"either fully for our religion, or against the papists, that "it is to be wondered at.' And in another letter to archbishop Usher, the same year, he assures the primate he had restored three hundred citations and rescued them from corruptions, in thirty quires of paper*. He had before written to his grace upon the same subject, in a letter dated January 28, 1623, where having observed that in Sixtus senensis, Alphonsus de Castro, and Antonius's Summa, there were about five hundred bastard brevities, and about a thousand places in the true authors which are corrupted; that he had diligently noted, and would shortly vindicate them out of the manuscripts, being yet only conjectures of the learned, he proceeds to acquaint his grace, that he had gotten together the flower of the English divines, who would voluntarily join with him in the search. "Some "fruits of their labours (continues he,) if your lordship "desires, I will send up. And might I be but so happy, "as to have other twelve thus bestowed; four in tran66 scribing orthodox writers, whereof we have plenty, that "for the substantial points have maintained our religion "(forty or fifty pounds would serve ;) four to compare "old points with the new; four other to compare the "Greek translations by the papists, as Vedelius hath done "with Ignatius, wherein he hath been somewhat helped by my pains; I would not doubt but to drive the papists out of all their starting holes. But alas! my "lord, I have not encouragement from our bishops. "Preferment I seek none at their hands; only forty or "sixty pounds per annum for others is that I seek, which "being gained, the cause is gained, notwithstanding their "(the papists) brags in their late books."

In the convocation held with the parliament at Oxford, in 1625, of which he was a member, he moved to have proper commissioners appointed to collate the manuscripts of the fathers in all the libraries in England, with the popish editions, in order to detect the forgeries in these last. And this project not meeting with the desired encouragement †, he was so thoroughly persuaded of the great advantage

These two letters are in the collection at the end of Parr's Life of archbishop Usher, numb. 66. and 77.

+ We may form a probable conjecture of his plain, from a paffage in the just cited letter to archbishop Ufher, where he expreffes himself thus," Mr Briggs will satisfy you in this and sundry other projects "of mine, if they mifcarry not for want of maintenance: It would deserve a prince's purfe. If I was in Germany, the ftate would defray all charges. Cannot our eftates supply what is wanting? If every "churchman

vantage it would be both the Protestant religion and learning, that arduous as the task was, he set about executing it himself, and had made a good progress in it, as appears from his works, a catalogue of which we shall subjoin; and no doubt would have proceeded much farther towards completing his design, had not he been prevented by his death, which happening in August 1629, at his house in a suburb called Holywell in Oxford, he was interred in New-college chapel.

Mr Wood informs us, that he left behind him the character of being the most industrious and indefatigable writer against the papists that had been educated in Oxford since the Reformation; and in reality his designs were so much, and so well known to be for the public benefit of learning and the church of England, that Camden, speaking of him in his life-time, says, ' He is a learned man and a true lover of books, wholly dedicated to learning, who is now laboriously searching the libraries of England, and proposeth that for the public good which will be for the great benefit of England.'

A list of his WORKS. 1. Philobiblion R. Dunelmensis, 1559, 4to. 2. Ecloga Oxonio-Cantabrigiensis, Lond. 1600, 4to. 3. Cyprianus Redivivus, &c. printed with the Ecloga. 4. Spicilegium divi Augustini hoc est libri de fide ad Pet. Diacon, &c. collatio & castigatio, printed also with the Eclo

ga. 5. Bellum papale seu concordia discors Sext. V. & Clementis VIII. circa Hieronym. Edition. Lond. 1600, 4to. and 1678, Svo. 6.Catalogus librorum in bibliotheca Bodleiana, Oxf. 1605. 4to. reprinted with many additions in 4to. 1620, to which was added an Appendix in 1636: In this catalogue is inserted that of all the manuscripts then in the Bodl. Library. 7. Concordantia S. patrum, i. e. vera et pia libri Canticorum per patres universos, &c. Oxf. 1607, 4to. 8. Apology for John Wickliffe, &c. Oxf. 1608, 4to, to this is added the life of John Wickliffe. 6. A Treatise of the Corruption of Scriptures, Councils, and Fathers, Lond. 1611, 4to. and 1688, 8vo. this is reckoned his principal work. 10. The Jesuits Downfall threatened— for their wicked Lives, accursed Manners, heretical Doc

trine,

"churchman that hath a hundred pounds per annum and upwards, will lay "down but a fhilling for every hundred towards thefe public works, I "will undertake the reprinting of the fathers, and fetting forth of five or "fix orthodox.writers, comparing of books printed with printed or writ"ten: collating of popish translations in Greek; and generally whatsoever fhall concern books or the purity of them. I will take upon me to be a magifter S. Palatii in England, if I be thereunto lawfully required."

