectionate, and prac tical. Île found, by much and long experience, that a plain way of preaching was most effectual to the ends for which that ordinance was appointed; and therefore he constantly used it, even in the College and University. He could easily have appeared in another strain; but he preferred the work of his Master, and the advantage of immortal souls, unto every other consideration. And he was so affectionate, that he would not only impart the gos