was also solicited in other places in the vicinity; and he continued these labours of love for some time. Being recommended to the Rev. Mr. Scott, as a young man of promising talents for the ministry of the Gospel, he was placed by him under the instructions of the Rev. James Whitteridge, then of Newcastle, Staffordshire. Here he continued about a year, preaching in different places every Lord's Day. As the church at Congleton was at that time destiture of a stated minister, he frequently published the glad tidings there. His preaching met with much acceptance; and, the attachment being mutual, he received and complied with their unanimous invitation to reside among them. He was ordained there, April 24, 1793. This station appeared remarkably congenial to his former habits and his manner of preaching, as it presented an extensive scene for village labours. These he entered into with prompt affection and persevering zeal, whenever a door was opened. The effect of such exertions was soon apparent in the congregation at Congleton, which was more than doubled in number; and these recruits were chiefly brought in from those barren spots in the vicinity, which were cultivated by his occasional ministrations. While at Congleton, he occupied a small farm to assist a scanty income, and meet the necessities of a growing family. However, he found his present means inadequate to his necessary expenditure; and was under the painful necessity of stating the circumstance to his people. The most considerate saw the propriety of immediate exertion, to free bim from such embarrassments, as must, to an upright mind, prove a source of unceasing anxiety and discouragement. These accordingly offered to raise their stated contributions to the necessary amount; but the majority of the people (though not expected to assist in a pecuniary way unacountably refused so much as to sanction an increase of salary; and he could not judge it right to receive that as a matter of private bounty, to which he was so justly entitled, in virtue of that authority which ordains, that they that preached the Gospel, should live of the Gospel." At this time the church in Howard Street, Sheffield, was without a stated minister; and he was invited to supply there. His situation at Congleton being known, he was solicited to accept the pastoral charge among them. Of this he informed the people at Congleton. After waiting

waiting some time, and observing that they still neglected to take those steps which prudence and justice made neces sary, in order to his continuing with them, he answered the invitation from Sheffield in the affirmative; concluding. that it appeared to be the will of God he should remove from that sphere, where he had laboured with much pleasure, and considerable success. He accordingly went to Sheffield in November 1797.

When he arrived at Sheffield, the congregation was small, and the number in church-fellowship few; but the Lord. so far succeeded his exertions, that in a short time the chapel was well filled, and the church considerably increased. Here his prospects appeared particularly encouraging. Placed in a populous town, united with a people chiefly collected under his own ministry, surrounded with a pleasing grow. ing family, on terms of cordial friendship and co-operation with brother ministers in the town and neighbourhood, in the meridian of mental and corporeal vigour, preaching the Lord Jesus with general acceptance, and enjoying much of the smile of Heaven (but continuance is not a feature of the present scene) his day drew to its close. He had finished his predestined course, and must rest from his labours. For several weeks he found himself somewhat indisposed; and had considerable difficulty in going through the services of the last Lord's Day on which he appeared in the house of God. It is a very remarkable circumstance, that Mrs. Reece had frequently requested him to preach from 2 Cor. v. 8.; but not till this day had he complied with her desire. The manner in which he spoke of being "absent from the body and present with the Lord," occasioned some of his hearers to say, "It was as though Mr. Reece thought he was preaching his own funeral sermon and it proved to be the last serinon he delivered. In the course of the week his indisposition gained ground, and a violent fever ensued, which baffled every effort of medical skill; and the morning of January 8, 1501, his countenance was changed, and he slept in death. On Saturday his corpse, attended by all the members of the church over which he presided, was interred in Howard Street Chapel Yard; and Messrs. Dawson, Dixon, and Boden, (ministers of the same town,) endeavoured to improve the truly affecting and solemn season. A sermon was preached, on the following Sabbath evening, by Mr. Boden, from Psalm xlvi. 18:

Be

"Be still, and know that I am God." The chapel was very much crowded; and many tears were mingled on the

occasion.