trine, and more than Machiavilian Policy, Oxf. 1612, 4to. to this is added the Life of Father Parsons, an English Jesuit. 11. Filius papa papalis ch. 1. Lond. 1621; translated from Latin into English by William Crashaw: Our Author's name is not put to it. 12. Index generalis sanct. Patrum ad singulos versus cap. v. secundum Matthæum, &c. Lond. 1624, 8vo. 13. Note ad Georg. Wicelium de Methodo Concordia Ecclesiasticæ, &c. 1625, 8vo. 14. Vindicia Gregoriana seu Restitutis Gregorius Magnus ex manuscrip.` &c. Geneva 1625. 15. Manuduction, or Introduction unto Divinity, &c. Oxf. 1625. 4to. 16. Humble and earnest request to the Church of England, for and in behalf of Books touching Religion, in one sheet, 8vo. 1625. 17. Explanation or enlarging of the Ten Articles in his Supplication lately exhibited to the Clergy of the Church of England, Oxf. 1625, 4to. 18. Specimen Coruptelarum Pontificiorum in Cypriano, Ambrosio, Greg. Magno, &c. Lond. 1626. 19. Index Librorum prohibitorum a Pontificiis, Oxf. 1627, 8vo. 20. Admonitio ad Theologos Protestantes de Libris Pontificiorum caute Legendis, manuscr. 21. Enchiridion Theologicum, manuscr. 22. Liber de suspicionibus

Conjectaris, manuscr. These three Mr Wood says he saw in the Lambeth Library, under D. 42, 3; but whether printed, says he, I know not; perhaps the Enchiridion is. Dr James likewise translated, from French into English, the moral Philosophy of the Stoics, Lond. 1598, Svo. and published two short treatises against the order of begging friars, written by Wickliffe; and a book entitled, Fiscus Papalis: sive Catalogus Indulgentiarum, Sc. Lond. 1617, 4to. but some were of opinion this book was published by William Crashaw, already mentioned. Several letters of our Author are published in the Appendix to Parr's Life of archbishop Usher.

SEBASTIAN

SEBASTIAN BENEFIELD.

SEB

EBASTIAN BENEFIELD, an eminent divine of the seventeenth century, was born August 12, 1559. at Prestonbury in Gloucestershire.. He was educated at Oxford, being admitted, at seventeen years of age, a scholar of Corpus-Christi-college, August 30, 1586; and probationer-fellow of the same house, April 16, 1590. After he had taken the degree of master of arts, he went into holy orders, and distinguished himself as a preacher.

In 1599, he was appointed rhetoric reader of his college, and the year following was admitted to the reading of the sentences. In 1608, he took the degree of doctor in divinity, and five years after was chosen margaret-professor in that university. He filled the divinity chair with great reputation, and after fourteen years resigned it. He had been presented several years before, to the rectory of Meysey-Hampton, near Fairford in Gloucestershire, upon the ejection of his predecessor for Simony; and now he retired to that benefice, and spent there the short remainder of his life (about four years) in a pious and devout retreat from the world.

Dr Benefield was so eminent a scholar, disputant, and divine, and particularly so well versed in the fathers and schoolmen, that he had not his equal in the university. He was strongly attached to the doctrinal opinions of Calvin, especially that of predestination; insomuch that Humphrey Leach calls him a downright and doctrinal Calvinist. He has been branded likewise with the character of a schismatic: But Dr Ravis, bishop of London, acquitted him of this imputation, and declared him to be free from schism, and much abounding in science. He was remarkable for strictness of life and sincerity; of a retired and sedentary disposition, and consequently less easy and affable in conversation.

This worthy divine died in the parsonage house of Meysey-Hampton, August 24, 1630, and was buried in the chancel of his parish church, the twenty-ninth of the same month.

His WORKS are: 1. Doctrine Christiana sex Capita totidem Prælectionibus in Schola Theologica Oxoniensi pro forma habitis discussa et disceptata; i. e. Six points of Christian Doctrine discussed and examined in as many lectures, read in the divinity school of Oxford. Oxon. 1610. 4to. 2. Appendix ad Caput secundum de Consiliis Evangelicis, &c. adversus Humphredum Leach; i. e. An Appendix to the second point concerning the Counsels of the Gospel, &c. in answer to Humphrey Leach. This is printed with the foregoing treatise. 3. Eight Sermons, publicly preached in the university of Oxford, the second at St Peter's in the East, the rest at St Mary's church. Began Dec. 14. 1595. Oxf. 1614. 4to. 4. The Sin against the Holy Ghost discovered, and other Christian doctrines delivered in twelve sermons upon part of the tenth Charter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, Oxf. 1615, 4to. 5. A Commentary, or exposition upon the first chapter of Amos, delivered in twenty-one Sermons in the parish church of Mesey-Hampton in the diocese of Gloucester. Oxf. 1613. 4to. This work was translated into Latin by Henry Jackson of Corpus-Christi-college, and printed at Oppenheim, in 1615, 8vo. 6. Several Sermons, as the Christian Liberty, &c. on the 1 Cor. ix. 19. Ox. 1613, 8vo. This sermon was preached at Wooton Underedge, before the clergy at an episcopal visitation, and was printed with his Commentary on Amos. A Sermon at St Mary's in Oxford, on Psal. xxi. 6. preached March 24, 1610, being King James's inauguration-day, Oxf. 1611. 4to. The Haven of the afflicted, preached at the cathedral church of Gloucester, August 10, 1613, on Amos iii. 6. Lond. 1620, 4to. 7. A Commentary, or Exposition upon the second chapter of Amos, delivered in twenty-one Sermons, in the parish church of Meysey-Hampton, &c. Lond. 1620, 4to. 8. Prælectiones de perseverantia Sanctorum; i. e. Lectures on the perseverance of the Saints. Francfort, 1618. 8vo. 9. A Commentary, or Exposition on the third chapter of Amos, &c. Lond. 1629. 4to. 10. There is extant likewise a Latin Sermon of Dr Bedefield's on Rev. v. 10. Printed in 1616. 4to.

JOHN