JOSHUA HOYLE, D. D.

PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN, A MEMBER OF THE ASSEMBLY OF DIVINES AT WESTMINSTER, MASTER OF UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, oxford, and king's PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY IN THAT UNIVERSITY.

JOSHUA HOYLE was born at Sawerby, near Halifax, in Yorkshire, in England, and educated in Magdalencollege, Oxford. Afterward, being invited into Ireland, he became fellow of Trinity-college, Dublin. He took his degrees in divinity, and was chosen professor of divinity in that University. He was exceedingly eager to redeem the time, and indefatigable both in his studies and other labours. He seems to have been for some time greatly captivated with scholastic studies, and to have prosecuted these with much success, as many eminent reformers have done. But he greatly preferred the study of the Holy Scriptures to that of scholastic theology. He was led to the Sacred Writings as the alone pure fountain of divine truth. He soon became a profound divine; and being now placed in a sphere of great usefulness, he laboured with unwearied assiduity, in promoting the interests of religion. In his daily lectures, as professor of divinity, he expounded the whole Bible, seldom taking more than one verse at a time, which lasted about fifteen years. Some time before he had ended that great work, he began the second exposition of the whole Bible in the church of Trinity-college, and in about ten years he went through the greatest part of the sacred volume. He preached and expounded thrice every Sabbath for the far greater part of the year, and also on many extraordinary occasions. To these unwearied labours may be added his learned weekly lectures, as professor, in the controversies, and his elaborate answers to the great champion Bellarmine, one of the most celebrated controversialists of the Romish church. Bellarmine was very highly esteemed by the court of Rome, and had the reputation of being one of

the most strenuous defenders of the Catholic religion against the reformers. And so very formidable were his controversial labours accounted, that for many years almost every eminent protestant divine endeavoured to make the arguments of Bellarmine a particular object of refutation. The great work which has furnished matter for this critical warfare, is a Body of Controversy, which was written in Latin, and has been often re-printed, in 4 vols. folio. Dr Hoyle boldly and successfully attacked the system of error and corruption in the Romish church. He has discovered to the world that Mystery of Iniquity, as Hercules did Cacus's den. Or, as Theodosius used those idolatrous temples in Egypt, when all the ri diculous toys of Pagan priests, and their cheating tricks were brought upon the stage. He prepared answers to all Bellarmine, both in word and writing. He began with the cardinal's work respecting the seven sa craments, which he was more than eight years in finishing. Afterward, he proceeded in his answers to the other controversial pieces of the great champion of the Romish church. Dr Hoyle was one of our eminent reformers, "who, having forced the strong hold of superstition, and penetrated the recesses of its temple, tore aside the veil that concealed the monstrous idol which the whole world ignorantly worshipped, dissolved the magic spell by which the human mind was bound, and restored it to liberty." In the year 1634, he sat in the convoca tion which was held at Dublin. But, upon the commencement of the rebellion in Ireland, in the year 1641, he fled from the terrible effusion of blood. According to the computation of the popish priests themselves, who were actively employed in this dreadful rebellion, upI ward of one hundred and fifty-four thousand protestants were massacred in Ireland in the space of a few months: but, during the continuance of that horrid rebellion, ac cording to Sir J. Temple, there were above three hundred thousand cruelly murdered in cold blood, or ruined in some other way. Cardinal Richelieu was deeply concern. ed in this barbarous massacre; and, according to Rapin, in his History of England, King Charles I. spread abroad

