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HABERDASHERS'-HALL.-Independent,

But for a justly be proposed as a pattern to others. more particular description we must refer to the book before-mentioned. * Sometime after his settlement in London, Dr. Lobb was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. There is a good portrait of him, sitting in a chair, prefixed to one of his medical books.

HABERDASHERS'- HALL.

INDEPENDENT.

AFTER the dissolution of Dr. Lobb's church, the meeting-house at Haberdashers'-Hall, was taken by the Independent congregation at Girdlers'-Hall, under the care of the Rev. Robert Wright. This is the church that now meets there, and is, perhaps, one of the most ancient Dissenting societies, now in existence, in the metropolis. It is deserving remark, that notwithstanding this circumstance, we have a clearer and more connected account of its history, than of many other churches of a much later date; a fact that deserves particular mention. It has been said on the authority of an ancient member, that the learned and eminent Dr. John Owen, was the founder, or first minister of this church; but we apprehend there is no solid ground for the supposition. The more probable and best authenticated account is, that it was gathered by the Rev. William Strong, a member of the Westminster assembly, and one of the parliament's preachers. This statement is corroborated by

* Memoirs of Theophilus Lobb, M. D. By John Greene.

HABERDASHERS'-HALL.—-Independent.

Dr. Calamy.* Also by the church-books belonging to the society; and by the Rev. Thomas Hall, who, in his sermon on the death of the Rev. Robert Wright, one of its pastors, expressly says, "This church was gathered by Mr. Strong, who was its pastor when it used to meet in Westminster Abbey." The church was first formed in the year 1650, a little before Cromwell assumed the supreme power; and tradition says, that the congregation met together for public worship sometime in the House of Lords. Dr. Gibbons was informed by a very ancient person of the name of Curry, whom he visited at the almshouses, near St. Clement's church, in the Strand, and who at that time was between eighty and ninety years of age, that her husband was baptized in the house of Peers; and it is probable that was the place where the church meetings were held. However, be this as it may, we have undeniable evidence that the congregation assembled for some years in the abbey church of St. Peter's, Westminster, under Mr. Strong, whose successor, Mr. John Rowe, was turned out upon the Restoration.

Notwithstanding the persecution raised against the nonconformists by the royal brothers, the people composing the church, continued to assemble privately for religious worship, till a legal toleration was granted to the Dissenters by the first parliament of the glorious King William, when the meetings were publicly opened. Mr. Rowe, after his ejectment, preached to them frequently in Bartholomew-close, and afterwards had a meeting-house in Holborn, not far from Gray's-inn-lane, near which spot he seems to have resided. We think it not improbable that this was the building in Baker's-court, still in existence, and used for the purposes of religious worship. It bears the marks of our ancient building, and appears to have been erected in troublous times, when concealment was so highly desirable. If this

• Calarny's Account, p. 41.

+ Mr. Hall's Sermon on the death of the Rev. Robert Wright, p. 23, nole.

HALERDASHERS'-HALL.--Independent.

conjecture be right, it may be honourably mentioned as the preaching place of the very learned Theophilus Gale. In the time of the eminent Mr. Thomas Rowe, son to the Mr. Rowe before-mentioned, the congregation removed to Girdlers'-Hall, Basinghall-street, and continued to meet there for a considerable number of years. During the earlier part of this time, they occupied the place only in the morning, another congregation assembling there in the afternoon, under the pastoral care of the Rev. George Griffith, and afterwards of the Rev. Joseph Tate. But this society becoming extinct about the year 1710, Mr. Rowe's people occupied the place on both parts of the day, till the year 1723, when it was shut up for some time, and afterwards let out to other congregations, as may be seen under the article Girdlers'-Hall. About the year 1734, Mr. Wright removed his people from Girdlers'-Hall to Haberdashers'-Hall, where they continue to assemble to the present day.

In its early state, this was one of the most respectable churches among the Independents. Several of Oliver's lords and members of parliament, were members. Among others, as appears from Hutchinson's "History of NewEngland," was Major-General Goffe, who, in July 1660, together with his father-in-law, Colonel Whalley, a member of Mr. Goodwin's church, two of the King's judges, took shelter in New-England, where, notwithstanding the diligent pursuit of the loyalists, they continued concealed upwards of fifteen years, and died there. The celebrated Dr. Watts, while a student, was a member of this church. The congregation in former days was numerous, but for many years past it has been upon the decline. About a twelvemonth ago, it received an accession by the union of a small church, which formerly met, in the afternoon, at Monkwell-street, under the care of Mr. Charles Neely. The two ministers divide the service between them, and preach alternately. The church at Haberdashers'-Hall is upon the Independent plan, and the pastors have always been esteemed Calvinists.

HABERDASHERS'-HALL. -Independent.

The following is a complete list of the ministers of this church from its origin, distinguishing pastors from assistants, with the dates of their settlement and removal.

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WILLIAM STRONG, M. A. author of "A Discourse on the Two Covenants," and of some other theological treatises, received his education in Katherine-Hall, Cambridge, of which he became Fellow. The Master of the College was the celebrated Dr. Richard Sibbes. Upon leaving the university, he was presented to the living of More-Crichel, in Dorsetshire, where he continued till he was forced to fly from the cavaliers. He then came to London, where he preached before the parliament, was chosen one of the Assembly of Divines, and minister of St. Dunstan's in the West. He was also made one of the Triers for the appro

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bation of public preachers.* After some time he gathered a congregation upon the Independent plan, which met for some time in Westminster Abbey, and was composed of many parliament men, and persons of quality residing in Westminster. He was chosen to the office of pastor in this society, Dec, 9, 1650, upon which occasion he delivered a sermon on the order of a gospel church, which may be seen in the volume of his select sermons, published after his death. In the same volume there is also a sermon upon the choice of church officers.

Mr. Strong died in the vigour of life, in the month of June, 1654. His remains were interred in the abbey church, July the 4th. After the Restoration, the humane, the liberal, and the enlightened Charles ordered his bones to be dug up, together with the bodies of several other eminent persons in church and state, and thrown into a pit dug for that purpose in St. Margaret's Churchyard. We know not whether our ideas revolt most at the refined barbarity, or contemptible meanness of this proceeding, rather to be looked for amongst a tribe of untutored savages, than from a monarch bred up in the refinements of an English court, and whose natural temper was not disinclined to generosity. It is greatly to be feared that the agents of this, and other transactions of a like brutish nature, in this reign, are to be found amongst persons of high rank in church and state, but who abused the confidence of their sovereign, to the most pernicious and arbitrary purposes. One of the illustrious individuals who suffered the indignity thus offered to the dead, was the valiant Admiral' Blake, whose name was a terror to the enemies of Britain, and who raised the naval reputation of his country to a higher pitch than any of his predecessors. (T)

Neal's Puritans, vol. ii. p. 447.

+ Calamy's Account, p. 41.

(T) The following is a list of some of the persons to whose bodies the above indignity was offered, on the 12th and 14th of September, 1661. Others would probably have shared their fate; but the work was so inde

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