Prototypes, Biography of author – Imprimatur
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF Mr. WILLIAM WHATELY, LATE Miniſter of the Word at Banbury in the County of Oxford, written by Henry Scudder Minister of the Word at Collingborne-ducis, in the County of Wiltſ.
IT hath beene a commendable uſe in the Church of God from the Primitive times downe to us; that the lives of ſome or other (eſpecially of the more famous Miniſters and lights therein) have beene written by men who beſt knew, and had learned what their lives and converſation was. This they did not onelyonly to vindicate their names from the ſlanders of the wicked, who will ſpeake evill of all that oppoſe their evill wayes, and alſo that the dead might bee duely honoured; but chiefly that the living by their good Examples might glorifie God for them and be edified.
This writing and printing the lives of worthy men, is like the engravings with the point of a diamond, raiſing up for them an everlaſting monument; upon which the light of their Faith and good workes is made to ſhine before men, that ſeeing their Faith and holineſſe they may follow them; and may alſo praiſe God for his graces in them, and for the good which hath bin done by them, and ſo glorifie their Father which is in Heaven.
I have beene earneſtly intreated to write the Life and Death of M. William Whately, late Paſtour of the Church of Banbury, I was made choice of the rather, becauſe of that intimateneſſe of Friendſhip which was betweeene us, and becauſe of our long acquaintance, being of the ſame time in the famous Vniverſity of Cambridge and of the ſame Colledge and Chamber and having the ſame Tutor; and afterward when wee were both placed in the Miniſtery wee lived ſometime together in one houſe,By marriage of ſiſters. and a great while neare one another, and were alſo nearly allyed
I know none that had like meanes to know him more thoroughly then I. I have therefore not unwillingly ſet pen to paper, and doe here in all plaineneſſe and ſobriety of truth reckon up and report his life and death in a ſhort ſumme, that thoſe who will may read and make their uſe of it. For in many things hee may bee a lively patterne to us his Bretheren in the Miniſtery of the Goſpell of Chriſt; and the like in many things for the imitation of all that deſire to live godly in Chriſt Ieſus.
This M William Whately was borne at Banbury a burrough Town very well known in Oxfordſbure.
M. Thomas and Miſtres Ioyce Whately.His Parents were both of them forward profeſſours of the Goſpell of Chriſt, and of the power of Godlineſſe and Religion, according as it is now mainetained in the Church of England. They were both of chiefe note and place in the Towne, his Father being oft Major, and a long time a ſtanding Iuſtice of Peace in that Burrough. His Mother was a rare woman for naturall parts; but chiefly for Piety, Diligence in her Calling, Frugality and Mercifullneſſe to the poore. She was a right Lois or Eunice in breeding up this her Son (as ſhee did her other Children) in the Knowledge of the holy Scriptures from a child.
His Parents trained him up in his yonger daies to learning, ſetti…g him to the beſt Schooles that were in thoſe parts, where he profited in learning (as alſo hee did in the Vniverſitie) above moſt of his equalls in yeares. This hee did by reaſon of the Excellency of the naturall parts which God had given him, namely, a quicke apprehenſion, a cleare judgement and a moſt happy memory.
His ripeneſſe in Grammer learning in Latine, Greeke and Hebrew was ſo earely that about the fourteenth yeare of his age, he was ſent to Chriſts Colledge in Cambridge; where God provided him and me a *M Thomas PotTutor, one of a thouſand for Pietie, Learning, Diligence in reading unto, and in a moſt loving and wiſe care of governing and godly inſtructing of his pupils.
In the Vniverſity he was an hard Student and quickely became a good Logician and Philoſopher, a ſtrong diſputant, and an excellent Orator. He delighted much in the ſtudy of Poetry and the Mathematiks.
