The Lives of Sundry Eminent Persons, Part 1 · Biography 5
VERA EFFIGIS SAMVELIS BOLTON S.S. THEOL: …: NVPER COLL C CANTAB: MAG:
Qui Obiit 15 Octbrs: 1654 Aetatis 48.
F. H. Van Houe Sculp:
A brief account of the latter part of the Life and Death of Dr. Samuel Bolton, who died Anno Christi 1654.
I Have no Account of his Parentage, Birth, and Education in his younger Years: About the time that the All-wise God translated him hence, he was pleased, within a little space to take to himself many learned, godly, and able Ministers, which, without doubt, was a presage of the dreadful and terrible Judgments which ensued not long after: And it was the greater Judgment, because most People were so little sensible of it. Isa. 57. 1. The Righteous perisheth (saith the Evangelical Prophet) and no man layeth it to Heart; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the Righteous is taken away from the Evil to come. The Jewish Rabbins have a saying, Quando Luminaria patiuntur Eclipsin, malum est signum Mundo: It is an ill sign to the World when the Luminaries of Heaven areclipsed.
God extinguished many glorious Lights about that time, especially in and about London, as Dr. Gouge, Mr. Walker, Mr. Gataker. Mr. Whitaker, Mr. Strong, &c. And in the University of Cambridge Dr. Hill, Dr. Arrowsmith, and Dr. Samuel Bolton, sometimes Mr. of Christ's Colledge there: Upon whose Commendation if we should enter, it may be truly said what Gregory Nazianzen said of his Sister Gorgonia, That there is more fear that we shoul speak too little, than that we should speak too much.
He was a Burning and a shining Light in this our Israel: An Interpreter one of a Thousand: A man of excellent Ministerial Abilities: A workman that needed not be ashamed, dividing aright the word of Truth. He was one that did study not only foreign, but foreign not His Character.only to Preach well, but to Live well. His Life was an excellent Commentary upon his Sermons. As Nazianzen said concerning John the Baptist, (who is called, The voice of the Cryer,) that he was All Voice: A Voice in his Habit; a Voice in his Diet; a Voice in his Dwelling; A Voice in his Conversation as well as in his Preaching: So that it may be truly said of this Man of God, he was Tota Vox, All Voice: A Voice in his Life as well as in his Doctrine. He lived his own Sermons, and preached louder by his good Conversation, than by his Heavenly Doctrine; Nam vita Praedicatorum est vocalissima: The Life of Ministers is the Life of their Ministry, and Teachers Sins are the teachers of Sins.
What Ruffinus said of Gregory Nazianzen, may fitly be applied to this Reverend and holy Minister; He did those things himself that he taught to others, neither did he condemn himself by practising contrary to what he preached. He had not only Dona honoraria, but Dona salutifera; Not only Gifts for the good of others, but Graces for the good of his own Soul. There are many Ministers that have rare Gifts, but they are like a Pearl in a Toads Head, a Pearl in the Head, but the Body all Poison, bec…use their Lives give a lye to their Doctrines: But this our Brother had not only Gratias gratis datas, but Gratias gratum facientes. He was not only learned, but religious, and (which is the highest commendation) he was an humble Saint. The Applause from others did not make him proud.
There are four things (saith Luther) that make a Minister; Prayer, Reading Meditatation, What makes a Minister.and Temptation. Our Christian Brother was not only a man of Prayer, Reading, and Meditation, but a man assaulted with manifold Temptations; yea, probably with more than many hundreds of Ministers are. He was often buffeted by Satan, and therefore proved H…s Temptations.the more able to comfort them that were in trouble, by the Comforts wherewith he was comforted by God. (2 Cor. 1. 4.) And he left a Writing behind him wherein he had recorded all the outgoings of God towards him, and all the Experiences of Gods shining with the Light of his Countenance upon him; and also of his withdrawings, and hiding his Face from him. He hath written down both the Apogaum's and Perigaeum's (as I may so say,) both those times wherein God stood at a distance from him, and when he approached His Prudence.nearer to him.
His desire of winning Souls to Christ by his Preaching, was so great, that though he was His painfulness.Head of a Colledge in Cambridge, and had no Ministerial charge of his own, yet notwithstanding he preached gratis once every Lords day for many Years together. The like is recorded of that Reverend, Godly, and Learned Minister Dr. Hill, somtimes Master of Trinity Colledge.
