Samuel Newman

Samuel Newman.—This pious divine was born at Banbury in Oxfordshire, in the year 1600, and educated in the university of Oxford. He imbibed the spirit of genuine christianity, became an able minister of the New Testament, and shewed himself an avowed, but moderate nonconformist. This, indeed, rendered him obnoxious to the ruling prelates, by whom he was cruelly harassed and persecuted. Through the episcopal molestations he was silenced, and driven from one place to another, no less than seven times.+ But, agreeably to the advice of Christ, when he was persecuted, and not suffered to labour for the good of souls in one place,he fled to another. This he did till he could find no place of rest; and, at length, to avoid the fury of the persecuting bishops, he resolved to transport himself to New England, where he should be out of their reach. He arrived in the new plantation, with many other excellent christians, in the year 1638; and spent one year and a half at Dorchester, five years at Weymouth, and nineteen at Rehoboth, in Plymouth colony. He gave the name to the town last mentioned, because, upon a removal to that place, his flock, which before had been short of room> might then say, " The Lord hath made room for ns, and we shall be fruitful in the land."

Mr. Newman was particularly attentive to the state of religion, both in his family and in the church of God. He was in like manner exceedingly mindful over his own heart, and most exactly attentive to the duty of self-examination. This will appear from an account transcribed from his own papers. For his own advantage, it was his daily practice to examine himself, and make such memorials as the following:— "I find, that Hove God, and desire to love him more.—I find a desire to requite evil with good.—I find, that 1 am looking up to God, to see him, and his hand, in all things.—I find a

* Fuller't Church Hist. b. xi. p. 213. t

+ Mather'i Hist, of New England, b. iii. p. 114.

greater fear of displeasing God than all the world.—I find a love to such christians as 1 never saw, or received good

from. I find a grief when 1 see the commands of God

broken.—I find a mourning when I do not enjoy the assurance of God's love.—I find a willingness to give God the glory of all my ability to do good.—I find a joy in the company and conversation of the godly.—I find a grief when I perceive it goes ill with christians.—I find a constant love to secret duties.—I find a bewailing of such sins as the world cannot accuse me of.—I find I constantly choose suffering to avoid sin."* .

This method did Mr. Newman daily observe betwixt God and his own heart. Towards the close of his life he became more and more watchful. He became more fruitful towards God, as he approached nearer his heavenly Father's kmgdom. His last sermon was from Job xiv. 4. All the days of tnv appointed time will I wait, until my change come. He fell sick immediately after his sermon, and m a few days closed his eyes in peace, saying, " Now, ye angels of the Lord Jesus Christ, come, and do your office." He died July 5, 1663, aged sixty-three years. He was a hard student, a lively preacher, remarkably charitable to the poor; and a person of invincible patience and constancy under numerous and painful trials.+ He was author of " A Concordance to the J3ible," a work well known at the present time.