lotted for study, and the great attention he paid to the youth committed to his care, he could not sleep; but, about midnight, he still awoke and slept no more. He applied to Dr Butler, of Clarehall, the oracle in physic, who, after asking him some questions, advised him to smoke tobacco. Mr Preston, supposing him in jest, took no notice of his prescription; till his want of rest, which continued, incapacitated him for study and labour; he then waited on the doctor again, who still urged the smoking of tobacco.. Mr Preston, perceiving the doctor to be serious in his advice, immediately began to smoke, and soon found, that the hot fume of the tobacco drew away those crudities from the mouth of the stomach, that hindered concoction of his meat: The removal of these obstructions occasioned sleep, and so restored him to rest and strength.

Mr Preston, having taken orders, and become a celebrated preacher, came in course to be dean and catechist, which he resolved to improve by going through a body of divinity, with the view of being a guide to the scholars in their study of that science. He was unwilling they should study as he had done, the schoolmen first, and then the modern writers; but first, that they should read systems in divinity, and settle their opinions and judgments, and then read the fathers, schoolmen, and the like. He had not proceeded far in his lectures, before some townspeople, passing by, stepped in, and reporting the nature and manner of his lecturing, many of the townspeople attended, and also several scholars from other colleges; so that the outward chapel would be often full, before the fellows came. There had indeed been other deans and catechists before Mr Preston, but no such crowding: Therefore some, moved with envy, complained to the vice-chancellor, that at this unusual kind of catechising, not only scholars and townsmen mingled, but other colleges also intruded; so that the fellows could not get through the crowd, into the chapel to their places; that it was not safe for any man to be thus adored, unless they had a mind to cry up Puritanism, which would soon pull them down ;—and that the crosier-staff would not support them, if such assemblies were encouraged. In consequence of this complaint, an order was agreed on in the consistory, and sent to the college, that the scholars and townsmen should be confined to their own preachers, and not be suffered, on any pretence whatever, to attend these lectures, that were proper only to the mem

bers

bers of the college. The like complaint has been urged at other times, whenever the gospel of the kingdom has been faithfully and experimentally preached, not for hire, or the emoluments resulting from the pockets of the people, but for their spiritual edification and salvation.

About this time the lecture of the Trinity-church, and the sermons at St Andrews were put down, and the scholars confined to St Mary's, which put Mr Preston upon lecturing to his pupils on the Lord's day evening; but the scholars of other colleges, and those townsmen that had heard his other lectures, solicited him to preach in a place where they also could attend. St Botolph's church belongs to Queen's-college, and is usually supplied by one of that house; and as Mr Preston had lately been instrumental in the election of Dr Davenant, afterwards bishop of Salisbury, to the headship of Queen's, Mr Preston was allowed to lecture in that church. But there lived in that parish a Dr Newcomb, a civilian, who had enticed to his house, with a view to marry his daughter, a pupil of Mr Preston, Sir Capel Bedel, a young gentleman of large estate in Huntingdonshire. Sir Capel Bedel's parents were dead, and old Sir Arthur Capel was his guardian, and had placed him, as he had done his own sons before, under the care and tutorage of Mr Preston; who ever watched the conduct of his pupils very narrowly, and no sooner discovered what was going on between Sir Capel and Newcomb's daughter, than he acquainted Sir Arthur with it, and contrived to get Sir Capel to his grandfather's house at Audley-end. Sir Arthur thanked Mr Preston for his fidelity, and told young Sir Capel, that he was now come to a proper age to travel, which was absolutely necessary before he settled.

Dr Newcomb, thus disappointed, was glad to find an opportunity to be revenged on Mr Preston; and this he found not only as a parishioner, but also as being commissary to the chancellor of Ely. He therefore went to church and ordered that prayers only should be read, but no sermon; the minister intreated for that time that Mr Preston might be allowed to preach, as did the earl of Lincoln and several others in the church; but the chancellor was resolute; and, because he would not be further importuned, he went home with his family, and left them to determine at their peril what they should do. Mr Preston was advised to preach, which he did from 2 Pet. iii. 17, 18. But so much time had been spent in sending messages to the commissary, before he left the congregation,

that

that Mr Preston was obliged to omit reading prayers before sermon, that the scholars might get home to their college prayers. This Dr Newcomb made matter of further complaint; and as the court was at Newmarket, he went thither the next day, and complained to the bishop of Ely and several of the clergy; assuring them, that Mr Preston was in heart, and would soon be in practice, a Non-conformist, and was so followed and adored in the university, that, unless some speedy course be taken with him, they might cast their caps at all conformity, and see their power trod under foot; and added, that gentleness was not the way, for he was cunning, and would recover all, if he were not seriously and thoroughly dealt with.

