PRINCES-STREET, WESTMINSTER. -English Presbyterian. rotunda form, and fitted up in a superior style; but without galleries. As this meeting-house is situated in a quarter of the town where Dissenters are but little encouraged, and even less so than formerly, it is no wonder that the interest is in a low state. To this some other causes have likewise contributed. Under the earlier ministers, the congregation was both numerous and wealthy; and many persons in high life were not ashamed to unite with them in upholding the despised cause of nonconformity. This gave them considerable influence with those in power, and it was often beneficially exerted in the great cause of civil and religious liberty. Of this, some instances occur in the life of Dr. Calamy, who was many years at the head of the Dissenting interest. There are few places amongst the Dissenters that can boast such a succession of learned and exemplary ministers as this at Westminster ;-men, who in their day and generation were instrumental in building up the great cause of christianity, as well as of Protestant dissent. Prior to Dr. Kippis, the ministers of this society were Trinitarians, and may be considered moderate Calvinists; at present the church ranks with what are called the Heterodox Dissenters. Since the death of Dr. Kippis, the people, who are but few in number, have been in rather an unsettled state with regard to a pastor, none having continued with them for any length of time. Indeed, the purposes of religious worship seem scarcely answered in keeping open the doors to so few persons; nor can it be very encouraging to a minister to preach to empty benches. Notwithstanding the pains that are taken by some zealous persons to uphold the cause of what is, by a perverseness of language, called "Unitarianism," their success is by no means apparent in our old Presbyterian churches, which seem fast hastening to a dissolution. A good specimen of the style of preaching amongst the Presbyterians fourscore years ago, shall be adduced in the life of Dr. Calamy. Happy would it be for the cause of nonconformity, as well as for that of our common christianity, were PRINCES-STREET, WESTMINSTER.-English Presbyterian. the same truths taught with similar faithfulness in some modern congregations. Ichabod would not, in that case, be written upon the walls of so many of our meeting-houses. The following is a list of the ministers who have officiated to this society, both as pastors and assistants. THOMAS CAWTON, B. A.-It is in some measure a reproach on our nation, that while many of our countrymen are admired for their talents abroad, their names are scarcely known at home, or at least their performances but little attended to. This has been the fate, amongst many others, of the learned Mr. Thomas Cawton. He was born at Wivenhoe, near Colchester, in Essex, about the year 1637; PRINCES-STREET, WESTMINSTER.-English Presbyterian. his father, Mr. Thomas Cawton, a learned and religious puritan, being then minister of that place. The first rudiments of learning he received from his father, whom he attended in his banishment, and lived with him several years in Holland, where he studied the Oriental languages under Mr. Robert Sheringham, at Rotterdam, with equal diligence and success. About the year 1656, he was sent to the University of Utrecht, where he distinguished himself by his extraordinary skill in the Oriental languages, in such a manner as did honour to his abilities. On the 14th of December, 1657, he maintained a thesis in relation to the Syriac version of the Old and New Testament, and printed his discourse, as he did some time after, another dissertation on the usefulness of the Hebrew language, in the study of theoretic philosophy; which treatises sufficiently shew, both the extent of his learning, and the solidity of his judgment. When he left Utrecht, the famous Professor Leusden subscribed an ample testimony in his favour, wherein he expresses a great regard for his person, as well as a just sense of his attainments. In this certificate he observes, that Mr. Cawton had with infinite labour studied and acquired a perfect knowledge of the principal languages of the East; that he had established a deserved reputation by publishing the treatises before mentioned; and that he was in all respects a person of quick wit, piercing judgment, and deep erudition. A part of the certificate may be seen in the original Latin in Wood's Athenæ Oxonienses, vol. ii. col. 583. In all probability our author would have afforded his country more conspicuous marks of his skill in these matters, if the taste for that kind of learning had not begun to decay, and his own troubles for nonconformity commenced. Upon his return to England he went to Oxford, and there * The titles of these pieces are, 1. Disputatio de Versione Syriaca Vet. et Novi Testamenti, 4to. 1657.-2. Dissertatio de usu Linguæ Hebraica in Philosophia Theoretica. 4to. 1657. Both printed at Utrecht. PRINCES-STREET, WESTMINSTER.English Presbyterian. entered himself of Merton College, for the sake of Mr. Samuel Clarke, famous for his thorough knowledge of the Oriental languages. Here Mr. Cawton shewed his loyalty by writing a copy of Hebrew verses on his Majesty's restoration, having been pretty early in the year 1660, admitted to the degree of B. A. at which time, Professor Leusden's certificate was read publicly. In 1661 he was ordained by the Bishop of Oxford; and in 1662 he published the life of his father. In all probability he might have obtained very considerable preferment if his principles had not led him to nonconformity. When he returned from the university, he was taken into the family of Sir Anthony Irby, of Lincolnshire, where he officiated for some years as chaplain, but the air of that country disagreeing with him, and the family going down thither on account of the plague in 1665, he was obliged to quit it, and lived afterwards with the Lady Armine, till about the year 1670, when he gathered a congregation of Dissenters in Tothill-street, Westminster, to whom he preached with some interruptions from the severities of the government for about seven years, till falling into a bad state of health, he died of a gradual decay, April 10, 1677, being then about forty years of age. He was buried in the new church in Tothill-street, Westminster, at which time his friend and fellow-collegian, Mr. Henry Hurst, preached his funeral sermon, as did also Mr. Nathaniel Vincent, in another place. He was a man, who, as his learning rendered him admired, so his virtues made him beloved by all parties. His congregation followed the advice he gave them on his death bed; for he told them that he knew none so proper to be his successor, as a certain Northamptonshire minister, who wrote against Dr. Sherlock. This was Mr. Vincent Alsop, whom they accordingly chose. The only publication of Mr. Cawton's besides those already mentioned; was a sermon, entitled "Baalam's Wish, or, the Vanity of Desiring, without endeavouring to obtain, the Death of the Upright." Lond. 1670, Svo. and again in 1675. This is PRINCES-STREET, WESTMINSTER.English Presbyterian. a very grave, solid, and judicious discourse, and is at once a proof of the deep learning and sincere piety of its author. To the foregoing account of Mr. Cawton, it may not be improper to add the very high character given of him by a Mr. Bruce, who studied at Utrecht, in a letter to a relation of his in Scotland, dated June, 1682; in which, speaking of his countrymen and other British subjects, who had studied in that university, he speaks of our author in the following words. "Besides the late Dr. Nicholas Shepherd, who was minister of the English church at Middleburg, Mr. Thomas Cawton, who died but a few years ago, and was a man very eminent among the nonconformists, laid the foundation of his great knowledge of the Oriental languages here; and it is wonderful how fresh the memory of his proficiency in those studies, remains in this place. The Professor has a particular regard for those of our nation, and takes a great pleasure in speaking of such of them as have been under his care; but I never heard him mention any with greater respect than this gentleman, who was not only eminent for his knowledge in the Hebrew, but in the Syriac also, and other Eastern tongues; and wrote a treatise to shew the usefulness of this kind of learning, not in divinity only, but in the study also of philosophy, in which he was a very great master. That tract of his is become very scarce, so that it was with some difficulty that I procured it; and I am afraid I shall meet with many obstacles in my design of making a collection of all the pieces of that kind, that have been printed in this country, by the natives of Great Britain; and which, according to the computation I have been able to make, will not fall very far short of threescore. I doubt, whether any encouragement could be had for reprinting them, which might be done in three volumes. in quarto; but if I am able to complete such a collection, I think it would be an acceptable present to one of our universities, and with this view I shall take some pains both |