Hee was a conſtant hearer of M. Doctor Chaderton and of Mr. Perkins who at that time were famous Preachers in Cambridge. And it was our Tutors manner to cauſe all his Pupills to come to Prayers into his Chamber every evening, and hee called all the under graduates to give account of what they had heard upon the Lords day, and when any of us were at a ſtand and non-plus, hee would ſay Whately, what ſay you? then hee would ſeldome faile, but repeate as readily, as if he had preached the Sermon himſelf. By this he did win our Tutors love, and our wonder at him; but (ſuch was our pride) he gained our envy of him
His Father (whether becauſe he was not reſolved what calling to breed him to, or for what other cauſe I know not) after that hee had with credit proceeded Bachelour of Arts, hee took him home, where he abode ſome good time, yet applying himſelfe unto his ſtudies.
While hee remained at home with his Father hee married the Daughter of one Maſter George Hunt, the ſonne of that tryed and prepared Martyr Iohn Hunt mentioned in the Book of Martyrs, who was condemned to be burnt for Religion, but was ſaved from the execution thereof by the death of Queene Mary. This Maſter George Hunt was bred up in the Famous f…ee Schoole of the Marchant-Taylers in London, and afterward by the incouragement of Maſter D. Humfry (by occaſion of a viſit of that Schoole) and by the furtherance of M George and Mr. Iohn Kingſmells, and by the exhibitions of Biſhop Pilkinton (all which for their honour ſake I name) he was called unto, and mainetained in that worthy Foundation of good Learning, Magdalen Colledge in Oxford, till hee was Fellow of that Houſe, where hee continued till hee had borne the offices of Deane of Arts and Deane of Divinity. Afterwards by the meanes of thoſe worthy Maſter Kingſmells, hee was preferred to the Church of Collingborn-ducis in the County of Wileſ. where for the ſpace of fifty and one yeares and five moneths he lived a ſound and conſtant Preacher of the Word, and was of an unblameable and holy life, even untill the oyle of his radicall moyſture was ſpent, and the candle of his life of it ſelfe went out, in a full and good old-age, after a long and joyous expectation, and longing for his bleſſed change, which was in the eighty and third yeare and fift monethmonth of his age.
This Maſter George Hunt (after that by importunity hee had got this his ſonne in law to make tryall of his ability to preach) he overperſwaded him to intend the miniſtery. And thereupon he entred himſelfe into Edmund Hall in the famous Vniverſity of Oxford, and tooke his Degree of Maſter of Arts.
Not long after hee entred into the Miniſtery, and hee was preſently called to be a Lecturer at Banbury which he commendably performed above the ſpace of foure yeares, and then was called to be Vicar of the ſame Church, which office hee faithfully diſcharged neare thirty years till he died.
The abilities wherewith God had indued him for his work of the Miniſtery were more then ordinary. For hee was of a quicke underſtanding, of a cleare and deepe Iudgement, of a moſt firme memory, and of a lively ſpirit. Hee was naturally eloquent, a maſter of his words, having words at will. Hee had a moſt able body and ſound lunges, and till ſome yeares before his death, he had a moſt ſtrong and audible voice. And according as his matter in hand, and his auditory needed, he was both a terrible Boanerges, a ſonne of Thunder, and alſo a Barnabas, a ſonne of ſweet conſolation. And which was the crowne of all, God gave him an heart to ſeek him and to aime at the ſaving of the ſoules of all that heard him. His ſpeech and preaching was not with entiſing words of mans wiſedome, but in demonſtration of the ſpirit and of power. He was an Apollos not onelyonly eloquent, but withall mighty in the Scriptures. He like ſome of the Ancient Fathers was as occaſions fell out ſometimes an every dayes Preacher. He preached ordinarily in his owne Church twiſe each Lords-Day, and catechized for above halfe an houre before evening Prayer, examining and inſtructing the youth, and once a weeke he preached the ordinary Lecture.
Hee was much againſt all ſuch preaching as was light, vaine, ſcenicall, impertinent, raw and indigeſted.
