Soon after this, he desired his accuser to come to him, and told him, that though he had accounted him to be his great enemy, yet now he acknowledged him to be his good friend, for that he was a mean to bring him unto GOD; and afterwards (by GoD's good providence) it came to this man's remembrance, that Mr. Dod had paid him the money, was very sorrowful for the wrong which he had done him, and did him all the right he could for the healing of his name. Mr. Dod afterwards said, that he had not a more faithful friend in all the college, during his abode there, than this man proved to him.

When he was of some years standing a master of arts, he was appointed to oppose in the philosophy-act at the commencement, which he did with great approbation, insomuch it was desired that he should dispute again at the next commencement, but that he declined. When he preached his first sermon in the university, he had be stowed much pains about it, binding himself to words and phrases; but he found himself confined, and resolved afterwards never to pen his sermon verbatim. His usual manner was, to write only the analysis of his text, the proofs of Scripture for the doctrines, with the reasons and uses, and so leaving the rest to meditation, in which course he never found defect. About this time Dr. Fulke, Dr. Chaderton, Dr. Whitaker, and some others, had their frequent meetings to expound the Scriptures, and had chose the Epistle to the Hebrews; in which meetings they were pleased, from their respect to Mr. Dod, to invite him among them.

While he continued fellow of Jesus college, by the importunity of some good people of Ely, he went weekly and preached amongst them in that city, where the Lord gave a great blessing to his ministry. His removal from Cambridge to Hanwell, in Oxfordshire, was thus occasioned: Mr. Cope, (afterwards Sir Anthony Cope) a man of eminent note, who was much wrought upon by Mr. Dod's ministry, sent a letter to Dr. Chaderton, to provide him a minister for Hanwell, which cure was then vacant. Dr. Chaderton moved Mr. Dod to go to the place; and after he had been a while, and preached several sermons, by the desire and consent of the people, and by the approbation of the neighbour ministers who had heard him, he was settled as their pastor. While he was at Hanwell, he preached twice every Sabbath, catechizing also in the afternoon, and kept a lecture every Wednesday constantly; and besides this, he was one of the five ministers who held

up

up the lecture at Banbury. He gave himself much to fasting and prayer, and spiritual conferences, to the great comfort and benefit of the people, and the conversion of many souls unto God. He was given to hospitality, delighting therein, keeping a constant table on Sundays, and on the Wednesdays when he held a lecture; upon which days he had not under eight or twelve persons commonly dining with him, and he spent the time amongst them in spiritual exhortation and conference.

He was about thirty years old when he came to Hanwell, and continued there above twenty years, where he had twelve children by his wife Anne, the daughter of Doctor Bound, and daughter-in-law to that eminent servant of Jesus Christ, Mr. Greenham of Draighton, near Cambridge; she was one that truly feared GoD. After her decease (by the persuasion of some friends) he took to wife Mrs. Cleiton, who then lived at Stratford Bow; she also was a godly woman, and he was contracted to her by Mr. Egerton of Black-Friars, and married by his ancient and affectionate friend Dr. Gouge, rector of that parish.

But to return back again to Hanwell: It pleased the Lord to give a great blessing to his ministry in that place; yet he had much trouble from the envy of some ministers that lived about him, who, though they seldom preached themselves, would not suffer their people to go from them; and hence he was frequently questioned in the bishop's courts. And besides this, (though some of Hanwell were very courteous and kind) there were some others who were glad to get from him what they could, and to keep from him what they could, thinking that what he had was too much. Upon a time Mr. Dod took a journey to Draighton, to bemoan himself to his father-in-law Mr. Greenham, on account of his crosses and hard usage; from whom he received this answer: Son, son, when

affliction lieth heavy, sin lieth light.' This deserves the rather to be remembered, because Mr. Dod used often to bless God for it, saying, that if Mr. Greenham had bemoaned him, which he expected, he had done him hurt: And he forgot not this speech in his old age, but made excellent use of it for himself and others.

He was suspended from his ministry at Hanwell by Dr. Bridges, Bishop of Oxford. And (suspecting what would follow) the Sabbath before he went to the visitation, he gave his hearers a farewel sermon out of that text, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered; the

people

people attending to him with sad countenances and weep ing eyes. Being thus driven from Hanwell, he preached at Fenny Compton in Warwickshire, where he had but small means; but he was desirous to be doing good. From thence he had a fair call to Cannons Ashby in Northamp tonshire, where he lived quietly several years, preached over the whole prophecy of Daniel, with some other Scriptures; having much kindness from Sir Erasmus Dryden, (in whom there was a rare mixture of piety and learning) and good affection from Mr. Cope. He was silenced from preaching at Ashby, upon a complaint made against him by Bishop Neale to King James, who commanded Archbishop Abbot to silence him.

Then he ceased for some time to preach publicly; yet in regard of his heavenly gift in conference, he might have been said daily to preach privately; he was in his element when he was discoursing of heavenly things. And GoD in goodness so ordered it, that, when he was restrained from public preaching, he conceived that at that time his life was no less profitable than it had been in former times.