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ic reg that the Roman Catholics had his authority for what they lewer did. Dr Hoyle's life being exposed to the most imminent y year hazard, he now returned to England, and became vicar dton of Stepney, near London; but, according to Wood, he, of ref being too scholastical, did not please the parishioners. matter Be that as it may, he was always esteemed an eminent Sy, Puritan, and a zealous advocate for civil and religious ted, liberty. While he remained at Stepney, the celebrated attack Mr Burroughs preached there in the morning, and Mr chard Greenhill in the afternoon. In the year 1643, Dr Hoyle was appointed a member of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster, and constantly attended. Dr Calamy says, the "This Dr Hoyle was a member of great esteem and honour in the Assembly of Divines, as a master of all the ancient learning of the Greek and Latin fathers, and one who reigned both in his chair and in the pulpit." He was witness against Archbishop Laud at his trial, when fishe attested that the Archbishop had corrupted the University of Dublin, by the arbitrary introduction of the errors of popery and Arminianism, while he was chancellor of that University. He was appointed one of the Sup select committee for the examination and approbation of ministers who petitioned for sequestered livings. In the year 1645, he was elected one of committee of accommodation; and in 1648, he became master or head of University-college, Oxford, and King's professor of divinity in that University, in the room of Dr Saunderson. In the office of professor of divinity he has incurred the severe and unjust animadversion of Dr Walker, who seldom fails to dip his pen in the very gall of bitterness, when he meets with the Puritans. This illiberal and abusive writer says, that Dr Hoyle opened his lectures by a speech void of all spirit or learning; and that his lectures had neither method nor argument in them, and shewed him to be ignorant even of the most common rules of logic. Wood, however, says, that "he was a person of great reading and memory, much devoted to

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a Calamy's Account, vol. ii. p. 472.

b Attempt, part. i. p. 141..

study, and in a manner a stranger to the world and things thereof, profound in the faculty of divinity, a constant preacher, and a noted Puritan." He was eminently learned, indefatigably industrious, and is allowed to have been as well qualified for an academic as any person of his time. He was eminently distinguished by the un wearied assiduity with which he laboured in the stations which were assigned to him. He died on the oth of Dec. 1654, and his remains were interred in the old chapel belonging to the University-college. His successors in the offices of master and professor were Mr Francis John. son and Dr John Conant, who were both silenced nonconformists, in 1662. Dr Hoyle was very highly respected by the famous Archbishop Usher. In vindication of this eminently learned prelate, he wrote " A Rejoynder to Mr Malone's Reply concerning Real Presence." 4to. pp. 662. Dublin, 1641. This is a very learned and elaborate work.

JOHN JACKSON, A. M.

A MEMBER OF THE ASSEMBLY OF DIVINES AT WESTMINSTER.

JOHN JACKSON, in the ordinance of the Parliament, for calling an Assembly of learned and godly divines, is said to be, John Jackson of Marske. In Mr Neal's list of that Assembly, he is styled, John Jackson, A. M. of Queen's college, Cambridge. Wood mentions several persons of the name, as John Jackson, M. A. of Cam bridge, it seems, born in Lancashire, beneficed in Essex, and author of several tracts of practical divinity, as of A Taste of the Truth as it is in Jesus, &c. A John Jackson, who translated from Latin into English, a book entitled, De Immortalitate Animae. John Jackson, who has an exact Concordance of the Bible. Wood adds: "There

a Wood's Athena Oxon. vol. i, Fasti, p. 279. 2d edit.

was also one John Jackson, Parson of Marsh in Richmondshire, who hath written, The faithful Minister of Jesus Christ, described by polishing the twelve Stones in the High Priest's Pectoral, &c. London, 1628. This John Jackson was one of the Assembly of Divines, in the year 1643, and Preacher of Gray's-Inn." " Mr Jackson is represented as constantly attending the Assembly dur ing the session. I have not received any farther information respecting him.

JOHN LANGLEY,

A MEMBER OF THE ASSEMBLY OF DIVINES AT WESTMINSTER.

sion.

JOHN LANGLEY was Minister of West-Tuderly, in the county of Southampton, in England. He was elected one of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster, in the year 1643. He gave constant attendance during the ses He preached to the House of Commons. Wood says, that he became a publisher of several matters of divinity. I have seen and read a sermon of his, which is entitled, The Mournful Note of the Dove. It was preached from Psalm lxxiv. 19, 20. at Margaret's, Westminster, before the Honourable House of Commons, at their solemn Fast, Dec. 25, 1644. 4to. pp. 32. London, 1644. I am not able to give any further account of Mr Langley.

a Wood's Athenæ Oxon. vol. i. Fasti, p. 279. 2d edit.

VOL. II.