His preaching was plaine, but as much according to the Scripture and alſo to the rules of Art, and of right Reaſon, as any that ever I heard or have heard of. In conference he hath told me what hee aimed at, and what uſe he made of the Arts, and what rules hee ſet to himſelfe in the ſtudying of his Sermons, which was as followeth,
That he might better underſtand his Text, hee made uſe of his Grammer learning in Greeke and Hebrew, in which tongues the Scripture is written. Alſo hee would uſe the helpe of Rhetoricke to diſcover to him what formes of ſpeech in his Text was to be taken in their primary and proper ſignification, and what was elegantly cloathed and wrapped up in tropes and figures that hee might unfold them, and ſee their naked meaning: Then well weighing and conſidering the context, hee would by the helpe of Logicke finde out the ſcope of the Holy Ghoſt in that Scripture. Hee would endeavour when he began to enter upon the preaching of any Chapter, to Analiſe and take the Chapter into its ſeverall branches and parts. Then he would if it were a doctrinall Text, note the Doctrine as it lay in the Text and ſo proſecute it. Or if the Text conſiſted of illuſtrations or circumſtances of ſome principall truth there proſecuted; hee would then gather from ſome notable part or branch of his Text, an apt Doctrine, or Divine Truth which ſhould ſo immediately follow, that the Truth obſerved in the Text ſhould be the argument or middle terme, wherby in a ſimple Sillogiſme, he could conclude his Doctrine. Next, hee would ſeeke for apt proofes out of Scripture to confirme it. Fewer or more as hee thought beſt, which done, becauſe other arguments according to Scripture and right Reaſon are forcible to convince and confirme reaſonable men in any truth, hee would find out Reaſons of his Doctrine, but he aimed that they ſhould bee ſtrong Arguments, or middle termes by which hee might likewiſe Sillogiſtially conclude his ſaid Doctrine.
Then according to the nature of the Doctrine, and the need and aptneſſe of his Auditory; hee would as from an infallible conſequent of his Doctrine by way of Application, confirme ſome profitable Truth, which yet by ſome might happily bee queſtioned, or elſe convince men of ſome errour, or reproove ſome vice, or exhort to ſome Dutie, or reſolve ſome doubt, or caſe of conſcience, or comfort ſuch as needed Conſolation. In all which ſorts of Applications hee did make uſe of more or fewer of them as there might bee cauſe, and hee would bee carefull that his Doctrine ſhould bee the Argument or middle terme whereby hee might ſillogiſtically conclude the maine Propoſition of any of his ſaid uſes: And if the reproofe or exhortation did need preſſing home upon the conſcience, then hee would ſtudy to enlarge his Speech, ſhewing motives to induce to ſuch a duty; and allſo diſſwaſives from ſuch a vice, taking his Arguments from dutie to God, decency or ſhamefullneſſe, pleaſure or paine, gaine or loſſe.
And here again he would uſe the help of Rhetorick, but all for the moſt part in a concealed way, without all affectation. And ſometimes he would ſhew the effectuall meanes of attaining of the Grace and power to performe the duty to which he exhorted. And ſometimes likewiſe he would ſhew the remedyes againſt ſuch or ſuch a vice from which he diſſwaded, as may bee ſeene by his Sermons already extant. Alſo when hee thought it was needefull to diſcuſſe and handle any common place or head of Divinity, hee would doe it very judiciouſly, fully and moſt profitably.
Though hee had but an ordinary ſtudy of books for ſuch an accompliſht Divine, yet hee was one who had read very much. For hee would read moſt ſwiftly, yet not curſorily, for he could give an account of the ſubſtance and moſt remarkable particulars of what hee had ſo read.
Hee had allſo allwayes when hee pleaſed the benefit of a Booke-ſellers ſhop, which cauſed him to forbeare to buy many Bookes.
Though hee preached ſo often, yet what hee preached was before well ſtudied and premeditated. Hee uſually did pen his Sermons at large; and if before he preached, hee had but ſo much time as to read over what he had written, and to gather it up into ſhort heades, hee was able if hee thought it fit to deliver it in publike well neare in the ſame words.
