About the year 1625 or 1626, he was chosen master of Katharine-hall in Cambridge, in the government whereof he continued till his dying day; and, like a faithful governor, he was always very careful to procure and advance the good of that little house. For he procured good means and maintenance by his interest in many worthy persons, for the enlargement of the college; and was a means of establishing learned and religious fellows there; insomuch that in his time, it proved a very famous society for piety and learning, both as to fellows and scholars.

But before this, about the year 1618, he was chosen preacher at Gray's Inn, where his ministry found such general approbation and acceptance, that, besides the learned lawyers of the house, many noble personages and many of the gentry and citizens resorted to hear him; and many had reason to bless GOD for the benefit which they received by him. Dr. William Gouge, who frequently heard him preach, says, that he sometimes had a little stammering in the time of his preaching, but then his judicious hearers always expected some rare • and excellent notion from him.'

His learning was mixed with much humility, whereby he was always ready to undervalue his own labours, though others judged them to breathe spirit and life, to be strong of heaven, speaking with authority and power to men's consciences. His care in the course of his ministry was to lay a good foundation in the heads and hearts of his hearers. And though he was a wise masterbuilder, and that in one of the most eminent auditories for learning and piety which was in the land; yet, according to the grace which was given to him, (which was indeed like that of Elisha, in regard of the other prophets, the elder brother's privilege, a double portion) he was still taking all occasions to preach the fundamentals to them, and, among the rest, the incarnation of the Son of GOD. And preaching at several times, and by occasion of so many several texts of Scripture concerning this subject, there is scarce any one of those incomparable benefits, which accrue to us thereby, nor any of those holy impressions, which the meditation hereof ought to work in our hearts, which was not by him unfolded. The truth of this appeared so evident to an eminent divine, upon reading his sermons when in print, that he said, ' Í less wonder now at the noted humility of the author, 'finding how often his thoughts dwelt upon the humiliation of Christ."

Indeed he was thoroughly studied in the holy Scriptures, which made him a man of Gon, perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work; and, as became a faithful steward of the manifold grace of God, he endeavoured to teach it to others, and to store them with knowledge, wisdom, and spiritual understanding. He was a man that enjoyed much communion with God, and, like John the Baptist, was a burning and shining light, wasting and spending himself to enlighten others.

He was upon all occasions very charitable, drawing forth not only his purse in relieving, but his very bowels in commiserating, the wants and necessities of the poor members of Christ. He used sometimes, in the summertime, to go abroad to the houses of some worthy personages, where he was an instrument of much good, not only by his private labours, but by his prudent counsel and advice, that upon every occasion he was ready to minister unto them. And thus having done his work on earth, he was received to heaven, peaceably and comfortably resigning up his spirit unto God, in the year 1635, and in the fifty-eighth year of his age.

His WORKS. He was famous (says Mr. Leigh) for the piety, learning, devotion, and politeness [he means polished style] of his two genuine writings, The Bruised Reed, and The Soul's Conflict.' These we have seen, and can assure the Christian reader, who is under exercise of spirit, that he will hardly be able to find two books written by man, which are more likely to afford him direction, comfort, and relief, than these most excellent pieces of Dr. Sibbes. We regret that they are out of print; or rather, that the piety of the times does not hasten them into print again. Upon the subject of spiritual distress, there is scarce any book in our language more valuable, except the Bible. At least, the writer hath found it so respecting himself. His "Divine Me"ditations and Holy Contemplations," were reprinted in 1775, in a small duodecimo, dedicated to the Countess of Huntingdon, and recommended by the honourable and reverend Mr. Walter Shirley. His Sermons on Canticles v. are so excellent, that the judicious Mr. John Dod, having perused them in manuscript, would not cease soliciting Dr. Sibbes till he had prevailed upon him to print them; and for that end wrote to him as follows: I judge it altogether unmeet, (says he) that such precious matter should be concealed from the public

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use. I judge these Sermons a very profitable and excellent help, both to the understanding of that dark ' and most divine Scripture, as also to kindle in the heart 'all heavenly affections towards Jesus Christ: The whole ⚫ frame whereof is carried with such wisdom, gravity, piety, judgment, and experience, that it commends it'self to all that are godly wise: And I doubt not but they shall find their temptations answered, their fainting spirits revived, their understandings enlightened, and their graces confirmed; so that they shall have cause to praise GOD for the worthy Author's godly ' and painful labours.'

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JOSEPH MEDE, B. D.

THIS profound scholar was born in October 1586, at

Berden in Essex, and related to the family of Sir John Mede of Lofts-Hall, in the same county, who much pleased himself in so worthy a kinsman, to whom (when fellow of Christ's college) he sent his eldest son to be his pupil; accounting it a singular felicity to have him under the care and conduct of so worthy and accomplished

a tutor.