Under his fast illness he enjoyed a confidence in the God of his salvation, unruffled by painful doubt, or dark suspicion. "Jesus Christ will answer all for me," was the declaration of that conscious interest in a covenant Redeemer, which he found as an anchor to the soul, both sure and stedfast, while surrounded with the waves of affliction, Dying circumstances urge the necessity of plain fidelity with ourselves and others. To one who stood beside him, he said, with great earnestness, "You are yet unconverted to God;"-to another, "You have long attended the means of grace, but without saving advantage to your He had, for several years previous to his dissolution, found his mind much occupied concerning some provision for his family, in case of his removal; and had often introduced the subject at the meetings of ministers, in or der to induce a co-operation for the establishment of a widow's fund. Yet though his wishes had not been carried into effect, on his death-bed, his mind appeared entirely divested of anxiety on this head; and he was enabled to resign his family to the care of His providence, into whose hands he had committed the concerns of his own soul. Out of gratitude to a generaus public, and for the encouragement of faith in a covenant God, who has said, “Leave thy fatherless children, and let thy widows trust in me," we mention that the sympathy and liberality of many were so strongly excited on behalf of the surviving widow and six infant children, that upwards of one thousand pounds was subscribed for their future support. Thus, in a way of which our departed brother had not the most distant idea, his God, whom he had served with his spirit in the Gospel of his Son, made provision for his numerous family. The works of the celebrated Bunyan appear to have attracted his early and particular attention; and to have been read with considerable advantage. He entered thoroughly into his views of Gospel doctrine; and imbibed a considerable share of the spirit and manner of that admired original. Faithfulness to the souls of men, and to what he believed to be the distinguishing truths of the Gospel, formed a very prominent feature of his religious intercourse, and his public ministry. He had a great degree of self-posses

sion in the pulpit; and, conscious of the authority under which he spoke, declared with freedom and boldness the whole counsel of God. His illustrations of Scripture, drawn from rural and domestic life were generally just, entertaining, and instructive, though sometimes bordering on the quaint and fanciful. As a speaker, he possessed considerable powers of selection, ease, emphasis, and variety: of course he usually engaged and fixed the attention of his auditory. He always preached without notes, but seldom or ever without premeditation. He wrote down the leading ideas of his discourses, annexing pertinent Scripture-references: in consequence, his sermons discovered a connection and order, which are in vain looked for in effusions merely extemporaneous.

REGIUS, URBAN, was born in Arga Longa, in the territories of the counts de Montfort. His family name was Rex, or King, which was changed by the family, as it was often applied in ridicule. Having given early proofs of his genius, he received a liberal education, first at Lindau, and afterwards at Friburg, his application was very extraordinary; for he buried himself in the library of his learned friend, Zasius, and frequently sat up whole nights in reading authors and transcribing the remarks, which Zasius and other scholars had made upon them, insomuch that his kind host jocularly told him, "that he certainly meant to rob him of his profession and knowledge." It is said, that Zasius loved him as a son, both for his delight in learning and sweetness of manners: and Urban did not fail to answer all the expectations which had been conceived of him.

From Friburg he went to Basil for improvement; and from Basil to Ingolstadt, under the famous John Eckius. Here, after a while, he read privately to several noblemen's sons, whose parents desired him to furnish their children with books and other necessaries, for which they would take care to remit him the money quarterly; but neglecting to fulfil their promise, he was obliged to give up his books and furniture to be divided amongst his creditors, and in despair went to a captain, who was recruiting for the war against the Turks, and enlisted himself for a soldier. It soon happened, that his friend Eckius, walking abroad to see the soldiers, spied poor Urban amongst them. Eckius

with astonishment enquired the cause of this sudden change, Urban told him the behaviour of those noblemen, whose children he had tutored; and Eckius soon procured his discharge from the captain, and the money due to him from the noblemen. Urban then returned to his studies, and growing famous for his erudition and ingenuity, the emperor Maximilian, passing through Ingolstadt, made him his poet laureat and orator: afterwards, he was made professor of poetry and oratory in that university. He then applied himself closely to the study of divinity; and, a while after, the controversy growing hot between Luther and Eckius, Urban favouring Luther's doctrine; yet unwilling to offend Eckius, who had been his good friend in many instances, he left Ingolstadt and went to Augsburgh; where, at the importunity of the magistrates and citizens, he undertook the government of the church. As he began to see more of the purity of the gospel, he became offended at the gross idolatry and corruptions of the papists, and joined with Luther in preaching against them. He also wrote to Zuinglius, to know his judgement about the sacrament and original sin, from whom he received so much satisfaction, that he agreed with him entirely in those particulars. "Whereever (says Melchior Adam) he saw the truth, he openly embraced and boldly confessed it."

He went on preaching against purgatory, indulgences, and the other corruptions, till the papists were so enraged, that they drove him out of the city but through the entreaties of some principal citizens, he was called back again to his charge. He then married a citizen's daughter, by whom he had thirteen children.

There was a diet held at Augsburgh, in 1530, for quieting the controversies about religion, at which was present the duke of Brunswick, who much importuned and at last prevailed with Urban to go to Lunenburgh in his dominions, to take care of the church there. Urban in his way thither, visited Luther at Coburg, and spent a whole day with him in familiar conferences about the principal doctrines; and in his writings he mentions this as one of the most comfortable days of his life. Ernest, duke of Brunswick, loved him dearly, and esteemed him as a father; and when the city of Augsburgh sent to the duke in 1531, desiring him to permit Urban's return to them; VOL. IV.-No. 77.

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