It pleaſed God to put a ſeale to his Miniſtery in the converſion, confirming and building up of many thouſand ſoules by his meanes in the whole courſe of his Miniſtery.
Hee was a moſt diligent viſitor of the ſick people that were under his charge without reſpect of Perſons, after that it came to his knowledge that they were ſicke.
He was a ready Peace-maker amongſt his flocke that ſhould happen to be at variance.
He abounded in works of MercieMercy, hee was a truely liberall man, one that ſtudyed liberall things; for hee would ſeeke out to finde objects of his mercy, rather then to ſtay till they were offered. Hee did ſet apart and expended for the ſpace of many yeares for good uſes the tenth part of his yearly commings in, both out of his temporall and eccleſiaſticall meanes of maintenance.
Hee had an heavenly gift in Prayer, both for aptneſſe and Fullneſſe of Confeſſions, Petitions, Supplications, Interceſſions and Prayſes, as allſo for readineſſe and copiouſneſſe of apt words, together with Fervency of Spirit to poure them out unto God in the name of Chriſt in the behalfe of himſelfe, and of all thoſe who in Prayer joyned with him.
He had this ſingular abilitie that in his Prayer after Sermon, he could collect into a ſhort Sum all which hee had delivered to his Hearers and make it the matter of his Prayer to God, to the end they might be inwardly taught of God, and become Beleevers and doers of what was taught them.
Likewiſe when hee had read a Pſalme or Chapter in his Family, hee was ſo well ſeene in the Text, and of ſo good a Judgement, and of ſo choice a memory that though the Chapter was part of the Ceremoniall Law, or in the bookes of Numbers, Chronicles, and hardeſt Prophecies, he in his Prayer would diſcover the ſcope and meaning and chiefe notes of Obſervation, and their uſe, in ſuch ſort, that oft-times when I have heard him, I have much longed that I could call them all to minde; For I found the matter of his Prayer to be a better Commentary of that Chapter, with apt obſervations and applications for uſe, then I could finde in any Authour that I had read, who had vvritten thereupon.
His manner was daily Morning and Evening to call his Family together, and to reade a Pſalme or Chapter in the Scriptures, and to pray with them and oft to catechize them; beſides his conſtant Prayer Morning and Evening with his wife and alſo conſtantly alone by himſelfe.
He did ſet a part private dayes of Humiliation for his Family upon ſpeciall occaſions, and oft times before their preparation for their due receiving of the Lords-Supper. At which times he did exceed himſelfe in powring out his ſoule to GOD in moſt aboundant and moſt free Confeſſions of ſinne, and expreſſions of Sorrow for ſinne, with teares and with earneſtneſſe of Petition for pardon and grace, and for the good of the Churches of God, but for our whole State and Church of England more ſpecially and particularly.
He was much in dayes of private Faſting and humbling himſelfe before God alone, that hee might make and keepe his peace with God, and obtaine more Grace to keep more cloſe to him, and to walke more evenly with him, and that hee might the better keepe under his body, and bring it into ſubjection (following the Example of the Apoſtle) leaſt having preached to others hee himſelfe ſhould not live anſwerable to his Doctrine without reproofe, knowing that Miniſters ought to be unreproveable. He was ſo much in this that it is thought by ſuch as knew him beſt that it impaired the health of his body, though it made much for the good of his ſoule.
He was very able and very ready to conferre with, and to reſolve the doubts of thoſe many who in love and deſire of information came unto him.
He bare a tender love unto, and had a conſcionable care of that great people over which God had made him over-ſeer. For, although his mainetenance from them was but ſmall in compariſon, and unkindneſſes and diſcouragements many and his offers of greater preferment in the Church in reſpect of outward mainetenance were oft and importunate; yet he would not be perſwaded to leave them. Yea though once for reaſons which ſuddenly tooke him, he did promiſe to accept of another charge, yet within a while hee intreated mee to tell that Perſon to whom he had promiſed, that hee had better thought of it, and did deſire to be releaſed of his Promiſe, and that out of Conſideration of that great people which he ſhould leave, ſaying, that if he ſhould accept of that leſſer charge, when he ſhould come into the Church amongſt them his heart would in yerning towards his other people, aske him what he did there.