This worthy Dr. Bolton, in the ordinary course of his Ministry, had a little before his Death preached over the third Chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the Philippians to the latter end of the Twentieth Verse, and was come to Verse the One and Twentieth; Who shall change our vile Body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body, according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself. And it pleased God by his Providence so to order it, that Mr. Edward Calamy preaching at his Funeral, happened, that he made choice of this very Verse (though he knew nothing of this till afterwards) for his Text at his Burial. But though Dr. Bolton lived not to preach upon this A special providence.Verse, yet he now lives in Heaven, waiting for that blessed time when his vile Body shall be raised out of his Grave, and be made like unto the glorious Body of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Before he was made Master of Christ's Colledge, he preached three or four Years at St. Martin's Ludgate, London: Also six or seven Years at St. Saviour's Southwark; And for some time at St. Andrew's Holborn, in all places to the great satisfaction of all the godly that waited upon his Ministry. And though he be now dead, yet he still speaks, not only by the Holiness of his Life, and graciousness of his Doctrine, but also by the many excellent Books which he hath lest in Print, in which may be beheld a fair Character of his Piety, and Ministerial Abilities.
He was very Orthodox and sound in his Judgment: He had no Spiritual Leprosie in his His works.Head, witness those two Books of his, called, The Arraignment of Errour, and A Vindication of the Rights of the Law, and Liberties of Grace. He was of a publick Spirit, witness that Book of his, called, A Word in Season to a sinking Kingdom. He was very careful in admitting Men and Women to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper; witness that Book of his called, The Wedding Garment.
The time of his Sickness was long, tedious, and costly: His Diseases many, very many, His Sickness.but his Patience was exceeding great. He would usually say, that though the Providences of God were dark towards him, yet he had Light within. A little before he died, he said to one that was lifting him up, Let me alone, let me lie quietly, for I have as much comfort as my Heart can hold. The last time that Mr. Calimy visitted him, he found him wonderously desirous to be dissolved, and to be with Christ: He said, Oh this vile Carcass of mine! Death desired.When will it give way that my Soul may get out and go to my God? When will this rotten Carcass be consumed, that I may mount up to Heaven? And when he saw any probable Symptoms of Death, (which he called, The little Crevises at which his Soul did peep out,) he was exceeding joyful.
It was his desire to be buried without any Funeral Pomp, which may mind us of a saying His humilito.recorded by Melchior-Adamus in the Life of Pellitan, of an Uncle of his who would not be buried in his Scholastick Habit (as the custom in that Country then was) Testamento cavit (saith he) ne aliter sepeliretur quam simplex alius Christianus: He ordered it in his last Will and Testament, to be buried as a private Christian, and not as a Doctor, and the Reason he gave was, because he hoped, Resurrecturum se ad judicium, non ut Sacerdotem & Doctorem, sed ut humilem Christianum; That he should rise at the day of Judgment, and appear before God, not as a Presbyter, or a Doctor, but as an humble Christian. This was the desire and hope of our Reverend Brother, and this Text preached upon at his Funeral was matter of great rejoicing unto him, whilest he thought on that day, wherein his vile Body, subject to so many Diseases, should be made like unto the glorious Body of Christ, according to the working, the mighty working (as he three times repeated) whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself: And so he quietly slept in the Lord, and was honourably buried in His death.the Church of St. Martins Lungate, Octob. the 16th. Anno Christi 1654.
An Epitaph on the truly Religious and Learned Dr. Bolton, Master of Christs Colledge in Cambridge.
TIr'd with a Body, and the Age, here lies
One that was holy, learned, just and wise;
Liv'd when the Court seem'd heavy, and the See
Grew proud, yet Patience preach'd and Modesty.
Though Fears urg'd Fears, and Hope pursued Hope,
Pulpits 'gainst Pulpits bandied, yet the Scope
Both of his Text and Life, was Peace, fair Peace!
Heavens Legacy, the busie world's scorn'd ease!
By taking care of Souls he did not mean
Providing Lordships for his Heirs; So clean,
So spotless were his aimes: His greatest store,
Was Love, and Praise; Promotion made him poor.
'Twas not the practice of his Zeal to groan
Against Pluralities, and neglect his One.
His Matter always did become the place,
Diurnals never turn'd the second Glass.
Call'd from the City he succeeded one
Turn'd out by Death; Fates Sequestration.
VVhichWhich place he serv'd with chearful love & care.
Firm Justice, open Candour, hearty Prayer.
(Free from base shrivl'd Faction, hungry strife)
Ev'n to the loss of Riches, Health, and Life.
Stay (Reader) and bestow a Tear
On this dusty fruitful Bed,
The Spring will then dwell always here,
And Violets ne're hang the Head.
Pray, the Earth may lightly press
Her entrusted Urn below;
May the same Prayer thy Reliques bless;
When they rest as his do now.