He had much employment in comforting such as were wounded in their spirits, being sent for, not only nigh at hand, but also into remote countries. There was a gentlewoman who had a great worldly estate, and an affectionate husband, but she was so severely assaulted with temptations, that she often attempted to make away with herself. Mr. Dod was sent for to come to her; and the Lord so blessed his counsels, exhortations, and prayers, that she did not only recover from her anguish of spirit, but was afterwards taken notice of for her singular piety; and this affliction was not only the means of her conversion, but of her husband's, so that both of them were a great mercy in the country where they lived, promoting religion according to their power, and entertaining and cherishing godly people. She lived several years, quieted in her heart, and rich in good works; and when she lay on her death-bed, Mr. Dod was sent for to her again, who spake much of the glory that would shortly be revealed to her. She told him, that she felt the comforts of GOD, and that she could as hardly at that time forbear singing, as formerly in child-bearing she could forbear crying; and shortly after she died.

There was a gentleman, related to a noble family, so perplexed in his mind, that he had been known in hard frosts to go barefooted, that the pain of his feet might

divert his thoughts. Mr. Dod was sent for to him, who was made his spiritual physician to heal him. It would be long to insist on all particulars of this nature, the Lord having made him a happy instrument for the good of many.

When he had spent some years in this kind of service, by the care and industry of Mr. Richard Knightly of Preston, after the death of King James, his liberty was procured for preaching again publicly, and then he was settled at Fausley, where he preached twice every Lord's day. There he went over the gospel of St. John, the epistle to the Colossians, and other Scriptures.

He was much given to hospitality at Fausley, as he had formerly been at Hanwell; so that there was scarce any Sabbath in the year, in which he did not dine both poor and rich, commonly three or four poor persons, besides those that came from other places to hear him. He had so large an heart, that upon occasion, he hath given to some three shillings, to some ten shillings, to some twenty shillings; and when the poor came to buy butter or cheese, he would command his maid to take no money of them. At Fausley he had quietness from the courts, as also at Ashby; for in neither of those places were there any church-wardens.

He used to bear crosses with much patience and meekness, being wont to say, that sanctified afflictions were great promotions, quoting that of the Apostle Peter, 1 Pet. i. 7. He always expected troubles, and prepared himself for them; and put this difference between the afflictions for which we are provided, and others; that the first are but blows on the harness, but the others are blows on the flesh. Upon a time, when an affliction was upon him, which went to his very heart, and in the expectation of which he wept; yet when he saw it was the will of GoD that it should be so, he said to one whom he loved, " I " will go and bless GoD, for I believe this shall be for "my good."

He gave himself much to fasting and prayer; and when he fasted, his custom was, to abstain from the dinner of the day before to the supper of the day after. His diseases, till he was above threescore, were only fevers, and these for the most part high and violent. In the sixty-third year of his age he had a fever, in which there was small hope of life. Dr. Oxenbridge was his physician, who, waiting for the breathing out of the disease by sweating, (in which at last he had his desire) came to Mr.

Dod,

Dod, and, in the presence of several people, said unto him, Now I have hope of your recovery;' to which Mr. Dod answered, "You think to comfort me by this, "but make my you heart sad; it is as if you should tell one, who had been sore weather-beaten on the "sea, and conceiving he was arrived at the haven where "his soul longed to be, that he must come back again "to be tossed with new winds and waves." In his greatest health and prosperity he would speak how he desired to be dissolved. Upon a time a gentleman blamed him for it, saying, he liked not servants who would have their wages before they had done their work; but he seemed to be constant in this desire, alleging these reasons among others, that Go had given him a settled assurance of heaven, and a sight of the excellency of heaven, and that the earth was but a prison, and heaven the palace, where was perfect holiness and happiness.

He took all occasions to do good, when he was in company, by godly speeches, seasoning those which came to him, that unless it were their own fault they might be the better for him. Being invited to a great feast, where there were many gentlemen, and some of them began to swear, he stopped them by discoursing of the greatness of that sin; and that he might not burden their memories, he quoted three chapters; every one was the first, as the first of Zachariah, the first of Matthew, and the first of James; and he opened those Scriptures in such sort, that they were all hushed, and did not again offend in that kind while he was present among them.

The word of GOD was his great delight, his meditation was of it in the night, and his discourse in the day; when those that were with him were speaking of earthly things, he would find out some way to bring in heavenly; when he could not sleep in the night, he would say, "That the meditation of the word was sweeter to him "than sleep." When he had preached twice on the Sabbath, and was weary, yet to those that came to him he would go on afresh in holy discourses; and the comforts, which he found in his soul, made him sometimes forget his body, and speak till he was ready to faint.

His eminence was in frequency, aptness, freeness, and largeness of godly discourse; in which respect it may be said of him, that, in the country where he lived, none were known who were equal to him. He was micans