There was no advocate for Mr Preston: but the doctor, being first in his own cause, seemed just. The Puritans began to be considerable, and from Newcomb's complaint, they were afraid Mr Preston, might become their leader. The king being then at Newmarket, the commissary told his tale to his majesty, who, upon enquiry, finding that the bishop and chancellor's jurisdiction extended to the members of colleges, ordered that Mr Preston should be proceeded against by them. Accordingly, a letter was sent to Dr Scot, the vice-chancellor, to summon Mr Preston before himself and the heads of houses, to answer for his notorious disobedience to the commissary. Mr Preston made his defence with great meekness and modesty, saying, he was not guilty, and wished to refer them to his auditory to prove, that because so much time had been taken up in treating with the commissary he had omitted. reading prayers, purposely that he might dismiss the congregation in time for the scholars to be present at their own college prayers, and not out of any disrespect to the service, which he usually attended at other times. They told him, they were engaged to support, by all just means, the bishop's jurisdiction, that the king had honoured him in leaving that affront to be examined by his proper judges, and that except he could take off the court, they must and would proceed to a very round and serious cen

sure.

Mr Freston was not altogether a stranger at the court; however, now there was no remedy. When he came to Newmarket, he found that bishop Andrews, then bishop of Ely, was chief, and that his jurisdiction in the commissary, was it that was pretended to be affronted, and therefore applied himself to him, and told him that he did not purpose to offend, but being engaged to preach at that

time, could not with honour disappoint the auditory; if he suspected him for any thing, he desired he would examine him, and satisfy himself. The bishop told him, the king was informed he was an enemy to forms of prayer, and held no prayer lawful but conceived; and therefore being popular, his judgment and opinion might do hurt. Mr Preston answered that it was a slander; for he thought set forms lawful, and refused not on all occasions to be present at the college prayers, and, when it was his turn, to read them. The bishop answered, that he was glad, and would inform the king, and do him all the good he could, and bade him wait awhile, and then repair again to him for satisfaction in it; and so time passed on, and there was nothing done. At length, however, an order was drawn, and sent to the vice-chancellor, that Mr Preston should in Botolph's-church declare his judgment concerning forms of prayer, on such a Sunday, or else they should immediately proceed against him, according to their first instructions.

Mr Preston was glad there was a way out, though sensible of the hard hand that had been carried towards him; but now there was no remedy, and it was in vain to strive against the stream; but before he could come home, the news was all about the town, that Mr Preston was to preach a recantation sermon at Botolph's-church on such a day. This was good sport to some, who came crowding as fast as any, to hear; and it was no sin now for any body to be from prayers; and indeed there was a very great assembly, though he did all he could to have concealed it. So he went on upon his former text, and preached a very profitable sermon, concerning growing in grace, and directed prayer, as a special means to make men grow in grace. Now that, he said, was of two sorts, either that which was sudden, extemporary, and conceived; or set, enjoined, and prescribed before, not only for the sense and scope, but also for words and phrases. And whereas some thought this was to stint the Spirit, he said, there was a liberty to use conceived prayer at other times, wherein the Spirit might expatiate, and enlarge itself; and also the intention of the mind, though not in extension and variety of language *. Those that came to laugh, had no great cause to do it, for this passage was at the Vol II. G g

*

very

* The excellent archbishop Leighton has some valuable remarks upon this fubject in his Expofition of the Lord's Prayer, to which we would

refer our Readers.

very close; and the sermon all along before, was sharp and searching; both sides were silent and went home, not without some prints of good upon their spirits: Optimus orator censendus, non qui meruit auditorum judicium, sed qui abstulit: He makes the best speech that binds his hearers, rather to think what was said, than who said it.' The good fellows were nothing so merry at the end, as at the beginning of the sermon. Indifferent hearers praised all, and were confirmed in a good opinion of the preacher. Good men were glad he came so well off, and was at liberty to preach again, where they might hear him: Himself was troubled, lest any thing he said, should be mistaken or misinterpreted, as he was apt to be.

Some time after this, he preached before the king, who seemed to approve his sermon, and especially his observation in it upon the Arminians, "That they put God "unto the same extremity, that Darius was put into, "(Dan. vi.) when he would have saved Daniel, but could "not" And the marquis of Hamilton spoke several handsome things in his favour, which, however, the king did not chuse to understand.

This sermon was received with great eclat; and he was much solicited to give copies of it: But this, he said, he could not do, as he never wrote his sermons per extensum, or word for word, and what he did write was in a very bad hand. However, he was appointed chaplain to the prince of Wales, who was then about forming his

court.

Preston had a great loss in the removal of Dr Davenant, his close friend, from the university to the see of Salisbury.

He had a very great regard for the famous Mr Dod, and frequently consulted with him. He admired his plain familiar way of preaching, and saw it attended with infinitely more benefit to people's souls than studied harangues, which were mostly calculated to shew the preacher's abilities.

Not being a very ready Latinist, he travelled into fo reign countries, on a visit to their universities, very much to make the Latin tongue more familiar to him, through conversation, that he might not appear the less qualified for some offices in the university, which were proposed to him.

After his return, he was appointed preacher at Lincoln'sinn, where his ministry was much attended and blest; but still his great desire was to be useful in the university,

where