He was duely inquiſitive after the affaires of Gods Church and people, and according as hee received true intelligence of their weale or woe, ſo hee had his ſympathies and Fellow-feelings with them in either of their conditions
Hee was much grieved and troubled when hee ſaw that difference of opinions, and thereupon ſtrangeneſſe, diſtractions and rends to ariſe and bee made in the Church amongſt Bretheren profeſſing for the maine, and in fundamentalls the ſame Truthes. Hee ſignified ſo much to mee with bewayling many times.
Hee was judiciouſly charitable to any that ſhould differ in ſome opinions from him, ſo long as he ſaw that they agreed with him in the maine and Fundamentall Points of Religion, and were diligent to enquire after the Truth, and ſaw allſo that they did indeed ſhew the Power of Godlineſſe in their lives. Hee could and did highly eſteeme them, love them, and converſe Chriſtianly and familiarly with them, and that becauſe (although hee thought they were in an errour, and hee would in private and publike endeavour to reclaime them) yet he was perſwaded that their deſire was to ſeeke Chriſt, and that they had an aime to know God aright, and to ſerve him in ſincerity.
Notwithſtanding all this good which according to the truth hath beene ſaid of him; it muſt be remembred that hee was a man and not without his imperfections and frailties. For what man is he that liveth and ſinneth not. And as it is alſo ſaid, In many things we ſin all.
It is uſuall with God that men of the greateſt parts and gifts ſhould be exerciſed with ſome or other inordinate affection to bee mortified, and ſome ſtrong temptations, to have ſome thorne in the fleſh, or ſome or other meſſenger of Satan (as the Apoſtle had) to buffet them: Elſe they would be exalted above meaſure to the ſleighting, contemning, and condemning of their Bretheren, and other men would have too high an opinion of them, halfe deifying them, deſpiſing thoſe vvho are no leſſe holy, but not ſo excellently gifted as they.
There was nothing which did more evidently diſcover truth of Gods grace in this man, then that which was occaſioned by his ſlips and ſtrong temptations; For theſe made him more watchfull over himſelfe, then otherwiſe hee would have bin; It made him more humble and more to loath his originall corruption and ſinfull nature, and bewailingly to cry out with the Apoſtle, O miſerable man that I am who ſhall deliver me from the body of this Death. And that becauſe hee was (as other the deare ſervants of God are) moſt ſenſible of the captivitie and bondage which ſin would ſtrive to hold him under, ſith that when he would doe well, evill was preſent with him, and made him ſometimes to doe ſome things which in the bent of his ſoule he would not have done. This ſerved to make him more humble in himſelfe, more earneſt in prayer to God and more pittifull towards others in whom this ſinne remaineth and dwelleth (even after converſion) which (as the Apoſtle ſaith) is a weight and doth eaſily beſet them, to hinder them in their Chriſtian race. And this I am aſſured off, that hee would be the firſt eſpier of thoſe faults of his when the world could not nor did take notice of them, having no peace in himſelfe untill he had with all ſpeed and earneſtneſſe, ſought and regained pardon and peace with God.
He may be a patterne to all in receiving admonition from any that ſhould in love mind him of his fault. Hee was glad when any of the righteous ſmote him and would take it well, not from his Superiours onelyonly, but from his equalls and farre inferiours. Hee had learned with David to bleſſe God that ſent them, and to bleſſe the advice, to follow it, and to bleſſe the party and thanke him that gave it. Hee would intreate ſuch, as hee hath done me in particular, not to be wanting to him in this Chriſtian office of Love; and hee would really ſhew more teſtimonies of his love to ſuch afterwards then ever formerly; which is a ſure argument of uprightneſſe. A moſt reverend Divine who had knowne him from his infancy, and had often converſed with him, gave teſtimony of him to this effect unto me and others when lately he ſpake of him by occaſion of the mentioning of his ſickneſſe.