T. Standish.
Ʋpon the Death of the Pious and Learned Samuel Bolton, Dr. of Divinity, and Master of Christs Colledge in Cambridg.
NOt that my gadding Muse affects to shew
Her courser Beauties to the common view,
Not that she thinks such harsh untuned Lays
As hers are fit to celebrate thy Praise;
Dares she present these Verses: But as they
Who hundreds hold of others, yet do pay
Nought but a Pepper-Corn: By this she shows
Though she brings little, yet 'tis much she owes
To thy dear Memory, and honour'd Name,
Immortal Bolton; Heir of lasting Fame.
Whose known Deserts, and unreproved worth
Needs not her slender skill to blaze it forth:
But can commend itself to aftertimes
Without the help of Elegiack Rimes.
Though others under Brass and Marble plac'd,
Kept not their Names and Titles underfac'd;
Though Monuments themselves decay and must
Confess their Ruines, and resolve to dust;
Though all things else be subject to the Laws
Of fickle Change, and Times devouring Jaws;
Yet Wisdom hath a ne're decaying Root
And virtuous pains bring everlasting Fruit:
And they that laboured have, and liv'd like thee,
Their Names shall live to all Eternity.
Nor seems it strange that virtuous men sho'd best
Oblivion scape, which oft involves the rest
Of Things and Persons, whose Poor low desires
Are not affected with such high Aspires.
The Principles by which most men do move,
Are private Interest, and base Self-Love.
So far their Friendship, and their Hate extends.
Itself, as serves their own contracted Ends.
Hence, as that Earth-begotten Brood, which grew
From Teeth which Cadmus in the Furrows threw,
Within a while by civil Discord slain.
Return'd unto her Mother Earth again,
And scarce left any token to appear
To tell th' ensuing Age that once they were.
So bad Men quickly vanish and are gone,
Buried in th' Earth, and dark Oblivion.
But those like thee whose more enlarged Breast
With better thoughts, and purer Fire's possest;
Who make themselves no scope to which they bend
Their Actions; but the common good attend;
Cannot pass unregarded hence, but Fame
Enobles and perpetuates their Name.
Whoever did to th'Infant World impart
Some signal Benefit, or useful Art,
Had Temples built unto him; hence arose
Ceres and Bacchus, and such Gods as those.
Would Truth dispense, and Piety admit
Of such like Deities, 'twere far more fit
T'account thee one, than those that taught us how
To tread the Wine-Press, and to hold the Plough:
Since this grand difference 'twixt thee we find
And them; They fed the Body, thou the Mind.
Wm. Wobriche.
On the deplored Death of the Reverend Doctor Samuel Bolton, Mr. of Christ's Colledge in Cambridge.
TO mourn in Verse, and write an Elegie,
Is even grown as common as to die;
Poetick Sorrow serves but for a Mask
To other Passions; 'twere an easie task
For Grief that's feigned, or at best but faint,
To boast itself in Eloquent Complaint.
But where internal Sorrow hath possest
The very Vitals, and corrodes the Breast
With inward care, where the oppressed Heart
Doth lie in languish with consuming smart,
The Soul is choaked, and the Spirit's spent
With mutual Conflict e're they find a vent.
Such real Anguish, such unfeigned Grief,
Doth scarce admit the pittiful Relief
Of Sighs and Tears; such dolor scarce affords
Imperfect Sentences, and broken words.
The case is ours, when Sorrows violence
Hath strongly touched with a vigorous sense
Of our Calamity: whose deep Distress
Our Minds with Grief astonish'd can't express.
No wonder then in so just cause of Tears
And sad Complaint, so little Pomp appears
Of mournful Elegies and Fun'ral Songs;
This loss doth more affect our Hearts than Tongues.
Our sincere Mourning seeks not after Fame
In these just Rites; let others then proclaim
Their forced sorrows with exalted cries,
Our real Grief makes silent Obsequies.
W. Leigh.
Ʋpon the Death of the Reverend, his never to be forgotten Friend, Dr. Bolton, Mr. of Christ's Col. Cambr.
IS Bolton dead? And shall not England weep,
That we no longer such a Saint could keep!
Alas! the World not worthy was of thee,
The Saints above did want thy Company.
Thy Virtues, Graces, Praises, and thy worth,
No Tongue alive is able to set forth.
Thou wast a burning, and a shining Light
In this our Orb; few left which shin'd so bright.
Thy Ministerial Gifts, thy Zeal, were rare,
Thy Piety, no less thy Gifts in Prayer.
And in a Word (blest Soul) thee to commend;
Thy Praise knows no beginning, nor no end.
John Crofts, Minister, C. C. C.