The Dead Yet Speaking, Biography 76 – Biography 77
The Life and Death of Robert Rollock, who dyed Anno Christi 1598.
RObert Rollock was borne in Scotland of the ancient Family of the Levingstones, in the year 1555. His Father knowing the worth of Learning, was very careful to bring up his Son therein; and for that end he sent him to Surline, and placed him under Thomas Bucanan, who finding hi… promptnesse and diligence, tooke much delight in him. From thence he went to the University of Saint Andrewe… ; there he spent four years in the study of the Arts, and so eminently profited therein, that he was chos…n a Professor of Phylosophy. In the year 1583. the States of Scotland intending to erect a University at Edenburg, sent some to S…int Andrews to finde out a fit man that might undertake the Government of it: where, by the generall vote of all, there was none thought so fit for this worke as Rollock: which the States being informed of, they presently sent fo… h…m: and when he was come, they entertained him court…ousl…: after he had been there a while, he set upon the work…, and young Students flock't thither a pace from all parts of the Kingdome: whom he instr…ted in the Ar…, and governed with severity mixed with …lemen…y, and so educated them in Religion, that God blessed his labours …xceedingly amongst them. After four years he examined them strictly, and finding their proficiency, they commenced Masters of Art: then four Professors of Philosophy were joyned with him to share in the pai…s, which were chosen out of the ablest of thos… that had commenced Masters of Ar… Every morning Rollock …alling the stud…nts together, prayed fervently with them… and one day in the weeke, expounded some portion of Script… to them: after which Lecture he took notice which of them had committed any fault… that week, whom he would so reprove, and lay the wrath of God before them, that he much r…formed them thereby. He tooke extraordinary paines to fit such for the worke o… the Ministery, as were growne up to it; so that the Church received very much benefit from thence, h…ving so many able Pastors sent forth into it.
Besides this, he Preached every Lords day in the Church, and that with such fervency, and evident demonstration of the spirit, that he was the inst…ument of converting very many unto God. He wrote also many Commentaries upon the Scriptures, which being Printed, and going abroad… into other Countries, Beza meeting with that upon the Romans and Ephesians, he wrote to a friend concerning them that he had gotten a treasure of incomparable value, and that he had not met with the like before for brevi…ie, elegancy, and jud…ciousnesse.
He was so humble that he prefered all others before himselfe, and laboured after privacie from publicke businesse, that he might the better apply himselfe to his studies: yet in the two last years of his life, he was so involved in Publicke affaires, that it much weakned his health. He was greatly tormented with the stone, yet did he not intermit his labours. He was made Moderator in a Synod, and chosen for one of the Commissioners of the Church in the interval… of Synods.
In the year 1589. his disease so increased upon him, that he was confined to his house: and being removed into the Countrey ayre, he seemed at first to be better, but presently his disease returned with more violence, so that he was forced to keepe his bed: whereupon he set his House in order, and his Wi…e, after ten years barrennesse, being with childe, he commended her to the care of his friends: two Noblemen coming to visit him, he requested them from him to goe to the King, and to intreat him, in his name, to take care of Religion, and to persevere in it to the end, as hitherto he had done; and to reverence and esteeme the Pastors of the Church, as it was meet.