His latter daies were his beſt daies; for in the judgement of thoſe who could judge ſpiritually, hee grew exceedingly in humility and in ſpirituall and heavenly mindedneſſe, his laſt works were his beſt works, arguing him to be of Gods grafting, and planted in the houſe of the Lord.
Laſtly, hee had a moſt happy and comfortable ſucceſſe of his conflicts againſt ſinne▪ For a good while before his ſickeneſſe and death he did with Comfort and Joy make knowne to his deareſt friend that God had given him victory againſt his greateſt corruptions vvhichwhich had for a long time kept him in continuall exerciſe.
About eight weekes before his death a great fit of inward and ſhort coughing and extreame ſhortneſſe of breath did ceaſe upon him, in ſo much that thoſe who came about him feared that hee would preſently have departed. This fit beeing over, much weakeneſſe continued, yet hee preached divers times, untill that his encreaſing weakeneſſe did diſable him.
In the time of his ſickeneſſe and weakeneſſe hee gave heavenly and wholeſome counſell to his people, neighbours and friends that came to viſit him: giving particular adviſe to his wife, children and ſervants reſpectively according to their place and condition as they oft came about him, thus hee did oft ſo long as hee was able to ſpeake unto them.
His Chriſtian ſpeeches that concerned all, tended to this, that they would be carefull to redeeme the time, and to bee much in reading, hearing and meditating of the Word of God. That they would be much in Prayer, much in brotherly love and communion of the Saints. And that they would be carefull to hold faſt that which he had taught them out of the Word of Truth. And that while the light and meanes of Salvation was to be had, they ſhould not ſpare paines nor coſt to enjoy them. He was oft in his ſickeneſſe upon the painefull racke or torture of inward ſnatchings and convulſions, which ſometimes left him, but (three or foure dayes before his death) they returned and increaſed upon him; all which hee bare exceeding patiently. Hee was much in ejaculations and ſhort prayers and lifting up his heart to God in the behalfe of the Church and State, and for himſelfe allſo, which hee was moſt frequent and earneſt in, a little before his death. In the time when a brother of his (not onelyonly in the common bonds of Chriſtianity, but allſo by alliance, and a brother in the Miniſtery) was praying with him and for him to this effect, that if his time was not determined or expired that God would be pleaſed to reſtore him for the good of his Church, or if otherwiſe that hee would put an end to his paine if he ſaw good; at the hearing thereof hee lift up his eyes ſtedfaſtly towards Heaven and allſo one of his hands (hee being not able to lift up the other) and in the cloſe of that prayer gave up the ghoſt, ſhutting downe his eyes himſelfe, as if hee were fallen into a ſweet ſleepe. Hee lived much deſired and died much lamented.
Thus a great, a good and mercifull man, a chariot and horſe-man of Iſraell is by Gods owne hand fallen and taken away from the evill to come, and is entred into peace, and reſt in his bed of everlaſting pleaſures and joyes, enjoying the fruit of his Faith in Chriſt, and of his walking with God in uprightneſſe. Pretious in the ſight of the Lord is the death of the Saints though the wicked regard it not, but are glad of their abſence. But the living indeed they muſt, and they will lay it to heart, and will prepare and long for their owne diſſolution, that they maybe more immediately gathered to Chriſt the Iudge of all, and to the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect, expecting and waiting for a bleſſed Reſurrection of themſelves and of all that die in the Faith of our Lord Jeſus, to whom bee aſcribed all Might, Majeſtie, Dominion and Glorie, both now and for ever more, Amen.
This Man of God and faithfull Miniſter of Chriſt, departed this life upon Friday the 10. of May, Anno Domini, 1639. neare the end of the ſix and fiftieth yeare of his age.
Feb. 25. 1639.
Imprimatur, THOMAS WYKES.