When he was about ten years old, both he and his father fell sick at the same time of the small-pox: To the father it proved mortal, to the son very hazardous. But Almighty GoD, who designed him for a great blessing to the world, delivered him then out of that, and afterwards out of other dangers: Of which merciful preservation, he had by him his thankful "Memorials," the better to excite himself to a due celebration of the divine goodness.

His mother afterwards married one Mr. Gower of Nasing in Essex, by whom he was sent to school first to Hodsden, and after that to Wethersfield in Essex. In which time, going to London upon some occasion, he bought Bellarmin's Hebrew Grammar. His master, having no skill in that language, told him it was not a book

fit for him: But he would not be discouraged from the perusal of it; and setting upon it industriously, he attained no small skill in the Hebrew tongue, before he left the school; by these fair blossoms, giving an early assurance to his friends of those excellent fruits which he afterwards brought forth.

His friends, being encouraged by the pregnancy of his parts, his assiduous industry, and proficiency in learn ing, sent him, in the year 1602, to Christ's college in Cambridge, where he was admitted pupil to Mr. Daniel Rogers, fellow of that college. When he had been there three years, Mr. Rogers leaving the college, Mr. William Addison became his tutor, to whose pupils, after he was bachelor of arts, he used to read; as afterward, when he was master of arts, he moderated at disputations at the desire of his tutor, one of the then proctors of the university.

The improvements, which he made in a short time by his industry, were so conspicuous, that they drew upon him the eyes, not only of his own college, but of the whole university: Which could not but be observable in him, because he wanted that felicity of utterance, which sets off slight parts; and had so great an hesitation in his speech, as rendered his expression painful to himself, and not pleasing to others. This made him decline (as much as he might) all public disputations, and other exercises, as not to be performed by him without great difficulty: His labour in them (as he was wont to tell his familiars) being double to that of others, in regard he was to study, not for matter only, but for words; not to express his mind, but for words that he could utter: yea, and to take care to dispose them too, in that order, that the construction might suit with his ability. Wherein, he in time became a rare example, how much a discrect observation of such an imperfection can work towards the cure of it. For, by an heedful inspection into the nature of his defect, what words he most stuck at, either single, or in conjunction, and at what times he was more or less free, he attained so great a mastery over that infirmity, that he was able to deliver a whole sermon without any considerable hesitation.

That also of his own relation, is not here unworthy the remembering, that not long after his entrance into philosophical studies, he was for some time disquieted with scepticism, that troublesome and restless disease of the Pyrrhonian school of old. For, lighting upon a book

in a neighbour-scholar's chamber, (whether it was Sextus Empericus, or some other upon the same subject, is not now remembered) he began upon the perusal of it, to move strange questions to himself, and even to doubt whether the To Пav, the whole frame of things, as it appears to us, were any more than a mere phantasm or imagination. The improvement of the conceit (as he would profess) rendered all things so unpleasant to him, that his life became uncomfortable. He was then but

young, and therefore the more capable of being abused by those perplexed notions, by which Pyrrho had industriously studied to represent the habitation of truth as inaccessible: But, by the mercy of GoD, he quickly made his way out of these troublesome labyrinths, and gave an early proof that he was designed for profound contemplations, by falling so soon upon the consideration of subjects the most subtile and curious.

By that time he had taken the degree of master of arts, (which was in 1610) he had made so happy a progress through all kind of academical studies, that it was manifest to all, that that title was not (as with too many it is) any false inscription: He was justly so styled, and was universally esteemed as one who well understood all those arts, which make up the accomplishment of a scholar. He was an acute logician, an accurate philosopher, a skilful mathematician, an excellent anatomist, (being usually sent for when they had any anatomy in Caius college) a great philologer, a master of many languages, and a good proficient in the studies of history and chronology; of which we shall give a more particular account in the following part of this short history.

His first shewing himself abroad, was by an address he made to that great patron and example of learning, Dr. Andrews, (then bishop of Ely, afterward of Winchester) in a Latin tract, De Sanctitate Relativa, &c. Which, being written in his early days, he did not permit to be printed, having afterward given the substance of it, with improvements, in another Treatise on 1 Cor. xi. 22. and in his Concio ad Clerum on Lev. xix. 30. And this early specimen of his theological studies gained the approbation of so great a judgment as his was to whom it was presented; insomuch that, shortly after, he having need of the king's favour concerning his election to a fellowship, that worthy bishop stood his firm friend, and not only maintained his right then, but afterward desired him for his household-chaplain: Which place, not withstanding,