the animal frame; who would reduce all to one standard, and one measure, and, like Procrustes, lop off what exceeds, and stretch what is defective in length; though they may please themselves, and produce an apparent uniformity, will find in the end, that they have injured the cause of Christ. What is gained in uniformity, they will at last perceive with grief is more than lost in energy and vigour; and that an injurious restraint is put upon useful dispositions in human nature, and a check given to that variety of gifts which the Holy Spirit divideth to every man severally as he will," for the edification of the church of God.

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- With all his peculiarities and extravagancies, which were probably increased by the unkind and bitter opposition of his brethren, Richard Davis appears to have been a very pious man, and an extraordinarily zealous minister of Christ. From some occasional sermons of his, which were published, it is plainly seen that he must have been remarkably popular. There is a simplicity, an animation, and a pungency in them which, if seconded by a suitable elocution, must have made a powerful impression on the hearts of his hearers. His zeal was of the most ardent kind; and England at that time, perhaps, scarcely could produce a man of more abundant labours in the Redeemer's cause. Not satisfied with performing the duties of the pastoral office to his flock at Rothwell, he added the character of an itinerant too; and extended his journeys eighty miles, in every direction around the place of his abode: his converts became members of his church; and as they lived at a distance, and could only attend on particular occasions, they had religious meetings among themselves for

prayer, for conversation, and for preaching, as opportunities were afforded. That they might enjoy these in the greater abundance, he called forth the most intelligent members of his church into action, and employed them in itinerating within his extensive circle. In itinerancy Mr. Davis was not the first in his day. Several non-conformist ministers spread their labours over the county in which they lived, and some made stated preaching tours of considerable extent. Good John Bunyan made Bedfordshire, and some parts of the neighbouring counties, the ground of his diocese; and the members of his church dwelt in many of the towns and villages where his preaching had reached and converted them. But to Mr. Davis must be assigned peculiarly the practice of calling in the members of the church so abundantly to his aid, and making use of their exertions in advancing the work which he had begun. This part of his conduct gave singular offence to his brethren, especially those of the presbyterian order, who were at that time by far the most numerous denomination of the dissenters. It was one of their charges against Mr. Davis, that he sent forth a swarm of taylors, weavers, dyers, shoemakers, and farmers to preach. A regular education for the ministry was considered by the presbyterians as a qualification almost indispensable. Among the independents this idea did not prevail, and there were ministers among them who had not enjoyed any advantages of a literary kind. Of those lay-preachers whom Mr. Davis sent out, several afterwards became pastors of churches formed from the societies which he had collected in the towns and villages in which he was wont to preach.

To the honour of Mr. Davis it must be mentioned that he had imbibed a principle, the want of which at that time was exceedingly injurious to the cause of religion, and circumscribed within narrow limits the usefulness of many excellent men. It may be named the principle of propagation. It arises out of a conviction in the mind that it is the duty of every Christian to spread abroad the knowledge of the Gospel to the utmost of his power, and to the farthest extent of which he is capable: and that wherever there are people destitute of the truth as it is in Jesus, if they are within his reach in any way, it is incumbent on him to do every thing within the compass of his ability, that the word of God may be preached to them for their salvation. On this principle did Mr. Davis act; and he united in himself the office and character of pastor, itinerant, and primitive bishop presiding over his humble presbyters who aided him in the labours of his diocese.

Had Mr. Davis been treated with greater kindness by his brethren, it is highly probable, that we should not have had so many of his eccentricities and peculiarities to lament. By the affectionate counsel of wiser men, he would have been led to see the impropriety of them, and to shun them; but the violence. of their opposition destroyed all that influence, and the more he differed from them, the nearer the truth he conceived himself to be. While we throw the veil of compassion over his infirmities, it must give pleasure to every friend of religion to witness the fervour of his zeal, and the multiplicity of his labours to extend the knowledge of Christ, as far as his exertions could possibly reach. Had this been the general spirit of the dissenting ministers of his time, their cause would

have been more prosperous, and true religion more prevalent in the world. His example does not appear to have been followed by his successors; and itinerating zeal seems to have died, and to have been buried with him, till it was raised from the grave by the apostles of methodism. But let posterity give to his memory the praise which is justly due, and hail Richard Davis as the morning-star of propagation.

SECTION II.

THE CONTROVERSY RESPECTING DR. CRISP'S

WORKS.

ABOUT the same time another dispute arose among the dissenters, known since by the name, of the neonomian controversy. It took its rise from the re-publication of the works of Dr. Crisp in the year one thousand six hundred and ninety. Tobias Crisp was of a respectable and opulent family in the city of London. Part of his university education he received at Cambridge, and part at Oxford. He was appointed rector of Brinkworth, in Wiltshire, where he lived greatly followed and admired for his preaching, and greatly respected for the humility and sanctity of his life. When the civil wars broke out, the soldiers of Charles's army (as was their usual custom to ministers who were not of the old formal high church stamp) treated him with such cruelty, that for the sake of personal safety he was under the necessity of leaving his rectory and retiring to London. After continuing there for some time, he was seized with the small-pox, and died in the year one thousand six hundred and forty-two, in the forty-second year of his age. On his death-bed he expressed an entire resignation to the divine will, and a lively expectation of eternal blessedness.

In the earlier part of life, the doctor was a favourer of the arminian system; but he afterwards saw reason