And when the Pastors of Edenbrough came to him, he made an excellent exhortatio… to them and profession of his sincerity and integrity in …is place that God called him to… death approaching, he made such a divine and heavenly speech as astonished the hearers: and when the Physitians were preparing Physick for him, he said, Tu Deus medeberis mihi, thou Lord wilt heal mee: then he prayed fervently that God would pardon his sins for Christ's sake, and that he might have an happy departure, enjoy God's presence which he often breathed after: saying I have hitherto seen but darkely in the glasse of his word: O Lord grant that I may enjoy the eternall fruition of thy countenance which I have so much desired, and longed for: the day after diverse of the Magistrates of Edenburg coming to him, he spake to them to be very carefull of the University, desiring them to choose into his room Henry Charter, a man every way fit for that imployment: he commended to their care also his wife, professing that he had not laid up one penny of his stipend, and therefore hoped they would provide for her: when he had their promise for those things, he said, I blesse God, I have all sences intire, but my heart is in heaven: and Lord Iesus why shouldest not thou have it, it hath been my care all my life long to dedicate it to thee, I pray thee take it that it may live with thee for ever; C… Lord Iesus, put an end to this miserable life: hast Lord and tarry not: Come Lord Iesus and give me that life for which thou hast redeemed me: and when some told him that the next day was the Sabbath, he said: thy Sabbath O Lord shall begin my eternall Sabbath: my eternall Sabbath shall take it's beginning from thy Sabbath. The next morning feeling his approaching death, he sent for Master Belcanqual to pray with him, who in his prayer desired the Lord if he pleased, to prolong his life for the good of his Church, whereupon he said: I am a weary of this life, all my desire is that I may enjoy the celestiall life that is hid with Christ in God: and thus continued he in such heavenly prayers, and speeches till the evening, and quietly resigned up his spirit unto God Anno Christi 1598. and of his Age forty three.
Renowned Rollock, a most learned Scot,
Deserves also, as his most worthy lot
A Crown of Bayes, his learned browes to dresse;
Who did such parts and piety expresse;
Such gravity, mixt with sweet Clemency;
Such love to truth, and spotlesse verity,
As that the Scottish States minding to make
At Edenburg an Academ, did take
Especiall notice of him; and then sent
Desiring him to take that Government;
Which he perform'd with such diligence,
That Scotland reapt great benefit from thence,
He, on the sacred Scriptures Comments wrote,
Wherof two were of such renowned note,
That Beza of them, gave his witnesse fair,
That they were rich, and prizelesse Tr…asures rare:
This precious Saint, thus piou…ly did spend
His dayes on earth, & had heavens Crown in th'end.
The Life and Death of Nicolas Hemingius, who dyed Anno Christi 1600.
NIcolas Hemingius was born at Loland in Denmarke Anno Christi 1513. of honest Parents, but his Father dying when he was young, his Grandfather brought him up carefully in learning, placing him forth in diverse Schools, and when he had laid a good foundation of learning there, he had an ardent desire to goe to Wittenberg, which was made famous by Philip Melancthon's Lectures, and having gotten some little mony in his purse he traveled thitherward, but by the way some thieves met him, and stripped him of all that he had: yet when he came to Wittenberg, he found th… people very charitable to him, especially Melancthon: there he remained five yeares, and by his writing for, and attending upon richer students, and teaching some privately, he maintained himselfe: When he returned home he had an ample testimony from Melancthon for his excellent wit, and learning: and was there intertained by Olaus Nicholas to teach his daughters, and from thence he was chos…n to be Pastor at Hafnia, and accordingly ordained to it… which place he discharged with much diligence, and faithfulnes…: and many young students resorting to him, he read privatly to them, and afterwards was chosen Hebrew Professor in that University.
In the year 1557. he was made Doctor in Divinity, and performed his place with much sedulity twenty six y…res. Anno Christi 1579. when he was growne old, and exhausted with his daily labors, Frederick the second, King of D…nmark gave him a liberall Pension, upon which he lived holily, and comfortably all the remainder of his dayes: som years before his death he grew blind, and was troubled with severall diseases, desiring nothing more then that he might be dissolved, and be with Christ: A little before his death he expounded the 103. Psalme, with so much fervor, efficacy, and power of the holy Ghost, that all that heard him wondred at it, and shortly after resigned up his spirit …nto God, Anno 1600. and of his age 87.
Hemingius doth deserve to be
Recorded in each memory.
Who for his wit and worthy parts
In Learning, Tongues, and exc'lent Arts,
Was by Melancthon much respected,
And for his learned gifts elected
Hebrew Professour, worthily,
In Hafnia Universitie;
Where six and twenty years he stai'd
With great estéem, and there was made
A Doctor in Theologie,
And full of years and love did dye.